Xavier gritted his teeth as he pushed himself back up. His ribs ached, and his breathing was uneven, but he had no time to dwell on the pain.
The ironfang snake coiled, its massive body grinding against the stone floor, and it locked eyes on Xavier.
The snake struck again, faster than before. Xavier barely managed to leap aside, rolling on the ground to avoid another strike.
The serpent let out a deep, guttural hiss, its jaw opening slightly—but not enough for an attack.
Xavier clenched his sword, sweat dripping down his brow.
'I need to force it to open its mouth wide. But how? Wait...if it has eyes only on me then I can use that to my advantage'
The ironfang lunged once more, this time twisting its body mid-air. Xavier had never seen a snake move like this—it wasn't just fast; it was unpredictable. The creature's tail whipped toward him from the side, a secondary attack that caught him off guard.
He barely had time to cross his arms and reinforce them with mana, but this time he was able to block it well enough l.
*BAM!*
The impact sent him skidding across the floor, his boots scraping against the stone as he fought to stay on his feet. His arms burned from the force as he stopped himself, he could already feel the bruises forming beneath his skin.
The snake didn't let up. It chased after him immediately, slithering forward with terrifying speed.
Xavier ducked as another jet of venom sprayed past him, melting a large hole into the dungeon floor where he had stood seconds ago.
He forced his aching body to move, dashing to the side as the ironfang slammed its head into the ground, missing him by inches. Dust and debris exploded into the air.
Taking a deep breath, Xavier sprinted forward away from the snake.
The snake lunged after him, but at the last second, he jumped off a piece of broken stone and used his spell [Wind Gust] flipping over the serpent's head.
As he landed, he swung his sword downward at the creature's eye, aiming for the eyes again.
The ironfang reacted instantly, twisting its head away. Xavier's blade barely nicked the corner of its eye, not enough to blind it, but enough to make it recoil slightly.
But instead of retreating, the snake grew more aggressive.
It struck again, faster this time. Xavier moved to dodge, but his body was slowing down from the repeated blows he had taken.
The snake's tail whipped out, striking his leg before he could jump away.
A sharp pain shot up his leg as he stumbled, losing his footing for a split second. That was all the ironfang needed.
It lunged again.
Xavier barely managed to twist his body, avoiding a direct hit, but the force of the attack sent him rolling across the dungeon floor.
But he already knew it was going to happen and had a plan; as soon as he stopped, the snake was already on to him, but he stretched his hands forward towards the snake's eyes.
[Radiant Lance]
A sharp streak of light burst forward from his hands, hitting the snake directly on one of its eyes.
The snake reeled backward, letting out a guttural cry, and Xavier used the opportunity and placed his hands on the ground using his [Frost Reflection] as the exact replica of himself was made.
Sylve at the other side of the room stood her ground as the ironfang snake slithered toward her.
Her grip tightened on her staff, her eyes narrowing as she assessed the creature.
The others were busy with their own fights, but she had no time to look their way. Her snake had already chosen her as its target, and it wouldn't stop until one of them was dead.
The ironfang reared back and struck, its fangs gleaming as it lunged. Sylve reacted instantly. She slammed her staff into the ground, channeling her Mana.
*BOOM!*
A thick wall of stone erupted from the floor, blocking the snake's attack. Its fangs sank into the rock, but the impact sent cracks spreading across the stone and Sylve knew it wouldn't hold for long.
She leaped back, raising her staff, Mana surged through her, and a bright light gathered at the tip. She pointed it at the snake just as it broke through the stone wall.
"Radiant Lance!"
A spear of pure light shot forward bigger than that of Xavier, striking the ironfang directly in the face. The blast sent it reeling back, hissing in pain. Its crimson eyes burned with rage, and it lashed its tail at her.
Sylve jumped aside by using the earth beneath her, but the force of the attack sent shockwaves through the air, throwing her off balance. She landed hard, rolling across the floor before pushing herself up.
The snake didn't wait. It lunged again, faster this time.
Continue reading at My Virtual Library Empire
Sylve barely managed to dodge using Mana to increase her speed, but the ironfang venom sprayed from its fangs, splattering onto the ground near her feet. The stone sizzled and melted on contact.
She clenched her jaw immediately, 'I can't let that touch me'
The ironfang circled, preparing another strike. Sylve exhaled and lifted her staff. She couldn't overpower the snake physically, but she had magic—and plenty of it.
She slammed her staff down again, hitting the ground; this staff was given to her by the god of death; its power was spell amplification.
"Stone Bind!"
The ground beneath the snake shifted, then hardened around its body. Thick rock wrapped around its lower half, locking it in place.
The ironfang hissed, struggling to break free. Its scales were tough, but Sylve's magic was strong. She clenched her fingers around her staff and focused, reinforcing the stone's grip and pouring Mana into her spell.
The snake thrashed, snapping its jaws at her. Its head was still free, and it was only a matter of time before it escaped.
Sylve took a deep breath. Now's my chance.
"Holy Burst!"