Chapter 115. Monster
Earlier, Severus had tried not to move too quickly so Nelly could gather herbs along the way. Now nothing held him back, and he moved as if the forest itself stood still. The beasts he passed saw only a black shadow. A couple tried to give chase, but by the third second they had already lost him.
Just as in the King's memories, the closer he came to the jungle's center, the fewer traces of monsters he found. At the same time, every creature he encountered was far stronger than those on the outskirts, stronger by an order of magnitude. So as he approached the place he needed, he slowed and almost switched to a walk. That was not only because of the beasts, but because of the strange aura hanging in the air. It clung to the skin and tasted wrong, like old ash.
The moment he crossed a certain "line," sound died sharply, and it made him wary. His sword had long been in his hand, and his armor, like a black hole, absorbed him and the surrounding magic, functioning at one hundred twenty percent. His bones would ache for more than a week after this, but staying alive mattered more than comfort.
He moved through thick vegetation without relaxing for a moment. All his senses were enhanced to their limit. Never in this world had he been so tense.
Four hundred more meters and he would be there. Out of the corner of his eye, he had noticed a plant giving off warm light, but he ignored it.
In his world, that ingredient was often called "light of salvation." Prepared correctly, it could bring back someone who already had one foot in the grave. And it was not the only treasure here. He had seen countless rarer ingredients on the way. He simply had no time to collect them. The closer he drew to that place, the denser the strange aura became, and he could not afford distractions.
After another two hundred meters, goosebumps ran down his spine. He froze, then took three steps back.
So that's how it is. Now it's clear how that serpent ended up encountering this creature. He lifted his gaze. Nothing looked unusual. The forest continued as normal. Yet the Detection Spell couldn't pierce a certain line, as if an unseen barrier blocked it. At the same time, he could still manipulate the space beyond it with magic. An invisible barrier. It doesn't block entry, and since the serpent got out, it doesn't block exit either. But it doesn't allow investigation of the territory beyond its limits, and the aura is thickest right here. Maybe the barrier blocks only part of it.
He squinted. Beyond the line he noticed crushed grass that was slowly, almost imperceptibly, rising back up. That could mean only one thing. It, or they, had noticed him, even though he had tried not to make a sound. Now he could be sure: if it didn't attack, he'd know he was right. This barrier still didn't let them get out.
A breath he hadn't realized he was holding slipped out of him. He could relax a little. He was safe, for now. But he wasn't going to cross that line. His life was still dear to him. Instead, he decided to lure it out in a direct approach.
A flame flared in his hand, shaping itself into a ball the size of a football. It split into ten smaller orbs that hovered in front of him. Severus said nothing. He simply hurled them forward.
The fireballs passed through the barrier and shot in different directions, trying to cover as much ground as possible and, maybe, brush against whatever was hiding. He wanted to anger it and force it to show itself.
But just as the fireballs were about to crash into the trees and turn the place into a fireworks display, something seemed to snuff them out. This didn't surprise him. It only confirmed the creature was nearby.
"How much longer are you going to hide? Are you scared, or do you not understand human speech?" he asked with a contemptuous chuckle. Another fireball formed in his hand. He threw it at the barrier, and it split in the air into ten parts. Like the first ones, they crossed and rushed toward the tallest trees.
It was a crude provocation, the kind you'd use when you didn't have time for finesse. But against creatures like these, usually dull-witted and especially irritable, aside from a few rare individuals, it should have been enough.
The dark aura thickened in an instant, wrapped around the fireballs, and dispersed them again. Leaves rustled behind the barrier.
Severus swallowed and took a step back, not taking his eyes off the trembling bushes. A thin, humanoid black arm slid out, fingers ending in long claws. A second arm followed.
Then the whole thing emerged. It was a gaunt humanoid, like a skeleton wrapped in skin, with blood-red eyes, pointed ears, and a pair of horns. Where a mouth should have been was a huge black "smile" stretching from ear to ear. It was naked except for a filthy rag. Black ribbons were wrapped around its right arm, and a shoulder pad sat on its left shoulder. Completing the picture was a dark aura that made foliage wither the moment it touched it.
"You're a beauty. Like you stepped right out of a painting." Severus smiled, then the expression faltered and died. The creature approached the barrier and stopped, tilting its head to study him with a squint, as if examining a potential meal. Just an ordinary one.
Only an Archmage with a material core could handle something like this. But not this one. He shook his head. The gaze of the one that killed the previous Serpent King had been far more intelligent. This one...
"Sss-sss-sss." It pressed a palm to the invisible wall and licked its lips, as if mocking him.
...is on the level of a beast, and it looks like it hasn't eaten in a long time. In this state, maybe I'd have a chance to deal with it. But deeper in the forest there's a much more dangerous one. I'm not risking my life stepping into that trap. Even if I win, I get nothing. It lacks real intelligence, and I won't be able to get into its head anyway. I'd be risking everything for nothing.
He shook his head, then snapped his gaze to the right at a strange rustle. In the next moment, an incredible pulling force pressed down on him and tried to drag him toward the barrier. Panic spiked for a heartbeat, hot and sharp, then he crushed it down. He forced himself steady. Ignoring the creature's grin and its ugly chuckle, he unleashed a powerful stream of flame straight at it.
So that's why it stayed calm, even after everything I did. The fire slammed into the creature, and it screeched, furious. It had planned from the start to drag me inside.
When the pulling force weakened, Severus pushed more power into the flames. The creature was hurled back several meters. He used the opening to retreat as well.
"That was close. But it won't give up."
The creature, now singed, shot out of the forest like a black whirlwind. It slammed into the barrier and locked its furious gaze on him. Severus had already moved another ten meters back and watched its rage without flinching.
"Screee!" Claws raked at the barrier with a horrible screech, and Severus grimaced.
Bad. If even this thing can use its power beyond the barrier, it's terrifying to imagine what an intelligent one could do. Worse, the barrier has already weakened too much. I doubt its creator meant to let them act outside its limits.
He still decided to retreat and not risk it, even if his pride hated the thought. The next creature up should be at the level of a peak Archmage, and this one had almost dragged him inside. It was frightening to imagine what would happen if he met the other one, and whether he could escape at all.
But before leaving, Severus decided to try something. He put his right hand behind his back, aimed his left hand at the creature still frantically clawing at the wall, and released a stream of flame threaded with black.
"KYAAAAA!" A scream full of pain tore through the forest.
Without hesitating, he hurled several dozen diamonds beyond the barrier with all his strength. Then he threw a small mirror after them, aiming it at the screaming creature, now sporting some fresh burns, and ran.
He had no doubt more of them would soon flock to this spot. If he stayed, he would not escape.
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