The creature vanished under the dark water again, prompting Yvlena to go on guard keeping her sword close.
A battle on the water wasn't something she thought she would be having, but she supposed it would have to come at some point in the swamp.
"Where did it go?" Yvlena asked in a panic, looking down again she saw the emerging shadow and jumped out of the way before the creature's jaw could snap at her.
"I thought the game would give me a notification if it wanted to bite!"
[Yvlena Cast Carrot Burst (50MP)]
Starting off with her most powerful move, she blasted the reptile with a wave of orange. The reptile growled, turning slit eyes to her and sinking back into the water.
"It's like playing whack-a-mole or something, does that game still exist?" she didn't have time to wonder as she grabbed Rabbit Knight and jumped.
The creature emerged again bursting out of the water like a torpedo and nearly catching the Rabbit's ears in its teeth. If Yvlena hadn't grabbed the summon it would have been food by now.
The beast submerged itself once more, growling as it did.
[Swampadile Cast Dive]
"That's more like it, wait dive?!" The water beneath her changed course and began rushing towards the area the Swampadile had sunk into.
"That doesn't look good,"
A large sinkhole formed where the creature had vanished, pulling the water towards it, Yvlena's feet began to slip as the rushing water became too much for the grade of her elixir.
"Hey!" She exclaimed, nearly losing her footing.
[Swampadile Cast Rise]
With a burst, the Swampadile sprang out of the water allowing Yvlena to see its full form. It was large, spanning 7 feet in length, with armor patterned green scales arranged neatly in small triangles.
Herbs and moss grew along its back, making the plants exceedingly difficult to pick. If Yvlena wanted them she would have to defeat the Swampadile.
"Ah!" Yvlena yelped as she was splashed by the swamp water and flung away. She skidded on the wet surface, slamming into one of the trees rooted in the deep water.
[Sprite Cast Sting (01MP)]
The fairy tried her best to keep the battle going while Yvlena and Rabbit Knight gathered their bearings.
"Okay I need a plan," Yvlena said quietly, she looked to Rabbit Knight who was keenly observing the Swampadile with interest as it prowled the water looking for them.
"I think I have a hunch,"
----------
A piece of meat landed on the water with a splash, it caught the Swampadile's attention instantly. The creature submerged, and appeared under the meat with a burst allowing Yvlena to strike.
[Yvlena Cast Carrot Burst (50MP)]
She blasted the Swampadile with a wave of orange and watched it disappear under the water once more.
"So chum is just...bait?" Yvlena asked. She jumped again, landing on a Lotus pad that happened to float by. She couldn't stay in one place, lest the Swampadile appear at her location.
Taking the chum out of her inventory she threw the squishy ball of meat into the water and waited.
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The Swampadile took the bait.
[Yvlena Cast Carrot Burst (50MP)]
[Rabbit Knight Cast Rabbit Volley (05MP)]
[Sprite Cast Sting (01MP)]
The three of them attacked the emerging Swampadile who opened its massive jaws and released an unholy screech.
[Swampadile Cast Screech]
Yvlena clasped a hand over her ears just in time to get the notification.
"Now you tell me!"
[Rabbit Knight Inflicted with confusion]
[Rabbit Knight may attack allies in confusion]
"What?" Yvlena deadpanned.
Her summon stumbled, his head spun as it fell and Yvlena noticed the comical swirls in its eyes denoting his confused state. The rabbit began jabbing the air aimlessly with his rapier, fighting an invisible enemy.
She shook her head in disbelief.
"Well that's one member of the party down," she said. Something moved underneath her, only giving her a split second to react before the Swampadile rose again. Its scales brushed her legs as she dove in the opposite direction.
"That was too close," Yvlena sighed, she had to remember to be focused, the creature could come from anywhere, they were on its turf.
[Sprite Cast Cure (05MP)]
"Thank you Sprite!" she said, leaping away from her spot as a shadow passed under her.
Yvlena stumbled forward from the force of an attack, a sudden pain blossomed from her side. She winced in confusion and discomfort. After all, she had avoided the Swampadile, right? She thought, before turning around to witness Rabbit Knight in the thralls of confusion pointing his rapier at her.
"Crap,"
[Rabbit Knight Cast Rabbit Volley (05MP)]
With her pronounced agility stat, Yvlena dodged each attack her summon released, it wasn't easy avoiding the blade's point but she'd seen Rabbit Knight use this attack enough times to predict where each strike would fall.
"Rabbit Knight! Snap out of it!"
[Sprite Cast Sting (01MP)]
The ball of light struck Rabbit Knight between the eyes. He fell on his back with a splash. Yvlena grabbed him before the Swampadile could make short work of him.
[Rabbit Knight's confusion wore off]
"Phew," Yvlena exhaled, it wouldn't have been easy fighting both the Swampadile and her party member. The water beast was already tough enough as it was.
The reptilian beast rose again from the swamp water but Yvlena had already been anticipating its return. She heaved her sword and brought it down on the emerging snout, cracking open its jaw.
She stabbed at it again before it could vanish underneath the cover of the water, piercing its eyeball before it could escape.
[Swampadile inflicted with bleed]
"Only one more hit and it'll go down, I'm sure of it," Yvlena said, she threw her chum and waited for the creature to take the bait. The Swampadile rose and Yvlena took the opportunity to end it.
She jumped, lifting the sword over her head, and with a downward slash brought the blade down with the intent to kill.
[Yvlena Cast Orange Slice (100MP)]
The Swampadile perished before it could understand what was happening, melting away in flakes of light.
[Yvlena Acquired
***
Swamp Jelly (Herb) x2
Swampadile Skin x1
Swampadile Meat x5
***
Moon Points x500]
"Swampadile meat? You mean the people of Bloom Haven actually eat it? Must have a good recipe then," she said.
Yvlena trudged back to the first level of the Avaresh Swamp and pulled herself up from the water to rest on the docks.
[The effects of the Water Resistant Elixir are nulled]
The game told her, but she paid it no mind and lay her back against the broken wood, hoping she did not get a virtual splinter.
"I think this would be a good place to level up, the game is really getting tougher," Yvlena told herself. When she first started Moon Valley Online, she recalled how easy Bloom Meadow and Bloom Forest had been.
The creatures now, though not many, were tougher than the hoards of Horned Rabbits and Foxes she had first encountered.
"That just means the Miasma must be way worse outside this area," She said. Yvlena picked herself off the docks with a groan. She dismissed her summons who by now were reaching their limit.
[Class Skill: Summon Leveled Up]
[Class Skill: Channel Unlocked]
"Channel? Isn't that like talking to ghosts and spirits," she asked. For now, she shrugged it off.
"Now seems like a good time and place to log out,”