Her weapon training with Avantus had been progressing nicely, she thought she would hit the second form of both her styles soon. Her lightning magic instructor was thrilled she created her own lightning animus spell and was told that was the foreground to making her own unique spells. He provided her the ability to self study and make routine appointments with him for pointers or when she's stuck on a particular issue with the new spells. Her gravity magic instructor was impressed with the new spell she created using her weapons and, like her other instructor, permitted her to self study.
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The air within the dungeon was dry and thin, carrying the faint scent of stone and the distant cries of unseen creatures. The team emerged onto the second floor; a vast, open mountain range. Jagged peaks rose like teeth against the dungeon’s artificial sky, and the ground beneath their feet was uneven and rocky. Lorelai scanned the terrain warily, her silver hair shimmering faintly in the muted light. Something about this place felt different.
Above, monstrous lizards clung to the cliff faces, their glowing eyes tracking the intruders. The elite monster lizards possessed camouflage abilities and hid on the rocky surfaces. Harpy-like creatures circled the peaks, their piercing shrieks echoing through the air.
Lorelai led the way, her silver hair glinting faintly in the pale light that filtered through the cavernous expanse. Behind her, Aeryn moved with her typical feline grace, her predatory eyes scanning for movement, while Thrax sauntered along, his molten-gold gaze glinting with excitement, “Let ‘em try,” Thrax said with a cocky grin. He flexed his fingers, and a flicker of blue flame danced across his knuckles. “I’ll turn anything stupid enough to attack into ash or ice.”
“Keep your eyes up,” Aeryn warned, her voice low. “The harpies will strike from, the bulletin board warned that harpies will attack to kill females and breed with the captured males."
"Doesn't sound all bad," Thrax said light heartedly.
"They feed the males to their young after pregnancy is confirm," glared Aeryn.
"Ah," retorted Thrax while Lorelai rolled her eyes.
This floor was more exposed than the jungle they had navigated earlier, and the feeling of being watched was impossible to ignore. The lizards on the cliffs hissed occasionally, their long tails swaying as if poised to strike.
The ambush came swiftly. A sudden shriek pierced the air as a flock of harpy-like creatures dove from the peaks. Simultaneously, the ground trembled as the monstrous lizards scrambled down the cliffs, their claws scraping against the stone. Lorelai barely had time to draw her weapon before the first attack came, a harpy’s talons slashing through the air where her head had been moments before.
“Move!” she shouted, spinning to deflect another attack. Her blade struck true, sending one harpy screeching to the ground.
Aeryn’s blade flashed as she sliced through the feathery wings of another attacker. “These things are coordinated,” she said, her voice tight. “They’re driving us toward the cliffs.”
Thrax unleashed a blast of blue, fiery energy from his hands scattering the lizards that had begun to close in. “Let ‘em try! I’ve got plenty more where that came from.”
The fight was chaotic. Lorelai’s heart pounded as she ducked and weaved, her blade striking true as she fended off her assailants. Aeryn moved like a phantom, her strikes precise and deadly, while Thrax’s sheer power kept the attackers at bay.
For every creature they downed, another seemed to take its place. The battle continued to rage across the rocky expanse, the cries of harpies and the thundering of lizards’ claws reverberating through the air. Thrax stood in the middle of the rocky battlefield, grinning as he surveyed the destruction he’d wrought, his hands still glowing with the embers of his blue fire and the frost of his ice. He flexed his fingers, feeling the residual power crackle through his fingertips. Monster parts littered the ground before him, their remains a smoldering pile of ashes and ice shards.
Lorelai had seen him unleash his blue flames and ice before, but it was something entirely different now. She could feel the intensity of his magic from where she stood, the heat of his flames and the biting cold of his ice twisting together in a symphony of raw power. Lorelai, her silver hair glinting in the dim light, stood a few paces away, surveying the scene with calculated calm. She wiped the blood from her blade, still feeling the rush of adrenaline from the fight. Aeryn was just behind her, the last of the harpies falling in a heap at her feet, a pool of dark blood dripping from the tip of the vampire noble’s rapier.
They took a moment to catch their breath, a roar of wind erupted from the distance, deafening in its intensity. The air turned sharp, biting, and alive with a sudden and intense pressure. The rocks around them rattled as the howling gusts cut through the battlefield, swirling into a vortex that separated the three companions with terrifying precision.
“Lorelai!” Thrax shouted, but his voice was drowned by the roaring winds. His golden eyes flashed in fury as he attempted to push forward, but the wind was relentless, damaging the terrain and forcing him backward. His attempts to summon his magic were thwarted as the gusts snuffed out his blue fire and icy blasts before they could even reach their targets.
At the same time, Lorelai was knocked off balance, the winds pinning her down as they hurled her in the opposite direction, away from Thrax. Her body hit the rocky ground with a painful thud. She scrambled to regain her footing but the storm was too fierce, her heart hammering in her chest. The air felt charged, as if something dark and dangerous was brewing beneath the surface.
Through the roaring tempest, Daven's voice was clear and mocking. “I don't think we've officially met, I'm Daven. Now I think it’s time for some alone time Lorelai.” He waved a hand, and the wind surged in a fresh wave, isolating each of them.
Thrax could hear his heart pound in his chest even over the roar of the wind. The wind held him in place, his muscles straining against the invisible force. He wasn’t about to go down without a fight, though. His golden eyes flicked to Daven, burning with rage, but Daven had already turned his attention elsewhere. Thrax wasn’t Daven’s priority anymore, he was something to be dealt with later.
Instead, a new figure emerged from the swirling winds. From the darkness, the form of a Lamia slithered forward. The creature's lower half was a sinuous, coiled serpent’s body, shimmering with iridescent scales, while his upper body was a muscular, human torso a long blade in each hand, with eyes that gleamed with cruel intelligence. His forked tongue flicked out, tasting the air as he sized up his opponent, locking eyes with Thrax.
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The Lamia smiled, a chilling expression that stretched his mouth into a wide, predatory grin. "I guess I’ll have to play with you now."
Thrax’s lips curled into a grin of his own, but there was little amusement in it. “I’ve faced worse than you.”
The Lamia flicked his tail cracking the rock beneath him, sending a tremor through the ground as he advanced with surprising speed, his coils twisting and undulating like a snake preparing to strike. Thrax’s eyes glinted as he summoned blue flames to his palms, the fire igniting with a crackle of pure energy. He didn’t waste time. A blast of fire surged forward, aiming to incinerate the creature, but the Lamia was quick, too quick. He coiled out of the way with unnatural speed, his snake-like body moving in a blur.
"You'll have to do better than that," the Lamia taunted, his voice a low hiss.
Thrax growled, shaking his head. “You’re starting to get on my nerves.” He summoned his ice magic, pulling moisture from the air to create a freezing storm of mist and ice that enveloped the area. The cold bit into the Lamia's skin as Thrax sent a barrage of sharp, ice-coated projectiles hurtling toward him.
The Lamia hissed in discomfort as the ice sliced at his scales, but he quickly recovered, his tail snapping forward to strike with incredible force. Thrax barely dodged in time, rolling to the side as the massive tail whipped past him, narrowly missing his legs. The Lamia was agile, weaving through the air like a dancer, using his tail to gain momentum as he attacked again, aiming for Thrax’s midsection.
Thrax grunted in pain as the tail grazed his side, the force of the impact knocking him off balance. The Lamia hissed triumphantly, moving in for the kill. Thrax’s eyes narrowed, and with a roar, coated his arms up to his elbows in blue fire. Fist fighting a lamia was akin to fighting a master of drunken fighting, its hard to land hits with their smooth, agile, and unpredictable movements.
“You think you’re the only one with tricks?” Thrax growled, his magic surging outward in an explosion of blue fire and frigid air. The temperature dropped, and the flames began to burn hotter, mixing with the ice to create a volatile, dangerous fusion of power. When the wind around him settled his exposed skin was covered in dragon scales like when he had fought the crystal golem, this time he forgoed the wings but had a strong powerful tail. Thrax 's arms were still coated in fire, but his feet up to his knees were coated in ice magic. Thrax's increase of power was explosive, the fury of his attack lashing out with a torrent of both flame and cold.
Blue flames erupted from his knuckles, roaring to life in an instant, scorching the air as he thrust his fist toward the Lamia’s chest. The flames were powerful, wild, and hungry, but the Lamia was quick, twisting his body with serpentine grace to avoid the blow. Thrax’s fist missed, the flames streaking past the Lamia’s shoulder and scorching the rock behind him.
“Too slow,” the Lamia taunted, his voice a low, menacing hiss.
Thrax’s lips curled into a grimace. He wasn’t going to let this creature mock him. He stepped forward, launching his other fist at the Lamia, the blue fire surging with even greater intensity. This time, the Lamia didn’t move fast enough. The punch collided with the side of the Lamia’s chest, and for a moment, there was a satisfying crunch of scales and flesh.
The Lamia let out a sharp hiss, staggered by the blow, but before Thrax could press his advantage, the creature’s tail coiled around his legs with terrifying speed. Thrax’s eyes widened in disbelief as the thick, muscular tail wrapped around his knees right above the ice, dragging him off balance and sending him crashing to the ground. The Lamia was too strong, his tail like a steel chain, tightening with crushing force.
Thrax growled, feeling the tight grip of the Lamia’s tail trying to crush his bones. His legs were trapped, but his fists were still free. He slammed one of his flaming fists into the ground, sending a shockwave of blue fire splintering through the rocky terrain, scorching everything in its path. The blast of heat and fire burned the Lamia’s tail, but the creature didn’t release his grip. Instead, the Lamia tightened his coils, the pressure increasing with each passing second.
The pain was immense—Thrax could feel his muscles protesting under the immense strain, and the sharp burn of the flames that scraped across his skin. His legs felt like they were being crushed, the tightness of the tail squeezing the breath from his chest. He gritted his teeth, refusing to let the Lamia win. His body trembled with the effort of holding back the crushing force, but Thrax wasn’t someone who gave up easily.
Summoning every ounce of strength, Thrax let out a guttural roar. His legs exploded with icy magic, icy mist shot out from his legs like an avalanche, freezing the Lamia’s tail where it wrapped around him. The freezing cold spread through the Lamia’s scales, encasing his tail in a thick layer of frost, and for a brief moment, the Lamia hesitated, his grip loosening just enough.
Thrax didn’t waste the brief opportunity. His legs, now covered in a thick layer of ice, kicked with brutal force, the freezing power adding strength to his movements. With a sudden, violent motion, he shattered the ice around his legs, sending a burst of sharp icy shards shooting outward. The Lamia’s tail recoiled in pain, its once-coiling hold broken, and Thrax immediately sprang to his feet, his fists glowing once again with blue fire.
The Lamia, though clearly hurt, wasn’t done. He bared his sharp fangs and lunged forward, his snake-like body twisting and coiling in the air as he prepared to strike. Thrax was ready, his flames igniting with an intense, almost primal fury. He didn’t wait for the Lamia to come closer this time. With a powerful punch, he sent a blast of fire directly at the Lamia’s torso. The force of the flames caught the Lamia off guard, forcing him back as the heat seared into his scales, leaving blackened marks.
Thrax pushed forward, his icy legs crackling beneath him, the Lamia recovered faster than expected. With a shrill hiss, the Lamia twisted mid-air, his two blades lashing out once more, this time targeting Thrax’s chest. The blades drew blood, but could not completely penetrate his tough scales. Pain shot through him, but Thrax ignored it, gritting his teeth.
His body was battered, his fire flickering weakly, and the cold on his legs was starting to dissipate. His entire body ached from the constant trading of blows, and his vision blurred with the effort. He couldn’t keep this up much longer.
The Lamia, sensing his weakening state, lunged again, faster this time. His snake-like body coiled and struck, his blades slashing through the air, aimed for Thrax’s throat. But Thrax’s eyes blazed, and with an explosive roar, he summoned everything he had left. He pushed his body beyond its limits, unleashing a wave of blue fire mixed with the dry, biting cold of his ice magic.
The blast was overwhelming, a torrent of flame and frost that engulfed everything in its path. The Lamia screeched as the combination of fire and ice slammed into him, burning and freezing him at the same time. His body convulsed in agony as the fire seared his scales while the ice rapidly encased him in a thick, frozen shell.
Thrax’s vision swam, his limbs shaking with exhaustion, but the Lamia’s tortured scream told him everything he needed to know. He had won. The Lamia fell, his body a frozen, smoldering mass of agony, the struggle finally over.
Thrax, panting with exertion, surveyed the fallen creature. “Now that’s what I’m talking about,” he muttered, flexing his fingers as the last remnants of blue flame flickered out.
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Meanwhile Aeryn had been separated from the group on the other side of the mountain. The wind howled around her, but she was far too quick and skilled to be easily pinned by the storm. She was slicing the wind with her rapier to make holes just big enough to maneuver through. As the gusts of wind parted, she saw her new foe: a Satyr. A loud screech filled the air, high-pitched and grating, piercing through the wind. The creature was part-man, part-goat, with muscular, human-like arms, but his lower half was a twisted blend of hooves and fur, making him appear both agile and beastly. His horns curled back from his head, sharp and menacing, and his eyes burned with a dangerous hunger.
The Satyr’s lips curled into a wild grin. “A battle for the ages,” he purred, his voice dripping with malice. He twirled a wicked-looking blade in his hand, the metal reflecting the dim light like a predator’s gleaming teeth.