Elemental Cats

Surprisingly none of the seven third level beasts were the first to enter the hole. A tiny, grey bird, that had been hiding inside, or beneath a nearby stone. As soon as the dust settled it pierced through the air like an arrow, quickly disappearing down below in the orange light.

Toz didn't know what was down there, he didn't know if all the beasts completely knew either but there was a common consensus that the early bird gets the worm.

All the other beasts were infuriated and stopped hesitating, now that someone had already entered there wouldn't be any fights on the surface. But as soon as enough beasts enter and the treasure is confirmed by sight, all hell will break lose.

Toz also hurried down the hole and got his share of odd looks as he breezed past the other beasts and, without hesitation, jumped down.

The walls were smooth, with no visible handholds, not that Toz was close enough to the walls to grab any if they existed, to begin with. He had jumped as far into the center of the circular hole as he could, making it a third of the way across. Since the light was an indicator of where the treasure is located and is shining up from the center of the hole, getting closer to the center of the hole is a better way to get closer to the treasure.

As he fell down all he could see was a bright orange light and a few shadows in the shape of the beasts that managed to enter before him. He managed to count to seventeen before he felt the ground rapidly approach him and he readied for impact.

However, instead of the solid ground, he had expected he landed on molten rock that splashed up on his boots and pant legs and started burning them away. Toz reacted quickly and shook and brushed his legs while finding a better place to stand on, and at the same time assessing the situation around him.

It seemed he had landed in one of several streams of magma, flowing toward the center of the huge cylinder, presumably toward the treasure's location.

Quickly stepping on the solid ground next to him Toz continued looking for enemies. He saw a few puddles of squashed meat and blood from beasts that couldn't handle the fall, and a few moving silhouettes a distance away.

The overwhelming orange light made it difficult to discern distance with sight alone and using mana might be like lighting a beacon, alerting everyone where he is.

Or it would have been if the air had still been filled to the brim with fire mana since his darkness covered mana pulse would have been even more easily noticeable in contrast to it. Now, although the air was still blisteringly hot, the mana that had brought that heat had completely disappeared.

Without any interfering mana, he could without pressure send out a simple mana pulse and based on the feedback find any enemies.

Thankfully Toz landed in a rather empty area, with a few injured small fries that he disposed of before moving toward the center.

As he approached he heard a lot of growling, howling, and barking. Each sound filled with an impressive wave of mana. Gradually the shadowy silhouettes turned clear and he saw the hound, the wolves, and the deer surrounding a pedestal of lava holding up an orb of orange light.

The six noticed his arrival and placed part of their attention on him, since they were already in a stalemate things would only change if he did something to provoke them.

Toz wondered both what the orb was, and what he should do to get it, without dying in the process.

The standoff continued and several weaker beasts had gotten arrived within distance of the pedestal but didn't approach as they felt the terrifying aura of the third level beasts.

Something only changed when a rhythmic rumbling was heard. The rumbling was accompanied by quaking ground and gradually grew louder. Toz quickly realized what it was and looked back to make sure he wasn't in the way, unfortunately, he was smack dab in the path of a charging mammoth.

Leaving glowing footsteps and a trail of crushed beasts behind the mammoth charged full speed at the pedestal, giving no heed to any of the other beasts. With its heavy weight, it had landed right next to the cave wall, from there it had built up momentum, and anyone foolish to stand in its path would be crushed without mercy.

The other six realized the mammoth would grab the orb and continue charging if not stopped. Sure there was no exit since they were all at the bottom of a circular hole made from the orb melting the ground, but if the mammoth got it and shoved it down its mouth there would be no way of getting it back.

The third level existences had noticed one thing that they could get from the orb, especially the lead deer. And that was an opportunity to become level four. Since they were stuck in a low level plane, making the jump from third level to fourth level, from low level to medium level would require extreme talent, luck and resources. In a third level plane there might be enough precious materials and the like to partly make up for the other two aspects but in a first level one? There could be in the entire plane enough mana crystals and herbs and whatever treasure popped up for a single beast to ascend but it would be absolutely impossible to gather it all, and give it to a single being.

With the orb, however, the seven beasts could tell, on an instinctual level, that consuming or using it would boost them to the fourth level. Toz felt no such need since he could use portals and go to a medium level plane and break through there, without the need to ascend.

But he could still tell that the orb was a treasure better off in his hands than in the bellies of any of the beasts surrounding it, especially the huge mammoth charging right at it.

The other six beasts also realized it and since they were the only ones with the power to stop the charge they quickly agreed to work together and stop the mammoth before refocusing on the orb. They naturally kept a part of their attention on it, so taking it would not be easy.

If they stopped the charging mammoth, there would be seven third level beasts keeping watch, and several more second level ones. Snatching the orb would only grow more difficult with time until something happens. Realizing this Toz came up with a risky plan, and started running.