Rise of Tyrus

With the help of Meadow, who made a specific mention of being a fairy, departing from the Wildwood sanctuary was effortless. As a resident, she provided proficient guidance and imparted knowledge about Wildwood's plant and animal life.

One piece of information she issued was that the purple flowers that emitted the lovely scent were called nepora. They are highly favored because of their frequent incorporation in incense. The flower is so plentiful that someone can find almost everywhere it.

Besides a brief clarification regarding nepora, the dense mana that lived in the sanctuary disappeared abruptly. The air had resumed its usual state, leaving Tyrus feeling somewhat dispirited.

In order to return, he had to handle the drake quickly. To him, the experience of abundant mana was akin to a thirsty man quenching his thirst at a crystal-clear pond. Although he hated admitting it, he wouldn't criticize the drake for residing in the sanctuary if it happened upon it.

Tyrus threw away the discouraging thought and surveyed the view. As he ran and felt a slight breeze on his neck, his expression became stern upon coming face to face with a startling scene. The ground was engulfed in trees, blacker than the night, that were strewn about like felled logs. There were multiple gashes in their bark and a few appeared to have a piece removed, almost as if they had been bitten. After a thorough examination, he discovered that there were not only trees but also treants present.

Some areas on the forest floor had scattered little black dots. When Tyrus drew near, Meadow shrouded her mouth and averted her face.

"It was the drakes' work," she glowered. “T-Those small dots are the other fairies that couldn’t escape its rampage. They’ve been scorched beyond recognition…”

Narrowing his eyes, Tyrus's eyes swept over the area. “We can save the rest as long as we make it on time. Letting the drake do as it pleases in a place that doesn’t welcome it would be bad.”

If it continued using its fire breath, then a forest fire might ensue, Tyrus thought. It was miraculous that one hadn’t started yet. Even more astonishingly, Valis was willing to let the beast roam in Wildwood. Did they realize a drake was causing a mess, or are they unaware? Anyone would find it hard to miss the clear image of smoke rising from Wildwood. Adding to the strangeness of the situation was the fact that the drake had defeated numerous treants.

Fiona stated Valis opted not to disturb the creature, mentioning its non-interference with trade routes and travelers. A forest on the verge of burning to its foundations seemed like a substantial reason to deal with the threat, as the smoke would definitely bother travelers or have them steer clear. Something suspicious was occurring, but it was hard to pinpoint.

Tyrus lowered himself and sniffed one of the treants. There was a subtle firewood smell. Following a brief pause, he grunted and touched the coarse bark. The temperature was lukewarm to the touch. The treants and the fairies must’ve died sometime yesterday.

“What is it?” Meadow asked. She was peering through the crevices of her fingers, grimacing. “Did you find something?”

“No… I was just thinking about something else. Not as important as saving the forest from further danger. Allowing a drake to do as it pleases doesn’t sit right with me.”

“If so, then we should continue moving. I know where the drake was last seen, thanks to Elder Treant.”

Following Meadow’s lead, Tyrus rose and began walking the path. As he hiked, he tossed out a question. “How long has the drake been in Wildwood?”

“For five nights, it’s been present and hasn’t gone away. Elder Treant was the first to notice the beast’s arrival in Wildwood and sent a spirit to warn the others. With the arrival of the drake from the east, most of the damage occurred in that section. Many lives were lost–treants, fairies, nymphs, and even the poor horned squirrels!”

“Although lesser fire drakes are known for their aggression, this level of devastation is unusual! Elder Treant suspects it has become agitated by the growing tension between the humans and the Beastfolk Kingdom.”

With a frown, Tyrus took a left turn. In the distance, the terrain changed. As the elevation increased, slabs of rock replaced sections of the floor. After climbing over a small ledge, Tyrus sprinted.

Lately, he’s been getting a lot of updates about the conflict between the two countries. First, there were doubts about him being a spy, and now a drake may have fled from the battlefield to settle elsewhere. Just what the heck was going on over there?

Absorbed in reflection, a warm fingertip nudged his cheek. Meadow's stare turned curious as she looked at him. “We’re almost there. The drake was last seen slumbering in a cave embedded within the mountain. It may or may not be there, so be on guard, black tiger–“

“Don’t call me that,” Tyrus interjected. “Just call me by my name.”

Meadow nodded slowly. “S-Sorry. I did not expect such a harsh reaction. Beastfolk tend to wear their tribe’s name with a smile.”

“Well, I’m not exactly proud of that title and wish to never be referred by that, thank you very much. How can I smile about it when it makes life more complicated? If the wrong person knows what I am, I’ll be in big trouble.”

“You’ve given it a lot of thought, haven’t you? Are you afraid of humans, by chance?”

Before Tyrus could say anything, Meadow sprang up and floated on top of his head. “There’s the cave! That should be the drake’s temporary nest.”

From afar, a cave appeared beyond a rugged trail lined with small clusters of rock. Its external appearance was a disorderly amalgamation of green and gray, reminiscent of a plant's stem smeared carelessly over its surface. Squinting closely, it wasn’t all that deep or big to begin with. Its size closely resembled the first floor of a small house. No creature was inside at the moment, only a few twigs. Yet when he took a step forward, a disgusting stench assailed his nostrils.

Meadow gagged behind her mouth. “Ew! What is that terrible smell?!”

“There are some goblins and lesser hounds in the corner,” Tyrus grumbled. “Lot of bones tossed around and… blood. You can leave if it’s too much for–“

“No,” she said firmly. “Allow me to be of help in defeating the drake. It killed my friends and is actively destroying my home! I might not seem much, but as an earth spirit, I can use the elements, too.”

“What can you do? I’ve never seen a fairy in person or in action. I’m guessing you can manipulate earth?”

“Compared to humans and Beastfolk, earth spirits have a greater degree of control over the earth element.” Her hands emitted a luminous green glow, resulting in the ground whiffling thereafter. Thick root tendrils emerged from the ground beneath them, stretching towards his footwear. A handful of flowers also blossomed.

I expected something more interesting, Tyrus pondered. Controlling roots and plants didn’t seem that strong of an element to command. Flowers are easily manageable, requiring only the bottom of your shoe to cause damage. Roots, depending on their thickness and size, could have their uses - such as trapping or squeezing people. But compared to the other elements, earth just seemed… boring. Though he wouldn’t say that out loud.

“I’ll gladly accept your help, Meadow. Just be careful of the drake, alright?”

The fairy gave him a curt salute. “No problem here!”

Tyrus smiled and trudged through the track, watching his surroundings. The soil beneath him made a crunching sound while the trees swayed playfully in the breeze. As he approached the cave, the thumping of his heartbeat eclipsed all other sounds. When he came close to the den, he noticed a branch snapping to his right. Turning, he felt his senses on a bladed edge.

A gargantuan silhouette loomed above him, and he discerned a razor-sharp claw homing in on his neck. At the brink of the talon slicing his neck, Tyrus swiveled and shifted his body to the side, escaping death by a hair’s breadth. Shooting an angry look at the origin of his problem, he rubbed his neck.

“I almost died there! That thing is way too quiet for its size…”

Even though it was a lesser fire drake, the creature's traits strayed from the typical. Rather than exhibiting a vibrant red hue reminiscent of lava, the scales appeared drab and marred with scars. On its back, there were two stumps where membranous wings ought to have existed. A thick collar encircled the neck of the beast, with a chain that had been cut off protruding from it. When Tyrus lowered his arm a tad, the smoldering amber eyes flared up.

That proved to be a mistake he’d regret.

Taking advantage of his disorientation, the drake pounced by thrusting itself forward and raking its talons toward his face. Tyrus watched a portion of his bangs being snipped as he backpedaled, eliciting a disapproving click of his tongue. In spite of his endeavors to regain his stability, the drake pursued unrelentingly. It persistently slashed away, causing the air to buckle under the swiftness of its strikes.

“Don’t worry, I’m here!”

In response to Meadow's statement, thick tendrils emerged and encircled the drake's four limbs. A howl escaped as it took note of being ensnared and peered downwards. It aggressively bit its razor-sharp jaws at the constructs, munching on them successively. Tyrus sprang into action, recognizing the ideal moment to strike, and with augmentation activated, aimed a blow towards one of its eyes.

Let’s not waste time trying to pierce its scales! Aim for the soft parts!

With its eyes almost within reach, the drake twisted its head towards him and parted its jaws. Its throat was emitting an orange light, resulting in a temperature increase in the nearby vicinity. In no time, the drake ejected fiery flames right ahead of it. Tyrus knitted his brow while exerting himself to evade the attack. Enveloped in a wave of excruciating pain, he stumbled backward and landed heavily beside a boulder. He swiftly brushed at his clothes to ease the discomfort.

“Meadow! Are you okay?”

He shifted his eyes to the left and observed Meadow settle on his shoulder, wiping her brow. “I-I moved away at the last second once I saw it open its mouth. Those flames are no joke!”

“Joke or not, at least we made it out safely…”

Tyrus surveyed his right side, concerned about the damage he had suffered. Owing to his sharp reflexes and prompt decision-making, he successfully evaded being burned to a crisp. It reduced certain sections of his tunic to ashes, while a handful of portions of his skin appeared slightly pink. Every time a breeze passed, he felt an overwhelming sensation akin to putting his hand over a campfire.

The drake, despite being a juvenile, had proved to be more challenging than expected. Its reflexes were just as good as Tyrus’, if not better. Its speed was nothing to scoff at and it has an arsenal of dangerous weapons. With no armor to protect him and his garments proving futile, the creature's talons would make short work of him. He had to carefully evaluate his next course of action.

Eying the drake, Tyrus slowly took a step back, assuming a defensive position. The moment had arrived to test the effectiveness of his lightning against its scales. Though he fretted over its efficacy, hesitation would prove a costly mistake. Should that prove unsuccessful, channeling all of his mana into augmentation would become the next alternative. And if push came to shove, he’d have to rely on Beast Transformation.

“Meadow, how many times can you use those tendrils? And are you able to do other things besides summoning flowers?”

She pouted and answered in a sour tone. “The earth element is just as capable as the others. It’s all about imagination. And to answer your question, yes, I can do many other things. I can sling rocks at fast speeds and can even manipulate wood. Just say the word and it’ll be done.”

“Why didn’t you say that before? We’re surrounded by wood and rocks.”

“It’s basic information. Everyone knows about that.”

“Well, I didn’t. Now that I know what you can do, I think I have a plan.”

Meadow regarded him. “Does it involve chucking rocks at the drake?”

“That, and more. You’ll understand as we fight. Right now, I think it’s done waiting.”

The drake had restlessly wandered around them, hoping for a chance to reveal itself, but none materialized. The silence made it restless, so it snarled and attacked the pair with bloodlust-filled eyes.