Lucius and his team stood victorious, surrounded by the remnants of their latest conquest: a Tier 3 Shadow Stalker. The beast's dark, shadowy body had been a formidable opponent, but Lucius' team had worked together seamlessly to take it down.
"Whoa, forty points!" Finn exclaimed, pumping his fist in the air. "We're unstoppable!"
Mira turned to Lucius with a playful smirk. "You're so cool, Lucius. I mean, I knew you were strong, but this is ridiculous."
Lucius smiled, but his eyes remained icy. "We're not done yet. We still have a long way to go."
Elara chuckled. "I think we're doing pretty well for ourselves, thanks to you."
Lucius nodded, his expression unchanging. "We're a team. We work together. That's all."
As they caught their breath and surveyed the area, the voice in their heads announced their latest achievement to the entire expedition. The other students' reactions ranged from impressed to envious.
"Team A is dominating!" someone exclaimed.
"I can't believe they took down another Tier 3 already," another student muttered, sounding frustrated. "Lucius is a beast!"
As the students conversed, a cloaked figure watched from a secluded location, hidden from their view. "Let's see what the legendary Doomsday Mark can do. I expect great things from you, Lucius Phale."
Just as the figure was about to leave, another appeared, bowing their head. "Sir, the Wyvern we sent to test Lucius Phale is a formidable beast, far stronger than an average Tier 5 creature. Even a Tier 6 mage would struggle against it. Are you certain the prince is ready to face such a powerful foe?"
The first figure's eyes gleamed with anticipation. "I have waited thousands of years for the one bearing the Mark of Doomsday to be born into this world. If Lucius truly possesses the power of Doomsday, he will defeat the Wyvern. But that's not why I sent it. The true purpose is to awaken the being residing within the Doomsday Mark, which will defeat the Wyvern. And when the boy is weakened, we will strike, taking the Doomsday magic for ourselves. Even if Lucius dies, it simply means we'll have to wait another thousand years for the next one with the Mark to appear. We have nothing to lose."
"I'm feeling a bit cold, guys," Finn said, rubbing his arms as they walked through the cave. The air grew chillier, and the darkness seemed to press in around them.
"I feel it too," Elara replied, her voice faintly tremulous. "It's like the temperature just dropped."
"Maybe it's just the cave's natural climate," Mira suggested, her eyes scanning their surroundings. The cave's walls gleamed with a faint, icy sheen, and the ground beneath their feet was slick with frost.
Lucius nodded, his gaze fixed on the path ahead. "Let's keep moving. We need to find that next mana core." The team trudged on, their footsteps echoing off the frozen walls.
As they turned a corner, their conversation abruptly ceased. Before them stood a majestic, yet terrifying creature - a Frozen Wyvern, its body frozen in a graceful pose. The team's eyes widened in unison, their minds struggling to comprehend the impossibility of what they were seeing.
The Wyvern's massive wingspan stretched wide, its scales glinting like ice in the dim light. Its eyes, frozen in a piercing gaze, seemed to bore into their souls. The team's breaths caught in their throats as they stood there, transfixed by the creature's grandeur and terror.
"By the gods..." Mira whispered, her voice barely audible.
"It's a Wyvern..." Finn breathed, his eyes fixed on the creature's razor-sharp claws.
"And it's frozen," Elara added, her voice laced with fear. "What kind of magic can do this?"
The team's eyes turned to Lucius, seeking answers, but his gaze remained fixed on the Wyvern, his mind racing with rational thoughts - a Tier 5 creature in a Tier 2 Mana vein? It defied all logic. Yet, there it stood, its frozen gaze seeming to pierce through them.
"This is impossible," Lucius whispered, his eyes narrowing. "A Wyvern's mana signature is unlike anything else. It can't be frozen like this."
"Maybe it's not just a Wyvern," Mira suggested, her voice barely above a whisper. "Maybe it's something more."
The team stood frozen, their hearts pounding in unison. The silence was oppressive, heavy with the weight of their fear. The Frozen Wyvern loomed before them, a monolith of terror, its presence seeming to fill the entire cave.
The silence shattered as the Frozen Wyvern's eyes flickered to life, its icy prison cracking and shattering. With a thunderous roar, it unfurled its massive wings, sending shards of ice flying in all directions. The team recoiled, their hearts pounding as the creature lunged forward, its claws gleaming with lethal intent.
Lucius leapt into action, his body surging with the power of Doomsday magic. His physical stats skyrocketed, veins glowing with a dark, pulsating energy. He summoned a whirlwind with a flick of his wrist, propelling himself towards the Wyvern. "Elara, Finn, Mira, back me up!" he shouted.
Elara raised her hands, water swirling around her as she prepared to heal any injuries. Finn conjured flames, his eyes narrowing with determination. Mira's wind magic crackled in the air, ready to support their leader.
The battle began in a blur of motion. Lucius darted around the Wyvern with incredible speed, his fists and feet striking like a tempest. Finn's fireballs exploded against the creature's icy hide, while Mira's wind blades sliced through the air. Elara's healing magic kept them on their feet, mending wounds as fast as they appeared.
But the Wyvern was relentless. With a sweep of its tail, it sent Finn crashing into a wall, his fire extinguished. Mira's wind faltered as the creature's icy breath nearly froze her in place. Elara's water shield shattered under a powerful claw strike, sending her sprawling.
Lucius fought with everything he had, his telekinesis bending the air around him. He hurled boulders and shards of ice at the Wyvern, but it shrugged off his attacks with ease. "Damn it!" he cursed, feeling the weight of the battle pressing down on him.
The Wyvern's icy breath swept towards them, and for a moment, the team was paralyzed with fear. "Move!" Lucius shouted, but his voice was swallowed by the creature's roar.
As the Wyvern's claws descended towards his fallen comrades, Lucius sprang into action. He poured all his remaining strength into a single, devastating blow, his fist colliding with the Wyvern's chest. For a moment, it seemed like he had won. But then, the beast's freezing aura surged, encasing his hand in ice.
Lucius screamed in pain as the ice spread up his arm. His mind raced, questioning his motives. "Why am I even doing this?" he wondered. "I only saw them as pawns..."
The ice shattered, and the Wyvern's tail slammed into Lucius, sending him flying across the cave. He crashed into the ground, his body broken and his vision darkening. The Wyvern loomed over him, its eyes blazing with fury, ready to deliver the final blow.
"Run!" Lucius croaked, his voice barely audible. "Get out of here, now!"
"No way, Lucius!" Elara shouted, her eyes flashing with determination. "We won't leave you here alone!"
"Yeah, you're our friend!" Finn added, his voice trembling with fear. "We won't abandon you!"
Mira nodded, her face set in a fierce expression. "We'll get you out of this, Lucius. Together!"
But their bravery was met with a devastating response. The Wyvern roared in anger, its wings beating the air with a deafening crash. The cave shook, and the team stumbled, their footing uncertain.
With a sweep of its wings, the Wyvern sent them all flying, leaving Elara the only one standing. She stumbled forward, her eyes fixed on Lucius, who lay motionless on the ground.
"Lucius, no!" she screamed, her voice echoing off the cave walls. "Don't leave us!"
But Lucius' eyes had already fluttered closed, his body limp and still. Elara's heart raced as she rushed to his side, her magic flaring in a desperate attempt to revive him.
The Wyvern loomed over them, its eyes burning with malevolent intent. Elara knew they had to act fast, or risk losing Lucius forever. With a fierce cry, she launched herself at the Wyvern, her magic blazing in a final, desperate bid to save her friend.
She raised her hands, water magic swirling around her. "Stay back!" she cried, launching a torrent of water at the Wyvern. But the attack barely fazed the creature. "You are a disturbance," the Wyvern's voice echoed in her mind. "I will kill you now."
The Wyvern's icy breath began to freeze Elara's body, her movements slowing. Just as it seemed she would be lost, a dark figure appeared behind the beast. With a swift, brutal strike, the Wyvern's wings were severed, sending it crashing to the ground.
Lucius stood there, but it wasn't him. His body was shrouded in a cloak of darkness, his eyes glowing a sinister red. A chilling smile spread across his face. "I'm finally back," the being within him said, its voice dripping with malevolence. "After all these years, it feels good to be back."