Death from Above    

Meanwhile, Von followed the tunnels alongside the Amberskins, oblivious to the fact that Horizon was no longer with him.

As he advanced deeper into the passageways, he noticed that the tunnels had been excavated in stages, likely over many years, using crude, rudimentary tools.

"What is this place?" Von muttered under his breath, feeling a strange sense of unease. Despite having spent four years in the Cleave, this was the first time he had stumbled upon these hidden tunnels within the mist.

He ran his hand along the rough walls, feeling the grooves and marks left behind by the tools. "These tunnels were made with Valernian tools," he murmured, realization dawning on him. "The Amberskins must have dug these tunnels themselves, using them to reach the mounds without being seen."

Von glanced around, suddenly aware that Horizon was no longer by his side. "Huh? Where did that guy go? Did he get lost?"

"He said he'd catch up with you," Cappy chimed in, perched on Von's shoulder. "He mentioned needing to check something first. Didn't you hear him?"

"Really?" Von scratched his head, feeling a bit foolish.

"Idiot," Cappy remarked, shaking its tiny head in disapproval.

As Von ventured further into the passages, he encountered a few Amberskin stragglers, their faces drawn and weary. They confirmed that it had indeed been Rysamora's decision to leave some of the group behind.

"Why would she do that?" Von asked, his voice tinged with frustration and confusion.

The Amberskins exchanged uneasy glances, their expressions betraying discomfort. Yet, their lips remained sealed, unwilling or unable to provide an answer.

Clicking his tongue in annoyance, Von pressed on deeper into the tunnel, determined to ask Rysamora the reason why she had abandoned them. Whatever Rysamora was planning, he intended to find out, and he wasn't about to let the Amberskins' silence stop him.

After a short trek through the underground tunnels, Von emerged into the open, much closer to the mounds than he had anticipated. The sudden proximity was disorienting, but there was no time to dwell on it. Before him stood Rysamora and the other elders, their faces shrouded in the dim light.

"Rysamora, what's the meaning of this?!" Von demanded. "Why did you leave us behind? After everything I've done for the tribe, you discarded us like we were nothing!"

Rysamora's expression hardened, and she opened her mouth to respond, but before she could speak, a deafening screech pierced the air above them, freezing everyone in place.

=== 🐲 ===

Meanwhile, Horizon pursued the strange, semi-hidden tracks he had discovered earlier, quickly catching up to Linji and two other Amberskins. They were struggling to carry a semi-conscious Vodgo and drag the tied corpse of a dragonkin, its grotesque form concealed beneath a ragged cloth.

Linji was frantically mixing a foul concoction into the chieftain's medicine, his hands shaking with urgency. Before Horizon could question what was happening, a blood-curdling screech echoed from the sky, and a shadow swooped overhead, heading straight for the mounds.

Horizon's gaze snapped upwards, searching for the source of the noise.

The screeching was the wind howling through the tattered, leathery skin of decaying wings, accompanied by the coarse, rattling sound of massive bones. The sight was horrific, a harbinger of doom.

Before Horizon could react, two colossal shadows streaked above them, spewing a thick, greenish liquid that spread a toxic haze as it descended toward one of the mounds.

Within moments, the air was filled with the sickening sounds of gurgling and retching, followed by the anguished screams of the Amberskins who had been caught in the deadly spray.

As the two shadows circled back and descended, Horizon finally saw them clearly — gaunt, nightmarish forms of Nix dragons, their wings frayed and their flesh rotting. These were no ordinary dragonkin; they were far larger, their presence commanding the battlefield like dread lords from the abyss.

Realizing the gravity of the situation, Horizon quickly pulled out the [Monocle] Von had given him, activating it to analyze the beasts' stats. The results were chilling, confirming his worst fears.

|| NIX DRAGON ||

Huge undead, lawful evil

A breed set apart from all other Drakhan creatures, the Nix are not true dragons but terrifying, dragon-shaped revenants. They mimic the raw power and fearsome abilities of living dragons, but in reality, they are nothing more than reanimated corpses, driven by the relentless will and dark power of Nixis, their great mother and Azhurma.

In their twisted quest to replicate the might of their living counterparts, Nix dragons have been bestowed with devastating breath weapons — extensions of Nixis' own corrupt essence. These are not composed of mere breath but are concentrated blasts of necromantic energy, an embodiment of death itself.

The breath of a Nix dragon has been described as a harrowing assault, both searing and freezing at once, as it ravages not only the flesh but also strikes at the very essence of life within its victim. It is an attack that drains vitality, leaving behind not just charred remains but hollowed-out shells, devoid of the spark of life.

HP: 20 700 + 1000 Lair Bonus

MP: 10 000 +500 Lair Bonus

STR: 236 +10 Lair Bonus

DEX: 152 +10 Lair Bonus

CONS: 215 +10 Lair Bonus

Damage Resistances: bludgeoning, piercing, slashing

Damage Immunities: poison, necrotic

Condition Immunities: charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, poisoned 

SKILLS:

❶ Draining Bite

❷ Frightful Presence

❸Death Breath (Recharge 5–6)

|| E N D ||