Adrian’s fists clenched as the troll’s guttural roar reverberated through the chamber. The beast charged, its colossal axe carving through the space with a terrifying, deafening whoosh.

The boy darted aside, boots skidding against the rough stone. The axe smashed into the ground where he had stood, the impact sending jagged cracks radiating outward as dust billowed upward. That would’ve been me. Gotta stay sharp.

“Alisha!” he shouted, his gaze darting to her. She moved gracefully and efficiently, arcs of crimson lightning sparking around her as she flanked the troll, forcing it to divide its focus.

“I’ll take the left!” Alisha’s voice carried over the cacophony, and she unleashed a searing bolt of lightning that slammed into the troll’s exposed shoulder.

Smoke hissed from its charred hide, and the troll howled in pain. It swung a massive arm at her, the sheer speed of the motion a brutal contrast to its size. Alisha ducked low, the blow narrowly missing as she retaliated with another crackling strike, this time hitting the beast’s ribcage.

Adrian retreated a step and drew on the fire coursing within him. He thrust his hands forward, blue flames igniting in his palms. Twin blue fireballs hurtled through the air, slamming into the troll’s chest with explosive force. The creature staggered, its bellow mingling with the roar of the flames. This one's more resistant to fire than normal trolls, is it a variant?

The troll’s fiery eyes locked onto him. It lifted its axe high and swung in a sweeping arc, the blade cleaving through air and stone alike. “Back!” Adrian shouted, throwing himself out of range. Alisha vaulted nimbly over the attack, landing with feline grace as the axe gouged deep furrows into the chamber floor.

“We need to get rid of that weapon!” Alisha called.

Adrian nodded, fire flickering brighter around him. He pulled in more of the flame’s power, the blue glow wreathing his body like a living thing. His fingers formed an ethereal bow of fire, the string pulling taut as an arrow of concentrated flame appeared in place. Aiming for the axe, he loosed the arrow.

It streaked through the air, and detonated upon impact. The resulting explosion shattered the axe’s shaft, sending splinters flying in every direction. The troll stumbled back, clutching the broken remnants of its weapon.

Now’s the time. Adrian inhaled deeply, the flames in his chest blazing into his throat. He exhaled, releasing a torrent of fire that engulfed the troll’s upper body. The beast roared, its movements frantic as it swatted at the inferno consuming its armor and flesh.

Alisha capitalized on the chaos, her hands glowing as she hurled bolts of lightning at the troll’s unprotected joints. Each strike found its mark, forcing the creature to its knees. Adrian conjured another fiery arrow, this one larger, brighter, and more volatile than the last.

“Let’s finish this!” He drew the bowstring back, the fiery construct crackling with intensity, and released. The arrow struck the troll square in the chest, erupting in a massive explosion that bathed the chamber in blue light. The troll let out a final, guttural scream as it collapsed, its charred body hitting the stone floor with a resounding thud.

Adrian landed lightly beside the smoldering remains, his flames dimming as he took a steadying breath. Okay, not too bad, we made it.

Alisha straightened, brushing soot from her sleeves as a wry smile crossed her face. “Good teamwork."

Adrian nodded, but a faint unease coiled in his chest. His gaze lingered on the troll’s unmoving form, a nagging sense of wrongness gnawing at him. Why does this feel too easy?

“Wait, don’t get too close to the troll,” he warned.

“It’s down, Adrian. Look at it.” Alisha said, raising an eyebrow.

“I know, but something’s not right. I can feel it.” His eyes flicked to the troll’s chest, where faint wisps of greenish light swirled, barely visible against the smoke and shadow. That’s not normal for a troll.

Alisha hesitated, following his gaze. “You think it’s… still alive?”

“Not alive,” Adrian replied, his fists clenching as flames flickered back to life around them. “But definitely not done.”

Adrian’s eyes remained fixed on the fallen troll, his jaw tightening as the faint greenish glow around its chest refused to dissipate. A cold weight settled in his stomach, and he could feel the heat rising in his hands, his flames flickering to life instinctively. This isn’t over. I know it’s not.

“I’m going to burn it, whatever’s going on here, I’m not taking chances.”

“Burn it? Adrian, that’s—” she hesitated, exhaling sharply as if trying to find the right words. “That’s overkill. It’s already dead.”

“Is it?” Adrian shot back, his flames intensifying as he stepped closer to the motionless creature. He gestured to the faint, unnatural glow swirling around its chest. “Look at that. Tell me you don’t feel it too. Something’s wrong.”

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Alisha crossed her arms. “Fine, it’s strange. But lighting the thing up like a bonfire? What if it’s just residual magic or whatever kept it moving? Destroying the body might not do anything.”

“And what if it does? What if we leave it here, and that ‘residual magic’ brings it back stronger? I’m not risking it.” Adrian said.

For a moment, she said nothing, her sharp gaze locked on his. Then, with a slight shake of her head, she sighed. “Fine. Do it your way.”

Immediately, Adrian's hands ignited in a surge of blue fire, the flames roaring to life as he raised them toward the troll’s body. Better to overdo it than regret it later. He let loose a torrent of fire, the intense heat rushing across the chamber as it engulfed the troll’s massive form.

For a moment, the flames licked hungrily at the corpse, but instead of consuming it, the troll’s skin darkened, turning an unnatural pitch black. The sickly green glow intensified, spreading like veins across its body. Adrian’s heart skipped a beat. That’s not right.

The troll’s body twitched violently, and with a gut-wrenching screech, it rose to its feet, towering over them once more. Its eyes glowed with a vivid green malice, its tusked mouth twisting into a grotesque snarl. Adrian stumbled back a step, his flames faltering momentarily as the sheer weight of its presence pressed down on him.

Alisha’s voice broke through the oppressive silence. “Alright. I’ll say it—you were right. Burning it wasn’t overkill.”

“Not helping,” Adrian muttered. He took a deep breath, the heat in his hands returning, though he could feel a strange resistance in the air around the creature. “It’s got some kind of resistance now. My flames won’t be enough.”

Alisha’s crimson sparks crackled to life as she moved into a ready stance. “So what’s the plan?”

Adrian’s gaze locked onto the troll, his mind racing as the creature took a thunderous step forward, its hulking form radiating an oppressive energy. This thing is stronger than before. I’ll have to buy time and let her do the heavy lifting.

“You’re doing most of the work this time. I’ll distract it, keep it off you as best I can. Your lightning’s the only thing that’s hurt it so far.”

“Understood, I'll do what I can.”

The troll let out another guttural screech, shaking the very air around them. Its hulking frame moved with an unsettling fluidity, the ground cracking beneath its weight. Adrian rushed forward, his flames blazing around his fists as he launched an explosive punch toward the creature’s chest. The impact landed, but instead of burning through, the blackened flesh absorbed the heat, leaving behind only faint scorch marks.

It’s like hitting a wall. How does it shrug off fire like this?

The troll lashed out with its massive arm, forcing Adrian to leap back to avoid the swipe. Its claws raked the air with a sound like tearing steel. He landed in a crouch, sweat dripping down his temple, the heat of his flames doing little to steady his nerves. “Alisha, I’m not doing much here!”

“I see that!” she called back, her fingers crackling with crimson lightning. She darted around the troll’s flank, releasing a concentrated bolt of energy aimed at its exposed side. The lightning struck true, and the troll staggered with a deep, guttural groan as the electricity coursed through its body, leaving glowing burns across its obsidian-like skin.

“That’s it!” Adrian called, dodging another wild swing from the creature. “Keep hitting it! I’ll keep it moving.”

The troll’s attention snapped to Alisha, its glowing eyes narrowing. With terrifying speed, it lunged at her, its claws slashing downward. Alisha rolled to the side, the force of the blow cracking the stone floor where she had been standing. Her crimson sparks lit the air around her as she spun and launched another bolt. The electricity struck the troll’s arm, eliciting a furious roar as it reeled back.

She’s carrying this fight, no doubt about it. Adrian clenched his fists, his flames burning brighter. But I’m not just standing here doing nothing. He dashed forward, aiming for the troll’s legs. A well-placed flaming kick struck the back of its knee, forcing it to stumble.

“Stay on it!” Alisha yelled, releasing another volley of lightning. Each bolt struck with pinpoint accuracy, carving jagged scorch marks across the troll’s torso. The creature howled in pain, its movements growing wilder, its strikes more desperate.

The troll spun, its claws lashing out in a wide arc. Adrian ducked low, feeling the rush of air as the claws missed his head by inches. He pivoted, landing another fiery blow on the creature’s lower back, the force sending it forward and exposing its chest to Alisha.

“Now!” Adrian shouted.

Alisha's hands glowed with an intense red light as she gathered her energy, the sparks snapping and hissing like a raging storm. She thrust both hands forward, releasing a massive bolt of lightning that struck the troll square in its chest. The energy surged through its body, illuminating the blackened skin with a fiery red glow. The troll let out one final, ear-piercing screech before collapsing to the ground in a smoking heap, its body twitching once before falling still.

Adrian straightened, his flames flickering out as he approached the fallen creature cautiously. “Is it… done this time?”

Alisha nodded, though her gaze remained on the troll’s unmoving form. “If it gets up again, I’m leaving you here to deal with it.”

He chuckled weakly. “Fair enough.”

They both stared at the troll’s body, its blackened skin still faintly glowing in places. Adrian frowned, the weight of the battle settling over him. “That wasn’t normal, trolls definitely don’t resist fire like that.”

Alisha crossed her arms, her expression thoughtful but tense. “You’re right. Trolls are weak to fire. It’s their biggest vulnerability. This wasn’t just any troll. Something was… altering it.”

Adrian nodded, crouching next to the creature’s smoldering body. The faint green veins across its chest still pulsed, though dimmer now. He reached out, hesitating before pulling his hand back. That glow… it’s like some kind of magic was driving it. But what kind of magic can make a troll this strong?

“Magic,” he said aloud, standing again. “Something unnatural was controlling it. Enhancing it.”

Alisha tilted her head. “Enhancing, or corrupting? That thing felt wrong, like it wasn’t entirely alive anymore.”

“Either way, this isn’t something we can ignore. If there are more creatures like this in the dungeon, the academy needs to know.”

"We’ll report it when we get out. For now, let’s just hope that was the last of them on this floor.”