Chapter 389: 389

The being’s appearance was clearly hybrid, but only its head—a scaled ratman’s head without fur and with eight eyes—made that immediately obvious.

The being had two scaled hands, and behind its back, multiple spider legs moved constantly. Sknull held his breath as the being walked forward, with ratmen clearing its path.

It glanced at the priest and spoke, “I will keep the mages occupied. Deal with the ogres and ensure the city is taken for our goddess.”

It didn’t wait for a response before leaping, easily reaching the city and passing through the breach.

The monstrous Alpha, a grotesque fusion of rat and spider blessed by Vorenza, landed with a resounding thud, scattering rubble and sending tremors through the already damaged street. Below, the ratmen and hybrids surged through the opening, a tide of clawing limbs and chittering mandibles.

But the true threat, the reason for this desperate gambit, stood arrayed against the hybrid: ten archmages, their robes shimmering with arcane energy.

The presence of the creature got the attention of the mages but what made them take it seriously was the heavy abyss breath released by the creature.

The mages in vigilance, got up higher to the sky. The Alpha eyes took in the appearance of the ten mages as it took a squatting position before it took to the sky with a jump.

As the hybrid roared and launched itself forward, the mages responded with coordinated precision. Two mages, chanting in unison, raised shimmering shields of force, deflecting the initial charge. The hybrid slammed into the shields, the impact creating a shockwave that rippled through the air, but the shields held.

Simultaneously, three other mages unleashed a torrent of elemental attacks. A wave of searing flames washed over the hybrid, followed by a barrage of razor-sharp ice shards and a howling gale of wind that tried to knock it off balance. The hybrid roared in pain as the flames licked its scales, leaving scorch marks, but the ice and wind had little effect, glancing off its tough hide. The mages noted with concern that their spells were significantly weakened, but they pressed on.

The Alpha lost its momentum as it began to fall. Seizing this opportunity, one mage pressed on, following closely behind the descending creature.

He waved his staff, conjuring spikes of earth. The Alpha, seemingly oblivious, didn’t react as the spikes approached. Suddenly, one of the spider legs behind it shot out a string of web, latching onto a nearby rock and pulling the Alpha away from the oncoming spikes.

Simultaneously, another web was shot out latching on to a building, propelling the Alpha upwards like a slingshot. The pursuing mage, startled by this sudden maneuver, was too slow to react.

The Alpha, with terrifying speed, launched itself at him. The mage frantically attempted to summon a shield, but it was torn apart by the Alpha’s powerful jaws. The Alpha’s hand, armed with razor-sharp claws, clamped down on the goblin mage’s face.

The Alpha’s mandibles opened wide, engulfing the goblin mage’s head in a single, horrifying bite. It then dropped the body and stood atop the web string, using it as a foothold in the air.

The Alpha flashed a chilling smile at the remaining mages, who frowned in disbelief at the creature’s intelligence. It had clearly exploited their arrogance and paid the price.

The remaining mages exchanged grim glances. Their initial confidence had been shattered by the Alpha’s unexpected agility and cunning. This was no mindless beast; it was a predator—intelligent and ruthless.

Elinor, her face stern and her eyes glowing with arcane fire, stepped forward. “We cannot afford to underestimate it,” she declared, her voice resonating with a chilling calm. “This creature possesses unnatural intelligence. We must adapt.”

She raised her hands, and the air around her shimmered with an intense emerald-green light. “Form a defensive circle,” she commanded. “Concentrate your energies, and I shall weave a barrier around us.”

The remaining mages quickly complied, their eyes fixed on the monstrous Alpha. Elinor, her face contorted in concentration, began weaving intricate patterns in the air, chanting in an ancient tongue. The emerald light intensified, coalescing into a shimmering shield that enveloped the group.

Sensing the shift in the mages’ tactics, the Alpha let out a chilling shriek. It leaped forward, raising its forelegs, and unleashed a torrent of thick, viscous black liquid that rained down upon the shield. The barrier shuddered violently under the assault but held firm. The black liquid sizzled and foamed upon contact, its corrosive nature evident as it sought to erode the magical defenses.

The shield endured through the combined efforts of the mages, but Elinor realized their current strategy was too passive. “Do not let it dictate the battle!” she called out. “Attack!”

The mages launched a coordinated barrage of probing spells. Streams of fire spiraled downward in serpentine patterns, interspersed with crackling lightning and cascades of freezing rain. Each attack was precise, testing the Alpha’s defenses and reactions.

The Alpha, sensing danger, dispersed the web holding it aloft and plummeted to the ground. The spells followed, striking the earth with devastating force and forming a crater around the beast.

Snarling, the Alpha deflected smaller spells with its spider legs while its thick, scaled hide absorbed the heavier ones. The ground around it was scorched and cracked, yet the creature emerged unscathed.

Elinor’s eyes flashed as she gauged the Alpha’s reactions. With a commanding tone that resonated like a choir, she summoned a massive spear of ice. “Strike true!” she shouted, hurling the weapon with precision.

The Alpha twisted its body mid-leap with shocking agility. The spear grazed its side, leaving a deep gash that oozed black ichor. It snarled in pain but remained unfazed, retaliating with calculated aggression.

Rearing back, the Alpha’s mandibles released a hissing cloud of venom that rose toward the mages. Recognizing the threat, one mage quickly chanted an incantation, summoning a massive barrier of shimmering blue light that neutralized the poisonous mist.

The Alpha was far from finished. Using the cover of its own venom, it shot out webbing that latched onto a rocky outcropping. With a tremendous pull, it tore the structure free and hurled it upward toward the mages. The projectile splintered mid-air as a mage unleashed a powerful blast of force magic, but the distraction allowed the Alpha to close the distance.

The beast leaped again, this time higher and with terrifying speed. At the apex of its jump, it spun, its spider legs extending outward to fling a spray of hardened web shards in all directions. The mages scattered, but one was ensnared, the sticky substance wrapping around his arm and staff.

“Help him!” Elinor barked orders. Two mages dove to assist, their blades of enchanted wind slicing through the webs. But the brief chaos gave the Alpha its opening.

It turned abruptly, its mandibles snapping open to spew a torrent of acidic venom.

The venom struck one mage unprepared, coating his legs. A bloodcurdling scream echoed as the acid ate through his robes and flesh. His flight spell faltered, and he plummeted to the ground with a sickening crunch.

Another mage narrowly avoided the venom, but the Alpha had anticipated this. With a flick of its spider legs, it shot a thick strand of webbing at the mage, yanking him from the air like a fish on a line. The creature’s claws slashed through the mage’s torso before he could react, spilling blood onto the scorched earth.

“Keep your distance!” Elinor shouted, rallying the surviving mages. They tightened their formation, wary of the Alpha’s reach.

The Alpha roared, this time with a distinct, guttural rhythm. A pulse of dark energy radiated outward, and a colossal phantom of a spider appeared in the sky. The spectral arachnid loomed over the battlefield, its presence transforming the area into something akin to a field.

The mages in the air felt their spells falter as a powerful force pulled them downward. One by one, they descended lower to stabilize their flight magic.

“Disrupt it!” shouted one of the mages.

Two mages conjured illusions, creating multiple copies of themselves that darted around the battlefield, confusing the hybrid. Meanwhile, two others began weaving a powerful binding spell, intricate strands of arcane energy swirling around their hands. The final mage, the most experienced among them, focused on channelling a potent disruption spell aimed at destabilizing the hybrid’s magical defences.

Momentarily disoriented by the illusions, the hybrid lashed out blindly, its scaled limbs slicing through the air. The illusory mages vanished one by one as they were struck, but they had served their purpose, buying the others precious time.

The binding spell neared completion as glowing runes materialized in the air around the hybrid. The strands of arcane energy wrapped around its legs, restricting its movements. The hybrid roared in frustration, thrashing wildly, but the spell held firm.

Panic flashed in the Alpha’s eyes as its abdomen expanded unnaturally. With its jaws gaping wide, it expelled a volley of eggs that cracked midair, releasing swarms of small, venomous spiders.

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