The ground beneath Cedric's hand trembled, sending a chill through his spine. The low hum he had felt earlier grew louder, vibrating through the earth like a heartbeat—slow, steady, and dangerous.
Lira, ever watchful, drew her sword with a sharp glance around. "Everyone, stay ready," she commanded, her voice tense but calm. "Whatever's down there, it's getting closer."
Kellen stepped forward, his eyes scanning the cliffs towering above them. "Underground, huh? Sounds like we're in for a fun surprise."
Maeve, usually quick with a quip, remained unusually silent, her hand resting on a pouch of vials at her belt. "I don't like this," she murmured. "Feels like we're walking into something big."
Cedric stood slowly, his heart pounding in his chest. "There's magic in the ground. It's been disturbed—corrupted. Something is pushing its way to the surface."
Tamsin, standing slightly behind the group, looked nervous, her wide eyes darting from Cedric to the surrounding cliffs. "Should we move? If it's coming up from underground, maybe we can get out of its path."
Lira shook her head, her grip on her sword tightening. "It's too late. We need to stand our ground."
For a moment, the air was still—unnervingly quiet. The only sound was the wind as it whispered through the jagged rocks, carrying with it a sense of foreboding.
Then, without warning, the earth exploded.
A massive creature burst from the ground, sending dirt and rocks flying in every direction. Its body was enormous, covered in thick, stone-like scales, and its glowing eyes burned with an unnatural light. The beast let out a low, rumbling growl as it pulled itself free from the earth, towering over the group like a living mountain.
Cedric's breath caught in his throat. "A land wyrm," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "But it's been corrupted by dark magic."
Lira wasted no time. "Positions!" she barked, immediately moving into action. "Kellen, get to its blind side. Maeve, do what you do best. Cedric—"
Cedric nodded, already focusing his magic. "I'll contain it."
---
The wyrm lunged forward, its massive claws digging into the earth as it moved with surprising speed for something so large. Lira dodged to the side, her sword flashing as she struck at the creature's legs, but her blade barely left a mark on its rocky hide.
Kellen, moving with the agility of a shadow, darted around the creature's flank, his daggers ready. He slashed at the wyrm's vulnerable joints, but like Lira, he found the creature's scales nearly impenetrable.
Maeve pulled a vial from her belt and tossed it toward the beast's head. The glass shattered on impact, releasing a cloud of thick, shimmering smoke that enveloped the wyrm's eyes. The creature roared, momentarily disoriented, its movements slowing as it tried to shake off the effects of the potion.
"Nice work!" Kellen called over his shoulder, grinning as he moved in for another strike.
But the wyrm was far from defeated. Its claws struck the ground with a deafening crash, sending a shockwave through the earth that knocked Maeve off her feet. Cedric stumbled but quickly regained his balance, his magic already flowing through the ground beneath him.
"I'll try to trap it!" Cedric shouted, his hands glowing as he summoned stone from the earth. Massive pillars of rock erupted from the ground, forming a cage around the wyrm. The creature thrashed against the stone walls, its roars echoing through the ravine.
Tamsin, standing back from the fray, watched with wide eyes, her hands glowing faintly with healing magic. She was ready to act if any of her companions fell, but the sheer size of the wyrm left her speechless.
"It's breaking through!" Lira shouted, her eyes narrowing as she saw cracks forming in the stone.
Cedric gritted his teeth, pouring more of his energy into the spell. The ground trembled beneath the weight of his magic, but the wyrm's strength was too much. With a roar, the creature shattered the stone walls and lunged forward, its glowing eyes fixed on Cedric.