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Freele also put on her mantle as Trenk started arranging some fallen stones into a fire ring. Fulkar helped as well, creating an icy barrier to narrow the entrance and better contain the warmth of the future fire.

Only five minutes later, Yeter trotted back into the cave.

“Hey, shake it off out there,” Trenk laughed and waved Yeter back outside.

Yeter complied and shook the snow off his mantle outside the cave. Back inside, Yeter proudly stepped forward and used his newly gifted void choker to bring out a pile of firewood. “I found an old fallen tree, so I broke what was left. Now, we should have enough wood for a few days!”

“Nicely done,” Trenk congratulated Yeter on a job well down, already lighting some inside the fire ring. “That’s better... Now, we just have to wait for Oliver.”

The team gathered around the small fire, staying close to make the most of its warmth. They waited patiently and steadily with the fire to keep things calm and cozy.

.....

... tik-tik...

Everyone’s gaze flinched as they heard something outside the cave.

Tik-tik-tik...

“Get ready,” Fulkar stated as he retrieved his new sword.

Trenk and Yeter rushed to their feet as well. Freele had long equipped her armlet and now retrieved her wind-based wand. Together, they spread out as much as the cave allowed.

... tik-tik... Crack!

Sprinting through the narrow opening, a lizard darted into the small cave. Its body was white with flecks of light blue. The lizard stood on two thin yet wide feet that worked like snow shoes, allowing the lizard to sprint atop the snow. It was almost as tall as Freele while on two legs.

For a brief moment, the lizard stood still, blinked, and licked its lips while showing its small yet sharp teeth. Its focus was quickly drawn to the fire, at which it hissed.

No one in the party recognized the beast but none of them showed any fear, even when it threateningly leered at the fire.

Crack, crack!

Suddenly, the ice barrier around the opening broke apart as more lizards charged into the cave, totaling seven lizards. At the back, however, one lizard was almost two krin tall and had its colors inverted, covered in icy blue scales with flecks of white.

Khizz!

Under the signal of the lead lizard, the other six rushed the team all at once.

Fulkar and Trenk immediately jumped in front of the fire, noticing them still leering at the flames. Without a second thought, Fulkar shouted at the top of his lungs, “Yeter! Charge in!”

“With pleasure!”

Already laughing with eagerness, Yeter covered the bottom of his hooves in small earthen spikes, making it easier to grip the snowy, icy ground. Yeter then dove into the fray without hesitation, covering his body with earth essence armor in a way the others had never seen before.

The lizards hissed and spat ice shards at the charging stallion. But all the ice split apart the moment it came in contact with the thin-looking earth essence.

While the lizards were stunned by Yeter’s strange defenses, he used his huge body as a battering ram and barreled into the three at the front. Then, it was time for the teammates to be surprised as the first lizard to collide with Yeter lost an arm as it tried to claw into him.

The other two that got hit reacted quickly enough to avoid major injury, but it was still too shocking to ignore.

KHIIZZZ!

Forcing the other lizards to regroup and focus on the humans, the lead lizard raced toward Yeter with impunity. It sprinted and lashed out with icicle-covered claws.

C-crack...

The icy claws broke on impact with Yeter’s essence, but a thin cut was left on Yeter’s thick hide as well.

“Oh! A challenge!” Yeter neighed and reared up his hind legs, attempting to crush the lead lizard under him. But the lead lizard was more than fast enough to avoid the heavy blow.

Crunch, crunch!

Two marks were left on the rock floor from Yeter’s hooves. Though his hooves only had tiny spikes for traction on them, his stomp acted more like two chisels carving into stone rather than two hoove bludgeoning their target.

While Yeter faced the lead lizard, the six other lizards rushed toward the three humans guarding the fire.

“The leader is the only peak-elder,” stated Fulkar. “If you can’t kill them in one shot, defend and try and give yourself a good opening.”

“Yes!” Trenk shouted in response while slashing at the incoming lizards with his flaming sword.

Freele nodded and replied by launching her first attack. Avoiding the fire, Freele created a tiny tempest between the fire and Yeter, buffeting the lizards and forcing the speedy reptiles to slow down.

The lizards didn’t take that without acting out though. Some spewed more ice shards, which Fulkar and Trenk blocked. But two lizards took the chance to speed through the tempest and dart past the boys in front of the fire. Their target had shifted to Freele, who threatened to control the battle’s tempo.

Trenk was too caught up with three lizards barraging him with ice, who targeted him for his fire. However, that left Fulkar with only one lizard on his side. Without enough pressure to hold him down, Fulkar defended himself with ice armor while striking out against one of the lizards that were flanking them. The lizard in question tried to turn around and lash out with icy claws, but those claws were no match for Fulkar’s peak-elder sword.

Khizzz...

The lizard was hacked down and collapsed, lifeless. There was still one heavily injured lizard missing an arm in from of Trenk, four able-bodied lizards, and the lead lizard going step-for-step against Yeter.

Freele also quickly adjusted. She dropped the first tempest so she could focus on the lizard charging her. At the same time, one of the lizards facing Trenk branched off to help the lone lizard facing Fulkar.