A subtle, smirking grin played upon Caspian's lips as he observed the Umbrathrax's struggle.
"Scraaaawwl!" came the echoing imitation of the young lady. Surprisingly, it is a mirror of the monstrous creature's bewilderment.
'A cunning play,' Caspian acknowledged. "Nicely done, milady."
Caspian preyed on the Umbrathrax's confusion. 'Now is the right time.'
Swift as a striking snake, his sword unsheathed with a practiced flick of his wrist.
No hesitation gripped him as he advanced. The gap between them closed swiftly. His strategy unfolded flawlessly.
"Scraaaawwl!" A mimicry from the young lady echoed through the air.
It was a calculated diversion adding to his advantage.
Scraaaawwl! The Umbrathrax's attention shifted, its confusion deepening.
Caspian took advantage of the opportunity. His form was a blur of controlled strength as he charged ahead.
As their distance grew closer, the creature's massive head turned toward him. Its stare was a fierce challenge.
'I am the King of Veridia. You cannot defy me.'
Right then, Caspian felt a burst of strength inside him. It flowed through his body like a fast river.
The Umbrathrax went from being confused to being mad, trying to do something about it. But it was already too late.
Caspian's sword whooshed through the air, hitting the creature right where he aimed.
'It's like a perfect puzzle piece,' Caspian thought, feeling proud of his accurate strike.
The blade touched the creature's weak spot, and a loud roar of pain burst from the big beast.
'I found its weak spot,' Caspian realized, his brain recognizing the success of his plan. The creature's howl of pain told him he was getting closer to winning this battle.
"Graaahhhh!"
While all this was happening, Caspian's face stayed serious, not showing any feelings.
For a long time, he has figured out how to hide those weak spots inside him. He never let others see how he truly felt.
Right now, all he cared about was doing his job – taking down this tough enemy.
"Graaahhhh!"
The big Umbrathrax moved back because of the hit. It swung its tail around crazily, trying to stop the one attacking it.
'You can't stop me,' Caspian's voice boomed confidently at the Umbrathrax. 'Your moves won't work,' he stated with sureness, facing the creature's wild tail.
Caspian easily dodged the swinging tail, moving smoothly.
'I've got you now,' Caspian declared in a commanding voice, his eyes locked on the Umbrathrax
'This is the end for you,"' he asserted confidently. His focus was unyielding as he aimed his strike at the creature's vulnerable neck. 'Prepare for defeat!'
Out of nowhere, a voice broke into his thinking. It was the young lady, showing up from behind the rocks, waving her hands and speaking with lots of energy.
"Stop, milord!" she shouted, her voice sounding like she needed his attention.
Caspian's quick reactions took over. "Stay away!" he said firmly.
He stood between the young lady and the Umbrathrax. His sword was up like a strong shield, and he talked with a firm voice.
"What's going on now?" Caspian asked, sounding a little annoyed. Even though he made sure to keep his feelings hidden.
He kept looking at the Umbrathrax, not letting the young lady's actions distract him. Fortunately, it appeared like it has already weakened.
It was breathing heavily and it cannot move its limbs anywhere.
Still, Caspian was on guard.
'Does she think this is a game? Why does she keep getting close to danger? Doesn't she know her own life is important?' He thought this while keeping his eyes on the big creature in front of them.
The young lady quietly moved behind him and said, "It's hurting, milord."
He rolled his eyes just a little, hiding his annoyance. 'Obviously, it's hurting. I just slash it with my sharp sword,' he thought, even though he didn't say it out loud.
"Look!" the young lady said, pointing at the Umbrathrax's leg. He looked where she pointed and felt confused.
'I didn't hit its leg, did I?' Caspian questioned himself, a hint of confusion in his tone.
Suddenly, a faint glint caught his attention. It was like something shining on the creature's hurt leg.
"What's that?" he wondered aloud, his eyes narrowing as he tried to figure it out. "Could it be a soulstone absorber?" Caspian speculated, his curiosity piqued.
Having a powerful thing like that in the creature's possession was a big deal, and it worried him.
The Soulstone Absorber is a special gem. It's around the size of a walnut and shines with a deep purple color that moves a little bit. It appeared like energy was swirling inside of it.
The gem sits in a silver amulet that's carefully made. When you put the Soulstone Absorber on something, it can take in its energy.
It stores different kinds of energy like magic, elements, or even life force. It's like a special collector of power.
Caspian looked surprised when he saw the young lady. "How did she find out?" he thought, trying to understand what was happening.
'The soulstone absorber was tiny. Even I, with special powers, couldn't see it easily.'
The way she answered made Caspian feel like she understood what he was thinking. He felt curious but also careful.
"When I copy the Umbrathrax's sound," she said confidently, "I notice its growl changes. And I can tell its pain is different from the hurt you give it. It's like the ache when someone is being drained of life."
Caspian's eyes got a bit narrower as he thought about what she said. 'She can copy the Umbrathrax's growl. And now she can tell how it feel. That's odd.'
He thought more, his forehead getting a little wrinkled. 'Could she have the special Animara's Touch ability?'
Caspian looked at the young lady in front of him, his eyes showing that he was curious.
'But that doesn't make sense. She's just a human. The Animara's Touch is for magical creatures, not regular people.'
Caspian watched her closely, like he was trying to figure something out. 'Or maybe she's not just a human?'
She seemed like a normal person. But there was something about her that felt different. It was like a strong pull that he couldn't ignore.
'Even though she looks like anyone else, there's something deeper about her.'
There was a kind of mystery around her that he couldn't explain easily.
Even though he looked calm on the outside, he was interested and wanted to know her more.