The dim light of the dungeon entrance shimmered as Jack and his companions emerged from its depths. The air outside felt thick compared to the controlled atmosphere within, the humidity clinging to their skin as the afternoon sun filtered through the dense canopy above. Jack exhaled slowly, rolling his shoulders to ease the tension of their arduous delve. His fingers tightened around Aetherspire, the spear humming faintly in his grasp as residual magic dissipated from its crystalline head.

  Cael was nearly fully recovered from the poison that had ravaged his system. His complexion had returned to its usual dusky grey, and the dark circles beneath his eyes had faded. He moved with his usual light-footed grace, though Ly still cast concerned gnces his way. The new equipment he had acquired—the dagger and the Phantom Step Bracelet—sat comfortably on his person. The dagger was strapped securely to his belt, while the bracelet gleamed subtly against his wrist, a silent promise of protection.

  Jack, however, was running low on mana. He had spent much of their time inside the dungeon practicing channeling magic through Aetherspire, testing the spear’s affinity with his elemental spells. He had become more accustomed to using the spear instead of his hands to cast spells. But that experimentation had come at a cost. He could feel the emptiness in his core, the sluggishness that came from Mana exhaustion.

  Ly, ever the strategist, had noticed his fatigue. “Jack, you pushed yourself too hard again,” she chided, though there was no real bite in her voice—only concern.

  He smirked at her, wiping sweat from his brow. “Can’t get better if I don’t practice,” he replied, though even he had to admit that his reserves were lower than was wise. If they encountered trouble now, he’d have to rely on his martial prowess more than magic.

  Unfortunately, trouble was waiting for them.

  The first warning came from Cael, whose keen senses picked up the faint shift in the air. His ears twitched, his fingers brushing the new dagger at his belt. “We’re not alone,” he murmured, his voice just above a whisper.

  A heartbeat ter, the ambush was sprung.

  A bst of crimson fire tore through the underbrush, forcing them into defensive positions. Jack barely managed to dodge the attack, his high Agility proving it’s worth as he hit the ground and rolled, feeling the heat lick at his skin, singing the edges of his hair. Ly reacted in an instant, her hands glowing as she threw up a vine barrier to absorb the remnants of the attack. Cael vanished into the shadows, his Phantom Step Bracelet shimmering as he flickered out of physical space for a split second, repositioning himself behind cover. The wolves positioned themselves to either side of Ly growling mena

  From the treeline, a woman with pointed ears stepped forward, fnked by her companions. Her crimson robes were pristine despite the wilderness, and her dark eyes gleamed with the satisfaction of a hunter cornering her prey.

  Jack had never seen anything quite like the group that stood before him. A muscur dwarf wearing what looked like Jaguar pelt, a rge figure in gleaming metal armor, and two figures that looked unnervingly like elves.

  There was no time to ask questions though.

  The moment Jack locked eyes with the enemy force, the tension snapped like a drawn bowstring. A guttural roar echoed through the clearing as the short, fur-cd warrior at the enemy’s front began to change. His jaguar pelt seemed to come alive, his muscles expanding as fur rippled across his arms and face. In mere moments, he was no longer simply a dwarf but a towering, feline beast with razor-sharp cws and gleaming fangs. His predatory gaze locked onto Goldeyes, Jack’s loyal wolf Companion.

  Goldeyes growled low in his throat, hackles rising as he braced for impact. Then, with terrifying speed, the transformed dwarf lunged. He was on Goldeyes in a heartbeat, his massive cws swiping toward the white wolf’s fnk. Goldeyes twisted to evade, but his assaint was fast—faster than any normal warrior had a right to be. His cws raked across the wolf’s thick hide, drawing blood but failing to slow the beast. With a savage snap of his jaws, Goldeyes counterattacked, his fangs finding purchase on the jaguar things arm. The two predators became a blur of fur, cws, and snapping teeth, locked in a vicious struggle. Goldeyes twisted, evading another swipe, but his opponent had been feinting. Apparently, his transformation hadn’t turned him completely bestial. Blood spttered the ground as cws raked across the wolf’s fnk, but Goldeyes refused to retreat. With a snarl, he lunged, his powerful jaws snapping shut around the beast-man’s arm.

  Jack barely had time to register the csh before another burst of magic illuminated the battlefield. Off to his right, Ly and the crimson-robed woman—clearly a mage—were already engaged in a furious duel. Fire roared from the enemy’s staff, licking toward Ly in searing waves. But Ly was ready. With a flick of her wrist, she conjured a torrent of water, the cool liquid surging forth to meet the fmes. The two opposing elements collided in a violent explosion of steam, turning the air between them into a haze of mist and flickering embers.

  The enemy sorceress narrowed her eyes, shifting her grip on her staff. She muttered an incantation under her breath, and suddenly, the fire she wielded turned blue—hotter, more concentrated. She sent a nce of the azure fme streaking toward Ly, forcing her to counter with another wave of water. The two spells cshed, sending shockwaves rippling through the air. The blue fme passed through the water with much of its heat still remaining. Ly manifested another vine barrier that just barely managed to stop the attack, but the fme wielder was already starting a new incantation.

  Jack, still drained of mana from training with his new spear, had no time to aid her. His attention was forced elsewhere as the armored warrior with the mismatched eyes stepped forward, warhammer raised. The massive weapon was nearly as long as Jack was tall, and the man wielded it with an ease that spoke of brutal efficiency.

  Jack barely had time to raise Aetherspire before the hammer was hurtling straight at his face. The impact rattled Jack’s bones as he blocked the strike, the sheer force sending him skidding backward. The warrior was strong—stronger than Jack had anticipated. But raw strength alone wouldn’t win this fight. Gritting his teeth, Jack retaliated, sweeping Aetherspire in a sharp arc, its crystalline head shimmering with residual energy. His foe twisted, bringing his warhammer around to deflect the blow. The weapons met with a sharp crack, sparks flying from the csh of enchanted steel.

  As Jack was fighting for his life, another battle unfolded on the periphery. Monsoon, the Wavewolf, snarled as he faced down a trio of undead hounds. The creatures were gaunt, their flesh rotting and peeling, yet their eyes burned with unnatural malevolence. They circled Monsoon with eerie coordination, their exposed fangs glistening with something dark and venomous.

  The pale elf who had summoned them, stood at the edge of the battlefield, his lips curled in a smirk as he guided the undead with subtle gestures. With a whisper, he sent his hounds lunging forward.

  Monsoon reacted instantly. His form shimmered like water beneath the moonlight, and in a heartbeat, he was moving. The first hound lunged, its jaws snapping shut just as Monsoon twisted, his body turning fluid as he slipped past the attack. His hind legs smmed into the second hound with a powerful kick, sending it sprawling. The third undead beast came at him from the side, but Monsoon spun, his cws slicing through the decayed flesh with effortless precision.

  The elf frowned, his smirk fading. He muttered another incantation, and dark tendrils of magic began to seep from his fingers, weaving through the air toward his hounds. Whatever he was doing, Jack knew it couldn’t be good.

  But Jack had his own problems. His armored opponent swung his warhammer again, this time feinting low before coming in high. Jack barely managed to duck, the air above him splitting as the massive weapon whooshed past. Taking advantage of the opening, Jack surged forward, smming the butt of Aetherspire into the man’s side. The rge warrior grunted, but he seemed to barely feel the impact. Whatever that armor was made of, it seemed that blunt impacts were not enough to get through it. With a snarl, he retaliated, bringing his gauntleted fist up in a brutal backhand that caught Jack across the jaw.

  Stars exploded in Jack’s vision, and he stumbled back, shaking his head to clear it. He barely had time to regain his footing before the hammer wielder pressed the attack.

  Across the battlefield, Ly and the enemy sorceress were still locked in their elemental duel, neither willing to yield an inch. The dwarf and Goldeyes continued their brutal melee, their battle painting the ground with streaks of red. Monsoon weaved between undead foes, his cerulean form shifting unpredictably as he struck again and again.