Book1, Volume 6

Chapter 63

Wylla and her rascally cuties wended their way through the forest, guided by the basketball-sized paw prints in an easterly north direction, heading straight towards the Waterfall (judging by the growing sounds of crashing water).

The giant paw prints led them right to where the cliff met the large blue pond, disappearing at the water's edge.

They spent the next 5 minutes searching for where the beast could have gone, looking into the deep blue waters of the pond, seeing if it was lying in wait deep down below.

Growing a bit frustrated, Wylla activated her Oryn Spirren Eyes and retraced the beasts prints. Her eyes glowed, revealing a pathway born of rock under a foot of water, the after traces of the beasts energy still glowing with each step it took.

It would have been easy to miss this pathway which blended into the cliff's wall had the paw prints not led her here.

“Alright, time to see where you're hiding.” Wylla gathered up the bottom of her dress in one hand and stepped onto the underwater stone pathway using her free hand to press against the cliff's wall for support like a handrail. The cold wet pathway led them to a large entrance of a tunnel that was hidden behind the curtain of falling water.

“Figures, I should have known this tunnel would be here the moment the prints disappeared into the pond.” Heck, I should have known the moment I saw the waterfall. /sigh A wet Wylla muttered aloud as she peered into the long stone tunnel whose walls were shades of deep gray with hints of blues. She could see small streams of water trickling down the walls as moss and small foliage grew out of the many cracks.

Bolstered by the company of Tundri and Ceri, Wylla ventured forth, entering the dragon... so to speak.

They followed the tunnel for about a quarter of a mile, Tundri's jelly lanterns lighting the way with soft colorful glows. “Ah, it's a good thing you brought them along Tundri, otherwise we'd be walking in the dark,” Wylla said, Ceri tootling in agreement as their praise made Tundri happy.

They soon found themselves near a bend in the path as colorful light shone down from above. Curious, I wonder what's creating light. It shouldn't be more jelly lanterns... right? Because there's no way they could have left those paw prints. Well, only one way to find out. Wylla walked slightly ahead of the others, stepping round the bend first, and stopped to stare at the ceiling above. “So pretty...” She muttered as Ceri and Tundri reached her side.

The ceiling was covered in colorful bioluminescent foliage gently lighting the path in soft glows of pinks, violets, purples, blues, silvers, and golds; Making it easy to see the end of the passageway about 40 yards away from where it looked to open up into... somewhere.

Wylla began to move forward stealthily, not wanting to alert the beast. Her eyes focused on the large entrance, trying to pierce the darkness that lay beyond, searching for movement in case the beast decided to head their way.

Closer and closer she stepped, her heart thumping and stomach fluttering; Everything within her telling her that the beast's lair lay just beyond that opening.

Pausing, Wylla turned and whispered to Tundri, asking him to half fill her large pouch with a mix of potions and the small pouch with the special trump card and hand them to her. Tundri nodded, doing as asked.

Equipping the pouches over her shoulder and across her body, Wylla opened her status page and began to read, pausing for a moment when her eyes landed on [ Familiars (1/3) – Starlyng SnapDragon named Ceri ]. “Ooh, I can have two more familiars... Good to know...” She muttered to herself with a smile, before moving on to review her skills and abilities.

She then did the same with Ceri and Tundri and then, with all their abilities in mind, began formulating a battle plan which she then shared with the quietly waiting duo. Breathing in deeply, and bolstered by their preparations and plan of attack, Wylla continued forward towards the large looming entrance.

Ceri quietly followed by her side as Tundri trailed behind, his helping serpenvine hands gathering the glowing foliage from the ceiling above.

Arriving at the entrance, Wylla took a final deep breath, steadying her nerves, and stepped through the opening into a large cavernous room with Ceri by her side. Just as her eyes were about to scan the area, a panicked “Wah!” called out, closely followed by a wave of jittery emotions, hitting her from behind, forcing her to spin around.

Her eyes widened in shock as she saw the entrance into the room sealed off by a golden green barrier resembling thick hardened sap. And a trapped agitated Tundri on the other side.

He pounded on the barrier with cauldron-like fists. The rumbling sounds echoing in the large cavern, destroying any and all elements of surprise Wylla may have held. Breathing in deeply, Wylla walked up to the barrier, sending out comforting words and waves of emotions.

“It's okay Tundri. There's no need to worry okay? Ceri and I got this! Just sit right there, safe and sound, okay? Remember, you have a lot of passengers with you... depending on you. So be good and cheer us on. There's nothing to worry about because like I said... we got this!” Wylla finished with a clenched fist, putting up a front of utter and complete confidence. I hope.

She then turned around and scanned the area knowing in her heart of hearts that she and Ceri had just entered the Guardian's Lair... for why else would the room seal her in?

The cavern was huge, about the size of a football field, and square-ish with round corners. The ground was rock hard and flat providing no cover. The ceiling was lumpy and high allowing Ceri plenty of room to maneuver. And the lighting was as bright as a full moon night.

Wylla eyes roamed over the cold stone walls, coming to a stop on an arched opening on the other side of the cavern which was covered by a similar sap barrier. Hmm, that must be it, the way out... The way to Abrynth. And that large hill on the right side of the entrance must be where the guardian resides... I think.

As if on cue, the top of the hill began to shake, and then rise. A low growl reverberated throughout the cavern, echoing upon the walls.

Overcome by the beast's aura, Wylla took a step back; Her body tensed, switching into butterfly form as her wand materialized into her waiting hand.

The huge beast turned to glare at the intruders. Angered that they dare enter his lair and interrupt his sweet, sweet feast. Why? Why did they come? Could it be they're here to steal... to steal his delicious golden treasure?

The thought of them doing so, of these bugs stealing his hard-earned golden furbee honey orbs caused him to become angrier and angrier as his eyes flared reddish-green; Opening his massive maw, he dropped a half-eaten honey orb onto the ground and lumbered Wylla's way with ground trembling steps.

“I think we're gonna need a bigger boat,” Wylla muttered, before shaking her head and looking up towards Ceri. “You need to stay high and use your curse when I use mine. Make sure to re-apply it whenever its duration ends.

Other than that, stay on the defensive, beware of your surroundings, and listen to my orders okay? Luckily, there's no way that huge monstrosity can fly so you should be safe up there.”

“Tootle-tu-too-too!” Ceri cried out, as the beast step off the hill, leaving a small mound behind.

“Don't worry Ceri, with its huge size, there's no way it can move faster than me. I'll hit it and run until it drops dead!” Wylla said, doing her best to calm Ceri and reassure herself that everything was going to be fine.

Now, let's see what powers and skills you have. Wylla's eyes glowed as the beast drew nearer, an infobox popping up before her:

[ Rank 1 Guardian Sylbear named Flowers. If you'd like any further information than what's been given, then you'll have to discover it on your own through... battle! Good luck, we're rooting for you. ;) ]

“Ah, just look at its size... are you sure it's not a Syl-hippo?” Wylla muttered under her breath. Eyeing the strands of honey dripping from the bottom of its maw. “Although, I'll say this for him, he's kind of cute for a furbee honey thief... and murderer!”

The beast, or rather, Flowers came to a stop just 20 short yards away from her. He huffed as Wylla looked over his body, searching for weaknesses, but seeing none.

Flowers was huge, the size of a hippo huge. His underbody, legs, and the back half of his body were covered in tough redwood hued barkskin.

Atop his snout over his head and down the front half of his giant back was a garden like Tundri's. His maw was filled with long sharp fangs and his greenish-black claws clacked on the rock hard ground when he walked.

Just looking at him Wylla could guess that he most likely had strong health regeneration, as well as poison and plant-based magic resistances like most of the elite flora beasts in this starting area. And needless to say, she knew she had to stay away from his crushing instakill melee attacks... especially while in her butterfly form.

Heart beating hard, body trembling from a combination of fear and adrenaline, Wylla lifted her wand and did her best to steady herself and aimed straight; Streams of energy surged within her, flowing to her hand, waiting to be released, “Briar Bloodrose Curse!”

The battle began.

A bloodred liquidy spider jumped off the tip of Wylla's wand, rushing towards a lumbering Flowers, who paid the little insignificant spell spider no mind. A second later, a blueish black Wynbella raven shot out of Ceri's magic circle and headed straight down towards Flowers's unguarded backside.

His large muscles rippled as he dug deeper into the ground, and powered himself forward at a speed that took Wylla by surprise.

Seeing his prey frightened and panicking, Flowers increased his speed, paying no heed to the bloodred liquid spider that jumped before him; The little spidery curse missed the right foreleg of its target but luckily managed to land on the hind leg where it wrapped around with thorny tendrils and tattooed itself into the guardian's barkskin.

Flowers snorted, if this was the extent of this winged bug's strength then he had nothing to fear for there was no chance she'd be able to threaten his life.

Clenching her teeth, Wylla turned her body to the right, exposing her left backside to the bull-rushing Flowers and dodged.

Relief filled her heart as Flowers's large body went past, missing her as the wind he carried in his wake tossed her hair. Then a flash of evergreen whipped through the air and...

WHAP!

“AAIIEE!” Wylla cried out in pain, rubbing her lower bum, feeling a burning line of pain. What hit my... my... that hurt! She turned around, a look of grievance in her eyes and cheeks puffed as she spotted Flowers near the cavern's wall, staring at her with 'grr-grr' laughter streaming out of his maw.

Now that he found this little bug to be no threat, he didn't mind playing with her for a while... before adding her to the menu!

Wylla's eyes focused in on Flowers back, where a pair of Serpris like serpenvines now swayed to and fro. So it was them... just wait. I'll pay you back and then some!

“Fine, you want to play, let's play!” Wylla lifted her wand, unleashing her next spell as Flowers once again bull rushed towards her... but at a slightly slower pace as the cold from Ceri's curse (which landed on his back during his whipping attack on Wylla) chilled him.

Blueish white pits opened up in the ground before him, actually startling him as he clawed into the ground to slow down and change direction. But how could doing so with such a huge body be easy?

Wailing sounds echoed out of the pits as ghostly leech vines burst forth, wrapping around Flowers left foreleg and slowly, so very slowly began draining his stamina and oryn energy.

Wylla felt her health return to full, her blessed regen further aided by the small leeching effect of the bloodrose curse she placed on Flowers. Okay, he's all dotted up now... time to run and gun!

She began to run in a large circle away from him, unleashing a stream of Dreamnisca SnapDragon Bolts as they streaked through the air towards a much too close for comfort Flowers who acted as if he was simply taking a stroll on a bright sunny day.

Just like I thought... he has both poison and plant-based resistance. Either that or my spells just aren't penetrating his barkskin armor.

But it was not that her spells weren't doing any damage, it's just that the damage that was getting past his defenses was low and her Oryn Spirren Eyes weren't strong enough to view his health bar... because if they were, then she would see that her plan was slowly working.

Flowers's health was going down bit by bit and her and Ceri's curses were negating a good portion of his regen ability.

But at the pace in which his health was falling Flowers felt no fear, knowing that with one swipe of his massive clawed paw it would all be over so he proceeded to toy with her, moving left and right, swatting the incoming snapdragons with his meaty paws, trying to corral her into a corner as his pair of serpris vines took action and began to spit out small barrages of needle-like thistles catching Wylla by surprise...

“Ouch!” Wylla yelped, as a trio of needles bit into her right flank, near her still stinging whip wound causing her to change course. Wylla glanced back, confirming the source of the attack.

Great, just great! He has a ranged attack. How is this fair? How brokenly OP did they make him. Tank-like armor and machine gun needles... Is this one of those game scenarios where you're supposed to die in order to experience the death and respawn process?

If so, no thanks! I sure as heck don't want to experience it. After all, just getting hit by that whip and those needles hurt... so I definitely don't want to experience the pain of a death blow...

“Grr-Grr-Grr...”

Huh, sounds like he's laughing at me again... I'm getting a bad feeling... Wylla looked around her. Gulping, as she realized her mistake, her mistake of letting her mind wander during a life and death battle against an overpowered foe.

Flowers stood there chuckling, joy in eyes as he stared at the lost in thought little bug; Her face changing in the realization that she had fallen into his trap and was now cornered with very little wiggle room.

A tootle sounded from above and the little bug responded but Flowers ignored their noise, summoning up the oryn energy within his chest and sending it out to his limbs; Streams of red flowing power that Wylla witnessed with her Oryn Spirren Eyes forcing her to call upon a power of her own...

Roaring, Flowers charged forth at a tremendous speed, his eyes glinting with glee at the thought of smashing this annoying little bug.

But then something strange happened... causing worry to enter his heart.

The little bug was changing, growing in size as a bladed tipped tail sprouted from above her bum, the wand in her hand disappearing... and a little dancing Starlyng SnapDragon swooped down from above; Her beautiful rhythmic movements catching his eyes for but a moment, but that was all that was needed as her Jinx took hold in his mind causing the world to greatly sway as his right paw came down hard on top of his left paw!

“AARGH-GRR!”

BAM!

Flowers jaw slammed onto the rock hard ground, turning his powerful oryn fueled charge into a rumbling tumbling world spinning train wreck as his huge body rolled (serpris vines flailing, slapping hard against the ground with each roll)...

A rolling train wreck that was heading right at Syldrake Wylla!

“Oh shi...” Having no time to waste on words, Wylla bent her knees, lowering her center of gravity and then exploded upwards as her powerful legs and tail pushed off hard against the ground; Her body turning in the air like an Olympic high jumper as Flowers rumbled by... WHAP!

“AAIIEE!” Wylla once again cried out as those darn serpris vines somehow got past her tail and once again whipped her bum... this time diagonally.

The stinging slaps spun Wylla's body, causing her to spin in the air and land on her side with a jarring THUMP!

“Oww!” Wylla winced in pain as her left shoulder and side ached.

BOOM!

A crash echoed and the ground trembled as Wylla, holding her left arm, turned and looked towards the source of the sound; Wincing as the movement caused the stings on her bum to flare. “Good! That's what you get... you big hentai bear!”

Her eyes stayed on Flowers's battered body that was sprawled up against the cavern's stone wall; A wall now lined with spidery webs of cracks. His eyes were opened but unfocused as he shook his head from time to time. If this was a cartoon, there'd be stars circling around his head. Ah, what am I doing wasting time on such thoughts! This is the opportunity I need. Rising to her feet, Wylla breathed in and out, steadying herself... and ignored the pain.

The energy within her rolled as she summoned her staff into her hands transforming it into her Bloodrose Assegai Spear; The half dozen thorn-tipped briar tendrils sprouting out from right below the long-bladed spearhead wiggled in anticipation.

“Time to finish this!” She started with a walk, and then shockingly watched him start to rise, forcing her into a sprint with her spear raised. I need to hit him hard before he's fully up and running again!

Hearing footsteps, a swaying Flowers turned her way and growled.

“Hi-ya!” Wylla yelled, sending a powerful spear thrust towards Flowers's neck!

“GRRR!” Flowers's body moved before he could think to cause Wylla's thrust to miss its mark as the spearhead bit into the huge beast's left foreleg's shoulder.

Flowers' body jerked in pain, catching Wylla off guard as the movement nearly ripped the spear from her hands.

Seething red, Flowers wildly swiped high in front of him; Seeing the big paw coming, Wylla dodged low and stepped to the guardian's left as a barrage of needles pelted her, bouncing off her Syldrake scales with a rain of 'tinks'.

“Fine, you want my attention... you got it!” Wylla muttered through gritted teeth, eyeing the pair of serpris vines.

Her spear began to dance, a whirl of feints and thrusts, keeping Flowers fangs and claws at bay. Her tail swaying behind her like a viper, waiting for an opening to strike; To end those annoying Serpris stalks that were busy peppering her body with needles, the sounds of their 'tinks' ringing out as most bounced off her majestic Syldrake armor.

Flowers's anger was growing and growing as his forelegs and chest bled from a dozen or so... pricks. He turned his head, lunging forward with an open maw as Wylla leaned back and to the right, away from the deadly bite as her coiling tail shot forward.

Seeing a streaking shadow heading towards his eye, Flowers closed his eyes, lowered his head, and lifted his right foreleg like a shield.

Seizing the opportunity, Wylla stepped to his side, and swung her spear up high like a slashing scythe SLSH!

A serpris appendage flew up into the air, severed at the base, landing on the ground with a thump.

Yes! One down... (Her eyes moving from the fallen serpris tendril to the lively one on Flowers left side) one to go!

Pain and rage burned in Flowers's veins as he shifted his body, facing Wylla, guarding his left side to protect the remaining serpris tendril as the bleeding stump on the right began to thicken and slow, the healing process kicking in but at a much slower pace thanks to the combination of Wylla's and Ceri's still ticking curses.

His chest expanded and his claws dug deep into the ground as he lunged forward with an open maw and bellowed out a fierce oryn fueled roar.

"ROOAARR!!!"

A deep penetrating sense of dread pierced Wylla's heart causing her body, bones, and muscles to stiffen and her skin to tremble as the sounds waves and spittle buffeted her. Her heart beat erratically, her ears ached, and her hold on her spear loosened.

And a switch in the back of her mind triggered, activating one of her trump cards as her Syldrake scales sprouted out covering the parts of her body that were exposed before, wrapping her up like full plate armor increasing her defense... and her strength.

But only for the next 30 seconds...

Enraged, Flowers swung his huge clawed paw in a powerful swipe towards Wylla. Above Ceri 'tootled' with everything she had at Wylla willing her to dodge!