The vast, ancient city seemed to hold its breath as the crescendo of echoing clicks and growls intensified, merging into a cacophony of the nightmarish unknown. As quickly as he could, Gabe went through the motions necessary to cast Restorative Shield on himself and the others. He just finished his final casting when a group of four creatures slinked out from around a corner. Of a similar size to the shadow prowlers, these creatures had iridescent blue-green scales covering their sinuous bodies that ended in long, feathered tails. Gabe hadn’t noticed it at first due to Professor Alrik’s Nightvision spell, but there were small clumps of fungi growing along the buildings that must have been producing light because the creatures’ scales shimmered as they stalked past them.

Their triangular heads, which lacked the scales that covered their bodies and were instead crowned with a crest of elongated feathers, bore sharp, calculating eyes. They had a long snout and from their half-opened jaws, Gabe could see a row of sharp, serrated teeth. Their feet were taloned, clearly capable of swift and deadly pursuits. Powerful wings lay folded against their backs, suggesting a potential for aerial assault. They shared many similarities with the creature that had been depicted in the mural, though that beast had been much, much larger.

With an ear-piercing shriek from the apparent leader, the creatures sprang into action. Two climbed up the nearby structures, their wings extended and helping to propel them up the building. They positioned themselves strategically along the rooftops as they overlooked the battleground. The other two, displaying a deadly grace, began circling the group, their eyes fixed intently upon them, the gaze of a predator stalking its prey.

Reacting instinctively, Simon’s hands whirled through the air and a moment later, a spear of stone thrust upward from the ground below one of the circling creatures. Even as quick as Simon’s spell was, the creature was able to dodge the blow aimed for its chest, the spear instead grazing its flank. A line was scratched through its scales, but the creature seemed otherwise unharmed. It let out a low hiss as it bent low, ready to pounce at the earth mage.

However, before it could counterattack, a brilliant beam of light emanated from Professor Alrik’s chanting form giving the creature pause. The professor’s Ray of Light struck the second circling beast, causing it to recoil as it burned through the scales on its right forearm, exposing blackened flesh. It stumbled backward, unable to put its full weight on its injured leg, and let out a long screech that echoed through the ancient city.

From their vantage, the two creatures on high readied their descent as they extended their wings and leaped off the building towards Professor Alrik. But as they dove, the professor belted out an incantation that released a flare of light. The creatures veered to the side, blinded and disoriented. One crashed into the side of a building while the other managed to tuck in its wings and roll as it hit the ground.

Gabe, his movements enhanced by his Aura of Vitality that he’d cast during Simon and Professor Alrik’s opening attacks, saw an opening and dashed toward the one that had hit the building. Several of the feathers from its head were strewn across the ground around it and it was struggling to get back onto its feet. Steeling his nerves, lunged forward with his knife as he attempted to stab the creature through its bright yellow eye.

The creature was able to twist its head at the last minute and Gabe’s knife drew a beaded line of blood across the exposed skin of its face. The creature retaliated with a whip-like motion of its tail that cracked against his shield, throwing him off to the side. He hit the ground hard and slid a few feet, every breath causing a firestorm of agony to roil through his chest. He propped himself up with one hand as he cast a tier two version of Repair with the other, the magic washing through his body and adding to the last remnants of Restorative Shield to provide instant relief.

Unbeknownst to Gabe, the creature that Simon had initially attacked had decided to forgo another strike at Simon or the professor in favor of easier prey. It ran up to a nearby building and pushed itself off the wall. With two beats of its large wings, it was airborne before it deftly tucked them tight against its body and dove downward with the speed of an arrow directly at Gabe.

Seeing the impending threat, Simon’s hands blurred through the air. Walls of stone rose out of the ground around Gabe, shielding him as the creature flared its wings and glided around the barrier in an attempt to reach Gabe. Another blast of light from Professor Alrik shot a hole through one of its wings, causing the creature to fall to the ground.

As it landed, a pit opened up in the stone beneath it, causing the creature to drop another ten feet. The beast shrieked in surprise and attempted to use its good wing to right itself but the pit was too narrow for it to fully extend its wing. The shriek cut off abruptly and a squelch noise sounded from the pit. Panting and glistening with sweat, Simon gave Gabe a weak smile.

“That’s one down. Only three more to go.”

Gabe cast another glance at the creature he’d attacked. It was standing upright now and shaking off the last of its dazed state. It narrowed its eyes at Gabe, the blood from the wound he’d inflicted staining the blue feathers on its cheek. Recognizing that he didn’t stand a chance facing the creature now that it had its full attention on him, he quickly got up and hurried back to where Simon and Professor Alrik were standing before it could pounce on him.

He cycled his mana and felt that he still had just under half his mana pool left. Seeing the state Simon was in, he figured the earth mage was close to being tapped out. Professor Alrik remained unscathed, his hands wreathed in light as continued to fire bolts of light at the beasts. He’d managed another hit against the flank of the one with the injured forelimb. Its injury left it much less mobile than its companions and it was having a harder time dodging the professor’s attacks.

Stolen story; please report.

It was put out of its misery a moment later as the professor’s next shot hit the beast square in the face. The heat from the light was intense enough to cause its feathered crown to catch fire and the creature collapsed to the ground.

The two remaining creatures took to the sky, their wings beating furiously to keep them aloft. They moved with much less grace in the air but still, they were able to dodge Professor Alrik’s magic. In a synchronized maneuver, they both turned and descended, sharp talons gleaming menacingly.

Gabe's heart raced as he saw the injured one heading straight for him. He braced himself, knife out and at the ready, but just as it seemed like the creature would land on him, the Soul Weaver spider that had guided them here leaped into action. With a rapid movement, the spider intercepted the creature, its many legs wrapping around it and causing them both to crash to the ground in a tangled heap. The creature attempted to use its tail to swat the spider away, but it was unable to access enough leverage.

Simultaneously, the other creature bore down upon Professor Alrik. A ray of light burst from his hand, piercing the creature's wing. But the momentum was too great. Simon, seeing the imminent danger, lunged forward, pushing the professor aside. The creature's talons found Simon's back, tearing through his clothing and leaving four deep gashes even as it crashed to the ground.

"Simon!" Gabe cried out, seeing his friend fall. He needed to act quickly, already the creature was getting back to its feet, ready for another attack. His left hand glowing with the soft green light of Repair, he touched Simon’s back and the wounds began to heal shut.

"You need to make another pit right now,” he told Simon hurriedly.

With a pained groan, Simon, using what little energy he had left, moved his hand through the air, and the ground responded, a chasm opening up right beneath the creature. As it tumbled into the abyss, Simon gasped, "I... I couldn't make the spikes. Not enough mana.”

Gabe quickly approached the edge. "It's okay," he replied, a fierce determination in his voice. “I’ll take care of this one.”

He splayed out the fingers on his right hand, aimed his palm toward the creature that was currently attempting to scale the wall of the pit Simon had made, and for the first time, activated his ring.

“Fireball.”

The light from one of the rubies winked out and a ball of flame immediately burst from his hand on a direct course for the creature. Upon contact the fireball exploded and a huge gout of flame erupted out of the pit. Gabe was knocked back by the explosion and the hairs along his right arm were singed from heat.

Professor Alrik, meanwhile, had gotten back to his feet and held his glowing hand out towards the brawl between the scaled creature and spider. The opportunity to act came as the spider flipped the creature over, exposing its back. Without hesitation Professor Alrik let the Ray of Light fly from his hand along with two more. Within seconds, the creature’s back was a mosaic of scorched skin and shining scales. The damage distracted it enough that the spider was finally able to bring its whirling maw against the flesh of the creature. A high-pitched whine sounded as it tore through the beast.

Gabe got to his and dusted off the soot that flecked his armor. Turning to Simon, he offered the earth mage a hand. "You okay?"

Simon nodded and took the proffered hand, grimacing from the lingering pain. "Thanks to you. That was too close."

Gabe agreed, it had been a close fight. Without Drevock there to serve as a frontline fighter, they would have a difficult time facing a larger group of those creatures.

Professor Alrik, his age showing in his weariness, leaned against a nearby pillar. "We have made it through this encounter, but there may be more of them. We need to remain vigilant."

Gabe nodded, glancing gratefully at their spider ally, who had devoured the rest of the creature and had started on the first one Professor Alrik had killed. Simon, looking drained from the continuous use of his magic, gestured towards one of the looming structures.

"We should take shelter inside one of these buildings," he suggested, his voice weary. "It might give us a moment to recover our mana, and it'd be safer if there were more of those creatures lurking about."

Gabe nodded in agreement, eyeing one of the larger stone structures nearby. Its door was intricately carved, but no handle or visible latch was present.

“Doesn’t seem like there's an easy way to open it," Gabe said, examining the door's surface.

“Give me a few moments to recover some mana and I’ll take care of that,” replied Simon.

Several minutes later, Simon stepped forward. With a slow, deliberate motion, he gestured with his hands in front of him, palms extended, focusing intently on the door. With a grinding sound, a portion of the door seemed to simply melt away, creating a hole just large enough for them to enter.

As the last of them stepped inside, Simon waved his hands again, the stone flowing back into place and sealing the entrance behind them. The chamber inside was moderately in size and Gabe estimated it was about as big as the Flaming Boar’s main area. More patches of the luminescent fungi clung to some of the ancient walls. There was a smattering of furniture strewn about, a long table with a few chairs, some shelves along the walls devoid of anything on them, and along the far wall was a staircase that went up to the second floor. Everything was coated with a thick layer of dust and Gabe could tell that no one had been in here for a very long time.

Leaving the spider outside to stand guard and finish its meal, the three of them found a spot to settle down. Simon and Gabe sat at the table and began the process of cycling their mana.

Professor Alrik, ever the inquisitive mind, took the opportunity to explore the interior of the building. After checking out everything on the bottom floor, he ascended the stairs.

After what felt like hours, but was probably closer to a half-hour, Gabe opened his eyes, feeling refreshed and more centered. Simon, too, looked notably rejuvenated.

"How are you feeling?" Gabe asked.

"Better," Simon replied with a small smile. "It’s amazing what a bit of mana cycling and some healing can do."

Hearing that they were finished, Professor Alrik descended the stairs, a thin book in his hand.

“This city contains many secrets, and this,” he said shaking the book, “just might be the key to figuring them out.”