The troll stormed into the sticky glue, which barely slowed it down. As its flesh was torn from its feet, it simply regenerated with each step. Now in the chamber, Axel stood face-to-face with the hulking beast, tension thick in the air.
"RAAAAAARGGHH!"
The troll made the first move, swinging its massive bone club in a vertical arc, aiming to crush Axel into pulp. Axel rolled to the side just in time, dodging the crushing blow. With precision, he slashed at the tendons in the troll's feet, trying to cripple it.
"Shit, It's healing too damn fast!" Axel cursed, watching as the wounds sealed almost instantly. The beast stumbled briefly, but its monstrous regenerative abilities rendered the attack useless. "I'm counting on you, Sylva!"
'Siiiil!'
Seizing the opening, Sylva leapt from Axel's shoulder and latched onto the troll's broad back like a parasite. She immediately began draining its life force. However, the troll's regenerative power made it a difficult task, and the beast thrashed violently, slamming into walls and columns in its effort to throw Sylva off.
While Sylva fought to weaken the creature, Axel's mind raced. "How do I stop something that keeps healing? I could do fire, but I don't think it will be enough to kill that bastard. What else?" His gaze flicked to the last trap he made and then back to the burning torches on the wall nearby. A plan began to form. "Sylva! Lure it toward me!"
'Siiil!'
Sylva released her grip and slithered down from the troll's back, darting toward Axel. Furious at the little pipsqueak that managed to hurt him, the troll roared and charged after her.
Reaching the chamber's entrance, Axel poured a vial of flammable liquid across the floor. Just as the troll stormed in, he lit the concoction with a flick of his torch. Flames roared to life, engulfing the troll.
"RAAAAARRGGHH!"
The troll shrieked in agony as fire consumed its body. Its regeneration kicked in, desperately trying to heal its charred flesh, but the flames kept eating away at it. Though unlikely to kill it, the fire was enough to keep the beast distracted.
"Alright, now I just need to finish this." Axel turned to Sylva, who had already returned to his side. "Sylva, can you help me with taking down this bastard?"
'Siiiiiiil...'
Sylva shimmered with energy, her glowing red streaks intensifying as she began to charge. A brilliant core of light formed within her, growing brighter and brighter until she released a concentrated beam of energy aimed directly at the troll's neck.
The beam pierced through the troll's thick hide, leaving a small hole. Though the wound already began to regenerate, the attack was enough to stun the beast. It staggered, its balance wavered, then it proceeded to fall down onto the ground .
"NOW!" Axel shouted, activating the final trap.
The sound of creaking and rusting hinges filled the chamber as the massive steel gate, which stood immovable for god knows how long, groaned under its weight thanks to the corrosive ability of Sylva. With a thunderous crash, the gate gave way, slowly falling down. Its target? A big fat troll head.
*THUMP* *SQUELCH*
The gate completely crushed the troll's skull, its lifeless body collapsing to the ground. Blood pooled beneath the heavy metal slab, signaling the end of the monstrous fight.
"Whew... try regenerating from that, you fucking bastard." Axel wiped the sweat from his brow, exhaustion setting in as he surveyed the carnage.
[Congratulations Master Axel, you have completed your initiation trial.]
"Heh, one heck of an initiation..." Axel muttered, motioning for Sylva to consume the troll's remains. "So, what's my reward for this nightmare of a trial?"
[Please wait while I calculate the rewards, Master Axel. Adjustments are being made to account for the additional difficulties faced.]
Axel sighed in relief, watching Sylva happily devour the troll's massive body. As she absorbed the energy, her glowing red streaks intensified, signaling an imminent evolution.
'Siiil...'
Sylva crawled back into Axel's arms, her movements sluggish. The strain of her beam attack and the energy gained from consuming the troll seemed to trigger the start of her transformation. Settling into Axel's embrace, she let out a soft, sleepy chirp.
'Siiil...zzZZ'
"Sleep tight, little girl. You've earned it." Axel stroked the tiny blob affectionately, a rare smile on his face. In the chaos of this new world, he was grateful for her unwavering loyalty.