Chapter 47: Chapter 47: Wylla, the Witch, and the Cauldron (Part 2)

(Part 2 The Witch's Cauldron)

Book1, Volume 5

Chapter 47

“Anu Rosel Serpren Bind Kavi!” The Witch called out as dark energy swirled through her body, streaming into her arm, rushing out into her staff. She quickly brought the end of her darkly glowing Bloodrose staff down onto the ground; The energy quickly slithered out of the staff on impact and burrowed its way toward Michael.

Sensing a danger he once felt before, Michael quickly sidestepped and then retreated back as he snapped his head around, focusing on the ground.

A series of mini ground explosions followed his retreating butterfly steps with showers of dust, dirt, and serpenvines with Bloodrose heads which were seeking to latch onto him with piercing bloodthorn fangs.

“Tch!” Disappointed that her binding spell missed, the Witch reached into one of her pouches, pulled out a vial, and tossed it at the ground between her and that evil little butterfly girl!

The vial hit the hard ground and shattered. A swirling mix of blood-red and green smoke filled the air blocking the view of one another.

The Witch rolled on the ground onto her front, and with the aid of her arms, quickly pushed herself back up onto her feet, scrambling to the other side of the hot bubbling cauldron as she once again reached into her pouches.

Ugh! Not good... gotta stop her before she... Michael thought to himself as he turned away from the vile smoke bomb and rushed around the large burning hot cauldron. His feet slid to a stop as his eyes glowed. Darn, I'm too late.

There standing before him all healed up, an empty vial on the ground, and a smirk on her face stood the Witch holding her staff in one hand and something dark, that looked like squirming roots, in the other hand.

“Kaldren Kraken Atoc Kavi!” A shadowy blood-red and evergreen energy flowed into the squirming things in her hand; Infused with power, she tossed them into the cauldron as the flowery SnapDragon slammed into her ribs causing her to grunt.

Ah... I'm too late... again! “Earth Flora: Wall” Michael stomped on the ground as a 2 foot wide, 3-inch thick slab of hard dirt covered with small green serpenvines sprung 4 feet up from the ground. BAM! Just as the wall had finished forming, a Bloodrose cloaked in dark energy slammed into it, nearly breaking through to the other side, leaving behind a small crater and web-like cracks.

As Michael and the Witch exchanged spells the cauldron began to spit, sputter, and undulate as something dark and slick continued to grow within.

Michael, hunching low behind his crumbling Earth Flora Wall, leaned out once again to aim at the Witch which had just sent another Miasma Bloodrose Bolt his way. He watched her pull another vial out from her pouch, pop the cork, and bring it up to her mouth to drink.

Oh no you don't! Michael jumped out from behind the wall as it came crumbling down. A seed bullet burst out from the tip of his wand and sped towards the Witch. KRSHH! The vial shattered in the Witch's hand as the liquid splattered onto her beautiful bloodrose dress.

“KAVI! NOC FLRK KAVI!” The bruised and battered Witch glared at Michael before stepping back and moving around the cauldron, using it as a shield as a purple and pink flowered SnapDragon streaked by, just missing.

Michael glanced up at the 3 bars on the top right corner of his vision as he chased after the Witch, not wanting to give her a chance to drink another healing potion. Looks good... plenty of Oryn energy left... He rounded the cauldron, pointed his wand at the Witch who aimed her staff at him.

“Dreamnisca SnapDragon Bolt!”

“Briar Bloodrose Curse Atuk!”

The SnapDragon exited the wand and streaked towards the Witch as a wet spidery Bloodrose jumped off the tip of the Witch's staff towards the little butterfly girl that was a mere 10 yards away.

The SnapDragon was halfway to the Witch when PSSHHH! The cauldron erupted as large shadowy blood-red tentacles sprung up from within sending sprays of steaming drops of sludge all around, except for where the Witch was standing.

A great big wicked smile lit up the Witch's face as a large tentacle swept down in front of her, slamming into the SnapDragon bolt, taking damage while shielding its master.

What the... so not fair! I was winning! Michael's wings quickly flapped as he retreated, the droplets falling like rain onto the ground with soft sizzling sounds; several of the larger drops landing on the spidery bloodrose curse causing it to melt into the hard dirt ground. “Great... another tentacled beast. Just what kind of game is this anyway?”

He stood there for a moment, looking towards the 'octopus' cauldron. Some of the dark blood hued tentacles were tipped with mouths and others with eyeballs just like the missing Eldrytch Gator. The mouth tipped tentacles hung in the air near the Witch guarding her as the eyeball tipped tentacles began to cast Bloody Void Orbs at him.

[ Cauldron Kraken is an elite rank 1 beast born of dark alchemy. Being the first of its kind, just 'birthed' into the world, not much is known about its strengths and weaknesses but I'm sure you'll figure it out... or die trying. Good luck Wylla. We're rooting for you! ;) ]

“Tch!” This just got a lot harder! Michael's wings began to flutter as he dodged the barrage of dark bloody orbs returning fire with Seed Bursts and Dreamnisca SnapDragon Bolts, aiming for the Eyeball stalks in order to stop the beasts ranged attacks. Unfortunately, it seemed the Dreamnisca poison had no effect on the tentacled beast, and even worse, the damaged tentacles seemed to be healing over time.

Not sure if its the cauldron beast's natural regen or the Witch that's healing it... or maybe the sludge that's in the cauldron but I can't keep fighting like this... I need shelter... and a plan. Michael stomped on the ground and shouted out, “Earth Flora: Pillar!” The earth rumbled as a pillar of hard dirt and serpenvines burst up from the ground, rising up 4 and a half feet high and 3 feet round, easily shielding Michael from the onslaught of ranged attacks, giving him time to rest, and more importantly, to think.

Meanwhile, the battle between the Kavi and the Spriggankin was well underway...

Lunori's body glowed brightly as she hopped up into the air over the thrusting Kavi's spear. The air shimmered as a plate-like disc of silvery-ice blue light solidified. Lunori's small foot stepped down on its cool surface and quickly pushed off as she somersaulted over the head of the attacking Kavi. She struck out with her rod while in mid-flight over the Kavi's head, WHACK!

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The Kavi's eyes rolled back, darkness claiming it. The Kavi crumpled to the ground as Lunori landed with a soft 'thwump' on the ground, making her way towards the second cage with the imprisoned spriggankin.

On the outer edge of the courtyard, near the path to the village, the Old Raven stood glaring at the dozen or so oncoming foes running and scuttling her way. There was no fear in her onyx eyes.

She lifted her Wynbella Ravenwood Staff high into the air, filling it with her power as it thrummed with cold dark misty energy. Her brows furrowed and a single thought shot through her mind, NOW! She brought her icy darkwood staff down hard, slamming into the ground!

A cold dark cloud exploded out of the top of her staff, shifting into black feathery forms with icy blue Wynbella wings. The Kavi and Spidolls all seemed to gasp as the Old Raven's murder of Noctis Wynbella Ravens flew straight into them, barraging them with icy wet slaps, sharp taloned slashes, and cold piercing beaks. Dark Shadowfrost poison entered their bodies, freezing the areas around their wounds and chilling their bones.

“SKREE!” “KAVI!” Their screams filled the night, unnerving their allies.

All along the defending line, Ogens and a Talrics held their wooden tower shields up, blocking darts and web shots. Here and there, rushing bands of Kavi and Spidolls would run across the lightly muddy battlefield separating the two forces as Ossils and a Ferrewls fired stone bullets with their slingshots from behind in safety; While some of the mid-guards cast shuriken thorns and seed bullets.

Many Kavi and Spidolls hit the ground hard, tumbling into others bringing them down before ever reaching the frontline. Those lucky enough to make it past the danger zone either became victims of the Earth Flora Pit traps or were met by the shield-bearing Spriggankin that bashed their jumping bodies into the waiting pits below.

A Kavi Hunter with a dark feathery headdress called out as Spidolls began to descend from above. A series of short but loud 'tootle-tu's' rang out shortly after as the air filled with buzzing noises, followed by a rain of 'thwumps' as green spidery bodies began to drop onto the ground. The Spriggankin wasted no time finishing off any Spidoll unfortunate enough to fall near them.

The Witch's eyes widened in disbelief as she took in the sight of the battlefield. Her heart began to beat faster and faster. All along the ground were many bodies but all of them were either Kavi or Spidolls. Why? She spotted an injured Felune with a dart in its neck, looking like it might fall.

But then a little Ossil ran up to the injured Felune, reaching into a pouch that hung around its waist, and pulling out a round item. The Felune swayed to and fro, reaching out with unsteady hands as the Ossil helped it to grab the round item which the Felune then ate. The Felune's wounds visibly began to heal as it removed the dart in its neck. It regained its balance, its strength, its vitality, and re-armed itself heading back into formation.

The Witch clenched her teeth, she had to do something or else this would be the end of not only the village but of her. If only she had taken the time to create loads of healing potions for her village but she never thought a day such as today would come; A day in which the Spriggankin would strike back. And it's all because of that vile little butterfly girl!

Looking along the Spriggankin battle line, she spotted the Old Raven, who was single-handedly stopping groups of Kavi and Spidolls. She aimed her Bloodrose staff, chanted, and glared at the Old Raven's back; A wet spidery bloodrose lept off the tip of her staff, jumping and scuttling towards the Old Raven.

The Old Raven was in the midst of channeling Wynbella Ravens as they flew towards a small group of enemies when she felt a hard cold wet impact on her back, interrupting her casting and causing her to grimace in pain as she stumbled forward.

Seeing that the Old Raven was about to fall into her own Earth Flora Pit trap, a fast-acting Kiir jumped out from beside her, grabbing hold of her waist and pulling her back. Two shield bearers and a mid-guard rushed into her now vacant position in line, guarding her against the half dozen Kavi and Spidolls that were heading her way.

“Humph!” The Witch voiced her disgruntlement. But what happened next, left her even more angry for the Old Raven then pulled out a vial, drank it, and then sighed in relief as the Bloodrose curse that had just tattooed itself onto her back burst into small particles of energy and faded away.

“KAVI!?!” The Witch screeched, stomping her foot on the ground. This was wrong, everything was wrong! And it was all because of that horrible little pest again! She just knew it had to be. Before that girl ever showed up, they never had problems dealing with the Spriggankin... but now... now they were just as strong as their village and came prepared with potions, giving them a huge advantage.

If only that wretched girl hadn't come, she could have been with her Kavi and Spidolls, ending the Spriggankin threat. But instead, she found herself hidin... err... strategically crouching behind her cauldron, stuck in a stalemate against that cursed little brat who was cowering behind her pillar... something had to change or else!

The Cauldron Kraken continued to bombard Michael's Earth Flora Pillar with Bloody Void Orbs causing it to slowly crumble and break apart. Every now and then, Michael would infuse it with Oryn energy, repairing and rebuilding the damage. Yes! They're starting to push them back... marching towards the village. Now it's my turn. I need something... to separate that Witch from that Cauldron Kraken... Michael's eyes searched around the courtyard, looking for a solution, looking for... Anything!

“AHAHAHAHA! YES! I DID IT! I GOT A UNIQUE RACE!...”

“What... Who is that?...” Michael asked no one in particular, not expecting an answer, as the voice continued.

“... I, SYL'LEAN ROSEBLUD, AM A SYLVERN! HAHAHA!” The boisterous soprano voice echoed out, dwarfing the sounds of battle as Michael, the Witch, and just about everyone still fighting nearby, stopped what they were doing and turned towards the Witch's hut, eyes searching the dark swamp just beyond.

[ ding! ]

[ Congratulations Wylla! You have completed your Beauty and the Beast quest earning 50 lyrs, 500 XP and Tiering Up. Also, since things have taken an unexpected turn (what with your Divine Mother Sylvenori taking a liking to the new form that the Ganglyrot changed into and spontaneously deciding to make it the second of the five plant races she's been rewarded with making because of her helping my Divine Mother Lokaini with your Earth's Planet Seed which I guess is going off on a whole other tangent... so I'll stop there. Now, where was I?... Oh yes... there I was...), you're reward has now been changed from Gift of Friendship to a Bloodrose Bracelet. Would you like to receive your reward at this time? Y/N ]

“Oh, I so have questions for you right now, but first... Yes! I'd like my reward now.” Michael said with a smile as he held out his hand, palm up, as the Bloodrose Bracelet materialized, not on his hand but round his wrist. His eyes glowed as he read the infobox:

[ Bloodrose Bracelet is a beautiful piece of jewelry that increases your Int, Wis, and Spellpower by 2... ]

“OMG! An Event Quest! Yes! Kill the Cauldron Kraken... Ah! Look at that beautiful little fairy girl. She's the CUTEST NPC I've ever seen! I just got here and I already love this game! I wonder if she'll let me pet and hug her?”

“Cutest NPC what?... Pet and hug who?” Michael's body shivered as his head snapped towards the side of the Witch's hut, closing the infobox, and spotting the source of those worrisome words... that was rushing straight at him...

"KAWAII!" "OOMPH!"