CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  THE SERPENT STRIKES

  Slowly and cautiously, Garrick, Onyx, Elias, Cerelene, and Maldrin made their way through the heavy mist and toward the cavern serpent’s den. The once growling mystic wolf was now quiet as he walked next to the man that had raised him. Azure floated down from above and landed on Cerelene’s shoulder. The falcon gave a chirp and the elf maiden lightly covered her beak. Then she patted the falcon’s wing lovingly. After the companions walked on a little further, the mist finally cleared.

  “Do you hear that?” asked Cerelene, suddenly stopping.

  “It is the river running around the hill,” replied Maldrin. Then his staff softly lit up the passageway. “This is as far as The River Caverns go.”

  “At least in this direction,” replied Elias, remembering the various passageways they had seen now behind them.

  Now that they had more light, Garrick could see up ahead that the passage came to a cliff. After studying the terrain for a moment, the mercenary deduced that, though he didn’t know how far the drop was, it would take more than a leap for one to reach the other side of the cavern. Then he looked down at Onyx, who had begun to growl again. Garrick stroked the mystic wolf with his hand. After Onyx looked up at the mercenary, the mystic wolf growled again.

  “The serpent is there. That is for sure. Onyx can smell it,” announced Garrick. Then the mercenary pulled his bow from his shoulder and Cerelene followed suit. As Elias checked his sword, Garrick looked at Maldrin. “Alright, old friend. Tell us again all you know.”

  Maldrin looked off in the distance toward the serpent’s den as he relived his first encounter in his mind. “The monster is fast, yes, and you must, of course, respect his massive head and fangs,” started Maldrin. “But the tail. The tail is almost as deadly. It can wrap around you as quick as it strikes.” Then the wizard’s hand went to the hilt of the dagger that Cerelene had given him. “If the serpent grabs you, you will not have long before it crushes you.”

  Garrick looked over at Cerelene, whose eyes were fixed on the cavern wall that wrapped around the serpent’s den. The wall connecting to the cliff sloped back, making a crude yet stable rim of rock surrounding the monster’s resting place. There wasn’t much depth, but for the elven archer, it might be enough for adequate footing. The random rocky protrusions jetting out above were the only things she would have to watch out for.

  “Think you can attack from there?” asked Garrick, nodding first at the elf maiden, then at the rim of rock.

  Elias and Maldrin then looked over at the elf maiden as well. After a few seconds, Cerelene pulled an arrow from her quiver.

  “We shall see,” said the elf maiden with a brave face.

  Garrick and Onyx cautiously moved toward the cliff to get a good look at the serpent. Once they reached the edge, the mercenary’s eyes widened at the size of the sleeping monster. The black serpent was by no means as big as a sovereign dragon, but it could still easily fit around Maldrin’s small cottage. The only movement Garrick could see was a flick of the serpent’s tongue. The serpent’s tongue flicked again and then he opened the eye that faced up toward the cliff. Then slowly its body started to uncoil.

  Seeing that he didn’t have much time, Garrick started to back away, but after a few steps, he caught a glimpse of something near the north east corner of the den. After focusing on it for a second, the mercenary could see it was a leather bag. The bag that held the seeing stone. Then the mercenary knelt down in front of Onyx, who was growling again as he watched the serpent uncoiling.

  “If we had a thief this would be much easier, my friend,” said Garrick with a sigh, as he ran his right hand over Onyx’s black fur. Then with his left hand, he pointed to the bag off in the distance. “Can you get it?”

  Onyx looked up at Garrick and nudged his head on the mercenary’s side. Then looked back at the serpent.

  “Good. Do not worry about anything other than that bag. The rest of us will deal with the serpent,” replied Garrick caressing the mystic wolf’s face.

  As soon as Garrick and Onyx turned to walk back, Elias and Maldrin moved to meet them. The mercenary looked at the right side of the wall that connected to the cliff and then nodded at Cerelene. The elf maiden took a deep breath, nodded back, and then readied her bow. As she grabbed another arrow, Azure flew up and perched on one of the many pieces of the cavern wall that jutted out near the top of its natural rock ceiling.

  “The monster is awake, I see,” spoke Elias, pulling out his sword and gripping his shield tighter.

  “And on the way,” announced Garrick. Then he looked at Maldrin. The old wizard was stroking Tal, but not to calm her nerves. To calm his.

  “Are you ready?” asked Garrick, putting his hand on the wizard’s shoulder. Then the words and familiar touch of an old friend woke Maldrin from his nervous thoughts.

  “There is still much fight in me, my boy. Believe that,” assured Maldrin, looking back at Garrick. A second later the old wizard pointed his staff in the direction of the serpent’s den. Then as one, the three men took a step forward together as the cavern serpent’s massive head rose high above the cliff and looked down upon them.

  Since Cerelene had moved off to right side of the den, Garrick ran to the left side of the passage, leaving Elias standing in the middle with Maldrin just a step behind him. With the party split up for the most part, Garrick pulled his bow from his shoulder and grabbed an arrow, as Onyx waited for his moment to dash down into the den.

  The black serpent hissed loudly as its giant head looked from the humans in front of him to the elf almost behind him. Cerelene kept her arm steady, waiting for Garrick to attack first so her enemy would focus on those arrows, allowing her to launch her attack unfettered, at least for the first part of the battle. After the suspense was almost too much for her to bear, the mercenary finally released his first arrow.

  When the giant serpent’s head started to move toward Garrick, Cerelene released her arrows. After the monster’s head reared back from the confusion of which way to attack, it suddenly moved its head in a deadly strike down at Elias and Maldrin.

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  Though the Knight of Providence thought he was prepared for the speed of the serpent, it was all he could do to raise his shield in time. In one swift moment Elias was knocked to the ground, but that moment was all Maldrin needed. Though his defender had fallen, the wizard was ready with his first spell.

  “Ice Blast!” screamed Maldrin, as he swung his staff toward the serpent’s massive head and gnashing fangs. Wind and ice hit the mighty monster, slowing it and blinding it for a few seconds. Then Elias got to his feet and moved again in front of the old wizard.

  The arrows from Cerelene and Garrick continued to fly, but to the mercenary’s dismay he could see that only half of them were sticking into the serpent’s hide. Even so, it didn’t deter him or Cerelene, who was continuing to move back and forth in front of the shallow wall, just behind the serpent. However, because half of the arrows were bouncing off, the monster was now halfway out of its den.

  With the same speed it displayed against the knight, the cavern serpent struck at Garrick. But the mercenary dove a split second before its fangs could cut him. Seeing the serpent now mostly out of its den and having to deal with multiple enemies, Onyx made his move. The mystic wolf dashed down the left side of the cliff. The center of the cliff was a steep drop, but the sides, though still dangerous, had an easier descent and better footing. Especially for an animal that had been over every part of Danaria. Onyx licked his chops as he made it halfway down the rocky slope, but then grimaced in pain as the serpent’s tail slammed into him.

  Cerelene screamed as she watched Onyx tumble down the rest of the way to the serpent’s den. Then out of the corner of her eye she saw the monster’s head fly toward her. The elf maiden dove to the right as the serpent’s head slammed into the place she had just been, its forked tongue flicked inches away from her leg. Then the monster reared its head up in pain. As Cerelene moved her back closer to the wall and scooted away, she saw the serpent shake its head free of the rock protrusions that had dug deep into its face. Then the elf maiden pulled herself up with the help of a rock above and grabbed for her dagger.

  The serpent’s head suddenly jerked forward toward the elf maiden, but the movement wasn’t an attack. Cerelene watched as smoke rose up behind the monster’s head.

  As the cavern serpent spun around to face the wizard who had just gone from freezing him with ice to now burning him with fire, Cerelene placed her dagger behind her belt again and grabbed for more arrows.

  Enraged, the giant serpent opened its mouth wide and attacked the wizard. However its anger was so immense that it didn’t see the knight from the right. Elias lowered his shield and swung his sword; it slammed down onto one of the black monster’s nostrils, drawing blood.

  After waving at Cerelene to move forward and continue her arrow attack, Garrick stopped and shouldered his bow. Though the arrows were still only half effective and Elias had proven that swords were better, the aerial barrage still made for a good diversion. And the mercenary was just as good with his sword as he was with his bow.

  Back on his feet again and now on somewhat level ground, Onyx made his way toward the bag that held the Seeing Stone. He could almost feel the leather strap between his teeth as he dipped his head down. However, before the mystic wolf could get the bag into his mouth, he was struck again by the serpent’s tail and went flying against the wall of the den. Though the pain was tremendous, the mystic wolf still tried to get to his feet.

  Even though arrow after arrow had lodged their way across the serpent’s body, it had made its way fully out of its den and in front of Garrick, Elias, and Maldrin. As the mercenary moved to face the monster with the knight and wizard, he marveled at all the arrows that lined the snake-like hide. However, with the serpent now completely in front of him, Garrick’s gaze returned to only look on the monster’s face. He focused on the large fangs, slitted eyes and forked tongue. But he forgot about its tail.

  As the mercenary raised his sword up, with his mind racing on what was to be his next attack, the giant black serpent’s tail swiftly moved behind him. Then before he could hear Maldrin’s warning, the mercenary felt the monster’s body wrap around him.

  Seeing Garrick in deadly peril, Elias started to move toward him, but stopped as he saw Cerelene run and pull herself onto the closest rock above the cliff. Then he watched her leap into the air and plunge her dagger into the back of the serpent’s massive neck. In a fit of pain and rage, the serpent swung its mighty head, throwing the elf maiden off and into the wall.

  When she didn’t move, Maldrin raised his staff, readying himself for a stronger spell, as Elias rushed toward Garrick. With his left hand raising his shield to protect himself from another possible attack, the knight drove the blade of his sword into the giant monster’s body. It wasn’t a killing blow, but the cavern serpent gnashed its teeth in pain and released the mercenary.

  Though pain wracked his body, Onyx rose again and trotted over to the bag. Then, after biting down on the leather strap, started to make his way up the cliff. As he finished his way to the top, the mystic wolf watched Azure drop some arrows in front of Cerelene and then distract the serpent from the elf maiden by repeatedly dive bombing into its scaly face as she slowly began to move.

  Kneeling down in front of his friend, Maldrin slapped Garrick back to consciousness. “Good. Good. Alright my boy, to your feet!”

  “Cerelene is alive, but still down. It is up to us!” yelled Elias over his shoulder at the mercenary who was now on one knee.

  Garrick shook his head to clear his mind and then saw Onyx running toward him. When the mystic wolf arrived, Maldrin grabbed Master Zendres’ bag. Then Garrick pointed to Cerelene and Onyx took off toward the fallen elf maiden. Seeing Onyx now entering the battlefield, the serpent took its focus off Cerelene and the others.

  “Lightning Flash!” spoke Maldrin, as he raised his staff.

  Elias and Garrick watched as a bolt of lightning shot out from Maldrin’s staff, hitting the cavern serpent in the midsection. It reared back in pain, stunned, but only for a moment.

  Maldrin watched Onyx grab Cerelene by her shirt collar and drag her toward the passageway and away from the battle. A second later he heard Garrick and Elias fall to the ground. Then he felt something wrap around his knees and the wizard winced in pain as he dropped both his staff and the bag.

  Still a bit stunned from the lightning attack, the black serpent’s head moved slowly down toward Maldrin as Garrick and Elias looked up. Both the mercenary and knight watched in horror as the monster opened its fanged mouth for the kill, but Maldrin, without hesitation, grabbed his dagger and jammed it down into the serpent’s body. Luckily for old wizard the pain was enough to halt the serpent’s advance.

  Garrick already had his sword in his right hand when he started to get to his feet. After pushing off the ground with his left hand, the mercenary then placed the hand across the handle of his sword, combining it with his right hand and, a moment later, jabbed the blade up into the bottom of the cavern serpent’s chin and into the roof of its mouth.

  Elias, seeing what the mercenary had done, dropped his shield. After he rose from the ground, the knight took a few steps and leaped in the air with both hands around his large broadsword. Then with all the force he could muster, Elias brought the blade crashing down upon the serpent’s neck. As the monster’s head fell to the ground, Maldrin slowly slipped from its body.

  With the cavern serpent now dead, Elias kneeled and said a quick prayer to Elion. Then he watched Garrick pull his sword from the serpent’s head and dash over to Maldrin. After looking at the dagger he had jammed into the serpent, the old wizard smiled up at the mercenary.

  “You were right, my boy. Oh, I still may be older. I still may be wiser, and a wizard, but there is a reason you lead this quest. That is for certain,” said Maldrin, breathing heavily.

  Garrick smiled down at his old friend and grabbed him by his shoulder. After the mercenary began helping Maldrin up, Tal slowly emerged from the wizard’s pocket and scurried into the leather bag. As Elias walked over to join Maldrin and Garrick, the knight saw Onyx walk out of the passageway, joined by Cerelene and Azure.

  Still a little groggy from being thrown against the wall, Cerelene jumped back once she laid her eyes on the serpent’s severed head as she started to walk by it. Garrick, Maldrin, and Elias laughed and continued to laugh, even as the elf maiden turned and pulled her dagger from the monster’s neck. Then, once the companions were finally reunited, they all looked down together at Master Zendres’ bag with a feeling of relief, but also with a feeling of anticipation.