Ty, pressed against the cracked window of the boat, felt the entire structure tremble under the creature's violent energy. The Pantsankes, as it had been nad earlier, bore a striking resemblance to a panther, albeit with the elongated body of a serpent, cloaked in fur.
As the creature amassed energy for its blast, a peculiar calm washed over Ty. Unlike Waddle, who scrambled for cover, Ty stood rooted, srized as his hair bristled lightly, a scent wafting from the creature's energy that was strangely captivating.
Just as the blast hurdled towards them, a miracle unfolded before Ty's wide eyes. Rusuf erged, his presence commanding as he t the onslaught with a force equal in ferocity.
The energies clashed, a spectacle of power and light, suspended in mid-air while lightning danced chaotically around them. This standoff, however, was fleeting; the attack soon shattered into myriad particles, dissipating into the night.
Rusuf, the barrier between them and annihilation, was propelled back by the force, his form crashing onto the deck amidst Ty and the others. The impact roused so from their forced slumber, while others remained untouched by the chaos, still ensnared in dreams.
Ty's gaze followed the aftermath of the clash—a towering geyser of water marking the spot of the encounter. Without hesitation, he dashed to Rusuf's side, concern etching his features as he spotted a large splinter of wood embedded in Rusuf's shoulder.
Rusuf, his breaths coming in labored gasps, managed to say, "Yeah, I just didn't expect such a heavy push back."
"Hey, be careful. You don't want to lose too much blood," Ty cautioned, his voice laced with worry.
Rusuf offered a weary chuckle, "Don't worry about , pris—oh, it's you, demon boy, from the local town. I suppose it makes sense you're here."
As Ty opened his mouth to confirm, a familiar prickling sensation interrupted him. He turned, his hair standing on end once more, to see the serpent creature gathering energy for another assault.
"Damn, how do we even beat a creature like that?!" Ty exclaid, the urgency clear in his voice.
It was then Waddle appeared, determination in his stride, wielding a piece of wood like a weapon, positioned over Rusuf's head
Ty's quick reflexes kicked in, propelling him forward to push Waddle back before any rash actions could unfold in front of Rusuf, whose focus remained unbroken on the looming threat.
"What the hell are you doing? This is not the ti to be attacking royals!" Ty hissed, bewildered and frustrated by Waddle's intentions.
Waddle, undeterred by the imminent danger, retorted, "If we're going to die, I might as well get revenge on them. They are terrible people; you don't understand."
Rusuf, rising to his feet with a determination that seed to push past the pain, interjected, "You can try for my head later. For now, I don't intend to let anyone on this boat die."
"Is there anything we can do to help, Rusuf?" Ty inquired, eyeing the creature as its attack neared readiness.
Rusuf offered a half-smile, laden with resolve. "No... actually, yes. I need you to act as a decoy, if that's okay with you."
"A decoy for what?" Ty's confusion was evident in his voice, even as he felt the weight of his shackles disappear, Rusuf having unlocked them with a dexterity that left Ty barely aware of the action.
"I'll maneuver the ship out of her range. She won't pursue us because she has her offspring to consider. But I need bait to draw her attention away," Rusuf explained, his plan clear despite the risks it entailed.
Ty, grappling with the gravity of the situation, offered, "I suppose. So, you want to shoot fire at her or sothing? Just fly toward her using your fire to distract her for a bit, nothing crazy. Don't engage or get into a direct fight with her."
"Once I've gathered enough energy around the ship, I'll divert it towards the shoreline," Rusuf detailed his plan, a sense of urgency underpinning his words.
Confusion laced Ty's response, "Wait, how do you know I can lift off the ground with my flas?"
Rusuf, while preparing for the impending confrontation, answered, "I see past many things in this world. We don't have ti for that discussion," just as the second wave of energy was unleashed from the creature. In a swift motion, Rusuf ripped the wooden splinter from his shoulder and leapt forward, his blade clashing against the incoming attack.
Seizing the mont, Ty jumped into action. Behind him, Waddle's voice carried a mix of betrayal and confusion, "What the hell are you doing working with them!"
Ty, letting Waddle's question hang unanswered, focused on the task at hand. As he maneuvered through the air, thoughts raced through his mind, "I can't imagine what he's been through, but I'll have to address that later. For now, it's about not getting drowned. Though, part of wonders if I could make a run for it right now if I wanted to."
With a determined inhale, Ty committed to his role, leaping through the breach torn into the ship's side. Under his feet, the black flas roared to life, thrusting him forward through the air toward the imminent threat.
Below him, Rusuf engaged bravely, his figure a beacon of resistance as he t the creature's onslaught with unyielding force.
As Ty maneuvered, his attention was montarily captured by the creature's gaze—red eyes that observed the chaos below with a disquieting calm, as if assessing whether Rusuf and the vessel would succumb to its wrath.
Gathering his focus, Ty conjured a flaming arrow, the knowledge imparted by Yun-Jin guiding his hands. The bow materialized, drawn from the ether of his determination. With the arrow of fire cradled between his palms, he let it fly, a silent plea for it to find its mark.
The arrow blazed through the air, striking true as the creature's attention snapped upwards, locking onto Ty. Above the turmoil, he hovered, an avatar of defiance, his feet a whirl of black fla, drawing the creature's ire away from the ship and towards the sky.
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