The beast's heavy footsteps echoed through the cavern, each one sending a tremor through the ground. Yeon-ah's fingers trembled as she pressed them harder against the glowing altar, her mind racing as she felt the pulse of power coursing beneath the stone. She didn't have much time.
The woman continued her relentless assault on the creature, her blade flashing in the dim light as she danced around its massive claws. But despite her skill and precision, the beast was only growing stronger, its wounds sealing themselves as if nothing could stop it. It was adapting.
"Whatever you're going to do, do it now!" the woman shouted, her voice filled with urgency as she narrowly avoided another of the beast's devastating attacks. "I can't hold this thing off much longer!"
Yeon-ah gritted her teeth, forcing herself to focus on the energy surging beneath the altar. It was wild and chaotic, a force that felt both ancient and dangerous, but it was the only chance they had.
"Come on, come on," Yeon-ah muttered to herself, her yellow eyes narrowing in concentration as she reached deeper into the nexus's power. She could feel something… something just out of reach, buried beneath the layers of energy.
The beast roared again, its claws slashing through the air, and the woman barely dodged in time. The sound of stone shattering filled the chamber as the beast's attack sent chunks of debris flying across the room. Juna screamed from her hiding spot, her wide eyes fixed on the chaos unfolding before her.
Yeon-ah's heart pounded in her chest as she closed her eyes, shutting out the sounds of the battle around her. The nexus pulsed beneath her fingers, the energy growing stronger, more dangerous. She had to control it. She had to find a way to harness it before it was too late.
Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through her, and Yeon-ah gasped, her body jerking as the nexus's energy surged through her veins. It felt like her very bones were vibrating, the power threatening to overwhelm her. But beneath the pain, she could feel it—the ancient force she had been searching for. It was there, hidden within the chaos, waiting to be unlocked.
"Yeon-ah!" the woman's voice snapped her back to the present, and Yeon-ah's eyes flew open just in time to see the beast charging toward the altar, its massive form barreling straight for her.
She had seconds to act.
Without thinking, Yeon-ah let out a scream and threw her hands forward, releasing the raw energy of the nexus in a blinding surge of light. The force slammed into the beast, sending it skidding across the cavern floor, its claws scraping deep gouges into the stone as it tried to regain its footing.
But the energy didn't stop. It tore through the chamber, the walls shaking violently as cracks spider-webbed across the stone. The entire cavern seemed to groan in response, as if the very earth was being torn apart by the power Yeon-ah had unleashed.
For a moment, everything was silent. The beast lay motionless on the ground, its massive body smoking from the impact of the energy. Yeon-ah panted, her body trembling with exhaustion, her hands still glowing faintly from the power she had released. Had it worked?
But then, the creature moved.
A low, guttural growl echoed through the cavern as the beast slowly rose to its feet, its cracked armor beginning to seal itself once more. It wasn't over.
Yeon-ah's heart sank as she watched the creature regenerate before her eyes. How could it still be standing?
"It's feeding off the nexus!" the woman shouted, her sharp eyes widening in realization. "It's using the same power you're drawing from!"
Yeon-ah's mind raced. The nexus's power wasn't just a tool—it was a conduit, a two-way connection between the altar and the beast. As long as the creature was connected to the nexus, it couldn't be defeated.
But if she could sever that connection…
"We have to break the link!" Yeon-ah shouted, her voice hoarse with desperation. "I need to cut it off from the nexus!"
The woman's eyes narrowed, her mind already working on a plan. "Then do it. I'll buy you time."
Yeon-ah nodded, her body already moving back toward the altar, her mind laser-focused on the task at hand. She could feel the energy flowing through the nexus, the pulse of power that connected the beast to the ancient force buried beneath the surface. If she could disrupt that flow—if she could cut the beast off from its source of strength—she might be able to weaken it enough to destroy it.
But it wouldn't be easy. The energy was wild, chaotic, and dangerous. One wrong move and she could destroy them all.
As the woman launched herself at the beast once more, her blade flashing as she struck at the creature's legs, Yeon-ah pressed her hands against the altar again, her mind diving deep into the flow of the nexus's power.
She could feel the connection. It was like a thread of energy, winding its way through the altar, through the beast, and deep into the earth. Severing it would take everything she had, but it was the only way.
Her breath came in shallow gasps as she focused, her mind locking onto the thread. She could see it now, glowing faintly beneath the surface, pulsing with the same rhythm as the beast's heart. It was strong, resilient, but not unbreakable.
"I've got you," Yeon-ah whispered, her fingers trembling as she gathered the last of her strength. "I've got you."
With a final surge of energy, Yeon-ah ripped the connection apart, the thread snapping like a rubber band. The force of it nearly knocked her off her feet, but she held on, her body shaking with the effort.
The beast let out a deafening roar, its massive body convulsing as the energy was ripped away from it. Its glowing eyes dimmed, the power that had been sustaining it draining away in an instant. For a moment, it stood frozen, its body trembling with the loss of strength.
And then, with a final, shuddering gasp, the creature collapsed.
The ground shook as the beast's massive form hit the cavern floor, its body crumbling to dust and stone. The connection was severed.
Yeon-ah fell to her knees, her body trembling with exhaustion. It was over.