The battle ended with such a hefty price that the corpses of Greys had dyed the grounds red. The wise Grey Wolves know that as creatures near enlightenment, scenes of bloodshed and death of family members could turn their young into savage beasts and confined their cubs to the stone mound, but their mourning cries could still be heard from the outside.

After recovering their strength, the boys prepared to enter the Storm Wolves’ lair and take back the head of their king. With the majority of the remaining Grey Wolves severely wounded, the boys tried to dissuade their animal companions from following. Still, a handful of the strongest and the Greys’ alpha insisted on coming.

Someone must exact vengeance to what was done to them.

On a hidden path found by the twin dragonlings, the group trudged across a thick, foul-smelling mire. The elite Grey Wolves lead the way searching for dry patches of ground, or fallen logs that they can walk on. It took them a short while before they arrived by a dark cave, the lair of the Storm Wolves. Or perhaps, it is more accurate to call it a large hole in the ground.

Without much hesitation, the group tried to climb down, but Kairos halted them.

“We’re being monitored once again,” he whispered coolly.

No one had felt eyes on them, but they did not doubt his words and immediately prepared their Ki barrier while looking around. But even after sending out their Soul Perception, they found nothing at all.

“There’s nothi… Wait. What’s this?” Alan, who was speaking halfway suddenly paused. A frown appeared on his face, and he looked intently skyward.

“Hmm, what’s wrong?” The others asked, also turning their eyes to where he is looking.

“Don’t you guys feel that there is an odd void in the air above?”

When they concentrated, they realised that there are patches of space above that registered as empty spaces in their Soul Perception.

“Something’s coming… Lots of them!”

“Are those …”

Suddenly, beatings of wings and wailing screeches covered the skies. For a moment, it was as though the gates of hell had opened and the wraiths had escaped.

They immediately found themselves surrounded, not just by bats but also a significant number of crows. The latter had been hiding behind whatever cover the bats used to shield them from the Soul Perception.

“We may have trespassed two territories at the same time…”

Thousands of those demonic bats flew out of the hole in the ground, and in every tree, there are several crow nests. The dragonlings had failed to discover them as they scouted ahead.

Unlike before, the bats show much greater aggression when protecting their home. Their shrieks bombarded the entire area, forcing the boys and their grey wolf companions to retreat.

While their Ki Barrier shielded them, the energy they are using up is concerning.

“Looks like they have been holding back on us before,” Kairos said as they dodged for cover. Although they are quickly backing away, they are not in any real danger, only the lightning storm they faced before was an actual threat thus far.

“I don’t think the other beasts of the forest had a choice when they fought us previously, but now they are just trying to protect their home,” Alan whispered, feeling empathic towards their enemies.

Edward sighed, “I agree, but it doesn’t matter if our enemies are good or evil. They have taken the side of the Storm Wolves, and if we retreat now, the Greys will die.”

They easily found shelter under the trees, the many branches and leaves diffused the sound blasts, but another danger awaited them. Ignoring the bats' attack, the crows flew right into friendly-fire and attacked. Their feathers ruffled in the violent, turbulent and blood spilt from their beaks as they suffered internal damage. Yet, these creatures descended upon the boys, clawing and pecking with before they die.

“We have to drive them back! Jim, aid me!” Edward shouted, and without waiting for a response, he hastily unleashed a powerful arrow that flew upwards. A terrifying bellow of a dragon accompanied the shot. Nearby, Jim unleashed his Hope dagger arts: The Scattering Petals technique. Upon the archer’s shoulder, the Royal Wind Wyvern loaned them its strength. Although as an infant, its presence is still that of superior beasts.

The twin dragonlings also spiralled upwards around the arrow, killing many fliers in their path.

Tommy looked at Alan, then said, “Us too!”

And the two of them unleashed their Secret Arts once again. A storm exploded upwards as two black discs of energy sliced across the canopy. This time, the majestic roar of a tiger accompanied their attacks.

The tiny turtle on top of Alan’s head hissed as well. Unfortunately, without vocal cords, the little thing wasn’t very audible; nevertheless, a great pressure bore down on the fliers by the combined might of the four of them. The darkness fled like the birds and crows scattered in fear.

Although they killed the Storm Wolves’ enemies and lair with their lives, they were abandoned when their homes were attacked. There is no doubt that their homes being next to the Storm Wolves lair wasn’t a coincidence but planted here to hinder any attackers.

“What I don’t understand is, why are they helping the Storm Wolves this much?” Edward asked, but the others had been pondering on this as well.

“I guess we will find out soon.”

Covered with scratches, they welcomed the respite that followed. The fight with the fliers, though short, had taken a toll on them. Thankfully the Greys wielded the powers of the forest and shielded them from sight with thorns and leaves, creating a temporary sanctuary.

After dressing their wounds, Kairos who had been in a thoughtful silence so far suddenly said with a grim look, “I just realised something important.”

Everyone turned their heads towards him and waited.

Almost embarrassed, the boy whispered, “… I… don’t even have a single ranged attack.”

Although, they only learned a limited amount of martial arts, each of them has already picked up some way to strike a foe from afar. Either by their choice of weaponry, or using their secret arts. All except him.

He can use a bow alright, but it doesn’t make him an archer.

This is a problem he promised himself to fix at the first chance.

With nothing left to hinder them, they turned their attention to the wolves and continued forward into the ‘cave’, taking cautious steps not to tumble their way down.

It became darker with every step forward, and a retching scent of death waft upwards clinging onto their clothes that only grows more intense by the moment. They travelled down a straight path without seeing any branching of paths until they lost all sight to the ominous darkness.

In that darkness, a whispering sound stopped everyone in their tracks. Men and wolves alike tensed up in alarm.

*sssssiiiiii*

A light rasp, a slithering sound that echoed in the tiny space, gave everyone goosebumps.

Then many more followed.

This time, they had no explosives to aid them, no poisonous dust that would work in such an enclosed area.

And then, there was complete silence.

Mere moments later, a dull thud broke the stillness. The cavern tunnel shook terribly, and great volumes of dust raised.

Everything turned chaotic afterwards.

Red Pythons were found everywhere, and they struck at the heels of every person and wolf. Their reaction was immediate as well with everyone dodging so quick and precisely that it felt like a practised group manoeuvre.

Unbeknownst to their foes, since the beginning, the boys had been waiting for this ambush. It was only shortly after they entered this tunnel when their Soul Perception picked up the presences of those cold-blooded beasts lying in wait. Kairos immediately sent a countermeasure through Aisa to everyone. A mental message that warned them to be prepared. Although the ambush was well concealed, it was completely useless against them.

*PANG*

However, almost immediately after a clash, Kairos called for a retreat.

They withdrew out of the snakes’ striking range with caution.

“These snakes are built like steel poles. My hand is still hurting from striking it,” Kairos said while holding his arm out and shaking off the numbness.

He had expected the fierce retaliation to rout the snakes; not this. From the feeling of his weapon, his Swallow, had not even nick the snake.

“Even with runic strength?”

“Yes, the frost imbued edge just bounced off it… this may turn into a tough fight.”

“Let me try,” Edward says, and he shot an arrow unerringly at the head of one of the python. The snakes may be swift to bite, but they are considerably slower than a human when slithering on their bellies.

The powerful arrow shot struck through the beast, destroyed a shimmering mana barrier along the way and pinned it lifelessly onto the cavern wall. The magical darkness that it shrouded itself with instantly dissipated like smoke, revealing a white scaly body.

“Well, looks like at least one of us still can kill them,” Alan smiled as though his nerves are made of steel, or perhaps he just isn’t too bothered by anything with his grandmaster level of ‘chill’.

They changed combat tactic immediately, luring out the snakes and leaving the rest to Edward’s arrows.

After moving along at a crawl for half an hour, Jim suddenly stopped. He frantically called out with anxiousness, “HOLD ON!”

Everyone else jumped back in alarm by his yelling.

Their immediate distance from the snakes is actually not far enough for comfort. If one of those cold-blooded vermin managed to slither over undetected, it would happily show them the meaning of ‘red’ in the Red Python’s namesake.

With a horrified expression, Jim muttered in alarm, “I… I lost my crystal egg! I dropped my beast egg somewhere in the dark!”

He desperately patted himself down, checking his time-space ring for the umpteen time, but only felt his heart drop. The value of a contract beast is no cheaper than a carriage, but it was the unexplainable affinity between them that made him fear to lose the rainbow parakeet.

“Did you lose it, just?”

“It must be! I always have it hanging in a pouch by my belt, and I even checked it before entering this place.”

“One of the snakes might have gotten to it in the melee just now. Don’t worry. We’ll definitely find it.”

“Wait… I can feel it. It’s… stirring?” Jim with a frown, then he pointed over to a distance, “It’s over there, and… it seems to be reacting to the python’s blood. Odd.”

They walked back a short distance and saw that the pouch with the rainbow parakeet’s crystal is dropped where blood is pooling from the snake still pinned on the wall. The Red Pythons are watching in their burrows nearby, but somehow they looked frightened.

The gem that is completely soaked in crimson blood started glowing, its brightness seeping through the bag and casting a rainbow on the tunnel walls. As the light touched the snakes nearby, their magical shroud of darkness receded, and they coiled away fearfully.

“What’s that?! T… this beautiful colour…? Is it hatching?” Alan asked in wonder. The wondrous sight of a beast hatching is a first for any of them. They watch in stunned awe while the snakes had apparent unease by the presence that is spilling out of the crystal.

The hissing sounds intensified into a panic, and soon the snakes fled for their lives like a great predator has appeared before them.

“Your contract beast… doesn’t seem normal. I don’t know any rainbow parakeet could give off this amount of pressure when born,” Kairos gave Jim a pointed look, and his brother returned with an excited grin. All along he had thought that his contract would be a weak one and he would be teased ceaselessly, but the mysterious link he felt with it enough to make him endure. Now that it turned out his beast will be something incredible, he felt extremely satisfied as if he was the one praised.

“Great job bird! Now I can leave Alan behind alone to be laughed at! OHOHOHO” Jim declared with pride.

“Hey! Don’t tease my turtle. It was strong enough to survive being pecked by a crow. I saw it with my own eyes!”

“LOOK! It’s hatching… It’s… it’s… uhhhh… It seems stuck in your cloth bag.”

“Umm…”

“How uncool.”

“Go help it.”

After it hatched, the tiny thing chirped and struggled against the small pouch that is on the floor. The light it is giving off has not faded away, and instead grew brighter as it struggled furiously within the cloth that imprisons it, as it rolled along the ground in a great battle of Bird versus Bag!

As they are glued to the scene before them, none noticed that not all the pythons had retreated. One particularly large one with gleaming green eyes drew near, and it struck suddenly at it, biting both bird and bag then wrapping them with its body. It was a curious thing for it to do, considering the parakeet is small enough to be swallowed in one bite. Yet, the snake seemed frightened of the tiny avian and looked hell-bent on constricting it to death first.

The boys quickly acted. Even knowing their attacks would only bounce off the powerful steel-like muscles of the snakes, they ran forth to aid the small bird. Edward’s arrows that are the only thing effective shot forward ahead of everyone. But at this time a bunch of other snakes shot out and blocked the shot. They died to prevent their interruption, fearing whatever it is in the cloth bag even more than death.

When everything indicates that it is far too late, a large flash of rainbow blinded everyone. When they slowly regained their sight, all of the snakes have already crawled away, leaving only the bag on the floor and a beautiful bird with long, crystal-like gleaming feathers sitting on it.

*Chirp?*

“Oh look, it’s beautiful!” Jim laughed delightfully and ran forward. His dread had faded away.

“It doesn’t look like any rainbow parakeet to me?”

“I don’t think that’s a parakeet,” Tommy said with a confident look on his face.

The others were all surprised, had the big oaf secretly become learned?

“Then, what do you reckon it is?”

“This is a Zhu Que,” he said.