Chapter 41: Emon vs the Copper‑Jawed Lizard!

At the centre of the arena, Emon moved. Instead of retreating, he took one step toward the Copper‑Jawed Lizard. Silver‑Eye soared low on the beast’s left flank, trying harrying strikes from its wingtip to draw its attention. Yet the lizard never turned toward the falcon. Its amber vertical pupils stayed locked firmly on Emon. Its tail slammed hard against the stone, and its body launched forward — far faster than its bulky frame suggested — straight for where Emon stood.

Emon dodged sideways. The lizard’s massive jaw swiped past his shoulder. Seizing that opening, he drew a short dagger from behind his waist — a weapon Cecil had never seen him carry, concealed inside his belt. He twisted the blade in his grip and drove the tip downward toward the lizard’s front‑leg joint.

A shrill screech rang out as metal scraped across scales. The dagger left a pale scratch on the limb but failed to pierce the armour. Thrown off balance, the Copper‑Jawed Lizard pulled back, opened its jaws, and spewed a jet of dark‑green corrosive sludge. Where the liquid hit the brickwork, dense bubbles fizzed and hissed across the stone.

Emon stepped backward twice to evade the corrosive spray. Silver‑Eye dove from above, talons aimed at the lizard’s nape. Another metallic scrape echoed; the claws could not pierce the hide, but the blow distracted the monster, making it jerk its head aside. Emon used the chance to retreat and create distance.

"...The very first foe is this tough," Martha muttered nearby, her hand settling instinctively on her axe‑hilt. "If the trials keep ramping up, how brutal will they get later on?"

Cecil did not reply. He watched Emon readjust his stance and breathing in the arena, while Silver‑Eye circled for altitude. The lizard’s amber slitted eyes tracked every shift of his position. Its jaws hung slightly ajar, dark‑green mucus dripping from its fangs, burning tiny pits into the stone bricks.

Perched on Cecil’s shoulder, Gwendolyn stared without blinking. Her tail rested lightly against the back of his neck, perfectly still.

"He will pull through," she said quietly, loud enough only for Cecil to hear. "When he retreated just now, he did not move in a straight line. He was gauging the lizard’s turning radius. He is reading its movement patterns."

Cecil nodded. Beneath his robe, his right hand gathered a thin layer of frost, his fingertips turning cold, ready to intervene at any moment. Still, Emon remained on the field and had given no signal for help.

In the arena centre, Emon tightened his hold on the dagger. Silver‑Eye circled high overhead then landed back on his shoulder. The grey falcon’s talons dug into his clothing, its beak parted, pale‑gold pupils reflecting the lizard’s amber gaze.

Beneath the blue‑white glow, man, falcon and lizard stood locked in a standoff. The spectators along the perimeter watched in silence.

Emon raised his dagger once more. This was no feint; he charged forward in full sprint. At the exact same instant, Silver‑Eye launched off his shoulder. A grey streak cut a sharp diagonal through the air, talons tensed to stab toward the lizard’s eyes. The Copper‑Jawed Lizard snapped its head sideways to dodge the falcon, yet that evasive manoeuvre carried it directly into Emon’s charge. Instead of slashing against hard scales, Emon angled his blade upward, stabbing toward the soft scaled skin beneath the lizard’s jaw — one of the few poorly‑defended spots, unlike the heavy plating covering its back and limbs.

The dagger sank roughly half an inch deep. The lizard let out a low hiss. Its jaws clamped shut. As Emon pulled his blade free, rows of fine fangs grazed his wrist, tearing a small strip from his sleeve. Emon stepped back half a pace. Silver‑Eye skimmed the ground behind him, forming a grey barrier between him and the wounded beast.

The amber light in the lizard’s eyes dimmed. It was injured. But a hurt lizard was far more dangerous than before.

Its tail whipped against the floor. Using the recoil, it launched itself fully airborne, twisting its body half‑way around and swinging its tail like a flail toward Emon’s waist. The movement was blindingly fast, utterly mismatched with its bulky build. Emon barely twisted his torso aside. The spines along the lizard’s tail raked across his ribs, slicing open his shirt and drawing a thin trail of blood beneath the fabric.

Silver‑Eye screeched from above. The falcon dove down again. This time a faint silvery halo glowed around its talons — the signature tell of a spirit beast activating its skill.

The silver‑edged strike crashed onto the lizard’s carapace. Unlike earlier scratches, this blow carried real cutting power, carving three parallel deep gashes across the scales, thin wisps of smoke rising from each wound. The lizard’s body sagged under the impact. For the first time, its amber pupils left Emon and focused entirely on Silver‑Eye.

"Silver‑Eye! Climb!" Emon’s voice grew taut.

But it was already too late. The Copper‑Jawed Lizard opened its maw, and dark‑green corrosive fluid gushed from its throat, spraying toward the falcon mid‑flight. Silver‑Eye beat its wings to soar higher, yet momentum from its dive kept it on course for a fraction of a second too long.

That split‑second was enough. Some of the sludge splattered onto its tail‑feathers. Three grey‑white feathers curled and blackened instantly upon contact. Silver‑Eye let out a sharp cry, its flight wobbling violently.

Emon charged forward in that instant. He did not go for the lizard, nor did he move to catch the falcon. Instead he sprinted toward the opening at the lizard’s neck exposed while it spat. Flipping his dagger, he drove the weighted back of the blade hard against the scales on its neck. The full force of his rush slammed home. The lizard’s neck lurched sideways, its line of sight toward Silver‑Eye broken.

Seizing the chance, Silver‑Eye climbed out of range and circled high above the arena, waiting for orders. Three tail‑feathers were scorched and missing. Its flight tilted slightly, yet it remained in control.

The Copper‑Jawed Lizard steadied itself and shook its head. A dented pale mark marred the scales on its neck. Its amber pupils refocused on Emon, jaws hanging open, residual corrosive glistening on its fangs.

"...How did he pull that off?" Freddy breathed beside Cecil, almost stunned by awe. "That lizard is five times his size, and he ran straight in to bash its neck —"

"He spotted the momentary blind spot right after it spat," Gwendolyn answered from Cecil’s shoulder, speaking faster than usual. "Silver‑Eye’s assault was not meant to kill. It was a feint. Its real purpose was to expose the lizard’s neck."

At the arena centre, the lizard opened its jaws again. This time its target changed. Instead of firing upward at Silver‑Eye, it loosed its corrosive stream straight at Emon on the ground. The sludge burst into fizzing corrosive bubbles upon impact. Emon rolled backward and sideways to dodge, yet one droplet landed on his left forearm. Cloth burned through immediately, and searing pain bit into his skin. He grunted but kept moving, falling back to gain distance. Silver‑Eye swooped down from above to land another talon‑strike, silver light slicing a fresh deep gash across the lizard’s shoulder.

Muffled murmurs rippled through the spectators along the edge. Someone whispered, "That falcon’s talon‑art is decent." Another replied, "Still, the lizard is hardly hurt." Over on one side, a burly man in leather armour stood with crossed arms, judging the fight like a seasoned veteran. "Drag this on much longer and the hawk will run out of stamina. Lizards of this breed have twice the endurance of avian spirit beasts."

Cecil heard those comments but did not turn his head. His gaze stayed fixed on Emon. Smoke still curled from the burnt fabric on his left forearm. Sweat beaded on his forehead, yet his dagger‑wielding hand stayed steady; his breathing had quickened but never unraveled.

Emon twisted his wrist around the dagger’s hilt. Silver‑Eye dove once more from high above. Its talons blazed with brighter silver radiance, like a burning meteor falling from shadow. Right before impact, the falcon snapped its wings wide and spun a full rotation in mid‑air, flinging that silver energy toward the lizard’s head using centrifugal force.

The glowing blade of light smashed into the lizard’s left eye. Amber vertical pupils vanished beneath silver brilliance. The Copper‑Jawed Lizard let out a roar that echoed across the whole arena, throwing its head backward. Its claws scrabbled against the stone before it regained balance.

A pale white scar marred its left eyelid. Dark fluid oozed from the wound. Its jaws hung open, no longer spitting venom, rows of fine fangs glinting cold under blue‑white illumination.

Emon stood at the edge of the glowing rune circle in the arena centre, chest heaving heavily. Silver‑Eye landed on his shoulder. Its grey plumage was ruffled and dishevelled, three tail‑feathers gone, yet its pale‑gold eyes still burned bright.

The Copper‑Jawed Lizard took one step back, then a second. Its one remaining functional amber eye slowly shifted away from Emon toward the far side of the arena.

Its form began to blur, like a painting soaked in water. Its outline melted into the blue‑white radiance and dissolved completely. Nothing remained on the stone floor except corrosion pits and fine powdered scale fragments.

A deep gong boomed from the vaulted ceiling high above.

Emon stood in the middle of the arena, dagger hanging loose at his side, smoke still rising from the burn on his left forearm. He glanced upward toward the dome, sheathed his dagger at his waist, and walked back toward the onlookers.

He paused when he reached Cecil, voice hoarse yet firm. "First trial cleared. But if the next opponent also counters Silver‑Eye, we will need someone else to fight."

Cecil looked at his bleeding forearm and scorched sleeve and nodded. "Rest first. I will go."

Gwendolyn straightened slightly on his shoulder, her tail lifting half an inch.

The concentric blue‑white runes at the arena centre began to spin once more.