Nova held his staff close to him as he looked around the mist-laid area, to try and figure out where the source of the sound came from, but he saw nothing, the mist around them had tampered with their surroundings, making it much harder for them to even fight.
The tension in the air was palpable, everything was eerily silent, which only made the situation worse, for deep down he knew whatever it was he was going to fight, it was not going to be easy, he knew he would have a hard time, but he had no intention of back down.
While they were waiting, a low growl, almost menacing echoed in their surroundings around the forest, despite the thick mist and Nova's eyes narrowed.
The mist began to swirl before his eyes, in the form of a circle that slowly began changing. It was acting like the forest, alive and seeming as though it was gathering itself for something.
'What is going on?' He wondered, as he kept his gaze fixed on it, not looking away for a second, even though he was getting tired.
From deep within the swirling mist, a large shadow-cloaked figure appeared. Through the fog, its crimson and purple eyes locked into Nova with a predatory intent. The creature, a towering combination of bones, flesh, and spectral energy, was unlike anything he had ever seen. Even in his gaming experiences, there was nothing quite like it. Besides it was a large blade with runic markings embedded within the dark steel.
[Trial Challenge Two Initiated. Opponent: Spectral Warden.]
At the very same time, Erna's voice echoed in his mind. "Nova, you need to be careful with this one, the Warden is a high-level entity. Its attacks are slow but devastating. You will need to rely on strategy and your summons. Be smart about positioning, and do not let it corner you."
Sweat trickled down Nova's brow as he nodded in acknowledgment of her words. Channeling his mana, he raised his staff and focused on the type of being he needed in order to fight the creature, beings of long-range attacks.
Two spectral figures with dark flames on their bows rose from the ground around him. With their arrows ready and nocked, they formed a semicircle around the creature.
They released a barrage of dark arrows upon Nova's order, which whirled through the air and hit the creature. The Warden let out a shrieking sound, its spectral core showing faint cracks, but its armored body absorbed most of the damage, which was not a good sign. It only made one thing clear, it was harder to get rid of.
The Warden retaliated by swinging its massive blade in a wide arc. The ground trembled as the blade struck the earth, sending shockwaves of dark energy that scattered the two summoned archers. Nova staggered as he felt the impact, but managed to keep his footing, realizing that the fight would require more than brute force.
"Erna, analyze its weaknesses!" Nova shouted as he dodged another swing.
[Scan initiated.]
[Spectral Warden: A being summoned from the dead who was once a leader or a warrior, bound to serve, protect, or destroy, or created through necrotic magic.]
[Scan completed.]
"The spectral core in its chest is its weak point, it contains necrotic magic, and that is what is keeping it standing," Erna replied.
"Hey, aim your attacks toward the center of its armor. But be careful; it is shielded by that armor and surrounded by dark energy one that could kill a normal human being without trying much; I will help you with the final blow," Levan stated as he stepped forward.
Nova's thoughts raced. He needed to make an opening. Raising his staff, he cast "Bone Bind," a spell that entangles enemies in necrotic chains, which he had read on one of the scrolls Crevan had given him as starter supplies.
The ground beneath the Warden erupted, revealing skeletal arms grasping its legs and holding it in place. The Warden thrashed in an attempt to break free, but the spell remained firm for the time being.
"The spell is at its beginner level, it will not hold it for too long, but it is a good attempt, this is our only chance," Levan said and Nova glanced at him.
"Focus fire on the core!" Nova commanded. The remaining wraith launched another attack, this time targeting the cracks in the Warden's chest. The creature roared in agony as the spectral core continued to fracture, its energy pulsating erratically.
However, the Warden was not finished. It let out a guttural roar, releasing a shockwave of dark energy that shattered the bone bindings and dispersed the remaining wraith. Nova was thrown backward, his body skidding across the ground as the mist thickened around him.
"Nova, listen to me carefully, you are running out of mana," Erna warned. "If you don not finish this soon, not only will you fail, you won't have enough energy to defend yourself."
Nova coughed up a bit of blood and gritted his teeth before forcing himself to stand. The staff in his hand pulsed faintly, as if urging him forward. He tightened his grip, using every last ounce of willpower he had.
"This has to end now; I do not know what will happen if it goes on any longer, you are right and I will not be a failure here as I was back then, I will not let myself fall like then, not when I have this chance to turn my entire life around, to make it worthwhile, worth wanting to live for," He muttered, as his eyes glowed faintly.
Nova used his last reserves of mana to cast "Soul Rend," a powerful necromantic spell that focused his remaining energy into a concentrated attack.
The air around him became colder as the staff's obsidian shard shone brighter than ever, its energy condensing into a swirling vortex of dark magic. He aimed directly at the Warden's core and released the spell; along with it, Levan struck it simultaneously with a wave of black flames that merged with Nova's spell.