Cartabera is a giant frog that used to live in water habitats such as rivers, lakes, and swamps. This creature was supposed to be the Cartabera River, but after being exposed to the seed of life, the creature transford into so kind of wooden monster frog covered in vines and horns protruding from the creature’s giant head. The beast’s body was coated with poisonous sli making it difficult to fight the monster at close range.
Usually, hunters would use long ranged weapons such as bows, guns, and the like, but since the beast had beco a Bael that could heal itself and even regenerate therefore capturing it alive wouldn’t be an easy task, nevertheless, they had no choice cause they need the creature for research purposes.
"Okay, What’s our plan?" Jay looks at Lory.
Lory bit her lip as she thought about what she should plan, "Since Fred told us to capture the creature alive then we have to make it unconscious sohow."
"But we can’t use tranquilizers because this thing is immune to those things and killing isn’t an option. So the only way we can capture this thing alive is to beat the crap out of it until it loses consciousness," Clift offered a simple plan.
"Hamr down!" Jay raised his brows.
"Pretty much, so the plan is to beat that ugly thing until it’s knocked out or before I lose my sense of sll!" after saying that Lory rushed out.
"Lory stop moving alone!" Jay protest.
"Give us head up will ya" Clift also complained.
"Slowpoke!" Lory jeered.
The monster let out an ear-piercing roar once it noticed Lory and the other charge toward it, the beast shot out its poisonous long tongue at them, but they swiftly spread out. Jay fired a few shots at the creature and managed to make a few holes in the beast’s body but as predicted the wound healed in a short ti.
"See that, the wound takes ten seconds to heal" Jay shouted to Lory and Clift.
Clift racked his brain then an idea ca to his mind, "Lory, there’s a waterfall over there, we can lure the creature there!" Jay pointed in the direction behind Lory.
"What for? Okay!" Lory didn’t know what Clift’s plan was yet she trusted him.
Lory shot an arrow at the creature’s head and got one of its horns broken though only for a mont before it grew back shortly after however the beast was infuriated, the beast now placed Lory as its target. Cartabera stomped his fat feet at high speed at Lory, despite his stocky body the creature could run quite fast.
Lory froze the water’s surface so she could run faster while the beast chased her by breaking through the ice, the good news is, the ice managed to slow the beast down a bit which ultimately put enough distance between the beast and Lory.
later on, they arrived in front of the waterfall, Lory erected a giant ice wall to trap the beast, then scread at Clift "Now What!"
Clift hastily tied a rope to his dagger anwhile the beast had already broken through the ice wall. Clift imdiately threw the dagger at Cartabera’s giant head. The dagger managed to get stuck in the beast’s thick hide.
"I’m gonna slam this ugly beast’s head to the cliff!!" using all his power Clift pulled the rope.
The beast’s head jerked as it was suddenly pulled by a rope, at that mont, Jay jumped into the air using a body-strengthening spell he landed a powerful kick at the Cartabera’s head. The beast’s head is knocked against the cliff wall untill the rock on the wall crumbles. The powerful attack caused the beast unsteady, the beast swayed left and right but it was still not unconscious.
"It’s not enough!" Clift grits his teeth.
Suddenly from above, a giant hamr dives from the sky then smashes the beast’s head and pushes it to the ground, the beast trembles for a second before passing out. Lory stood on the creature’s giant body with a wide grin while holding the giant hamr.
"Look at that, I literally hamring down this thing!" Lory excitedly said but then a foul sll hit her nose, Lory reflexively pinched her nose "Oh my god, the sll... oh, I’m going to throw up!"
"Yeah, good hit, Lory!" Jay threw his fist in the air, cheering loudly like a kid.
Clift placed his hands on his hips while admiring the results of their successful cooperation at the sa ti surprised at how easy this fight was, "Hah, easier than I thought" he chuckles.
"Not even breaking a sweat!" Jay was about to high-five Clift when suddenly everything around him spun "...Hey why are there two of you? Oh no, I think I’m going to-" Jay didn’t finish his sentence before he lost consciousness.
"JAY!" Lory and Clift shouted at the sa ti.
Clift quickly lifted his head from the water and checked his condition while Lory looked at the unconscious Jay worriedly.
"What happened to him?" Lory frantically asked Clift, she couldn’t understand how Jay could have fainted.
After checking Jay’s condition Clift understands what happened to Jay, "He was poisoned,"
Lory was confused "How is that possible? He didn’t touch Caltabera’s body, he only kicked the beast once besides he didn’t kick it with bare feet"
Clift then noticed the color of the water had changed from crystal blue to dark blue almost purple and the sll...
"No, it’s not that, It’s the water. The water is poisonous, I think it’s because the mucus that cos out of Caltabera’s body pollutes the water. Usually, Caltabera’s poison isn’t this bad but it seems like after transforming into Bael, the monster’s power has increased multiple tis, even I who was immune to strong poisons could feel numbness in my legs." Clift’s eyebrows furrowed.
"Then what are we waiting for? Let’s get out of here quickly!" Lory pushes Clift to get out of the water right away.
Clift carried Jay out of the water then Lory imdiately used her healing powers to heal both Jay and Clift, then a few minutes later Jay’s eyelids tremble before slowly his eyes open. Jay groaned softly "What happened?"
"You passed out," Lory crouched down beside him while propping her chin
"Ugh, why... why only ?" he protested while massaging his forehead. Jay felt it was not fair he was the only one who fainted.
"Because I have healing powers and Clift has a high tolerance for poison, that’s why" Lory stated the fact frankly.
"Tch," Jay clicked his tongue in annoyance but then rembered the source of his dissatisfaction. "Where’s that stinky Bael?"
"It’s already packed nicely and will be transported by the King’s n to the N.I.M.S. secret facility" Lory turned her gaze to Clift who was intently supervising a group of people in military uniforms moving the container into a small aircraft, he seed to signing sothing before the aircraft takes off.
Lory reached out her hand. "Can you get up?"
"Yes!" Jay grabbed Lory’s hand then Lory pulled him to his feet.
Jay patted the dirt that stuck to his clothes, even though his clothes were not dirty but it slled quite bad after being exposed to the poisonous water.
"Can you imagine if an ordinary hunter faced this creature? They would be poisoned without having a chance to fight" Lory was grateful that she was able to get rid of the Bael before anyone beca a victim.
"Is the poison that strong?" Jay did not feel any effects after being healed by Lory, but Lory’s healing gift was a special power that other healers did not have. Lory nodded.
"Clift said it does, you know his body has a natural resistance to high-level poison, but in a short ti he was also affected by the poison, it shows how dangerous Bael’s poison is."
"So the entire Mirror creek is polluted now." Jay feels bad for the people in Ember City who depend on tourism.
"Yes." Lory’s face was hardened by the fact that not only did they steal the kingdom’s resources, but they also didn’t care about what happened to the people in this city.
"You want to purify this entire creek, huh?" Jay could guess what Lory was going to do just by the look on her face.
"I have to do it, otherwise this city will be in trouble, even worse, everyone in this city might accidentally get poisoned"
Lory closed her eyes, not long after, a big wind ca howling and blew away everything around them. The branches shook profusely causing the leaves to rustle loudly soon the air felt cold.
Lory opened her arms widely as she summoned her power and at the sa ti, the versipell potion on her body faded due to the surge of mana in her body. Her appearance automatically returned to her original look with bluish hair fluttering as it was carried away by the strong wind.
The surface of the river rippled violently and the poison that once mixed with the water separated and then slowly rose into the air as water droplets. Lory gently brings her hands forward until both of her palms are pressed together at the sa ti the poisonous water droplets follow her movent and then rge together into a floating water ball.
Lory felt the pressure on her body after separating the poison from the entire river, her hands began to shake and her forehead was covered in a thin layer of sweat.
Jay looked at Lory with concern, "Are you okay Lory?"
Lory took a deep breath as she tried to focus, slowly she clasped her palms together all of a sudden the water ball dispersed into a cloud of mist. Lory threw her arms above her head and the strong wind carried the mist into the orange sky and disappeared.
After she was done Lory let out a long exhale, then bent on her stomach from exhaustion. "That was hard..." she said breathlessly.
Jay looked at the sky with a deep expression, there were no water-gifted people like her in this world, the truth is, Lory and Lucas were truly one of a kind, both in strength and character, there was no one like them. For humans having so much power but still being able to remain benevolent and humble was not sothing anyone could achieve, that was why he admired them so much even since he was just a boy.
The sa thing was felt by Clift, he looked up at the sky and then turned his gaze to the exhausted girl, actually she didn’t have to do this. The kingdom will eventually send helpers to help the city but of course, it will take ti before everything can return to normal, but it seems Lory doesn’t want her people to experience that.
A soft smile spread across his stoic face. The world he used to live in was cruel, cold, and lonely, but everything changed the mont he t Lory and Lucas that day, since then his world beco bright and warm just like this sunrise.
"Great work Lory!" Clift clapped his hands.
Lory waved her hands she wanted to say ’It’s nothing’ but was too exhausted to speak instead she made a random sound "Ha-he-hacke"
Clift nods with a smile "Yes, you deserved a cake"
Jay was awed, then he raised his thumb in front of Cliff, ".....And you deserve a thumbs up for being able to understand that"
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