181 Territorial Guardian

Tycondrius narrowed his eyes, keeping eye contact with his opponent as he slowly backed away.

The creature before him was a cockatrice, a winged bird with scales all over its body and sporting a red comb and wattle similar to a rooster. However, the bird was far larger than the goose-sized ones in his memories.

...That it was a mere cockatrice relieved him. If the creature were actually a giant, naked rooster, Tycon would have to worry about why it was plucked clean and where its feathers were. The last thing he wanted was for razor-sharp feathers controlled by chicken-magic to lacerate him into shreds.

Wizards were a peculiar lot.

« System, inquiry: The cockatrice's level. »

[System response: Cockatrice, Iron-Rank Magical Beast]

The cockatrice squawked angrily.

The creature's rank was not particularly worrisome, but its size made it more troublesome to fight on his own than it was worth. Worse still was the fact that cockatrices were very territorial.

The giant bird shifted its head, back and forth, judging Tycon.

« System, inquiry: Do I speak... chicken? »

[Negative.]

Stars and stones, Tycon cursed inwardly.

The cockatrice chomped onto Tycon's sword arm.

\"Empty NIGHT!!!\" He cursed. Dropping to a kneel, he picked up his dropped sword with his opposite hand and began bashing the giant chicken in its stupid chicken face.

\"Let go or I will sever your limbs and DEEP FRY YOU IN ANIMAL FAT!!\"

With his right arm clamped tightly, Tycon smashed his arm and the cockatrice's head with it against a nearby wall, \"Stupid bird!!\"

The creature flailed its head, pushing Tycon around with its wings. Simultaneously, it tried and failed to claw at Tycon with its massive-taloned feet.

Finally, Tycon managed a precise pommel smash into the bird's eye. It flinched and reared back, squawking angrily.

Tycon rubbed his arm. It hadn't drawn blood, but there would be a bruise where he was bitten.

Even normal-sized cockatrices were dangerous magical beasts. Their peck and bite turned living creatures to stone-- something that Tycon as a male medusa wasn't at all worried about. With the giant cockatrice's size, the bite was moderately more painful, though still manageable.

A prolonged fight would see him gashed by the creature's clawed feet, however. Each talon was the size of a short sword and could easily eviscerate him.

Tycon pointed threateningly at the bird, \"You-- urgh... Wait there, chicken.\"

The cockatrice squawked arrogantly as Tycon withdrew.

...

After making certain the cockatrice wasn't following him, Tycon exited the Magic Tower, meeting the expectant gazes of Guild Invictus.

He pointed behind him, into the tower, \"Cockatrice. Needs to be--\"

\"Did you say COCK?! I volunteer as tribute!!\" Lulu immediately raised up three fingers.

Tycon's mouth twitched. He had no idea what the gesture was supposed to mean... \"Very... well.\"

The blonde girl moved with high, springy steps. She reached her hand out to cross the doorway... but a glowing blue magical wall buzzed, halting her advance.

She pressed against it with two fingers.

\"There's something inside that I want very, very much...\" she whispered with a hint of seductive longing.

The barrier cracked like glass, then broke apart, blue shards falling and dissipating into mana-dust. Lulu turned back with a wink and a knowing smile before continuing to prance into the tower.

Lone placed a hand on his chin, \"Um... should we go and help her?\"

Loud cacophonous echoes of pained squawking and agonized screeches resounded from beyond the doorway.

Tycon pursed his lips... \"I highly doubt she requires assistance.\"

Barza Keith, the Lone Shadowdark, gulped involuntarily. He no longer appeared as willing to help as before.

Wolfrider's dog ears flattened as he loosed a subtle wine.

Sasha poised upright as if ready to strike. She held her hand-crossbow over her head. What she was trying to do with it, Tycon didn't know. He took the weapon back.

Tycon took a deep breath, \"I suppose we'll... wait 5 more minutes and we'll explore the tower together.\"

...

Blood was painted on the white-stone interior walls at irregular locations, an indication of Lulu's one-sided slaughter. Giant chicken body parts were strewn about in random places. The cockatrice looked as if it was pulled and torn apart, without the use of a cutting instrument.

Lone shuddered, wide-eyed, \"Did... did Lulu do all this?\"

Wolfrider scoffed, \"Yeah, of course. What, do you think it just exploded on its own?\"

Tycon grimaced. Was Wolfrider purposely being hostile to his allies? ...Also, Wizards were a peculiar lot. Angry explosive birds were not out of the question nor was it an unheard-of phenomenon.

\"Mister Lone, utilizing the process of induction, yes, Lulu was responsible for this carnage.\"

Tycon grabbed a few choice pieces of thigh meat and placed them in his storage ring. He hadn't cooked with cockatrice before but cooking with any type of poultry remained similar. They were safe to eat, as long as they weren't carrion birds.

He grabbed some bone bits, as well. It would make a fantastic stock. He needed to invest in some flour or potato starch to make gravy.

He glanced over at Invictus' chocolate elf, Sasha. She was looking around at the tower's various but mundane wall tapestries and decorations as she walked. She was unbothered by the blood-- she had likely seen far worse in the torture chamber at the Saltspray Keep.

She may have been more physically mature than Taree, but her mental age was lower. She would probably enjoy fried chicken strips.

Everyone loved fried chicken strips, especially children.

Tycon mentally increased the priority of attaining flour.

Passing by the sleeping quarters, Levi Wolfrider immediately gravitated toward the room. Tycon rolled his eyes. The weretouched boy was probably enticed by the various footlockers at the foot of each bed.

Tycon was continuously surprised by the fact that the boy was a Warden. Wardens were defenders of nature, a Class similar to Ranger or Scout in that they were advantaged in forest areas. Druidic magic boosted their constitutions, making them hardy front-line warriors... But with Wolfrider's disposition, he would be far better suited to the Thief Class.

It was an opposite circumstance, compared to Lone's.

Lone followed Wolfrider, with Tycon and Sasha following suit.

As Tycon had surmised, Wolfrider was greedily eyeing the various chests. The boy walked over to one of the footlockers, kneeling over it and carefully inspecting its exterior.

The Lone Shadowdark was first to question Levi's actions, \"Hey, Wolfbanger... Haven't you heard of respecting other people's property?\"

The boy didn't bother looking back, \"Sod off, Lone. You can't tell me what to do.\"

Lone grimaced, \"That's weird... Margeaux never said anything about other people living in the tower.\"

\"I don't expect anything worthwhile from whomever's footlockers these are.\" Tycon shrugged, \"But if they are unsecured, that is the fault of the owner.\"