The Magloth roared in pain as the second combined strike from Cedar and Ivan blasted its crystalline chest. The beast staggered back, its glowing eyes flickering with fury. For a moment, it hesitated, pacing in a small circle as if assessing its injuries.
"We're wearing it down," Cedar muttered, catching his breath, though he couldn't shake the feeling of dread creeping into his thoughts.
"Not fast enough," Ivan replied, his ice spear ready in hand. "If it keeps adapting like this, what happens when it stops playing around?"
The Magloth answered the question for them. Despite the damage it had taken, it bellowed with a roar so deafening it seemed to rattle the forest itself.
Without hesitation, the beast charged straight through their attacks. Ivan's ice spear shattered harmlessly against its crystalline back, and Cedar's lightning bolt only slowed it for a heartbeat.
"It's ignoring the pain now!" Ivan shouted, diving out of the way as the beast's claws tore through the ground.
Cedar's heart pounded as he frantically scanned their surroundings for anything that could shift the tide of the battle.
The Magloth's relentless power was undeniable, but it had one glaring flaw: its reckless, animalistic charges. That's when he noticed the massive, leaning tree nearby, its exposed roots clinging precariously to the eroded soil. A plan began to form.
"Ivan, fall back! Draw it toward that tree!" Cedar shouted, pointing to the unstable trunk.
Ivan hesitated for only a moment before nodding. "Hey, crystal-for-brains! Over here!" he taunted, hurling an ice shard that shattered against the Magloth's shoulder.
The beast snarled in frustration, locking its glowing eyes onto Ivan.
Ivan sprinted toward the leaning tree, keeping just ahead of the charging Magloth. Cedar positioned himself behind the tree, gripping his staff tightly as he prepared a spell. He could feel the last vestiges of his mana stretching thin, but it had to work.
The Magloth lunged after Ivan, its claws ripping apart the earth in its blind fury. "Now, Ivan! Get clear!" Cedar yelled.
Ivan dove to the side at the last moment, narrowly avoiding the beast's swipe. The Magloth slammed into the tree with a thunderous crash, its massive claws digging into the bark as splinters exploded outward.
Cedar's lightning struck the trunk a split second later, and the weakened wood gave way. The massive tree collapsed, pinning the Magloth under its weight and forcing a guttural roar from the creature.
But the victory was short-lived. With a violent shake, the Magloth shattered the branches pinning its crystalline limbs and rose once more. It wasn't retreating.
If anything, the tree's collapse only seemed to enrage it further. Its glowing red eyes burned brighter as it turned its attention to Cedar.
"Well, that made it angrier!" Ivan shouted, already forming another ice shard in his hand.
Cedar cursed under his breath, his mind racing. The Magloth's crystalline body made it nearly impervious to their attacks, but its glowing eyes—the few organic parts it had—were vulnerable. If they could exploit that weakness, they might still have a chance.
The Magloth roared and charged at Cedar, its speed terrifying. Cedar twisted to dodge, but the creature feinted, pivoting mid-charge with startling precision.
Its massive claw swiped toward Cedar's chest. He stumbled, his staff slipping from his grip as he fell backward. The jagged edges of the claw missed him by inches, tearing through the air where his heart had been a heartbeat ago.
"Cedar! Move!" Ivan yelled.
Cedar rolled to the side just as the Magloth's second strike gouged a deep scar into the ground.
Adrenaline surged through his veins as he scrambled to his feet, his fingers brushing the dirt for his staff. The beast loomed over him, its glowing eyes blazing with calculated malice.
Gritting his teeth, Cedar thrust his hand forward, channeling the last of his energy into a desperate spell. Lightning crackled and shot into the Magloth's face, striking one of its glowing eyes.
The creature roared in agony, staggering back and clawing at its face as smoke rose from the burned wound.
Cedar grabbed his staff and retreated, his breathing ragged. "That was way too damn close," he muttered, wiping sweat from his brow.
The Magloth, now blinded in one eye and more enraged than ever, charged blindly forward. Cedar dove out of its path, narrowly avoiding its rampage. Ivan was already on the move.
"Over here, ugly!" Ivan shouted, sending a spray of ice shards into the beast's flank. The shards didn't penetrate its crystalline hide, but they were enough to draw its attention. The Magloth pivoted, its movements clumsy as its vision faltered.
Cedar's mind snapped into focus. "Ivan, lead it to the thorn bushes!" he shouted.
Ivan glanced at the patch of brambles—dense, tangled, and bristling with vicious thorns—and gave a quick nod. "Got it!"
Cedar kept his distance, sending small bursts of lightning to goad the Magloth forward. Ivan slowed his pace just enough to keep the beast on his trail, guiding it straight toward the thorny undergrowth.
With a final snarl, the Magloth lunged but instead of catching its prey, it crashed into the dense thorns. The razor-sharp branches scraped against its crystalline armor harmlessly, but its glowing eyes were another matter entirely.
The creature thrashed violently as the thorns tore into its sensitive organic tissue.
"Now!" Cedar shouted. "It's vulnerable—hit it from the sides!"
The Magloth, blinded and roaring in frustration, shook its head violently, dislodging some of the thorns but leaving its vision impaired. Its swipes became erratic, and its movements slowed as it stumbled over the uneven ground.
Cedar and Ivan coordinated their attacks with the precision of military-trained combat mages, striking from opposite flanks.
Ivan unleashed icy blasts that chipped away at the creature's joints, further slowing it down, while Cedar's lightning crackled against its hide, forcing it to stagger. The Magloth's attacks grew weaker and more desperate, its roars echoing hollowly through the forest.
Finally, with a shuddering groan, the beast collapsed. Its crystalline body dimmed, and the glow in its eyes faded as it lay still.
Cedar leaned heavily on his staff, his chest heaving. He glanced at Ivan, who was bent over, catching his breath but otherwise unharmed.
"That thing almost had me," Cedar said, his voice unsteady. "It wasn't just strong—it was smart."
Ivan nodded grimly. "Yeah. Too smart for my liking. Makes you wonder how many more of these things are out there."
Before Cedar could reply, a familiar voice filled their minds.
"Cedar, drink its blood," Len's voice commanded, calm and unwavering.
"Master, you want me to drink it?" Cedar asked, his eyes wide with disbelief.
"Yes, while it's still fresh," Len urged, his tone leaving no room for argument. His crimson eyes gleamed with both impatience and expectation.
"I've already told you, bloody vessels are a vampire sub-race. This is the quickest, most direct path for you to grow stronger. Don't hesitate, Cedar. The first time will feel overwhelming, but mark my words—you'll crave it once you've experienced it."
Cedar's gaze shifted to the Magloth's still form. He knelt by the fallen creature, steeling himself for what was to come.
Cedar gulped, his hand trembling slightly as he drew his military knife from its sheath. The blade glinted faintly in the dim forest light. His heart pounded as he stared down at the Magloth's massive neck, its crystalline flesh cracked and lifeless.
"Here goes nothing," he whispered under his breath.
With a swift motion, he plunged the knife into the exposed tissue near the base of the beast's throat, where jagged crystalline shards gave way to something softer. The blade met resistance at first, but then it broke through, slicing deep into the beast's organic core. A dark, viscous liquid began to ooze out—thicker and blacker than any blood Cedar had ever seen.
The metallic tang intensified, and the air around them seemed to grow heavier, almost suffocating. The liquid pulsed faintly with a dim crimson glow, as though the Magloth's essence still clung stubbornly to life. Cedar hesitated, his stomach churning.
Ivan stood nearby, his jaw tightening as he observed the scene. His expression betrayed a hint of disgust, but he remained silent. He knew Cedar had no choice—this was necessary, and it wouldn't be the last time.
Cedar hesitated, the gravity of what he was about to do weighing heavily on him. Taking a deep, steadying breath, he leaned forward. The gash in the Magloth's flesh still oozed its unnatural, crimson essence.
As his lips hovered above the wound, the heat of the blood radiated against his skin, carrying with it an ominous, metallic tang.
Finally, he lowered his mouth and took a mouthful. The taste hit him like a tidal wave—sharp and bitter, tinged with an unnatural energy that defied explanation. His body reacted violently, every fiber of his being screaming that this was wrong.
Yet beneath that visceral revulsion, there was something else—a faint but undeniable sensation of familiarity, as though this act was as natural to him as breathing or eating.
The blood burned as it slid down his throat, like molten fire igniting his insides. Cedar gasped, his body convulsing as the raw, volatile energy of the Magloth surged through him.
It wasn't nourishment—it was power, pure and wild.
His vision wavered, the edges of the world around him blurring and warping. The sensation was overwhelming, like falling into an endless abyss where nothing was solid or real. He tried to steady himself, but his legs buckled, and he collapsed to his knees.
And then, the visions struck.