“We got to hurry. I’ve got my eye on one of the further rock beasts. I have a feeling we can get a unique gem again,” said Ian.

“Isn’t that one close to the nest though?” asked Wes.

“It is a little closer but look at it. It is traveling toward us. Away from the nest. We will be fine.”

“Then let’s not go too fast. I would rather go a little slower and not risk it,” said Wes.

“They are so far away. They won’t spot us once we are on the side of the rock beast.”

They continued to run and adjusted their course as the rock beast changed its path as well. It took them a few additional minutes to find a suitable spot on the leg to climb on Wes’s request before they started. The trio ran up to the assigned spot and as soon as the rock beast lowered its leg they jumped on.

On the other side of the floor, James and Naomi ran for the fastest-moving rock beast. James looked back on occasion and tracked the direction of where the trio was heading until the point where he could not find them anymore. He made note of where they went before refocusing on his task.

“How do you think they will do?” Naomi asked. She had noticed him regularly glancing back.

“They have shown themselves to be reliable when in more danger. I am not sure if Ian is the best choice for the leader of their group, but he will take on the task responsibly. He at least knows when to run away from a fight he can’t win.”

They felt the ground shake more violently as they approached their target rock beast. James identified it by its larger size and markings throughout the rock. Among the brown, tan, and orange-colored rocks was a mix of gray, black, and red streaks. It ambled away from them, so they had to push to keep up with it. They each activated several abilities and layered them to run at their maximum speed.

Naomi took out her daggers and James followed. They took another step forward and leaped toward the rock beast when the time was right. The daggers sunk into the rock allowing a much better initial grip and safely kept them attached to the rock beast without worrying about falling.

The rock beast lurched, and they had to adjust to the cyclical movements of its leg. Now that they were safely in place the duo switched to climbing with their hands. The climb was slow and exhausting. There were not always clear hand holds so they had to be created by the daggers at their sides. It took almost twice as long to climb up compared to their first one due to their exhaustion. At a few points along the way, they took breaks and rested their bodies a bit. In the end, the rock beast towered over the smallest rock beast in the hills at double the other’s height. James looked up at the sky and he could see the clouds much clearer as they lazily went by.

“Can you see the others?” asked Naomi.

“Just the rock beast that they should be climbing now or have finished climbing by now. Let’s hurry up now. It should be much easier to get down this time.”

It took the two of them a while to search around the neck of the rock beast and find the jasper gemstone hidden on it. The red polished gem blended into the red rock that streak up and around the neck of the rock beast. Naomi found it first and pried it out as James came over to look and make note of where it could be found in the future. Together they walked toward the nearest leg and began the preparations to descend the beast.

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“Another amethyst,” Ian said begrudgingly. “We need to search for another rock beast.”

Ian didn’t bother trying to loosen it from its stone bindings and turned around.

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“But we won’t have time,” said Derek.

“It is fine if we are a little late. If we hurry down we can catch the next closest rock beast.”

“I would prefer that we return to the group but regardless of the two options we need to get down from here,” said Wes. “I don’t like that we are so close to the eagles.

Wes took a step closer to the edge of the rock beast and turned. He spotted at the other end of the rock beast an eagle perched in wait. It scratched at the ground and hadn’t seemed to notice them yet.

“Ian lower the rope. Now,” said Derek. He noticed the eagle as well.

Ian froze up for a moment but hurriedly took out the rope after.

“Why am I in charge of the rope? I don’t do knots. I burn the nets and knots. Not assemble them,” Ian muttered to himself.

The rope was let go and unraveled as gravity took it down. It didn’t reach all the way to the ground but would help speed up their descent greatly. Ian prepared to lower himself and looked at the eagle. It had not moved. Each of them started climbing down. As Wes climbed down he carefully set his feet it crevasses made by both natural and man-made means. His feet wobbled and as he took another step down. The rocks slipped under him, and the pebbles bounced off each other and down to the hill below.

“Watch it,” shouted Derek.

He wiped some of the dust out of his face with one hand and looked up. Wes stayed on the rock beast due to his death grip on the rope. It was then that Derek noticed something else.

“Burn the rope,” Derek shouted. He looked down at the ground and up at the eagles circling in the sky. They were all still at least thirty feet in the air. “Do it.”

Ian prepared a fireball, and it arced over Derek and Wes hitting the side of the rock beast. The eagles watched the fire go by and then heard the snap as the ropes’ fibers burned away. Derek let out a cry as he fell. Only Wes could cushion himself with his abilities. They all landed in the grass with a thud.

Wes rolled over and stood up the quickest. Ian and Derek were up later after sharing a health potion. The eagles shrieked and the trio looked up. The eagles dive bombed searching for their weakened prey.

They ran under the rock beast on instinct though it’s cover would disappear soon. Unsure of what to do Ian summoned Kira.

“We need to run,” he told her.

She understood immediately and he got on. She started galloping toward the entry portal. Derek and Wes stayed behind.

“We need to follow,” said Wes.

“How do you expect us to do that? Ian’s gone and run away.”

“Could we kill them?” suggested Wes.

“Not without help. Even if it was just one of them but we’ve got the whole swarm on us.”

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On the other side of the floor, James and Naomi stepped off the rock beast a little closer to the portal than when they had gotten on. James turned toward the entry portal when Naomi spoke.

“Isn’t that the flock of eagles?” asked Naomi. She pointed in the sky.

James focused his vision and tried to make out more details. Where she pointed were the giant eagles indeed. They circled and were dive bombing one of the rock beasts. The one Ian and the others had likely climbed.

“They caught the attention of the eagles. We need to make a run for them if they have any chance of surviving. I’ve got some poisons I can use but we got to move.”

The pair ran for the distant rock beast.

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Kira galloped away from the rock beast and made it a good distance away before the eagles hit them. Kira dodged to the side to avoid their sharp talons but that caused her to slow down. Ian fired cautionary flames at the giant eagles but that didn’t stop them from trying completely. Eventually, a lucky claw hit one of Kira’s legs. She bucked and Ian was thrown off. They tumbled away from each other.

The eagles attacked again, and one grabbed her. Kira groaned in pain as the talon dug into her leg. She tried to shake it off, but the eagle's grip was too strong. Ian looked on in horror as he saw his friend and beast being carried off by the giant eagle. He knew he had to do something to help her.

Ian closed his eyes and focused on his fire magic. He knew he couldn't take on the eagles alone, but he also couldn't just let Kira be taken away. Suddenly, a ball of flames appeared in his hand. It grew hotter and hotter. Its form condensing smaller.

Ian opened his eyes and targeted the eagle. He took a deep breath and hurled the ball of fire at the bird. The flames hit their mark, engulfing the eagle’s head in a burst of heat and light. The bird let out a loud cry of pain and released Kira, who fell to the ground. The bird had not gotten very far so Ian was able to quickly run to Kira. The panthera shook with the pain and Ian hurriedly returned it to his soul space so it could rest. He had no healing potions as they were left with the others.

The eagles decided to attack him instead. The eagle he had attacked was dead. He sent fireballs into the air, but he was burnt out. His magic was mostly gone he downed a mana potion. As he fought he eventually heard the sounds of running. He turned in expectation of Wes and Derek, but it was coming from the other direction. James and Naomi had arrived.