Wood split and cracked. Under the blow of Sir Fleur's greatsword, the downward slam of Sir Renar's poleaxe, and the thrust of Sir Fionn's blade had split wood and sent cracks running through the creature. Sir Renar, in particular, had managed to create such an impact that the entire serpent's frame seemed to rock, lurching downwards for a moment before stabilizing itself, its body twisted oddly from the wide gash that Sir Fleuri had managed to inflict.

Somewhat less fortunate was the fact that the wood beneath the bark and outer layers that had split was fresh, with green fibers running through it. This meant it would be stronger, but the damage that had been inflicted clearly indicated that it was possible to carve into the wooden monstrosity.

---However.

It was strange how little it seemed to react to the damage...

Fanilly hadn't the need to administer direct orders, for her knights had practically already read her mind. Sir Fionn's rush, Sir Renar's leap, and Sir Fleuri and Dame Tyaethe's charges did exactly what she would have asked for.

The monster was huge, and unknown, but surely it could only attack a single target at once. That meant that attacking the enormous serpent from multiple angles was their best option.

"Tch," Arken took a step back, raising his staff skywards, "It's very likely this creature is a creation of the Moonlit Queen herself. Do you hear that heartbeat?"

It was impossible to miss, echoing through the forest like that.

"There's a fae-crafted heart, deep inside its body," he continued, as the serpent seemed to ignore its current attackers, raising its enormous head and directing its green, glowing eyesockets towards Fanilly and the two mages, "Destroying that would destroy the entire construct, but we have to be able to reach it!"

Fanilly nodded, her eyes running up and down the creature as it raised its head back. Was there a thin point? Some way they could be able to access it more effectively---

Damn it, it was going to attack again!

"Dragonstar!"

The shouted spell name came from beside her, Lord Arken's staff projecting a circle of brilliant purple light that suddenly flashed red and made the air itself vibrate as its bloody glow illuminated the entire clearing. A beacon of magical energy was sent hurtling upwards, aiming directly for the tree-serpent's head.

It struck dead-on, wood splitting and cracking and breaking apart, splitting down the middle with a resounding crack!

The massive wooden serpent's upper jaw had been split entirely down the middle, its enormous, sinuous form rocking backwards for a few moments.

But of course, the heartbeat hadn't ceased.

The edges of the ragged tear in the serpent's head twisted into points, gnarled wood manifesting new rows of razor teeth, its upper jaw splitting into a pair of new mandibles as it renewed its attack.

Arken was already moving. Fanilly followed, putting an arm around Gertrude and pulling her in close immediately without even thinking, hugging her to her body and yanking her along with her as she dove to the side.

Maybe it wasn't necessary at all. Maybe Lady Gertrude would have easily escaped on her own. But the fact was that ensuring the nearest person's safely alongside herself hade been the first thing on her mind.

The enormous wooden serpent's triple-jawed head was sent slamming down, crashing to the spot they had once occupied and gouging chunks of earth up.

Fanilly shot to her feet. The damage to its head hadn't even slowed it down, a spell that produced enough power to split its upper jaw was barely even acknowledged. But it hadn't fully reformed for a reason, had it?

She wasn't the strongest. But good leverage, a strong thrust---

She could at least do enough damage for this.

Fanilly braced herself, clenching her teeth and wrapping her hands around her longsword, then stepped forward and sent the tip forward. It struck firmly, splitting the wood as it hit and burying deep, widening the initial crack she had made in the side of one of the serpent's two upper jaws.

Just as swiftly as she'd struck, she stepped back, yanking her sword from the wood---

And as she did, the edges of the crack she'd created twisted outwards into a new set of snapping jaws, briefly reaching out towards her until she stepped back out of range, as the serpent's head began to raise.

It could change its form on the fly, adapt to the damage, but it couldn't mend it---!

The same was happening across its body. The edges of the gash rent by Sir Fleur pointed and stretched, opening wide into a new maw on the serpent's side and threatening to snap at the knight.

The wood stretched upwards, winding into grasping claws to try and latch onto Sir Renar, and Sir Fionn. But the damage they had done remained, no matter how the serpent twisted its own form.

"Do as much damage as you can, it can't mend the damage!" called Fanilly, "Try and find where the heartbeat is loudest!"

If they could expose it, [i]someone[/i] could do enough damage to end this monster---!

[@Raineh Daze][@Psyker Landshark][@Crimson Paladin][@Octo]