Chapter 117: Drake
The roar sounded a second time.
This time, it was closer.
Xingluo tightened her grip around Heavenfall while Ruan Mei and Xiaorou shifted toward either side of the rocky path. Wuxia remained near Xingluo, watching the mountain line beyond the trees.
Something moved through the forest ahead.
Several smaller beasts rushed between the trees and disappeared toward the opposite ridge, while branches began shaking farther inside. A heavy impact struck somewhere beyond the slope, followed by the sound of loose stone sliding downhill.
Xiaorou stopped smiling.
"That isn't another wolf."
A tree near the edge of the forest bent sharply before snapping near its base.
The creature pushed through a moment later.
Xingluo had expected something larger than the Dragon Fang Wolves.
She had not expected something that large.
The drake moved on four thick legs, its body covered with dark grey scales broken by several old scars along the shoulders and flank. Its broad head remained low as it stepped through the trees, while a heavy tail dragged across the stone behind it.
Two short wings rested against its back, far too small to support the creature's weight.
Xiaorou took one slow step backward.
"That is much bigger than what I had in mind."
The drake raised its head and looked directly toward them.
Xingluo stared at the thick scales along its neck.
"That might count."
Ruan Mei understood immediately. "For your mission?"
"Maybe."
Xiaorou looked between her and the drake. "You're seriously considering fighting that?"
The beast answered the question for them.
It lowered its head and charged.
"Move!"
The three girls separated before the drake reached them.
Its shoulder smashed through the place Xingluo had been standing and continued directly into the rocky wall beside the path. Stone cracked beneath the impact before the creature twisted around with surprising speed.
Its tail swept across the ground.
Xingluo jumped over it, but Ruan Mei was forced farther back while Xiaorou dropped beneath the strike and rolled across the stone.
Wuxia looked toward the drake once before several dark shapes appeared around him.
Varkhiel formed first.
Yue Qianyin appeared several metres behind him, followed by the Twin Demon Flood Dragons as their long bodies moved across the rocky ground.
Xiaorou caught sight of them while getting back onto her feet.
"You really do carry an entire party around with you."
Xingluo raised Heavenfall. "Not the best time."
"I noticed."
The drake charged again.
Varkhiel met it from the front.
His greatsword struck across the creature's shoulder, producing a harsh metallic sound as the blade scraped against its scales. Several cracked beneath the impact, but the drake continued moving and nearly threw Varkhiel aside with its body.
One of the Flood Dragons attacked from the left and wrapped around the drake's foreleg.
The second went for its opposite flank.
The drake twisted violently.
Its tail struck the first Flood Dragon hard enough to scatter part of its body into soul mist, while its jaws snapped toward the second.
Xingluo reached the beast before it could finish the attack.
Heavenfall struck the side of its neck.
The blade cut through one layer of scales but stopped before reaching deeply into the flesh beneath.
Xingluo pulled it free and moved back before the drake's claws reached her.
"Thick."
Wuxia glanced toward the damaged section.
"Keep hitting the same areas."
Ruan Mei heard him but gave no response.
She rushed toward the drake's front leg and struck directly behind the joint.
The first blow did little.
The second forced the leg to bend slightly.
The drake kicked sideways and Ruan Mei barely moved away before the claw tore through the ground where she had been standing.
Xiaorou came from the opposite side.
Her short sword slipped between two scales near the drake's hind leg before she immediately pulled away.
The creature turned toward her.
"That worked better than hitting the armour."
Xingluo moved across its front before the drake could follow Xiaorou.
Heavenfall struck the previously damaged scales along its neck again.
This time, several pieces broke away.
The drake snapped toward her.
Space twisted beside Xingluo.
Yue pulled her several metres sideways and the jaws closed on empty air.
Xiaorou glanced over.
"Fighting beside you is somehow stranger than watching from the stands."
Xingluo landed and raised Heavenfall again.
"You'll survive."
"Very reassuring."
Varkhiel attacked the drake's shoulder while both Flood Dragons returned from opposite sides.
The first caught its damaged foreleg.
The second struck beneath its ribs.
The drake roared and tried to twist away, but Varkhiel's greatsword came down again.
More scales shattered.
Xingluo rushed toward the opening.
Star Energy moved through her body as Heavenfall entered the exposed flesh.
The drake jerked sideways and threw her away before she could deepen the wound.
She landed hard against the slope, sliding several metres before stopping herself with Heavenfall.
Ruan Mei reached the creature's damaged leg next.
She struck directly behind the same joint again.
Once.
Twice.
The drake shifted its weight toward her.
Ruan Mei moved aside just before the claw came down, then drove both hands against the weakened section.
The leg buckled.
The drake nearly dropped onto one side before catching itself.
"That worked."
Xiaorou appeared near her. "Try not standing beneath it while celebrating."
Ruan Mei moved as the drake slammed its body sideways.
The impact tore several rocks from the slope.
Xingluo returned to the fight from the front.
Heavenfall struck the open wound along the neck again, and this time the blade went considerably deeper.
Blood ran across the broken scales.
The drake roared and swung one claw toward her.
Wuxia reacted first.
Monarch Threads tightened around the limb and pulled just enough to slow the strike.
Xingluo stepped away.
Varkhiel immediately replaced her.
His greatsword cut across the same shoulder and widened the damaged area.
The drake snapped toward him and caught part of his armour between its jaws.
Varkhiel's body scattered into soul mist before reforming several metres away.
Xiaorou stared.
"That is deeply unfair."
Xingluo looked toward her. "You were complaining?"
"I'm appreciating."
The drake charged again.
This time it ignored Xingluo and went directly toward one of the Flood Dragons.
The creature wrapped around its neck before the drake smashed it against the rocky ground repeatedly.
Wuxia pulled the injured Soul Soldier away before its body completely dispersed.
The second Flood Dragon attacked the drake's side.
Yue shifted its position several metres forward, placing it directly beside the broken scales near the shoulder.
Its claws tore into the exposed flesh.
The drake twisted and bit toward it.
Varkhiel's greatsword struck the side of its head.
The beast staggered.
Xingluo moved in.
Heavenfall cut through the wound along the shoulder and opened it farther toward the neck.
The drake pulled back quickly enough to keep the blade from reaching anything vital, but blood now covered much of one side of its body.
Xiaorou looked toward the damaged foreleg.
"It's slowing."
Ruan Mei was already moving toward it.
She struck the joint again, then immediately jumped aside when the drake brought its weight down.
The claw missed her by less than a metre.
Xingluo reached the opposite side and slashed across the beast's lower ribs.
The scales there were thinner.
Heavenfall opened another wound.
The drake turned violently.
Its tail swept across the entire path.
Xiaorou jumped.
Ruan Mei ducked.
Xingluo blocked.
The impact travelled through Heavenfall and threw her backward hard enough that her boots left the ground.
Yue shifted the space behind her and redirected part of the force before she struck the stone.
Wuxia watched the drake.
"Don't let it turn freely."
The Twin Demon Flood Dragons moved together.
One attacked the damaged foreleg while the other wrapped around the creature's hindquarters.
The drake tried to pull away.
Varkhiel came from the front.
His greatsword struck the broken section along its shoulder.
The blade entered deeper than before.
The drake roared and threw its head toward him.
Yue raised one hand.
Space folded.
Varkhiel disappeared from directly in front of the drake and appeared beside its neck.
His greatsword came down again.
The wound split open.
Xingluo saw the opening and rushed forward.
Heavenfall entered directly beneath Varkhiel's strike.
Star Energy surged along the blade as she forced it deeper.
The drake collapsed onto one foreleg.
Blood ran heavily across its chest and neck.
One Flood Dragon continued pulling against the injured limb while the second clawed at its side.
Ruan Mei struck the damaged joint again.
Something cracked beneath the scales.
The drake nearly fell completely.
Xiaorou moved toward its rear leg and opened another wound where the scales had already been damaged.
She jumped back as its tail struck past her.
"How much punishment can this thing take?"
"More than I wanted," Xingluo answered.
The drake forced itself upright.
Its movements had become uneven now.
One foreleg barely supported its weight, and the wound across its shoulder continued pouring blood onto the stone.
Wuxia watched it reposition.
"Push it."
Varkhiel attacked first.
The drake tried to turn toward him, but both Flood Dragons struck from opposite sides.
Yue distorted the space beneath one of its hind legs.
The foot landed farther inward than the drake expected.
Its balance broke.
Ruan Mei struck the damaged foreleg again.
The creature dropped.
Xingluo rushed toward the exposed shoulder.
Heavenfall came down with both hands.
The blade tore through the already broken scales and drove deep into the wound.
The drake roared and threw its entire body sideways.
Xingluo released Heavenfall and jumped back as the creature crashed against the slope.
Varkhiel did not retreat.
His greatsword came down across the same wound.
The strike opened the shoulder almost to the base of the neck.
Blood sprayed across the nearby stone.
The drake collapsed.
Xiaorou lowered her sword slightly.
"That has to be enough."
Xingluo pulled Heavenfall free from the ground and looked toward the creature.
Its breathing had become rough, while one foreleg remained twisted beneath its body.
Then Wuxia spoke.
"Back off."
Xingluo turned toward him.
The drake's claws dug into the stone.
Its body tightened.
The injured foreleg forced itself beneath it again despite the damage.
Blood continued running from the open wound as the creature slowly pushed itself upright.
The Twin Demon Flood Dragons moved away first.
Varkhiel raised his greatsword.
Ruan Mei and Xiaorou stepped back toward Xingluo.
The drake lifted its head.
Its roar tore across Drakefang Valley.
Then it charged.