Tier them a new one! (2/2)

** Author: Surprise Early update! Have a pleasant read!! **

Just as the bird came down to grab me, the Amber Ooze rolled up to us like a wheel and launched itself into it for a tackle. With a rubbery *THUMP* the large predator was pushed back and had to frantically beat its wings to steady itself, as it got knocked off balance. The attack didn't cause a lot of damage but it surely stopped the beast's advance. I turned around and shot another bolt of compressed flame into its chest. The small projectile barely left a smoking mark on its dense feathered armor. And this creature was supposed to be weakened and sick? I couldn't imagine what this thing would be capable of if it was at full health. Fiona howled, using her magic skill to buff our team! The Ooze wrapped a few slimy tentacles around the beast's feet, trying to hold it in place for even a second. I took a second successful shot and Fiona rushed, jumping in the air and slashing at thigh with her left horn. The wolf was like a muscular, living arrow with teeth and red fur. After that, the bird's health finally took a visible dive, with Fiona being the one that did the actual damage.

[ Your Blood Wolf slashes ??? Bird for 23 points of Slashing damage. Damage reduced by "Iron Feathers" trait, 17 damage dealt. ??? Bird is now at 87% health. ]

This creature was surely a Rank 6 monster at least! Tanking all of our attacks even in this state was damn impressive. With a flap of its wings, it dispersed the Ooze's appendages and flew higher, making me miss a next shot! "Shit!" I said in disappointment seeing my wasted Mana fly towards tha sky and dissipate. [ 176/61 Mana remaining ]. Well at least I had prepared extra reserves for the fight. My weak "Finger Gun" cost a ridiculous 5 Mana points to cast. It had a range of 20 meters and did an average of 5-10 Fire damage on impact. Not a bad trick but against a monster like this? It was just an annoyance..

My team and I ran around, drawing attacks from the bird, trying to force it into melee combat. At one time the bird barreled into me, pinning me to the ground and trying to pinch my head off with its massive beak. It bit into my shoulder instead, causing me to scream in agony, shaving 30 points of HP off of me! I grabbed on to its talons with my left arm and then drove my scimitar into its foot! It was like piercing a thin tree! The blade barely sunk 10 cm in but it did some damage. [ Your scimitar thrust deals 15 Piercing damage! ]. The monster screeched in pain but didn't budge. Suddenly Fiona jumped on it, biting at the base of its wing! The Amber Ooze also rushed in with an Acidic Slam to its face, knocking its head aside! The tendril of ooze made wet *thump* as it hit and scorched its leathery skin with an acidic burn. Yet the bird DID NOT BUDGE! Had I angered it so that it would not stop until I was dead? My team was struggling desperately to save me but could not stop the bird from raising its head, preparing to impale me with its massive beak!

A loud whistle was heard and even the bird paused, well honed instincts causing it to raise its head and search the skies in confusion! It didn't notice my summons flee nor me covering my ears. A blast of concentrated sound rocked the bird to the side and sent it stumbling, trying to not lose balance! "Thank you Fatna.." I whispered under my breath and jumped to my feet. The rock I had thrown at my entrance was the signal for team B to move out! Fatna and Sumire would approach from a distance and attack once things seemed dire. The whistle was Fatna's signal to our little surprise!

A new shadow of a flying creature circled the Plateau and the dazed bird swiveled its head erratically in search of it. "Monster Bird, meet the Elgolar Pale Wyvern!" I said addressing the large creature as my summon barreled into it, sending both of them tumbling on the ground, scratching and biting each other! My creation from the previous day had become almost 1,6 meters in height. It looked like a cross between a dragon and a bat, earning its Wyvern title! A new unique creature for the Elgolar Desert and its new Dungeon! It was fast, it was strong and had a few nasty tricks up its sleeve!

"Ok guys spread out! Lets give our Wyvern some breathing room! Ooze B, try to wrap yourself around its wing! Fiona keep attacking its blind spots!" I yelled and rushed towards the scrap. The bird surely had the upper hand, being twice as big as my Wyvern. It bashed my summon with powerful wings and bit down on its clavicle, taking a chunk out of its flesh and a third of its HP! The Wyvern took in a massive breath and unleashed a cone of thunderous sound in the birds face! [ "Booming Voice" hits ??? Bird for 21 points of Thunder damage! ??? Bird is now at 68% health ]. The injured behemoth started fighting even more fiercely and angrily! Jumping in the air, it kicked my Wyvern away, slashing it with its talons! It broke any slime tendrils that attempted to wrap around it and bashed me and Fiona around with its wings!

We couldn't get any clean shots in and yet WE kept getting injured by its erratic movements and struggling! My Ooze suddenly sprang into the air, slamming into the creature's face as it was about to peck at me with its massive beak! The Ooze was not large enough to engulf its entire head but it tried to anyway, burning the bird with its acidic body in the process. With this new opening, Fiona and I delivered a few good slashes at its body! My scimitar's blade flashed and her fangs and horns whistled through the air, spilling dark red blood all over its feet! The crafty beast however was not finished! It started slamming its beak on the ground, pulverizing my Slime like a crow would a snail! I screamed in anger as I saw my Slime's HP almost disappear, remembering the identical image from two days ago, when my other monster sacrificed itself for me!

I don't know if it felt my anguish or if it was just a moment of animalistic ferocity, but at that moment, almost as if reacting to my pain, the Wyvern jumped on the large raptor and sank its teeth into the great predator's exposed neck! The monster screeched in pain and my Ooze ran for cover as per my command. We were all tired and hurt at this point. My wyvern got batted aside.. Fiona received a powerful stomp by the monster, causing her HP to plummet. At first I depended on my summons to keep our foe busy while I peppered it with shots from my "Finger Gun". Seeing my creature suffer however pulled me into melee as well. Soon enough I found myself at the mercy of the beast once more. Fiona lay a few meters next to me with slashes all over, her crimson fur hiding the massive haemorrhaging. I was at 32/144 HP, my admirable strength and speed, no match for the great beast which now loomed over me.

It was my Wyvern who saved me again. With no more strength to use its special skills, it simply scratched and bit at the larger monster to get its attention. The bird snapped its beak on my Wyvern so hard that my summon went limp.. Its HP bottomed out and then the monster simply tossed it over the edge of the Plateau. Tears ran over the blood on my cheeks. My copper skin was bruised all over and blood covered gashes and scrapes now adorned my body. "Do it.." I yelled but with an almost defeated tone in my voice. Fatna and Sumiré started flinging projectiles at the bird using sling shots I had bought the previous day. Small white pellets rained on the beast and broke apart on impact, releasing small puffs of white dust. The bird raised a wing like a shield and seemed confused by our efforts. The pellets didn't hurt.. they were soft.. very soft.. like.. silk..

After about twenty shots or more the creature's wing and left side had become white and sticky with Cave Fisher silk. It kept advancing slowly towards me, ready to finally end the little monster that killed its spawn and attacked it twice already. I raised my hand and aimed an imaginary gun at it, Overchanneling the spell. The shot was easy to make, the target large and slow moving.. and quite flammable! The beast was engulfed in a fiery explosion! Within a moment, flames hungrily devoured the flammable silk and then ate at the beast to satiate their destructive advance! The bird howled and screeched, flailing about in an attempt to put out the fire but to no avail. I ran up to the creature, jumping high just a few feet before I reached it, delivering a stunning haymaker to its left eye. Its head spun around and it fell off balance. A tackle from my returned Ooze was enough to throw it on its belly. Finally.. the last thing it saw, was a hellish, crimson wolf biting down on its neck and tearing it out!

[ You have defeated ??? Bird Lv.8! A total of 1764 XP was gained. XP will be distributed amongst all allies. You receive 294 XP! Fiona had reached Lv.7! Great Amber Ooze B has reached Lv.9! Elgolar Pale Wyvern has reached Lv.5! 212 Aether points have been awarded. 795 Gold coins have been awarded! ]

"Huh that's strange.. Shouldn't the xp be more for each of us if its divided by 4? This looks like its been divided by 6. Wait...what?" I said with a panting breath once I saw the notification! My Wyvern had leveled up? It was alive!! I ran to the edge of the Plateau and was relieved to see my summon slowly climbing back up, as it was too injured to fly. Tears of sorrow became a smile of joy as I helped it back up. All my critters ran close to me and soon the mother and daughter were also at my side. Cheers and laughs were had as we looked upon the hefty bounty our victory had brought us. Gold, experience, Aether, a few rare materials and items could be spotted amongst the pile of loot. We had prevailed and could move forward once again.. together..