(Hazard Three Pt. 3)
Things were starting to look dire: The toad had made several more direct landings and now Aros was hobbling more than walking. He hadn't broken anything, but he was drained, and wounded from the constant flying and crash landing. Truly, he had never thought that he would die to an over-fed toad. In fact, he didn't think he'd die much at all: he was an elf after all and they did live for really long periods of time.
Aros spat more blood out of his mouth, and wiped it from the shallow gash on his forehead that had been bleeding incessantly since the second fall. It muddied his vision, and made it hard to focus on his assailant who, by the looks of it, was satisfied with its conquest.
Sensing his death would be imminent if he couldn't pull something off, Aros triggered his camouflage spell again, shielding him form the toads gaze for a moment. Visibly confused, the creature began to gargle and grumble before dashing forward--then backwards--in confusion. It had temporarily lost its prey. Using the confusion to his advantage, Aros quickly made for the pyramid's base. s he did he noticed something peculiar; the toad had stopped moving entirely, and its eyes were slowly scanning the surface of the troubled water.
He knows I'm still here. He's looking for abnormal patterns in the water. Better move slower.
Aros slowed his movements to a float, sensing he couldn't keep up the magic for much longer. As he reached the steps of the pyramid, he took several stones in his hands from the river bed. Slowly, he scaled the steps, all the while watching the toad in the middle of the pool as it hovered motionless. Now at a balcony just atop the first flight of stairs, Aros figured that the best way to make it out of the Gorge of Confusion alive was to himself be confusing.
Releasing all the rocks over the edge with one hand, he waited until he could hear the sickening attack screech from the beast before standing back up and releasing the spell. It had come flying through the air, and succeeded in nearly topping the outcropping Aros was on in its attempt to hunt what it thought was its prey in the water below. It didn't have time to realize it mistake: Aros vaulted over the balcony, brandishing his blade with both hands high above him.
One of its round eyes turned to the sound of his own eager battle-cry and witnessed for a mere second the face of an adventurer truly consumed by his endeavor: never had he felt more alive in all his life as he did then in free fall, his victory at hand. The blade spun in his hands, and came crashing through the center of the toads flat, bulbous head. Narrowly had Aros managed to dodge the slime-covered spines as he fell, but the elasticity of the toad's head caught him well, and split easily to his blade's persuasion.
The Beast let out one final cry of anguish as its life escaped it, and attempted another jump. Unfortunately, it only managed to lift itself on its hind legs for a second before falling back down into the water.
I...
I did it.
Aros could hardly breathe: he was exhausted from his plight, and covered in cuts and bruises. Begrudgingly he looked at the fleshy floor he had taken to sitting down on and inhaled sharply.
"You were a damn good challenge. A marvel of nature that no one out there in their homes--their ordinary cities and jobs--will ever witness. It was an honor to have fought you, and I'll always remember your fat, ugly face when I'm out there finding more like you." As if in response, the toad's body heaved once, before expelling it's stomach's contents in all directions. Aros laughed softly, but took it as a sign that he should grant himself a couple moments more to rest before climbing back up the marble steps.
