As the raptor went limp in my jaws, I once again checked my notification to check my progress.

For defeating an Air elemental you have gained the perk Lesser air resistance.

This evolution can be unlocked by defeating and consuming the core of basic or greater elemental beasts.

Current progress

Earth 1/1

Air 1/1

Water 0/1

Fire 0/1

The air elemental had been an absolute nightmare to fight, its wings had been reinforced with some kind of hardened air. Couple its extreme defensive abilities with its speed and you have the ultimate camping machine. In all honesty, the only reason I won was that I had cornered it to where it could no longer escape, and even then it would have killed me if my stamina had not been higher. Fire and water were the only ones left, and I had spent 3 weeks stalking and analyzing the air elemental, so how much harder could it be to locate fire and water ones?

Much, MUCH harder as it happened. I was yet to locate even a whiff of a fire elemental over the 2 months that I had spent searching and analyzing; Fortunately, I had more luck with the water elemental. I found that once a week around dusk a serpent with a pointed tail, 2 long fangs, and a just barely visible blue aura would swim down the river. That serpent was my target.

Just before dusk, I was waiting behind a bush. My spot was perfect. From where I was, you could see downriver, but you would have to be right next to me to see me from the river. If my plan worked, then I would be the last thing the serpent saw. There it was, swimming down the river from who knows were on its daily journey. Just as it was swimming by me, I pounced.

It must have seen me in its peripherals just barely lunging out of the way, now we were both on its turf, the water. Luckily for me, I had found a spot that was in a sandbar so I could stand, but I was in the water, so it was unfortunate, nevertheless, I charged in going for a bite to the neck to end things quickly, over the few months I had adapted quite well to the wolf fighting style. Unfortunately, without the element of surprise, I was severely outmatched; the serpent flicked its tail, causing a pillar of water to knock me back. We began circling each other looking for opens in the sandy waters.

With tress on both sides blocking the sun and the sand being all roiled up, I could no longer see the serpent’s entire body, and that was an almost fatal mistake. As we were circling, I felt a bit of turbulence near my neck, so instinctively I backed up. This saved my life because as I did so, a sharp tail of the serpent shot up from where I was standing, cutting part of my muzzle, but other than that, not hurting me. I immediately attacked the tail and bit down with all my strength. This caused the elemental to cry out in pain, thinking quickly I spun and tried to throw it onto land where it would be weaker. This was both a blessing and a curse. As the snake came around, it managed to bite me and I thought nothing of it. This was a mistake, as I found later. Once I got the beast on land, I immediately ran up and snapped its neck, ending its life while it was trying to comprehend what had happened to it. I checked my notifications, and this is when I learned of my downfall.

Poisoned by Water Elemental

An elemental serpent has poisoned you, infecting you with poisonous mana corresponding to its base element.