We stared at the Manticore growling with pain. The two smaller ones flying in the air beside it, flapping their wings. Don’t they know fanning fire makes it even more intense? What imprudent creatures. Then again, how can they know that?

“Lucy, you’re up first. And try not to hurt your face. Would be such a shame to have something so beautiful, scarred.” I said, holding my hands out and concentrating my magic to conjure a petal in front of me.

Lucy ran forward, holding the sword with both hands.

“I don’t know what you are planning, but I’m trusting you!” she said.

I conjured up pink petals like a staircase beneath her feet as she ran higher and higher into the air. The baby Manticores paid no attention to us. Which is just fine with me!

Lucy reached the height of the majestic birds and jumped off the last petal.

“Heaven’s Judgement!” Lucy yelled.

The sword glowed golden while the blade enlarged. She slammed down on one of the Manticores, bringing it down to the ground. I created a cloud for Lucy to fall on. She turned around giving me a cheeky smile and a thumbs up. Don't smile like that, I might just fall for such a sly fox.

The other manticore screeched, spiraling towards Lucy with fire in its eyes. She held up her sword, shrinking down to normal size.

“Leah! Give me the round magic item inside the bag.”

She dug through her satchel, finding the exact item I needed. She handed it over to me, confusion on her face with what this is.

“What is that?” she asked predictably.

Ah, so easy to read.

“Just watch.” I said, focusing my sight on the speedy Manticore.

I tossed the ball-like item with all my might. At first it would look like just a pebble being thrown at something so huge. However, it expanded in mid-air into a transparent net. It hit the creature directly and slammed it all the way to the wall. It growled and roared, trying to break free but It was no use. The item is infused with holy magic, the widely known weakness of any undead.

“Why didn’t we just use those to capture all of them? And will the Manticore Lucy hit stay down?”

“Because my rose, magic items are pricey after all. I told Lucy I’d pay her back when we got back to the academy and this is all the precious money I had to offer.” I said, turning my pockets inside out. “And yes. Lucy can use Holy magic and infuse it into whatever weapon she wields. Quite a strong one, she is.”

We glanced to the fainted creature on the ground, part of its body twitching. Was kind of cute if you asked me.

The giant manticore jumped into the air, flapping its wings down at us. The air draft was so strong that we were pushed back to the wall. He roared loudly, hovering in the air. His eyes glowed more than before.

I fixed my posture and focused on the giant beast.

“Plant Reconstruction: Vine binding!”

The patches of grass and the walls all sprouted vines at once. The many vines binded the creature like how a spider webs up its food. Soon, the room was filled with vines stretching across to entrap the giant beast in the air.

I clenched my hands, the vines breaking off from their tiles, making the Manticore fall onto the ground that shook the entire dungeon. Kicking up dust and rubble into the air.

“I can’t see a thing.” Leah coughed, waving her arm through the thick air.

“Heaven’s Slash!”

Lucy’s sword slashes sliced through the foggy room, clearing up our vision.

“Well done, that should about do it.” I said, clapping my hands towards both the girls.

"We've only trapped it, shouldn't we kill it fully?" Lucy asked, sheathing her sword.

"Maybe not. Look." Leah said.

I turned around to see her playing with a small fireball between her hands, shrinking and enlargening for us to see.

"It was one of the smaller creatures that hurt her. You must've gotten it with her sword, Lucy. Well done, well done." I applauded once more to her 'trying not to smile' look.

Patting down our clothes and dust from the dust, we made our way towards the stairs. Leah buckling the satchel around her once more. We only had two more magic items in there.

Looks like we didn't need them. I thought about the treasure that awaited inside. What lies on the top… will soon be mine.