Daniel wanted to shout in surprise, to go and feed a healing potion to his friend, but those thoughts vanished the moment Velkir looked at him. The sheer bloodlust in the beast’s eyes sent shivers through his body, and despite having experienced bloody battles, his hands began trembling.

He frantically bolted to the only place where he would be safe - the field of battle between warriors and wolves. If anyone had a chance to take care of the monstrosity, it was the Paladin. Glancing back, Velkir had completely vanished from Daniel’s sight. Any second now, the beast would strike, and all he could hear was his thundering heart.

‘Path of the Dead,’ he thought the moment he felt a chill in the air. He screamed in agony as a spire of ice dissipated half of his body, which was wreathed entirely in shadows. It was the worst way to find out his shield didn’t work in limbo.

Velkir’s confusion lasted for but a moment upon seeing his prey disappear. Instead, he turned to the two remaining priests, guarded by Raph. As callous as it might be, Daniel didn’t have time to pay attention to his friend. As his body reformed and his soul started to ache, he stepped back into the mortal plane, standing on an elevated platform.

“Hunt them down,” he commanded, conjuring the Midnight Panther.

Four figures fought back to back amid a pile of bodies, encircled by beasts. More than half of the wolves were dead, with many more bearing grievous injuries and horrific burns. Molten limestone bubbled underneath their feet, and for a brief moment, the two parties were at an impasse. Any foe who stepped within the auras would perish in seconds. Still, the warriors were exhausted, and their skills were used up.

The stalemate was broken when a phantasmal scythe tore straight through a wolf’s body, and a slash from the lone panther’s icy tail was enough to freeze another. As the monsters turned to face the new assailants, the Paladin capitalised on the opportunity. A wave of light followed the arc of his swing, tearing through the retinas of those unfortunate enough to face him.

Daniel didn’t spare his mana. Only seconds passed between each swing of the scythe. Dodging a barrage of moonlight crescents, he focused on the wolves engaged with Eldric and Leopold. The Paladin could take care of himself, and, if May died, he wouldn’t mourn much.

Even so, she was the strongest of the three dawn warriors. None of the wolves could so much as touch her. She masterfully leapt from flame to flame, making use of both her and her allies’ skills to break through the encirclement. Whenever the two warriors started to slow from exhaustion, she would materialise from a stray ember, her sword rending through the monster’s flesh.

They spent agonising seconds fighting off the wolves - seconds which could have been used for saving the priests. He cursed himself for being so weak, for having to run and hide from Velkir. They should have had an entire army to fight a foe so powerful. As, finally, the last wolf dropped, Daniel stared at the devastation being wrought in the back lines.

Both the priests were lying on the ground, their throats torn out. Raph, who was desperately fighting for his life, staggered from Velkir’s howl, taking on another grievous injury. Without the priests’ hymn, his mind was vulnerable. In response, five different illusions of Raph all swung at the monster, who dodged the blows with ease. They spread out in each direction, seeking to confuse the wolf.

It was a miracle that he was still alive, but there was only so much mana a single creature could possess, and even the monster could get exhausted. Topaz barriers and ice pillars were replaced by sharp teeth and blindingly fast claws. Even that was too much for one warrior to handle.

Fearlessly, May was the first to charge into the fray. She appeared behind Velkir, teleporting next to Raph’s illusion’s flaming blades. Her swords took Velkir by surprise, digging into the wolf’s hind legs and drawing black blood.

The next few seconds of the fight were nothing more than a blur. Velkir’s speed clashed with May’s skill, none getting the better of the other. That was until she teleported one too many times, and her abilities failed her. The wolf’s jaws tasted blood, ripping through her armour and tearing apart the left side of her stomach. Only harsh training and appropriate skills prevented her from collapsing that very same instant.

“Leopold, heal her! Eldric, Raph, support me!” Thomas roared over May’s screams, fearlessly blocking a strike from the monster and immediately retaliating, his spiked mace soaring through the air. The ground shattered beneath Velkir, and a torrent of light spilled from within, burning his ebony fur.

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It was at this point that Daniel did something stupid. He was tired of feeling useless. Hiding behind a nearby stalagmite, he sunk into the eyes of his panther, changing his perspective. Light illuminated every corner of the cavern, so sinking into the shadows was not an option. Still, as long as Velkir wasn’t paying attention, he had a single chance to strike.

The Paladin’s counter to the wolf’s speed was impenetrable defence. Thomas waited until Velkir struck, always positioning his shield to be in the way. The ice melted under the sheer heat of his aura, and the ray of fire could not tear through the Paladin’s equipment, made specifically to endure scorching temperatures. When Velkir switched targets, choosing to attack Leopold or Raph instead, Thomas made sure to relentlessly pursue him, using skill after skill.

It was not the flashy and dreadful fight from before. Daniel’s party had lost half of its members, and the wolf’s mana was running dry from the previous rampage. Thus, when May and Leopold rejoined the fray, Velkir’s assault slowed down. He constantly prodded for any chinks in their armour, any flaws in their teamwork.

When he found none, Velkir opted to create a weakness instead. His mana rushed to his mouth like a hurricane, and the howl that followed shook the foundations of the cave. For Daniel, it was devastating. The panther’s hunger for blood mixed with the thrill of the hunt until all he could see was red. He craved a delicious meal, and May, still recovering from the previous injury, was the prime target.

“Do not succumb!” Thomas desperately shouted, left reeling from the howl. His companions fared much worse. The first to break was Eldric.

“Your skin is so beautiful. I will wear it day and night!” he shouted, turning to face May with nothing but lunacy in his eyes. His arming sword swung down on her shoulder, leaving a trail of flames behind. Daniel smirked as she roared in pain and finally experienced what he had gone through that fateful day.

The two clashed, inflicting wound after wound in a maddened frenzy that even the Paladin couldn’t stop. He shouted command after command, but his attention was occupied by Velkir, who was desperately looking for an opportunity to strike.

“Snap. Out. Of. It.” May shouted, weaving in between the maddened sword strikes.

She had the cure to insanity all this time - it was called a solid strike to the head using the pommel of her dagger. Reeling from the impact, a strong shove was enough to send Eldric sprawling to the ground, which was precisely the moment that Velkir struck. The stone shattered underneath his feet as he leapt through the air like a silver arrow in flight.

The arrow was meant to be broken. As if waiting for this exact moment his entire life, Thomas’ struck with such force that it knocked the wolf off his trajectory and into the cavern wall, his body crashing through several layers of stone.

“May, Raph, take a step back. The foe is too dangerous to delay any further,” Thomas said, raising his arm to prevent the warriors from charging in. As the dust settled onto Velkir’s body, the Paladin walked forward, his eyes burning with a righteous fury.

“One of us shall die today, and it shall not be me. Croelius stands behind me, his wings giving me strength,” he said, standing face to face with the wolf.

“The Last Ember.” His body combusted into a blazing inferno, burning through the sheer force of his conviction.

Had a beast other than Velkir faced the Paladin at this moment, it would have charged in and gloriously met its end. Instead, the wolf narrowed his eyes, a thousand thoughts running through his brain. Daniel saw the last of the monster’s mana flare and envelop his body, scattering his physical form across the room. An invisible wind carried it away from the cavern and towards the outside.

“You think you can just escape after everything you’ve done?” For the first time, genuine rage entered Thomas’ voice.

Two blazing wings sprouted from his back, each flap leaving behind a jet of flame. He smashed his mace against the ground, and a wall of fire rose to block the mist’s escape. Despite that, Velkir continued to frantically flee, losing parts of his mist with every subsequent attack from the Paladin.

“Follow them,” Daniel gave a command to his panther, returning to his main body. He breathed in deeply, willing his mana to recover the best it could. They couldn’t allow Velkir to escape now. He jumped down the platform in haste, running as fast as he could. He couldn’t be separated too far from the phantasmal puppet.

“Stop. You’re going to get killed,” Raph yelled, grabbing Daniel’s arm as he dashed past.

“I’m the only person that can find him. Besides, I’m not as weak as I look,” he said, projecting as much confidence as he could.

“Then let me come with you. I can still fight,” Raph replied, picking up his exhausted body. Healing magic had taken care of the most devastating wounds, but the warrior was barely able to stand.

“You’re injured. Besides, May and Eldric need treating,” he said, burning precious seconds negotiating. It took Leopold’s full attention to try and calm down Eldric’s deteriorating condition.

“I think Raph is right. Either we come with you, or you’re not heading out alone.” May’s words provoked a glare from Daniel, but there was no other choice now.

“Fine. Let’s go then. We’ve got no time to waste.”