The ground trembled as the massive stone creature lumbered forward. Its runes glowed brighter with each step, pulsing in sync with the Mana Crystals embedded in the cave walls. Eirik gripped the shards of Mana Crystal in his hand, his heart racing. He had never faced something this powerful, and the Ether Dagger wouldn't be enough.
"We're not equipped for this," Lyra muttered, her voice tight with tension. She notched an arrow, but her bow seemed feeble compared to the hulking beast in front of them.
"We don't have a choice," Eirik replied, his mind racing. He quickly opened the system interface, searching for a solution. His eyes scanned the available materials in his inventory: Ether Wolf Hide, Mana Core, Mana Crystals. Then a new blueprint flashed before him:
Blueprint Available: Mana-Infused Trap
Material Requirements: Mana Crystal (x2), Ether Wolf Hide (x1)
Effect: Temporarily disables the magical core of a nearby creature, rendering it vulnerable for a short period.
Eirik's pulse quickened. A trap, it wouldn't destroy the Guardian outright, but it would give them a chance to deal some serious damage.
"I'll need a minute," Eirik said, already moving to gather the materials. He set down the Mana Crystals and the Ether Wolf Hide on the cave floor, his hands moving with precision as he activated Efficient Crafting. The trap's design appeared in his mind—a combination of the crystals' energy channeled through the hide, creating a pulse that would disrupt the Guardian's magic.
Lyra didn't argue. She kept her bow trained on the Guardian, moving in a wide arc to keep its attention. The creature's movements were slow, but deliberate, and its roars echoed through the chamber, shaking loose dust and debris from the ceiling.
Eirik's hands worked faster than ever before, the crafting process feeling almost automatic as he pieced together the trap. He bound the Mana Crystals with the hide, weaving them into a circular design that crackled with magical energy. The system flashed again:
Item Crafted: Mana-Infused Trap +25 Crafting EXP
"Lyra!" Eirik shouted, holding up the trap. "We need to lure it into this!"
Lyra's eyes flicked from the Guardian to the trap in Eirik's hands, and without hesitation, she nodded. "On it!"
She fired an arrow at the Guardian, the tip bouncing harmlessly off its stone body. The creature roared and turned its attention fully toward her, its glowing eyes narrowing. Lyra moved, leading it toward the center of the cavern where Eirik had placed the trap. The creature lumbered forward, each step shaking the ground beneath their feet.
Eirik stood ready, his hand hovering over the trap's trigger. He watched as Lyra continued to lead the Guardian, her movements quick and precise, staying just out of reach of the creature's massive stone arms.
"Now!" Lyra shouted as the creature stepped over the trap.
Eirik activated the Mana-Infused Trap.
A wave of magical energy exploded from the trap, sending out a pulse that rippled through the air and slammed into the Guardian. The runes on its body flickered, the glow dimming as the trap's energy disrupted its core. The creature stumbled, its movements growing sluggish.
For the first time, the Guardian looked vulnerable.
"This is our chance!" Eirik yelled.
Lyra didn't waste a second. She fired an arrow directly at the Guardian's chest, where the runes pulsed faintly. The arrow struck true, cracking the stone and sending sparks of blue energy flying from the wound. The Guardian let out a deep, guttural roar, its massive arms flailing as it tried to recover.
Eirik rushed forward, the Ether Dagger in hand. With the Guardian weakened, the magical blade hummed with energy, ready to strike. He leaped onto the creature's side, using the cracks in its stone body to climb up toward its core.
"Go for the core!" Lyra shouted, loosing another arrow to keep the Guardian distracted.
Eirik reached the Guardian's chest, the source of its magical power glowing faintly beneath the cracked stone. He drove the Ether Dagger into the core with all his strength, the blade sinking deep into the creature's body. Blue light exploded from the wound, and the Guardian let out a final, deafening roar as its core shattered.
The creature's massive form shuddered, the runes flickering one last time before the stone body collapsed into rubble. Eirik leaped back just in time, landing on the ground as the Guardian crumbled into dust.
Breathing heavily, Eirik stood over the pile of rubble that had once been the Guardian of the Crystals. The cave was silent now, the only sound the soft crackle of residual magic in the air.
Guardian Defeated: +50 Combat EXP
New Material Obtained: Greater Mana Core (x1), Mana Crystal Shards (x5)
Eirik's system flashed with the new rewards, but he barely had time to process them. Lyra approached, her bow lowered, her expression a mix of relief and approval.
"Well done, blacksmith," she said, nodding at the pile of rubble. "I didn't think we'd make it out of there in one piece."
Eirik wiped the sweat from his brow, a tired grin spreading across his face. "Neither did I."
He glanced at the glowing shards of Mana Crystals scattered around the chamber. The battle had been intense, but it had also been worth it. The materials they had gathered here were powerful, far beyond anything he could have imagined when he first arrived in Veridion.
"We've got what we came for," Lyra said, picking up one of the glowing shards. "Let's get out of here before something else shows up."