Chapter 194: The Pregnant Firebird (4)

Chapter 194: 194: The Pregnant Firebird (4)

They did not have unlimited time.

"The important part is this," Lucard said. "None of us tries to defeat the Behemoth. We only create an opening. The Crimson Sunwing must do the real damage."

Cedric nodded.

Elowen also nodded, though she still looked nervous.

Lucard continued, "If the plan fails, we retreat immediately. Do not remain to watch what happens. Do not try to save a fallen crystal. Do not rush toward the bird. And especially do not attack the Behemoth because you think you see a chance."

Cedric raised one finger.

Lucard turned toward him.

"What?"

"One final question."

Lucard’s face darkened.

Cedric smiled nervously. "Only one."

"Speak."

"If everything goes perfectly, and the Crimson Sunwing kills the Behemoth, what do I get?"

Lucard looked at him.

Cedric continued, "You get the blood. Elowen gets to save her pregnant bird. But what about me? I am risking my life too."

Elowen turned toward Cedric.

"That is true."

Lucard considered the question. He had been focused on the Behemoth’s blood and had not bothered thinking about Cedric’s reward.

After a short moment, he answered, "You can take the beast core."

Cedric’s eyes widened.

"The core?"

"Yes."

"A Seventh Rank beast core?" Cedric stared at Lucard for several breaths.

Then a broad smile appeared on his face.

"Now that is a reward worth discussing."

Lucard looked at him with annoyance. "You were complaining about dying a moment ago."

"That was before I knew there was a Seventh Rank beast core involved."

Elowen stared at Cedric.

"So you were afraid to help the bird, but you are willing to risk your life for its enemy’s core?"

Cedric looked at her seriously.

"Elowen, there is a very important difference."

"What difference?"

"A Seventh Rank beast core is worth an enormous amount of gold coins."

Elowen sighed.

Lucard almost laughed.

For the first time, he began to understand why these two could get along despite being so different.

One was easily moved by sympathy.

The other was easily moved by greed.

Both were troublesome, but their reasons were simple enough to predict.

Lucard walked toward the edge of the hiding place and looked at the path leading to the mountain.

"Enough talking. We are moving now."

Cedric stood and checked his wand. Elowen adjusted the cloth around her feet and carefully followed them.

Puff poked its head out from Cedric’s coat.

Cedric looked down at the rabbit.

"You are staying here."

Puff immediately pulled its head back inside.

Lucard stopped.

"No. Keep it with you. If we need to escape through a narrow tunnel, it may be useful."

Cedric stared at him.

"Can you stop treating my rabbit like a collection of tools?"

"Then stop bringing useful tools."

Elowen laughed quietly.

Cedric shook his head and followed Lucard toward the rocky slope.

Above them, the Crimson Sunwing released another powerful cry.

The Nightfall Behemoth answered with a roar that shook the mountain.

Lucard looked toward the damaged scales on its left shoulder.

His Blood Claw would not kill such a monster.

Cedric’s crystal magic would not stop it.

Elowen’s light would not wound it.

But together, they might create one opening for the Crimson Sunwing. And one opening could be enough.

Lucard took the narrow path first.

Cedric followed several steps behind him, while Elowen remained close to the rocks. Above them, the battle between the two Seventh Rank beasts continued. Every time the Crimson Sunwing released a fire attack, the sky became red. The Nightfall Behemoth answered with earth magic that shook the entire mountainside.

They were close enough now to feel the heat of the flames.

Cedric looked up and immediately lowered his head when several burning feathers passed overhead.

"Lucard, I think we should reconsider this."

"No."

"I have not even explained why."

"You are going to say we are too weak, the beasts are too strong, and we might die."

Cedric stared at him. "Those are excellent reasons."

"Then stop wasting time repeating them."

Elowen followed behind them with Puff peeking from Cedric’s coat. She was frightened, but she kept her attention on the rocky path ahead. Her part of the plan was simple, yet she knew a single mistake could expose them to two monsters far stronger than anyone she had ever seen.

They reached the first group of large rocks without being noticed.

Lucard crouched and pointed toward a narrow opening beneath the slope.

"Cedric, place your crystals from here. Do not release too much mana while forming them."

Cedric examined the area. He could see several cracks between the rocks, but none were large enough for a person to enter. Fortunately, his crystals did not need much space.

He placed two fingers against his wand and released a thin blue line.

A small crystal appeared near the first crack. It was no larger than a coin, and its surface was almost transparent. Cedric moved his wand again, sending the crystal into position.

The second appeared beneath a broken root.

Then the third.

Elowen watched carefully. "They are smaller than I expected."

"They are supposed to be," Cedric answered. "Large crystals would be easier to control, but the Behemoth might sense them. These are harder to notice."

He continued working while Lucard watched the battle above.

The Nightfall Behemoth had moved closer to the mountain. Its enormous body pushed through broken trees as though they were small bushes. The Crimson Sunwing circled above it, occasionally diving to release flames.

However, the bird was becoming less aggressive.

It was clearly conserving its strength.

Lucard noticed that its wing movements were slower than before. The bird could still fly, but its enormous belly made sharp movements difficult.

"We cannot wait much longer."

He looked back at Cedric.

"How many?"

"Four."

"Finish the remaining two."

Cedric gave him an annoyed look. "I am working as fast as I can without letting a Seventh Rank beast know that I exist."

Lucard ignored him.

Cedric placed the fifth crystal inside another crack. Then he turned toward Elowen and handed her a small transparent crystal.

"This is the final one. Keep it close to your hand. When I send the signal, release your light into it."

Elowen accepted it carefully.

"What if I use too much mana?"

"Then you will become tired," Cedric answered. "Do not worry about controlling the light perfectly. I will handle its direction."

She looked at the little crystal in her palm.

"I have never used my magic like this before."

Cedric gave her a small smile. "Neither have I. We are both learning something today."

"That is not reassuring."

"It was not supposed to be."

Lucard turned toward them.

"Enough. Move to your positions."

Cedric stopped smiling and followed the lower path. Elowen climbed toward the higher stone shelf, using the roots to support herself.

Lucard watched until both reached their hiding places.

Then he moved toward the damaged slope.

He did not need to stand directly beneath the loose rocks. His Blood Claw could reach them from a safe position if he gathered enough blood.

That was why he had kept several spheres of refined beast blood during his earlier hunt.

He opened his palm.

Three dark red spheres emerged from his blood storage and floated above his fingers. Each one contained blood collected from the monsters he had killed in the forest.

Lucard slowly merged them.

The blood formed five thick claws, each longer than his arm. He pressed more blood into the shape, but did not make it enormous yet. A larger claw would release more power and become easier to detect.

He needed to wait until the Behemoth was occupied.

Above them, the Crimson Sunwing suddenly cried out.

The bird spread its wings and released a wide stream of fire toward the Nightfall Behemoth.

The Behemoth raised a stone barrier.

The flames struck it, breaking several sections and sending burning rocks across the ground.

The Behemoth did not retreat.

Instead, it pushed through its own broken barrier and released a powerful roar.

Earth mana gathered around its legs.

Lucard immediately noticed the change.

It is preparing another large attack.

He looked toward the mountain.

The Behemoth’s attention was fixed on the Crimson Sunwing. At the same time, its earth mana began moving beneath the ground toward the nest.

Exactly what they had been waiting for.

Lucard lifted two fingers and sent a small blood signal toward Cedric’s position.

Cedric felt it.

He pressed his wand against the rock and prepared his crystals.

But before he could activate them, the ground shook.

The Behemoth had begun its attack.

Several enormous stone spears rose from beneath the mountain and shot toward the nest.

Elowen gasped when she saw them.

The Crimson Sunwing immediately turned.

Its enormous wings opened, and fire gathered around its beak.

It released a concentrated fireball toward the stone spears. The explosion shattered the first three, but the remaining spears continued toward the nest.

The bird rushed after them.

Cedric watched the movement from below.

"Now," he whispered.

His wand flashed blue.