The next morning, we moved.
The ruins stretched ahead, broken stone walls reaching jaggedly into the overgrowth. I felt a subtle hum in the air—not magic exactly, but some latent energy that made the hairs on my arms rise. Lucas walked beside me, hand on the hilt of his sword, eyes scanning every shadow. Neither of us spoke—words would only break the rhythm we had built.
We stepped over a fallen archway, mossy stones slippery underfoot. I paused briefly, noticing a faint trail of scratches along the ground. Small, deliberate. Someone—or something—had passed this way recently. I signaled Lucas, and he nodded, slowing his pace.
"Do you feel that?" I whispered.
He tilted his head. "Yeah… like something's watching, but I don't see it."
Exactly. I relied on instincts, not sight. Something about the ruins made my sixth sense tingle—the faint pull of intent that even a cautious animal would leave behind. I could feel patterns in the air, subtle shifts in sound, and every tiny vibration underfoot.
As we advanced, the interior widened into a small courtyard, partially covered by a crumbling roof. Sunlight leaked in through holes above, illuminating dust motes dancing lazily. My eyes scanned every shadow, every crack in the stone, and I caught a shimmer at the far end—a pressure plate, or perhaps a trap.
I whispered to Lucas, "Step lightly here."
He grinned. "You think I need your advice?"
I didn't answer. I moved ahead carefully, placing each foot to avoid triggering anything. The shimmer shifted slightly as I passed, but the warning was enough. Lucas followed, matching my pace, sword ready.
We reached the center of the courtyard, where an overgrown fountain had once stood. Its water long gone, the stone basin now covered in moss and dirt. I crouched, brushing aside debris, and noticed faint carvings on the edge—runes of containment, or perhaps wards meant to channel something.
"This place… it's not just old," I said, tracing the runes with a gloved finger. "It's been prepared for something."
Lucas frowned. "Like a trap?"
"Maybe," I admitted. "Or a seal. Either way, we can't ignore it."
We pressed onward, deeper into the ruins, twisting through narrow corridors where sunlight couldn't reach.
Soon, we encountered a broken wall leading to a passage. Had it been searched before? Or was it just our luck?
I led the way, relying on instinct rather than sight. The air grew heavier, cooler, and each step echoed, hinting at the size of the structure. Somewhere above, the ceiling had collapsed entirely, letting vines and roots spill inside.
The passage also grew narrow then wide continuously.
Then we heard it: a subtle rustle, almost imperceptible at first, growing steadily louder. I stopped and placed a hand on Lucas's shoulder. He froze beside me. My sixth sense screamed—something was moving in the shadows ahead. Not human. Not fully.
The creature revealed itself in the faint light: a massive, wolf-like beast, covered in thick, dark fur, eyes glowing amber. Its teeth were long and sharp, and it padded silently toward us. My stomach tightened—not fear, just awareness. This wasn't a first-year-level challenge. This was beyond what two students should face.
I stepped forward slightly, sword ready. "Stick close. Watch its movements. Don't strike recklessly."
Lucas nodded. He knew my style by now—fast, precise, calculated. Together, we moved like two halves of the same strike.
The wolf lunged.
I sidestepped, letting it pass, and flicked my sword lightly to deflect its attack. Lucas followed, jabbing with his own blade. Sparks flew as steel met clawed hide. The beast snarled, agile and strong. I cast a quick minor spell—not to harm, just to distract—sending a small jet of wind at its face. The wolf recoiled slightly, giving us a tiny opening.
We retreated toward the end of the corridor, staying just out of reach, testing its speed and reactions. Each movement, each feint, taught us more about our opponent. I realized this wasn't a mindless animal—it had intelligence. Strategy. Awareness.
As we moved, my sixth sense guided me. I felt its intent, its focus, the subtle shift of its weight before it moved. I called out directions, and Lucas responded in kind. Together, we avoided serious injury, though the creature's claws left shallow scratches and marks across the walls.
Then it lunged with incredible force, far beyond what I expected. I barely sidestepped, feeling the rush of air as its teeth clashed with stone. Lucas struck simultaneously, a perfectly timed thrust to slow its momentum.
The beast growled, retreating a few paces, then circled us, testing and analyzing. I realized we had only scratched the surface of this mission. One wolf—or whatever it truly was—was one thing. But if there were more creatures, more traps… we would be overwhelmed.
I glanced at Lucas. He understood immediately. We weren't on an ordinary mission. This was something designed to push experienced adventurers to their limits. And here we were: two first-years standing in its path.
I whispered, "We need to find the objective and get out before this escalates. Keep your head, trust your instincts, and don't overcommit."
Lucas nodded, sword in hand, eyes scanning the darkness. We moved forward carefully, each step measured. I could feel the ruins themselves shifting—subtle vibrations beneath our feet. Something big was coming, and we had no idea what it would be.
At the far end of the corridor, we saw it: a faint glow pulsating through the walls. Whatever we had come to retrieve or investigate was close—but so was danger.
The creature's roar reverberated through the cavern as its massive claw swiped at Lucas. He rolled sideways, bringing his sword up just in time to deflect the blow. Sparks flew as metal scraped against its scaled arm. I dashed in, blade flashing, sending a shimmer of wind to destabilize its balance—but it barely phased the beast.
Lucas glanced at me mid-attack, eyes narrowed. "It's stronger than we thought!"
I nodded, forcing my movements to remain precise. Every strike and dodge had to be calculated. There was no room for error; with only the two of us, a single mistake could be fatal. I feinted a slash toward its legs, baiting it to move, then twisted midair to strike its shoulder. Lucas lunged with a heavy downward strike. The creature howled, staggering back, but not enough.
I couldn't afford a scratch. The Devourer's Gift would heal it instantly, and it would be impossible to explain a missing wound afterward.
Its movements were unnatural—every swipe, every step calculated, almost intelligent. The crystal embedded in its chest amplified its strength. I tried to pinpoint a weakness, but the beast seemed like an interconnected mass of lethal energy.
Another swipe came toward me. I ducked, air whipping past my face. Lucas intercepted the next attack head-on, and I circled behind it, slashing at the joint where its forearm met the shoulder. The creature screamed, spinning to face me, forcing me to jump back. The cavern walls shook with the force of its retaliation.
"We can't keep doing this like this!" Lucas shouted, his sword arm trembling. "Two of us against it… it's insane!"
"I know!" I yelled back, narrowly dodging a strike that could have split me in two. I pushed a burst of wind under its feet. It barely moved—but the microsecond was enough for Lucas to deliver a glancing blow to its side. Scales cracked, but the crystal pulsed violently, healing the wound almost instantly.
I took a step back, swallowing hard. "This isn't a simple guardian. The crystal… it's regenerating faster than we can damage it!"
Lucas gritted his teeth. "Then we need to focus. Hit the limbs, disable it—anything to slow it down."
I nodded, coordinating instinctively. He kept its attention with heavy swings while I moved at angles, striking at vulnerable points. I could hear the strain in his breathing. The creature's tail whipped toward me; I barely rolled under it. Lucas shouted a warning, and I sent a magical blade of compressed air at its eyes. It flinched, letting out a shrill screech.
For a moment, it seemed we had an opening. Lucas slashed at its arm while my air blade struck its chest. The creature reeled, staggering—but the crystal's glow intensified. Energy flowed from it like a river, knitting our damage instantly.
I stumbled back, eyes wide. "It's… healing too fast."
Lucas's grip tightened. "We're outmatched… this isn't first-year material."
The realization hit. The mission was meant for a team, maybe a dozen first-years with coordinated tactics. Just the two of us? Lucky to still be standing.
The creature roared, faster and more erratic. Without words, Lucas and I knew: continuing like this could end badly. We needed a new plan—or reinforcements. For now, survival was our only goal.
I raised my sword, bracing for impact. The cavern echoed with clashing blades, roaring, and crumbling rock. Sweat stung my eyes, arms ached, but panic had no place here. Every strike, every dodge counted.
Even as I realized we were in over our heads, a spark of determination ignited. Lucas was beside me, equally exhausted but unyielding. First-years, yes—but determined ones. We weren't going down without a fight.
The creature roared again, shaking loose small rocks. Lucas and I breathed hard, scanning for its next move. Its regenerating crystal pulsed almost tauntingly.
Well, I wasn't really tired thanks to the Devourer's Gift—but I played my part well.
I wiped sweat from my brow and thought fast. "We need to split its attention. Keep it busy; I'll look for an opening."
Lucas nodded, hand trembling slightly. "Got it. I'll keep swinging."
He charged, striking wide and forceful blows. The creature lunged at him; I dashed in from the side, slashing lightly and sending small wind bursts to distract it. One air blade grazed its shoulder, making it stagger. Lucas struck again, but the crystal pulsed violently, knitting the scales instantly.
"This… isn't fair," I muttered. Our attacks weren't useless, but the crystal made them almost ineffective.
Lucas grunted, aiming for its legs. "We can at least slow it down, right?"
"Maybe… barely," I said, ducking a tail swipe that could have shattered me. I struck the crystal lightly; it flickered. Lucas seized the chance to slash its arm again.
The creature roared in frustration, striking Lucas with its claw. He rolled aside, dust raining down. I realized how dangerous this was—one misstep and the cave could collapse.