Adam and the rest stood in the clearing, gazing in the direction in which they had come from, their faces filled with fear and panic.
In the distance, an enormous storm of dirt and dust rose through the expanse of the trees and into the night sky, blotting out the twin moons.
The ground beneath their feet quaked and the sound of deep thundering filled the air.
Adam's back was drenched in cold sweat as he gazed at the dust storm. From the look of it, something massive was coming their way.
He couldn't help but blurt out in shock, "Not again!"
The group's journey so far had been quite harmless. But for the first time since they'd ventured so far into the depths of this ominous region, they felt that they were actually in the Murky Mountains!
"W-What is that?!"
"No way!"
"I-It's so huge!"
The dwarves, Farald, Balron, and Durgin were trembling in their boots. Even their Blue Boars standing beside them were shuddering in fear.
Meanwhile, Edward, Lisa, and their respective familiars had completely frozen in shock.
As the storm drew closer, the group of Magi could make out the silhouettes of enormous creatures moving within it. Gradually, as the dust parted, they realized in abject terror that it was a massive herd of bison.
"Rock Bisons!" Adam's heart sank.
The Rock Bison was a majestic creature of magic. It was a Rank 1 magical beast, towering in strength and size.
Its appearance was similar to that of a regular bison, with a massive body covered in thick fur. However, what set the Rock Bison apart from its regular counterpart was its hide which was literally as tough as a rock.
The hide of a Rock Bison served as a natural armor, protecting it against not only the environmental hazards of the Murky Mountains but even the greatest of attacks from other Rank 1 beasts and even Magi.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64ce79d606107d003c23ea27", id: "pf-5140-1"})Legend has it that the hide of a Rock Bison was imbued by the very magic of the earth itself.
Despite its formidable appearance, however, the Rock Bison was a gentle creature known for its docile temperament.
However!
When the herd of bison migrated from one place to another, anyone who stood in their way was instantly pummelled below their hoves. The only way to deal with a herd was to avoid it.
The herd of Rock Bisons dashed out of the forest, their gigantic forms kicking up clouds of dirt and dust as they charged toward the clearing.
Their hooves pounded against the grass, creating a thunderous sound that echoed through the towering trees.
This was the brutal environment that the Magi had found themselves in.
This was the horror of the Murky Mountains!
At every step of the way, there was a promise of danger waiting to be fulfilled. This was the reason why the orc species tried so desperately to claim lands belonging to the Southern Federation.
Adam's mind worked at lightning speed as he thought of his next course of action. He was sure of one thing, however.
They could not engage with this massive herd of Rock Bisons.
His gaze fell on Aquila who was growling in the direction of the approaching beasts. The youth's eyes lit up, but soon, disappointment flashed in his eyes.
There are only so many people that Aquila can carry… Damn it!
His eyes shone with resolve as he roared, "Edward! Take Lisa with you and fly away!"
Sensing the gravity of the situation, Edward solemnly nodded as he grabbed Lisa's wrist and pulled her toward his familiar. However, the blonde young lady protested with tearful eyes, "What about Ennea?!"
"Don't worry," Adam assured her. "She'll be safe with me."
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64cc9e79c7059f003e4ad4b0", id: "pf-5109-1"})Lisa's lips opened and closed several times. In the end, she glanced at her familiar and instructed, "Follow Adam. Do whatever he says!"
The white fox growled in acknowledgment before running to Adam's side. The latter hurriedly got on her back as he instructed the dwarves, "Hurry, ride your boars, and get as far away as possible!"
"Understood!" The dwarves mounted their respective Blue Boars in panic and sped in the opposite direction of the herd, each of them taking different escape routes.
Adam cast one final glance at his friends and hurriedly stated, "Return to the camp. Don't linger in the skies for too long!"
"Be careful," Edward muttered solemnly and urged Aquila to take flight.
Once in the air, Lisa looked down and screamed as tears fell down her face, "Adam! Ennea! You both must survive!"
Adam could barely hear her over the deafening sound of footsteps all around him. As he rode on Ennea's back and bolted out of the clearing, he could feel the herd behind him getting closer and closer.
His heart pounded wildly. He felt as if it would jump out of his chest. Fear gripped his heart as he knew he couldn't outrun them.
The herd of Rock Bisons moved with such grace and speed that it betrayed their sizes. Their massive horns and thick fur glistened in dirt and sweat.
And soon…
Before Adam knew it, the herd had already caught up to him.
At the last moment, the youth gritted his teeth and weaved a series of hand signs in a moment of desperation.
He forcefully moved the spiritual power residing within his spirit sea and tried his hardest to borrow the power of the white lotus.
It's now or never! He roared in his heart.
For a brief moment, his black pupils seemed to reflect otherwordly patterns that shimmered with pristine white light!
Rank 1 Spell: Dingy Illusion!
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "663633fa8ebf7442f0652b33", id: "pf-8817-1"})The next moment, Adam was overcome by agonizing pain that seemed to stem from the depths of his soul. The water in his spirit sea surged like tidal waves as it listened to his call.
"AAAAHHHHH!!" The youth's eyes turned bloodshot as he screamed.
He and Ennea were covered in a layer of mist for a brief moment. When the mist disappeared, all that remained was a Rock Bison!
The spell, Dingy Illusion, was supposed to be stationary. But right now, it was moving about flawlessly.
Right at that moment, the herd of Rock Bisons had arrived. Sensing that it was just another one of their species running in front of them, the herd parted and flowed past Adam like a river around a stone.
Adam tried his best to endure the brutal headache and maintain the spell. The massive forms of the Rock Bisons brushed past him without harming him in the slightest.
It felt like forever as the youth continued to maintain the spell.
Just as the last of the bison passed, Adam couldn't hold on any longer and deactivated the spell.
A layer of mist covered the 'Rock Bison' again. When the mist receded, the bison was replaced by Ennea and Adam who was sitting atop her, clutching at his forehead.
The youth took large mouthfuls of air as he started bleeding from all of his facial orifices. Despite the searing pain coursing through his mind, he had a broad grin on his face.
"I… I did it…
"The magical focus…
"It worked!"
The forest around him had now calmed down. Only the sound of his ragged breathing echoed in the air. He tried to recall the feeling that he just had right now.
It was instinctual, but he had done it!
"Spiritual power…" Adam's body shuddered in excitement as he realized the unprecedented feat he had just accomplished. "It can be harnessed!"
However, this moment of victory didn't last for long.
Sitting atop a branch, right above Adam, a shadowy figure patiently waited for the right moment to attack him.
And a moment later, the figure's four yellow eyes flickered with crazed bloodlust and bouts of sanity as it bared its fangs and pounced on Adam.
