You turn to Lyrrica and explain that, even if there are no other benefits, at least you get a turkey dinner out of taking this request. Lyrrica smiles and nods, seems she was just making sure you were on board with the way you were spending your evening. As she settles to watch a direction, you continue to mull over what you believe you are forgetting from your elemental magics lessons. You still can’t seem to remember why you have such a nagging feeling over the importance of these sort of locations. You decide to err on the side of caution and start preparing a few combat enchantments on slips of paper. It never hurts to have some strength, speed, and snare runes on hand.

As you work, you can feel a ripple through the earth under you. Looking up you see Mal's vizor locked in the same direction you felt the ripple. Horton is now wide awake and checking the straps on his gloves as Lyrrica rouses the two leprechauns from their nap. Mal holds up his sword to signal the group the prey has arrived.

You instantly recall your lesson now. Animals bathed in the energy of a nexus are prone to dirism. The turkeys walking into the clearing are definitely oversized. The biggest among them is up to your chest. Only one is that large, though, the rest are the size of prize hogs. You can see why the Leprechauns needed the help of someone bigger.

Mal draws his sword as Horton crouches, ready to blast off. Mal is zeroed in on the big one, while Horton looks like he intends to launch into the biggest group of the turkeys. Lyrrica gets your attention and points to another group of three coming around the other side of your concealment spell. She holds a combustible liquid in a throwing vial where you can see it and you understand her intent. In your off hand you take a match and hold the lighting tip against the strip your wand has on one side. Everyone is ready, even the leprechauns are brandishing their shillelagh from their positions on a stump. With a fast and purposeful motion, you strike the match.

Your concealment spell breaks with the motion and flash, but the turkeys are caught off guard as Lyrrica hurls her vial. Horton and Mal both sprint into their resective targets. The two leprechauns begin circling their stump, drawing an enchantment in lines of pure magic with their tiny club wands. Extending your index finger in the hand sign to channel fire magic most effectively, you make the tiny flame from your match expand into a fist sized ball of flame. Flicking your finger forward, you send it towards the group of turkeys Lyrrica’s vial is shattering amongst. As the turkeys are drenched with the flammable liquid, your fireball lands neatly in the puddle. The flames burst in a bright orange conflagration, immediately incinerating one of the turkeys whole. Another is set aflame and stunned, the third…

To your absolute shock, the turkey extends one of its primary feathers, just like you extended your finger, and the flames wick away from its feathers. The turkey fixes you with a glare as the flames swirl in a ball, much like your own. Your magic instructor never mentioned anything about an animal becoming adept at magic itself from a nexus! Before the turkey can direct the fireball, Lyrrica has charged it with her knife. Lyrrica obviously doesn’t share your shock or concern, and brutally finishes the turkey with a swipe that cleanly removes the bird's head. Simultaneous clanging and a thunderclap announce that Mal and Horton have joined battle behind you.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Turning, you can’t find Horton at all in the mass of swirling feathers that have resulted from his assault. Mal is swinging his sword at the large turkey that is effectively parrying the blade with its talons. Mal seems well in control of the situation as he feints with his blade, drawing the turkey’s eye away from his off hand thrusting the edge of the shield into the bird. As the bird flops to the ground, the warrior skewers it upon his blade. After a few brief kicks, the massive bird dies.

Horton’s fight seems to have ended as well. The halfling is twisting the necks of several wounded and stunned birds. You smile as your party handles the fight with efficient ease. Just as you are about to relax, you notice the two leprechauns are still atop their stump, and have their guards up. Just as you think to look for more birds in the flock, you hear a blood curdling… gobble. You will have to marvel at how a gobble can sound bloodcurdling later. Looking back at the group of turkeys you originally attacked, you notice the one that was badly burned is still alive, and plunging its talon into the chest of the one Lyrrica beheaded!

This time Lyrrica is stunned enough to take a few wary steps back as the turkey pulls a gory wishbone from its fallen companion. The turkey makes to snap the bone in two, but a cry erupts from the two leprechauns on the stump behind you, and a magical seal made of more ancient runes you can’t understand appears on the wishbone.

“Quick! Kill it while it still holds!” Seamus shouts from where he and Patty are channeling their magic into the circle they drew upon the stump.

The turkey picks the wishbone up in its mouth and bolts toward the tree, giving out another loud gobble as it does. Three more gobbles sound in response from either side of the clearing, and more oversized turkeys come into view. Then, from the other side of the tree, you can hear a loud thumping. A turkey as tall as the guildhall steps menacingly from around the trunk. As the large turkey surveys the situation, it lets out a deafening gobble. The turkeys in the new groups are all as big as the large one from before. Mal and Horton are each being sized up by the groups. Mal’s group has 4 turkeys, Horton is staring down another three. At Lyrrica’s call you turn to see another 4 are approaching the both of you with a menacing strut.

The two leprechauns continue to power the magic circle they have drawn, but it’s clear that it’s an effort for them. You don’t know what will happen if the seal breaks, but you could tell by the urgency in their voice that it wouldn’t be good. The turkey with the wishbone is still within range of your magic, but everyone else looks like they need help. Not to mention the giant turkey looks like it’s able to move pretty fast. You could try and group up, but that would still leave you outnumbered against a large group of foes. The turkey with the bone is moving fast, you’ll need to make a decision and act on it fast!