Mystic Quest

Chapter 14

The snakes leapt on the group, ready to bite. Emerys, a blue ball in hand, screamed to go down; and when his three friends were kneeling, Noriran galloping to the side; the magician released his magic. Peaks of ice formed above him before flying by like arrows toward the snakes. Some of them got impaled, but most of them hit against the peaks and fell back down.

Noriran rushed at the closest and stuck his fangs into its tail. He stepped back and shook his head, preventing the snake from turning against him. Three other snakes went at him.

As for Yuna and Lyria, as soon as the snakes were on the earth, they didn't lose time in attacking. Yuna's sword danced left and right, cutting the head of two snakes. The others shuffled back with hisses; and one of them was surprised by Lyria's whip wrapping around its neck. Lyria smirked, almost feral, before sending the snake soaring against a tree with all her might.

Solarys stepped back toward Emerys and made three arrows appear. However, contrary to Emerys who was sending fire balls and small lightnings to help Yuna and Lyria, the archer turned to the side. Her three arrows whistled off.

Noriran jumped at the throat of the snake he previously had by the tail. The three other snakes were pierced by Solarys' arrows as they were going to attack the white wolf. When the fourth snake fell on the ground, throat slit, Noriran came back toward his human friends while sending a look full of gratitude toward the archer.

Lyria stroke the head of Noriran before punching a snake that was coming too close to comfort. Yuna chuckled then did the same with the handle of his sword. An arrow killed one of the two knocked out snakes, but the other was fast enough to avoid the other arrow.

“Damn! It's all good to throw them back and hit them, but we should kill them!” Emerys raged while sending a blade of wind toward the snakes to prevent them from coming back at the group.

It was then that the mantis reminded them it was here. A sharp blade fell on the group. Noriran whined in warning, and they threw themselves on the ground. Yuna rolled and stood back on his feet quickly. However, he wasn't fast enough to prevent the bite of one snake.

His scream of pain alerted Lyria. She rushed at him as he wounded the snake. She whipped two snakes on her right then knelt at his side.

“Don't worry, it's just a scratch. We'll take care of this later.” Yuna tried to reassure.

Lyria stared right into his eyes. “Idiot, the bite is poisonous. You won't continue long without healing!”

The swordsman paled. Meanwhile, Lyria put her hand on his wound. A white light wrapped the injury before vanishing. Lyria smiled at him then they stood up. A quick glance toward their companions made them realize Emerys must have taken a headbutt from a snake that projected him against a tree. As for Solarys, she was using two arrows to try preventing snakes from biting her.

Yuna saw red. With a war cry, he charged toward his love. One snake turned around, but it could do nothing before loosing its head. The other snakes, surprised, couldn't avoid an arrow piercing their head.

Lyria whipped the mantis on the head to stop it from attacking. Using its temporary blindness, she went back to her friend. Yuna and Solarys smiled at her before all three joined Emerys. The magician was back on his feet, Noriran already at his side. The wolf was giving blows with his paws to push back the snakes while the magician, still dizzy, could only use wind as a shield.

Lyria slammed her whip on the earth, triggering the wanted effect. The snakes jumped to the side in surprise; and the group could join the magician and the wolf. Yuna went straight to Emerys and put a hand on his chest, asking if he was fine. The magician nodded.

Solarys and Lyria turned toward the threat, Noriran in front of them. The archer bit her lips when she saw the group of surviving snakes in front of them; the mantis just behind.

“We won't be able to continue like this... They are too fast and numerous...” She whispered to the other young woman.

Lyria glanced at Noriran. The wolf was already looking at her. “You're right, Solarys.” And she nodded at her wolf.

Noriran started howling. The sound stopped their foes, as if they felt the danger. Solarys, Yuna and Emerys widened their eyes when a green aura enveloped the wolf. They had almost forgotten he was magical!

Noriran pressed himself on the ground. His eyes became completely green. He leapt at the group of snakes. The snakes hissed, ready to attack. They never had the time to do so.

At the exact moment Noriran's paws touched the earth, a whirlwind formed around him. He vanished in its centre, while his human companions protect themselves against the wind with their arm. The snakes started to be lifted off the ground.

A second howl and the whirlwind became stronger. The group went to their knees, watching with awe as the snakes were snatched by the tornado. The snakes turned and turned inside until they were thrown away. There was no doubt they would not survive the fall.

The tornado vanished slowly but surely until Noriran could be seen again. The aura had disappeared and his eyes were back to blue. Emerys whistled in awe. He wasn't only a magical wolf, but a powerful magical wolf!

Lyria smiled then winked at her friends. Then she stepped close to Noriran. She stroke his head before looking at the mantis. It had needed to step back against the wind too; but now it was ready to fight.

“Noriran can't do them same against it. We have to continue fighting.”

Her friends unfroze and came closer. The mantis made a sort of hiss, her am-blades raised. It was the only thing that warned them of what would happen before the mantis' blade flew down at them.

The group rushed back. Quite a luck, because the blades pierced the ground at the exact place they had been before.

Emerys drew a circle of red light in front of him. His friends, guessing what he would do, stepped to the side. The magician smirked with satisfaction at the same time the circle became one of fire. Then, a stream of fire flew and hit the mantis straight on.

The creature marched back with a scream. The fire burned its torso and it shook itself to stop the fire. Yuna used this opportunity to come closer. When the mantis walked close enough, he slashed powerfully. One of its four legs was cut and the mantis staggered.

Said mantis turned toward the swordsman, however it could only flinch back with a hiss of anger and pain when one of Solarys' arrow stuck into its eye. Then, whip blows forced it to step back even more.

As the group thought they were gaining advantages, the unexpected happened. The mantis howled in anger and a force wave spread. Noriran flew against a tree and fell on the ground, knocked out. Yuna and Emerys were thrown to the ground. Lyria had the time to go on her knees and slide as she took the wave. Solarys fell on her back.

Yuna went on all four, coughing because of the shock. He saw Emerys do the same. The mantis' shadow flew back like an arrow. The boys lifted their eyes.

Everything seemed to slow down then. Lyria paled and went on her feet, starting to run. Emerys tried to get up, to get a grip on himself. Yuna went to his feet and tried to walk, but his legs trembled too much to run.

Solarys heard the combined yells of her friends. She opened her eyes. She could stay frozen in terror in front of the sharp blade plunging toward her.

Suddenly, a force sent her some centimetres back. Lyria appeared between Solarys and the mantis, arms spread wide. The archer reached out desperately.

The blade fell. Solarys felt the tears flow down as her eyes couldn't snap away from her friend, pierced into the stomach.

The mantis took back its blade; and Lyria took one step backward. She looked at her wound, her hands on it, before closing her eyes and falling backward.

Solarys caught her and laid her on the ground. Emerys finally managed to throw at spell with a furious yell. The mantis flinched back forcefully as Yuna arrived beside the young women. Emerys joined them quickly.

Lyria feebly opened her eyes. A faint smile formed on her lips. Then, her eyes fell shut again.

Her three friends stayed frozen; then in one voice, they screamed their pain.

“NO!”

To be continued...