Chapter 216: The not so mysterious volcanic zone is missing Mutors mysteriously

Even after half an hour, we got nothing.

Though this place was called the volcanic region, there was no lava. The volcano was actually flowing below this place: instead of lava, magma I guess. So technically it was the almost burning rocky soil we had to worry about. 

There was nothing in sight- no life. I did see one or two small lizard Mutors but that was it. Somewhere in the distance, there were geysers of fire and a small amount of lava- we certainly didn't want to go near that place. 

But since nothing was coming up, walking around wasn't a problem. 

We were literally walking over cooled lava. So yeah, HOT!

'Let's just hope this stuff doesn't go cracky-'  Why the hell was I having such scary thoughts again?

Anyway, we were basically done searching the whole place. 

"Hey, you sure the map said this place?" One of the two asked. He was rather skinny.

"Yeah, I think so," Robert said.

"We've been here for forty minutes, I'm boiling, man, let's get out of here!"

Yeah, I kind of wanted to get out of here too. 

"I know but if we leave now, we'll fail the class!" Robert said.

I didn't need to worry about the grades though. My job was to protect them and that was basically it. 

"Mutor- left!" The skinny guy screamed. He was our fast runner and apparently, he also had good eyesight. 

To our left was a giant lizard Mutor. It wasn't that big though- maybe half the size of a typical gator. It had climbed up on a rock just to our left and was about to jump at us. 

Didn't seem that strong- honestly. 

Robert focused by slapping his hands together and closing his eyes. 

The lizard froze. 

The other guy in our team jumped in and used the air to slice the lizard- in mere seconds, we were victorious. 

This was just an ordinary garden variety Mutor, so this was natural. 

"Well, that easy." The skinny guy wiped the beads of sweat and grinned victoriously.

"Too easy, I thought this'd be more of a challenge." The other guy also grinned. 

Why the hell were these morons, setting up flags?

But just when I thought I was going to say 'let's go back' something had to show up. Well, actually it hadn't shown up yet but I could tell something was just behind those rocks. That something being, something massive. 

"Congratulations people. You've found your challenge. Just pick this lizard up so we can get out of here."

It was long and streamlined and it didn't take a genius to figure out it was a snake.  A crimson, burning snake with a big wide head- a cobra. The flowery pattern on its face wasn't doing it justice.

'Do I really wanna do this?' Cause if the teacher's words were anything to go by, this thing was probably a bit too strong. 

"Did the heat get him?" One of the two said. 

"I can't blame him. I see a massive cobra coming our way too." The other one sighed. "And the fangs are actually bigger than my arms…" He started laughing. 

"It's real, you idiots!" Robert slapped both of his teammates and prepared to fight. 

I on the other hand sat back and relaxed. Not literally though, as the floor was literally made of burning solid black lava. It wasn't hot enough to burn skin but it was definitely hot enough to singe stuff.

"That's real?" The skinny guy let down his bow and kind of just stared above him. 

'Looks like someone gave up.'

"Oh no." His partner tried to throw wind blades but yeah, it didn't even scratch the red burning cobra. The same blades had sliced the lizard in almost two didn't even scratch this thing. 

The cobra hissed and headed straight for the skinny guy. I could see two massive fangs and a rather scary tongue. 

I unsheathed my saber and waited. 

"Get out of here!" Robert screamed and sat down on his knees, focusing intently. 

The Cobra froze in midair.

Robert's pants kind of started to blacken from the heat and he grimaced but he didn't get up. "Helio, hurry!" His eyes were closed, and he was focusing a bit too hard. 

Well, he was trying his best and asking for my help. I guess I could help them out. 

"Well, if you say so." My original plan wasn't to help them out, but I guess I could pass this off as protecting them.

I turned my saber into a bow and fired one shot. 

Enira wasn't here, so I couldn't use healing. I could still use Barriers as it was my saber's original ability and I could make the saber into four forms. 

I did miss healing though. 

Anyway, the shot had connected but I only attracted the snake's attention, as I scraped off one of its scales. 

Unlike Enira, this thing didn't heal but its defense was a lot more than Enira's.

"So, you're one of her friends, I'd assume?" I asked, hoping to reason with it.

It roared, instead of hissing. Well, that was new. 

"What are you talking about? Kill it already!" Robert screamed. 

'Easy for you to say!'

"Take those two and get away. I've got this." I couldn't protect them and try to fight a snake that big.

The snake couldn't move and for a second I thought this'd be easy- but as always, I was wrong. It opened its mouth and the air around its face started to get condensed and sucked in. this was bad- I had flashbacks all over again about that time I fought Enira in the volcano. 

"It's about to throw its breath!" I screamed. 

The snake threw its breath at us. Instead of fire, it was a literal purple cloud. POISON.

It was worse than fire. 

"You! Grab the skinny guy and get near Robert! NOW!" I hurried and cast a barrier over our heads. THE skinny guy was grabbed by his friend and they barely managed to get into the barrier. "You, make sure the air isn't poisoned. And you… okay, you stay put!"

The skinny guy stayed put and his friend listened to me and started to purify the air around us but it was hard and even I could tell. 

The frigging snake wasn't done spewing its poison though. 

"Do you have a frigging tank in there or something?" I snorted and pulled on my bow, firing a shot a second later.

Every shot took about three seconds to fire, but I kept on firing one after the other.

The shots were quite powerful but I was only damaging one or two scales. And even when I landed on already damaged scales, it wasn't that effective. This thing was tough. 

And all of us were already coughing and the poison was getting us. 

"Enira, where the hell are you, come here already!"

And no, she wasn't coming. 

I guess I kind of messed this up. 

"She's not coming, huh?" Robert grimaced. 

And here I thought I had this. 

"You three, stay here, I'll keep the barrier up." I couldn't just stay put inside the barrier and hope to win this. We were slowly dying. It was either do something now, or die a painful death. 

"What about you?" Robert said.

Currently, Robert was keeping the thing pinned but the moment we'd start running, it'd be free and it'll eat us alive- cause it was that fast. SO we had to do something.

I smiled. "Well, I'm supposed to be your bodyguard, and eventually my summon would show and I'll probably heal." I was being way too optimistic and even I knew that. "You guys though, need to cross the snowy fields." My grin intensified. "So leave the moment I attack it!"

"You can't be serious!" Robert wasn't listening. 

"You my guy, can I leave it to you? Take em away!" I looked straight at the guy who could run fast. 

He just nodded, determination in his eyes. "It's Jack, and I'll try my best."

"Good." I changed the saber to a broadsword and charged forward. "Enira this would be a good time to show up!"

But she didn't and the moment I stepped out of the barrier, the poison almost melted my skin. My lungs were probably having a harder time than my skin but- I didn't stop and kept on running. 

"HELIO!" Robert screamed but Jack had just grabbed him and the other guy and they were in the middle of running away. 

"Take care." My attention was on the snake though. I charged ahead and swung my saber, it reached and I sliced off about three scales. But I couldn't breathe anymore. My lungs were burning and I was out of options- or so it seemed but I wasn't. "Enira, I'll give you a kiss if you show up now!"

Enira still didn't show up. 

The snake did try to bite me though.

Oh well.