Tyrus vowed to never step foot into the Wasteful Wetlands again.

It was blatantly clear why it was abandoned in the first place. The environment was dreary and devoid of any notable features, yet the monsters played a crucial role. The lizardmen proved to be more than just a nuisance, as the region was also home to poisonous frogs and bothersome mosquitos. Additionally, the many pools were quite troublesome to step on.

Essentially, it was a place that one should stay away from if they valued their life. Nevertheless, there was a strange attractiveness to the land.

Throughout his frantic escape, the unparalleled ecosystem he stumbled upon amazed Tyrus, for whatever that was worth. Despite the lack of a sun and the constant thick fog, plants thrived. Even if they were sickly looking, the vegetation could live on with no problems, and so were the beasts.

While the experience was indeed new and breathtaking, he harbored no desire to return to it voluntarily, even if offered compensation, as much as he begrudgingly admitted. Currently, Tyrus felt the need to continue, whether it was by exploring or merely surviving. And to do that, he had to conquer the very situation his trustworthy partner Igneal practically thrust themselves into. What a great and reliable person he was.

“There’s something big coming for us..."

“I can see that clearly,” Igneal chastised. “Also, care to explain why you’re magically bleeding out of nowhere?”

Tyrus grimaced. “Did you not see the... Nevermind. Look around; we are in a bad spot.”

Behind them was a lizardman watching from afar, stone-faced, as it waited patiently from the other end of the bridge. The creature was probably waiting for its brethren to catch up once they caught wind of its distress call. And, of course, the beast bounding towards them with the ferocity of a dragon wasn’t a big problem. How could Tyrus forget the most crucial factor?

In relation to the creature, it took a leap and landed directly at the edge where the bridge had mostly collapsed. The structure jerked and swayed, causing both Tyrus and Igneal to lose their balance and stagger backward. More planks crashed into the water. If they didn’t move fast, then it wouldn’t be long before the entire bridge crumbled.

The tanned creature stood tall and slender, yet its long, muscular limbs resembled those of a gorilla. A mane of brown fur surrounded its neck and pointed ears while a wicked scar ran along its face. Draped across its hips was a piece of cloth fastened by some kind of metallic belt. Worst of all was the pair of pitch-black eyes brimming with malice.

Once Tyrus locked eyes with the creature, his chest tightened even more. No, to be more specific, it was his mana heart that was giving him problems. The few times he had felt such discomfort was when he absorbed the drake mana core and when Wanderer helped him awaken. Both times, mana and magic were involved. It was no coincidence that the barrier was the cause of his dilemma. To make things even more odd, his senses were going crazy once he caught a whiff. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it.

“Now’s not the time for a reunion,” Igneal called from the side. “Since you’re injured, stay back and watch yours truly defeat this beast single-handled...”

At that moment, the beast snarled, and it ripped past both of them with a speed that didn’t match its size. The bridge groaned and swayed, and even more planks helplessly broke apart as the beast bumbled toward the opposite end. With a great howl, it leaped once more, aiming its sharp teeth at the dumbstruck lizardmen.

Tyrus was denied the chance to shout as they plummeted into the icy depths of the land. Desperately, he swam up and gasped for air. Soon after, Igneal appeared, sputtering and spouting a few words unrecognizable to Tyrus. The two grabbed a drifting plank and rested their arms upon it.

“Ugh, this water stinks!” Igneal complained. “Now I’m all wet because the stupid beast caught sight of me and fled.”

The beast that had purposely ignored them had set its sights on the lizardmen. However, unlike before, the reptile didn’t stand its ground, opting to flee instead. But with its massive arms and unnatural speed, the beast lunged forward and gripped the lizardman’s throat. A pitiful scream tore through the air before a loud crunch rang out.

Soon after, a whistle close by emerged. The beast, which was huffing and puffing after its gruesome kill raised its head and stared into the fog. It sniffed the air, and its fur bristled. Without warning, it bolted, disappearing into the mist. Tyrus’s gaze lingered on the corpse and then toward the beast.

“Unless you’re enjoying your little bath, I suggest you come to shore,” Igneal called, already on solid ground. Rather than simply wringing out his clothes, glowering flames engulfed him. He looked like an evil, living torch.

Tyrus nodded. It sucked that his clothes were completely soaked, and his hair was matted against his face once again. The only saving grace about it was the lack of crocodiles. In fact, there were no beasts in sight or underwater. That alone was an oddity. Either the waters lacked them or weren’t interested in the first place. Tyrus didn’t want to press his luck, so he waded to shore as quickly as possible and began wringing his clothes.

“Thanks to that hairy beast, we can leave in one piece,” Tyrus said between breaths. “I’m sure the whistling attracted its attention and is now probably attacking the lizardmen as we speak.”

“You’re welcome for that,” Igneal replied with a smirk. Immediately, a distant roar sounded, and a series of rapid whistles followed. “And that is our cue to leave. That beast will make quick work of them and provide us with the time we need to reach the source. I would have loved to lop off its head, but a certain someone convinced me. That doesn’t mean you should test your luck and expect the same outcome.”

Tyrus’s shoulders sagged. He didn’t have the energy to deal with Igneal’s attitude, so he looked off into the distance, wondering where exactly they wounded up. They could try to retrace their steps, but they risked the possibility of encountering the battling beasts. The worst they could do would be to sense the stream of corrupted mana and accurately travel around the enemy’s general location.

At best, they were fighting between them and the crocodile-infested waters. Looking out for any other beasts would be added as well. And as luck would have it, it was surprising they had encountered no toads or creatures like the swamp imps. Maybe the lizardmen drove them out of the area. Whatever the reason, Tyrus would not complain.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

“Let’s get moving before it targets us,” Tyrus said after finishing. “Oh, and if you don’t mind, can you use that cool magic on me, too? I hate fighting in wet clothes.”

****

Tyrus could only mentally shrug his shoulders whenever he peered over his shoulders.

Huffing like a stranded dog in the blistering heat, Igneal was far behind. His cheeks were flushed red, and his brow caked with sweat. Most odd of all was that he had never let out a cough or a wheeze once. He could ask if he was okay, but all he would receive back would be a death stare. Did he not train his stamina and strength during sword training?

For the most part, the noble was doing well enough not to lag, and his breathing was gradually normalizing even with Tyrus slowing his pace considerably. That, or he was faking the whole thing, which was a possibility considering what had just happened a few moments ago.

Since the incident with the lizardmen and gorilla-like creature, they haven't been seen. Sometimes, a roar that would shake the trees would come and go, and a cluster of whistling would follow suit. The combatants had been fighting for quite a while now, and it showed. The durability and strength of the creature must’ve been immense if it still could go blow for blow with beasts as plentiful and persistent as the lizards. It was smart of them to take advantage of their scuffle.

Briefly, Tyrus clenched at his thumping chest before slowing down enough to run with Igneal. “You mentioned a barrier earlier. Is the black stuff that appeared called a barrier?”

Igneal narrowed his eyes. “Correct. More precisely, it was a barrier that divided this region from the outside world.”

“Separated? Outside world? What does that mean?”

The Lockhart shook his head. “What I mean is that it prohibits those weaker than the caster to enter or leave the affected region. In simplest terms, we cannot leave, and others cannot enter so easily.”

Tyrus’s mouth hung open. A barrier that strong should have a great amount of power over it. And a caster capable enough to create such a thing had to be a powerful individual. His assumption about the masked man from the abandoned warehouse being the culprit proves to be accurate. But if that was true, then Tyrus could confirm that the barrier was what caused his uncomfortable pain. Not once in his life did he ever have his senses go this crazy.

Igneal took a deep breath and continued, albeit a bit winded. “There are a variety of barriers a sorcerer can cast, each one having their specialty to them. And because of my extensive knowledge and expert observation of the sky, I deduce that this is a barrier erected from that accursed element.”

He paused for a moment, and clamped a hand over his mouth as he whispered, “Subjugating such a sorcerer and attaining the artifact will surely increase my chances of becoming family head.”

Ah, so that’s why, Tyrus mused. Igneal's behavior was driven by the family head position. His actions and attitude were all because he was desperate for the title. It was a mystery what exactly needed to be done to attain such a position and who was fighting for the current title. Either way, Tyrus cared little for his troubles and knew his brainpower should be used elsewhere.

If Igneal’s words were to be believed, a dark sorcerer made the barrier, and that man from before was one as well. More pieces of the puzzle were forming, but they weren’t enough to create the full picture. And to do that, he needed to gather more information.

“Where’s Selena and the overseers?” Tyrus mumbled. “If it were me, I would’ve stopped this a long time ago. Maybe the barrier denies them entry?”

As he contemplated, rushing past goblins and skittering critters, a sudden scent from behind wafted into his nose, causing his muscles to stiffen. The smell was musky and carried the faint odor of iron. Immediately, he knew where it had come from and skidded to a halt alongside Igneal.

“Why... are you stopping?” Igneal said through a few wheezes.

Tyrus brought out his sword and faced the scent trail. Before he could speak, the ground quaked, and a deep growl reverberated throughout the entire region. The trees bent, and the bushes squirmed. It was then that the cause of the noise and the smell emerged.

Smashing through trees and tearing through bushes was the gorilla-like creature, this time looking much worse than before. Its fur was slick and tangled, with a disheveled mane to match. Ugly red wounds marred its limbs, and one of its joints had a bone jutting out. But worst of all were the dozens of spears embedded throughout its body, each one glistening with blood. Even with its injuries, it looked far from death.

The creature snarled, showing off a set of blood-stained fangs, and stomped the ground. With its beady eyes set on them, it let out a deep roar that sent the hairs on Tyrus’s neck rising. A roar so boisterous and filled with energy that its leaking wounds and injuries appeared insignificant.

It was then that a chorus of whistles came from all sides. Dozens upon dozens of lizardmen stepped out from the surrounding area, armed to the teeth with bows and spears. Their stone-cold eyes stared back, their mouths curled into a frown. They were covered in scratches and bruises, but they were alive and breathing.

“A human?” one of them asked. Its eyes turned to Tyrus, and its mouth hung open. “The pochatl still lives! Quickly, trap them! They must not leave here alive!”

Tyrus grimaced. The situation was turning sour fast. The lizardmen were slowly encircling them, forming a deadly wall of flesh. Outnumbered and slow in escaping, they had their path of escape cut off on the hostile battlefield. It wouldn’t be surprising in the least if the entire lizardmen tribe were to show up. Seriously, where do they keep coming from?

If that was the case, then he was going to take the initiative and fight. Too many opponents would render a Lightning Bolt useless for him. He had too little of a mana pool to shoot forth enough spells to defeat them all in one fell swoop. Dual Shot and all the light spells were useless as well. Lightning Snare and Thunder Stun might hold a few of them at bay while he dealt with the others—or ran if he and Igneal were quick enough. To do that, they had to search for the perfect opportunity for their escape...

As if hearing his thoughts, the injured beast let out a roar and charged forward. The lizardmen screeched and readied their weapons, preparing for the incoming impact. The air thickened while the beast swiped at the nearest bunch, sending them flying into the air like mere toys. It stomped the ground and bounded for a lizardman that had an arrow notched. Before the lizard could even pull the string back, the beast snatched the reptile by the waist and tore the limb clean off.

It was then that the rest of the lizardmen fired their arrows. Spears rained down, and the beast’s roar echoed. It flailed and thrashed, its eyes wild and crazed. Blood spewed from its mouth and body, and the spears protruding out of its body grew by the dozen alongside the rising death count of the reptiles.

Watching the display unfold, Tyrus could only scowl in displeasure. A pit formed in his heart whenever the beast received more disastrous wounds under its belt. Why was he feeling so much pity toward it? Perhaps it was because of the beast being alone, or that it was outnumbered and was struggling.

Suddenly, Tyrus felt a prickling sensation sweep over his neck. Turning swiftly, he found a spear's jagged tip just inches from his nose. Smoke and ash enveloped the shaft as the bone top dropped to the ground with a dull thud.

Igneal flicked away the flames as he clicked his tongue. “Watch your back next time. I would hate for you to fall at the hands of these wretched lizardmen. What good are Beastfolk senses if you’re going to get stabbed in the back that easily?”

He took a step forward and held out his palms. With a wicked grin, his hands erupted into a fiery inferno. “It’s about time I showed you some real magic. I can’t let a mere beast overshadow me, right? Watch and learn, commoner. This is what I meant about that weakness these creatures possess.”

The flames around his hands flickered and the heat emanating from his body intensified. He took another step forward, and the lizardmen screeched in a language Tyrus didn’t know. He could see the fear in their eyes, the hesitation in their movements.

Igneal, enjoying the skittish movements of his enemies, crouched and leveled both hands over the dirt.

“Wildfire.”