The ruins stood silent under the burning desert sun. The air shimmered with heat, and the only sound was the faint whistle of the wind moving through broken walls. The Rising Heroes waited patiently, their eyes sharp, their weapons ready. Minutes stretched slowly, the tension rising in their hearts.
Finally, after nearly half an hour, Adrian caught a faint slithering sound. The sand shifted unnaturally in the distance, a ripple moving across the ground like a wave.
"There," Adrian whispered, pointing.
The group crouched low, moving carefully toward the disturbance. As they came closer, the source revealed itself, serpents, but not ordinary ones.
Adrian muttered, "Sand Serpents."
The Sand Serpents were long, pale-scaled creatures, their bodies blending perfectly with the color of the desert. Each one was the length of a wagon, with sharp fangs that glistened with venom. Their yellow eyes glowed faintly, and they slithered swiftly across the sand as if swimming in water.
"They're fast…" Sera whispered.
"Not faster than us," Doran said with a grin, tightening his grip on his hammer.
The serpents hissed, coiling as they sensed the heroes. Before they could strike, Sera raised her staff and whispered an incantation. Then from the ground, thick roots burst forth, twisting and wrapping around the serpents' bodies. The creatures thrashed and screeched, but their movements were slowed.
"Now!" Sera shouted.
Doran charged forward, his hammer glowing faintly as he poured strength-enhancing magic into it. With a mighty swing, he smashed it down on one of the restrained serpents, the force cracking its skull in a single blow.
Lila darted in next, her sword flashing as flames surged along the blade. With swift, sharp strikes she cut through two serpents at once, finishing them with a burst of fire that burned their wounds shut. One serpent lunged at her, but she quickly shifted her sword with a flick of water magic, striking its head cleanly.
Adrian moved with grace, his sword faintly glowing with light. His strikes were precise, cutting at vital points. With each slash, a serpent fell, their bodies twitching before growing still. Though he refrained from using too much of his Future Sight, his timing was flawless, dodging strikes as if he already knew when they were coming.
From above, Drakar roared, his wings spreading wide. He dove down with his war axe, flames bursting from his mouth as he struck. His axe crushed one serpent's skull while his fire engulfed another. With his powerful wings, he rose back into the air, circling for another strike.
Within minutes, the battle was over. The last serpent hissed weakly before Adrian's sword pierced it through. The desert grew quiet again, the only sound the heroes' steady breathing.
"Not too bad," Doran said, wiping sweat from his forehead.
"Not bad?" Fizzle muttered from the sidelines. "Those things were terrifying."
The group began collecting useful items from the slain serpents—fangs, scales, and venom sacs. Each would fetch a good price or be used in alchemy later. But just as they were finishing, a low hiss echoed across the ruins. Then another. And another.
Everyone froze.
The sand around them began to shift. From every direction, more serpents appeared, their scales gleaming in the harsh light. Dozens of them slithered forward, hissing loudly. And among them came massive ones, far larger than the others, each as thick as a tree trunk and far more menacing.
Lila's eyes narrowed. "They're not stopping."
The Rising Heroes quickly formed a circle, weapons raised. The serpents didn't hesitate—they rushed forward with terrifying speed.
The battle began again, fiercer than before.
Drakar launched into the air, fire blazing from his mouth. His flames spread across the sand, forcing back a cluster of serpents as he swooped down, his axe splitting another in half. The smaller serpents tried to follow his movements, but he was too fast, his wings carrying him out of reach.
Adrian fought on the ground, his sword glowing as he cut precisely. A serpent lunged at his side, but with a quick sidestep and slash, its head rolled into the sand. Another came from behind, striking fast, but Adrian ducked just in time, driving his blade upward into its open mouth.
Doran roared, swinging his hammer with raw power. Each strike sent tremors through the ruins, crushing serpents into the ground. A massive serpent lashed its tail at him, knocking him back slightly, but Doran only grinned and slammed his hammer into the earth. The shockwave made the serpent stumble, allowing him to bring his weapon down on its head with a bone-cracking smash.
Sera stood at the center, her staff glowing green as she summoned thick roots and vines again. They burst through cracks in the ruins, wrapping around serpents' necks and tails. She pulled them tight, slowing their movements, while she shouted instructions to the others.
Lila fought swiftly, her sword blazing with fire as she struck down serpent after serpent. At one moment she unleashed water magic, her blade slashing with streams that cut cleanly through the scaled bodies. Another serpent lunged from the side, but she spun and slashed, cutting it down before it reached her. Sweat dripped from her brow, but her determination kept her moving.
The serpents grew more aggressive, especially the larger ones. One massive serpent swung its tail like a whip, striking the ground with enough force to break stone. Dust and sand flew everywhere. Another lunged at Drakar mid-flight, forcing him to twist in the air and counter with a fiery slash of his axe.
The heroes fought bravely, but the battle was intense.
At one moment, Lila faced one of the larger serpents alone. Its glowing yellow eyes locked onto her as it lashed forward, snapping its venomous fangs. She blocked with her sword, sparks flying as she was pushed back. She countered quickly, fire bursting from her blade as she cut across its side. The serpent screamed, thrashing wildly.
But as she focused on the giant serpent, a smaller one slithered behind her, moving swiftly across the sand. Its fangs bared, it lunged straight at her exposed back.
Adrian saw it. His eyes widened. He was too far away to reach her in time. He shouted desperately, "Lila! Behind you!"
Lila turned sharply, but the serpent was already mid-air, too close. Her eyes widened, realizing she couldn't block in time.
Before its fangs could sink into her, a sudden blur cut across her vision.
With a metallic crack, the serpent was split open in mid-air. Its body hit the sand in two pieces, writhing before going still. Standing behind it was an unfamiliar figure, holding a crowbar glistening with blood.
The figure smirked, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
"Heya," he said casually, twirling the crowbar once. "Let the fun begin."