With a clatter, the skeletons moved. They clattered and chatted, pushing open a small exit for both Snow and Dairen to crawl out of. Upon getting out, Snow noticed that a large area around where the Quetzal lay motionless. A massive amount of blood spilled out from his open wounds, his wings broken at an odd angle. The great snake was dying, and the thunderbird was screeching from above with great joy at its triumph victory.
Snow headed towards the center where Quetzal lay. She climbed over broken debris, pushing her way over. Mr. Rogers and Red were standing next to Quetzal. His hand on Quetzal nose, staring at the giant beast with reverence. Red was awake, bringing Snow a sense of relief that she was okay.
With a crackle underneath Snow’s feet, Mr. Rogers snapped his head towards Snow. A sense of danger pressed down upon both Dairen and Snow.
“You came.” Mr. Rogers spoke. His eyes glowed dangerously red.
Dairen grabbed Snow’s arm, stepping forward in between her and Mr. Rogers.
Snow was surprised that Mr. Rogers was awake. “Are you alright, Mr. Rogers?” She placed her hand on Dean's shoulder, shaking her head that it was alright. Stepping to the side, she walked closer.
“Yes. Thanks to you.”
The amount of magic around Mr. Rogers was enormous. It didn’t compare to the last time he fought. Mr. Rogers stepped aside, motioning his hand towards the Quetzal.
Snow nodded; she found herself lingering around Quetzal's head. Upon closer inspection, the damage to Quetzal was terrible. The cuts were deep, his skin charred black, and even blotches of colors boiled over with pimples were present in its wound. Anyone who would have seen it would have gagged or thrown up.
“Quetzal!” Snow shouted. She was standing on the rubble.
Quetzal, who was breathing a bit hard on the ground, with a flicker of its tongue, he tasted the air. At first, Quetzal didn’t respond. His body shivered, and he spoke slowly. “Why are you still here, human?”
“I came to give back the power that you have lost!”
“You would give me back what I have lost?” Quetzal asked in confusion. To hear that Snow had the answer to his problems stunned him.
“Yes!” Snow outstretched her hand. The stone ring dully glimmered.
Quetzal shivered, realizing what was in front of him.
A violent screech resounded from above. Thunder roared, echoing Galador scream. “No!” A bolt of lighting headed straight for Snow.
With great difficulties, Quetzal raised its head towards Snow. With a gentle touch, the ring shook until a blast of energy meeting lightning exploded around her.
Snow was blinded by the invasive light. She couldn’t see, move, or speak. A high pitch ring was heard in her ears. The bright light lessened, allowing her to see, move, and speak once again.
“Hahahahaha! Galador, you have lost this round!” The Quetzal voice was a booming roar. His broken wings were healed and fully extended. Covering everyone in his vicinity from Galador’s attack. A profound change occurred on Quetzal; the snake’s body was pure white transiting with a hint of blue, matching with its colorful feathered wings of orange, blue, and red. Even the tufts of his head's feathers were longer, and even the end of his tail had feathers. His eyes were deep blue, and his fangs protruded out from his lips. The deep wounds were quickly healing, leaving behind a flawless skin.
“Humans!” Quetzal shouted, his gaze fixated on the angry Galador, who was causing a tantrum. “I need your assistance one last time. Fight with me for the next ten minutes to recuperate to my full power, and in return, I will reward you!”
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“I will!” Snow said firmly with an ounce of wavering. She was sure now more than ever, this was the way to end this treacherous dungeon with the aid of a legendary creature. Snow was climbing up on the back of Quetzal, who was waiting for her.
“Snow!” Mike and Rodney appeared from behind. They have seen what had transpired and made their way over.
“Holy crap, Snow,” Mike said with disbelief to see that Snow was able to climb the back of Quetzal without getting eaten. “How?”
“Later, come on, we got a mission to complete,” said Snow.
The others didn’t question her any further.
“I can’t believe I’m doing this,” Mike mumbled. He stared at Quetzal with awe.
“You got a quest update?” Dairen asked. He was about to scale Quetzal.
“Yea, just now.”
“Good. Let’s get this over with.”
Mike nodded. They quickly scaled up Quetzal’s back. Quetzal tails rattled, agitated that they were taking a while. Eventually, they all were able to rest on top of Quetzal’s head.
With a powerful beat of his wing, Quetzal took off.
A blast of wind pushed against everyone's body. Snow was about to be thrown off when Dairen’s dark magic snapped out to grab Snow on the waist. She was anchored, allowing her to stay on. Red waved her hand in front of her, creating a special bubble around them to buffer out the wind that almost threw them off Quetzal.
Snow was enthralled by the powerful burst of flight. Her gaze twinkling, enjoying the ascent. She didn’t have time to think as they got closer and closer to Galadaor.
Every time Galador sent out an angry yell, lightning bolts struck all around them in the hopes to zap Quetzal out from the sky.
Quetzal slithered and dodged, barely missing by a hairbreadth.
Another struck again, just as quickly as the first. Quetzal wasn’t able to avoid the unexpected second.
Mike rushed out, his sword in the air. The lightning struck the tip of his sword, shooting down into his body.
“Mike!” Snow shouted in disbelief. She was shocked to see that Mike had taken the initiative to stand up to take the brunt of the attack. His hair sizzled, making it poofy underneath his helmet.
Electricity sparkled around him, snapping at anyone who got to close. With great effort, Mike pointed towards another direction, sending the powerful attack in a different direction.
Quickly, Snow sent out a gentle heal to heal his tattered body.
A sigh of relief escaped Mike’s throat, but a steady conviction and excitement blossomed in his expression.
“Did you see that?!” Mike shouted. “I directed a myth class lightning!” He said proudly.
“Yea, and you almost got fried while doing it.” Dairen laughed, looking at Mike’s blackened face.
“Better something than nothing.” Mike harrumphed.
With a jagged movement, Quetzal dodged another attack. Throwing everyone for a loop as they steady themselves.
“Quetzal! You slimy serpent!” Galador was screeched, “Why won’t you die!” Thunder flashed, and the thunder cloud roared.
“Because my old enemy,” Quetzal’s body was expanding. Pockets of blue lights illuminated on the side of his body, charging up to attack. “I am a god.”
A blast of blue fire blew out of Quetzal’s mouth. Clashing head-on with Galador's own electric burst. Both sides pushed and pulled, trying to dominate one from another. They entangled and disengaged, creating an uncomfortable shake that threw everyone around a few times. Dairen had to wrap his dark energy around everyone a few times to get a bit more steady grip.
Snow knew that they couldn’t just idly sit still, allowing Quetzal and Galador to duke it out. The more Quetzal used his power, the longer it took time for him to recuperate.
For a split moment, Snow felt a lingering gaze. She swirled her head, matching contact with Mr. Rogers. Instinctively, she knew what Mr. Rogers wanted to do without communicating anything between them.
An idea sprung to her mind; she shook her head.
Magic rising around Snow, she coated herself tightly with her light magic.
Suddenly, both Mr. Rogers and Snow bolted towards the edge of Quetzal’s nose. Together, they jumped off his head, heading straight towards Galador.
Mr. Rogers was the first, blood seeping out his skin and blossoming out from his back. A giant red wing spread open, pushing him off into the sky. His feet temporarily changed into claws and grabbed hold of Snow’s arm. Both of them temporarily glided over towards Galador from above.
Letting go, Snow fell. With a flick of her wrist, Snow summoned up White Gryphon once again. Its blade shimmered in the light.
Instinctively, Snow dove towards Galador with her sword in front of her. The tip of her blade was burning with Holy Fire that amplified the closer she got. With a slam, her sword pierced through and into Galador’s feathers.
Mr. Rogers landed right behind her, blood magic running rampant, cutting into the wing feathers in the attempt to cut Galador down. His magic sliced a part of Galador’s right-wing, causing Galador to swerve to the right.
“Hold on tight!” Mr. Roger shouted, squatting low. His hand outstretched in front of him for balance.
Snow injected more of her what’s left of her magic, digging deeper and deeper into Galador’s back.
A terrifying screech blossomed out of Galador’s throat. She banks to the right. Followed by another to the left in the hopes to knock both of them down. But she couldn’t.
Snow held on tightly while Mr. Rogers used his blood magic to feed off of Galador’s own blood. It seeped out from her cuts, his own stabbed into hers to gulp it down. Ecstasy encompassed Mr. Roger’s face, his crooked smile becoming more heinous than before.
Suddenly, a powerful splurge of energy could be felt from behind. Snow snatched her head towards the back and saw Quetzal powering up with a powerful attack that could wipe both Mr. Rogers and herself off of existence.