Amukelo and Eliss trudged through the sands, and their breaths were visible in the air. Without a proper place to sleep, the two kept moving, hoping to find shelter or at least keep their blood flowing enough to ward off the cold.
Eliss hugged herself, casting small bursts of fire magic around them. The flickering flames offered some comfort, but the warmth was fleeting, and the fires were quickly consumed by the oppressive cold. "This is unbearable," she muttered with trembling voice.
Amukelo didn't respond, his eyes scanning the horizon for any signs of danger. The first hints of dawn broke over the horizon.
Then Amukelo froze mid-step, as he saw a grotesque figure in the distance. The creature's segmented, armored body glinted faintly in the dim light. Its jagged scales seemed to shimmer like metal, and its long, spiny limbs ended in sharp talons that scraped against the ground with every step. Its head was adorned with glowing, menacing eyes. Rows of razor-sharp teeth filled its massive mouth, and curved, blade-like appendages jutted from its body, giving it an unnerving, predatory appearance. Spines protruded from its back, further adding to its menacing visage.
Amukelo squatted quickly, pulling Eliss down beside him. "Shh," he whispered urgently. "Let's take a route around it. We're exhausted, and I'm in no condition to fight that thing. It doesn't seem like the creature we want to tangle with."
Eliss nodded silently. They began to slowly back away, to avoid drawing attention. But then the creature's head snapped toward them. It let out a guttural screech that made the air vibrate.
Amukelo cursed under his breath as the creature charged with terrifying speed. "Eliss, stay back! Prepare your spells!" he shouted, drawing his sword and stepping forward. Eliss nodded, scrambling to put some distance.
Before she could muster anything substantial, the beast was already upon Amukelo. He barely had time to steady his stance before the creature brought down one of its blade-like legs. Amukelo raised his sword to block, but the impact sent him flying several yards back, landing with a grunt as the wind was knocked from his lungs.
The creature roared and rushed toward him again, its massive limbs tearing through the ground like plows. Amukelo forced himself up, planting his sword into the sand to steady himself. Just as the beast closed in, the sky above darkened, and massive spectral swords appeared.
With a deafening crash, the swords came down, aiming to pin the monster to the ground. But it moved with unnatural agility, dodging the attacks with a speed that belied its size. The creature didn't even pause, continuing its charge toward Amukelo.
Amukelo gritted his teeth and prepared to meet the attack. As the creature raised one of its blade-like legs to strike, a stone golem materialized between them. The golem threw its arms up in a defensive posture, but the creature's bladed limb pierced through its stony body like paper. The golem crumbled to the ground in pieces.
The distraction gave Amukelo an opening. He rushed forward, leaping into the air to bring his sword down on one of the creature's legs. The blade struck with a loud, metallic clang. Amukelo's eyes widened in disbelief as his sword barely scratched the armor-like scales. "No way," he murmured.
The creature roared again, twisting its body and using its sheer weight to shove Amukelo back. He landed hard on the sand, rolling until he came to a stop next to Eliss, who was already preparing another spell.
"It's no use," Amukelo said breathlessly, shaking his head. "I can't even cut it. We're done for."
Eliss pointed at the creature's legs. "Look! Aim for the connections between the limbs and the body. There's no armor there."
Amukelo laughed bitterly, unconfidently. "Easier said than done," he muttered. But he pushed himself to his feet, gripping his sword tightly.
The creature turned its attention back to them, roaring as it charged once more. Amukelo took a deep breath, steadying his nerves. He couldn't afford to falter now.
With a guttural roar, Amukelo lunged back at it. This time, Amukelo didn't try to meet the creature's strength head-on. Instead, he slid his sword along its bladed limb as it came crashing down toward him. Sparks flew as metal met metal, and the momentum carried him closer to the beast's underbelly.
Before Amukelo could strike, the creature's massive head snapped toward him, its razor-lined jaws opening wide. The sight of its grotesque maw rushing at him made Amukelo freeze momentarily, knowing there was no time to dodge. His mind raced as the inevitable loomed closer.
Suddenly, a pillar of earth erupted from beneath the creature, slamming into its jaw and redirecting its chomp just enough for Amukelo to evade it by mere inches. The shockwave from the impact sent dust and debris flying, momentarily clouding the battlefield.
Amukelo seized the opportunity and darted under the beast's belly, aiming for the unarmored connection between its torso and one of its legs. With a roar, he swung with all his might. It tore into the vulnerable spot, creating a gaping wound that oozed a dark, viscous fluid. But it was far from enough to sever the limb.
The creature shrieked in fury, its body convulsing from the pain. Then Eliss shouted, "Amukelo, watch out!"
Almost instinctively, Amukelo turned, just in time to see the creature's bladed limb descending toward him. A shimmering water shield materialized in front of him, followed by multiple layers of earth walls that Eliss hastily cast. The defenses slowed the limb's descent, but the creature's strength was overwhelming. Its blade pierced through the barriers with ease, though its momentum was greatly reduced.
The limb struck Amukelo's side with a sickening thud, its sharp edge cutting deep into his stomach and sending him rolling across the rocky ground. Blood spattered the sand as Amukelo groaned in pain, clutching at his side. The wound wasn't fatal, but it was deep enough to sap his strength.
Eliss froze for a moment, her eyes wide with terror as she watched Amukelo struggle to push himself off the ground. She clenched her fists, forcing her breathing to steady, and cast another spell. Two massive golems rose from the ground, their lumbering forms blocking the creature's path as it charged toward the fallen Amukelo.
The creature didn't falter. It brought its bladed limbs down on the golems, piercing through their stony bodies as though they were paper. But it wasn't satisfied with just eliminating the obstacles. It tilted its head. And the creature spat a stream of dark green acid directly at her.
Eliss had barely a second to react. Her hands shot up as she cast a magical shield, but the attack was so sudden and unexpected that the shield was misaligned. The acid splattered against it, hissing and sizzling as droplets sprayed in every direction. A portion of the acid bypassed the shield entirely, striking the earth wall she cast behind the shield. The wall melted away in seconds, leaving a gaping hole where the rock had been.
A single drop of acid struck Eliss's shoulder, and the runes on her enchanted clothing flared to life, absorbing some of the damage. But the acid still burned through, grazing her arm. She screamed in pain, dropping to one knee as she clutched her wounded arm. Her face twisted in agony as she struggled to focus, the intense burning sensation nearly overwhelming her.
Eliss cast a quick healing spell on herself, the soothing green light enveloping her arm as she steadied her breathing. Eliss's face was pale, and sweat dripped down her brow, but she forced herself to stand, her determination unwavering.
"I'm fine, I can do this," she muttered to herself, though her voice trembled. She wiped her forehead, her free hand beginning to gather more mana for the next spell.