The Exalt [Cultivation Fantasy]

The large winged Exalt Beast beat its wings, which snapped the air like whips and created gales of cold wind that blew out the snow in the air and ground. Oscar and Mary dodged the tides of snow that sprang up due to these gales.

Oscar looked at the Exalt Beast with cold eyes, recognizing it as the fearsome Nixagle, a large bird that soared in the world's cold places and brought winds of icy chill under its beating wings. Oscar remembered seeing a drawing of it, but it paled compared to the real deal in his sight.

Its wings seemed sculpted from ice; each feather was so pronounced from the other and glimmered under the two suns. The winds and snow gathered like a barrier around its large body of icy feathers and white belly that sported two large red talons, contrasting with the rest of its blue hue. The white eyes, full of vitality, unlike the Frost Angarens, stared at Oscar and Mary with a prideful gaze, seeing them as nothing but mice that scurried into its home.

The large hooked beak was made to tear flesh and bone apart easily and crack through the frozen lake to prey on beasts near the water's surface. It opened to show a thin purple tongue as it screeched again.

"CAW!"

Oscar understood this was a warning sign from the Nixagle and watched as it perched itself on top of the large tree. However, he didn't want to leave without confirming whether or not their goal was here. Oscar observed the large tree with much scrutiny, doubling his efforts to find any signs of fruit, but it was a fruitless endeavor.

He turned his attention to the large Nixagle, resting on the tree as if Oscar and Mary were nothing to it. Oscar knew this creature had a great amount of pride, similar to the Rainbow Didus, which made it an isolated beast. After a short moment, Oscar found an anomaly; one of the feathers by its neck was different from the others, glowing a faint golden color that would have been obscured in the snow if not for his watchful eyes.

"The most likely candidate is the golden feather on its neck. Our best chance is to kill it and take the feather." Oscar glanced at Mary, signaling her to get ready for battle. He had read about this creature before, but its abilities were still hard to get through.

"Take the Frost Orb. You'll need it for this battle." Oscar tossed the orb and kept watch over the Nixagle. It remained unmoving, making Oscar smile because they could take their time preparing before inciting it to fight. "This bird is too arrogant and will even allow us the first move of attack. However, it will have ample time to react with the large tree and this treeless area as buffers."

Oscar pondered more within the boundaries of the trees. The best would have been to have someone like George and his Sapphire Hedgehog attack it from a range or a dragon anima like Celestina's. However, he and Mary were melee-type fighters, good ones, but not the best for hunting this flying beast.

'Think.' Oscar cooled his thoughts, remembering his sparring training with Draven. He went through hell in the sand to constantly think more about his attacks and actions to produce a desirable result. With each changing intent during those spars, Oscar's persistence had borne fruit to elevate his Prinstyct. 'With everything in our means, what's the best way to kill this Nixagle? I know about its abilities, and it doesn't know ours.'

With that advantage in his thoughts, Oscar's eyes gleamed with radiant realization. It was a daring plan, but if it worked, then it was almost certainly their victory. He turned to Mary and asked, "Sorry to spring this on you, but you're almost certainly the bait here."

Mary's face fell, and her eyes widened. "What?"

"Well, to be exact, you'll have to piss off the Nixagle to go for you." Oscar looked awkward. He knew it was a lot to ask for, but this was the surefire way because her 'Electric Steps' with the Frost Orb to help save her Ein would help avoid the Nixagle long enough for Oscar to find a good opening.

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"Let me tell you my plan," Oscar explained his idea to Mary, who looked conflicted but with the item right in front of them, she agreed to be the bait. Seeing her willingness, Oscar said, "Sorry to do this, but I promise the Nixagle will go down."

"It's alright." Mary's Ein flowed rapidly around her like a vortex, garnering the Nixagle's attention, and rushed out of the trees. "Watch for your timing."

The Nixagle let out a bellowing shriek and took to the skies above, flying above the tree. Oscar watched and knew its first ability was incoming. The two wings beat once with a tremendous force, but instead of elevating the Nixagle, they shot out sharp icicles that flew with the aid of the frost gales.

These icicles grew larger throughout their trajectory downward until they reached the size of Mary herself and plunged into the ground with incredible force. Oscar didn't move out and watched Mary hasten her steps to avoid the horrific icicles. He sighed in relief that he gave the Frost Orb to her because of the fierce gales that blew from the Nixagle's wings; they would have sped up the spread of the blue frost if she was vulnerable to it.

Mary finally reached the large tree despite the large number of icicles spread across her pathway there. The cold winds roared fiercer as the Nixagle put more effort into scattering this mouse that reached its home. However, Mary didn't care about the winds and swung her spear to cut into the tree.

The tree was large and thick, but Mary's spear, combined with 'Lightning Edge', cut cleanly through it. The first step in Oscar's plan was to reach the giant tree and start harming it with the threat of destruction to send the Nixagle, who fiercely guarded its home, into a frenzy.

"Good." Oscar rubbed his good ear to cover himself from the loud cries of the Nixagle that flew circles around the tree furiously. The trees around him swayed back from the swirling storm formed by the beast's actions. "First was the icicles. Now it's the winds that form around its wings. It's still too high."

Oscar held himself back from making a move despite seeing Mary's petite figure clinging to her spear embedded in the tree in a desperate attempt not to be blown and torn by the raging winds. 'Calm down. The chance will come soon enough. She understood this when she agreed.'

Despite his attempts to calm himself, he still clenched his teeth. Perhaps he should have gone to the tree alone and accomplished his plans while Mary could rest and watch. However, doing so would have insulted her and gone against the idea of pairing up in the first place.

Suddenly, he saw Mary shake her head at him with a serious face. She knew the moment wasn't here yet and that he shouldn't jeopardize it just because she was struggling. "I told you to wait for the right moment! This is your plan! So have faith in it and me."

Oscar chuckled and said in a low tone. "You're right. If I can't trust my teammate, then what's the point?"

He didn't shout back because he didn't want to alert the Nixagle until the moment was right. He let out a slow breath and calmed down; his eyes locked on the Nixagle, waiting for his Prinstyct to show him the right moment.

The Nixagle continued its hurricane flight path around the tree, but it drew closer, increasing the intensity of the winds toward Mary. The closer it got to something, the more intense its winds would be, and poor Mary was now experiencing the full onslaught. Despite her resistance to the blue frost, the regular cold was still something to be careful with.

Mary felt her bones freezing from the cold gales of his creature. But she held on because it wasn't the moment yet. 'Come closer, you damned beast.'

Finally, the Nixagle was right before the tree and flew only several feet above the ground.

"Here it is. I'm coming, Mary!" Oscar finally had enough of the waiting and was ready to tear this bird to pieces. He went out in an explosive dash. Several cuts appeared on his face and hands because of the powerful winds surrounding the tree, but his eyes locked on the Nixagle.

Oscar drew his buckler back and threw right where the Nixagle would be. Thanks to the wind, the buckler flew fast and wrapped around the Nixagle's red talon. Oscar gripped tightly and used 'Steel Scales' to prevent more damage.

His body was pulled by the powerful Nixagle that started to shriek in confusion at the sudden weight. It stared at its talon and noticed another little mouse behind it. It flew more furiously to make Oscar let go.

Oscar smiled and released his 'Steel Scales', feeling the frigid winds reach him. The blue frost crept on him, but his Ein burned like the fires of the furnaces in the Foundry to fight it. Oscar reached his hand and started to pull himself closer to Nixagle.

"Don't think I'm going to let go."

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