The creature's muscular form loomed over them, each clawed hand bigger than Jeremy himself. The silence that followed the roar was broken only by the faint drip of water echoing somewhere in the darkness.

  Marcus stepped forward, rallying the group. “We’ve got this, guys. Jeremy and Andrew, the two of you deal with that. The rest of us will handle the shadows.” he said, his voice firm.

  Jeremy and Andrew took a deep breath as they moved into position, flanking the creature. Behind them, Marcus took charge of Mia, Perci, and Timothy. They formed a tight formation, preparing to fend off the shadow creatures.

  “Let’s move!” Jeremy called out, and the group sprang into action.

  Mia’s fire bolts flew through the air, creating brief bursts of light in the otherwise dark chamber, while Perci's quick, agile strikes kept the shadow creatures at bay. Timothy swung his hammer in wide arcs, protecting their flanks and ensuring the shadows couldn’t overwhelm them.

  Jeremy darted in toward the massive creature, spear in hand, while Andrew mirrored him from the other side. As Jeremy moved, he focused on the creature’s posture, its breathing, and the way it shifted its weight. He was trying to find a weak point, any clue to bring it down faster. The creature swung one of its massive claws, aiming to take them both down, but Jeremy weaved out of the way effortlessly, keeping his eyes trained on every movement, analyzing. He could see Andrew doing the same, albeit more clumsily, the mace in his brother's hand swinging down on the creature's exposed side.

  The clash of weapons and roars of the creature filled the chamber, mingled with the shouts of their friends holding back the shadow creatures. The battle was a chaotic dance, with blows exchanged and dodged in rapid succession. Jeremy felt the weight of every moment, every breath. He struck at the creature’s legs, his spear finding its mark, and then quickly rolled away as the creature swiped back in retaliation, its claws narrowly missing his head. Andrew followed through, his mace hammering into the beast’s tough hide with incredible force. The beast roared in anger, swiping at Andrew, but he deflected the blow with the haft of his mace, staggering backward from the impact.

  Jeremy pressed forward again, jabbing at the creature's exposed flank, feeling the reverberation through his arms as his spear made contact. He darted back, avoiding a wide, furious swing that left deep gouges in the stone floor. The creature was struggling against the coordinated assault, but it still posed a significant threat. Its eyes locked onto Jeremy, and it lunged, jaws snapping. Jeremy barely sidestepped, thrusting his spear upward in a desperate attempt to find a soft spot beneath its chin.

  A sudden surge of clarity overwhelmed him. His vision sharpened, every movement of the creature slowed down, and he felt as though he could see the entire battlefield in intricate detail. He could see every shift in the creature's posture, every twitch of muscle that signaled its next move.

  Unlocked Skill: Observation

  Observation - Basic

  Level 10/10

  Discern details others might overlook, with a heightened sense of awareness.

  The world reveals its secrets to those who dare to truly see.

  Mind 10

  Jeremy’s spear struck its weak spot, and it roared as it stumbled. Jeremy was forced to leap back, his heart pounding. Andrew used the opportunity to strike from behind, slamming his mace into the creature's hind leg with a loud crack. The creature howled in pain, staggering, but it wasn't enough. Jeremy could see their friends in the background—Timothy, Perci, and Mia—all fighting desperately, their movements growing more sluggish with exhaustion. They couldn't keep this up much longer.

  Jeremy knew they had to finish quickly. He ducked another swipe, rolled to his feet, and thrust his spear again, aiming for the creature’s underbelly. The beast twisted away, but Jeremy's spear caught it along the side, drawing dark, steaming blood. Andrew, seeing an opening, rushed in again, his mace swinging with all his might, the force enough to drive the creature back a few paces.

  The creature was weakening, but each of its movements was still dangerous, its claws and teeth capable of ending them with one misstep. Jeremy glanced over at Andrew, nodding in silent understanding. They would have to go all in, risk everything to bring it down. The creature roared again, its eyes flashing with fury as it lunged towards Jeremy, who stood his ground, waiting for the perfect moment.

  A sudden swipe from a shadow creature caught Marcus off guard, knocking him off his feet. Jeremy’s eyes widened as he saw Marcus fall, but he didn’t have time to hesitate. He lunged, jabbing his spear at another shadow creature to keep it from advancing on his friend.

  Andrew, seeing Marcus in trouble, didn’t miss a beat. He moved in swiftly to distract the beast, his mace connecting with the creature’s knee. The force of the blow was enough to unbalance the beast.

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  “Mia, Perci, Timothy—keep those shadows off Marcus!” Jeremy shouted over his shoulder.

  Timothy, Perci, and Mia were still locked in their own battle, their breaths coming in gasps. Mia sent another fire bolt flying, incinerating a shadow creature before it could reach Timothy. Perci’s daggers flashed, catching the remaining creatures off guard. The shadow creatures were dwindling in number, but each moment they had to fight was another moment they risked being overwhelmed.

  “Andrew!” Jeremy called out, locking eyes with his brother. He signaled with a sharp nod, and Andrew instantly understood. They had to finish it—together.

  Jeremy lunged forward, his body moving on pure instinct. Every ounce of his focus was on his spear, and on the target in front of him. Andrew mirrored his movements, coming from the opposite side. They moved as one, each dodging the creature's frantic swings as they closed in.

  Jeremy felt his muscles burning as he pushed himself to his limits. He ducked under a wide swipe, then thrust his spear forward with all the strength he had left. The spear found its mark, piercing into the creature’s chest. At the same time, Andrew’s mace came crashing into the creature's side, shattering its defenses.

  Jeremy didn't hesitate. He drove his spear deep into the creature’s core, feeling the resistance as it cut through flesh and bone. The massive creature shuddered, its eyes dimming, before it finally crumpled to the ground.

  For a moment, the chamber was eerily silent, the only sound being the labored breathing of the group. The green glow of the moss slowly returned, casting a soft, eerie light over the scene.

  Jeremy stood over the fallen creature, breathing heavily. Relief washed over him, not because the creature was defeated—that had always been within their reach—but because they had managed to protect their friends. The weight of responsibility had hung over him and Andrew throughout the entire fight, every moment filled with the fear that their friends might be overwhelmed by the shadow creatures if they failed to act fast enough.

  “Is everyone okay?” Marcus asked, his voice rough but sincere. He looked around, his eyes scanning his friends.

  Andrew stepped over to Marcus, placing a hand on his shoulder. “You did well,” he said, offering a reassuring smile. Marcus looked up, a tired but genuine smile spreading across his face. "Thanks, Andrew," he replied, his voice shaky but full of relief. He straightened slightly, the tension visibly easing from his shoulders as he let out a deep breath.

  The rest of the group gathered around, exhausted but alive. Mia leaned heavily on Timothy, her breaths uneven, and Perci wiped the sweat from her brow, her gaze still cautious as if expecting another threat. Seeing them all, Jeremy felt the tight knot in his chest slowly loosen. His friends had fought valiantly, and despite his and Andrew’s abilities to handle the creature alone, their friends had been the ones who bore the brunt of the shadow attacks.

  They took a moment to rest, sitting down among the glowing moss. Jeremy sank down, closing his eyes briefly as the exhaustion seeped into his bones.

  Marcus leaned back against the cavern wall, his eyes closed, breathing heavily. "I think... I think I might sleep here," he muttered, half-joking.

  Mia let out a shaky laugh, still leaning on Timothy, who gave her a gentle pat on the back. "You did great, Mia," Timothy said, his voice quiet but comforting.

  Perci, wiping her forehead, nodded in agreement. "We all did." She looked over at Jeremy, her gaze softening.

  "No one's left behind. That's what matters." Jeremy opened his eyes, a small smile forming. He knew how easily he and Andrew could have cleared this dungeon if it were just the two of them, but that wasn’t the point. It was about keeping everyone safe, about making sure that no one was left behind, that no one felt vulnerable in this fight. It wasn’t just about power; it was about protecting those who mattered.

  As they began to pick themselves up, Perci pointed toward the far wall. “Hey, its over there,” she said.

  Jeremy turned, following her gaze. On the far wall was a strange, glowing symbol, more intricate than the ones they had seen earlier. It pulsed with a soft light, drawing them in.

  Jeremy frowned. “What is it?”

  Andrew glanced back, a slight smile on his face. “It’s the portal back to the start of the dungeon. We’re done here.”

  They moved closer, the symbol growing brighter as they approached. The light filled the chamber, casting strange shadows on the walls, and Jeremy felt a mix of anticipation and unease. Even if it was the end, it still felt daunting.

  Suddenly, the light from the symbol flared, and a swirling portal appeared at the center of the chamber. It glowed brightly, a clear path back to the start of the dungeon.

  Jeremy exchanged a glance with Andrew and the rest of the group.

  “Let’s go home,” Jeremy said, and one by one, they stepped through the portal, their bodies bathed in the bright glow.

  As they reappeared at the start of the dungeon, a sense of relief washed over them. They had survived, and they were ready to head back to the academy.

  The group began to split up to head back to their rooms, but before they did, Marcus raised his voice, smiling faintly. "Hey, everyone. We did good today. Let's make sure we rest up and do even better next time."

  Timothy let out a sigh of relief. "I honestly wasn’t sure we'd make it out for a second there... But we did."

  "Yeah, it was close, but we stuck together," Mia added.

  Perci nodded, too tired to do anything but give a thumbs-up.

  Jeremy then turned to Andrew, his voice low. "Hey, do you mind hanging out in my suite for a bit? There's something I want to talk to you about."

  Andrew paused, studying Jeremy's expression before nodding. "Sure, let's go."

  As they walked in silence, Jeremy's mind kept drifting back to the Essence inside of him. He knew Andrew didn't like it when he gave away Essence back in the dungeon. What would Andrew say if Jeremy gave him the Essence their mom took from the Seekers? Would he just think Jeremy was involving him in something he didn’t want a part in, or would he get why Jeremy wanted to something good to come out of it? Jeremy hoped Andrew would understand, because he himself didn’t know what to do.

  Jeremy unlocked the door to his suite, turning to Andrew. "Come on in. Let's make sure we're even more ready next time."