Hadeon was hiding behind the closest ashen bush, a white, thorny bush growing on the side of the deep cracks feeding on crimson flames alongside the crimson cacti.
The forest was filled with the roars of beasts and flames.
He carefully peeked out from the side as he noticed a giant human figure.
He focused his gaze on the shadowy figure, seeing a clearer picture, though it was still blurry and shrouded in mystery.
Hadeon noticed a giant- not anything small, but a big humanoid figure holding something resembling a long and heavy stick and a shield fighting a beast that looked like an elephant from the distance.
’But what is he doing on the beast’s back?’ Hadeon thought.
The huge shadow was standing on the back of the beast.
The battlefield was not too far away; if he charged, he could reach there in a minute.
But Hadeon waited; he didn’t want to throw himself into danger. Who knows what caused that much destruction? As he looked around, the place was clouded in smoke; the burnt remains of cactus and trampled bushes scattered around like litter.
He waited calmly.
*Whooooo*
Suddenly, a torrent of flames erupted from the clouds of dust, sending a giant woman rolling back to the ground.
"What the f—"
Hadeon’s eyes opened wide as he saw a woman flying out of the smoke, rolling down like a ragdoll as she struck a fallen cactus.
Thankfully, the cactus had no thorns attached to it, or her body might have become a beehive.
"Looks like she is unconscious!" Hadeon murmured as he stared at the pitiful woman.
The woman was lying upside down as her facial features were hidden by her hair and the thick hide she was wearing. Her hands still clutched the spear and shield tightly with no intention of letting it go even after fainting.
The woman was tall, easily over eight feet! Her thick, long brownish hair scattered around her back, reaching down her waist, covering her naked almond coloured back. Her entire body was emitting an almost magical golden glow.
"That’s a strong woman!" Hadeon couldn’t help but comment after seeing the athletic physique of the unconscious woman.
*Roar*
A deafening roar echoed in the forest as a beast charged out of the smoke, the ground trembling under its weight.
It looked like a dinosaur Hadeon had watched in documentaries, a Triceratops, three long horns protruding out of its head, impenetrable thick armour plates all over its body with marks of burn and scratches.
Though the creature looked like it was still just a calf, it barely reached its true size.
The creature’s whole body caught on fire as smoke rose from its body.
Hadeon noticed that the huge beast was running straight to the woman’s body.
"Fuck! What should I do?"
Hadeon cursed as he turned his head away, his eyes closed. He was too far away, and even if he decided to save the girl, she would be a paste of meat before he even reached her.
He closed his eyes and waited for the sound of trampling, imagining the haunting picture of the beast turning the woman into paste in his mind.
...Silence...
But it never came.
Hadeon slowly opened his eyes as he stared where the body of the female was lying.
*Mrooooo*
The beast was growling and crying in a sorrowful voice as clicks of sounds reverberated in the silent forest.
*Mrooooo*
It was shaking the unconscious woman with its head as if trying to wake her.
’W-What... what’s going on?’
Hadeon witnessed the scene, almost dumbfounded, his face full of doubts.
In the next moment, a realisation struck him.
’Yes! That’s the only way... yes, only this can explain it. She is a monster tamer! Now it all makes sense; that’s why I saw the woman fighting while standing on the Triceratops’ back.’ Hadeon quickly came up with the explanation as he froze again.
"If the beast I saw in the smoke was her familiar, then what were they fighting?" Hadeon murmured.
*Boom*
A fireball flew out of the dust as it flew toward the Triceratops calf; the beast quickly covered the woman with his body as the flame exploded on its back.
*Mooooo*
A painful scream escaped the beast’s throat as it staggered a few steps back and fell on the ground, panting as its head was facing toward her summoner, looking at her with eyes full of tears.
Hadeon, jolted by the explosion of flames, quickly turned his attention to the cloud of smoke and dust.
In the next moment, a colossal lizard lunged out of the dust, its body covered in black scales, running on its four legs as it emitted a torrent of flames from its humongous mouth.
*Mrrrr*
The calf grunted as it stood again.
His legs shaking standing in front of the motionless body.
The flames missed the calf this time as it flew over its head.
Watching the weak state of Triceratops, the lizard lunged forward, its mouth aiming for the neck of the calf, trying to finish its enemy in one lethal strike.
Suddenly, the Triceratops charged, its speed boosted by a large margin as it reached in front of the lizard in an instant.
’Dash skill!’ Hadeon thought.
The calf lowered its head as it met the attack with full ferocity. Its head banged the lower jaw of the lizard.
The shock and momentum sent the lizard flying back.
*Hrrrrrr*
The calf lowered his head, blood staining his horns, and roared at the lizard.
"Tough one, huh?!" Hadeon laughed as he looked at the injured calf trying his best to scare off the lizard.
Hadeon started to move slowly, shuffling between the trees, trying to reach as close as possible without getting noticed.
The calf charged again with pitiful speed this time as it tried to trample the lizard.
The black lizard jumped back as it swept his thick tail, barbed with sharp spines, sending the calf back by a few metres.
Both of them were injured, but no one was willing to give up first.
There were two deep wounds in the lizard’s neck as red blood was seeping out slowly, falling onto the hot land as it started to evaporate, leaving a black puddle of clotted blood.
The Triceratops two long horns had been able to pierce the scales, and it managed to do some damage when the calf struck it with its head at full speed.
But it wasn’t nearly enough to kill the lizard.
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A/N: Triceratops Image In Comments!