"Need help?" (Mr. Bell)
"No need, everyone surround her." (Ashley)
The mercenary troops surrounded the spider in a circle on Ashley's orders.
After shaking its body, the spider stretched out its eight legs and ran towards the nearest mercenary. Before it could reach the first one, the rest of them opened fire.
The bullets bounced off its hard shell.
"I'll hold it off for a second, Kevin, throw your grenade at the right moment."
Before the spider could shoot its silk, its body froze in place and a grenade flew through the air towards it, setting the spider's body ablaze.
"Gyyaaa"
Rather than hurting her, this enraged her. Now the spider was a crazed ball of fire. She ran towards the mercenary who had thrown the grenade, grabbed his body, and ignored the shots hitting her shell.
"I won't let you go."
Ashley waved one of her hands, pulling the mercenary away from the spider's jaws, and with her remaining hand, she held it in place. Her psychic strength was quite powerful.
"Crack"
The next grenade landed on the spider, and then the third. Ashley's strength weakened; it was difficult for her to hold such a large object that was constantly resisting in one place.
Until Ashley's psychic strength disappeared, the white-faced spider ran towards its third target. This time it caught it, its heavy body was easily lifted and thrown at Ashley.
Ashley was caught off guard and took the full brunt of the blow, rolling on the ground next to the mercenary, both of them ending up motionless.
(Oh, that spider is smart, it knows that the girl is the problem) (William)
William enjoyed the show from afar, even having time to see the reward he received from the Red Hat Goblin.
(As I thought, it wasn't a big prey, but enough for a medal.)
After a flash of light, a new medal appeared in William's hands. It was silver like the others, as small as a fingernail, and unlike the Queen Goblin's medal, the Red Hat Goblin's medal had a ruby embedded in the centre, as red as blood.
William took it in his fingers and brought it close to his bracelet, which extended threads of gold and silver like vines, embraced the new medal, and embedded it within itself. The result looked as if the new medal had always been part of the bracelet.
"Crack"
The battle on Ashley's side continued. Multiple grenades had finally had an effect on the white-headed spider, its shell red-hot from the heat began to crackle, and the continuous firing also helped.
The mercenary team had done incredibly well without Ashley's help, moving constantly and throwing impact grenades whenever the spider was about to catch another member of the team, the piercing noise stunning the insect.
"Right, it's my turn..."
Mr Bell stepped forward and raised his staff.
"Hold on, Dad!!! I can still go on."
Ashley stood up, her hair messy and her clothes dirty. The attack had torn a hole in her clothes, revealing her soft white skin and pink bra.
Without waiting for confirmation from Lord Bell, Ashley approached the white-faced spider. Ashley's eyes glowed blue and she opened both arms in a gesture.
"Gyyaaaaayyyyggggiia"
The white-faced spider screamed in pain as each of its legs was torn from its body in a gruesome spectacle, dirty blue blood splattering the entire area. A drop hit Ashley's face, but she didn't pay any attention to it.
(Now) (William)
An air of heroism surrounded Ashley. The mercenaries now saw her as a goddess of war, but before she could finish the job, a huge black wolf emerged from the darkness, moving as fast as the wind. It caught up with the spider and bit off its head, spine and all.
"What the hell is that?!" (David)
Before David and the others opened fire on the new target, Ashley shouted to stop them.
"Stop, don't shoot, he won't attack our people."
William, in his Grimm form, melted into the darkness.
(I was preparing to deal with everyone, I guess it'll be for next time) (William)
"Ashley, that was reckless, unnecessary, and idiotic... but good job dealing with it." (Mr. Bell)
Ashley breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing the words and smiled happily at her father's praise.
"Take one. We have three bottles with us this time."
Mr Bell offered Ashley a bottle containing an emerald green liquid. She drank it in one gulp and most of her physical and mental strength was restored.
"Can Erik have one? He's the one who's in the worst condition," said Ashley.
"All right," replied Mr Bell.
Erik, a poor mercenary who had failed to escape an incendiary grenade in time, had suffered severe burns over much of his body. He was still alive, but not for long. Ashley forced him to drink the liquid and his wounds healed quickly.
"He can't fight anymore, but we'll take him with us. It's too dangerous to leave him alone in a place like this."
Ashley signalled to a couple of team members to carry Erik to the end of the road.
The team continued advancing through the tunnels and decided to attack them. William followed them silently and at a considerable distance.
"A little further, boys, and... WOW!"
The narrow tunnel opened up into a huge underground space. Vines covered the walls, unknown crystals sparkled on the ceiling, and warm air filled the place, making it very comfortable in a space as cold as the subsoil.
"There's our target. Hurry up, we're running out of time, and I don't want to have to explain ourselves to the police."
Mr Bell pointed to the centre of the space, where a tall, thick stone tombstone stood in a natural hot water pool.
(A hot spring, it must have emerged from the earth naturally) (Mr Bell)
"Right, surround the area and neutralise anything that could be a threat."
Mr Bell took command of the operation, waving his staff from side to side and giving orders to the mercenaries. Just as Mr Bell was about to touch the tombstone, the whole cave shook.
"Tsk, damn dust who..."
Mr Bell was annoyed by the dust falling from the ceiling. Irritated, he looked up just above him and saw it: a huge lizard with silver scales and a metallic sheen, stuck to the ceiling, sleeping until Mr Bell's big explosion woke it from its hibernation.
Mr Bell now felt nervous and his heart began to beat fast, his hands gripping his precious walking stick.
(What the hell is a silver Drake doing in a place like this?)
Mr Bell wasted no time, raising his walking stick and running away from the Drake.
"Everyone in position, prepare for combat."
Mr Bell shouted with all his might, and the group of mercenaries raised their weapons and searched everywhere for the new threat.
"BOOOOOM"
A strong impact shook the earth. The Drake broke free from the ceiling and the mercenaries finally saw the enemy: an enormous, wingless, four-legged dragon covered in metallic scales, with powerful jaws and large horns covering its head like a crown.
It was hungry and angry. Someone had awakened it and dared to enter its territory. It had finally found an ideal place to hibernate for a few hundred years, and it wasn't going to lose it to a few meddlesome insects.
"Fire!"
David gave the order and shots came from all directions towards the Silver Drake. The mercenaries had scattered throughout the room, and the Drake ran towards the nearest one, the bullets ricocheting off its scales.
"Crack"
(They never told me anything about this.)
It was Ivan Steel's last thought. That soldier who had survived so many battles was crushed and swallowed in a single bite, blood dripping from the beast's jaws.
"Take this, bastard!"
Ashley waved her hands from the ceiling to the floor, and a huge stalactite fell from the ceiling straight onto the Drake.
"Crack"
The Drake was crushed against the ground and one of its scales let out a slight crack. Irritated, the Drake fixed its golden eyes on Ashley, who began to run around the Drake, hiding her figure behind the thick pillars that supported the ceiling.
"Boom" "Boom" "Boom"
One after another, they were knocked down like toys by the Drake's attacks. Ashley was very fast, but the poor mercenaries behind her were not. Ten had already been devoured or crushed by the Drake's feet.
"All right, it's my turn."
Mr. Bell raised his staff with both hands. The gem embedded in it glowed with an intense red light. Flames rose from the air and gathered in a single point, forming a giant sphere of fire hot enough to melt steel.
The wind ruffled Mr Bell's white hair and made his clothes flutter.
Mr Bell's nose bled. It was all or nothing; he would bet his daughter's life and his own on this attack. His cane, his family's treasure, amplified his abilities as a pyromancer.
The giant sphere of flames caught the Silver Drake's attention. The sphere headed towards him at full speed and hit him directly in the body.
"BOOOOOM"