Chapter 26

Without a proper path to follow, progress was slow. Vines tangled underfoot, and low-hanging branches scratched at their exposed flesh. Yet, despite the difficulties, the group's spirits stayed high.Now that he wasn't lost, Nick found himself enjoying the challenge of navigating the untamed wilderness. He used telekinesis to nudge aside particularly stubborn branches or clear the way for his companions. Occasionally, he'd hop onto a fallen log to get a better view, only to leap down with exaggerated flair, earning an eye roll from Rhea and a smirk from Elia, who joined him in his acrobatics.

It quickly became obvious that while he was much better than any kid his age should be, the foxgirl was on another level.

She jumped from rock to branch with feline grace, barely disturbing the vegetation.

Rhea shook her head but couldn't hide the small smile tugging at her lips. Even she seemed to be relaxing as the three of them trudged forward.

For all its challenges, the forest was strangely beautiful. Shafts of sunlight pierced through the canopy, illuminating patches of moss and casting ever-shifting shadows on the ground. Occasionally, a burst of color would catch their eye—wildflowers in vivid purples and reds or the faint shimmer of dew clinging to a spider's web.

More than once, they stopped to harvest an ingredient they just couldn't stomach to leave behind. It was nothing as precious as the nightcaps, but it was worth slowing down now that they weren't so panicked.

About half an hour into their journey, Elia came to an abrupt halt. Her ears twitched, and her nose wrinkled as she sniffed the air. Her posture stiffened, and her tail bristled.

"Stop," she hissed.

Nick froze, trying to figure out what had spooked her. Rhea's hand immediately went to her satchel, ready to grab one of her vials. He focused, listening carefully. The forest seemed perfectly quiet, save for the rustling of leaves in the breeze.

Then he heard it: a low, unsettling slithering sound. It was a faint scrape of scales against bark, but it sent a shiver down his spine. His eyes darted around, scanning the ground for movement.

"Elia, where—"

Her finger shot upward, pointing to the canopy above. Nick's blood ran cold as he tilted his head back.

Through the tangled branches, he saw it: a long, sinuous shape coiled around a tree limb, almost blending perfectly with the wood. Its scales caught the light, making it difficult to discern where its body ended and the branches began. Two stubby, leathery wings pressed tightly against its sides, and its reptilian head tilted slightly as if watching him.

Nick barely had time to react before it moved.

The creature uncoiled with horrifying speed, its serpentine body stretching out as it dropped toward him. Its wings flared briefly to steady its descent, and its gaping maw opened wide, revealing rows of needle-like teeth.

"Nick!" Rhea screamed.

Instinct took over. Nick threw his hands up, his telekinesis snapping into place. An invisible force slammed into the creature midair, halting its descent mere feet above him. It writhed and hissed as it struggled against the unseen barrier. Its stubby wings flexed, somehow increasing the strain even more.

"Get back!" Nick shouted. It was all he could do to keep it at bay as 's matrix buckled under the weight. It wasn't meant to be used in such a way, and only his familiarity with the spell's inner workings and allowed him to hold it together.

Elia didn't need to be told twice. She darted back, her hands already igniting with blue flames. Rhea fumbled with her satchel, her fingers trembling as she searched for the right vial.

The serpent let out a guttural hiss, thick saliva dripping from its fangs. Nick gritted his teeth, sweat beading on his forehead as he fought to keep it contained. Its tail whipped around, lashing against nearby branches and sending a cascade of leaves raining down.

"Do something!" Nick growled, his mind pounding with the effort.

"On it!" Elia shouted. She hurled the foxfire directly at the creature's head. The flames struck true, engulfing it in a burst of blue light. It let out an ear-splitting screech, recoiling from the fire and slamming against a nearby tree trunk.

Nick felt the telekinetic field crack under the immense strain, a sharp mental snap that left him momentarily reeling. But it held just long enough to launch him backward, out of the wyvern's avenging tail. His body hit the ground hard, tumbling through the underbrush before coming to a skidding stop. He groaned, and his body screamed in protest as he struggled to rise.

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The monster hissed, whipping around to face him, and its yellow eyes glowed with predatory hunger. Taking a moment to observe it, Nick saw it was a five-foot-long serpent with stubby limbs covered in slick, emerald-green scales. Although its wings were still underdeveloped, they twitched angrily as it pulled itself upright, its long, muscular tail swaying ominously behind it.

Elia snarled as she launched a second stream of blue foxfire. The flames licked against its slick scales, creating a brief flare of light, but the creature barely flinched, having learned that the attack wasn't enough to damage it. The fire dissipated almost immediately, leaving no sign on the scales.

"Damn it!" She growled.

Rhea screamed in surprise as the beast's gaze briefly locked on her, scrambling back and nearly tripping over a root. Her hands fumbled at her pouch, but she hesitated, her eyes wide with terror before it snapped back to Nick.

Nick's mind raced, cataloging every detail. Its movements were unsteady, its balance compromised—likely still dazed from the hit to the head. Its teeth were razor-sharp, and its tail had proved capable of shattering wood, but its attacks were uncoordinated. Having seen its ilk just a few minutes before, he recognized it.

The monster lunged again, its maw gaping wide, aiming to finish what it started. This time, Nick was ready. He ripped stones and debris from the forest floor with a sharp gesture, flinging them in a concentrated hail at the creature. He didn't care about finesse or efficiency—he poured mana recklessly into the attack, and the ground buckled in response to his urgency.

The stones slammed into the wyvern's body, eliciting a screech of pain as several shards pierced its scales. It reared back, shaking its head violently and hissing in rage. Blood, dark and viscous, dripped from a fresh wound above its left eye.

Nick barely had time to breathe before the creature retaliated. Its tail came around like a whip faster than he could react. The muscular appendage struck him squarely in the ribs, sending him flying. His back slammed into the trunk of a tree with a sickening crack, and the impact drove the air from his lungs.

"Nick!" He heard a shout.

He slumped to the ground, his vision swimming. Pain radiated through his body, and for a moment, he couldn't tell if he could even move. But then the wyvern let out another ear-piercing screech, and adrenaline forced him to act.

Using the tree as leverage, Nick pushed himself to his feet, his breaths ragged. His ribs burned with every inhale, and his mana reserves were dangerously low after the last spell. He wiped blood from his lip, his mind racing for a new plan. He smiled when he saw Rhea take out a vial.

With that, he deactivated it, feeling his senses return to the baseline. It felt suicidal, but the spell didn't make him superhuman. It just made him see the danger more clearly.

The wyvern hissed and lashed with its tail again, but this time, Nick knew to expect it and dove to the side, narrowly avoiding another crushing blow. Rhea finally snapped into action, hurling the vial with all her strength. The glass shattered against the wyvern's side, releasing a cloud of bright green vapor.

It hissed in displeasure, shaking and writhing as the mist clung to its scales. The fumes seemed to disorient it, slowing its movements slightly, but it wasn't enough to stop it entirely.

Elia darted forward, her blue flames igniting once more. She circled the beast, drawing its attention with a taunting flick of her tail. "Come on, big guy," she muttered defiantly. "You want a piece of me?"

The wyvern hissed, snapping its jaws at her, but she was too quick. She danced out of reach, her foxfire rushing to punish its every action. It might not have been enough to damage it, but it did hinder its movements.

That was enough to give Nick his chance. While the creature was distracted by Elia, he focused what remained of his mana, drawing on the last reserves he had left. His hands trembled as he raised them, and the full weight of his telekinesis settled over the forest floor. He reached for a fallen trunk—wider than a barrel and heavy enough to send Nick to his knees—and lifted it into the air.

"Keep it busy!" he shouted hoarsely.

"Wasn't planning on stopping!" she called back, hurling another fireball at the wyvern's face. This time, the flames struck its injured eye, and it recoiled with a screech, momentarily blinded.

With a grunt of effort, Nick swung the branch like a club, slamming it into the creature's head. it flew back with a sickening thud. It let out a pained hiss, struggling to gather its wits.

"Now, Rhea!" Nick barked.

Rhea didn't hesitate. She hurled a small, silver vial at its open mouth. The glass shattered against its teeth, and the liquid splashed across its tongue and throat.

The reaction was immediate. The wyvern let out a guttural scream and convulsed violently as the liquid began to burn through its insides. Steam rose from its mouth, and the acrid smell of chemical burning filled the air.

It thrashed one final time, its tail slamming against the ground with enough force to send a shockwave through the forest floor. Then, with a shuddering groan, it collapsed, its body twitching before finally going still.

A familiar ding sounded, telling them it was over.

Nick staggered, his legs threatening to give out beneath him. He leaned heavily against a tree, his chest heaving with exhaustion. Elia and Rhea rushed to his side, their faces pale and drawn.

"Are you—" Elia began, but he waved her off.

"I'm fine," he said, though his voice was weak. "Just… need a minute."

Rhea knelt beside him, her hands trembling as she checked his injuries. "You're not fine," she muttered, pulling out another healing potion. "You've probably broken ribs—at least two."

Nick drank, wincing as it sent a fresh wave of pain through his chest. "Add it to the list of things we'll complain about later."

SYSTEM ALERT

Spell Ranked Up: Telekinetic Field

Mastery: ProficientExperience Gained: 5.000

Wyvern Hatchling Killed

Experience Gained: 12.500

Level up!

Level up!

The three of them stood in silence for a moment, staring at the notifications. The forest seemed to exhale around them, the usual sounds of birds and insects gradually returning.

Rhea let out a shaky laugh, her knees giving out as she sank to the ground. "I hate this forest," she muttered, wiping a hand across her face.

Nick managed a weak smile. "At least we got some experience. I'd have hated to walk out of here without a single level gained."

Elia grinned, though her tail still twitched nervously. "Well, that was fun. Let's not do it again."

Nick chuckled despite himself, the adrenaline slowly ebbing from his veins. "Now we just need to carve that thing up. I'm willing to bet it has some affinity to shrug off foxfire so easily."