On the rocky hillside, flashes of white and red light intertwined, shattering several rocks. Garret, his body bearing multiple wounds, finally found an opening in the battle. With a swift movement, his sword, imbued with a brilliant white aura, pierced the chest of the male Fire Feather Eagle.
The eagle let out a sharp cry, panicking as it quickly flew away from the area. Garret, though pleased, couldn’t help but feel a twinge of regret—he had missed the heart!
As the eagle fled, it turned and saw something even more heart-wrenching: another human was carrying the lifeless body of the female eagle toward it, leaving a trail of blood on the ground.
The male eagle cried out in anguish, spreading its wings wide. Blood dripped from its wounds as it flew toward the Red Flame Tree, clinging to the desperate hope of escaping with its eggs.
But then, stones began to rain down from the sky.
The eagle frantically dodged, its wings flapping wildly as its muscles strained. The intense evasion only worsened the injury to its chest. Realizing that rescuing its offspring was impossible, the eagle cast one last sorrowful glance at the Red Flame Tree. Its gaze then shifted to the humans below, filled with a mixture of sadness and rage.
Seeing the human mage preparing another spell, the eagle hastily beat its wings and soared skyward, fleeing in the opposite direction. In a matter of moments, it became a distant speck on the horizon, soon disappearing from view.
Garret, panting heavily, emerged from behind a pile of stones, relieved. "Victory! Finally!" he exclaimed. Spotting Rhett approaching, holding the body of the female eagle, Garret’s eyes lit up with admiration. "I thought injuring the male eagle was impressive enough, but you managed to kill the female eagle! What a surprise!"
Rhett smiled modestly, saying little.
She cheered, and the others, caught up in her excitement, raised their swords and joined in the celebration.
"Yes! The Fire Feather Eagle is dead!"
"Long live the lord!"
The apprentice knights, too, joined the celebration, their faces beaming with excitement as they followed the other knights down the hill, gathering behind their respective lords.
Klina, standing beside Garret, couldn’t take her eyes off Reilly, her expression a mix of emotions. Reilly, slightly embarrassed, offered her an apologetic look.
He then reached behind him, pulling out a soft, thick cloth package with a noticeable bulge, catching everyone’s attention.
Rhett spoke up, "Go ahead, Reilly. Let Garret see our spoils."
"Spoils?" Garret asked curiously, genuinely surprised. He hadn’t expected there to be more than the eagle’s body. Solving the Fire Feather Eagle problem was already a massive relief for him.
"Yes, and I guarantee it’s something you didn’t expect," Rhett replied with a smile.
Garret glanced at Rhett, then back at the cloth-wrapped package, his curiosity deepening. Reilly didn’t keep him waiting. He carefully unwrapped the right side of the cloth, revealing a magical beast egg—its surface adorned with fiery red patterns, intermixed with crystalline white streaks.
The egg, about the size of a football, gleamed with a faint red aura, exuding an extraordinary presence. A wave of astonishment swept through the group.
Garret craned his neck, his expression one of disbelief. "Is this… a Fire Feather Eagle’s egg?"
The egg’s appearance matched the descriptions he had read perfectly. Given the circumstances, there was no doubt about its authenticity. But the sudden windfall left him momentarily stunned.
With eager anticipation, Reilly unwrapped the left side of the cloth, revealing another identical egg.
The sight of two magical beast eggs hit Garret like a wave of euphoria. Though he didn’t expect to keep both, he was confident he would at least get one.
As Garret marveled at the eggs, Rhett extended one toward him. The egg, still radiating a faint warmth in the winter air, took Garret’s breath away. After a moment, he looked at Rhett with heartfelt gratitude and said, "I must say, Rhett, your arrival has indeed brought good fortune to Dam Town. Not only did you help us rid ourselves of the Fire Feather Eagles, but we also reaped such a bountiful reward. May the friendship between Dam Town and Eagle Town last forever!"
Rhett smiled politely. "You’re too kind, Garret. You played a crucial role as well. The credit for this victory belongs to both of us."
"Thank you!" Garret replied sincerely, carefully accepting one of the eggs with both hands.
After surveying the area, Rhett let out a sigh of relief, as if a burden had been lifted. "It’s time to head back. I need some rest. Today’s battle nearly drained my mental strength."
His words weren’t just modesty. The battle with the female eagle had been intense. At first, Rhett had maintained a steady pace, but when he noticed Reilly moving to flank the eagle’s nest, he realized that the opportunity for a decisive strike might be at hand. The earlier scenarios he had envisioned, where the eagles would either flee or he would be forced to reveal his Earth Spike spell, were far from ideal.
Revealing the Earth Spike would have significant consequences, as its use could draw unwanted attention and speculation, potentially leading to trouble. The use of such a rare spell would likely cause ripples, especially given the scarcity of bloodline potions among nobility.
When Rhett saw Reilly maneuvering to flank, he understood that using the mountain’s blind spot to conceal his spell would be the perfect solution. That’s why he unleashed his full power, using Stonefall to gradually shift the battle towards the southern side of the mountain. This approach, however, had taken a considerable toll on his mental energy.
Garret clapped a hand to his forehead. "Of course! Rhett, your combat prowess is incredible. After casting so many spells, it’s no wonder you’re exhausted. Leave the cleanup to my knights."
Rhett nodded, not one to refuse, and found a clean rock to sit on. He then quietly began to meditate, restoring his mental energy.
An hour later, the battlefield had been cleared, and Garret’s knights regrouped. They had found little aside from a few scattered feathers in the nest. Rhett wasn’t surprised by this outcome.
Having regained his strength through meditation, Rhett stood up just as Garret approached with a somewhat disappointed expression. "My men searched thoroughly, but they found nothing else of value. It seems the Fire Feather Eagle eggs are our greatest prize. And of course, the body of the female eagle, which rightfully belongs to you."