The corrupted beast's guttural growl echoed through the dense wilderness, sending a shiver through the merchants huddled near their wagons. Amanda's crimson eyes narrowed as she analyzed the creature. The jagged scars on its body glowed faintly, pulsing with the chaotic mana coursing through it. This wasn't a simple wild animal—it was a product of something darker, something deliberate.
"Eryndor, keep the merchants safe," Amanda commanded, her voice cold and firm.
He nodded, his blade at the ready. "Don't die."
"I don't plan to," Amanda replied, stepping forward as Fenris growled at her side.
The beast lunged, its claws slashing through the air with terrifying speed. Amanda dodged effortlessly, her cloak billowing as she conjured a spear of crackling black and crimson energy. She hurled it toward the creature, the spear cutting through the air like lightning.
The attack struck true, piercing the beast's side and detonating in a burst of raw mana. It howled in pain, but the glowing scars on its body flared brighter, healing its wound almost instantly.
"It's absorbing the mana," Amanda muttered, her mind working quickly. "Physical attacks won't finish it. We need to overwhelm its core."
Fenris darted around the creature, his speed a blur. His sharp claws raked across its hind legs, drawing blood that sizzled as it hit the ground. The beast roared in fury, turning to snap at the wolf, but Fenris was too fast, leaping back with practiced precision.
Amanda extended her hand, summoning another spell. This time, tendrils of shadow-like energy erupted from the ground, wrapping around the beast's legs to hold it in place. The creature thrashed against the magical bonds, its strength threatening to break free at any moment.
"Now, Fenris!" Amanda shouted.
Fenris leaped onto the beast's back, his fangs sinking into the nape of its neck. The beast howled and bucked wildly, trying to dislodge him, but Amanda seized the opportunity.
She channeled her mana into a focused attack, her palms glowing with a sinister red hue. A sphere of compressed energy formed between her hands, pulsing with raw destructive power.
"Let's see how well you absorb this," Amanda muttered, her voice low and venomous.
With a sharp motion, she unleashed the spell. The sphere shot forward, hitting the beast square in the chest. The explosion that followed was deafening, sending shockwaves through the forest and knocking the merchants to the ground.
When the dust settled, the beast was still standing, but barely. Its fur was scorched, and its glowing scars flickered erratically. It stumbled, its movements sluggish as it tried to recover.
Amanda clenched her fists, her energy reserves beginning to wane. She hadn't anticipated such resilience. "Eryndor, now's your chance!"
Eryndor didn't hesitate. He rushed forward, his blade glowing faintly with a light blue aura. With a powerful swing, he drove the weapon deep into the beast's chest, aiming for its core.
The creature let out one final, ear-splitting roar before collapsing to the ground, its body convulsing as the chaotic mana within it dissipated.
Eryndor pulled his blade free, breathing heavily as he turned to Amanda. "It's done."
Amanda approached the corpse cautiously, her eyes scanning for any lingering traces of magic. The beast was finally still, its body beginning to disintegrate into ash. At its center, where Eryndor's blade had struck, a small, glowing crystal remained.
Amanda picked up the crystal, holding it up to the light. It pulsed faintly, its chaotic energy subdued but still present.
"What is that?" Eryndor asked, wiping sweat from his brow.
"A mana core," Amanda replied. "Likely the source of its corruption. We'll study it later."
She tucked the core into her satchel, turning back to the merchants, who were still pale with fear.
"We're clear," Amanda announced. "Let's move before more of these things show up."
The merchants hurriedly climbed back onto their wagons, eager to leave the cursed forest behind.
As the caravan resumed its journey, Amanda walked beside Fenris, her thoughts racing. The appearance of a corrupted beast this close to a village was no coincidence. Something—or someone—was experimenting with dark mana.
Eryndor fell into step beside her. "What's on your mind?"
"That beast wasn't natural," Amanda said. "Someone created it. We need to find out who, and why."
Eryndor nodded grimly. "If there's more of them out there, we'll need to be ready."
Amanda glanced at the distant horizon, where the faint outline of the village could be seen. They were nearing their destination, but the events of the day had made one thing clear—their path was growing more dangerous.
"We'll rest in the village," Amanda said. "Then we prepare. There's a storm coming, and we need to be stronger."
Fenris growled softly in agreement, his golden eyes fixed on the forest behind them. Whatever lay ahead, Amanda knew she couldn't afford to falter. Not now. Not ever.