100 SUBTLE WINDS - Iigrazre

THIRD PERSON POV

A blue-eyed female sitting in a lotus style in the field of her castle garden suddenly opened her eye. A glint in them was obvious as she stared far into nothing.

"This..." she halted her words then sighed.

"...while unexpected does help " she shrugged as she made to shut her eye only to pause and reopen them wider. Once more looking at the same point but with a bit of a shift.

"That... that is possible?" she frowned. Her arms released from their grasp on her thigh as she made to stand.

"Distractions do you no good Hilde" The calm voice of her tutor filled her hearing. A frown came to her face as she looked at him.

"Blaming me and halting your training whenever something happens won't help anyone in the long run"Cole tilted his head the red mane on his head falling to the side.

" I know but..."

"Oh, no buts". he snapped his finger. Beautiful rainbow flames rose from the field around her and him. Before Hilde could as much as twitch the flames consumed both.

"Now we can focus"he spread both hands with a smile. 'And help it too. Hopefully, it turns out well for all her arrangements, what a hassle. Fortunately, I did nothing this time.'

Cole smiled sheepishly as the blue orbs of his student drilled into him. 'I guess after being caught once a suspect remains a suspect.'

" Go on. Back to it. You won't be heading back to your universe if you don't atleast start sensing primordial energy". the eye roll he received made a smirk climb up his face right as he watched her adjust her seating and close her eyes.

"There we go".

*

JARLA'S POV

[You have entered the domain of Iigrazre]

[You have earned the Wisdom of Jean]

[Quest assigned]

[Boss Monster]

The Voltar leader Khel'Rin has spoken of the Chimera, a creature that lives and guards the core of the lost world. Heavily saturated with the coldness of divine embers this entity has evolved beyond the limits of this lost world.

[Rank - S]

[Rewards - Spell Tome, Martial Tome]

[Failure - Death, Stat loss ]

" Do you all see this?" I asked quickly casting a look to the others and receiving several nods.

"All right then let's all..." I paused as a chill swept through me. It was cold, like internal cold, accompanied by a prick inside me. I wasn't the only one that suddenly turned to look up at the ash clouds that covered the surface of the end of the world. I had no idea what I was looking at but for some reason, I just felt that whatever it was came from that direction.

[The Mother leaves]

I blinked at the new words from the system. A thought rose in me at the timing.

"Focus" Graden of course was the first to snap out of it while the Voltar looked on at us in confusion.

"Alright, everyone. If we want to know what that meant, let's focus on completing our mission and getting home.

With a nod, we surged forward. Everyone spread out in a prearranged formation that was coordinated by Graden and Khel'Rin. With the Voltar up front as the ones with greater body endurance. The Furies by their sides ready to block with their shields. I and Arane raced up front, while Khel'Rin brought up the rear with another of her Voltar. Graden was everywhere.

Our race was halted the moment we moved last the polls of ash. It was a plain of dry red cracked ground. Far to the distance was a range of mountains that churned the ash which flowed into the air and gathered into the pillar. But it was the pillar of fire that rose from the center of the mountain range that caught our sight.

It was green., blazing with cold energy that are in the atmosphere. This was where the planet was dying from. The flames fed themselves with the nutrients of the world. Just like a normal fire that needed fuel to burn so did it. But unlike normal fire that needed to spread and set light to everything the pillar stood at the core feeding off it. The core in turn drained at the world to sustain itself and the cycle continued.

Of course, I didnt know this. But I was soon to find out. At that moment Graden tapped me pointing to the base of a mountain before disappearing into the crowd.

Iigrazre was nothing like what I expected from a chimera boss monster. While the system tried to adequately explain the terms to me it was still my first boss monster to take on. As such I couldn't control my jaw from dropping at the sight.

"Where to start? Okay."

The Gemini once spoke of large and long serpents as well as eighth-legged beasts that gave the Vaustarians problems. Iigrazre stood at 22 meters high. With solid chitinous scales that had few magma coverings here and there over its twelve legs. The torso connected to the spider-like body was inhuman. The long curved torso reached up far till it connected to a head. A single eye that was as red as the female Voltars. There was a sort of gill at the sides of what should have been its cheeks. Gills that vibrated as a breath passed through the head. Finally was the rear, long and connected to a curved tip with a liquid dripping off it.

"We're screwed aren't we?" Arane whispered with wide eyes. I looked up at the lightning flashing on the ash cloud and down at its large body. Looked to the green flames and back to the Iigrazre.

"That's why the lightning strikes all that flies from the ash. The Iigrazre is too big to react to surprise strikes so it acts as a barrier for it. Protect the flame and the flame protects it too." I murmured.

"And you know this how?" Arane questioned.

"Wisdom of Jean. I got it once we entered here. I guess it's the reward for smartly getting in even through the turbulence". I frowned at the big word I used. Arane looked shocked too before nodding.

"Definitely wisdom of Jean. But, who is Jean?"

"Leave the questions for later. What do we do for now?" Graden once more appeared, his white eyes locked on me. This boy had issues. Or was it me? I mentally shook away the thought before looking back to the Iigrazre.

"We surround it. It's too large to react to a surprise attack. So we do just that. Distract it and get a fell swoop."

"How exactly?" Arane and Graden looked at it and back to me.

"The Voltar. Hate to say this, but they are denizens. Seeing them won't tbe suspicious. Surely from the fact that Khel'Rin knew about it. Then surely there are dumb Voltars who come down here for some reason. It won't treat them as much of a threat. We won't let it regret that mistake though.".

" I like". Graden affirmed.

"Yeah. Good plan. I mean not cool sacrificing the Volrsr but yep good plan. " Arane asked then froze as she looked up to both Graden and me staring at her.

"Let's go" I finally said releasing her from the eye pressure and turning to discuss with Khel'Rin. Behind me, I heard her mutter insults at us. A small smile appeared on my face and turning I saw one vanishing from Graden's face. Scoffing I marched ahead to Khel'Rin.

With the plan laid out and poked from all angles several arguments and concessions and tweaks were made before we came to an agreement. The lot of us set off for the base of the mountain where Iigrazre lay. As we approached we Furians broke off from the Voltars in two directions heading for the other sides of the Iigrazre.

The Voltar slowed down as we hurried up to get to our positions. By the time we made it the Volrtar were just a charge away from the weird creature. Then Khel'Rin started.

"Awaken Iigrazre. Me Khel'Rin come for honor of your head". Arane and I exchanged a glance. At least we now knew why the Voltar came down here at all.

Iigrazre proved to be a light sleeper as its gilla shook then its eye fluttered. Iigrazre's wake shook the pillar of fire, spouts of green flame flaring here and there. The lightning in the ash cloud increased their races and the ground trembled.

"Well, what was it about a surprise attack" Arane murmured.

"Silence" I hissed. We watched. Khel'Rin stood staring the beast down even as it affected nature. I almost felt like commanding her till Arane tapped my shoulder and pointed. I looked and saw.

The Voltar's legs were shaking so hard it was visible from this far. I would have laughed if her reason for being scared wasn't Iigrazre. Waving my right hand I had the others get ready.

The plan was simple. Target the gills of Iigrazre, by getting it up and facing Khel'Rin it had exposed its gills to two sides of the we Furians. I raised my arm without a word activating the Fiery fire. I could have used the Fury armaments but I felt the flames were better.

Like before black light rolled up my arm and formed a ring around my wrists. It was clear for all to see which was why I had raised my arm. On my left hand, the same happened. Then I raised it to meet the right as black flames spilled from the black ring and raced up to the center of my palm. There it grew as I fed my will to it and made it rise like a bonfire.

"Now!" I screamed just as Iigrazre stood on its twelve spiked spider legs and lowered its head to gaze at Khel'Rin and her Kin. Beams of black fire shot for the large chimera and blasted into its gill with a thunderous black explosion. The Volrar were rocked back hard from the force and the Iigrazre uttered a primal wail of pain.

No one cared. The force had pushed it's face to its left where another conjoined blast of fire met its gill. The resounding explosion came again, this time the Voltar was farther back. Iigrazre roared as its long neck vibrated in unbridled rage. The injuries to it were severe and its breathing was labored but still it stood. Its eyes stared down at the Furians who were now revealed in anger it's maw parted as it uttered a primal roar of dominance.

BOOOM

"Shut up" Graden rolled down its neck as its mouth spewed the torrents of black fire that he had thrown down its jaws.

"That's my boy"Arane yelled. The comment earned a glance from me. " I mean our boy?" My eyebrows raised but ignoring her I rushed out.

Spear in hand, I tossed my shield boosted by a blast from the Fiery flame and covered by the energy of [Fury armament]. The shield struck its spiked feet giving out nothing but a scratch yet it got its attention. Its head turned to gaze down and my wings flapped with all the strength my muscles could muster. I shot up like an arrow, beating my wings against the wind to have it take me up. Once I was right above the Iigrazre I paused and folded my wings in.

"HEYYY YO0U!!!" my yell caught Iigrazre attention making it look up. Its sole blinking eye locked on me with a vengeance. Then it widened, the pupilless green eye shivering in shock right as my spear clad with the red sheen of [Fury armament], the wrath of the Mother went into it its eyeball.