Drake, turned east from the Stoneguard Pass entrance, heading towards the formidable, snow-dusted Skyreach Peaks. The air grew colder, the wind sharper as he began his ascent into the mountainous terrain. The [Cartographer's Route Maps] didn't cover this specific sub-region in detail, only marking the Skyreach Peaks as "Drake Infested - Hazardous." He was relying on the Stoneguard Sergeant's sparse information and his own skills.
"Cliff Drakes... agile, fire-spitting, nest on sheltered ledges or shallow caves. Look for bones, scorch marks. Standard monster hunting, just... vertical. [Relic Hunter] will be key for spotting subtle signs."
He activated [Relic Hunter]. The skill sharpened his perception, making him more attuned to unnatural disturbances in the rugged landscape. He began meticulously scanning the cliff faces, narrow ledges, and dark crevices that characterized the lower slopes of the Skyreach Peaks.
After about an hour of careful climbing and searching, [Relic Hunter] highlighted a faint trail of disturbed scree leading upwards towards a series of narrow ledges. Further along, he spotted them: scorch marks blackening the rock near a shallow cave mouth high on the cliff face, and a scattering of old bones at the base of the cliff below it.
"That looks promising. Classic drake nesting signs."
The climb to the ledge was treacherous, requiring careful handholds and footing. Reaching the cave mouth, he peered inside. Two Cliff Drakes (Level 18), scaled reptilian creatures about the size of large dogs with leathery wings and wicked claws, hissed at his approach, a faint orange glow building in their throats.
One Drake launched itself into the air, hovering just out of easy melee range, and spat a glob of burning ichor. Drake raised his [Rare Guardian's Buckler]. [Defend] << Perfect Defend! Damage Taken: 0!>> The ichor sizzled against his shield. The second Drake swooped down in a clawing attack. Drake met it with a [Basic Slash] (100% SCR) while sidestepping. << Perfect Execution! +Flawless Strike! Damage Dealt: ~250! >> (Relentless Assault starts).
The fight was a new challenge. The drakes used their aerial mobility to stay out of reach, then swooped in for quick strikes or spat fire. Drake found his [Ground Stomp] mostly ineffective while they were airborne. He relied on perfectly timed [Defend] activations against their fire spit and waited for openings when they swooped low. His [Well-Used Longsword] had limited reach. After a frustrating few minutes of this kiting, drake movement allowed him to land two powerful, consecutive Perfect Slashes on one, crippling its wing. It spiraled to the ground, where he finished it quickly. The second one, now alone, became more reckless in its dives, and Drake dispatched it after another series of blocks and well-aimed sword thrusts.
<< Target Eliminated! EXP +300 >> (x2) He searched the small, messy nest. Bones, a few singed feathers, some discarded trinkets of low value... but no Stoneguard satchel.
"Okay, flying enemies are annoying. This is going to take a while if the report isn't in the first few nests."
He continued his search, using [Relic Hunter] to spot more signs of drake activity higher in the peaks. He cleared two more small nests, each guarded by one or two Level 18 Cliff Drakes, employing similar tactics. Each fight was a learning experience in dealing with mobile, ranged attackers. He found more bones, some [Drake Scales] (crafting material), but still no report.
Finally, after several hours of climbing and searching, [Relic Hunter] detected a much larger concentration of drake signs – a wider ledge with a deeper cave system, littered with more bones and larger scorch marks. As he approached, a more formidable Alpha Cliff Drake (Level 19, Elite) emerged, flanked by two regular drakes. The Alpha was larger, its scales a darker crimson, the fire in its throat burning brighter.
This fight was significantly tougher. The Alpha coordinated with its pack, and its fire breath was more potent. Drake was forced to use twice a [Minor Healing Potion] after taking a direct hit from a well-aimed fire glob. But his perfect execution and the power of [Relentless Assault] eventually won out. He defeated the Alpha and its guards.
Inside the larger cave, amidst a hoard of miscellaneous junk (tarnished metal, broken tools, animal hides), he finally spotted it: a familiar-looking, sturdy leather satchel bearing the Stoneguard fist insignia, partially torn but intact. << Item Acquired: [Stoneguard Scouting Report]! >> << Quest Objective Complete: Retrieve the Report! >>
"Got it! Finally. Now to get out of here... wait, what's that?"
Deeper within the same cave, in a secluded alcove hidden behind a rockfall that the drakes had seemingly burrowed through, lay a much larger reptilian form. It was draconic, easily three times the size of the Alpha Cliff Drake, with powerful limbs, a long tail, and massive, though currently tattered and bleeding, wings. One wing was bent at an unnatural angle, and dark blood pooled beneath the creature. It was clearly injured, but its eyes, glowing with a fierce yellow light, snapped open and fixed on Drake as he approached.
<< Injured Minor Wyvern (Level 25) [SPECIAL] detected! >>
"Level 25?! Injured, but still... this isn't a drake. This is a juvenile dragon, or close to it. What's it doing in a cliff drake nest? Must be the one that actually stole the report, and the drakes just scavenged it from here after it got hurt."
The Wyvern struggled to rise, a low growl rumbling in its chest, clearly hostile despite its injuries. Drake knew this was far more dangerous than anything he'd faced, but it was also cornered, injured, and he was blocking the only obvious exit from its alcove. Retreating might be wise, but the EXP from a Level 25 special creature...
He made his decision. He activated his [Guard's Whetstone] buff again. The Wyvern lunged, surprisingly fast for its size and injuries, snapping powerful jaws. [Defend] << Perfect Defend! Damage Taken: 0! Off-Balance Applied! >> Drake countered, his [Rare Bandit Chieftain's Blade] striking true. << Perfect Execution! Damage Dealt: 280! >> (Relentless Assault starts fresh).
The fight was brutal. The Wyvern, despite its torn wing limiting aerial attacks, had powerful claw swipes, a tail lash that could send Drake flying, and a weaker but still dangerous fiery breath. Drake relied heavily on his perfected [Defend] to negate the worst hits. The Wyvern's Level 25 stats meant its attacks, even injured, hit harder than anything before, and its HP pool was immense. Drake was forced to use two more [Minor Healing Potions]. But his execution was flawless, his damage output, amplified by maxed [Relentless Assault] and frequent criticals, relentlessly chipped away at the Wyvern's health.
After a long, harrowing battle that tested his endurance and skill to their limits, the Injured Minor Wyvern finally collapsed with a shuddering roar. << Defeated Injured Minor Wyvern! +45000 EXP! >>
The flood of experience was enormous. Ding! LEVEL UP! You are now Level 17! << Base Attributes Increased! HP/MP/Stamina Increased! +2 Attribute Points Available! >>
Drake assigned his points, feeling a significant boost. He quickly looted the Wyvern (more [Drake Scales], some [Wyvern Blood (Minor)] - a rare reagent, and a few [Rough Dragonstone Fragments]).
With the report secured and an unexpected, highly rewarding kill under his belt, Drake carefully made his way back down the Skyreach Peaks. The descent was much faster than the climb. He reached the Stoneguard Pass entrance a couple of hours later, presenting the tattered but legible [Stoneguard Scouting Report] to Sergeant Brynn.
She looked at the report, then at Drake, clearly surprised by his swift return and relatively unscathed appearance. "You actually got it! And so quickly! Those drakes are usually a nightmare for a full patrol, let alone a solo adventurer. Well done, traveler. Very well done." << Quest Complete: [Drake Hunt, Report Found]! Reward: Passage through Stoneguard Pass, 4000 EXP, +150 Stoneguard Faction Reputation! >>
The massive wooden gate of the Stoneguard Pass groaned open. Sergeant Brynn gave him a nod of respect. "Path is clear for you. Travel safely."
Drake nodded back and stepped through the gate, finally leaving the Stonetalon Foothills behind.