Extra's Magic



Thud...

As the massive Drake collapsed to the ground, I couldn't help but let out a heavy sigh, feeling my shoulder twitching in pain.

However, I had three more monsters to kill, so I had no choice but to push through the discomfort and keep fighting.

Thud...

One by one I threw the pebbles at the Drakes' gills visible above the Lava's surface, making them rise to the surface and climb onto the shore.

Roar...

Their fiery eyes locked onto me, their obsidian scales glistening in the eerie glow of the nearby Lava.

It didn't even seem as if these monsters saw their dead kin lying around the island...

All they see was me.

Well, this was for the best.

Boom... Whoosh... Roar...

The next few minutes were a blur of blood and chaos, as I fought against the monsters with everything I had.

The First Drake fell to my traps, its soft underbelly, pierced by massive earth spikes emerging from the ground.

The Second one was a bit more careful and managed to avoid a few of my Runes but being as wary as it was, a slip-up was inevitable.

Boom...

One moment it was completely fine and the next, one of its limbs was torn off by the explosion.

It didn't even take a moment for me to close the distance and sever its head from the body.

The Second Drake crumpled to the ground, its lifeless body joining its fallen brethren.

The Last Drake was becoming more and more aware of the danger it posed. It saw how easily I dealt with its kin and took a few steps back to reassess the situation.

This even left me a bit confused.

I've prepared a lot of traps but none of them blocked the monster's escape route. Well, this was unsurprising since I didn't expect the monster to fall back.

Most of the time Drakes attack without hesitation, the only time they retreat is when they are severely injured or sense an imminent threat.

The only time I managed to scare off one of the Drakes was when I played as Kai but this was due to his origin.

Aiden wasn't a monster,

I think?

Anyways, I had to somehow cut off the Drake's escape route before it disappeared into the Lava and hid in its fiery depths, out of reach.

"..."

Looking at the monster that was observing me with wary eyes, I lowered my body into a defensive stance and began to suppress my Mana as much as possible, trying to bait Drake into thinking I was vulnerable or weakened

Grrr...

This stalemate continued on for a few, very long seconds before the tension finally broke as the Last Drake lunged towards me with a deafening roar.

It had fallen into my trap~

A chilling smile bloomed on my face, making the Last Drake falter for just a moment before it found itself losing ground beneath its front feet.

Thud...

A small quake reverberated through the ground as the Last Drake tumbled into the concealed pitfall, its desperate attempts to claw its way out futile against the

Pluck...

Earth spikes shot from every side of the pit, impaling the Last Drake from all angles.

Roar...

With a final roar of pain and defeat, the Last Drake succumbed to its injuries and fell silent.

"..."

Looking at its lifeless body, I slowly closed my eyes and let out a breath that I didn't realize I was holding.

This island was really tiring...

Not physically but mentally.

I've spent way too much Mana creating Runes and this reflected on my mental fatigue and dead eyes.

However, in the end, I won. So it was all worth it!

Rubbing my aching temples, I took a moment to enjoy the momentary silence before I lifted my gaze toward the Obsidian Chain not too far from my current position.

"I guess it's my next Island..."

Looking at the floating rock formations, I quickly made my way toward the chain, jumping over a few more Lava Rivers and stepping closer to the edge of the Island.

Clang... Clang...

The Obsidian Vine swayed gently, however, I was already used to this, walking through it without any hesitation.

It took only a couple of minutes to reach the other end of the chain where the next island awaited my arrival.

Hmmm...

I glanced around the landscape searching for any threats, however, all I saw was desert, like a literal desert with crimson-red sand stretching as far as the island extended.

Yep...

There was no way nothing lived in such a barren and desolate place.

There for sure has to be some kind of fucker hidden in the sand.

I refuse to believe otherwise.

Scanning the sand with wary eyes, I carefully placed my feet on the scorched surface, testing if nothing was going to lunge at me as soon as I stepped into this place.

"..."

Surprisingly, the desert remained eerily quiet, devoid of any signs of life.

Maybe there really was no livi-

Roar...

Just as I was about to conclude that the desert was devoid of life, a thunderous roar shattered the silence, jolting me out of my momentary relief. My heart raced, and my muscles tensed, instinctively preparing for battle. I swiftly turned around, my gaze fixated on the source of the noise.

Emerging from the crimson sand with a sudden ferocity, a monstrous creature revealed itself - a Sand Dweller, a massive turtle-like creature with a car-sized body covered in a fiery red shell adorned with sharp, menacing spikes. Its eyes gleamed with wild intensity, and its razor-sharp teeth were bared, hunger evident in its every move.

In a split second, the Sand Dweller lunged towards me, jaws wide open, aiming to tear off my leg with its formidable bite. Instinct and reflexes kicked in, and with a surge of adrenaline, I twisted my body, narrowly avoiding its deadly assault. The rush of air from its snapping jaws grazed my leg, a chilling reminder of how close I had come to losing a limb.

My mind raced as I quickly assessed the situation. The Sand Dweller, much like the Drakes, was a formidable adversary. I needed to retaliate swiftly and effectively. With a surge of determination, I drew upon my Mana reserves, feeling the energy flow through me as I prepared my sword for combat.

Clank...

My blade clashed against the Sand Dweller's armored shell, sending sparks flying in all directions.

His armor was tough...

I cursed myself for not using 'Shadow Strike' that could bypass the armor and inflict direct damage.

However, I was soon forced to abandon such useless thoughts as the monster lunged at me again, displaying agility that didn't quite fit the creature's massive size.

Thud...

Its massive jaws closed around where I had been standing just a moment ago, the force of its attack causing the ground to shake beneath me.

I would've been grinded to dust if I hadn't reacted in time, leaping backward to safety.

I couldn't afford to hesitate or dwell on my mistakes. Survival depended on my ability to adapt and overcome. With renewed focus, I circled the Sand Dweller, carefully analyzing its movements and searching for any weaknesses.

Its fiery red shell glistened in the dim light, taunting me with its impenetrable exterior. But I knew there had to be a way, a chink in its armor that I could exploit.

As the Sand Dweller lunged again, I sidestepped with agility, narrowly avoiding its snapping jaws. The force of its attack left it momentarily off-balance, and that's when I saw my opportunity.

With a burst of speed, I dashed towards the creature's hindquarters, where the shell seemed slightly less fortified. Gripping my sword tightly, I struck with precision, aiming for a vulnerable spot between the overlapping plates.

Clang...

The sound of metal meeting shell echoed through the desert as my blade connected, but it didn't penetrate as deeply as I had hoped. The Sand Dweller let out a growl of pain and frustration, its massive tail swinging toward me with alarming speed.

I barely had time to react, narrowly dodging the powerful strike. The force of the tail whip sent sand flying in all directions, momentarily obscuring my vision. I used the opportunity to reposition myself, staying nimble and unpredictable.

However, this was not enough to get out of range of such a massive creature.

Swish...

The very next second, the Sand Dweller's tail crashed down, causing the ground to shake beneath me and sent me hurtling through the air.

Thud...

I crashed into the red sand dune, dazed and disoriented.

Although I hadn't received a lot of the damage due to the sand cushioning the impact, I knew I couldn't afford to stay down for long.

Thud... Thud...

I could already hear the massive body of the monster moving toward me, so every second was critically important.

"Ugh..."

I strained to push myself up from the sand, my muscles aching and my head spinning.

I had to stand up.

I had to stand up and continue to fight.