They were running at speed and descending at the same time, their hands gripping both bow and arrow in firing position. The gap between them and the winged snakes was enormous, and that widened the snakes' mobility. Unlike the snakes, Zain and Saif al-Sama were running, but they did not give up and continued to pursue them relentlessly.
Suddenly, and without warning, one of the snakes at the rear abandoned its pack and changed direction toward the west. Saif al-Sama saw that and said, "This is our chance — let's follow it." Zain nodded and moved together with Saif al-Sama.
After tracking it for a long while, the two saw the reason why it had left its pack: it was lying in wait for a flock of quail. Both of them were astonished at its ability to spot prey from such a distance. Fortunately for them, its ambush on the flock had distracted it; otherwise it might have seen us, and certainly it would have preferred a larger meal, Zain said.
From observing its movements they also realized that these snakes had a greedy nature. Although they moved as a pack, if one of them spotted prey it would be ready to abandon its pack to enjoy the meal alone.
As it drew near to the flock it slowed its speed and gained altitude until the flock was directly beneath it. Then it made its move — a hiss. A gentle flame issued from its mouth toward the flock and the feathers ignited immediately. The birds were burned completely and began to fall one by one. The winged snake made sure not to burn them entirely so it could enjoy its meal perfectly cooked.
Zain and Saif al-Sama were surprised by the snake's cunning and craftiness. Yet everything it had done worked to their advantage: the snake would be forced to descend to the ground to eat its spoils, which would make it far easier for them to target it precisely. As expected, the snake began to descend; it flapped its wings slowly and extended its two very small legs — they were entirely disproportionate to its body. It began pecking at the ground like a bird picking at grain, though in reality it was eating meat now.
Saif al-Sama and Zain took up their positions carefully and began to aim. "It's better if we target it at the same time," one said. "If one of us misses, the other's arrow can still hit. I'll try for the neck while you aim for one of its wings." Zain nodded and focused on his mark. "Okay, I'll count to three, then we release together. When you're ready, tell me." Zain nodded, concentrating fully on his shot, and so did Saif al-Sama.
"Start the count," Zain said. "All right: one… two… three… release." Whoosh! The two arrows flew together at tremendous speed, cutting the wind.
The target was hit in two places — the neck and the left wing — and fell outstretched to the ground. Zain's arrow pierced the wing and made a noticeable hole; Saif al-Sama's arrow penetrated slightly into the flesh. To their unexpected astonishment and shock, the two of them dropped their bows as joy gradually spread across their faces and filled their hearts — a true victory.
They looked at one another, thinking it might be a long-lost dream. "Did we succeed?" Zain asked. "Yes, yes," the other replied. "We finally managed to wound it; our efforts have borne fruit and the summit is within reach." Saif al-Sama laughed at himself, extending his hand in expectation of a handshake from Zain. Zain raised his hand high; Saif struck it forcefully while wearing a broad smile, continuing to chuckle. "Ha! I'm exhausted from laughing," Saif said. "Let's see its condition — likely these injuries won't be enough to kill it." Zain shook his head in agreement with the suggestion.
The two walked together toward their prey to harvest blood and fangs, then quickly return to the hideout. But the happiness vanished like smoke. Their expressions turned dark with disbelief: fear, despair, and surrender to reality.
Above the clouds, high in the sky, a vast shadow appeared and cast the earth in darkness. Necks craned, mouths opened, eyes widened; bodies stood frozen in desperation. The unknown body pierced the clouds and headed for the ground like a gigantic, blazing meteor; its very form created chaos and destruction. Thunder roared each time it flapped its wings, producing storm gusts accompanied by blue lightning.
Its body was covered in dark brown feathers while its wings were pitch-black like the depth of night. Its beak was slim and golden, curved like a sickle — a reaper of souls. Its two colossal golden legs could uproot and split mountains. This creature is called the Chaos-Thunder Falcon, and it belongs to the imperial rank Nixus; by its own strength it can defeat 100,000 of the lesser-ranked monsters. Simply put, only another Nixus like it can match or defeat it, depending on the opponent's capabilities. Though they may share the same rank, combat power varies from one individual to another.
Amid the terror and despair, Saif al-Sama finally decided to act. He took a few steps back, gripping Zain's garment, but it was too late. In the blink of an eye, in a flash of light, the falcon struck the ground, leaving a crater several feet across; sand scattered and produced sounds as the blue lightning intertwined with metal particles in the sand.
At the center of the crater the falcon stood upright and proud, clutching with its sharp beak the winged snake's corpse — it looked as though it held a worm given the snake's relatively small size. Fortunately, with the sand spraying about, Saif al-Sama and Zain had been buried beneath it, hiding them from sight. Over time the electrified area faded and the scene became clearer.
The falcon turned right and left, then lifted its gaze skyward and shook its wings; it then departed, flying above the clouds until its shadow disappeared from view.
From beneath the sand emerged the sight of two people in dire condition; sand clung to their bodies from the crown of their heads to the soles of their feet. Coughing and choking, the two spat sand from their noses and mouths. They brushed the dirt from their bodies and headed toward the site of the event.
No ordinary person could see that crater and keep a composed expression. Given their size compared to the pit, they looked like insects walking inside a well whose water had long since dried.