Chapter 21: Trial by Survival
The first week of their hunt was anything but straightforward. Nix and Roni quickly learned that surviving in the mountains wasn’t about brute strength, it was about wit, strategy, and endurance. The mountains were alive, teeming with relentless, varied creatures. Hunting the elusive Juvenile Thunderback Wyvern, the creature Ron had tasked them to find, felt increasingly impossible.
Ron trailed like a phantom, barely speaking except for occasional grumbles that only seemed to come when things looked dire. He looked on with an almost bored detachment, as if every one of their struggles was beneath his interest. But sometimes his murmurs, whether coincidence or design, would lead to a breakthrough.
On their second day, they encountered Glareclaw Spiders. Perfectly camouflaged against the jagged rocks, the spiders blended seamlessly into their surroundings. Nix’s [Radar Sense] picked up the vibrations beneath the earth just moments before they struck.
“Move!” Roni’s voice cut through the stillness as the spiders lunged.
Blurs of gray and black surged forward, legs clicking and jaws snapping. Nix narrowly dodged a claw, extending [HairForm: Spear] to stab at the nearest attacker. Roni’s first instinct was to fight, she nocked a [Piercing Arrow] and fired, her shot puncturing one spider’s eye.
But there were too many. The ground trembled with the scurrying limbs of more spiders closing in.
“We can’t take them all!” Nix’s voice was taut with tension.
Roni swung between tree branches with her vines, staying out of reach, while Nix used [HairForm: Strings] to pull himself across the uneven terrain. The spiders pursued, their relentless claws scratching at their heels.
Ron’s voice drifted from somewhere behind, “Spiders never give up...” It wasn’t much help, but it sparked an idea in Nix.
“High ground!” Nix shouted, seizing the clue.
Roni’s vines shot up, pulling her high into the trees. Nix scaled the rocks, reaching the heights the spiders struggled to climb. Roni aimed downward, releasing a [Pepper Gas Arrow] into the heart of the spider pack. The explosion released a thick cloud of irritant gas. The spiders hissed and backed away, overwhelmed, giving Nix and Roni the chance to vanish into the forest's shadow.
---
By the fourth day, it became clear that survival wasn’t about victories, it was about living to see the next day. Nearly every encounter ended with them having to retreat, regroup, and escape. Their next challenge came in the form of a Shaleback Pack, thick-skinned creatures with spiked tails and nearly impenetrable hides.
Nix struck at them with [HairForm: Spear], but the attack barely left a scratch. Roni’s arrows seemed useless, deflecting off their stony armor.
image [https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54034303324_315595602e_m.jpg]
“We’re wasting our time,” Roni called, sidestepping a lashing tail. “We have to go!”
Nix was thinking the same, but the pack was closing in. They needed an opening. From the edge of the fight, Ron’s voice barely registered, something about “obvious weak points.” Nix, desperate, scanned the creatures again, this time noticing the sluggish movement of their tails.
“Roni, the tails!” he yelled.
Without hesitation, Roni fired a [Ground Spike Arrow]. It struck the ground beneath the nearest Shaleback, causing it to stumble. As it struggled to regain its footing, Nix’s [HairForm: Phantom Hands] wrapped around the tail, yanking it toward the spikes. The creature thrashed, its tail impaled, and the rest of the pack hesitated, seeing their leader fall.
Nix and Roni took the opening, sprinting into the safety of the dense forest.
---
On the sixth day, they encountered a new type of danger, the Sky Razor Hawk. Its wingspan cast shadows over the forest, and electricity crackled with every flap of its massive wings.
“This one’s different,” Roni said, tracking the hawk as it circled above them. “Too fast.”
Nix sensed the tension; the bird was circling to hunt them. Roni fired a [Piercing Arrow], but the hawk twisted effortlessly in the air, dodging the attack.
image [https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54024358309_0f5a083bb1_m.jpg]
“We can’t fight it out here,” Nix realized. “There’s no cover.”
They ran, scrambling through the thick underbrush as the hawk dived. Its talons sparked with electrical energy, closing in on Roni’s back.
Nix acted on reflex, grabbing Roni with [HairForm: Phantom Hands] and pulling her out of the way just as the hawk's talons struck the ground, scorching the earth beneath.
The hawk circled for another attack, speed blinding. Roni reached for a [Fog Seed], smashing it on the ground. The mist enveloped them, turning the forest into a swirling mass of confusion. The hawk screeched in frustration, its vision obscured. Nix and Roni slipped away silently, moving like shadows through the mist.
As they caught their breath, Nix heard Ron's voice again. “Birds... all flash...”
---
By the end of the week, they had faced more beasts than they cared to remember, a Bristleback Golem that nearly crushed them with its brute strength, a Cave Slasher that ambushed them in the dead of night with its bladed limbs, and a Needletooth Serpent whose venomous fangs almost ended their hunt before it began.
Every encounter forced them to adapt, to think on their feet. Roni became adept at finding choke points in the environment, funneling creatures into traps. Nix’s [Radar Sense] helped them detect dangers before they were upon them. They learned to set traps, conserve their energy, and plan their fights rather than be drawn into every one.
Each new scar and cut was a reminder that they weren’t in control of these mountains, they were simply surviving them.
Nights around the campfire were tense. “We’re not winning these fights,” Roni said quietly, staring into the flames. “We’re just... getting through them.”
Nix tightened his grip around the handle of Morning Wood, the spiked bat heavy in his hand. “That’s what makes us hunters. We survive. Learn. Adapt.”
Across the fire, Ron was a silent presence, sipping from a flask. Sometimes he muttered to himself, a barely audible critique or observation. “Should’ve cut the legs... too slow on the draw...” But mostly he watched, leaving Nix and Roni to draw their own conclusions.
---
By the start of the second week, their tactics shifted. They knew they couldn’t take on every creature head-on; they had to kill swiftly and retreat before higher-level beasts noticed. The goal became about precision, in and out before any threat could overwhelm them.
When they encountered a pack of Fanged Gorgons, Roni quickly spotted their use of trees as heat cover, and Nix's [Radar Sense] helped track their exact positions. Together, they set up near-invisible threads with Nix’s hair, coated with paralytic agents, while Roni laid out traps that would funnel the gorgons into kill zones.
When the creatures fell into their traps, it was over quickly, a [Pepper Gas Arrow] to disorient them, vines to restrain, and precise strikes to finish. Nix’s hair-tentacles tightened around the creatures’ necks while Roni’s arrows silenced them one by one.
Their movements became more efficient, each fight more calculated. “Better,” Roni remarked after dispatching the last gorgon.
Nix nodded but kept his eyes on the terrain. “But still too slow. We’ve gotta be faster.”
Ron watched from a distance, taking another sip from his flask. He mumbled to himself about mistakes they could have avoided, but his words no longer seemed like criticism, they were challenges to keep pushing forward.
---
By the end of their second week, Nix and Roni were finally beginning to understand what it meant to be hunters, not warriors who charged head-on into battles, but survivors who lived to fight another day. They adapted to every challenge, learned to move like the predators they faced, and, slowly but surely, began to shift from being the hunted to the hunters.
And somewhere behind them, always watching, Ron continued to observe, silent, cryptic, and satisfied.
---
The third week was supposed to be a turning point, the week Nix and Roni finally claimed their target. They had spotted the baby Thunderback Wyvern, a Level 2 creature, and thought they were close to their goal. But as they tracked it through the wilderness, they noticed something troubling, it wasn’t alone.
Perched high on the cliffs where the forest met jagged mountains, they found the baby. But circling the sky above were two much larger threats, a Level 4 Thunder Wyvern, its scales shimmering electric blue, crackling with power, and a slightly smaller but no less terrifying Level 3 Wyvern. The ground trembled beneath the force of their roars, and the shadows they cast stretched across the rocky terrain like a warning.
From their hiding spot, nestled behind thick trees on a higher ridge, Roni turned to Nix, her voice barely a whisper. “This just got a lot harder. We were told it was a Level 2 baby, but no one said anything about two guardians.”
Nix clenched his jaw, his [Radar Sense] honing in on the pulsating movements of the wyverns. "If we try to fight all three at once, we won’t stand a chance. We need to separate them.”
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Roni nodded, her mind racing through options. The Level 4 Thunder Wyvern’s electrical abilities could strike them from a distance, and even approaching the baby would alert both guardians. They needed precision, patience, and a solid escape route.
---
For two days, they watched, studying every movement of the wyverns, their patrol patterns, air currents, and the rocky paths to their nesting grounds. The guardians alternated their watches, circling the skies in shifts. The baby remained grounded, shielded by narrow cliffs. Slowly, windows of vulnerability began to appear.
---
On the third day, they were ready to strike. The Level 3 Wyvern flew off, leaving only the baby and the distant figure of the Level 4, perched and watchful.
Roni crouched low, her green-highlighted hair twisted into a tight braid, the vine-like tendrils coiling around her bow as if anticipating the fight. “We have a five-minute window before the Level 3 comes back,” she whispered, pulling out a [Piercing Arrow].
Nix nodded, [HairForm: Phantom Hands] already weaving silently into the rocks around them, using his Hair-Tentacles to brace their position. “Keep it quiet. Make the shot count.”
Roni took a deep breath, steadying her aim. Her bowstring stretched taut, and she adjusted for the wind. The baby wyvern was nestled against the rocks, unaware of the danger.
She released the arrow.
It struck true, sinking deep into the baby wyvern’s chest. The creature let out a pitiful, weak cry, barely enough to echo across the mountains. Nix moved quickly, [HairForm: Phantom Hands] extending to silence the dying sound before it could alert the guardians. He quickly extracted the Crystal Core from its heart.
The Level 2 wyvern was dead. But their victory was short-lived.
Nix’s [Radar Sense] screamed a warning, air vibrating, tension building, and he felt the rapid approach of the Level 3 Wyvern. Its roar shattered the quiet, and its massive wings sliced through the air like knives. In seconds, it spotted them, its rage unmistakable. They hadn’t just killed its offspring, they had declared war.
“Damn,” Nix hissed, already moving. “It found us!”
The wyvern’s roar shook the cliffs, sending tremors through the ground as its wings kicked up furious gusts of wind. Roni’s eyes darted to Nix. “We need to move, now!”
---
The two bolted into the trees, heading for the thicker forest where they might find cover. The wyvern's shadow loomed behind them, claws scraping against rock as it tried to close the distance. Nix pulled Roni sharply to the left, narrowly avoiding a strike that shattered the stone where they’d just been standing. “We can’t fight it out here, we’re too exposed!”
“Into the forest!” Roni called back, her voice tight with focus. “The trees will slow it down.”
They dashed into the denser part of the forest, the thick canopy blocking the sun. The wyvern struggled to follow, crashing through branches and vines, its size working against it in the confined space. Nix swung through the trees with [HairForm: Strings], using the terrain to outmaneuver the wyvern. Roni used her vines to vault across a ravine, the wyvern stopping just short of falling over the edge.
The Level 3’s roars of frustration reverberated through the forest, but they were not safe yet.
High above, another roar, this one deeper, louder. The Level 4 Thunder Wyvern joined the chase, its presence like a storm descending.
---
Nix and Roni reached the edge of the forest, panting and desperate. “We have to split up,” Nix said, glancing at Roni.
“Are you sure?” she replied, fear flashing in her eyes.
“It’s the only way. If we stay together, they’ll corner us. Meet at the gorge.”
Without another word, Nix swung away, disappearing into the dense foliage, while Roni darted in the opposite direction.
---
The chase was relentless. Nix dashed between trees and over roots, his [Radar Sense] on high alert, tracking every movement. The Level 3 Wyvern was a relentless predator, and the Level 4 closed in with terrifying speed. Electrical energy charged the air, sending jolts through the forest as it passed.
They couldn't keep running. They needed to take one down, fast.
When they reunited at the gorge, Nix’s face was set in grim determination. “We need to isolate the Level 3,” he said, voice steady despite the situation. “Trap it here where it can't maneuver.”
Roni’s eyes fell on the narrow gorge behind them. She nodded. “Right. We’ll use the terrain. Once it’s in, we bind it.”
Together, they worked quickly. Roni planted spike pits and explosive seeds, all in the tightest part of the gorge. Nix used his [HairForm: Phantom Hands] to weave traps into the rocks, binding points for when they had the creature pinned.
It didn’t take long. The Level 3 Wyvern stormed into the gorge, blind with rage and instinct. Nix and Roni moved in sync, leading the creature into the heart of their trap. As it charged, Roni fired her [Binding Arrows], vines wrapping around its wings and pinning them to its sides. The wyvern screeched in frustration, thrashing wildly, but Nix was ready. He used [Phantom Hands] to grab hold of its tail, pulling it toward the spike pits Roni had laid out.
The wyvern crashed to the ground, immobilized, and Roni aimed carefully before firing a [Piercing Arrow] into its neck, silencing the beast once and for all.
They barely had a moment to breathe before the sky crackled with energy, the Level 4 Thunder Wyvern descending with blinding speed. Its wings beat with terrifying power, and lightning danced across its scales.
“This thing is on another level,” Nix said, his voice tight with adrenaline.
Roni's knuckles whitened around her bow. “We can’t let it hit us. One bolt and we’re done.”
“We’ll have to short-circuit it,” Nix said suddenly, an idea forming. “If we get it into the lake near the gorge, its electricity will backfire.”
“How do we get it there?” Roni asked, her eyes darting toward the lake.
Nix's eyes hardened. “I’ll lure it. You blind it and bind it. We destroy its wing, force it down.”
---
Nix sprinted toward the lake, taunting the Thunder Wyvern as it followed. The creature’s electrical blasts tore through the trees, sparks flying. He felt the charge intensify as he led it closer to the water.
“Now!” he shouted, giving Roni the signal.
Roni fired a [Flash Arrow] into the sky. It exploded, blinding the wyvern and making it falter. Before it could recover, she fired a [Pepper Gas Arrow], the mutated gas bursting into its face. The wyvern flailed, its eyes stinging and disoriented.
Nix’s [Phantom Hands] seized a nearby boulder. With all his strength, he hurled it at the creature’s wing. The impact caused the wyvern to tilt, struggling to maintain altitude.
“Take out its wings!” Nix yelled.
Roni drew her bow, this time with [Binding Arrows]. She aimed for the wing joints, and the arrows shot out, releasing thick vines that wrapped around the wyvern’s wings, pinning them together.
The Thunder Wyvern tried to pull free, but its flight was crippled. Nix rushed forward, his [Phantom Hands] pounding on the wing base until he heard the bone snap. The wyvern lost control, spiraling downward toward the lake.
Roni quickly laid a perimeter of [Boom Seeds] attached to [Mini Land Mines]. With one shot from her wooden handgun, she set them off, the blasts sending the wyvern crashing into the lake below.
The moment the creature hit the water, its own electricity became its downfall. The water amplified the shock, stunning and paralyzing the wyvern. It convulsed, its power turned against itself, struggling helplessly in the lake.
“This is it!” Nix yelled. “Finish it!”
Roni nocked her final arrow, a [Piercing Arrow] combined with a [Boom Seed]. The heavy, combined weight barely slowed her practiced hands. With Nix's call still ringing in her ears, she activated Gear 2, the bow humming with tension as it charged.
Seconds felt like minutes as she waited for the perfect moment. One breath... two breaths... The vibration in the string signaled the full charge. Roni's fingers released, and the arrow flew like a bolt of fury, cutting through the air.
It struck true, embedding itself deep in the wyvern’s chest. The [Boom Seed] detonated, and a deafening explosion rocked the gorge. The wyvern let out a scream that shook the very earth before its chest blew outward, lightning, scales, and flesh scattering across the lake.
The Thunder Wyvern's thrashing ceased, and its electric aura fizzled into nothing. The massive beast fell still, its body floating limply on the water's surface.
Nix and Roni stood together, gasping for breath, their hearts pounding from adrenaline and exhaustion. The battle had pushed them to their limits, and as they looked at the defeated wyvern, they could scarcely believe what they’d accomplished.
“That... was insane,” Roni muttered, her bow hanging loosely in her trembling hands. Her arms ached, her whole body was on fire from the exertion, but there was a hard-won satisfaction in her eyes.
Nix wiped his brow, a grin spreading across his face. “You’re incredible, you know that?” He pulled her in close, giving her a quick but meaningful kiss on the forehead.
Roni’s cheeks flushed at the praise, a laugh escaping her as she shook her head. “I just followed through. You’re the one who came up with the plan.”
“Well,” Nix said with a smirk, “it worked. Now, let’s get that Gene Core.”
They approached the still, lifeless wyvern cautiously, the electric threat it once posed no longer a danger. The water, now calm, lapped against its side as they retrieved their prize, the Thunder Wyvern’s Crystal Core. The weight of it in their hands felt like holding pure power, a testament to the battle they'd fought and won.
---
Ron finally appeared from the shadows, his footsteps slow and steady, and a half-smile hidden beneath his grizzled face. He took a long swig from his flask and gave a slow, approving nod. “You did well, but don’t let it get to your heads,” he said in his usual gravelly tone. “Could've been faster. More precise. But... not bad.”
Nix and Roni exchanged a look, exhausted, proud, but understanding the lesson. They'd taken down a Level 4, and that was no small feat. But there was always room to improve, always more to learn.
“Let’s harvest what we can and get out of here,” Nix suggested, moving to gather any remaining Gene Cores and parts from the wyverns. “We’ve earned a break.”
Roni nodded, but as they gathered the cores, she couldn’t shake a lingering thought. This fight was a victory, but it was also a stark reminder of just how dangerous the world of Tha-La was. The Thunder Wyvern was only one of countless challenges they'd face. How many more battles like this would they survive? Would they always be this lucky?
“What’s on your mind?” Nix asked, noticing her hesitation.
Roni let out a sigh, looking out across the gorge where the wyvern's lifeless body floated. “Just wondering... How long can we keep doing this? It feels like we barely made it out this time.”
Nix placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, squeezing gently. “We’ll keep fighting, no matter what. That’s what hunters do. We survive, we adapt, and we keep moving forward.”
As they left the gorge, cores secured and wounds still fresh, the weight of the battle stayed with them. Each encounter had taught them something new, how to fight smarter, how to use the environment, and, most importantly, how to stay one step ahead of death.
Later that night, as they sat around the campfire, Ron sat close by, mumbling to himself about missed opportunities and wasted time. But this time, there was a note of respect beneath the grumbling, and they could see it in the faint glint in his eyes, a quiet pride he’d never openly admit.
Nix and Roni had survived the hardest trial yet, learning the brutal truth of the hunt. They had conquered a Level 4 beast, but it was only the beginning. Greater challenges lay ahead, but they had something far more valuable than strength, they had each other, and the will to keep going.
In the unforgiving wilderness of Tha-La, they had taken another step towards becoming true hunters. But they knew that for every beast they conquered, there would be another, stronger, waiting in the shadows.
Because in the wilderness of Tha-La, the only constant was the hunt, and the hunters never rested for long.