SPELLCRAFT: Reincarnation Of A Magic Scholar

Neron felt beads of sweat roll down his face as he saw where he was.

He had just fallen into a lair of Wyrms so his fears were amply justified.

He knew just how formidable of an opponent they were, especially in a group.

At the moment, they were lying in wait beneath the surface of the cave's floors while some of them were coiled around stalactites.

There was a faint, sulfuric odor that clung to the air around them and they appeared to have just woken up from sleeping no doubt from the noise of his fall.

At the moment, they were startled to see him but he knew the element of surprise would be lost soon when they got over it.

In the low light, he could see that they were serpentine in shape, resembling massive, elongated dragons without wings.

Their bodies were covered in thick, armored scales that shimmered with an oily sheen and their earthy brown scales blended seamlessly with the cave's natural shadows.

Their heads were crowned with sharp, bony ridges, and their mouths lined with rows of dagger-like teeth.

What he found striking especially were their eyes especially as they were all focused on him.

Red intelligent glowing orbs was the best name he could come up with for them.

Like many people, he had read about them in books but this was his first time encountering them.

ROARRRRRRRRR!!!

A low, rumbling growl reverberated through the air and it echoed ominously off the cave walls.

By his count, they were around six of them though their size made it seem like it was a lot.

Two of them stood up and advanced towards him.

Despite their lack of limbs, they moved quite quickly, their muscular bodies sliding smoothly as they rushed him.

He stood his ground as he looked for every potential weakness he could exploit but the Wyrms were closing in fast, their speed belying their massive size.

~VWUUUSHHHHHHHHHH!!!~

With a swift motion, Neron dashed to the side, narrowly avoiding the first Wyrm's lunge.

Its massive jaws snapped shut with a resounding clap sound where he had been standing just a moment before, the force of the bite sending a shockwave through the ground.

The second Wyrm slithered around, its body coiling and uncoiling with terrifying speed as it tried to encircle him.

Neron's instincts took over. He darted between the stalagmites, using the natural formations of the cave to his advantage, making it difficult for the Wyrms to trap him in their deadly grip.

The confined space was both a curse and a blessing—it limited his movement but also restricted the Wyrms' ability to maneuver freely.

His sword flashed in the dim light as he struck out at the nearest Wyrm. The blade glanced off its armored scales, barely leaving a scratch.

"Damn!"

Neron cursed under his breath, realizing that his usual tactics weren't going to work.

He needed to find a way to pierce through those scales, or he wouldn't stand a chance.

They were magical creatures after all and there was only so much you could do with a sword.

Magic needed to be combated with magic.

He could feel the sweat dripping down his face, stinging his eyes, but he couldn't afford to blink, not even for a second.

Desperation clawed at Neron's thoughts. There had to be a way out—some weakness he could exploit, something he hadn't considered yet.

He knew that they were intelligent, cunning creatures that relied on their brute strength, but he had noticed when fighting them that they were also wary of threats to their eyes.

He figured that it was their most vulnerable spot.

Neron took a deep breath, steadying himself. He had to be precise as he knew he couldn't afford to miss.

The first Wyrm lunged at him again, its jaws wide open, ready to crush him in a single bite. But this time, Neron didn't dodge.

Instead, he charged forward, meeting the creature head-on.

At the last possible moment, he slid under the Wyrm's body, his sword angled upward.

He drove the blade into the soft flesh just beneath the Wyrm's jaw, the one place where the scales were thinnest.

ROARGHHH!!!

The Wyrm let out a deafening roar, thrashing wildly as it tried to dislodge the blade.

But Neron held on, twisting the sword deeper, aiming for the creature's eye.

SPLAT!

With a final, desperate thrust, he pierced through the Wyrm's eye, the blade sinking deep into its skull.

The creature convulsed violently before collapsing, its body going limp.

Neron barely had time to catch his breath before the second Wyrm was upon him. But this time, he had a plan.

Using the fallen Wyrm's body as cover, he rolled to the side, keeping low to the ground.

The second Wyrm hesitated, confused by the sudden loss of its companion. Neron seized the opportunity, leaping onto the creature's back.

His feet found purchase on its rough scales, and he scrambled up to its head.

The Wyrm roared in fury, trying to shake him off, but Neron was determined.

He gripped his sword tightly and drove it into the Wyrm's other eye with all the strength he could muster.

The creature let out a final, anguished cry before collapsing beside its fallen kin.

Neron jumped clear, landing hard on the cave floor, his breath coming in ragged gasps.

He could feel the strain in his muscles, the exhaustion from the relentless fight, but he couldn't afford to rest yet.

There were still four more Wyrms, and they were far from finished with him.

The remaining Wyrms, now fully aware of the threat he posed, began to encircle him, their eyes glowing with a malevolent light.

"Come on," He said with a smile as they closed in on him.

He didn't wait for them to reach him before he took off in the air and raised his sword above his head.

~SPLAT!~

ROARRRRRRRRR!!!

~SPLAT!!~

ROARRRRRRRRR!!!

~SPLAT!!!~

His sword danced as he reveled in the chaos he created as the creatures thrashed around before dropping dead.

"Magic is overrated!"

He screamed out just as the last Wyrm fell.