Jack moved swiftly through the forest, his Tracking Skill guiding him as he followed the deep-set tracks left behind by the unknown creature. The morning air had settled into a hushed stillness, the usual chatter of birds fading as he pressed deeper into the wilderness. A heavy presence lingered in the air, a sense of something unnatural twisting through the otherwise serene woodland.

  The tracks remained consistent—massive prints embedded in the soft earth, their sheer size and depth speaking to the weight of the beast that had left them. Clawed impressions and deep scratches along the bark of trees hinted at something bear-like, yet something still felt off. Jack had hunted beasts before, but whatever he was tracking was different. It had an aura of something… older.

  The further he went, the more the terrain began to shift. The trees here were thicker, their roots coiling unnaturally through the soil as though resisting an unseen force. The underbrush was disturbed, small plants trampled beneath the weight of something colossal. Jack slowed his pace, his grip tightening around his spear as he moved with measured steps.

  Then, he heard it.

  A low, resonant growl rumbled through the trees, deep enough to make the earth beneath his feet tremble. It was followed by a sharp, piercing bellow—eerily melodic yet carrying an unmistakable air of malice. Jack crouched low, slipping behind the thick trunk of an old oak as he peered ahead.

  In the clearing beyond, two huge creatures clashed in a display of raw, primal fury.

  The first was a beast that seemed sculpted from the very earth itself—a massive ursine creature whose fur was as coarse and cracked as ancient stone. Jagged crystalline formations jutted from its shoulders and back, pulsing with an inner glow. Its sheer bulk was staggering, each of its movements causing tremors to ripple through the ground. Jack Identified the creature.

  [Earthborn Ursine

  Rarity: Rare

  Level: 14

  Health: 2,680/3,985

  Mana: 150/150

  Stamina: 2,100/2,800

  Skills: Seismic Slam, Crushing Embrace, Upheaval

  Abilities: Earthen Resilience, Living Avalanche, Stone Spikes

  Description: A massive, primeval bear infused with the power of the land itself. Its fur resembles cracked stone, and crystalline formations jut from its shoulders and spine. The Earthborn Ursine shakes the ground with every step, capable of toppling foes with its Seismic Slam and crushing them in its powerful grip.]

  Opposing it was something more sinister. A towering stag, its fur the color of deep crimson, its antlers appearing more like jagged spires of obsidian than bone. A strange aura pulsed from the beast, a suffocating presence that sent a shiver down Jack’s spine. Dark energy seemed to shift and pulse along its flanks, and the air around it was thick with the scent of blood.

  [Sanguine Stag

  Rarity: Uncommon

  Level: 18

  Health: 3,450/4,020

  Mana: 200/200

  Stamina: 1800/2300

  Skills: Crimson Charge, Life-Drain Antlers, Sanguine Burst

  Abilities: Sanguine Renewal, Bloodsense

  Description: A fearsome beast that thrives in blood-soaked lands, the Sanguine Stag is an incredibly dangerous beasts. Its Crimson Charge allows it to gore foes with its massive antlers, draining their vitality upon impact.]

  The two beasts were locked in a brutal struggle. Despite the level difference it seemed a fairly even fight. The Ursine reared back and slammed its massive paws down, sending a seismic ripple through the ground that nearly knocked Jack off balance. The stag, however, was swift, its hooves barely touching the ground as it danced away from the attack. With a sudden burst of movement, it lunged forward, its jagged antlers crashing into the Ursine’s side. A sickening squelch filled the air as the antlers sank deep, and almost immediately, the wound began to darken, as though the blood itself was being siphoned away.

  The Ursine let out a deafening roar of pain, but it did not retreat. Instead, the crystalline formations along its back shimmered, and with a thunderous bellow, it struck back. One massive clawed paw lashed out, catching the Sanguine Stag in its side and sending it skidding backward, hooves gouging deep trenches in the earth.

  Jack remained motionless, his mind racing. This was an encounter he had not anticipated. Either one of these creatures would be a formidable opponent on their own, but together? This was a clash of titans, and he was caught in the middle of it.

  His first instinct was to retreat, to let them tear each other apart and swoop in afterward. But then another thought struck him—this was an opportunity. If he played this right, he could take advantage of their fight. He just had to wait for the perfect moment.

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  Jack tightened his grip on his spear, eyes locked onto the battle before him. He would wait. He would watch. And when the time was right… he would strike.

  The battle was already well underway. The Ursine lunged forward with terrifying speed, its massive claws raking through the air. The stag was equally swift, darting to the side with unnatural grace, its hooves barely touching the ground before it countered. With a vicious twist of its head, it brought its antlers down upon the bear’s side, sinking into its stony flesh. There was a burst of crimson energy, and Jack saw the Ursine's wound darken as the life-draining magic took hold. The beast let out a deep, guttural snarl but did not falter.

  Instead, the massive bear retaliated with a Seismic Slam, rearing onto its hind legs before crashing down with earth-shattering force. The ground beneath the Stag cracked and ruptured, sending the beast staggering. The momentary imbalance was all the Ursine needed—it surged forward, its massive jaws snapping shut around the stag’s flank. With a savage twist, it sent the crimson beast hurtling across the clearing, breaking saplings in its path.

  Jack could see the damage taking its toll. The Sanguine Stag’s dark aura pulsed violently, its power building as it readied another assault. It bolted forward with unnatural speed, aiming its lethal antlers at the Ursine’s exposed throat. The bear moved to counter, but it wasn’t fast enough. The stag struck true, piercing deep, and unleashed a burst of red—an explosion of life-draining energy that sent a ripple through the battlefield.

  For a moment, Jack thought the Ursine would collapse. The wound on its throat was bleeding profusely, dark ichor mixing with the soil. But then, with a terrifying roar, it reared back, shaking violently as earthen resilience took hold. Its stone-infused body seemed to harden further, the crystalline growths along its spine glowing with renewed intensity. It slammed its claws into the ground, triggering upheaval—a shockwave of force that sent jagged rocks spearing up from below.

  The Sanguine Stag had no time to react. The ground beneath it erupted, and sharp stone pierced through its body, impaling it mid-leap. It let out a keening wail, its legs thrashing as dark, arterial blood spilled freely. The bear did not hesitate—it lumbered forward, seized the stag in a crushing embrace, and with a sickening crunch, twisted until the sound of snapping bones filled the air.

  The Ursine released its grip, letting the lifeless body of the Sanguine Stag fall to the ravaged earth. But it had not won without cost. Its wounds were grievous, deep gashes leaking dark blood as it panted heavily. Its movements had slowed, each step more labored than the last.

  Just as Jack was about to make his move the blood-stained ground trembled.

  The pools of crimson left behind by the stag began to quiver, drawn toward its fallen form as if pulled by an unseen force. Tendrils of blood slithered across the battlefield, winding their way back into the stag’s gaping wounds. The carcass twitched, then convulsed violently as the last of the spilled blood re-entered its body. Its lifeless eyes regained their eerie glow, and its muscles tensed with renewed vigor.

  The Ursine rumbled in warning, stepping back, its massive frame still heaving with exertion. It had not anticipated this. Neither had Jack, who crouched silently in the underbrush, watching in grim fascination.

  With a bone-chilling roar, the Sanguine Stag lurched to its feet, its antlers now darkened to a near-black hue, pulsing with unnatural energy. A thick, cloying scent of iron filled the air.

  It moved with newfound aggression, launching forward in a blur of crimson. The Ursine barely had time to react before the stag’s antlers drove into its shoulder, siphoning fresh blood into its body. The earth itself trembled as the bear retaliated with a massive swipe, but the stag no longer seemed bothered by its previous injuries. It ducked under the blow, twisting around with unnatural grace before releasing a shockwave of blood magic.

  A burst of red energy erupted from its body, drenching the clearing in a crimson storm. The Ursine let out a guttural snarl as deep lacerations tore open along its flanks, its stone-like hide offering little protection against the magically infused assault. It staggered, but did not fall.

  Instead, the bear roared, slamming its massive paws into the earth. The ground erupted beneath the stag, jagged shards of rock spearing upward in a deadly upheaval. The stag was fast, but not fast enough. Several stone spikes pierced its body, one even lodging into its hind leg. It let out a pained bellow, its form flickering as the blood that sustained it wavered under the sudden trauma.

  But it did not falter.

  The stag’s life-draining antlers glowed with malevolent energy as it lunged once more. The Ursine braced itself, but it was too slow. The moment the antlers struck flesh, the bear’s body seized, its blood forcefully ripped from its veins and funneled into the stag. The beast bellowed in agony, trying to shake the stag off, but the eldritch creature clung on, its wounds visibly mending as it fed.

  With a final, desperate effort, the Ursine reared up on its hind legs and brought both of its massive paws down in a crushing double strike. The impact sent tremors rippling through the forest, cracking the earth beneath them. The stag let out an unearthly shriek as the force broke its grip, sending it skidding across the ground, more ichor spilling from the fresh wounds on its body.

  The Earthborn Ursine let out a deep, rumbling growl, shaking the earth beneath it. Though its body was heavy with injury, its spirit remained unbroken. Its massive paws dug into the ground, tremors rippling outward as the magic within it surged.

  The Stag made the first move, lowering its antlers and surging forward in a blur of crimson energy. Its hooves barely touched the ground as it closed the distance, seeking to impale the Ursine with its life-draining horns.

  But the Ursine did not retreat.

  The ground beneath its paws suddenly gave way as it tapped into its deepest reserves, channeling the power of the land itself. Rocks split, the earth cracked, and in an instant, it launched itself forward in a massive charge. And the earth came with it.

  A roar like an earthquake erupted from the beast as it became a living landslide, moving with impossible speed for its bulk. Jagged stone erupted in its wake, a tidal wave of earth cascading behind it as its massive form barreled toward the charging stag.

  The two creatures collided in an explosion of force and fury.

  The Sanguine Stag’s antlers met the Ursine’s stone-covered hide, but the overwhelming momentum of the beasts charge snapped them off on impact. The stag let out a choked screech as the sheer force of the charge sent it sprawling. The Ursine did not stop. It plowed through, trampling the Stag beneath its massive form, the weight of the collapsing rock and soil burying the once-mighty beast beneath a surge of earth.

  For a moment, silence reigned.

  The bear stood over the wreckage, panting heavily. The land had settled, leaving only the ruined, motionless body of the Sanguine Stag buried beneath layers of stone and dirt. The crimson glow around, then faded entirely.

  The Earthborn Ursine swayed on its feet, its breath deep and labored. Its body bore the marks of a brutal struggle, its stony fur stained with both its own blood and that of its fallen foe. It let out a final, victorious growl before slumping onto its haunches, the exhaustion finally catching up with it.

  It probably would have laid down to rest and lick its wounds if not for the geyser that erupted beneath it.