Zeki, maintaining his calm and controlled posture, stepped forward, directing his gaze at the serpent leader. He spoke with a firm but non-aggressive voice, as if trying to solve a puzzle.
"It's interesting to see you here, so far from the city," Zeki said calmly. "This raises some questions. How did you get past the walls and defenses? And more importantly, what exactly do you want with these attacks?"
The serpent leader watched Zeki with piercing eyes, her movements smooth but filled with restrained tension. She replied in a hissing tone, full of disdain.
"Do you think we care to answer a human's questions? Our intentions and methods are none of your business."
Zeki kept his composure, ignoring the serpent's provocation.
"Of course you have a plan," he continued, questioning. "An invasion like this doesn't happen without a goal. Destroy the city? Drive out the humans? Or is there something more you're after?"
The serpent, noticing Zeki's attempt to extract information, narrowed her eyes.
"You are clever, human, but also insolent. Don't think I'll reveal our plans so easily. We don't need to explain ourselves to anyone."
"If you don't intend to answer, we can only assume you're here to dominate or destroy," Zeki provoked. "But that would be a rather direct and... primitive approach, don't you think?"
The serpent leader, visibly irritated by Zeki's attempt to uncover her plans, raised her head even higher.
"Watch your words, human. Curiosity has killed more than just the cat. This place will be your grave if you keep provoking."
Isadora, who had remained silent during the exchange, watched with a mixture of disdain and curiosity. She was impressed by Zeki's calmness and intelligence.
This guy really knows how to keep his composure. He's not only strong, but also very smart. When I first saw him, I thought he was a fool for hanging out with Gustavo and having red hair, but I guess I was wrong.
As the conversation continued, Zeki noticed something strange. He quickly scanned the area, realizing that the three-eyed monster was still in place, but the spider... the spider had disappeared.
The spider vanished... but I sense it moving. It must be preparing a sneak attack.
Without wasting time, Zeki acted. He quickly concentrated his energy and launched a blast toward where he suspected the spider was. The spider, which had positioned itself silently behind Isadora, ready to strike, was caught off guard. Zeki's blast hit her, making her jump and revealing her position.
"Damn! I was so close!" the spider hissed, irritated.
Isadora quickly turned around, noticing the spider's presence right behind her.
"Damn, I let my guard down and got distracted; that thing was almost on top of me! Good work, Zeki. But next time, I won't drop my guard."
The spider, furious at being discovered, instinctively prepared to attack.
"I should have gotten rid of you that night, human, but I'll make sure you die today. Prey always gets caught by the spider, sooner or later."
Isadora, now aware of the imminent danger, assumed a defensive stance. The serpent leader and the three-eyed monster watched the scene, ready to exploit any opening.
"It seems there's no other choice," Zeki said calmly. "Isadora, it looks like you're eager to handle the spider. Be careful."
"Leave it to me, Zeki," Isadora replied with an arrogant smile. "This spider will pay for trying to catch me by surprise. This will end quickly, and by the way, if I can't handle them, leave these three to me."
"I see you're excited, Isadora, but don't worry about that possibility."
While Isadora prepared to face the spider, Zeki turned his gaze to the serpent leader and the three-eyed monster. "While Isadora has fun with the spider, it seems I'll have to deal with the two of you. So, if you have anything to say, you'd better say it now."
Suddenly, an explosion occurred in the forest. Zeki decided to use this advantage, rising into the air to gain a strategic position.
I don't know what abilities these two have, so I'll stay on the defensive.
The serpent leader, noticing that Zeki was preparing for an attack, began to emit a dense cloud of poison. Simultaneously, the three-eyed monster focused his gaze on Zeki, his eyes glowing, preparing to fire homing lasers.
"You won't escape my poison, human."
"We don't care if you fly; you won't escape my lasers."
Zeki extended his hands and created a powerful psychic barrier around himself, which not only protected him but also began to push the poisonous mist away.
"Are you serious?" he said, calm and determined.
With a quick movement, Zeki launched a wave of psychic force toward the three-eyed monster, destabilizing him and interrupting his attack. Seizing the moment, he focused his attention on the serpent leader, using his telekinesis to create a pressure point around her.
"Your scales are quite resistant; it seems I'll have to use more power."
The serpent leader struggled against the growing pressure, while the three-eyed monster, recovering, tried to retaliate. Zeki launched psychic spheres at him, hitting him, and then focused again on the serpent leader.
"You won't get past me. Now answer: how did you get past the defenses and the walls?"
"You can pressure me all you want, human. I won't reveal anything," the serpent hissed defiantly.
"We are here for a purpose, and you won't stop us," the three-eyed monster warned. "But I wouldn't count too much on that confidence, human."
Wait, he's not injured? Zeki thought, noticing the monster's resilience.