Caelum’s breath came in ragged gasps as the battle raged on. His body screamed in protest with every movement, his limbs heavy, his mind clouded by exhaustion. The Queen loomed before him, her massive wings buzzing ominously, her multifaceted eyes gleaming with a deadly resolve. Her Venomous Aura weighed down the air, suffocating and relentless, making every breath feel like poison.
The Queen had taken damage, but it wasn’t enough. Despite Aurelia’s relentless attacks, despite the flames and spikes of earth Caelum had hurled at her, she remained terrifyingly strong. Her Resonance Skill pulsed through the chamber, amplifying her power and countering their efforts. Her presence filled every corner of the nest, a constant reminder that they were fighting on her terms.
We can’t keep this up.
Caelum’s heart pounded in his chest as the realization hit him. They couldn’t win a prolonged battle. The Queen was too strong, too resilient. Her defenses were near impenetrable, and her control over the environment made it impossible to gain the upper hand. Caelum could feel his magic waning, the reserves of energy he had left dwindling with every spell cast. Aurelia was barely holding on, her body weakened from the venom, her strength sapped by the Queen’s overwhelming presence.
We’re running out of time.
Caelum glanced at Aurelia. Her Guardian’s Aura flickered weakly around her, a faint glow that shielded her from the worst of the Queen’s influence, but it was clear she couldn’t hold out much longer. Her movements were sluggish. Yet, her eyes burned with determination, refusing to give in.
I have to do something… Caelum thought desperately, his mind racing for a solution. I can’t let her die here.
The Queen’s wings buzzed louder, her massive form moving closer. The venom in the air thickened, pressing down on them like a physical force. The walls of the chamber trembled as the Queen’s resonance pulsed again, sending a wave of crushing pressure through the room.
We have to end this… now.
In that moment, an idea sparked in Caelum’s mind. It was reckless, dangerous—but it was their only chance. They couldn’t defeat the Queen in a straightforward fight, but if he could trap her, immobilize her, maybe they could turn the tide.
It’s all or nothing.
“Aurelia,” Caelum sent through their telepathic link, his voice urgent but steady. “I need you to trust me. I’m going to use everything I have left to trap her, but I need you to shield me. I need your Guardian’s Aura to protect us while I cast.”
Aurelia’s eyes flickered with understanding, though her body trembled from the effort of holding herself upright. I’m with you, she sent back, her mental voice filled with resolve despite her weakened state. I won’t let her get to you.
Caelum nodded, steeling himself for what was to come. He had one chance to make this work. Summoning the last of his strength, he called upon his Water Magic and Earth Magic, letting both elements flow through him in tandem. The ground beneath his feet rumbled, the walls of the chamber groaning as he began to reshape the nest itself.
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Water pooled from the moisture in the air, gathering in a swirling torrent around him. At the same time, the earth shifted, the resinous floor cracking and splintering as Caelum pulled it upward, mixing it with the water. The two elements combined, creating a thick, churning mass of mud that filled the chamber. The walls buckled under the force, the ground turning into a quagmire of mud and debris.
The Queen’s eyes narrowed, her wings buzzing with fury as she realized what was happening. But before she could react, the mud surged forward, crashing toward her in a powerful wave. The thick sludge engulfed the chamber, rising higher and higher, trapping the Queen’s legs as the ground itself swallowed her.
It’s working…
Caelum’s entire body shook with the effort of maintaining the spell. His vision blurred, his limbs trembling as he forced the mud to rise, pulling more and more earth from the floor to trap the Queen in place. The walls of the nest groaned, cracks spreading through the resin as the chamber began to collapse around them.
But the Queen wasn’t finished.
With a deafening screech, the Queen unleashed a pulse of her Resonance Skill, sending a shockwave through the mud that threatened to tear it apart. The pressure of her aura intensified, her venomous energy surging through the air as she fought to break free from the trap.
Caelum’s knees buckled under the strain. His magic was fading fast, the mud beginning to lose its hold as the Queen’s power pushed back against him. He gritted his teeth, his mind screaming with pain as he struggled to hold the spell together.
I can’t hold it…
But then, Aurelia moved.
Her Guardian’s Aura flared to life, brighter than it had been since the battle began. The soft, protective glow surrounded both her and Caelum, shielding them from the worst of the Queen’s resonance. She pushed herself to her feet, her body trembling but steady.
I’ve got you, Aurelia sent, her mental voice stronger now, filled with determination. Keep going!
Caelum nodded, his heart swelling with renewed hope. With Aurelia’s aura protecting him, he focused all his energy on the spell. The mud surged forward again, climbing higher around the Queen’s body, trapping her legs, her wings, pulling her deeper into the earth.
The Queen screeched again, her wings thrashing against the thick sludge, but the mud held strong, keeping her in place. Her Venomous Aura pulsed with fury, but it couldn’t penetrate Aurelia’s protective shield. For the first time, the Queen was at a disadvantage.
This is our chance…
Caelum summoned the last of his magic, pushing the mud higher, forming a thick, inescapable pit that engulfed the Queen’s lower body. The chamber trembled, cracks spreading through the walls as the weight of the mud threatened to bring the entire nest down.
But the Queen was still fighting. Her wings buzzed with fury, her resonance skill flaring again as she tried to break free. The pressure in the air grew heavier, the venomous energy thickening as the Queen unleashed her full power.
We can’t hold this much longer…
Caelum’s vision blurred, his body on the verge of collapse. His magic was nearly spent, his strength fading. But they had come too far to fail now.
Aurelia, pushed herself forward, her Guardian’s Aura still glowing around them. Her body was weak, her movements slow, but her determination burned bright.
We can do this, Caelum, she sent through their telepathic link, her voice filled with unwavering resolve. Together.