The three cousins stood side by side, their collective strength coalescing into an unstoppable force against the Sigiled Skink. The beast hissed, its elongated body coiling as its elemental aura flared with dangerous intensity. Flames flickered along its scales, sparks of electricity crackled in the air, and a freezing mist emanated from its fangs—each element swirling chaotically as the creature prepared to launch its final, desperate attack.
But Kairos, Lyra, and Alaric were ready.
Lyra stepped forward first, her eyes narrowing as she summoned her magic. The air around her grew frigid, and a wave of icy energy pulsed from her fingertips. The temperature in the chamber dropped sharply as the ice spread across the floor, reaching the skink's legs in seconds. The creature's movements became sluggish, its once-fluid motions hampered by the encroaching frost that began to creep up its limbs. The ice hardened into crystalline shackles, freezing the skink's legs in place and rooting it to the ground.
The Sigiled Skink hissed in frustration, its elemental aura flaring more violently as it tried to break free from the icy prison. But Lyra's magic held firm, her control over the frost unyielding.
Alaric seized the moment, her eyes glowing with a fierce determination. She raised her hand, and the air around her began to swirl with a powerful gust of wind. The force gathered around her outstretched palm, creating a vortex of air that rippled with energy. With a swift, decisive motion, Alaric unleashed the blast, directing it straight at the skink.
The wind howled as it struck the beast with incredible force, the gale tearing through the chamber. The skink, already hindered by Lyra's ice, was knocked off balance, its massive body swaying precariously as the gust battered it from all sides. The creature struggled to maintain its footing, its elemental attacks faltering as it was thrown off balance.
Kairos, sensing the moment of vulnerability, surged forward with a burst of celestial energy. The stars in his eyes burned brightly, their light infusing his every movement with otherworldly power. His sword, wreathed in a shimmering aura of celestial magic, cut through the air with a speed that defied the eye.
In one fluid motion, Kairos closed the distance between himself and the skink, his sword arcing towards the creature's chest. The blade struck with precision, cleaving through the hardened scales that protected the beast's core. The sound of shattering stone echoed through the chamber as the sword connected, cutting deep into the skink's chest.
The skink let out a deafening screech, its body convulsing as the blade pierced its core. The gems embedded in its chest, which had been the source of its immense power, shattered into countless shards, their light fading as the life force within them was extinguished. The elemental energy that had once coursed through the creature dissipated, leaving behind only the hollow shell of a defeated beast.
As the last vestiges of life drained from the Sigiled Skink, its body crumbled to the ground in a heap of stone and scales. The once fearsome beast lay still, its form lifeless and broken.
Kairos withdrew his sword, the blade still glowing with the remnants of celestial energy. He stood over the fallen creature, breathing heavily, his heart pounding in his chest. The skink was dead, its threat vanquished.
Lyra and Alaric stepped up beside him, their expressions a mix of exhaustion and relief. Lyra's icy magic faded, the frost that had bound the skink's legs slowly melting away, leaving only patches of ice on the stone floor. Alaric's wind died down, the air returning to a calm stillness after the ferocious battle.
With the Sigiled Skink defeated, the room fell into an eerie silence, the only sound the ragged breathing of Kairos and his cousins. The beast's shattered remains lay scattered across the chamber, the faint glow of the now-dormant runes flickering out.
Kairos stood over the creature's body, his mind still buzzing with adrenaline. As he caught his breath, Eclipse's voice resonated in his thoughts, calm yet authoritative. "Kairos, the power lies within the Sigiled Skink's core. You must retrieve its red monster core. It is the vessel that holds its mana."
Kairos knelt beside the creature's chest, his celestial sight guiding him as he reached into the remains. His fingers brushed against something smooth and warm, and he pulled it free—a small, glowing red orb, pulsing faintly with the last vestiges of the skink's life force.
"The core contains the concentrated essence of the beast's mana," Eclipse continued. "The most efficient way to absorb its power is to swallow it whole, without hesitation."
Kairos glanced at the orb in his hand, the weight of the task settling in. There was no time for doubt. He knew the risks, but the reward—gaining the strength of a beast as formidable as the Sigiled Skink—was too valuable to pass up. Without a moment's hesitation, he raised the orb to his lips and swallowed it in one gulp.
As the orb slid down his throat, a sudden, sharp energy surged through his body. His eyes widened, the stars within them swirling as the skink's mana merged with his own celestial power. The sensation was intense, a combination of heat and cold that radiated outward from his core, but it wasn't painful. Instead, it felt as if his very being was expanding, growing stronger with every passing second.
"Kairos!" Lyra's voice cut through the haze, filled with alarm. She had witnessed the entire act and rushed to his side, her eyes wide with fear. "What are you doing? Don't you know what happens when you consume a monster core? The books—they all say it causes mana poisoning! You could fall terminally ill any moment!"
Alaric quickly joined her, his face pale with worry. "Kairos, this is madness! You should have waited—we need to get you help before it's too late!"
Kairos looked at them, his expression calm despite the energy coursing through him. "I'm fine," he said, his voice steady. "Trust me."