The relentless clash between Eska and the Thaxil Queen stretches on, each passing minute feeling like an eternity. The Queen's attacks grow faster and more feral, her movements a blur of claws and snapping mandibles.
Eska dodges another swing, her glowing claws flaring as she attempts a counterstrike aimed at the Queen's vulnerable joints. But the Queen anticipates her move, shifting her massive form with a speed that defies her size.
The counter lands harmlessly against the armored carapace, the sharp crack echoing as Eska leaps back to avoid the Queen's next attack. Frustration builds in her chest, her strikes leaving no visible damage while her body begins to feel the strain of constant movement.
"You're wasting too much blood," Marina's voice cuts through Eska's thoughts. "Every time you counter like that without a plan, you're bleeding power. Reinforcement and enhancement still drain you like anything else."
Eska grits her teeth as she blocks a swipe from the Queen's serrated claw, the impact rattling through her arms. "What am I supposed to do? She is too fast." she mutters under her breath, her gaze never leaving the towering figure before her.
"Pick your moments," Marina answers with exasperation. "Precision matters more than brute force. If you keep trying to overpower her without a strategy, you'll burn out before you can land another meaningful blow."
The Queen screeches, her long antennae twitching as she shifts her stance, launching another barrage of slashes that force Eska to retreat. Her reinforced legs scream in protest as she narrowly avoids each strike, her glowing claws raised defensively.
Eska's breath grows heavier and she can feel her bloodcraft waning, the toll of hours of fighting evident in every aching muscle.
The Queen shows no sign of slowing down.
Her movements become more erratic, her rage fueling each attack with terrifying power. Eska ducks under a swipe, only to find herself forced to roll away as the Queen slams her claw down where she once stood.
The ground shakes under the force of the impact.
"Precision, not panic!" Marina snaps. "You're fighting like prey. Start thinking like a predator."
Eska exhales sharply, trying to steady her trembling limbs, her mind racing as the Queen looms over her, poised for another devastating strike. The battle feels endless, but Marina's words echo in her mind—she has to outlast and outthink the creature, or she won't survive.
As Eska braces herself against another wild slash from the Queen, the sound of hurried footsteps echoes from the cavern's edges.
Before the Queen can deliver another strike, a familiar figure darts into the fray. Valen appears, his wind magic already swirling around him in visible currents, deflecting shards of resin that break under the Queen's rampage.
He doesn't hesitate, despite his wounds and the exhaustion etched into his face. With a sharp command, a blade of wind arcs through the air, forcing the Queen to pivot, her attack momentarily halted.
"Eska!" Valen shouts as he takes position beside her, his chest heaving. "You're not doing this alone!"
Eska glances at him, her glowing claws still raised, a mix of relief and frustration in her eyes. "You're insane," she mutters, her breath ragged.
"Better insane than useless," he shoots back, his tone unwavering despite the tremor in his hands.
The Queen screeches, her antennae twitching violently as more hunters leap down from the edges of the chamber, their boots hitting the resinous floor with purpose.
A flurry of elemental magic bursts forth—flames licking through the air, chunks of jagged earth flying toward the Queen's legs and gusts of wind slicing at her massive form. One hunter, his armor battered but his resolve unshaken, yells over the chaos, "Is that girl really holding her own against the Queen?"
Another hunter, a woman wielding dual axes, nods grimly as she charges into the fray. "I didn't think anyone could! That's not a rookie we're looking at—she is already warden level."
Valen steps in front of Eska, shielding her from one of the Queen's slashing limbs with a burst of wind magic that sends the claw veering off course. The effort visibly strains him but he holds his ground.
"Stay sharp," he mutters to her. "You've done enough—don't let her take you down now."
Eska, her breathing uneven, clenches her fists and nods, focusing once more as the hunters rally around her. Despite their collective assault, the Queen remains unyielding, her attacks relentless, her piercing screeches reverberating through the chamber.
But for the first time, Eska feels a flicker of hope—not because the Queen is faltering but because she is no longer alone.
The battle surges around the Queen, hunters darting in and out of range as their magic and weapons strike at her towering form. One of the hunters, a younger man with a spear, misjudges the timing of his attack.
He lunges forward, aiming for the gap in the Queen's carapace, but her movements are deceptively swift. With a deafening screech, the Queen pivots and lashes out with one of her powerful hind legs. The kick connects squarely with his chest, sending him flying across the chamber with bone-shattering force.
He hits the ground hard, his spear clattering uselessly beside him.
Dazed and struggling to stand, he barely has time to react before the Queen's next strike comes down. Her massive claw slams into him with unrelenting power, crushing him into the resinous floor.
The sickening crunch echoes through the chamber, silencing the hunters for a heartbeat as the full weight of her strength becomes terrifyingly clear. A brutal reminder of what Eska has been enduring, blocking strike after strike from this monstrous force.
The Queen's dark, glistening eyes sweep over the group, as if daring the next hunter to step forward. The tension in the air thickens but no one retreats. If anything, the hunters' resolve hardens, though the loss weighs heavy on their minds.
Eska hesitates for a split second but is caught as she hears Marina's voice once more.
"Loss is a great teacher. I say use its lessons at your own peril."
Eska freezes for a heartbeat, the scene of the hunter's brutal death searing itself into her mind.
Her grip falters, her glowing claws trembling, but Marina's voice cuts through the haze with chilling clarity. "Loss is a harsh teacher, Eska. Use its lessons wisely—or be consumed by them."
Her resolve comes back to her, charging at the beast before anyone else could
The chamber erupts into chaos once more. Eska's strikes are relentless, forcing the Queen to shift her focus as she deftly dodges and blocks the creature's feral blows.
Around her, the other hunters regroup, rallying to her lead as they rain elemental magic and weapon strikes on the Queen from a distance.
The hours stretch on, the battle grinding into a brutal stalemate. Each clash of claws and steel echoes in the cavern, the air thick with dust, sweat and the metallic tang of Thaxil ichor.
Valen, his movements precise despite his wounds, weaves gusts of wind to divert the Queen's strikes from the more vulnerable hunters. He steals glances at Eska between bursts of magic, watching her with a mix of awe and unease as she moves with inhuman speed.
Every strike she lands against the Queen is calculated, but still, the creature's carapace refuses to give.
"It seems our time is up," Marina's voice echoes in Eska's mind, filled with approval. "You've done well, Eska. You've faced your trial—and exceeded every expectation."
A sharp, piercing whistle echoes through the chamber, cutting through the relentless chaos.
Before anyone can react, a spear streaks through the air like lightning, striking the Queen squarely on the side of her head. The sheer force of the blow sends the towering creature stumbling backward, her massive form crashing against the floor as she tumbles in the direction of the attack.
A roar follows—a deep, commanding battle cry that shakes the chamber.
The Hivebreakers have arrived.
From the far edges of the cavern, a storm of elemental magic and projectiles rains down on the Queen, slamming into her with unrelenting power. Fire crackles and winds howl as the Queen screeches, her massive form forced further back into the depths of the chamber, away from Eska and the battered hunters.
Leading the charge, Cole leaps into the fray, landing squarely between the Queen and the rest of his guild. His long sword flashes with lethality as he charges forward, his brutal movements matching the ferocity Eska had displayed moments earlier.
With every strike, he forces the Queen back further, his attacks unrelenting.
"Let's finish this!" he roars to his guild, his voice carrying through the chamber as the Hivebreakers rally around him.
The cavern explodes into chaos as the battle intensifies.
The Queen's ear-splitting shrieks echo through the chamber, a rallying cry that stirs the Thaxil lining the walls into action. Dozens of soldiers and nurses, once silently observing the fight, now cascade from the chamber's heights, their antennae twitching in unison as they surge forward in defense of their Queen.
The Hivebreakers meet the onslaught head-on, their formations holding steady despite the overwhelming numbers.
Fire roars, winds howl and jagged chunks of earth erupt from the ground, carving through the horde of Thaxil.
Each member of the guild fights with ferocity, their coordinated attacks turning the chaotic swarm into a deadly battlefield.
The chamber becomes a storm of magic steel and unrelenting violence, the clash between human resilience and Thaxil fury filling every inch of the hive with deafening noise and flying debris.