Chapter 84: Basilisk
A wide cavern yawned from the depths of the rocky cairn, an inky blackness so thick with curse magic my eyes couldn’t pierce it. Dust billowed from the entrance as another frightening roar shook the air, accompanied by the frenzied scrape of scale on stone. Soltair summoned a brilliant aura of light, and Trithe’s swords burst into flame, both crouched and ready for the monster to appear.
As a scaly head snaked its way out of the darkness, we all tensed. The serpentine head was as long as was tall, with malevolent eyes and a jagged maw. Its flesh was a filthy brown, with pulsing green lines shining from just under the scales. A hulking body squeezed through the cave and into the sunlight, its six reptilian legs ending in clawed toes. I wave of pressure swept out from the monster as it reared its head, towering almost twenty feet in the air. The green veins along its throat shone brightly, and waves of mana gathered in its jaws.
"Get down!" I cried, casting a fourth-circle spell.
As virulent streams of gunk burst from its mouth, a roaring wall of flame erupted from my staff, colliding in a hiss of noxious fumes. I gagged as the airborne toxins rolled out in a green fog, covering my face as it stung every exposed surface. Through the haze, Soltair’s light cut a path to the basilisk, which roared and swung a clawed hand to meet him. He shouted, bringing his sword down with both hands and severing one of its claws.
At the same time, Trithe took advantage of the smokescreen to slip behind it. The Firewall had met it just before it fully exited the cave, trapping its lower half within the earth and leaving its flank exposed. Her swords plunged into its hind leg, severing muscle, bone, and tendons with ease. A foul stench filled the air, overpowering the deadly poison of its breath, as her flames scorched its flesh, raging within its wounds even after her blades withdrew.
Hissing in pain, the basilisk forced forward, braving the flames to get clear of the cave. Both Soltair and Trithe struck it freely, but their blows glanced off as its scales took on an unfamiliar sheen.
I stepped back as the creature ignored them, charging directly at me. Its maw stretched open wide enough to swallow me whole. A sickly green fluid dripped from its teeth; even the smallest among them was larger than my forearm. Its malevolent eyes glowered hatefully, never leaving my face as it lunged forward, closing the gap between us in a heartbeat.
Stunned by its terrifying appearance, I reacted too late, and could only scream as its teeth scythed downward in vicious arcs. The Aegis cracked against its might but somehow held as its jaws snapped against the shield. Its gullet sucked at me hungrily, tongue slapped against the golden glow, and for a moment, it seemed like it would swallow me, Aegis and all.
"Xiviyah!" Soltair’s cry floated between its haws, and I looked up in hope as sunlight filtered through its teeth. The dark reds of its inner mouth fled as the creature roared, rearing away and lashing at the Sun Hero, whose sword had somehow penetrated its soft underbelly.
Trithe chain jumped from its leg to its back and began slashing wildly at its neck. Despite the cruel mane of spines jutting from its skull, her swords struck true, filling the air with the nauseous scent of scorched flesh.
Writhing between the assault of the two, the basilisk’s tail swung out behind it, connecting with Soltair. A pained grunt escaped his lips as he was sent flying, crashing into the ground almost thirty feet away.