Elara stood at the edge of the courtyard, her gaze fixed on the grisly remains of the Griffin. A morbid sense of humor crept into her thoughts as she realized that there would be no need to hack away at the creature's corpse in search of the obsidian cuff. The ballista had done the job for her, reducing the Griffin to a gruesome mess of minced meat and shattered bones.
She waited for a few moments, her senses on high alert, listening for any signs of movement or disturbance. The explosion had been loud, and she feared that it might have attracted unwanted attention. However, as the seconds ticked by, the courtyard remained silent, save for the gentle rustling of leaves in the night breeze.
Satisfied that no immediate threat was present, she began to make her way down from her elevated position. As she approached the remains of the Griffin, her stomach churned at the sight and smell of the carnage. Blood and gore squelched beneath her feet, soaking through her socks and sending a shiver of revulsion up her spine. She tried to avoid the larger chunks of flesh and bone, but it was impossible to navigate the area without stepping on something squishy and unsettling.
Despite the grim nature of her task, she found herself strangely numb to the horror of it all. Perhaps it was the adrenaline still coursing through her veins, or maybe she had simply grown accustomed to the violence and death that seemed to follow her in this strange place. Whatever the reason, she pressed on, determined to find the obsidian cuff amidst the grisly debris. As she scanned the area, a glint of metal caught her eye. There, lying in a pool of blood and viscera, was her dagger, the Solstice Shard. Its pristine white blade gleamed in the moonlight, a stark contrast to the surrounding carnage. She hurried over to retrieve it, ignoring the bones and flesh that crunched and squelched beneath her feet.
With her trusty dagger in her hand, she again scanned the gruesome remains of the Griffin. She moved cautiously, stepping over chunks of flesh and shattered bones, her socks squelching in the pools of blood. The stench of iron hung heavy in the air, but she pressed on, determined to find what she sought. She dropped to her knees, rummaging through the larger pieces of the carcass, her hands slick with gore. Minutes ticked by, but the bracelet remained elusive. Frustrated, she stood up, subconsciously wiping her hands on her pants, and turned her attention to the Griffin's nest.
As she approached the nest, a sound caught her attention. Instinctively, she crouched down and pressed herself against the nest, hiding her silhouette from view. Above her, a massive form loomed in the darkness, its silhouette even larger than the Griffin she had just killed. Another Griffin had arrived, its piercing cry echoing through the night as it spotted the remains of its fallen kin. Her heart pounded in her chest, her right hand tightening around the hilt of her dagger. Quietly, she focused her energy and activated her Voidwalk ability, teleporting herself back to the ballista that still stood in position.
With hands wet with blood, she reached into her pocket and retrieved a water mana crystal. She loaded it into the ballista, the mechanism clicking into place. Then, she crept towards the left, to another ballista, positioning it to aim at the one she had just loaded. This time, she placed an ice mana crystal into the ballista, a plan forming in her mind. Elara crept silently through the night, her heart pounding in her chest as she made her way to a third ballista. The Griffin's cries of grief and rage echoed through the courtyard, masking the sound of her loading and aiming the ballista.
As she reached the third ballista, she retrieved a fire mana crystal from her pocket. The crystal pulsed with a warm, orange glow, its energy thrumming against her fingertips. She loaded it into the ballista, the mechanism clicking into place with a satisfying sound. She aimed the ballista towards the first ballista with the water crystal.
With the fire crystal in position, she turned her attention back to the first ballista. She moved cautiously, using the Griffin's anguished cries to cover the sound of her movements. Each step was carefully placed, her body low to the ground as she crept through the shadows. As she approached the first ballista, the one loaded with the water crystal, her heart raced with anticipation. She knew that timing would be crucial. One wrong move, and the Griffin would be upon her in an instant.
She positioned herself behind the ballista, her hands placed on the firing mechanism. The water crystal glowed with a soft, blue light, its energy cool and soothing against her skin. She took a deep breath, steadying her nerves as she waited for the perfect moment to strike. Trusting her Arcane Ballistics Mastery skill to lead her hand.
The Griffin continued to cry out, its voice raw with emotion. It circled the remains of its fallen kin, its massive wings stirring up clouds of dust and debris. She watched it closely, her eyes tracking its every move.
Then, in a moment of perfect clarity, she saw her chance. The Griffin had turned its back to her, its attention focused entirely on the grisly scene before it. Her fingers tightened on the firing mechanism, her breath caught in her throat. With a sudden, explosive burst of energy, she moves her hand upwards and fires the ballista. The water mana shot forward, propelled by the force of the mechanism. It streaked through the air, leaving a trail of glowing blue light in its wake.
The water mana struck the Griffin squarely on its back, shattering upon impact and drenching the creature in a fine mist of water. She watched as the droplets clung to the Griffin's feathers, glistening in the moonlight. Just as she had anticipated, the water residue coated the Griffin's body, hopefully making it vulnerable to her next attacks.
Without hesitation, she reached into her satchel and retrieved another water crystal. She loaded it into the ballista, her hands moving with practiced precision. The Griffin, having recovered from its initial surprise, had now spotted her. Its eyes narrowed, and it let out a piercing screech that sent a shiver down her spine. She took aim, her hand tightening around the firing mechanism. She released the second shot, but the Griffin was quick to react. It soared high into the air, dodging the water mana with a graceful twist of its body. Elara cursed under her breath.
Determined not to let the Griffin gain the upper hand, she remained at the ballista. She reached into her pocket once more, this time retrieving an electric mana crystal. The crystal crackled with energy, its jagged surface casting eerie shadows across her face. She loaded the electric crystal into the ballista, her eyes never leaving the Griffin. The creature had gotten dangerously close, its massive form looming over her. She could see the rage in its eyes, the desire for vengeance burning bright.
The Griffin seemed to have made a decision. It tucked its wings close to its body and hurled itself directly at her, intent on crushing her and the ballista beneath its weight. Her heart raced, but she refused to let fear take hold. She took aim, her hands steady as she prepared to fire.
Just as the Griffin was about to impact the ballista, she raised her hand and activated her Voidwalk ability. In an instant, the Ballista shot is fired nearly point blank at the Griffin as she teleports to the second ballista, leaving the Griffin to crash into the space where she had once stood.
Without missing a beat, she fired the ice crystal from the second ballista. The mana streaked through the air, heading straight for the Griffin's water-soaked form. She held her breath, watching as the mana closed in on its target, the anticipation building in her chest.
The ice crystal struck the Griffin's water-soaked body, and she watched in awe as ice began to spread rapidly over its form. The creature's wings, tucked close to its body from the crash, were quickly encased in a thick layer of ice, immobilizing them. The Griffin struggled, its movements becoming more frantic and erratic as it tried to break free from its icy prison.
She wasted no time. She loaded her last water crystal into the ballista and fired; the shot hitting the Griffin and adding another layer of moisture to its already frozen form. Without hesitation, she reached for her final ice crystal, loaded it, and fired again. The ice spread further, thickening the icy shell that held the Griffin captive. Despite its predicament, the Griffin continued to thrash and struggle, its movements becoming more unpredictable with each passing second. She felt a growing sense of unease as she watched the creature's erratic behavior. She knew she had to act quickly before the Griffin could break free or turn its attention towards her.
She reached for another electric crystal, intending to load it into the ballista and deliver a final, devastating blow. However, as she moved to fire, the Griffin suddenly turned its face in her direction, its eyes blazing with fury. It opened its beak wide, and Elara felt a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. Trusting her instincts, she aborted her action and quickly activated her Voidwalk ability, teleporting herself to the last prepared ballista. No sooner had she materialized at her new location than the Griffin let out a deafening cry. A shockwave erupted from its beak, hurtling towards the ballista she had just vacated. The force of the shockwave was immense, and she watched in horror as the ballista shattered into pieces, falling down the wall, reduced to nothing more than twisted metal.
She stood frozen for a moment, shocked by the sheer power of the Griffin's shockwave. The sight of the shattered ballista sent a chill down her spine, a stark reminder of the creature's immense strength. However, she quickly snapped herself out of her momentary daze, realizing that every second counted in this battle.
Without hesitation, she turned her attention to the pre-loaded and aimed ballista before her. The fire crystal glowed with an intense, fiery light, its energy pulsing in anticipation. She raises her hand and fires the ballista. The fire mana shot forward, a blazing projectile that illuminated the night sky. It streaked through the air, leaving a trail of sparks and embers in its wake. She watched with bated breath as the fire mana hurtled towards its target.
The fire mana the frozen Griffin dead on, exploding in a brilliant burst of flames. The force of the impact shattered the icy prison that had held the creature captive, sending shards of ice flying in all directions. Smoke billowed from the point of impact, obscuring her view of the Griffin.
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For a moment, an eerie silence settled over the courtyard. She squinted, trying to peer through the thick smoke, desperate to see if her attack had felled the Griffin. But the smoke remained impenetrable, and no sound emerged from within its depths.
Suddenly, Flamebeard's words echoed in her mind. If she had not received a notification, it meant that the Griffin was still alive. A sense of urgency gripped her, and she sprang into action. She quickly reached into her pocket, her fingers closing around the last electric crystal. She loaded it into the ballista.
She took aim at the smoke, her eyes straining to detect any movement or sign of life. Her heart pounded in her chest, and her breath came in short, rapid bursts. She knew that the Griffin could emerge from the smoke at any moment, and she had to be ready. Her hand lay on the firing mechanism, her body tense with anticipation. She watched the smoke intently, her senses on high alert. The seconds seemed to stretch into an eternity as she waited, prepared to fire at the first sign of movement.
Suddenly, a dark form burst from the smoke, soaring to the side and above the courtyard. Her heart leaped into her throat. She quickly adjusted her aim and fired, but the electric mana missed its mark, streaking past the Griffin and disappearing into the night sky. The Griffin drew closer, its massive wings propelling it through the air with incredible speed. She cursed under her breath. With one hand, she desperately tried to reposition the ballista, struggling to aim at the rapidly closer moving target. With her other hand, she reached into her pocket and retrieved her very last mana crystal—the final fire crystal.
She loaded the crystal into the ballista, her hands shaking with adrenaline. She took a deep breath, steadying herself as she aimed at the approaching Griffin. Time seemed to slow down as she concentrated all her focus on this one shot. She released the firing mechanism, and the fire mana shot forward, leaving a trail of sparks in its wake.
The mana struck the Griffin on its left side, and she watched in amazement as the creature's wing was torn from its body. The Griffin let out an agonized cry as it plummeted from the sky, crashing into the courtyard below. The impact shook the ground, sending a cloud of dust and debris into the air.
Her heart pounded in her chest as she watched the fallen Griffin, her body numb with shock and exhaustion. The creature lay in the blood of its companion, its cries of pain echoing through the night. She felt a strange mix of triumph and sorrow as she gazed upon the crippled beast.
Skill Level Up!
Your Arcane Ballistics Mastery skill has increased to level 2.
Ignoring the system, without hesitation, she retrieved her dagger and used her Voidwalk ability to teleport herself onto the Griffin's back. She remembered the weak point she had tried to exploit during her previous fight. With a swift and precise motion, she plunged the Solstice Shard into the Griffin's vulnerable spot on its neck.
The Griffin let out one final, shuddering cry before falling still, its life extinguished by her blade. She remained on the creature's back for a moment, her chest heaving as the adrenaline slowly faded from her system. The courtyard was silent now, save for the sound of her own ragged breathing.
You have defeated Griffin [Level 146].
You have earned 42478 Exp.
You have leveled up to Level 35.
You have 110 unspent Stat points
She sat on the Griffin's back, her body trembling with a mix of exhaustion and adrenaline. She closed her eyes and focused on her breathing, allowing herself a few minutes to meditate and recover her mana and stamina. The effort of using her Voidwalk ability three times had drained her stamina considerably. As she sat there, she surveyed the carnage she had wrought. Her thoughts went to the beasts she had slain—the Arboreal Hunters, the Wisp Cattle, and now the Griffins. She buried her face in her hands, a wave of conflicting emotions washing over her.
She questioned whether her actions had been justified. The encounter with the Arboreal Hunters had been unexpected, their ambush leaving her with no choice but to fight back in self-defense. The Wisp Cattle had been killed to be used as bait and as a gift for Flamebeard, though she knew he didn't need food to survive. While she had intended it as a gift for Flamebeard, a gesture of goodwill, she couldn't shake the realization that it had cost an innocent creature its life. And then there were the Griffins. The first one had attacked her and killed Boogie. She couldn't have let it escape, not with the obsidian cuff still inside its body. But she realized that she hadn't even given the Griffin enough of a chance to expel the cuff naturally. In her haste, she had resorted to lethal force, utilizing the strategically positioned ballistas to bring about its demise.
As for the second Griffin, Elara acknowledged that she could have simply left and waited for it to leave. But she had chosen to stay, driven by a desire to test her own abilities. She had formulated a plan, executed it flawlessly, and now another griffin lay dead under her. Flamebeard had called her kind, comparing her to the Warden. But at this moment, surrounded by the lifeless bodies of the creatures she had slain, she didn't feel very kind at all. Lost in contemplation, she grappled with the dissonance between the perception of kindness and the harsh reality of her actions.
She shook her head, pushing the thoughts aside. It was too late for regrets now. What was done was done, and dwelling on it would only serve to distract her from the task at hand. She remained perched on the Griffin's back, taking a moment to survey her surroundings. The courtyard was still, the only movement coming from the gentle swaying of the trees in the night breeze. She glanced up at the sky, noting the faint hints of light beginning to creep over the horizon. In a few hours, the sun would rise, bathing the fortress in its warm glow.
With that in mind, she used the remaining darkness to continue her search for the obsidian cuff. She hoped that the coming daylight would aid her in her quest, illuminating areas that may have been obscured by the shadows of the night. She slid off the Griffin's back, her feet landing softly on the blood-soaked ground. The scent of death hung heavy in the air, but she pushed it to the back of her mind, focusing instead on the task at hand. She approached the remains of the first fallen Griffin, her eyes scanning for any sign of the cuff. She knew the cuff had to be somewhere near the creature's body, but locating it would be no easy feat.
An hour later, she found herself still searching for the obsidian cuff, her once dirty clothes now soaked in the Griffins' blood. She had long since given up on trying to avoid the blood stains, focusing solely on her mission to locate the cuff. She expanded her search area, moving farther away from the main site of the carnage. She meticulously scanned the ground, her eyes darting back and forth in search of any glint or shine that might indicate the presence of the cuff. As she moved to the outer edges of the courtyard, her gaze fell upon a small black object nestled in the grass. Her heart skipped a beat as she approached it, her hand reaching out tentatively. As her fingers closed around the object, she felt a wave of relief wash over her. It was the obsidian cuff.
She clutched the cuff tightly in her hand, a sense of triumph and exhaustion mingling within her. Without sparing a glance at the gruesome scene behind her, she focused her mind and activated her Voidwalk ability, teleporting herself directly to Flamebeard's lair. As she materialized in the familiar surroundings of the dragon's abode, she found herself face to face with Flamebeard. The dragon's eyes widened in shock as he took in her blood-soaked appearance.
Elara, too drained to speak, simply raised her hand and opened her palm, revealing the obsidian cuff resting in her grasp. Flamebeard's gaze immediately zeroed in on the cuff, his eyes glinting with anticipation. His gaze lingered on the obsidian cuff for a moment longer before he forced his eyes away to meet Elara's. She, exhausted and drained, held out the cuff and asked, "How do I use it?"
His voice was gentle as he explained, "The cuff, when worn, grants the wearer the will to lift or raise the restrictions on entering and leaving the fortress."
She nodded, absorbing the information. She looked down at the cuff in her hand, its black surface gleaming in the dim light of the lair. Without hesitation, she slipped the cuff onto her right wrist. To her surprise, it fit perfectly, as if it had been made for her. For a brief moment, her mind wandered to the implications of the cuff's perfect fit. It had once belonged to a man, the Warden, yet it seemed to have adjusted itself to her slender wrist. However, she was too mentally exhausted to dwell on this thought.
Following Flamebeard's instructions, she closed her eyes and focused her mind on the cuff. She visualized the fortress, its towering walls and sprawling courtyards. In her mind's eye, she saw the invisible barriers that kept Flamebeard trapped within its confines. With a surge of mental energy, she willed the cuff to lift the restrictions. She felt a tingling sensation spread from her wrist throughout her body, as if the cuff was responding to her command. The surrounding air seemed to shimmer and shift, and for a moment, she felt a sense of lightness, as if a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders.
She opened her eyes, her vision slightly blurred from the mental exertion. She looked at Flamebeard, seeking confirmation that the cuff had worked. The dragon's eyes were wide, and he nodded slowly, a toothy smile spreading across his face.
"You've done well, Elara," he said, his voice filled with pride. "The fortress is no longer my prison. Now I am once again free."
She followed him as he made his way to the hall she fought the Servitor Golem in, her steps quick. The events of the night weighed heavily on her mind, the blood on her clothes a stark reminder of the carnage she had left behind. She watched as Flamebeard approached the massive doors that led to the platform outside, the same place where she had once stood and marveled at the vastness of the sky.
As he drew closer to the doors, the inactive glyphs that adorned them glowed, their light growing brighter with each passing second. Her eyes widened as she witnessed the magic coming to life, the intricate patterns pulsing with energy. She had not noticed them before. The doors slowly swung open, revealing the platform beyond.
Flamebeard stepped through the doorway, his massive form filling the space. She followed, her breath catching in her throat as she watched the dragon spread his wings to his full wingspan. In the morning light, Flamebeard's red scales glistened, each one catching the sun's rays and reflecting them back in a dazzling display of color.
As she stood there, her tired eyes fixed on the majestic form of Flamebeard, a sudden realization struck her like a heavy weight. Somewhere along, she had forgotten something important—Flamebeard was a dragon, a powerful creature with a level in the thousand. She had grown so used to his friendly presence and sage advice that she had forgotten about his true nature.
The thought made her feel even more tired. As she reflected on their time together, she realized how much she had relied on his guidance and protection. He had always been there to offer his wisdom and support, leading her to understand the world she was in. But now, seeing him in his full might, she couldn't help but feel a sense of unease.
Had her efforts to free Flamebeard from captivity unleashed something dangerous for the people below? The worry weighed heavily on her mind, leaving her feeling weary and uncertain. She had been so focused on their goal of granting him his freedom and leaving the sky fortress together that she hadn't considered the potential consequences of her actions. Now, faced with the reality of what she had done, she couldn't shake the feeling that she had made a mistake.
With a heavy heart, she watched as he took flight, his massive wings beating against the air as he soared into the sky. She knew she would have to face the consequences of her actions soon enough, whatever they might be. As she stood there, feeling small and insignificant against the backdrop of the vast world, she couldn't help but wonder what would come next.