The morning sun cast long shadows over the rugged terrain as Ronan and his team—Sylphie, Garrick, Darius, and Kael—crouched behind a dense thicket, observing the entrance to the Flame Hound's den. The rocky outcroppings surrounding the cave flickered with residual heat, a clear sign of the monsters lurking within.
Ronan activated his Keen Eyes perception skill, sharing it with the others. Their vision sharpened, details coming into focus, the faint embers drifting in the air, the rhythmic rise and fall of the beasts' chests as they lay outside, basking in the warmth of the early morning. Seven Flame Hounds in total. Four patrolled the entrance, while three remained inside the cave.
Kael frowned. "This will be problematic, especially the ones inside. They're all stronger than us."
"As planned," Ronan said, his voice firm, "we take down these four by surprise."
Kael adjusted his stance, gripping his weapon. "What are our chances?"
Ronan met his gaze with unwavering determination. "Fifty per cent."
A tense silence followed before Ronan asked, "Ready?" He drew his twin daggers, channelling flame into the blades, causing them to glow with a crimson hue.
Darius tightened his grip on his spear and nodded. "Ready."
"Sylphie, Kael—you're up," Ronan commanded.
Kael took a deep breath and activated Bewildering Haze. Instantly, the air shimmered, and multiple copies of himself appeared, weaving unpredictably through the battlefield. The Flame Hounds growled, their fiery eyes darting in confusion.
Sylphie followed up with Entangling Vines. Thick tendrils erupted from the ground, snaking around the hounds' legs before they could react. The beasts snarled and thrashed, their movements hindered.
Ronan seized the moment, launching his daggers with pinpoint accuracy. The first struck deep into the throat of one hound, severing its windpipe, while the second embedded itself into another's skull. Both collapsed instantly, embers flickering out in their lifeless eyes.
Darius lunged at the remaining hound, sidestepping its fiery breath. With a powerful stab, he drove his spear through its neck. The beast crumpled to the ground, flames sputtering from its mouth before fading.
Panting slightly, Ronan signalled everyone back to cover. The team crouched low as Garrick whispered urgently, "Why did you retreat? What happened?"
Ronan held up a hand. "Quiet."
A moment later, two more Flame Hounds emerged from the cave, their eyes scanning the area. Something was off. Where was the third?
Kael narrowed his eyes. "Maybe the last one is injured. That could be why it didn't come out."
Ronan turned to Kael. "Trap them with your illusions." Then to Sylphie, "Boost our agility, but stay back. You'll be supporting us from the shadows. If these hounds go after you, Garrick, you'll defend her. That's your priority. Think you can handle it?"
Garrick smirked, cracking his knuckles. "Don't worry. I've got this."
Sylphie raised a hand, a soft green glow emanating as she cast an Agility Boost on everyone except Ronan. The others felt their movements grow lighter, more fluid.
Kael activated another illusion, causing the hounds to perceive flickering afterimages of the team, further disorienting them.
Ronan wasted no time, dashing forward with inhuman speed. One of the hounds snapped at him, but he twisted mid-air, evading its scorching bite. He retaliated with Blazing Strike, sending a fiery slash that struck deep into the beast's flank, searing through flesh.
Darius followed, his spear crackling with electricity as he unleashed a Thunder Cleave, sending arcs of lightning through the second hound. The beast howled in pain, its body convulsing as the electricity coursed through it.
Garrick roared as he launched Boulder Cannon, sending a compacted rock projectile directly into the ribs of one hound, cracking bone on impact. The beast staggered, but before it could recover, Sylphie's Entangling Vines coiled around its legs, pulling it down.
The battle intensified. One of the hounds broke free from Kael's illusion, lunging toward Sylphie. Garrick reacted instantly, throwing himself between them. He used his momentum to drive his fist into the hound's jaw, knocking it back.
Kael, observing the chaos, clenched his fists. "If we fought without Ronan's leadership, we'd be dead already…"
Moments later, the last hound fell, its body smouldering as the team caught their breath. Ronan burned the blood from his blade and scanned his teammates. "Anyone hurt?"
"No major injuries," Darius panted, wiping sweat from his brow. "Just some minor burns and bruises."
Ronan smirked, the firelight dancing in his eyes. "Good. Then it's time to take down the boss."
He turned toward the dark mouth of the cave. A deep, guttural growl rumbled from within.
As they stepped deeper into the cave, a putrid stench filled the air, thick and suffocating. The acrid smell of decay clawed at their throats, forcing some to cough and gag. Sylphie instinctively covered her nose, her eyes watering, while Garrick grimaced, taking shallow breaths to endure the overwhelming odour.
Ronan, walking ahead, didn't turn back but spoke with quiet authority. "If you can't handle it, wait outside. We don't know what's inside, and it's not worth taking unnecessary risks."
Despite the discomfort, everyone shook their heads. "We're fine," they answered in unison, determination in their voices.
Ronan exhaled sharply. "If you think you can't bear it anymore, you must leave. Am I clear?"
A brief silence followed before they all responded, "Yes."
Kael stole a glance at Ronan, his thoughts stirring. I thought Ronan only joined us to achieve his own goals. But... he's genuinely concerned about us.
The moment they stepped into the final chamber, the air shifted.
A low, vibrating growl rolled through the cavern—deep, commanding, and very much aware.
The massive Flame Hound lifted its head from the half-devoured carcass. One eye was clouded with old damage, its flank torn and blackened, but the pressure it released made the heat in the cave thicken. The flames along its spine flared—not wildly, but steadily. Controlled.
The pack leader.
It didn't roar. It moved.
With a sudden burst of speed, the hound lunged forward—and then twisted mid-air, landing far to the left instead of charging straight in. The stone cracked where its claws struck.
"Split!" Ronan shouted.
The formation broke instantly.
Ronan, Kael, and Garrick skidded to one side of the chamber, boots scraping against molten stone. Darius pulled Sylphie back in the opposite direction, barely avoiding a blast of searing heat as a fireball slammed into the ground between them and exploded.
Sylphie didn't hesitate. Her hands flashed with green and pale gold light.
"Agility and strength—now!"
The magic washed over them like a sudden rush of wind. Muscles tightened. Movements sharpened. Ronan felt his body respond instantly—but his core burned in protest.
The Flame Hound didn't rush.
It circled.
Fireballs formed near its maw—small, dense, compressed. They fired in rapid succession, forcing Garrick to raise a slab of earth while Kael's illusions scattered across the chamber, drawing its gaze in multiple directions.
Ronan clenched his jaw.
Quick. I have to end this quickly.
He stepped in.
Blazing Strike erupted from his blade, a crescent of condensed fire tearing across the chamber. The attack slammed into the hound's injured flank, ripping burned fur and drawing a furious snarl from its throat.
The leader reacted instantly.
It counterattacked—not wildly, but with precision. A claw strike followed by a fireball, forcing Ronan to twist aside. Heat grazed his shoulder, skin stinging. His mana dipped hard.
Too fast.
Too much.
Ronan felt it then—his core sputtering, the familiar hollow ache spreading through his chest.
Already…?
The Flame Hound noticed.
Its molten gaze snapped past Ronan.
Sylphie.
It lunged.
"SYLPHIE!"
Ronan didn't think.
Shadow Step.
The world blurred. His body reappeared between the hound and Sylphie just as the massive claws came down.
"Ronan—!"
He forced his hands forward, teeth grinding as molten energy resisted him.
"Molten Shield…!"
The spell formed slowly—far too slowly. Lava-like mana thickened in front of him, barely stabilising before impact.
The claw struck.
Crack.
The shield shattered.
Agonising heat exploded across Ronan's chest as one claw tore through, carving deep, burning lines into flesh. Blood hissed as it met the molten residue. Ronan staggered, breath leaving him in a choked gasp.
But the heat did its job.
The Flame Hound recoiled with a sharp snarl, instinctively pulling back from the burning backlash.
"NOW!" Ronan roared, barely staying upright.
Garrick moved.
The ground surged as earth magic erupted beneath the hound's limbs, locking them in place. Garrick followed instantly—fire igniting along his arm as he drove the attack forward, earth and flame sequentially, perfectly controlled.
Darius struck next, his spear flashing as he aimed for the exposed neck, forcing the hound to twist—right into Kael's final illusion, blinding its senses for a split second.
That was enough.
Garrick slammed his fire-enhanced blow straight into the hound's skull.
The cavern shook.
The pack leader collapsed, flames flickering wildly before dying out completely.
Silence fell.
Ronan dropped to one knee, one hand pressed against his chest, breath ragged. His vision swam, mana completely drained.
Sylphie rushed to him, hands glowing as healing magic poured into the wound.
"You're insane," she said, voice trembling. "You could've died."
Ronan let out a weak, breathless laugh. "Yeah… but it worked."
Kael stared at the fallen monster, then at Ronan—bloodied, exhausted, but still standing.
If that fight had lasted any longer…
Garrick exhaled heavily. "That thing wasn't just strong. It was commanding the whole den."
Ronan nodded faintly. "That's why it stayed inside."
He looked down at his shaking hands.
"And that's why… I'm done."
His body swayed—and Sylphie caught him before he fell.
The leader was dead.