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TWL Chapter 320: The Lion’s Roar vs. The Rock Beasts
🕑 Added 2025-03-11 19:33:10 +0000 UTCThe Shaelmaar looked up in confusion, their heads swinging from side to side. They had emerged to the surface only to be disturbed by the roar of a dragon, and now they didn't know which way to turn.
However, upon hearing the dwarves' cries, their objective became immediately clear.
A creature larger than two warhorses lined up leapt heavily into the air. As its body folded itself together, it transformed into a compact, perfect sphere, falling from above like a gigantic rock more than three meters high.
The impact was terrifying, but the Shaelmaar were not real stones. Under their rocky shells there was still flesh and bone, and as they rolled, they constantly adjusted their stance to avoid losing control and being damaged by the force of the collision.
Still, their momentum was unstoppable for any ordinary person. And the first obstacle in their path was the wooden inn, which would not last even a moment against such an onslaught.
The dwarves were more than familiar with these creatures. As soon as they saw them, they scattered quickly, screaming and beating the ground with their weapons to create noise and disorient the sensory perception of the Shaelmaar, who relied on echolocation to move.
At the same time, they sought shelter behind sufficiently strong rocks. They knew that if they managed to crash the Shaelmaar into a solid obstacle, the impact could stun them and expose them to a lethal blow.
But this ambush had taken them by surprise. Many dwarves were drunk and would not have enough time to find shelter before the first impact, which ensured that there would be casualties.
Gabor noticed this and his expression darkened. He looked towards Lann's entourage and, after a moment's thought, decided to let the matters of Mahakam be resolved by the dwarves themselves.
"Duke Lannister, I am sorry that you have barely arrived and are already in danger. Please retreat to a safe place. We dwarves will quickly take care of this little problem."
As a diplomat, he could not risk the safety of foreign guests in the midst of chaos.
If it were just a group of ordinary humans, they would have fled as soon as they saw the towering Shaelmaars. In fact, Rayla was already seeking shelter.
But who were those who had come with Lann?
Four witchers skilled in hunting monsters, a witcher horse, Yarpen's team with experience hunting dragons, a giant bear berserker from Skellige, and a company of Cintra cavalry led by House and Milva, who possessed the follower panel.
For this group, the Shaelmaar who fled in terror after the dragon's roar had simply made a fatal mistake.
Lann patted Gabor on the shoulder and smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry, Mr. Gabor. Actually, my team is skilled at dealing with these kinds of creatures."
The Cintra riders had already formed ranks, readying their bows for the first volley of arrows. Bill, after observing the situation, let out a roar and began to transform before the astonished gaze of the dwarves, turning into a giant bear, even larger than a Shaelmaar.
Black Wind stamped his hooves anxiously on the ground, while the witchers scattered in search of strategic positions to engage in combat.
Saskia, seeing the situation, approached Geralt. "You seem like a reasonable person... I want to join the fight. You have two swords, could you lend me one for a moment?"
Geralt turned his head slightly without letting his guard down. 'This girl has traveled this long without having her own weapon?'
There was also something about Saskia's attitude and voice that seemed strangely familiar.
...
The battle began in a way the dwarves could never have imagined.
A golden flash illuminated the battlefield. Lann had teleported straight into the heart of Shaelmaars' group.
The creatures, with all their accumulated momentum, could not stop or turn. But Lann had complete freedom of movement to launch his attack.
“Damn it!” Gabor shouted, his voice filled with disbelief. He still held out his hand, as if trying to stop Lann, but in the blink of an eye, the duke was already in the middle of the group of monsters.
"Damn it! How did he get there? Why didn't they stop him?! Why aren't they going to rescue him?!"
Rayla looked horrified as well. She had heard stories about the Lion of Cintra, but she never imagined he would rush into battle so recklessly.
Those monsters could destroy houses in one blow! If Lannister suffered a mishap here, how the hell would Aedirn, and the United Kingdom form a unified front against Nilfgaard?
She looked around and noticed that the Cintrians didn't seem the least bit worried. None of them looked away, as if they were completely accustomed to this scene.
In the next instant, a gigantic purple magic circle unfolded before everyone.
Its shining light illuminated the white snow, and for a moment, Rayla could see nothing else.
This was the moment all witchers were waiting for.
Hourglass-shaped runes, shrouded in a purple glow, crept up the Shaelmaars' bodies, slowing their movements to something resembling slow motion.
Then, from the edge of the magic circle, blinding white lightning bolts burst forth, striking precisely into the sides of the enormous stone spheres. Although the bolts were unable to pierce the creatures' thick stone armor, they did manage to divert their trajectory with ease.
With a crash, four Shaelmaar crashed squarely into a nearby rock formation. Stunned and staggering, they lost control of their bodies, exposing their vulnerable underbelly.
The snap of bowstrings echoed across the snowy mountains. The Cintra riders, since following Lann, had made the greatest progress in archery. Their trained timing allowed them to know exactly when was the perfect time to strike.
Under Milva's leadership, a shower of arrows rained down on the Shaelmaars. The sound of metal clashing against stone echoed in the air, but some arrows found their mark in the beasts' unprotected parts, stabbing into their chests and abdomens, covering them in a thick layer of blood and steel.
At the same time Black Wind burst onto the scene.
After crushing the head of a still stunned Shaelmaar, the imposing steed neighed and reared its hind legs, delivering a violent kick to one of the enormous stone spheres, altering its trajectory in mid-flight.
The witchers advanced deftly through the snow, approaching the Shaelmaars. Without the inertia that made them lethal, these monsters were nothing more than motionless targets thanks to Lann's Yrden Sign.
A well-placed Aard Sign was enough to alter their direction, leaving them vulnerable. And once exposed, the experienced archers and ranks of roaring dwarves would finish the job.
...
Not just the witchers. Even the Cintrian soldiers, having followed Lann through countless battles, were already accustomed to facing even greater challenges. Although the number of Shaelmaars was considerable, for them, this was nothing more than a simple warm-up.
Amid thunder, explosions and flashes of light, the dwarves who had entrenched themselves behind the rocks pounded the ground with their weapons, trying to attract the attention of the monsters. But they soon realized that their actions seemed to have no meaning.
Cautiously, they poked their heads out from their hiding places and discovered that most of the monsters… had already been almost completely wiped out.
And the Cintrians, far from having suffered great losses, seemed to have expended only a little energy and a few arrows. In fact, they looked as fresh as if they had just warmed up.
Gabor and Rayla exchanged a glance. All the Cintrians had already charged forward. Only the two of them remained in place, not quite sure how to react.
At that moment, a stumbling Shaelmaar hit a loose rock, but instead of stopping, as it was supposed to, it began to roll even faster, heading straight for them.
Gabor and Rayla gripped their weapons, ready to engage in combat.
But then, a golden flash appeared in their field of vision.
[Aard Sign - Piercing Cold!]
A chilly breath blew from Lann's outstretched palm. The snowy mountain, which had only just begun to feel the first spring winds, seemed to suddenly return to the harsh winter.
Gabor and Rayla felt a chill run down their spines as they watched the Shaelmaar move slower and slower… and slower.
The thin layer of snow on the ground seemed to come to life, responding to the icy power of Lann's sign, clinging to the monster. Little by little, ice seeped into every crevice of its stony body, filling the empty spaces, clogging its joints and stopping its advance.
Until, finally, it came to a complete stop, right in front of Lann.
The sun's rays bathed the motionless creature, which had now become a sculpture of ice, shiny and translucent. Through the crystalline shell of ice, Gabor could make out in astonishing detail the patterns of the rock on the surface of its body.
Lann turned to the two stunned spectators and, with a carefree smile, said, "See? Just like I said… my team is professionals at handling these kinds of situations."
