The serpent’s roar reverberated through the cavern, sending icy vibrations through the air as our boat rocked violently beneath us. Dominique cursed under her breath, frantically steering the small vessel toward the closest outcropping of jagged rocks. The serpent's massive, pale form loomed ahead, its glowing blue eyes locked on us like a predator sizing up its prey.

“Off the boat! Now!” Sarah shouted, her voice cutting through the chaos.

We scrambled onto the slick rocks, weapons drawn, just as the serpent lunged forward. Its massive tail whipped through the water, striking our boat with a thunderous crack. The wooden vessel exploded into shards, which froze mid-air before dropping into the lake like icy daggers.

“Positions!” Sarah commanded, her tone sharp and authoritative. “Nicholas, take point! Melissa, flank left. I’ll go right. Andrew, we need fire magic—lots of it! Dominique, look for weak points and distract when you can. Jacob, keep us alive!”

Everyone sprang into action. Nicholas charged ahead, his greatsword glowing faintly as he activated a weapon’s skill. He planted himself firmly on a wide rock at the water’s edge, drawing the serpent’s attention with a thunderous clash as his blade met the creature’s frost-covered scales.

“Over here, you oversized icicle!” he bellowed, slamming his sword into the serpent’s snout.

The serpent hissed, its massive body coiling as it reared back. I took the opening to move into position on its left flank, Sarah mirroring me on the right. The serpent's icy breath clouded the air, making each step treacherous as frost formed on the rocks beneath our feet.

“Strike beneath its jaw!” Sarah yelled as she darted forward, her blade slicing into the serpent’s softer flesh.

I followed her lead, driving my sword into the exposed tissue. The serpent thrashed violently, its tail whipping toward us. Sarah and I dove in opposite directions as the serpent’s massive tail smashed into the rocks, sending shards of ice and stone flying.

Andrew sent a barrage of fireballs slamming into the serpent’s body. The flames melted patches of ice, exposing more vulnerable spots. The serpent roared, its movements becoming more erratic as it tried to shield itself from the relentless assault.

“Keep it focused!” Sarah called out.

Dominique appeared seemingly from nowhere, darting toward the serpent’s underbelly. Her daggers flashed as she struck several precise blows along the creature’s midsection before vanishing into the shadows. Writhing in pain, the serpent’s massive body twists and turns as it tries to locate the rogue.

Nicholas used the distraction to press the attack, his greatsword carving deep gouges into the serpent’s scales. But it wasn’t going down easily. With another roar, it unleashed a blizzard, the air around it erupting into a swirling storm of ice and wind.

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“I can’t see!” Dominique shouted, her voice barely audible over the howling wind.

I transform my sword into a shield just in time to block an incoming shard of ice. The cold bit through my armor, sending a sharp jolt of pain through my arm. Sarah staggered nearby, using her sword to anchor herself against the storm.

“Andrew, can you dispel this?” she shouted.

“I’m trying!” he yelled, his staff glowing as he activated some skill. The shimmering barrier he conjured protected us from some of the ice, but the cold still seeped into our bones.

Jacob moved among us, casting protective wards and healing spells as needed. His magic was the only thing keeping us from succumbing to the freezing storm. “I can only do so much! We need to finish this quickly!”

The serpent struck again, its massive tail sweeping across the battlefield. Nicholas braced himself, raising his greatsword to absorb the blow. The impact sent him sliding back several feet, but he remained standing, his arms trembling under the strain.

“Is that all you’ve got?” he taunted, though his labored breathing betrayed the effort it took to stay on his feet.

The storm began to dissipate as Andrew’s skill took effect. With visibility restored, I transformed my sword back into a sword. Sarah seized the opportunity to press the attack. She charged forward, her sword glowing with a fiery weapon’s skill as she aimed for the serpent's exposed underbelly.

“Melissa, now!” she called.

I didn’t hesitate. Summoning all my strength, I leaped onto a nearby rock and drove my blade into the serpent’s neck. It let out an ear-piercing shriek, its body convulsing violently.

“Dominique, can you find a weak spot near its head?” Sarah asked, dodging another strike from the serpent’s tail.

“I’m on it!” she replied, darting toward the creature’s crown. Her daggers flashed as she struck a series of precise blows, searching for a vulnerability.

The serpent’s movements grew more frantic as it thrashed wildly, its icy breath freezing the rocks around us. The ground became even more treacherous, each step a calculated risk.

“Keep it distracted!” Dominique yelled as she climbed onto the serpent’s back, her daggers carving into the icy ridges along its spine.

Nicholas roared a battle cry, slamming his greatsword into the serpent’s snout again. Its head snapped toward him, giving Dominique the opening she needed.

“There! Just beneath the crown!” Dominique called out, her voice urgent.

Nicholas didn’t hesitate. Channeling the last of his energy, he raised his greatsword high, its blade glowing with a brilliant light. With a powerful swing, he drove it into the weak spot Dominique had identified.

The effect was immediate. The serpent let out one final, earsplitting roar before collapsing, its massive body crashing into the lake with a tidal wave of freezing water.

For a moment, none of us moved. The only sounds were our heavy breathing and the system notification marking the serpent's death.

Sarah, lowering her sword, says. “Well done, everyone.”

Jacob moved between us, casting spells to mend bruises and close cuts. His healing skills warmed my chilled limbs, easing the ache in my muscles.

“Let’s not celebrate yet,” Dominique said, her voice weary but sharp. “We’ve still got more floors to go.”

Sarah smirked faintly. “One step at a time. For now, let’s get to the safe zone and regroup.”

As we prepared to move forward, I glanced at Nicholas. He met my gaze briefly, a flicker of something—respect, perhaps—passing between us.

For the first time, it felt like we were more than just a group of individuals fighting to survive. We were a team.