A low, guttural screech sent a chill down my spine.

  "Witherfang," Muradin muttered grimly.

  Unlike Thornwraiths, Witherfangs were anything but passive. These abominations—a grotesque fusion of bat and insect—thrived in darkness. Their wings, resembling rotting leaves, were deceptively sturdy, allowing them to move with unnatural speed.

  One lunged at Muradin, fangs bared.

  "Shit!" He barely had time to raise his shield before the Witherfang slammed into him, gnawing at the reinforced metal.

  I reacted instinctively, swinging my warhammer with all my strength. The blow landed squarely on its exposed side, causing a sickening crunch. The creature shrieked in pain, but I didn’t let up. Muradin and I each grabbed one of its legs, pinning it to the ground before it could take flight again.

  "Take it down now!" I shouted.

  Without any signal, the others immediately launched an all-out attack, using every skill and item at their disposal to ensure it couldn’t escape. If it managed to unleash its supersonic attack, it would make things extremely difficult for us. It didn’t take long before Witherfang collapsed to the ground, completely still and motionless.

  But it wasn’t over.

  More of them emerged from the darkness, their eerie screeches echoing through the trees. Those Watchers of the Forest had come, one after another, relentless in their pursuit.

  We fought our way through, pushing forward despite the exhaustion creeping into our limbs. The night deepened, and then—finally—we arrived.

  Before us stood an enormous tree, towering over the rest of the forest. Unlike the brittle, decayed trees of Thalorien Forest, this one was strong, ancient… and strangely vibrant, its bark tinged with hues of deep pink.

  Darwyn wasted no time. He drew an arrow fitted with a Sticky Bomb and took aim at a gaping hole near the tree’s trunk.

  "Make it count," I murmured.

  He released. The arrow flew straight and true, striking the opening with a loud thwump, followed by a blast.

  A moment of silence.

  Then, the ground trembled.

  Something stirred within the tree.

  And slowly, Cindralis, another Guardian, emerged.

  ***

  Cindralis spread its massive wings, their crimson-gold hues shimmering under the pale moonlight. Even in the dimness of night, the Guardian’s presence was overwhelming. The way it moved—majestic and effortless—reminded me of the legendary Phoenix from stories, games, and old myths.

  Its body was covered in thick, impenetrable scales that would have gleamed brilliantly under the sun. But right now, beneath the cold night sky, they looked dull, almost lifeless. Cindralis' piercing gaze locked onto us, calculating, merciless—then without warning, it flared its wings and sent a flurry of razor-sharp feathers raining down.

  "Incoming!" I barely had time to react.

  Muradin was faster, raising his shield just in time to block the deadly barrage. The metallic feathers clanged against his defense, but I wasn’t as lucky. Armed only with a warhammer, I managed to deflect a few, but the rest found their mark, embedding themselves deep into my arms and legs. A sharp, searing pain shot through my body.

  I hissed through gritted teeth, feeling warm blood trickle down my skin. At least the feathers weren’t burning hot. If they were, I’d be in far worse shape.

  "Fall back, Erynd," Muradin commanded, stepping in front of me.

  I wiped the blood from my lip and grinned. "Not happening. You’re not the only stubborn one here."

  Cindralis’ eyes flickered with cold intelligence as it refocused on me. Its wings tensed, preparing for another attack.

  Suddenly—

  [Lightning Bolt cast]

  A streak of blinding energy crackled through the air, striking Cindralis square in the chest. The beast screeched in agony, momentarily faltering mid-flight before regaining its balance.

  [Enhanced Thunderlash Vial used]

  [Piercing Arrow cast]

  Darwyn acted instantly. A rain of electrified arrows streaked toward Cindralis, crackling with deadly energy. The Guardian tried to dodge, but it was too late—most of the arrows struck home, piercing through its thick scales. A few even found their mark in vital spots, sending arcs of electricity surging through its body.

  I smirked. Giving him the Mirelance Shroom was definitely the right call.

  Cindralis wasn’t just any Guardian—it was the strongest entity in Thalorien Forest. Its power came from absorbing the sun’s energy, which fueled the blazing heat that cloaked its body like a natural shield. The aura not only protected it but also scorched anything that got too close. Its razor-like wings, harder than steel, could slice through flesh and leave devastating burns.

  That’s exactly why we had chosen to strike now—under the cover of night.

  Without sunlight, Cindralis' power was drastically weakened. Its blazing aura was nowhere to be seen, and most of its abilities couldn't reach their full potential. It couldn't even unleash its most terrifying attack, Solar Beam—a move capable of instantly vaporizing anything in its path. An instant-kill attack.

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  Even so, the battle was far from easy.

  Cindralis remained incredibly fast, its evasion skills making it nearly impossible to land a direct hit from below. Muradin and I? We had no chance of reaching it with melee attacks. Orin’s Mana Bomb and offensive items, though powerful, lacked both range and precision.

  That left us with only one real option.

  Darwyn.

  With his Archmorn Soul Fragment, he could activate Piercing Arrow, allowing his shots to ignore a portion of enemy defenses and punch through even the toughest armor.

  No wonder he and Muradin had managed to take down Aegros before.

  But that wasn’t all.

  His passive ability, Critical Cascade, ensured that every fifth attack would land a devastating critical hit. Combined with his lightning-fast agility and pinpoint accuracy, Darwyn truly deserves to be called our main damage dealer.

  And right now, he was about to prove exactly why.

  Less than two hours into the battle, Cindralis was visibly struggling. Its majestic, powerful flight had become sluggish, erratic. It could no longer soar high above us—its movements restricted, its strength waning.

  "It's weakening!" Darwyn called out, nocking another arrow.

  The once-mighty Guardian flapped its massive wings desperately, trying to regain altitude, but Elena and her Phantom had been relentless.

  Thwip! Thwip!

  Arrow after arrow, made of web, struck true—pinning the Guardian’s wings with sticky, enchanted threads. The more Cindralis struggled, the more tangled it became. Its once-fluid maneuvers grew clumsy, its aerial grace lost.

  "Now! Before it recovers!" I shouted, gripping my warhammer tightly.

  Orin was already on it.

  [Mana Bomb cast]

  A sphere of glowing energy materialized in her staff before she hurled it straight at the wounded Guardian. The explosion sent a pulse of magical force rippling through the air, slamming into Cindralis’ chest.

  The great beast roared, its golden eyes wide with shock as its body lurched downward, crashing hard into the ground. Dust and leaves scattered in all directions as its massive frame landed with a heavy thud.

  "It's grounded!" Elena exclaimed, quickly drawing another arrow.

  Muradin cracked his knuckles, stepping forward with both axes in hand. His grin was wide, eager. "Finally. Time to end this."

  Cindralis tried to push itself up, its talons scraping against the dirt, but it was too late.

  With a roar of his own, Muradin lunged. His twin axes gleamed under the moonlight as he swung down with all his might.

  A single, devastating strike—

  And just like that, the strongest Guardian of Thalorien Forest fell.

  "Hah! And they said it was impossible!" Muradin boomed, rolling his shoulders as he stepped away from the fallen beast.

  I let out a slow breath, wiping sweat and blood from my forehead. "That… was easier than expected."

  Darwyn lowered his bow, shaking his head in disbelief. "Easier? Maybe. But don’t forget—we planned this perfectly. If we’d fought it during the day…"

  We’d be the ones on the ground," Orin finished, starting to meditate to replenish her Mana after using Mana Bomb and Mana Surge consecutively.

  Elena nudged the massive Mana Stones with her boot. "So… who wants to collect the loot?"

  A heavy silence fell over us.

  Then, almost in unison, we all turned to Muradin.

  He blinked. "…What? Why is everyone looking at me?"

  ***

  We took a long enough break before continuing our journey. Our destination was the northern edge of the forest, where the next Guardian awaited—not too far from where we were now.

  By this point, we had spent so much time in this eerie forest that we had grown used to the thin layer of purple mist visible everywhere in the forest and the ever-present sense of unease. Even Orin no longer looked as frightened as before.

  As we pressed forward, the Watchers of this region finally made their appearance. The Thyloran—stone-like beasts with the uncanny ability to merge with the forest floor—lurked unseen, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Their preferred tactic? Exploiting their enemies’ carelessness to launch sudden ambushes.

  Unfortunately for them, we had Darwyn and Elena on our team.

  Before they could turn the tables on us, we struck first.

  CRASH!

  My warhammer smashed through the craggy skull of one of the creatures, sending a satisfying shudder through my arms.

  "Nice one!" Elena grinned, already preparing another strike.

  "Don't celebrate yet," Darwyn warned, his bowstring taut as his sharp eyes scanned the shifting terrain. "They never travel alone."

  As if on cue, more Thylorans began rising from the ground, their stone bodies cracking and shifting like statues coming to life.

  "Here we go again," Orin muttered, tightening her grip on her staff.

  And just like that, the battle was on.

  We kept fighting while moving forward, careful with each step. It didn’t take long before Thylorans became more frequent, a clear sign that we were getting close to the next Guardian.

  Before long, we could see the area ahead.

  Imagine a dense, shadowy jungle where the trees grow impossibly tall and twisted, their gnarled branches stretching out like skeletal hands. Like the rest of Thalorien Forest, the leaves here were dark—deep purple mingling with streaks of green. The canopy above was thick, allowing only the brightest sunlight to filter through in dim, flickering beams that barely touched the forest floor. Thick vines draped from the trees, some swaying ever so slightly, as if something unseen had just slipped past.

  The air was heavy, thick with the scent of damp earth and decaying leaves. An eerie silence loomed over the place, broken only by the occasional rustling foliage or the distant, guttural growl of something unseen. The ground was soft, almost spongy, carpeted with thick moss that gave a muted crunch underfoot. Pockets of mist clung stubbornly to the shadows, shifting and swirling unnaturally—almost as if they were watching us.

  This was the domain of the panther-like Guardian, Celerion.

  A single pair of glowing eyes emerged from the darkness.

  Sleek and shadowy, the creature moved like a ghost, its pitch-black fur blending seamlessly into the surrounding gloom. It was known for its speed, precision, and deadly strike, as well as its unwavering duty to protect its domain from intruders like us.

  Unlike our usual formation, Muradin moved ahead on his own, his heavy armor barely making a sound as he stepped forward. Elena followed closely from a distance, bow at the ready.

  Then—silence.

  A sudden blur of movement shot out from the trees, almost too fast for the eye to follow.

  “Right side, above!” Elena shouted, her voice cutting through the heavy air.

  Muradin reacted instantly, raising his shield just in time—

  CLANG!

  A set of razor-sharp claws tore into his thick, reinforced shield, raking deep grooves into the metal as if it were soft wood. The force of the impact nearly knocked him off his feet. If he had been even a second slower, those claws would’ve found his skull instead.

  “Damn thing’s fast,” Muradin grunted, steadying himself. “Real fast.”

  The creature didn’t make a sound. It simply melted back into the shadows, its single pair of glowing eyes watching. Waiting.

  The hunt had begun.