[ ] = Doruuk thoughts
< > = Lillia thoughts
{ } = system message
"So, I have this idea in mind," I say firmly, scanning the tense faces of my companions. "I don't know if it will work, but we have no alternatives. We have about fifteen minutes before he arrives."
I turn to Lillia, who nervously clutches the book in her pale hands.
"Lillia, that book I gave you. Check if there's magic for manipulating earth."
Lillia begins frantically flipping through the yellowed pages, her eyes quickly scanning the text. Her fingers tremble slightly as she turns the pages.
"Yes, it's here," she finally responds, looking up.
"Good," I nod, feeling a glimmer of hope. "The plan is this: we'll create various statues of mixing earth and water and position them everywhere. When the boss arrives, he'll be confused and start destroying every statue. We'll also cover ourselves with mud and blend in among them."
Frenya furrows her brow, skeptical. "Wait," she interrupts me, "didn't you say the boss can sense where we are? This doesn't make sense. And what if he discovers us?"
I stare into her eyes, not softening the truth. "Yes, you're right. I said he knows where we are, but he only knows the area, not the exact position. And if he discovers us, he discovers us. What else can we do? It's a risk, but it's all we have to gain some time."
There's no room for false hopes or consolations. The truth is harsh, but necessary.
We immediately set to work, following my plan. Time flows relentlessly.
Only three minutes remain before the boss arrives. We can already feel the ground vibrating under his heavy footsteps echoing in the distance, like approaching thunder.
Thanks to Lillia's magic, we've created more than forty statues, strategically positioning them across the area. We quickly cover ourselves with mud, blending in among our creations.
I position myself in the center of the clearing, while Frenya hides in the right corner and Lillia in the left. Terror flows through our veins like an icy poison.
I cautiously raise my gaze and see him: Magnaror, advancing toward us at a run. He's a giant with enormous ears and wide eyes, skin of an intense purple, and a massive build that would make even the bravest warrior pale. In his hand, he wields a great axe that reflects light with sinister gleams.
Attached to his back is a sack, and inside is the true boss: Doomclawe, the healer. He's smaller in stature, with a lean build and green skin. His appearance is equally threatening, with long, sharp teeth and dirty nails that look like claws ready to tear flesh.
Each of Magnaror's steps makes the earth tremble beneath us, and my legs feel like jelly.
[Very soon I'll discover what fate awaits me.]
The two arrive and begin observing the statues. As I had predicted, they're confused, unable to distinguish the real warriors from the imitations.
Magnaror lets out a cry toward the sky, a roar so powerful it nearly bursts our eardrums. Frenya and I remain as motionless as the statues surrounding us, but Lillia... Lillia can't manage the situation well. She's terrified, her body visibly trembling beneath the layer of mud.
[No, Lillia, no. Don't do this or you'll die and get us all killed. Hold on and hope your family reaches us as soon as possible.]
Magnaror raises his axe and with lightning-quick movement destroys the first statue.
Nothing happens.
Doomclawe points to another statue with a skeletal finger.
The giant destroys the one to his right.
Again, nothing.
Magnaror begins to visibly grow irritated. His nostrils flare, his breathing becomes heavier.
He destroys the statue to his left, and continues.
Doomclawe indicates which ones to break, and he mechanically executes, with growing fury.
The statues are destroyed one after another, rapidly. With each axe blow, their anger seems to increase, palpable in the air like electricity before a storm.
Now only eleven statues remain, including us. In total, fourteen immobile figures.
Magnaror is close to me now, so close that I can feel his hot, fetid breath. His bloodshot eyes scan the remaining statues, trying to decide which to destroy. Doomclawe whispers to him to maintain calm, not to lose control.
My legs too begin to tremble uncontrollably. I desperately try to resist, but it's a losing battle.
[I don't want to die now. Not like this.]
Between me and them is just the distance of one statue, the last barrier between me and death.
[It's over. It's really over for me.]
Magnaror destroys the statue in front of me with a sharp blow.
Now I'm face to face with him.
[Calm, Doruuk. Stay calm. I know death stands before me, but I must maintain clarity. A cold mind is stronger than one gripped by panic.]
Suddenly, Magnaror turns to the left.
He moves in that direction with surprising speed for his bulk.
Lillia is there.
Seeing him approach, Lillia tries to move away, slowly backing up.
Doomclawe notices her immediately and warns Magnaror, who accelerates his advance, becoming more threatening.
[Doomclawe has figured out which one is real. I must do something, now!]
Magnaror arrives in front of Lillia, his enormous shadow completely engulfing her. She stares at the giant, paralyzed by terror, unable to move or speak.
Magnaror raises his axe, ready to deliver a mortal blow.
{The character has used "Escape"}
Before the axe can cut Lillia in two, I activate my ability. In the blink of an eye, I'm beside her. I take her in my arms and carry her away from Magnaror's reach, feeling the displaced air from the axe grazing our backs.
[I made it. By a hair's breadth, but I made it.]
Frenya, observing the scene, understands that there's no point in hiding anymore. She too abandons her position, emerging from her hiding place like a predator ready to attack.
My eyes meet those of Doomclawe and Magnaror. I know perfectly well that these monsters could tear the life from me at any moment. I have only eight seconds left before my ability is exhausted.
I use the remaining time to rush toward Magnaror and plunge my dagger into his enormous foot, before retreating.
The wound heals almost instantly thanks to Doomclawe's healing powers.
[Doomclawe is too quick to heal. We're doomed, there's no escape.]
I see Frenya preparing to attack Magnaror from behind, her eyes burning with determination.
[It's a suicidal move. I must stop her before she gets herself killed.]
"Nooooo!" I shout with all the strength in my lungs. "Frenya, stop! He's too strong for you! Come here to Lillia! I'll distract him while you try to calm her down. We need her help!"
Without waiting for a response, I launch myself toward Magnaror.
I run toward him, knowing it's an uneven battle. He's much faster than me, so it's useless to hope to beat him in speed. I draw my crossbow and ask Frenya for the three remaining arrows.
I aim and shoot an arrow at the toes of his foot. It doesn't seem to hurt him, but that wasn't my purpose. All the arrows had been dipped in the confusing potion I had purchased before entering the portal. We had never used it seriously before – the monsters we had faced until now died too quickly to see its effects.
Magnaror falters, momentarily disoriented, unable to move until Doomclawe heals him.
I launch the second arrow, obtaining the same temporary effect.
Once again, Doomclawe heals him in a few seconds, dispelling the confusion almost immediately.
Before I can use the third arrow, Magnaror unleashes his ability: "Echo of the Beast." His roar hits me like a shock wave, hurling me away with incredible force. I roll several times on the ground before stopping.
"Echo of the Beast" is an ability that when activated makes your enemies jump back. and leaves them in the fear effect for two minutes.
I stand up, but something's wrong.
[oh man! I'm under the effect of fear.]
When I look at Magnaror, my body begins to tremble uncontrollably. It's a devastating effect that prevents me from attacking or even thinking of a strategy.
[I'll die like this, paralyzed by fear, unable even to defend myself.]
Magnaror rushes toward me, furious, his bloodshot eyes fixed on his prey.
I'm there, immobile, desperately fighting to regain control of my body.
[Move, move it! If you don't move now, you'll never move again!]
Just as Magnaror is about to strike me down with his axe, a sphere of dense smoke explodes between us, completely obscuring his view.
As the smoke expands, I feel hands grabbing me. It's Frenya, quickly dragging me away from danger.
Once safe, Lillia uses her magic to dispel the fear effect that was paralyzing me.
"Finally, I can move," I say, my breath still labored. "Listen carefully: we can't defeat the Magnaror until we eliminate Doomclawe. Our task is to buy time, because we have no hope against Magnaror. But Doomclawe is another story – he's not as resilient as his companion. I have a plan, listen carefully..."
The battle isn't over yet, and my cold mind is the only weapon that can give us a chance of survival.
Chapter-End.