The girl born from hope

Today we train Tomorrow we conquer (part 4)

As the battle raged on, the realization struck them: they needed a water elemental to neutralize the oozes, but water elementals were rare among the House of Courage. Those with an affinity for water typically belonged to the House of Generosity or the House of Hope. None of the six men had any connection to water, leaving them at a significant disadvantage.

The ooze creatures multiplied and slithered relentlessly, their deadly touch a constant threat. Leondray, always observant, began to notice something peculiar. As he dodged and struck down the creatures, he paused, testing a theory. Standing perfectly still, like a snake poised to strike, he let the chaos swirl around him. His pulse steadied, and a smirk slowly curled at the corner of his lips as his theory solidified.

He glanced at Rictus and subtly pointed, signaling for him to read his mind. Rictus, catching the message, reached out with his power, connecting their thoughts. The message was clear, and Rictus quickly extended his mind to the others, sharing Leondray's discovery. The command was simple: make as little noise as possible and come to a complete stop.

For Kaz, Darr, and Ren, this was second nature. They had been trained in the heart of stealth, where silence and stillness could mean the difference between life and death. Kaz and Darr immediately adjusted their movements, quieting their footsteps to near silence. Ren followed suit, his breathing steadying as he stilled his body.

Rictus, hovering just above the ground, let his dark aura swirl around him, absorbing sound like a black hole devouring light. Kaz, using his control over the winds, lifted the others off the ground as quietly as possible, ensuring that not even the faintest vibration would betray their presence.

The arena fell into an eerie, oppressive silence. The only sounds were the distant rumbling of the earth and the crackling of torchlight in the vast darkness. The black spikes continued to erupt from the ground, but now they did so erratically as if the beast had lost its sense of direction. The ooze creatures, too, seemed confused, no longer attacking with their previous ferocity.

Leondray pointed to Rictus again, and with a subtle nod, Rictus connected their minds once more.

"The beast is mostly deaf," Leondray communicated through the link. "It doesn't respond to sound the way we do. It's weaker than the Red Dragon, Rictus confirmed earlier, but it's using the earth's vibrations to sense where we are."

Kaz's thoughts cut in, sharp and clear. "It's blind and relies on the vibrations to track us. We've been giving it everything it needs to find us."

Ren's voice, tinged with concern, echoed in their minds. "So what do we do now? We can't just keep dodging forever."

Leondray's mind was a swirl of ideas and strategies, but one thought crystallized into clarity. "It's like a snake, lying in wait to strike from its hole. The only way to catch a snake is to force it out."

Rictus, understanding the implications, floated closer to the center of the group. "If we can't destroy it while it's hiding, we need to lure it out. We need to create a disturbance big enough to draw it out, and then we strike when it's vulnerable."

Kaz considered the plan, his mind racing through the possibilities. "We'll need to use everything we've got. Rictus, you can suppress the vibrations in the ground, can't you?"

Rictus nodded, his dark aura rippling with power. "I can, but only for a short time. We'll need to act quickly."

Kaz's thoughts sharpened into a strategy. "Here's what we'll do: Rictus will suppress the vibrations. Nomai, you'll use your arrows to create a massive, concentrated disturbance away from us. The moment the beast is drawn out, we all hit it with everything we've got. Leondray, you find the weak point. Ren, Darr, and I will keep it occupied until Leondray can strike."

The plan was risky, but it was their best chance. The others silently agreed, their determination strengthening the mental link. Nomai readied his bow, a faint green glow pulsing from the arrows as he prepared to unleash his magic. Rictus's aura darkened as he gathered his power, ready to suppress the vibrations that fed the beast.

In unison, the team moved into position, their minds focused on the task ahead. Rictus's aura expanded, covering the ground beneath them in a blanket of darkness that absorbed every tremor. The earth beneath them went still, and the beast's movements slowed, confused by the sudden silence.

Nomai, perched on the hill, took aim at a distant spot in the arena. He released his magic, the arrows streaking through the air like shooting stars. They struck the ground far from where the team stood, exploding with a force that sent shockwaves through the earth.

The beast reacted instantly. It emerged from the ground, drawn to the disturbance like a moth to flame. Its massive form rippled with anger, its eyes glowing with fury as it sought the source of the vibrations. This was the moment they had been waiting for.

Kaz, Ren, and Darr sprang into action, attacking from all sides to keep the beast focused on them. Kaz's winds whipped around the creature, Darr's powerful strikes shook the ground beneath it, and Ren's multiplied swords slashed at its liquid form, keeping it disoriented and off-balance.

Leondray, moving with the grace of a predator, circled the beast, his eyes searching for the telltale signs of its weak point. His mind was sharp, and focused, as he analyzed every movement, every shift in the beast's body. There—it was faint, almost imperceptible, but he saw it. A small, glowing spot near the base of the creature's form, pulsed weakly with each of its movements.

"Now!" Leondray's voice cut through the mental link, his finger pointing at the weak spot. Nomai, perched on his hill, aimed his bow once more, his arrows glowing with lethal energy. With a steady breath, he released the volley.

The arrows streaked through the air, each one a deadly missile aimed at the beast's heart. They struck the weak point with unerring accuracy, piercing through the creature's body and driving deep into the earth beneath it. The beast let out a deafening roar, its body convulsing as the arrows embedded themselves within it.

For a moment, the arena was filled with the creature's agonized wailing. Then, with a final shudder, it collapsed in on itself, its liquid form dissolving into the ground. The ooze creatures around them disintegrated, and the spikes ceased their deadly eruptions.

The silence that followed was deafening. The six men, breathing heavily from the exertion, stood victorious in the center of the arena, the echoes of their battle slowly fading into the distance.