The Basilisk Matriarch

The Fogwood Marsh was silent.

The Basilisk Matriarch towered over them, its coiled form shifting through the fog like a nightmare given shape. Its scales, blackened and worn, bore the scars of battles fought long before this one. Unlike the younger ones, this creature was old. It was patient.

It had hunted humans before.

Now, it hunted them.

Its piercing golden eyes locked onto the group, its forked tongue flicking out as if tasting their scent. The air was charged with tension.

And then—

It moved.

The matriarch struck like lightning—faster than anything its size should be able to move.

Tomas barely got his shield up before the sheer force sent him skidding back through the muck, his boots digging trenches in the swamp. He coughed, wheezing from the impact.

Mira snapped her staff forward—fire erupted from the tip!

The basilisk twisted, its tail whipping through the air, and the fireball barely grazed its hide before slamming into a tree. The explosion lit up the swamp, but the creature was already moving again.

Leila fired—two arrows, fast and precise.

Both bounced off.

Arlan cursed. That hide is too thick!

"Go for the mouth!" Leila shouted.

The matriarch lunged—not for Tomas this time, but for Mira!

Beren reacted first.

He let out a roar and slammed his axe down, aiming for the creature's eye—

But the basilisk reared up, dodging at the last second, and its tail came crashing down in retaliation.

Beren took the hit head-on.

He grunted as the force sent him sprawling into the mud.

Tomas charged, sword raised high.

His blade cut across the matriarch's side— but only scraped against its thick scales.

The basilisk turned, slamming into him with its full weight.

Tomas barely had time to raise his shield before he was sent flying.

Arlan's pulse pounded.

They weren't hurting it.

They weren't fast enough.

The matriarch was herding them, outmaneuvering them, predicting their attacks.

Shade appeared, his ghostly form flickering in and out of sight—then he lunged, claws first.

For the first time, the basilisk hesitated.

It could sense Shade wasn't flesh and blood.

But hesitation wasn't fear.

It was calculation.

The matriarch's head snapped toward Shade—its jaws opened wide!

Arlan's stomach dropped.

"Shade, MOVE—"

Too late.

The basilisk's fangs passed THROUGH Shade—but that wasn't the problem.

Shade had gotten too close.

The matriarch's tail lashed out.

Shade didn't have the reflexes to dodge.

He was sent hurtling into a tree, his spectral form flickering wildly from the force.

Arlan felt the impact in his own skull, like an echoing pressure inside his head.

Shade flickered and went still.

Arlan's vision blurred. He staggered forward.

Not now. Not now!

The basilisk sensed the moment of weakness—

And it struck.

Before Arlan could react—a blur of white shot past him.

Bones landed in front of him, already shifting.

Where there had been a small skeletal rat—

Now stood a massive skeletal wolf, its glowing green eyes locking onto the basilisk.

Bones leaped.

His fangs clamped onto the basilisk's throat, his skeletal form twisting midair to use his full weight.

For the first time—the matriarch screamed.

The basilisk thrashed, its tail smashing into trees, trying to shake Bones off.

Arlan clenched his teeth. Now!

He thrust out his hands—Shadow Bolts erupted from his palms, striking the matriarch's exposed underbelly.

It howled, rearing up.

Beren—bloodied but standing—saw the opening.

With a warrior's roar, he swung his axe straight into the basilisk's exposed throat.

This time—it cut deep.

The basilisk convulsed—but it wasn't dead.

Not yet.

The Final Strike

"Mira—now!" Arlan shouted.

Mira's eyes blazed—she thrust her staff into the mud, chanting fast.

Fire coiled around her like a living thing.

She pulled, twisting the very air itself—

Then—

She unleashed it.

A wave of searing flame exploded from her staff, engulfing the basilisk's head.

The creature reared back, screeching as its scales blackened.

Its movements slowed—its strength failing.

Leila took a deep breath.

She loosed her arrow.

It flew straight into the basilisk's open, burning mouth—

And buried deep.

The matriarch shuddered… twitched…

Then collapsed.

Aftermath

The swamp was silent.

Steam rose from the burnt foliage.

The matriarch's body lay still, its golden eyes now empty.

The group stood there, panting, bruised, covered in sweat and blood.

Bones shrunk back to his rat form, exhausted, clicking his teeth softly.

Shade reappeared, his form flickering but stable once more.

Leila let out a shaky breath. "That was… harder than expected."

Tomas groaned. "We almost died."

Beren grinned, wiping blood from his mouth. "Yeah, but we didn't."

Mira turned to Arlan. "You okay?"

Arlan exhaled. He felt like collapsing.

But instead, he smiled.

"Yeah." He looked down at the dead basilisk. "We won."

As they turned to leave, Mira hesitated.

Then, before Arlan could react, she gently grabbed his sleeve.

Arlan blinked. "Uh—Mira?"

She was looking anywhere but at him.

"…You really scared me back there," she muttered.

Arlan swallowed.

For a second, he forgot how to breathe.

She released his sleeve quickly, clearing her throat. "Forget it."

But Arlan grinned.

"Nope. I'm remembering that forever."

Mira shot him a glare. "Shut up."

Leila smirked. "You two done?"

Mira instantly let go, flustered.

Tomas whistled. "Young love."

Mira turned on him.

"You. Shut up."

Beren snorted. "We're all too tired for this."

Arlan chuckled. "Agreed."

They dragged themselves out of the marsh—bloody, exhausted, but victorious.

And something told Arlan…

This was only the beginning.