Leylin stood amidst the carnage, his dark robes flecked with sand, his yellow, vertical-slit eyes glowing. The Kary Vulture King flew before him, its massive form a testament to the battle's ferocity, its flock decimated by Leylin's relentless assault.
"Finish them." Leylin pointed at the heart of the explosion commanding his summons. The blaze from his potion attack began to die down, revealing a large crowd of soot-covered figures emerging from the scorched forest.
The surviving Kary Vulture's scarlet feathers were half-burned, the remaining ones coated in black soot, a large bloodstain marring its bald head, its tumor-like muscle swollen and cracked.
The four summons, the stone-skinned large bloke, the two grey-misted wraiths, and the black Horrall Snake surged forward, their forms flickering but relentless, heedless of their injuries.
"Serpent's Shadow," Leylin chanted.
A shadow converged from within the Kary Vulture King's own shadow on the sand dune, writhing and coiling as it formed two massive snakes, their forms dark and sinuous, eyes glowing with malevolent light.
Serpent's Shadow, Leylin's strongest spell from his Acolyte days, had been refined using the A.I. Chip and knowledge from the Book of Giant Serpent, elevating it into a formidable Rank 1 spell.
The shadow snakes lunged, their movements swift and predatory, sinking their spectral fangs into the Vulture King's wings. The bites tore through flesh and feather, black venom seeping into the wounds, the King's massive form shuddering as blood poured from the gashes, staining the sand crimson, its balance faltering under the relentless assault.
Meanwhile, the summons tore into the remaining vultures, their attacks merciless. The large bloke crushed a vulture's chest with a single blow, ribs snapping like twigs, while the wraiths' shadow bolts sliced through the flock, leaving trails of ash and feathers. The black Horrall Snake lashed out, its tail whipping through the air, snapping necks with each strike, the vultures' screeches fading into silence as their numbers dwindled, the oasis's edge a graveyard of scarlet and soot.
"Ga Ga!" The Kary Vulture King's cry was a furious screech, laced with pain and desperation, its damaged wings trembling as it hovered and swooped, struggling to stay aloft.
Leylin seized the moment, his movements precise as he withdrew a metal arrow from his pouch, its tip simmering with a dark red glow—a poison he'd acquired from Saurun during the Bloodbath, potent enough to endanger even Magi.
With a flick of his wrist, he hurled the arrow, the weapon streaking through the air like a dark red comet, piercing the Kary Vulture King's remaining wing with a sickening Peng!
The King lost its balance, its massive form spiraling downward, crashing into the sand with a thunderous impact, a cloud of golden dust billowing around it, the ground trembling beneath its weight.
"Advance!" Leylin's command was sharp, his voice cold and unyielding, carrying the weight of absolute authority.
Leylin and his summons rushed forward, surrounding the fallen Kary Vulture King, their shadows looming over its battered form.
Blood flowed from multiple wounds on the King's body, its scarlet feathers matted with crimson, its bald head pulsing weakly. Its eyes, once fierce, now betrayed a flicker of hopelessness, the weight of defeat settling into its gaze.
The large bloke summon attacked first, green-greyish stone skin forming over his spectral body as he leapt, his fist aimed at the King's chest. The Vulture King let out a high-pitched shriek, shaking its damaged wings, the unharmed one slashing like a steel blade, feathers erect and sharp.
The wing clashed with the bloke's fist, a dull Bang! echoing in midair, the ground below quaking from the force.
The large bloke was thrown back, his stone skin crackling like popping popcorn, fissures spreading across his spectral form as it dissipated. The Vulture King screeched again, its body glowing red as it pumped blood into its head, the shattered tumor swelling once more, pulsing with a desperate, final energy.
"Attack at once!" Leylin's voice was a fierce snarl, urgency cutting through his usual calm as he jumped toward the Vulture King, his hands gripping the swollen tumor. "Restrict!"
Sssii! Countless black tentacle-like shadows erupted from the Vulture King's own shadow, binding it tightly, with extra tendrils wrapping around its skull, pinning the tumor in place.
The remaining summons attacked in unison, their spells and strikes converging on the King's weakened form. Shadow bolts from the wraiths tore into its chest, ripping flesh and exposing bone, blood spurting in arcs across the sand.
The two magi hurled spells cracking ribs, while the black Horrall Snake opened its maw, biting off the bound tumor with a sickening Kacha!.
The Vulture King let out a final, pitiful screech, the light in its eyes dimming as it thudded to the ground, its massive body still, the oasis falling silent save for the faint lapping of the lake.
Leylin and the three injured summons stood around the corpse, their forms flickering, marred by the battle's toll. Leylin's lack of serious injuries belied the difficulty of the fight—four Rank 1 summons, summoned twice, and his best offensive techniques had been necessary to bring down the flock and its King.
Yet the materials from the Vulture King's corpse, a creature rivaling a Rank 1 Magus, were more than enough to justify the effort, their value a fortune in the Magus World.
Leylin discontinued the summons, their forms dissolving into mist, and activated Soulbound Devourer.
A dark vortex swirled above the Vulture King's corpse, tendrils of shadow coiling around its fading essence, extracting its soul in a shimmering wisp. The air grew cold, a faint wail echoing as Leylin absorbed the soul, his body thrumming with newfound power.
[Beep! Rank 1 Kary Vulture King devoured. Strength increased by 2.2, Agility by 2.7, Vitality by 1.9, Spiritual Force by 2.3.]
Leylin's stats updated with the gains from the Kary Vulture King and the vultures killed earlier.
[Beep! Leylin Farlier: Grand Knight. Rank 1 Warlock. Bloodline: Giant Kemoyin Serpent. Summon—Black Horrall Snake, Black Steed, 3 Rank 1 Magus. Strength: 15.8, Agility: 13.5, Vitality: 15.2, Spiritual Force: 38.3, Magical Power: 38. Elemental essence conversion: Darkness: 37%. Wind: 6%. Status: Healthy.]
Leylin took a small portion of the Vulture King's blood and flesh from the tumor, leaving the rest for harvesting.
As a Warlock, his interest in high-level creature bloodlines was insatiable, the potential for enhancing his Giant Kemoyin Serpent bloodline a constant lure.
Night fell over the Golden Oasis, the sky a tapestry of stars, the lake's surface glinting with moonlight, its tranquility a stark contrast to the day's carnage. Leylin's knights and Lancy got out of their tent to start harvesting materials.
Lancey paused, her hands trembling as she bundled the King's talons, her eyes wide with shock at the sight before her—hundreds of vulture corpses scattered across the oasis, their scarlet feathers dulled by death, and the King's devastated body, its chest torn open, wings shredded.
She glanced at Leylin, who had returned to the tent to rest, his silhouette visible through the glowing canvas, and shuddered. Leylin was a force of nature, a one-man army capable of slaughtering four Magi and now an entire clan of Kary Vultures, including a Rank 1 King.
The realization of his power sent a chill down her spine, her awe tinged with fear.
Lancey and the knights worked diligently, their movements quick, cleaning up the remains of the Kary Vulture King. They harvested its feathers, talons, and organs, the materials valuable in the Magus World, while refilling their water supplies from the lake.
The Seated Lupin Wolves, hidden during the battle, emerged from the shadowed tent, their black fur shimmering as they splashed in the lake, cleaning themselves, their movements playful, a rare moment of relief after the journey's perils.
Inside the glowing tent, Leylin sat at a makeshift workbench, the tumor's shriveled flesh before him, bloodstains dried on its surface, its weight light in his hands.
"A.I. Chip, record data, assist in the experiment!" he commanded silently, pulling on white rubber gloves, his thumb pressing into the tumor's surface.
His eyes glowed blue, the A.I. Chip's interface reflecting on his retina as he used a scalpel to slice into the flesh, revealing an intricate network of air sacs and minimal muscle, layered like a beehive lattice. "It's very light… meridians and air sacs…" he muttered, his voice low, analytical.
"A.I. Chip, record the image!" The Chip hummed, storing the data, Leylin's mind already calculating the tumor's potential for his bloodline research.
After the experiment, Leylin cleaned his makeshift laboratory, packing away his tools with methodical precision, the tent's glow dimming as he prepared to move on.
The path beyond the Golden Oasis was less perilous, the desert giving way to rugged but manageable terrain, the looming threats of creatures like the Golden Giant absent.
The party traveled in silence, the Seated Lupin Wolves padding steadily across the sands, their glassy eyes fixed on the horizon, the air growing cooler as they neared the canyon's edge.
Just as they approached Andre Town, Leylin halted the group on a low ridge, the town's faint lights visible in the distance, its silhouette small against the vastness of the Grand Canyon Margaret's far side.
He turned to Dexter and said, "Dexter, go sit with Greem. Leave your wolf."
Dexter nodded, dismounting without hesitation, joining Greem on the other wolf, the two knights sharing a glance of quiet understanding.
Leylin approached the now-unmanned Seated Lupin Wolf, its black fur gleaming under the starlight, its glassy eyes unblinking.
He cast Umbra Hands, a dark hand emerging from the wolf's shadow, its fingers long and clawed, wrapping around the beast's throat with lethal precision. The wolf couldn't even cry out before its throat was crushed, its body slumping lifelessly to the sand, a faint gurgle escaping as its eyes dimmed.
Lancey's eyes widened, her breath catching at the sudden attack, but Leylin ignored her reaction, his expression unchanged.
He activated Soulbound Devourer, shadow tendrils coiling around the wolf's fading essence, binding its soul to his soul space, creating a new summon—a spectral Seated Lupin Wolf, its form shimmering faintly before vanishing into his reserves.
"Lets go."
Andre Town lay on the far side of the Grand Canyon Margaret, a small, desolate settlement battered by the Kary Vultures' reign, its streets empty, its wooden buildings weathered by sand and time. As Leylin's party exited the canyon, a few figures emerged from the shadows, their faces gaunt but hopeful.
A man clad in the working attire of the Broken Axe Pub stood by the roadside, his posture deferential as he spotted the group. "May I know if you people are Master Lancey and company?" he asked, bowing respectfully, his voice tinged with relief.
"The incident with the Kary Vultures was relayed to us by a secret imprint. Please follow me back to the pub to collect your rewards…"
Lancey stepped forward, her role as the group's nominal leader at the Broken Axe Pub guiding her actions.
"Ok!" she replied, her voice steady but weary, the weight of the journey evident in her tone.
The party followed the attendant to the pub, a modest structure of weathered wood and flickering lanterns, its sign creaking in the night wind. The attendants unhitched their luggage with practiced efficiency, and with a sharp whistle, the Seated Lupin Wolves hurried to the feeding area at the rear, their massive forms disappearing into the shadows, eager for rest and sustenance.
The materials from the Kary Vulture King, a creature rivaling a Rank 1 Magus, were immensely valuable, their worth enough to reap rewards from both sides governing the Great Canyon Margaret. Though the party faced a fine for losing one Seated Lupin Wolf, the adventure was a financial triumph, the spoils far outweighing the costs.