Jewel was right, the vast majority of the creatures were after him, but the ones who could not easily get to him were just as happy going after Jex. They were programmed by the curse that spawned them to destroy all life. Plants were easily enough dispatched once all the 'animals' had been dealt with. Plants were no threat. Animals could be.
The battle was as horrible as he had feared. Thankfully, though, it was not worse. At least not yet. The orcs and rocs seemed only to go after him, while the other beasts took on anything in their way, be it Jex, or a bush that was simply too close. Der did not have the selection of weapons to fight with that Jex did. He had only the sharp parts of his body. Luckily, unlike any other canine, the mystic wolf had the advent of his mane, to assist him. Plus, since he was the mystically appointed guardian of this forested land, he did not have to follow the same rules he'd put down for Jewel and Jex. Any wound from him, no matter how insignificant, would terminate the false monsters.
The battle raged on. Claws swiped, mane-blades flew and teeth ripped, with seemingly no end in sight. It was when the call of the first basilisk sounded that Der's heart sank a moment. The basilisks would see straight through the veil Jewel hid behind, and their freezing stare and unimaginable speed would make them terrible foes to face. Der knew Jewel and himself could continue on as necessary, but Jex was already tiring. This was obviously a warrior not accustomed to the battles on Atii, one of the most violent worlds in all of Ayenee. He would not last much longer.
As if to verify Der's fears, three basilisks simultaneously emerged from the treeline, and each lunged for a different foe with thunderous speed, stone gaze glaring, mouth agape, fully expecting to take a target one way or the other.
