Arthur tightened his grip on his sword, keeping it in his free hand while the other rested at his side. The examiner's voice echoed loudly through the training grounds.
"You have ten minutes to introduce yourselves and come up with a strategy. Begin."
The sound of murmuring filled the air as the other teams huddled together, determinedly discussing their plans. Arthur turned to face his own group, eyeing the haughty-looking noble and the silent girl standing next to him.
"I'll go first," Arthur announced, breaking the tension-filled silence. "I'm Arthur, a mercenary. My specialty is close combat. I'll take point if that works for everyone."
The girl tilted her head to the side and took a step closer, revealing that she was almost as tall as Arthur. Her slender build hinted at her athleticism. She had dark blue hair, neatly styled and falling just above her shoulders. "I'm Elaris Veloria," she introduced herself. "My specialty is spear fighting. I'll hang back to guard any weak spots."
Arthur nodded in agreement. "That sounds like a solid plan."
The noble, Caedon Firth, let out a disdainful snort as he crossed his arms. "I am Caedon Firth. This doesn't require much thought; I will lead the charge and finish this quickly. Just try not to get in my way."
Arthur raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Uh, right. That's... concise planning," he muttered sarcastically, briefly glancing at Elaris who showed no expression on her face except for a slight frown.
"We have ten minutes for a reason," Arthur stated firmly yet calmly. "We don't know what we're up against, so we should at least discuss—"
"Feel free to talk as much as you'd like," Caedon interrupted with a dismissive wave of his hand, already striding towards the station where their opponent would appear. "I'll take care of it myself. Discussions are for those who lack skill."
Arthur sighed, running a hand through his hair. "This guy can't be serious..."
Elaris watched Caedon march off, her grip tightening slightly on her spear. "He is," she stated flatly.
"Great. Just what we needed," Arthur muttered under his breath.
The ten-minute window passed quickly, and the examiner's voice boomed once again across the grounds.
"Begin combat!"
Chains rattled as the massive gate of their station swung open, revealing their opponent.
Arthur's grip tightened on his sword as the creature stepped into view. It was a massive beast covered in scales, its thick and leathery skin a dark green with hints of yellow streaks. Horns protruded from its head like jagged spikes, and its long tail whipped behind it with each step, leaving deep grooves in the dirt. On all fours, its claws dug into the ground as it surveyed its surroundings with piercing golden eyes.
Arthur inhaled deeply, mentally bracing himself for the impending fight. "That creature looks even larger up close. Does anyone have any information about it?"
However, his question was unanswered as Caedon wasted no time and charged towards the creature's side with a fierce battle cry, sword glinting in the sunlight.
"Unbelievable," Arthur muttered, instinctively moving a few steps forward.
Elaris shook her head but followed closely behind him, spear at the ready. "This won't end well."
Caedon charged towards the monster, swinging his sword in a wide arc. But the blade only clanged against its thick scales, making little impact.
With unexpected agility, the creature turned and whipped its tail at Caedon. He narrowly avoided being hit but stumbled to the ground. As he tried to attack again, this time aiming for its legs, the monster reared back and swiped at him with its massive claws, sending him flying.
Arthur's expression grew tense. "Elaris, let's move!"
She nodded and followed him as they quickly and silently entered the fray.
Arthur let out a sharp whistle, drawing the attention of the monster as it turned to face him. Its mouth opened in a menacing hiss, revealing rows of sharp teeth.
"Come on, you ugly thing," Arthur muttered under his breath.
The creature lunged at Arthur, who deftly dodged it and delivered a powerful slash towards its neck. The blade struck true, slicing through a thinner patch of hide and causing a spray of dark liquid to spurt out.
Elaris darted forward, her spear thrusting with precision into the joint of the creature's front leg. The monster let out a roar of pain before regaining its footing.
Meanwhile, Caedon had managed to get back on his feet, though he looked pale and shaken. "I had it handled!" he snapped defiantly but made no move to join in on the fight.
Arthur didn't bother turning to face him. "Then prove it," he retorted.
Caedon hesitated, his sword still gripped tightly but keeping a safe distance from the action.
"That's what I thought," Arthur muttered quietly to himself.
The monster recovered quickly, lashing out its tail once again in a wide arc. Arthur stood firm and caught the tail with his gauntleted hand, using brute strength and Terrak to push it off course.
"Watch it!" he warned.
Elaris smoothly ducked underneath the tail, rolling to the side and springing back up to her feet. Her spear gleamed as she struck the monster's exposed side once more.
Arthur kept up the attack, staying just out of reach of the creature's dangerous claws while landing precise strikes on its neck and shoulders. The two fighters moved in perfect harmony, forcing the monster into a defensive stance.
All the while, examiners watched closely from above, their voices hushed as they observed every move made by the trio below.
Arthur's focus stayed on the creature as it roared and stamped, its claws raking deep grooves into the dirt. Elaris adjusted her grip on her spear beside him, her gaze calm but sharp. Meanwhile, Caedon—still fuming—stood several paces ahead, rubbing his chest as if sheer pride alone would undo the earlier blow he'd suffered.
The beast roared again, its golden eyes narrowing as it zeroed in on Caedon.
"Out of my way!" Caedon barked, stepping forward despite the clear danger.
"Caedon, hold on—" Arthur began, but the noble charged in, sword raised high.
The creature's tail whipped out with terrifying speed. It caught Caedon mid-swing, flinging him across the battlefield like a ragdoll. He hit the ground with a painful-sounding thud, rolling limply before coming to a stop. His sword skittered out of reach, leaving him sprawled on his back, groaning.
Arthur winced. "Well, he's done for. Fantastic."
Elaris didn't even glance at the downed noble. "He lasted longer than I thought."
Arthur smirked faintly but quickly refocused. The beast loomed closer, its claws digging trenches in the earth as it prowled toward them.
The beast, emboldened by the easy win, snarled and advanced toward them, its claws leaving trenches in the dirt.
Arthur flexed his gauntleted left hand, the runes etched into it shimmering faintly. "Alright, our turn. Let's keep this thing off balance."
The creature lunged with a hiss, its jaws snapping toward Arthur. He stepped forward, raising his arm just in time. The shield rune engraved into his gauntlet flared bright, reinforcing the metal that held against the crushing force of the creature's bite.
"Legs!" Arthur shouted, bracing against the weight.
Elaris moved instantly, darting to the side with surprising speed. Her spear struck true, piercing the creature's hind leg. The beast roared in pain and turned sharply, its tail sweeping out in a wide arc.
Arthur's voice cut through the chaos, his eyes scanning the battlefield for any sign of their target. "Heads up!" he called out, taking a quick step back as the massive creature's tail whipped past him with deadly precision.
Without missing a beat, Elaris ducked and rolled under the tail, her movements fluid and controlled. She emerged on the other side with her spear already poised for another strike, ready to take down their opponent.
Meanwhile, Arthur didn't waste any time. With a thought, the Igni runes on his gauntlet flared to life, casting a fiery glow across the darkened landscape. He charged in, his gauntlet aimed for a fiery slash at the beast's exposed side.
The attack connected with a satisfying sizzle, leaving a glowing streak of molten damage across its thick hide. The creature howled in agony and began thrashing wildly, sending plumes of smoke rising from where the flames had scorched its skin.
"That got its attention," Arthur muttered to himself, sidestepping a claw swipe from the enraged creature.
Elaris took advantage of the opening, her spear finding its mark in the soft joint of the creature's front leg. The weapon sank deep into its flesh, causing the beast to bellow in pain and stumble further under their relentless assault.
"You seeing this?" Arthur called over his shoulder to Caedon, who was propped up on one elbow and clearly dazed from an earlier blow. "I... had it," Caedon muttered weakly, holding his side.
Arthur couldn't help but roll his eyes at Caedon's claim. "Yeah, sure you did," he replied under his breath before turning back to face their opponent.
The beast was now cornered and growing increasingly desperate. It lashed out wildly with its claws, churning up dirt and stone that sent shards flying in all directions. Instinctively, Arthur raised his gauntlet again, the Aegis rune flaring to life and deflecting the debris with ease.
"Stick to the plan!" Arthur called out, moving in perfect tandem with Elaris as they continued their coordinated attack.
The creature reared back, exposing its throat as it prepared to lunge once more. Arthur's eyes zeroed in on a vulnerable patch of hide near its neck—the same spot where Elaris had already landed a solid hit.
"Keep it busy!" Arthur yelled to Elaris, who nodded without hesitation. She stepped into the creature's path and jabbed at its legs, keeping it distracted and divided.
Meanwhile, Arthur gathered momentum and surged forward with the Impact rune on his gauntlet glowing faintly. Thanks to his boots reinforced with Zephyros runes, he was able to slide beneath the beast effortlessly.
"Let's see how tough you really are," he muttered under his breath as he slammed his gauntleted hand upward into the exposed throat. The Impact rune detonated on contact, releasing a thunderous shockwave that rippled through the beast's massive frame.
Scales cracked and split, and the creature let out a deafening roar before collapsing to its knees. "Elaris, finish it!" Arthur shouted, catching his breath as he watched his comrade-in-arms take down their opponent with one swift thrust of her spear.
The beast shuddered once before falling lifelessly to the ground. Exhausted but triumphant, Arthur staggered back and surveyed the now-still form of their vanquished foe. Smoke curled faintly from its wounds, filling the air with a pungent scent of charred flesh.
Elaris stepped away from the corpse and rested her spear against her shoulder nonchalantly. "Efficient," she said simply, though the faint curl of her lips betrayed her satisfaction.
Arthur couldn't help but grin, glancing up at the examiners perched above them. "Think they were impressed?"
"Depends," Elaris replied with a deadpan tone. "Do they count Caedon's performance against us?"
Despite their exhaustion, both Arthur and Elaris couldn't help but chuckle at the thought of Caedon's so-called contributions to the fight. They turned to see him groaning on the ground, still clutching his injured ribs.
"Good enough," Arthur said with a smirk before motioning for Elaris to follow as they made their way back toward the waiting examiners, leaving Caedon to limp behind them. The massive beast, now lifeless and defeated, lay in their wake.