The wind whispered through the towering trees of Grimholt Forest, the thick canopy overhead casting a perpetual shadow over the path. The sunlight barely filtered through the dense branches, leaving the forest floor draped in shades of green and black. Every step Aric's squad took seemed to stir the ancient energy that lingered in the air—an energy that had remained dormant for centuries, until now.

Aric led the group at a measured pace, his eyes scanning their surroundings. Even though they were still some distance from the ruins, he could feel it—the pulse of something unnatural. The presence of the Wendigos had become undeniable, but there was something more, something ancient. The very air seemed to hum with it.

Lira, walking a few steps behind Aric, tightened her grip on her staff. Her expression, usually calm, was tense. "There's a disturbance here," she muttered quietly. "I can feel it in the mana. It's like the forest itself is sick."

Kael, walking beside Lira, chuckled, though his voice lacked its usual confidence. "You sound like one of those old mystics. You going to start reading the leaves for omens next?"

Lira shot him a sharp look but said nothing, her focus elsewhere.

Darius moved silently through the undergrowth, keeping to the shadows, his keen eyes and ears alert for any signs of movement. Every now and then, he would pause, his head tilting ever so slightly as if listening to the forest itself. Finally, he spoke, his voice barely above a whisper. "The Wendigos are close. They've been moving through here recently. Fresh tracks."

Aric glanced over at Darius and gave a brief nod. "How many?"

Darius crouched low, examining the faint, clawed footprints embedded in the soft earth. "Five, maybe six. They passed through here not long ago, probably within the last few hours. They're circling, like they're guarding something."

Ronan, who had been walking behind the group with his arms crossed, grinned and cracked his knuckles. "Guarding something, huh? Good. That means we're on the right track. Let's not waste time then."

Lira frowned, glancing at Ronan. "We don't want to charge in recklessly. If these Wendigos are working under a King, they'll be more organized than the ones we're used to."

"Organized or not," Ronan said, flexing his fists, "they'll go down just the same."

Kael gave a short laugh. "I don't doubt that, but we've got a bigger problem than just the Wendigos. The ruins are our target. Whatever's stirring there has enough power to drive these things south. That's where we need to focus."

Aric came to a stop at a clearing and held up a hand, signaling the squad to pause. He glanced back at the others, his voice steady. "We take it slow from here. Darius, scout ahead and make sure we're not walking into an ambush. Ronan, keep your enthusiasm in check for now. We'll need brute force later."

Ronan smirked but nodded. "Fine. I'll hold back—for now."

Darius gave a nod and, without a sound, vanished into the shadows of the forest, moving like a wraith as he disappeared from sight. The others stood in silence, waiting for him to return with the all-clear.

As they waited, Lira stepped closer to Aric, her expression thoughtful. "I've been thinking," she said quietly. "If this truly is a Wendigo King, there's a chance we're dealing with more than just demonic influence. The Abyssal Conquest left scars on this land, and the magic here has never fully healed. If something was sealed in those ruins… we need to be prepared for more than just a fight."

Aric glanced at her, his eyes narrowing slightly. "What do you mean?"

Lira hesitated, her fingers tightening on her staff. "I mean, whatever's behind this might not just be controlling the Wendigos. It could be corrupting them, twisting their nature even further. If the magic here is as powerful as the legends say, it could affect us too."

Kael raised an eyebrow, clearly interested. "You think we're in danger of being corrupted?"

Lira's eyes flickered to him. "Not in the same way as the Wendigos, but… we don't know what kind of magic is at work here. It's best to be cautious."

Aric nodded, his gaze turning back toward the path ahead. "We'll keep that in mind. But for now, our priority is finding the Wendigo King and stopping it before it pushes them any closer to Valeria."

Just as he finished speaking, a soft rustling sound reached their ears, and Darius reappeared from the shadows, his expression tense. "They're ahead. A pack of six Wendigos, all gathered around the entrance to the ruins. Looks like they're guarding it."

Aric straightened, his mind shifting into combat mode. "Any sign of the King?"

Darius shook his head. "Not yet. But they're definitely more organized than I've ever seen them. They've set up a perimeter, like they're waiting for something."

Ronan grinned, already stepping forward. "Sounds like it's time for me to break their little guard duty."

Aric held up a hand, stopping him. "Not yet. We do this carefully. If they're organized, there's a good chance they'll alert whatever's inside if we rush in. We take them out quietly first, then make our way into the ruins."

Darius nodded in agreement. "I can take the first two out silently. They're positioned at the far end of the perimeter."

Aric glanced over the group. "Kael, back Darius up. Once the first two are down, we move in as quietly as we can. Lira, be ready with shields in case things go sideways. Ronan, you're our heavy hitter if they spot us."

Ronan gave a mock salute, his grin never fading. "Got it, boss."

The squad moved into position, their movements careful and silent. As they neared the Wendigo pack, Aric could see the creatures clearly now—tall, gaunt figures with twisted limbs and glowing red eyes. Their claws scraped the ground as they paced around the entrance to the ruins, their snarls barely audible beneath the hum of ancient energy that pulsed through the air.

Darius slipped into the shadows again, his daggers flashing in the faint light as he approached the first Wendigo. In a fluid motion, he drove the blade into its neck, silencing it instantly. Kael followed close behind, swinging his greatsword with precision as he took down the second Wendigo with a single, brutal strike.

The rest of the squad watched from the treeline as the first two creatures collapsed to the ground. Aric gave a silent signal, and they began to move forward.

But before they could take another step, the air around them shifted.

A low, rumbling growl echoed from the depths of the ruins, and the remaining Wendigos froze in place, their heads snapping toward the sound. Aric's heart quickened as the growl grew louder, reverberating through the forest.

"Looks like we've got company," Kael muttered, his grip tightening on his sword.

Lira's hands began to glow with a faint, protective aura. "Get ready."

The ground trembled beneath them, and from the shadows of the ruins, a massive figure began to emerge—a creature far larger and more terrifying than any Wendigo they had seen before.

Its body was a grotesque fusion of bone and sinew, with twisted antlers crowning its head, their sharp points curving toward the darkened sky. Jagged, skeletal branches protruded from its frame, giving it the appearance of a creature born from the forest itself. Its skin clung to its bones, and where flesh should have been, there was only the dark hollow of exposed ribs, glowing with an eerie red light that pulsed like the heart of the abyss.

The Wendigo King's eyes glowed with a fierce, unearthly crimson, burning with a malice that felt ancient and primal. Its long, matted hair, white as the first snow of winter, flowed wildly around its skeletal face, and its mouth stretched into a jagged snarl, rows of razor-sharp teeth visible behind its thin, skinless lips.

Every breath the creature took seemed to draw energy from the surrounding forest, as if it was siphoning life from the trees and the earth itself. The air around it rippled with dark magic, warping the space and making it difficult to breathe.

"By the gods," Darius whispered, his voice barely audible.

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Kael's usual bravado faltered, his eyes wide as he stared up at the towering figure. "That… is a King?"

"It's worse than I imagined," Lira murmured, her voice trembling ever so slightly. "We need to be careful. There's a dark magic here I haven't felt before."

The Wendigo King let out another low growl, the sound vibrating through the earth and the trees. Its gaze locked onto the squad, and the temperature around them seemed to drop, a biting chill settling in their bones.

Aric gripped his sword tightly, his body tensing. "Remember the plan. Take it down before it calls more."

The Wendigo King snarled, its crimson eyes burning with malice as it towered over them, its skeletal body pulsing with dark energy. The lesser Wendigos surrounding it began to close in, their twisted forms moving with newfound precision, as if commanded by a single, terrifying will.

Darius moved first, vanishing into the shadows with barely a sound. His daggers gleamed as he circled around to the flank, his eyes scanning for an opening. Kael followed close behind, keeping low, his greatsword poised to strike.

"Lira, with me!" Aric barked, his eyes never leaving the monstrous figure before them. The Wendigo King was a force unlike anything they had ever faced, and it would take everything they had to bring it down.

Ronan, standing at Aric's side, cracked his knuckles, a wild grin spreading across his face. "Finally, a real challenge," he muttered, before charging forward, his gauntlets glowing with mana. "Let's see what you're made of, ugly!"

With a roar, Ronan leapt at the nearest Wendigo, his fist connecting with its skull in a sickening crunch. The creature collapsed instantly, its body twitching as it crumpled to the ground. But there was no time to celebrate. Another Wendigo lunged at Ronan, claws extended, but he was ready. With a swift turn, he caught its arm mid-swing, twisting it violently before delivering a crushing blow to its chest, sending it flying into the undergrowth.

Meanwhile, Lira raised her staff, chanting quickly as a shimmering barrier of light enveloped the group. "The King's magic is growing stronger," she warned, her voice strained as she pushed back against the dark energy pressing in on them. "I can barely hold it off."

Aric nodded, eyes narrowing as he watched the Wendigo King raise its skeletal arms. The creature's ribcage glowed brighter, the red light pulsing as it summoned a dark, swirling force. The temperature dropped further, frost creeping across the ground toward them.

"We have to hit it before it unleashes that attack!" Aric shouted.

Kael and Darius struck at the same moment. Darius appeared from the shadows, his daggers flashing as he slashed at the legs of one of the lesser Wendigos, slicing through tendons with deadly precision. The creature shrieked and collapsed, but before it could recover, Kael was there, his greatsword cleaving through its torso in one powerful, fluid motion.

"Two down," Kael grunted, turning his attention to the Wendigo King. "Focus on the big one!"

As if in response, the Wendigo King let out a blood-curdling screech. Its massive antlers scraped the canopy of trees above, and with a swipe of its jagged arm, it sent a wave of corruptive energy crashing toward them. The ground trembled underfoot as the shockwave erupted, hurling debris into the air.

"Shields!" Aric commanded.

Lira raised her staff, summoning a shimmering wall of light just in time. The corruptive energy slammed into the barrier, crackling as it pressed against her magic. Lira's face twisted in concentration, sweat beading on her brow as she held the shield, barely containing the force of the attack.

"It's pushing through!" Lira cried, her voice strained.

"Hold on, we're moving!" Aric barked, his eyes flashing with determination. He gripped his sword tightly, channeling mana through his body. The familiar surge of energy coursed through him, and with a powerful leap, he propelled himself toward the Wendigo King.

The creature roared as Aric closed in, its massive claws swiping at him. But Aric was ready. With a swift twist, he dodged the attack, bringing his sword down in a glowing arc. His blade struck the King's ribcage, sinking deep into its exposed bones. The creature howled, its body convulsing as dark energy poured from the wound.

But something was wrong.

The Wendigo King screeched, its skeletal form shaking, but the wound in its ribs began to seal almost immediately. The dark energy that oozed from the cut seemed to pull itself back together, knitting the bone back in place. Aric's eyes widened in disbelief as the creature's red eyes flared even brighter, a malicious intelligence burning within them.

"It's healing!" Aric shouted as he leaped back.

"That's impossible," Kael growled, slashing at one of the Wendigos that lunged at him. "What in the gods is keeping that thing alive?"

Ronan landed another heavy blow on one of the lesser Wendigos, but even he couldn't hide his frustration. "We hit it, and it just shrugs it off! What the hell is this thing made of?"

Darius darted forward, his daggers aimed at the King's legs, hoping to destabilize it. He slashed through bone and sinew, his strikes fast and deadly, but the creature barely reacted. Its eyes remained fixed on Aric, as if sensing the threat he posed.

"We're not doing enough damage," Darius muttered, retreating back to the group.

Lira watched the battle unfold, her brow furrowed in concentration as she tried to understand the King's magic. "It's the dark energy," she realized, her voice cutting through the chaos. "It's reinforcing itself with that magic—our attacks aren't breaking through!"

Aric gritted his teeth, frustration boiling inside him. His mana was surging, his sword glowing with power, but every time they landed a blow, the Wendigo King recovered. This wasn't like fighting any ordinary Wendigo. It was something far more dangerous, far more intelligent.

As Aric moved back, assessing the situation, he glanced at the King's movements, its sheer presence overwhelming the battlefield. The power radiating from the creature was like nothing he'd encountered before. "This thing… it's not just peak Nightmare stage…" he muttered under his breath, eyes wide. "No, it's reached Calamity stage."

The words sent a ripple of unease through the group. Calamity stage monsters were rare—so rare that many in the world considered them myths, creatures that could destroy entire regions if left unchecked.

"Calamity?!" Kael yelled, narrowly dodging another swipe from the Wendigo King. "That's insane!"

"We're in over our heads!" Darius called out from the shadows, his eyes darting between the King and his teammates.

"No," Aric said, his voice low but firm. "We can take it down, but we need to change tactics. Lira—can you enchant our weapons with light magic? We need to overwhelm its dark energy!"

Lira's face lit with realization. "Of course!" She raised her staff, focusing all her energy on her magic. "I'll need a moment!"

As Lira began chanting, the Wendigo King snarled, its glowing eyes locking onto her. Sensing the danger, it let out a bone-rattling screech and charged, its massive claws ripping through the air as it stormed toward her.

"Not on my watch!" Ronan bellowed. He launched himself between the King and Lira, mana surging through his body. His gauntlets crackled with power as he swung with all his might, slamming his fists into the King's arm. The impact sent a shockwave through the clearing, but the Wendigo King barely flinched, its other arm sweeping out and knocking Ronan back with terrifying ease.

"Ronan!" Kael shouted, charging forward to help, but Aric stepped in front of him.

"Keep the King busy!" Aric shouted. "I'll buy Lira time!"

Kael grunted in acknowledgment, his greatsword swinging in wide arcs to keep the lesser Wendigos at bay. Darius moved like a shadow, slicing at the smaller Wendigos and harrying the King's legs with quick, precise strikes, but the Wendigo King was relentless.

As Lira continued her chant, Aric took a deep breath, channeling mana through his entire body. But this time, he didn't stop there. Flames erupted around him, his mana flaring into a brilliant blaze that encased his form. Unlike Lorian's early attempts at body-mana channeling, Aric's control was absolute, refined from years of experience and discipline. His sword ignited with fire, glowing so brightly that it seemed to sear the very air around it.

"Let's see if you can handle this," Aric muttered under his breath. With a powerful swing, he launched a wave of fire directly at the Wendigo King.

The flames collided with the King's ribcage, engulfing the creature in a brilliant explosion of fire and heat. For a moment, the King staggered, its form briefly lost in the inferno. But when the flames cleared, the Wendigo King was still standing, its body smoldering but largely unscathed. Its eyes flared with fury as it turned its full attention on Aric.

"I've bought you as much time as I can, Lira!" Aric shouted as the King roared, its massive form charging toward him.

"Almost there!" Lira's voice trembled with effort as her magic reached its peak.

Just as the Wendigo King closed in on Aric, Lira finished her enchantment. A brilliant flash of light erupted from her staff, spreading across the battlefield and latching onto each of the squad's weapons. Kael's greatsword shimmered with a golden aura, Ronan's gauntlets crackled with newfound energy, and Darius' daggers gleamed with the sharp, radiant light of pure magic.

"Your weapons are infused with light magic!" Lira called out. "Now's our chance!"

Aric's sword flared brighter than ever, the flames now infused with Lira's light enchantment. He could feel the power coursing through him, amplifying the mana in his body, sharpening his senses. The Wendigo King charged again, but this time, Aric was ready.

With a burst of speed, he darted forward, his sword slicing through the air like a bolt of lightning. The enchanted blade connected with the King's ribcage, and this time, the impact was different. The light-infused flames cut through the dark energy protecting the King, searing through its bones.

The Wendigo King let out a deafening screech, staggering backward as the enchantment took hold. The cracks in its bones widened, red light flickering weakly from within.

"Hit it hard!" Aric shouted. "We've broken through its defenses!"

Ronan was the first to respond, rushing forward with a roar, his gauntlets crackling with light magic. He slammed his fists into the Wendigo King's leg, the impact shattering bone and sending the creature to one knee.

Kael followed immediately after, his greatsword glowing as he swung it in a deadly arc, cleaving through the King's arm. The creature howled in agony, dark energy spilling from the wound as it struggled to maintain its form.

But even as the squad pressed their advantage, Aric could see something shifting in the King's eyes—a desperate fury, as if it knew its time was running out.

"It's going to make a last stand," Aric warned, stepping forward with his sword raised. "Be ready for anything."

But before they could move, the Wendigo King let out an ear-splitting wail, its body convulsing violently. The red light within its chest began to pulse rapidly, growing brighter and brighter until the entire clearing was bathed in an ominous glow.

"Get back!" Darius shouted. "It's going to—"

Before he could finish, the Wendigo King exploded in a blinding flash of crimson light, sending shockwaves rippling through the forest. Trees were uprooted, the ground cracked open, and the squad was thrown in every direction, the force of the blast overwhelming them.

For a moment, there was nothing but silence, the air thick with dust and debris.

Aric, dazed and bloodied, forced himself to his feet, his vision swimming. His heart pounded in his chest as he searched the battlefield, looking for his comrades. The Wendigo King's form was nowhere to be seen, but the oppressive energy still lingered, hanging in the air like a storm cloud.

"It's not over," Aric muttered, his grip tightening on his sword. "We haven't killed it yet."