The Giant-Winged Bat

"Tch... A half-orc from the mountains, coming all the way out here," Vallis grunted with a scoff. "Aren't you two pretty much the same? Why are you so hostile toward him?" Gray asked, raising an eyebrow. "Who's like him?" Vallis's eyes went wide. "I'm an elf, and he's an orc!" "You're both half-bloods. What's the difference?" Gray remarked, thoroughly amused. "There's really no talking to someone like you!" Vallis fumed in exasperation. "How did you two start bickering again?" Marcus returned after finishing the party registration for the commission, tossing a gold coin each to Zelier and Vallis. "This is the compensation from the Town Hall from last time. Three gold coins in total, split evenly among us." "The Town Hall is actually pretty generous," Zelier said, slipping the gold coin into his pocket. "Just how much coin did you guys make while I was gone?" Gray's eyes widened with envy. "It was a mistake bringing you along," Vallis muttered, shooting Gray a side-eye. With the commission settled, the party agreed to assemble the following morning at the checkpoint of Blackstone Town as usual. Because this commission put considerable pressure on Marcus—he would need to hold the line against the attacks of the rampaging giant-winged bat—he went out of his way to equip a superior composite shield. The shield's core was made of multiple pressed layers of toughwood, and rather than standard wood, the face was reinforced with a solid steel plate fastened with rivets. Its protective capability was several times greater than his previous buckler and one-handed shield. Naturally, crafting such a shield had not come cheap, costing Marcus a full gold coin. The nesting grounds of the giant-winged bat were located in the western reaches of Ashwood Forest, clearly marked on the map. To be safe, however, Marcus did not head straight there. Instead, he led the party first to Creek Village, the settlement plagued by the creature. It was always wise to gather the facts on the ground before taking action; what if the intelligence was flawed? Creek Village. True to its name, the village sat nestled within a small valley, a babbling brook flowing nearby against a rather scenic backdrop. Yet before Zelier and his companions even stepped foot at the village entrance, they sensed an eerie, stifling silence. Broad daylight though it was, as far as the eye could see, scarcely a soul was visible in the village. Not a single person was working the fields, lending the whole place an ominous, unsettling air. "This is really creepy," Zelier murmured. "It's normal. Faced with a monster calamity, commoners have no way to defend themselves, so hiding is their only choice." Marcus had long grown accustomed to such sights. "Especially against a flying monster like a giant-winged bat. Never mind children—even a grown adult could be snatched away in a single dive, leaving everyone else helpless to do anything but watch." Once they entered the village, movement finally came from one of the houses. An ajar wooden door pushed open, and an elderly man leaning on a cane hurried forward to greet them. "Thank the gods... Are you the adventurers who took the commission? You're finally here!" The old man clutched Marcus's hand tightly. "I am Village Chief Bart." At Village Chief Bart's call, residents from the other houses began trickling out one after another. The moment they stepped outdoors, the villagers instinctively cast fearful glances up at the sky, their faces etched with terror. "Adventurers!" "It's the adventurer sirs! Our village is saved!" "Kill that wretched bat!" Faced with the clamor of voices, Marcus felt a bit overwhelmed and held up his hands, motioning for calm. "Everyone, please quiet down... Before we carry out the commission, we need to verify the specifics." "Village Chief Bart, when did the giant-winged bat first appear?" "About five or six days ago..." Village Chief Bart began to recall. "It swept low over the village, and a lot of livestock were slaughtered. At first, we thought it was some kind of eagle or hawk, so we had a few hunters shoot at it with bows and arrows. But that drove it into a frenzy, and it dived straight down." Fear covered Village Chief Bart's face, lingering dread clearly visible as he recounted the scene. "No one in the village was any match for it. John had his head ripped clean off by its claws... and everyone else was wounded." "From then on, it circles over the village for a while every day. The moment it spots someone, it attacks without hesitation. We only managed to send someone to Blackstone Town with the request when it wasn't around..." "How big is this giant-winged bat?" Vallis asked. "If it spreads its wings... it spans about five or six meters," one of the village hunters spoke up. "What's more, the tips of its wings have bony claws that are razor-sharp. Its teeth are pointed, and it can unleash attacks like wind blades!" "Are you certain it's been the same one every time?" Vallis pressed. "Certain!" the hunter answered firmly. Having gathered the details, the four exchanged glances. What the villagers described aligned closely with the commission notice. "Adventurer sirs, when do you plan to take action?" Village Chief Bart asked tremulously. "Right now. Noon is when its energy is at its lowest," Marcus said. Before they set out, a little girl ran over and hugged Zelier's leg, looking up at him through tear-filled eyes. "Sir adventurer, please... please avenge my daddy..." Zelier crouched down and gently stroked her head. "Don't worry. We definitely will." The party departed the village and headed straight for the valley's outlet. After crossing a single-log bridge spanning the river, they arrived at the entrance of the dense forest. Even though the giant-winged bat was a monster, its natural inclination was still to seek darkness and avoid light. The forest canopy here was far denser than elsewhere; even in broad daylight, the interior remained dim and shadowy. Coupled with a diet consisting of various large beasts, a place like this served as an ideal habitat. "Zelier, scout ahead with Light. You and Vallis keep ready to strike at all times, and Gray will provide support. While I draw the giant-winged bat's attention, try to cripple its wings first so it can't take flight!" Marcus instructed. "Understood!" An orb of light rose slowly, hovering above their heads and illuminating their surroundings. Vallis looked up to survey the area. The trees here were towering, their layered, dense canopies blotting out nearly all sky, while massive gnarled roots crawled across the forest floor like slumbering pythons. Moreover, many branches bore the marks of being violently snapped, and claw gouges scarred the tree trunks. From the moment they stepped into the dense woods, the party remained on high alert. The air was stiflingly hot and humid, like a steamer, carrying a faint foul stench—likely the result of dead animal carcasses decomposing in the damp heat. A faint premonition stirred in the minds of the party members. They were close. "Everyone, eyes up," Marcus murmured softly. He was no longer striding briskly, instead treading cautiously through the tangled roots while raising his shield above his head. Vallis's pointed ears twitched constantly, straining to catch the faintest sound as his gaze vigilantly swept the canopy above.