The Gravalorn slammed its head down against the ground, its massive horn piercing deep into the stone. A low crack reverberated through the cavern.

  With a sharp motion, it tore free an enormous chunk of rock, rubble scattering in its wake. Then, with a savage roar, it hurled the massive stone straight at Veil.

  “Damn it…!” Veil gasped.

  The projectile hurtled toward him at an alarming speed. He dove aside, rolling across the ground before throwing himself behind a boulder—just in time.

  The impact was brutal.

  The chunk of stone shattered against the cavern wall, blasting shards in every direction. A dusty shockwave rose, clouding the air in a gray haze and cutting visibility.

  Veil stayed crouched low, struggling to steady his breath. His body protested with every movement—muscles heavy, aching, worn.

  Behind him, the Gravalorn roared in agony.

  Its shattered leg pinned it in place, dark blood spilling in thick streams across the fractured stone. Each movement of its body made the cavern shudder, but it could no longer advance.

  Alynia, meanwhile, had finally gained the upper hand over the Furilithe.

  Its ruined eye left it open, a blind spot she exploited without mercy.

  She slid her dagger away and let her claws unfurl once more.

  “You move fast… but not fast enough,” Alynia whispered, focused.

  The Furilithe lunged, but this time she matched it. Her agility countered the beast’s speed, every strike of hers more precise, more punishing.

  She slashed its flank, carved into its legs, steadily bleeding away its mobility.

  The beast snarled, stumbling back instinctively.

  But it wasn’t ready to give up. With one last burst of cunning, it dove into the rocks, trying to slip away, to vanish beyond her reach.

  Alynia allowed no such chance.

  She planted her foot against a stone and vaulted in a single, graceful leap, soaring above the obstacles.

  She landed squarely on the Furilithe’s back.

  The creature screamed, thrashing wildly, fury and desperation twisting its body as it tried to shake her off.

  Alynia gritted her teeth, her claws buried deep into its thick fur.

  “Enough,” she hissed.

  With one decisive strike, she drove her claws into the beast’s skull.

  The Furilithe convulsed violently. Its body writhed in agony, claws scraping uselessly against the stone in a frantic death spasm. Then, slowly, it collapsed. One last growl. One last twitch.

  This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

  Its life faded from its eyes.

  Alynia finally released her grip, catching her breath.

  She lifted her gaze, searching for Veil.

  He was still locked in battle with the Gravalorn.

  Though grievously wounded, the monster refused to yield.

  Veil darted from boulder to boulder, dodging the stone projectiles hurled his way, closing the distance inch by inch.

  And when he was close enough, he raised his hand.

  The wind obeyed instantly.

  A violent gust whipped around him, dragging dust and debris into a wild, swirling vortex. He aimed at another frozen leg of the beast.

  “Come on… break already…!” Veil growled through gritted teeth, his breath ragged but his will unshaken.

  Power surged from his fingertips in a furious burst. The shockwave struck.

  A sharp crack echoed through the cavern.

  The Gravalorn’s hind leg shattered under the force, sending a geyser of dark blood splattering across the stone.

  A howl of agony tore through the air.

  The creature convulsed, its massive body shuddering with pain.

  The metallic stench of blood now saturated the cavern.

  Staggering, the Gravalorn tried one last time to anchor its horn into the ground.

  But its body no longer obeyed.

  Its strength was gone.

  The colossal head drooped slowly, its eyes void of the fury they once held.

  Veil, breathless and drained, pushed himself upright with effort.

  He braced his hands against his knees, his whole body aching and heavy with exhaustion.

  “Damn... What was that fight…” he muttered, letting out a breathless laugh.

  He lifted his gaze toward Alynia, still standing atop the corpse of the Furilithe.

  “Had your fill? Or should I save you another one?” he called out, his voice teasing, the corner of his mouth curling into a tired smirk.

  Alynia didn’t respond immediately. She stood tall, eyes fixed on him for a moment before calmly retracting her claws.

  “You still have the strength to talk? Didn’t burn through enough energy already?” she replied coolly.

  Veil chuckled softly—then the dizziness hit.

  “Okaaay… yeah… gonna sit down for a sec,” he mumbled.

  He dropped onto a nearby rock, struggling to catch his breath.

  The two beasts lay still on the ground, lifeless. But something felt… wrong.

  It had been too easy.

  Alynia felt it too.

  She cast a wary glance at the still-warm carcasses, then, wordlessly, sat down beside Veil.

  He must’ve sensed it as well.

  “How do you feel?” she asked, her tone as neutral as ever.

  Veil lifted his head slightly.

  “I’m fine… Just went a bit overboard with the sphere…” he muttered, voice low and spent.

  Alynia stared at him for a few seconds before a faint smile tugged at her lips. Her expression softened—just a little, almost reassured.

  But they barely had time to breathe.

  A piercing shriek ripped through the cavern, making the stone walls tremble.

  Alynia and Veil immediately looked up.

  The moonlight had vanished—blotted out by a vast shadow.

  A jet-black bird soared overhead, immense, its wings slicing through the night like blades of obsidian. A few feathers came loose, carried away on the wind.

  One of them spiraled gently down before landing on Veil’s shoulder.

  Bathed in the moonlight, its feathers gleamed with a supernatural sheen.

  “…You’ve got to be kidding me,” Veil muttered, exasperated.

  The bird beat its wings with a violent force, hurling dry gusts of wind across the cavern. Its talons—long, sharp, gleaming under the pale light—were made to rend and crush. Its hooked, grayish beak looked as if it could grind stone itself. And its piercing red eyes locked onto them, studying, calculating.

  Its long tail lashed through the air behind it, carried by the wind of its swift flight. Majestic. Deadly.

  But before they could even react, another sound shattered the silence.

  The lake began to stir.

  Ripples spread outward in concentric waves, growing stronger by the second. Then, in one fluid motion, something emerged.

  A serpent, enormous and elegant, rose from the water—its armored scales glistening as droplets streamed down its body.

  Its belly was shielded by rows of silver, triangular plates, forming a carapace that caught and reflected the moonlight. Its back and head shimmered with a crystalline blue, like the purest of rivers.

  Cold, piercing blue eyes locked on Alynia and Veil, glowing faintly under the night’s radiance. Each eye was framed by natural ridges of scale that arched upward, splitting into delicate bone structures crowned with translucent fins traced by thin white veins.

  Its body was sleek, sinuous, and powerful, adorned with fragile fins that drifted gracefully in the air—beautiful, mesmerizing, yet terrifying.

  Its massive tail ended in a wide, split fin, while a supple crest ran down its back, built to slice through water with ease.

  Alynia froze.

  Her expression, only moments ago softened, hardened into tension—and fear.

  Veil immediately turned to her.

  “…What is it?” he asked, his voice low and taut.

  Alynia inhaled slowly, her eyes never leaving the two looming creatures.

  “These monsters… they’re beyond our level,” she said gravely.

  Veil frowned.

  “What? You mean—” he began, realization dawning.

  “Even I’ve never seen them. But if the rumors are true… it takes an entire party to bring them down,” Alynia cut in, her tone sharp as a blade.

  A heavy silence settled.

  Then, the monsters’ cries ripped through the air.

  A bolt of light streaked toward them.

  Alynia and Veil barely had time to dive aside.

  The ground erupted where they’d stood, a blast of radiant energy shaking the cavern walls.

  Alynia, her breath caught in her chest, sprang back to her feet, ears pricked, adrenaline surging.

  Veil, still on the ground, raised his head toward the bird that had struck.

  The enormous raptor steadied itself midair, wings beating in slow, deliberate rhythm, as though weighing its prey.

  Its crimson eyes locked on them.

  A chill ran down Veil’s spine.

  “…We’re screwed,” he muttered, tense.

  The wind rose to a howl, and the lake churned in answer.

  They were exhausted. Their strength was already spent.

  But now, they would have to surpass themselves—or die here.