Chapter 47: Going Hunting (4)

Noah and Arlo pushed through the underbrush, their breathing heavy, sweat beading along their brows. The forest was growing darker, the trees thicker. Arlo paused for a second, glancing around. "We’ve been going in circles," he muttered. "We should’ve seen them by now." Noah frowned, scanning the forest floor. "If I were Liam, where would I go? Somewhere elevated. A ridge maybe. Somewhere he could fight with that barrier of his." Arlo’s mouth opened to respond, but a piercing screech tore through the air, so loud it sent birds scattering from the trees above. Their eyes met. Then they ran. They sprinted through the trees, dodging branches and leaping over roots. The screech came again, closer now. More desperate. The terrain began to slope downward, and just ahead, the tree line broke into a wide gorge. They reached the edge just in time to see Liam collapse to the ground below, his hands braced on his knees. Theo stood over him, defiant, facing the monstrous rust-red bird circling above. Noah and Arlo didn’t hesitate. They leapt down the incline, feet slamming against the ground as they descended into the gorge. Noah’s heart raced. The bird beat its wings once, then again. A shimmer built around it, sickly and pulsing. "It’s charging—" Arlo began. And then the bird screeched with a final flap of it’s wings. A wave of eroding energy, swirling with the death of everything it touched, launched toward Liam and Theo. Noah acted instantly. He thrust his hand forward. "Devour." A black circle exploded beneath his feet, spinning outward. Darkness rippled like water across the ground, and out of it came giant shadowy hands, reaching forward. The wave of corroding energy met the outstretched hands, only to be grabbed and yanked backward into a swirling mouth of shadow that formed inside the darkness. The mouth of Devour hissed as it fed, the edges flickering with faint sparks. The air trembled as the energy was torn apart, digested by the spell. Noah’s legs surged beneath him, speed kicking up as if something inside him clicked into place. A system notification flickered to life before him. [Agility increased temporarily.] [FF- → FF+] He waved away the golden screen, stumbling slightly at the sudden shift, before skidding to a halt in front of Liam and Theo. Arlo landed beside him, chest heaving. Liam’s wide eyes met Noah’s. Theo blinked in disbelief. Then, relief swept over their faces. "Good to see you too." Arlo grinned, breathless. But there was no time to relax. The bird above them let out another screech, furious this time, and dove. Noah raised his hand again, calling on the Devour spell. The hands of darkness exploded from the circle around his feet, streaking through the air like hunting hounds unleashed. They lunged for the Rust Vulture, but the bird twisted in midair, avoiding the snatching claws by a breath. The hands followed, hungry and relentless, but the vulture climbed sharply, its wings beating once, twice, before soaring out of range and circling above them. Noah’s gaze dropped to his friends. "Is Liam hurt?" Arlo was already crouched by Liam, checking his pulse. "You good?" Liam grimaced, his voice tight. "It’s the skill. C-rank barrier. I forced it twice with a body that shouldn’t. I can barely move now." Noah gave a small nod, eyes flicking back to the sky as the Rust Vulture shrieked and dove again. Another wave of decaying energy came crashing toward them like a rotten tide. "Devour!" The hands of shadow rose again. They caught the energy in midair and dragged it into the spinning mouth of darkness at Noah’s feet. The wave was torn apart and consumed. [Agility increased temporarily.] [FF+ → F-] A tingle surged through his limbs. He flexed his fingers once, feeling the slight but noticeable improvement in speed. Above them, the bird screeched again in rage. Noah stepped forward. "I know what it is. Rust Vulture. An abyssal monster that can use the Decay affinity." "It’s got two tricks. An aura that withers everything it passes, and a wave that rots things from the outside in." Arlo stood beside him now, eyes locked on the circling bird. "Then we’ve got one chance." He looked at Noah, his expression calm. "When it comes close again, I’ll hit it. You catch what’s left with your spell." Noah blinked. "You sure?" Arlo nodded. "I’ll clip its wings. You drag it to the grave." Noah’s jaw clenched. He already knew Arlo was not ordinary. If he said he could do it, then he can definitely do it. "Let’s do it." Arlo turned to Liam and Theo. "Got any arrows left?" Theo handed him one. Liam fumbled with his satchel, pulling out a second. "Here." "Thanks." Arlo said, rolling his shoulders. He turned back to the sky, gripping an arrow in each hand. Above, the vulture shrieked again, wings angling downward as it prepared to dive. "Now," Arlo whispered. "Come to me." The bird banked, descending fast, wings cutting the wind as it aimed straight for them. Arlo’s body tensed. Sparks of mana danced across his fingers. He raised both arrows, channeling his power into them. Noah watched as his friend stood still, arms wide, eyes glowing faintly beneath the edge of his blindfold. The Rust Vulture cried out. And Arlo smiled. He hurled the first arrow with a sharp flick of his wrist. The Rust Vulture screeched, swerving to avoid the projectile as it sliced through the air. But in its desperate attempt to dodge, it flew straight into the path of the second arrow. The moment the second arrow struck, it tore through the monster’s wing with a sickening crunch. Blood and feathers burst from the wound as the bird’s balance failed. It twisted wildly in the air, screeching in fury and panic, before it began to plummet. Noah stepped forward, hand raised. The darkness around his feet surged up in a whirlpool of shadows. "Devour." The hands of darkness shot forward, catching the wounded bird in mid-air. It fought back, flapping wildly, talons slashing at the shadows. But it was too late. The hands pulled, dragging it into the dark ring circling Noah. The bird thrashed, wings flailing, voice rising into a shriek of pure desperation. Then the mouth of darkness opened. The vulture disappeared inside, its cry cut off as the last of its body was pulled in. Silence followed. Ding! The golden screen of a system notification appeared before Noah. [Devour effect evolved due to Dark Dragon energy.] [New Spell Unlocked] [Rot – D-rank Spell] Noah’s eyes widened. Beside him, Arlo let out a low whistle. "That... was creepy. You just ate that thing. With your shadows." Noah blinked, causing the notification to disappear, then grinned. "Guess I was hungry." He dispelled the Devour spell, the swirling shadows retreating into nothing. But before he could fire back a proper retort, a violent, wet cough erupted beside him. Noah turned, startled. Arlo was hunched over, his hand clutched over his mouth. Blood sprayed between his fingers as he coughed again and again, his knees buckling as he collapsed to the ground. "Arlo!" Noah dropped beside him. Theo and Liam rushed over, panic written across their faces. "What’s happening to him?" Theo demanded. Arlo wheezed, managing a strained laugh. "It’s... the backlash..." Noah held his shoulder. "From what? You only threw two arrows!" Arlo’s eyes fluttered open, pain burning in them. "Skill... I used it for too long." Theo frowned. "You didn’t use a skill. You just threw—" "I used it," Arlo rasped. "You just didn’t... see it. In three seconds, I stretched it... to forty." He grinned weakly, blood on his teeth. "How else do you think... I hit the bird?" Then his eyes rolled back, and he fell unconscious in Noah’s arms. A/N: Are you enjoying the story so far? If so, don’t forget to leave a review. Or you can give a power stone or golden tickets. It helps with visibility and more importantly, increases my motivation. Thank you in advance!