Norbert looked at what was coming out, seeing its head push through the vines. Surprised to see it lizard-like, unlike any of the creatures he had seen previously. Its white scales shimmering in the light, the glow of the blood red eyes followed Norbert as the neck moved around, stabilising the head. Grinning at the surprise, Norbert stepped forward, stopping when he saw another shadow burst through underneath it.
There standing before him, the king of the jungle, the lion. Norbert swallowed as he continued walking backwards, pushed back by the creature's presence. Its white central looked gallantly, bursting with life and continuing to walk through. Norbert took another step back as the third head appeared.
Its two horns poked out of its head and arced away from Norbert, going towards it again. Its white hair fell onto the lion's mane, connecting the two. Its longer hair trailed behind the creature until Norbert saw the neck of the third head.
The lizard head, Norbert realising it was some snake as it moved about, connecting to the creature where the lion's tail should be.
Taking another step back, the aura the creature created in its presence so thick Norbert was almost choking on it. Its three white heads with red crimson eyes looked towards Norbert, seeming to glance into his soul.
Standing before him was a creature out of a fantasy book; things like this shouldn't exist not even in a fantasy setting. An illusion shouldn't be before him, something he would need to take on physically and literally. As Norbert looked, seeing the three creatures now as one wondering how it could be.
Remembering the high amount of life in the air, Norbert thought up a scenario where it could happen. Two creatures, both heavily wounded, fall next to each other. They heal together and fuse as one, only for a third to come in later, because why not add another to the party?
Norbert looked up at the creature, its shoulder coming half a meter above Norbert's head and looking down, I saw the mix of legs as the three creatures formed together.
The front two legs resemble the lion, its claws glistening in the light. Its fur travelled up its legs, part of its hair like on the mane on the back of its legs, looking like two scarfs of silk attached to the creature.
On its back came the neck of the goat, coming out of it as Norbert saw its hair going down, over the rump of the lion and down its back. Watching it go to its hind legs, Norbert saw paws instead of hooves, reminding him of a Komodo dragon.
The snake's head at the back stared back at him, its tongue flickering out as it stared at Norbert, its ruby eyes calling out to him. Norbert stared back, wondering what the creature was trying to say to him.
Staring into its eyes, feeling himself drawing closer and closer to it. His hand started to slacken, the sword's weight becoming too great for him to hold onto.
The sword's tip rested upon the dirt as the lion's head looked at him. The chimera took a step forward, the goat's head bleated at Norbert.
He just stood there, wondering what was happening and why a chimera was standing before him. What a strange dream he was having.
The chimera walked forward, happy Norbert didn't react to the goat's presence. Leaping forward, not wanting to waste any more time, it swiped a paw at Norbert.
Smiling in response, Norbert leapt backwards, his sword coming up to block the strike if he hadn't returned far enough. The chimera looked out at him, surprised by his movements.
Norbert immediately realised what the snake was trying to do, playing along as he let his defences down, slowing down the energy so the mental attack would take hold. Waiting, Norbert felt himself start to get sleepy, not seeing the reason anymore.
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
As he dropped his sword and the goat bleated at him, Norbert was still lost, only a tiny part of his brain registering what was happening, screaming for the rest to wake up. As the illusion leapt forward, paw in front of it ready to swipe, something awoke in Norbert, allowing the energy to push through his body, instinctively going backwards.
This brings him back to now, not letting his energy relent, knowing how close he was to getting killed back then if he hadn't woken up when he did. That trick wouldn't work again, but hopefully, the snake wouldn't try it again as it wouldn't be successful. Norbert did not want to deal with that, and the hunkering beast stared him down.
Norbert charged forward at the creature, seeing it roar at him. His ears rang from the sound, the monkeys around him finally drowning out as he continued charging towards the creature.
Coming towards it with another swipe of its front paw, Norbert moved the blade's flat to the path, blocking it as he looked at the claws near his face. I did not see any green liquid dripping off them, and I did not want to get poisoned by the illusion.
He pushed back from the force, his feet digging into the ground, a proof of dirt cloud going behind him as he looked at the tiger's face, grinning in surprise.
The goat bleated behind the lion; Norbert looked over, wondering what commotion it could be making. As he stared, something came from the side, flashing past him and moving his left shoulder slightly back, but it was inevitable as he felt a sharp pain course through his left shoulder.
Twisting backwards, feeling himself released from the creature, seeing the snake's head looking back at him, licking the blood that dribbled off the side of its mouth. Norbert looked down at his shoulder as he saw the two teeth mark going into him, the flesh around it wrenched out from the force when he retreated.
Feeling the wound fester, Norbert pushed energy into the wound as he stepped backwards, the chimera chasing him around the arena. Looking down at his shoulder, confirming that it had all healed up, moving his arm around and confirming mobility.
As the illusion leapt at him again, Norbert ducked down, sliding on the ground as he came up behind it. Coming to his feet again, the illusion not turning around, the snake's head instantly struck him.
Norbert took a step back, grabbing the snake's head as well. Grasping onto it, the snake instantly recoiled in shock, slipping out of his grip. The size of the neck stopped him from properly grasping it.
Jumping back again, the illusion turned around as it came for Norbert. He looked down at his hand, confirming that nothing was stuck to it; not knowing what other poison the snake could have on its body, Norbert ran away again, wiping his hand on the ground to clean it mostly off.
Looking around the arena, the sound of the monkeys sadly coming back again, looking at the uproar that he had created. The monkeys grabbed each other, shaking them around as they pointed and jeered at him and the illusion.
They watched as they re-enacted the scenes they saw before laughing at him. Norbert just shook his head as he looked back to the illusion, drowning them out again. Norbert rushed forward, not stopping as the paw came out.
Norbert swiped through it, the blade resisting it, meeting the bone; Norbert could not go through the appendage. The lion's head roared in return as it leaned forward, mouth agape. Norbert saw the hundreds of pearly white teeth looking back at him, almost able to see his reflection in everyone.
Disengaging, stumbling backwards as he did so, the illusion not relenting on him, forcing him down onto the ground with its total weight. Tripping on something on the ground, Norbert went teetering backwards, turning himself to the side, not wanting to crush his sack with the items inside.
The lion's head reached down at him, placing a paw on both arms. Norbert felt it push down with its weight, faint cracks appearing as the lion pressed down more and more onto him.
The head continued down, Norbert seeing it was aiming for his stomach, looking to rip out all of his guts. Leaning backwards, Norbert moved his feet in the way of the lion, placing each foot squarely on the forehead of the creature before pushing it backwards with all his might, sending it away from Norbert.
The manoeuvre caused his body to twist around, having him land on the sack, the books and contents inside pushing against his back. Rolling over to his side Norbert stood up as he felt his back, confirming nothing was permanently poking out at him or in him.
Shaking the sack around, confirming its placement on his body, Norbert bent over, picking up the dropped sword when the chimera crushed his arms. Flexing his fingers, tapping them on the hilt, confirming that it was functioning again, Norbert looked towards the illusion, surprise on its face from the power that Norbert produced as it came onto its feet.