The wyrm lunged at Kaiden, its jaws wide open and glinting with rows of serrated teeth. Dodging wasn’t even a consideration—the creature was far too fast. There was no way an E-rank Dungeoneer like him could hope to evade or counter such a high-level foe.

Kaiden did the only thing he could. He raised his shields and braced for impact.

The wyrm’s maw came down with bone-crushing force, slamming him into the nearby wall. The impact rattled his body, his bones screaming in protest as cracks rippled through his ribs. The shields had prevented the beast from swallowing him outright—its jaws weren’t quite wide enough to bypass the overlapping bucklers—so he was sent flying instead. The blow still sent pain shooting through every part of him. He felt the telltale warmth of blood flowing out of his mouth again, signaling internal bleeding.

Gritting his teeth, Kaiden forced himself to focus. The wyrm reared back, shaking its massive head in frustration, only to lunge again with terrifying speed. This time, Kaiden wasn’t fully prepared. He managed to lift one shield, but the monster’s jaws clamped around it, its teeth narrowly missing his arm.

The shield wedged itself firmly in the beast’s mouth, its teeth grinding and scraping against the metal. The wyrm roared in frustration, jerking its head violently to dislodge the shield. The raw force sent Kaiden flying like a ragdoll. He couldn’t hold on—the shield slipped from his grip, still jammed in the wyrm’s jaws as he crashed to the ground. The impact radiated through his body with a sickening crunch, fracturing bones and igniting every nerve with searing pain as he crumpled into the dirt.

The creature thrashed wildly, its frustration mounting as it struggled to free the shield. Without limbs to aid it, the wyrm’s efforts proved difficult, granting Kaiden a few precious moments to recover.

With shaking fingers, Kaiden weakly raised his other arm and cast Healing Touch on himself. A faint warmth spread through his battered body, easing the worst of the internal bleeding and stabilizing him just enough to stay conscious. But it wasn’t enough. He knew it wasn’t enough.

His heart pounded as the wyrm finally dislodged the shield from its mouth. It roared, furious, the sound reverberating through the ground like an earthquake. Its glowing eyes locked on him, filled with primal rage.

Kaiden’s breath hitched as the wyrm lunged for the third time, its massive form blotting out everything else in his vision. He had no strength left, no time to lift his remaining shield. His arms refused to move, and the pain was overwhelming.

He cursed his weakness as he stared into the beast’s gaping maw, helpless to stop what was coming.

As the wyrm’s gaping jaws descended upon Kaiden, death seemed inevitable. Then, in an instant, the creature’s head suddenly separated from its body. A geyser of blood erupted from its severed neck as the massive head crashed to the ground just inches to Kaiden’s left, slamming into the dirt with a wet, earth-shaking thud. The head alone must have weighed hundreds of pounds. The enormous body followed, collapsing lifelessly to his right. If either had landed on him, he would’ve been crushed flat. They both began to dissipate.

What the hell just happened? Kaiden’s mind raced, trying to piece together the events of the last few seconds.

Before he could fully process it, a cool liquid splashed onto his face, trickling down his skin with a faintly sweet, herbal scent. As it soaked in, a gentle warmth spread through his battered body, soothing the sharp edges of his pain. He flinched, startled, blinking up just as Zinnia’s voice reached his ears.

“Looks like I made it just in time,” she said cheerfully, her tone far too casual for the carnage around them. “I’ll just add this one to your tally.”

Kaiden tilted his head, dazed, to see Zinnia standing over him, her blade dripping with blood and a beaming smile on her face. Relief and shock warred within him as he just lay there, his battered body too exhausted to move.

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“Uhh, thanks,” he finally managed to say after a long pause. His voice was shaky, but he meant it.

Zinnia clicked her tongue. “Y’know, I didn’t really expect burrower wyrms. They’re usually only in areas with soft ground.”

Kaiden cast another Healing Touch on himself, feeling the warmth of its effect spreading through his battered body. He glanced at his health bar, now ticking up from 72%. He hadn’t checked it earlier when he thought he was going to die, so he had no idea how low it had dropped before. A shiver ran through him at the thought, but he pushed it aside as he got to his feet and went to retrieve the shield that had been flung aside during the fight.

Zinnia watched him with an amused smile. “I’ll stay a bit closer to you this time,” she said.

“Please do,” Kaiden replied, picking up the shield and inspecting it for damage. “And maybe try not to run so far ahead. You said you’d stay within my sight, but you were gone in seconds.”

Zinnia gave a sheepish laugh. “That’s fair. But it’s not like I went that far ahead.”

Kaiden interrupted, “But—”

Zinnia raised a finger, silencing him. “I wasn’t too far ahead,” she said with a sly smile. “I just went invisible, but you actually shoulda still been able to see me.”

Kaiden opened his mouth to respond, but the words didn’t come. He snapped it shut again, realizing she was right. He had just assumed she’d sped off. He hadn’t even considered that she might’ve used stealth. A little embarrassed at his oversight, he made a mental note: he’d have to keep Arcane Vision active from now on.

“That’s how I got here so quickly,” Zinnia continued, her tone lighter now. “You weren’t too far away when I heard the wyrm attack you. I dashed over in stealth and took it down before it could have you for lunch.”

Kaiden let out a long breath, his grip tightening on his shields. “Thanks. Really.”

Zinnia winked. “Don’t mention it. I had to finish the rest of that potion on you, but I know you’ll pay me back.”

“Of course,” Kaiden groaned, and the pair set off down the path again. This time, Zinnia stayed a bit closer, though still maintaining about 200 feet of distance. They encountered a few packs of monsters—more wyrms—but Zinnia dispatched them with ease, her efficiency almost unnerving.

Eventually, the familiar glow of a portal came into view. Next section, Kaiden thought, relief mingling with his lingering unease.

Zinnia waited for him to catch up, pausing about 100 feet away from the portal. “Here’s good enough,” she said. “Last time, we must’ve gotten too close and triggered the boss, so we should be fine here.”

Kaiden nodded. “Okay.”

Zinnia grinned and added, “I’ll contact Ashkar. Bet he’s gonna complain that we made it to the portal twice in a row. He’s gonna love having to run over here again.”

Kaiden gave a weak chuckle, nodding as she turned away to focus on her telepathic connection with the swordsman. A few seconds later, her grin faded, replaced by a slight frown as she looked at Kaiden.

“What happened?” Kaiden asked.

Zinnia’s expression grew thoughtful. “Ashkar says they just defeated the boss and are standing in front of a portal on their own.”

Kaiden blinked in confusion. “Two portals?” he said aloud. “Does that mean… two bosses?”

Zinnia’s lips pressed into a thin line. “Let me see what Ashkar wants to do,” she said, turning slightly as her gaze unfocused, her mental conversation resuming.

Kaiden nodded and turned toward the portal, trying to shake the uneasy feeling building in his gut. His attention was drawn to a floating blue orb that had appeared out of nowhere, hanging in the air like a flickering flame. The orb seemed to be expanding, pulsing with an eerie light.

Naturally curious about what was happening, Kaiden activated his Arcane Vision, and his heart leapt into his throat. The orb wasn’t just expanding—it was charging. “Incoming!” he shouted, grabbing Zinnia’s arm and pulling her toward the nearest wall.

A split second later, a massive beam of energy blasted the ground where they had just stood. The impact left a smoking crater, cracks splintering outward like jagged scars.

Kaiden barely had time to react before a massive wyrm emerged from the aftermath of the blast. Its thick, jagged scales looked like overlapping plates of dark stone, each edge rough and scarred as if hardened from countless battles. Its piercing eyes burned with a focused, predatory intensity, locking onto him like a hunter sizing up its prey.

Zinnia was truly a seasoned professional. She didn’t panic or waste time with questions like “What happened?” or “What’s going on?” She understood the situation immediately and was ready to meet it head-on, unsheathing her sword as she prepared for battle.

“That stealth bastard,” she muttered, her tone low and sharp.

“Is that—” Kaiden began, but Zinnia cut him off, finishing his thought.

“Yeah,” she said, gripping her staff tightly. “That’s the boss.”