As they crossed the treeline, they seemed to enter a new world, one that was cool and anything but dirt brown. Leaves from huge trees formed an impenetrable, multilayered canopy at the forest top, shutting out most of the sunlight.
They had barely walked in when they came across a small stream. Stein knelt down beside the running water, letting his hand pass through it.
"Rule number one," Veteran's voice cracked. "Do not drink the water."
Stein's eyes narrowed. "Why?" It was flowing clear, clean water.
"Green death," Veteran said matter-of-factly. "Green skin, a week of fever and hallucinations… then death. Many adventurers have lost their lives from it."
Stein yanked his hand out of the stream, wiping it on his clothing while putting some distance between him and the silent killer.
Veteran chuckled.
"Don't be fooled by the oasis's beautiful appearance," Morgana said solemnly. "Almost everything here would kill you if the opportunity presents itself."
As they continued on, Stein glanced back at the stream one last time. Why didn't they put a signboard to warn people of the deadly water?
"What about the plants? Can we eat them?" Yurim looked up at Veteran.
"Some of them," Morgana answered this time.
Veteran suddenly raised a hand, stopping them.
"What is it?" Axe whispered.
Veteran remained silent for a moment, brows furrowed in concentration, before speaking."Something is heading our way."
"Stein, Yurim, stay with Tasha," Veteran stepped forward. "Axe, with me."
The red-haired boy obeyed instantly, jogging after Veteran. Ludacra notched an arrow in her bow, her eyes squinting at the trees ahead.
The sound of distant crunching and snapping reached their ears, growing louder and clearer with each passing second. Figures appeared between the trees ahead of them.
The first thing Stein noticed was red. Blood. They were practically covered in it. A boy and a girl. The boy's right arm was over the girl's shoulder as he hopped forward on one leg. The other leg dragged on the ground, a mangled mess.
Stein heart raced at the sight. A thought crossed his mind and he turned to Yurim. He was shocked to find her staring blankly at the sight. Such composure.
Axe and Ludacra rushed forward, retrieving the boy. The girl had several scratches on her face and arms but was doing quite well compared to her companion. Her eyes met theirs, and Stein saw terror in them.
"Tyrant," she shivered. "A bloody King Tyrant."
"What happened?" Morgana drew closer.
"I just got back from collecting some Dread root when I saw it," the girl swallowed. "There was blood everywhere." She doubled over, retching.
Morgana patted her back before walking over to the boy and kneeling before his leg, her hands glowing softly while her brows were furrowed in concentration.
More rustling drew their attention. Stein looked just in time to see a large silhouette emerge from the thick foray of trees.
There was a scream as the girl from before stumbled backwards, eyes widened and arms shaking. "It's here," she managed a whisper.
From the darkness emerged spindly grey limbs, too large and too many, unfolding slowly as the creature crept forward.
A cluster of dark, beady eyes glinted as the creature stepped into the light.
It was a spider, easily six feet tall. Its body was grey and hairy, the surface gleaming like polished stone. Beneath the cluster of eyes, a restless mass of flesh writhed and pulsed.
A strand of clear fluid slipped from the squirming mass and struck the forest floor. The grass blackened instantly. Nearby plants shrivelled and collapsed in on themselves.
Ludacra drew her bow.
Two arrows flew in the same breath.
They struck the spider's body and bounced away with a dull clack.
"That's a Tyrant, alright," Axe whistled.
Veteran glanced back at Stein and Yurim.
"Congratulations. You just ran into the creature with the most potent venom in Raazaham. Its armour is harder than rock, and fangs sharper than blades." He tilted his head. "So how do you kill it?"
Yurim grimaced. "We don't."
"Wrong," Veteran smirked. "First you—"
"Go for the joints?" Stein cut in.
"Yes," Veteran's eyes twinkled with pleasant surprise. "That or the eyes."
Yurim pouted, frowning slightly at Stein.
Meanwhile, Stein was trying to understand how Veteran was calm enough to lecture them in the middle of this disaster?
And Yurim shouldn't be overlooked either. Any regular girl would be terrified in this situation. Her laid-back attitude was a bit unnerving. Was it a coping mechanism?
The Tyrant's mouth parts chittered loudly just before it began to move.
The spider broke into a spritng, legs scraping and stabbing into the dirt as it scrambled toward them.
"Axe," Veteran said calmly.
The red-haired boy grinned. "On it." He dashed forward. "With my bare hands!"
Two fangs slid from the writhing flesh beneath the Tyrant's eyes.
The spider leaned forward parting its fangs
Axe threw himself sideways. The Tyrant's maw snapped shut where his head had been a moment before.
Axe hit the ground in a roll and sprang to his feet beside the creature.
His heel came down hard. Crunch. One of the Tyrant's legs snapped at the joint.
The creature shrieked and skittered back.
For a moment, it retreated, legs scraping frantically across the ground.
Then it charged again.
A razor-sharp limb slashed toward Axe's chest.
He twisted aside.
Another leg stabbed down.
He slipped between them, moving with effortless precision, sliding along the spider's flank.
The Tyrant reacted instantly. It leapt back, twisting its massive body in midair to keep its rear away from him.
Stein's eyes narrowed.
There.
A small patch of pale flesh sat exposed beneath the creature's abdomen, untouched by the glossy armour that coated the rest of its body.
A weak point.
But the spider knew it.
Every time Axe tried to circle behind it, the Tyrant twisted, guarding the spot with frantic movements.
That's why he was going for the legs.
Axe darted forward again.
One leg slashed toward him.
He stepped to the side.
His hand shot out, gripping the limb.
With a violent jerk, another leg snapped.
The Tyrant scmmhusse, its body lurching sideways. It tried to jump back but stumbled as it landed, its balance faltering.
Axe drew his twin swords. The blades flashed in the day light as he advanced.
The Tyrant lashed out again, but its movements were slower now, its footing unstable.
Axe bent his knees.
Then he launched upward.
He sailed clean over the spider as its remaining legs slashed uselessly through the air beneath him.
He landed behind it, right in front of the exposed flesh. Axe thrust both swords outward.
The blades flared crimson. In a blinding flash, the twin swords fused together, forming a massive blade wreathed in fiery red light.
With a single smooth motion, Axe brought it down. The blade punched through the Tyrant's soft underside.
A wet crunch followed as the crimson tip burst through the creature's skull.
The Tyrant let out a choking, guttural squelch.
Axe ripped the sword free. For a heartbeat, the blade hung in the air, glowing. Then, with a flourish it fell.
The spider split clean in two.
Both halves collapsed onto the forest floor. The crimson light of the greatsword dulled just before it dissolved into particles of light, leaving the twin swords in its place.