“Zaron! Veena! Someone, please respond!”

Just outside the entrance of the cave, Lucas was calling into a radio transmitter desperately. The anxious older Cobalt fiddled with the main transmitter on the small foldable table, pressing buttons and shifting antennas whilst praying for any notable response from the Draiken pair far beneath his feat. It was close to an hour since he was last updated by the pair – where he was cut off abruptly during mid-conversation, preventing him from assisting them during their struggle. Ever since the breakup, his focus was solely on the transmitter, avoiding any distraction in the process.

“*Munch, munch, munch...!* Still no luck?”

Chomping down on a pack of salted-crisps, Tobi approached his father curiously.

“Should I give mum a call? I’m sure she’ll know how to fix the issue.” He then suggested, peering over his father's shoulder.

“No ... not right now.” Lucas shook his head in dismissal, considering the option yet finding it pointless. “I’d rather not pester her. And besides, she's far too busy on her projects. I’ll just call her later.”

“Fine, whatever you say.” Tobi shrugged casually, deciding not to pursue his suggestion further as he noticed the hint of self-pride in his father’s voice.

Instead, he continued to munch away on his snack as he switched over to Marc – who was clacking away on a laptop with his back against a distant tree. The unsociable Cobalt brother expressed no interest in the Draiken pair's progress, preferring the comfort of his self-isolation.

“Oi, Marc!” Tobi called out bluntly, another idea flashing in his mind. “You're the tech-savvy guy here. Any idea what’s going on with the radio?”

“Tch...!”

Marc returned a resentful glare to his twin, cursing Tobi inaudibly for breaking his focus. Invisible sparks clashed between the two as they met eyes, both expecting the other to twist the conversation into a needless argument. However, a disgruntled sigh escaped Marc’s lips, slamming his laptop as he resentfully yielded. He forced himself to his feet and stepped over to the transmitter, hands in pockets as he considered the situation. Tobi watched him brother’s approach, his brow raised in surprise that Marc complied to the request without a fuss.

“I reckon it’s got nothing to do with the main transmitter.” Marc expressed in a brooding tone. “It’ll either be due to the poor reception underground; a disruption with the connection; those two losing their earpieces; or...”

He almost suggested a fourth possibility yet decided to halt his words. Lucas watched his son with a cautious gaze, wary of the assumed fourth option in Marc’s mind. Although preferring to avoid the suggestion entirely, the older Cobalt could not avoid the dire possibility – as much as it pained him. He held his silence, preferring to rule out the option until further indication whilst also highlighting the other three possibilities.

“I told those two that the reception in their earpieces are strong enough to reach us no matter the depth in the cave, so that’s out of the question.” Lucas denied firmly, waving off the suggestion as though it knocked his pride. “And, in terms of them losing their earpieces … well, I’ll be having words once they return to the surface.”

“So, you believe it’s a disruption?” Mark murmured lowly, rolling his eyes at his father’s dismissive answer.

“Most likely.” Lucas responded with a light grin, shrugging his shoulders. “Then again ... I wouldn’t be surprised if Tobi broke their earpieces through his tone-deaf shouting.”

In that very moment, Marc let out a dark, teasing smirk of his own.

“That’s a good point.”

“OH! SCREW YOU BOTH!” Tobi yelled angrily behind them, hiding his distraught pout.

However, as he switched away from his brother and father, Tobi caught an odd shift in movement from the corner of his eye. His expression dropped; eyes focused ahead as observed the line of bushes in the distance. Whilst the movement was brief, there was no doubt in his mind that the three Cobalts were being watched from afar.

“H-hey … did you two see that?” Tobi questioned in a severe tone; his gaze locked on the bushes.

“Hm...? See what?”

“It’s probably a rabbit or something.”

Lucas glanced over momentarily whilst Marc played off the movement carelessly, neither showing a hint of concern.

“No way. It’s too big to be a rabbit.” Tobi grumbled as he shook his head, feeling his muscles tense up.

“So ... a deer?”

“No, Marc. Why would a deer make that much noise.” Tobi then growled back, feeling his antagonistic twin was mocking him.

As he continued to observe the bushes and overall surroundings, Tobi was left conflicted whether he should ignore the issue or investigate it further. On the one hand, the safest option was to ignore the odd movement and return to restoring communication with his Draiken friends. On the other hand, his heart was convincing him to investigate the possible stalker, knowing he would only regret his neglect otherwise.

“Screw it.” Tobi sighed out, accepting the risk. “I’ll be back.”

“Be careful, Tobi.” Lucas warned as he watched his son step away. “Don’t wonder off too far.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t.” Tobi nodded back in acknowledgment, taking his father’s words to heart. “I'm just checking.”

Marc refused to speak as he watched his brother approach the cave entrance, certain there was no threat awaiting Tobi yet was still wary of the unknown risks within the cave.

***

Stepping into the cold, moist cave, the curious Tobi peered forward to investigate the ominous darkness ahead. He was able to vaguely determine the geography of the tunnel, feeling the rock-walls either side of him to assist his bearings. Whilst edging his feet forward, the young Cobalt observed the cave’s layout with absolute caution – aware that one careless step could cost him his life. Although the cave lacked any signs of life, an eerie presence loomed in the surrounding atmosphere. Tobi reached a narrow corner at the far end of the cave, causing Tobi to assume Zaron and Veena had followed into the depths a few hours previous. The young Cobalt peered through the gap, narrowing his gaze as he attempted to locate the mysterious aura’s owner. Tobi stood silent and still as he waited for any signs of movement within the thick darkness.

“...”

However, a time ticked on, there was nothing to be found. Unsatisfied with the outcome, Tobi attempted to duck his head and enter the gap.

“Don’t go any further.”

Jolt! WHAM!

“GAH!”

Jumping up in an abrupt startle, Tobi whacked his head on the low ceiling unexpectedly before switching to the cave's entrance.

“No luck in catching our imaginary stalker, I presume?” Marc asked out half-heartedly, expressing no sympathy for his brother’s predicament.

Whist soothing his fresh head bump, Tobi admitted in a reluctant mumble.

“Grrh...! Nothing.”

“You’re becoming delusional hanging out with those two reptiles.” Marc muttered antagonistically, turning his back on his twin. “Let’s go back ... the old man’s getting worried.”

(....Reptiles?)

With the odd thought floating through his mind, the wary Tobi watched his brother wonder away from the entrance. He then glanced back to the endless tunnel through the narrow gap before him, checking the ominous darkness once more before deciding to quit his investigation. Whilst there was still a sense of an eerie presence ahead, Tobi found no evidence of a hostile entity – the Cobalts were alone.

The unsuccessful Tobi bitterly retreated bitterly from the cave, feeling disappointed that his eyes were merely playing tricks on him. He stepped out into the open, returning to the camp whist soothing his aching head continuously. And yet, he was oblivious to the reality of his investigation – for the young Cobalt was merely a step away from a sliced throat.

***

““Grrrrrrrrrrr…!””

“Gehehehee…!”

Rumble…!

Far within the depths of the cave system, hundreds of black-furred, crystal-bound beasts proceeded to circle their prey hungrily, glistening drool escaping their razor-sharp jaws at the thought of tasting Draiken flesh. They awaited their chance to strike, analysing a potential opening to deliver the anticipated onslaught. And yet, there was no fear in the eyes of their two targets.

Enforcing their battle stances with the Artoria and Kurama blades, Zaron and Veena were starved for a true battle – even though they had no intention of attacking first. Both sides awaited the other to execute to first attack, acting as though they were forcing time to freeze until the opponent choked over the pressure. Furthermore, the intensity in the arena was almost suffocating, beads of sweat appearing on both Zaron and Veena’s foreheads. With life and death on the line, neither Draiken could afford to waste a second of time.

“Another day, another level of the Battle-Sim.” Zaron murmured lowly with glee, his body shaking as his anticipation boiled. “Ready to set the high score, Veena?”

“Yeah, sure … I’m feeling a little nostalgic.” Veena answered in a light whisper, flexing her shoulders. “You better not hold back, Zaron.”

“Oh, don’t you worry. I’m passed the point of holding back.”

Shift!

Just then, a monster amongst the crowd edged forward, causing the two to tense up and strengthen their stances immediately. With jokes and banter set aside, the two analysed their surrounding opponents.

“Zaron ... Perfect Sync.” Veena murmured soundlessly, a deep breath escaping as she avoided any distraction.

Zaron nodded.

“Perfect Sync.”

Shuffle...

And then – whether intentional or reactionary – a crystallized beast crawled forward, glaring restlessly as their patience reached its limit.

Leap! WHOOSH!

Zaron and Veena exploded into action, sprinting forward whilst unleashing their blades into the mob of crystal-beasts. Every muscle in their bodies roared as they swung their weapons furiously, ensuring every strike severe through their opponents’ rock-solid bodies and limbs without resistance.

“““RrooouuuaaaAAAAAH!!!”””

The monsters retaliated immediately, bellowing towards the Draiken duo with claws and fangs set to gouge their fleshy prey. A mixture of drool and foam covered the jaws, emphasising the need to satisfy their cravings. Chaos erupted through the arena as the two sides closed in on swift impact. What followed was a massacre.

Slice! Slice! Slice! SHATTER! Swing-SMASH!!!

Unleashing the Artoria blade in a horizontal circular motion, Zaron cut through the horde of crystal beasts relentlessly. Within the first three seconds of contact, four beasts were slain – all not realising the situation prior to their demise. Three beastly victims were sliced entirely in half whilst the fourth was beheaded, leaving behind the severed remains of crystal and fur. As the first victims fell, several retaliated in pure fury, throwing themselves forward as they lunged their claws at the young male Draiken.

“Heh...!”

The grinning Zaron predicted the counterattack.

Clocking the incoming beasts, he timed his movements accordingly and switched to the oncoming opponents. He swerved and carved his blade in rapid momentum as each monster rushed towards him, ensuring no claw nor tooth would inflict unnecessary injury against him. His mind was like a pendulum, setting the pace of his continual assault whilst refusing any possibility of becoming overwhelmed by his enemies.

“GEH-?!”

““GYAAAH!!!””

Slice! Stab! Slip…! SLASH!

The velocity of his strikes increased with every execution, his body and blade curving and spinning relentlessly at his unprepared foes. He showed no resistance to his attacks, slicing through the crystal beasts before they could lay a claw on him. The Draiken boy was unstoppable.

Swing-swing! Stab-stab-stab! Slash...! SLICE!

““Uu-GAAAH!!!””

At the opposite end of the battlefield, Veena sped through the horde without resistance. Swinging and stabbing accordingly with the Kurama blade firm in her left hand, the execution of her attacks was relentlessly snappy. She lacked any required build-up in her strikes, her feet as light as a feather as her assault was inhumanely swift. As a result, her crystallised opponents were left shattered in her wake. Although her pure attack power was dismal compared to Zaron’s, her speed and precision were unmatched. Furthermore, every impact of her sharp Kurama blade could carve through the solid bodies with absolute ease, saving her time and effort as she allowed weapon to do the work. With her versatile movement and swift blade acting in sync, her performance morphed into a dance routine – simple in appearance yet devastating in execution. For both Zaron and Veena, the battle was a mere breeze.

Fwoom-fwoom-fwoom-VROOSH!!!

Escalating his assault to unfathomable levels of devastation, Zaron unleashed a series of triple-spin strikes. With each circulating spin, the blade swung faster and more ferocious, hacking deeper through the crystal beasts with every impact. The limbs and bodies of the opposing beasts separated on immediate impact, sections of crystal colliding into the horde. Stumbling back due to the makeshift projectiles of their fallen brethren, the horde were left completely blindsided. The beasts then grew hesitant, realising their assault on the Draiken pair was failing tremendously. Noticing the hesitancy in his numerous opponents, Zaron grin widened from ear-to-ear. An overwhelming sense of excitement overtook him, tallying the rising death toll as he proceeded to hack away. Believing there was nothing to disrupt the flow of his blade, Zaron was in his element.

BOOM!

“Whoa!”

Zaron leapt back in an instant as he narrowly avoided the bouldering hulk of crystal crashing to the ground, his ecstatic grin wiped from existence at the thought of being crushed to death. Amongst the dust and fresh rubble, the Draiken boy held the Artoria blade with a renewed battle stance. As his sights locked on the silhouette of his next target, he exhaled warily. His new opponent towered over him.

“Damn ... you’re one big bastard.” He muttered irritably, lifting his gaze.

The new opponent before him was three times the size of the other crystal beasts, its bulky arm alone matched Zaron’s entire body in size.

“Hrrrrrrgh...!”

The towering beast gazed down with its shimmering red pupils, emulating a deep, harrowing growl at the sight of its troublesome prey. Its muscles pulsated, attempting to imitate the young Draiken. However, Zaron was unfazed.

Step...!

SWOOSH!

As the fist swung towards him like a meteor, Zaron leapt into an unbreakable charge. With the back of the blade resting comfortably on his right shoulder, he evaded the bouldering fist with a mere sidestep. He then continued his momentum forward, tensioning his feat as he executed the next phase of his assault.

Leap!

“Hup-!”

Zaron leapt up with a swift yet powerful boost of his feet, positioning himself high above the beast momentarily. With the beast blindsided as its attack failed to connect, Zaron utilised his opportunity to counterattack. Arching his body sideways with the Artoria blade at full extension, the feisty Draiken twisted his wings and struck down in a cartwheeling motion.

VROOSH! CRACK!

“GGRRROOOOAAAAAAAAAAAGH?!?!”

The hulking beast bellowed out in despair as the Artoria blade hacked into its broad shoulder. It thrashed desperately as the weapon dug deep into its body, attempting to throw the Draiken off its body before he could inflict further damage. Bearing his fangs, Zaron resisted temptation to release his weapon. His entire body was flailing back-and-forth uncontrollably as he fought for control over the large crystal beast. As though timing his momentum, Zaron snatched the beast’s fur with his free hand, planting his feet against its broad back.

““GRRAAAAGH!!!””

SWIPE!

With that, Zaron dislodged the Artoria blade from the beast’s shoulder in brutal execution, shifting his weight accordingly to avoid the victim’s crushing claws clasping at him frantically. Noticing their struggling sibling, the smaller-sized monsters leapt into action without hesitation.

“NOT A CHANCE!”

SLASH!!!

Placing all his force behind his blade, Zaron swooped at the neck of the hulking beast in haste. He then followed his assault with a swift leapt, twisting his attention automatically as he struck at every oncoming crystal enemy with a flurry of swings before returning to the ground. In a matter of seconds, both the head of the titanic crystal-beast separated from its body whilst the incoming horde of smaller beast were sliced limb-from-limb.

Skid!

Zaron landed on his feet, watching his numerous enemies crumble into dozens of crystal shards upon regaining his balance. Just then, the young Draiken noticed more beasts rushing towards him.

“Oh-hoh...! I’m not done yet.” He muttered with a dark yet confident grin.

Juggling the Artoria blade playfully between his grasps, Zaron launched himself towards the horde.

Whoosh! Swing! Slash-slash! Swing! STAB!

Nearby Zaron’s position, Veena executed a swift forwarding combo, separating bodies from limbs as she cleared the path before her. She spoke no word – not even a grunt – as the crystal beasts fell before the Kurama blade's deadly swings. Her focus was set entirely on her mass of enemies, darting from one enemy to another in flawless succession. She ran, span, and sliced her way through her countless moving obstacles, sliding and twisting passed each oncoming attack without fail.

As she ducked, she struck. As she leapt, she swiped. Her attacks were never the same: some struck high, some struck low, and some struck directly at the heart of the beasts. However, every attack had one goal in mind: perfect execution. No matter the difficulty nor the setback: every strike held a purpose. If an attack were to miss, she would deem her approach a foolish attempt. If a beast were to inflict considerable damage on her body, she would never forgive herself for such a crucial mistake. If she were to lose her battle-flow entirely, she would render herself as an instant failure. It was her lifelong vow – a vow she was reminded of upon her humiliating defeat at the hands of Mantis.

Swish! SWIPE-SWIPE-SWIPE!!!

“Ngh-?!”

Suddenly, a set of swift claws sliced at Veena unexpectedly, causing her to lean back in a desperate attempt of evasion. The claw missed her face by a narrow margin, catching a few strands of her scarlet fringe in the process. Utilizing her continuing momentum, Veena executed a swift backward somersault, distancing herself from her unexpected attacker. As she regained her footing, she set her sights on her new enemy with the Kurama blade held firmly in her grasp.

Crawling before her were a pair of slim, agile, long-bodied beasts. Whilst black-furred and muscular like their beastly brethren, the pair of long-bodied monsters were seen on all-fours – pacing and slithering restlessly whilst they approached the Draiken girl. Their nozzles were elongated, and backs were arched in a streamline position, acting as though they could slip through their opponents elusively. Out of all the crystal-beast variants dotted throughout the arena, the pair crawling before Veena were the most grotesque in appearance. With that said, the most important aspect was that the agile beasts were built to be impossibly swift.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

Leap! Swoosh!

Drawing a deep breath, the silent yet determined Veena rushed forward with her blade aimed to strike, her body low as she planned her next approach. In retaliation, the two agile crystal-beasts separated in sync to and rushed towards her from both sides. Light on their feet whilst their claws and fangs at the ready, the slithering beasts barely created a sound no matter the pace of their frantic steps.

Swipe! Swoosh-! CLASH!

Within seconds, Veena parried and evaded the two beasts in quick succession, blade and claws ricocheting against one another at speeds beyond the mortal eye. She switched back-and-forth between the two beasts in swift reaction, unable to breath as each shift of her target was merely half-a-second in transition. Neither side refused to hesitate, knowing every second of their pursuits was vital to their potential victory.

Slash-slash-slash! Clink! SCREECH-!!! VROOSH…!!!

The two beasts zipped from one position to another, throwing their claws at the young female Draiken at malice. And yet, Veena deflected the strikes automatically, parrying with her blade whilst showing no signs of deterioration in her endurance. Instead, she retaliated at every given opportunity, searching for the perfect opening to damage her opponents. Unless one were to fold, the three were stuck in a stalemate.

STAB! CRACK!

“UGAK-!”

Suddenly, a large, devastating blade broke through the chest of one of the agile crystal-beasts, pinning it to the floor. The other agile beast broke focus from its initial opponent abruptly, taken aback completely at the unexpected turn of events. Veena wasted no time in accepting her opportunity to break the struggle.

SWING…! CRACK!!!

In one wide swoop, Veena sliced through the distracted beast and broke its body into two halves, ending its life in an instant.

“You stole my kill, Zaron!” She then yelled out in an exaggerated pout.

Separating the Artoria blade from the slayed crystal-beast, Zaron showed off a cheeky smirk to his partner before returning to the endless fight.

“I had a moment to spare.” He laughed back in amusement, rushing through into the next batch of beasts. “I thought it was worth saving you the hassle.”

Leap! Slash-slash-SLASH!

Just then, Veena threw herself ahead of Zaron and struck into the oncoming beasts with overwhelming adrenaline, cleaving the first few before they could execute their retaliation.

“I’ve got more than enough left in the tank!” She claimed loudly, following her assault with a low, sweeping slice. “So, don’t you dare underestimate me!”

Executing an uppercut on a charging beast, Zaron sighed out with a light shrug.

“I’ll ... be sure to ask next time.”

***

Swing! SLASH! Screeeech…! Slice-slice! SWOOSH!

“This is getting bloody ridiculous!” Zaron yelled out agitatedly, executing several combos as claws swiped at him from numerous directions. “There’s no end to these things!”

Close behind him, Veena sliced through the horde with sparks reflecting from her focused gaze.

SWOOP! STAB!

“Zaron, what’s your kill-count?” She then asked him casually, plunging the Kurama blade through two crystal-beasts simultaneously.

Zaron glanced over to her curiously before proceeding his pursuit.

“Three Big-Bastards, Seven Speeders, and Forty-Eight-!”

Swing!

“…Ergh.”

“Scratch that … Forty-Nine Normies.”

As he recollected his score, the Draiken boy eyed the remaining horde of crystallized enemies.

“How about you?”

Veena shrugged back playfully as she showed off a smug expression.

“Ehh … not much. Just Thirteen Speeders, Six Big-Bastards, and roughly Sixty-Three Normies.”

Zaron switched to her in utter bewilderment.

“Wha-?! You liar! You fabricated those numbers!” He accused defiantly, refusing to believe she had culled so many in such a brief period.

“Heh-hee…! Maybe…” She responded to him with her feline-like grin. “…Or you’re just too slow.”

(...Too slow...?)

The grip of his weapon tightened, her words striking a chord deep in his mind.

“GroooaaaaAAAAH!!!”

SLASH!!! Fwip-! Slash-Slash-SWOOSH!

“What do you MEAN ‘TOO SLOW’?!”

Zaron roared out in a burst of fury as he cleaved another set of incoming beasts out of spite.

“Ah-hah-hah-hah-haa...!”

Veena giggled hysterically as she witnessed Zaron’s exaggerated outburst, almost losing her concentration with her own beastly opponents.

However, their heightened excitement was short-lived.

“SCREEEEEEEEEEEE...!!!”

“ARGH-?!”

“NNGH...!”

Without warning, the Draiken pair reacted in agony as an ear-piercing screech erupted throughout the arena. The intensity was so overwhelming that they almost buckled from the pressure, losing any sense of focus in the process. A sense of desperation consumed them as they attempted to block out the deafening screech, searching through the unbearable pain for the source. However, the two Draiken were met with a peculiar sight.

Crowding before them, the hordes of crystal-beasts halted their never-ending assault unexpectedly. Their bodies were frozen in place – some even treading back cautiously – as they awaited a signal to proceed. It was as though they were controlled by a separate entity.

“Zaron! Up there!”

In that moment, Zaron heard Veena yell to him, pointing up to the ceiling high above. The Draiken boy raised his head, continuing to block his ears whilst he located the source of the unbearable noise. And then, Zaron’s wondering gaze locked into place.

“...I see it.”

High above the Draiken pair, a quad-pedal, gruelling crystal-coated monster was latched onto the ceiling. The first aspect of the new beast that the two noticed was the long, bouldering tail thrashing around aggressively, breaking down everything in its wake. Additionally, they noticed its elongated nozzle and large, pointed ears twitching at every direction, acting as though it was listening to all miniscule sounds in the vicinity.

However, what caught Zaron and Veena’s attention was the unique beast's lack the glazed eyes found in its fellow brethren. Without any doubt, the beast roaming across the ceiling beast was blind. Based on its constant twitching, the blind beast relied on its immaculate sense of sound to navigate the area and observe the events throughout the arena.

“It must be coordinating the others.” Zaron deduced in a low, murmuring voice.

“Yeah...”

Veena's response was barely audible, the cogs in her mind turning as she wondered how to reach the blind beast. And then, she switched her sights to Zaron in haste.

“Zaron, boost me up there!” She yelled out, rushing to his side.

“Huh-? O-oh, right.” Zaron blurted out. “Yeah! Let’s do-!”

(...this.)

Zaron was unable to finish his response as he noticed a glowing light appear from the corner of his eye. The bright glow increased at a staggering rate, illuminating the entire wall within seconds whilst almost blinding the Draiken boy in the process.

“What’s tha-?”

“ZARON! GET DOWN!”

BzzzzZZZZZZZ-! KaBOOOOOOOM!!!

Just as the beam of blinding light shot towards them, Veena threw herself onto Zaron and forced him away from the line of fire. Whilst it missed Zaron entirely, the deadly beam only missed Veena's right wing by a narrow margin.

Clump!

“Oof!”

The two collapsed onto the rock-hardened ground, Veena covering herself over Zaron as they both watched the hefty light-beam claim its unsuspecting victims. A group of crystal-beasts were engulfed in the devastating light, vaporizing them instantly.

“Holy shit.”

Zaron was left gawking in horror, his face ghostly pale as the remains of the beasts scattered into dust.

“““GRRRRROOOOOOAAAAAAHHH!!!!”””

The remaining horde of crystal-beasts released a burst of fury simultaneously, unable to hold their patience any longer. They charged at their opponents from all directions, clambering and shoving each other relentlessly as they anticipated the feeling of tearing the Draiken’s apart. Zaron and Veena wasted no time in retaliation, leaping to their feet and prepared their blades to strike at the stampeding horde.

“These guys are getting on my BLOODY NERVES!”

Zaron bellowed excessively as he hacked into the first of the oncoming beasts, his blade cleaving through the crystal torso without mercy. Alternatively, the silent Veena unleashed a series of swift strikes, her sights focused primarily on the horde before her, yet her mind was set on reaching the blind beast above. She was desperate to create the perfect opening, believing the ceiling-dwelling ‘Screecher’ was the source of their constant grief against the spawning crystal-beast horde. More importantly, she was adamant to intercept the blind beast before it could unleash another one of its unbearable screeches. Thankfully, her opportunity arrived just in time.

“Veena! I'm open!”

Just as he beheaded the final beast in the opposing squad, Zaron reached out his free hand in Veena's direction. Veena rushed her assault against her opponents, dealing the definitive blow to a Speeder beast with a strike to the chest. With the beast’s body shattering immediately, Veena switched and raced towards Zaron. Before another crystal-beast could intercept her, she leapt and snatched Zaron’s arm with her free hand.

Grab!

As hands connected to wrists, Zaron placed all his available power into his arm and launched Veena up high – feeling his eyes burn as he aimed at the Screecher beast on the ceiling above.

Whoosh!

With the crystal walls reflected from her blade, Veena aimed the tip of Kurama directly at the Screecher. She stretched the span of her wings, allowing the velocity in Zaron’s launch to carry her towards her target. Her muscles tensed up and jaw clenched shut; the Draiken girl desired nothing more than to end the troublesome monster in a heartbeat. She was an unstoppable bullet, ripping the air into two as she rose higher-and-higher.

(I have you now!)

The Kurama blade was inches from contact with the beast, the likelihood of impact almost impossible to evade. And yet, the blade still missed.

SLAM!

“NNGH?! Dammit!”

The Screecher evaded the attack at the last second, scuttling away from the incoming Veena as though expecting her approach. Incidentally, the Draiken girl collided into the jagged ceiling, her momentum too fast for her to brace for impact. Instead, she collided against the ceiling at full force, whacking the right side of her ribs with a jagged section of the rock above. Holding back her yelp of agony, Veen latched onto the ceiling frantically, using the talon of her right wing to prevent her inevitable fall. It was successful – but at a cost.

“AGH-!!! *Wheeze...!* Ngh...!”

Every breath she drew was unbearable, struggling to hold her composure as her chest seethed agonizingly. To support the strain of her wing, she grabbed the ceiling with her free hand hastily and rocked her legs up onto ideal footholds. Her limbs were all shaking violently, desperate to retain her grasp on the rocky ceiling as she attempted to subdue the immense pain. Although the effects of her injury continued to loom, she convinced herself that she could bear with the setback. As Kurama dangled from her remaining hand, she observed the trickster Screecher with an unbreakable glare – a hint of agitation sparking deep in her subconscious as she watched the beast mock her from its new position. The beast crawled further away from her nonchalantly, feeling through the rock whilst planning its next move.

“...”

Controlling the frequency of her pained breaths, Veena crawled forward with firm resolve.

Slash! Clash! Hack-hack! SLICE! SWOOSH...!

Down below, Zaron proceeded to slice up the crystal-beast hordes, increasing the brutality and velocity of his blade with every empowered strike. Sliding and spinning passed the numerous claws attempting to cleave his body into pieces, the young Draiken was relentless in his execution. Limbs and chunks of shattered crystal dropped in his wake, dissolving from sight as the crystal returned to the bloodstream of the cave system. He hacked away without remorse, leaping up high onto another ‘Big-Bastard’ before it could attempt to crush him with its hulking frame. However, the moment he struck the beast through the neck, he was met with the loathsome sound he prayed would not return.

“SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEE...!!!!!”

“AH-! ARRGH-!!!”

The deafening screech was as unbearable as ever, ripping into Zaron's already sensitive eardrums as he struggled to retain his balance on the large beast’s shoulders. Even still, he had enough strength to finish the job before him. Albeit a struggle, Zaron dislodged the Artoria blade from the Big-Bastard with all his remaining might, kicking himself off the beheaded body before the beast crumpled to the ground. As he landed, the Draiken boy resisted any temptation to clasp his ears and fall to his knees, feeling the continuing screech rupture through his body whilst he consciously staggered forward. During this time, he evaded and parried the dozens of incoming claws. Although he fought hard, his focus wavered whilst searching for what would soon follow.

BzzzzZZZZZ-!!!

“Huh-?”

KaBOOOOOM!!!

Zaron retreated with a desperate leap, his eyes widened in horror as he observed the destructive beam brush the edge of his nose. It crossed from the left side of the wise arena to the right, eradicating various oblivious beasts that stood in its path. It only lasted a mere few seconds, yet the damage caused was beyond catastrophic.

“Hah ... haah...!”

Gasping for breath, Zaron glanced up to check on his partner’s position. Above him, Veena closed in on the idle Screecher gradually, the hilt of the Kurama blade latched between her jaws as traversed across the ceiling. Every move was silent – from reaching with the talons of her wings to pushing with her feet. She had force herself not to grunt nor slip a sound that would alert her opponent. No matter the pain that surged from her ribcage, she restrained any hint of agony until she completed her objective. From the depths of her pain, she was certain that a few of her ribs had broken upon impact with the ceiling. She could only imagine the severity of the damage underneath her attire, adamant to douse her imagination before it impacted her performance. Shaking her head profusely, she crawled ahead. With her gaze set solely on the Screecher, her mind repeated her planned attack in a constant loop – assuring there would be no mistakes in her execution on her second attempt.

“SCCRRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-!!!!!”

Another deafening scream erupted from the beast, causing Veena to halt her approach and brace for the inevitable abuse if her eardrums. She was only a few meters away from her target.

Flip! SLASH! Skid…! SWIPE!

Not one – but several beams of light exploded throughout the cave, eviscerating all in its destructive path. Zaron evaded every beam directed towards him in desperate haste, leaping and twisting whilst he struck down any beasts attempting to block his escape. With more crystal-beasts at his throat and death-beams shooting from every random direction, it was only a matter of time before he slipped up.

(Almost … there!)

Finally, after shifting close enough to execute her attack, Veena grasped the Kurama blade from her teeth and lunged at the Screecher without a snap of her wrist. She was beyond confident her assault would end the bothersome beast and finish the conflict with a Draiken victory.

Whip! THWACK!

“GAH!”

In that moment, the beast whipped its bouldering in abrupt retaliation and whacked Veena off from the ceiling before she could land her anticipated strike.

“VEENA!!!”

Zaron roared out in abrupt panic, ignoring the surrounding beasts entirely as he caught a glance of the events unfolding above. As she fell, Veena twisted her body reactively and launched the Kurama blade with every ounce of strength within her, utilising the span of her wings to stabilize her momentum whilst retaining her aim at the Screecher momentarily.

Whoosh! STAB!

Although in last resort, the Kurama blade struck the Screecher through the back successfully, breaking its grip from the ceiling incidentally and descend to the rocky ground below.

Wham!

“Oof!”

A second later, Veena collided against the hard ground, the wind knocked out of her lungs from the solid impact. The momentum of her fall caused her to roll across the floor, feeling every ounce of pain erupt throughout her body before slowing to a halt. Not only was she breathless, but her ribcage was also screaming out at her in constant unbearable agony – elevating beyond comprehension. The Draiken girl was left sprawled across the floor, her body immobilized as she struggled to regain her breath.

SLAM!

“SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!”

In one last, desperate attempt to disrupt its opponents, the Screecher shrieked out at its absolute loudest upon collision against the ground. In that moment, all fellow beasts halted their proceeding assault, responding to the commanding bellow with their own eerie roars.

“““GrrrooooooOOOOOAAAAAAAAA!!!!!”””

“““RyaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!”””

The numerous roars and shrieks were powerful enough to erupt a quake throughout the arena. As the entire area rumbled, a mixture of rubble and crystal crumbling from high above, falling and scattering upon impact with the ground like hail.

“...Ah!”

Directly above Veena was the colossal-sized crystal orb, indicating she was positioned at the centre of the surrounding cave. The orb was building up the familiar light rays in response to the collective roars, as though triggering a mechanism to unleash its extensive power. Veena’s lungs screamed out for oxygen as she attempted to scramble away from the inevitable destruction. However, no matter how hard she tried to escape, she could only watch in despair as the deathly beam would soon claim her life.

BzzzzzzZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ…!!!!!

The terrified Veena braced for impact, her wings covering her entire body frantically in a desperate attempt to shield herself.

Ka-BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!

…Swing! SKRRREEEEEEEEEEEEEE-!!!

“HNNGH!!!”

Veena loosened her brace as she peeked through the gap of her wings, wondering why she had yet to be vaporized. She gasped, oxygen returning to her lungs in an instant.

“Zaron?!”

Standing firm above her – using the Artoria blade to shield the oncoming death beam – was the immovable Zaron. His eyes were wild, his teeth clenched together, and his muscles pulsed: the Draiken boy withstood the immense pressure of the full-powered beam. Due to the intense power forced, Zaron was shaking as he held his ground. To add to the craziness, the flowing beam split apart at the flat of the blade, forming a cage of irregular-sized light beams around the Draiken.

From an outside perspective, the beams were protecting the pair from any potential attacks conjures by the crystal-beasts, eradicating anything that would simply touch its light. However, if Zaron were to break his stance, it would only spell an instant end for both Draiken. With the pressure holding him down and no certainty of when the beam would dissipate, Zaron was left in a deathly predicament.

“Keep close to me!” He commanded Veena, ensuring the blade above protected them both effectively.

Veena shuffled closer to Zaron’s legs as requested, the scattered light beams narrowly missed her feet. It burned through the rocky ground below, creating miniature crevasses from the immense power. Just then, both Zaron and Veena noticed the remaining crystal-beast hordes edging closer them, waiting patiently for the cage’s light to end.

“Heh-heh...! W-we’re in a bit of a predicament.” Veena pointed out in a weak chuckle.

“Yeah ... that’s fine.” Zaron responded through his clenched teeth, acting as though the pressure was nothing to him. “I'll kill every last one of these things in one shot!”

Veena shot him a widened glance in shock.

“You must be joking...!”

“Heh-heeh...! I'm ... I'm not.” He assured her confidently, expressing a struggling grin as he continued to hold his firm stance.

Veena glanced above his head, eyeing Artoria with her curious gaze. To her surprise, the blade was glowing brightly. From its illuminating appearance, the blade was absorbing the light in its entirety. Energy was building within the thick metal, elevating in power with each passing second.

The Draiken girl then realised the extent of Zaron’s plan.

“Are you sure this’ll work?” She questioned with uncertainty, wondering the effectiveness of Zaron’s perceived plan.

“It has to work!” Zaron yelled back definitively, refusing the hesitate in his idea. “If we don’t end this now, there’ll be no hope in us claiming the Dragon’s Eye!”

Veena fell silent. Zaron followed up with a low murmur, returning a confident glance to her.

“Just ... trust me on this.”

She nodded back acceptance – albeit hesitantly. The crystal-beasts edged further towards the caged pair, anticipating the ideal moment to unleash an all-out attack. They were aware that the light beam would soon end its stream, allowing the beasts to strike down on their vulnerable opponents.

VROOOOOSH-!!!

The beam continued to rain down relentlessly, intensifying the force against the Artoria blade and causing Zaron to struggle with holding his stance.

(...Come on … COME ON!)

Zaron prayed desperately for the beam to dissipate, feeling increasingly exhausted by the overwhelming pressure between him and his weapon.

Leap! Fwoosh!

Out of nowhere, the large hordes pounced forward in synchronization, consumed by their perceived taste for Draiken flesh. At the same time, the beam of light dissipated in an instantly, freeing the Draiken pair from their restraints.

“ZARON! NOW!”

As Veena screamed out, Zaron executed his plan immediately.

“AaaaaaaaAAAAAAAARRRRGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!”

With the Artoria blade now as bright as the sun, Zaron unleashed a wide, curving swing. He roared at the top of his lungs, a strong, burning yet familiar sensation engulfing his gaze. His adrenaline spiked and muscles intensified, the Young Draiken unleashed every ounce of power stored in both his blade and body. His entire body – along with the Artoria blade – span in a swift yet uncontrollable motion, the light expanding from the blade as he swung.

Vroom-vroom-vroom-vroom! VROOSH!!!

***

It was as though time slowed to a crawl. Zaron unleashed five devastating spins, causing a plethora of razor-thin light-rays to flow out from the large blade. Although the young Draiken had not aimed at a specific opponent, the powerful beams collided against every beast in the vicinity – most unfortunate enough to be caught by multiple oncoming light-rays. They had no time to react as the razor-thin rays sliced through the crystal-bound bodies with absolute ease, not one able to escape its phenomenal wrath. Limbs-from-bodies and heads rolling from torso: the crystal-beasts’ demise was nothing more than a spectacle. If not for their crystallized bodies, the entire cave would be a literal bloodbath. Furthermore, the sheer ruthlessness of the attack forced the crystal remains to scatter from the two Draiken, pieces tumbling away and slamming against walls in lifeless fodder.

The battle was over in a matter of seconds. The battlefield calmed, leaving the cave in atmospheric silence.

Slump...!

“Haah...! That was insane.”

Zaron gasped as he fell to his knees, feeling relieved from the immense strain placed on his body.

“Seriously ... I can’t believe that even worked.”

Just as he relaxed, his gaze switched to the wounded Veena. His partner was slumped close beside him, clutching the left side of her ribs as the immeasurable throbbing pain surged. She was silent and hands shaking, acting as though all her concentration was solely focused on soothing her injury. There was barely any acknowledgement from her surroundings, oblivious to Zaron’s comments.

“Veena? Are you holding up okay?” Zaron questioned as he placed a soothing hand on her shoulder. “You took a few good hits up there.”

Finally, the barely focused Veena glanced back at him, drawing a deep breath before she answered woozily.

“I’ll be fine. Just a little winded.”

She then eyed her Kurama blade in the distance, lying where the Screecher fell previously. With the remaining strength left in her muscles, Veena attempted to return to her feet and retrieve her weapon.

Stumble!

However, the moment she stood up, Veena lost her balance and stumbled forward. Zaron retaliated upon watching her fall, lurching forward as he threw his free arm around her before she could damage herself further. He then sighed out, helping her stabilize herself.

“…You’re far from ‘fine’.”

Veena held her silence, unable to return eye-contact.

“Wait here. I'll get Kurama and the bags.”

As he assured her, Zaron connected the Artoria blade onto its holster and stepped over to retrieve the necessary items, ensuring Veena could hold her own balance in the process. He first claimed the Kurama blade before shifting over to retrieve their secured luggage. Checking both the blade and rucksacks for any significant damages, Zaron was relieved to find nothing was broken nor tampered with during the battle. All items – including the camera – were unscathed.

Rumble...!

As he slung the two rucksacks over his shoulder, a small rumble was suddenly felt underneath his feet.

Crumble...! SLAM!

“Huh ... well, that’s convenient.”

Zaron noticed the passageway towards their goal finally opened once more, causing the young Draiken to comment optimistically. He returned to Veena without delay, the rucksacks slung over his right shoulder and Kurama resting in his left hand as he approached his injured partner.

“Maybe the Dragon’s Eye ... found us worthy...” Veena suggested as she gazed at the newly opened passageway, her breath stuttered as she murmured in lingering pain.

However, as she watched Zaron step up to her, her smile dropped in an instant.

“Hm? What’s up?” Zaron wondered curiously, noticing her sharp change in expression.

“Zaron … run.”

Her tone was merely a fearful whisper, the blush in her cheeks paled as she witnessed the horror behind the oblivious Zaron. Showing a confused glance, Zaron then felt a large, vicious presence tower over him from close behind. He then turned around gradually, holding Kurama tightly in his grasp as he prepared to defend himself once again. However, what started with a determined, confident stance soon shifted to crippling horror.

“Oh.”

Looming directly in front of him was a set of enormous, crystallized fangs aiming for his head.

Fwip!

Zaron leapt back instinctively, avoiding the humongous jaws before it could chomp down on his entire torso.

“Yeah…” The Draiken boy then muttered breathlessly; realisation set upon him. “Running’s a good idea.”

As he gained distance from the gigantic beast, he was able to grasp the full identity of the new monster before him. From top-to-toe, the colossal beast dwarfed over any other crystal-beast easily – including the ‘Big-Bastards’. Its blood-ruby glazed eyes glared down upon its prey with a menacing aura, expressing heavy intentions of devouring them. In additions, its widened yet stubby nozzle housed several rows of sharp, bone-crunching fangs, glistening at the desire of Draiken flesh. Towering over both Zaron and Veena with its boulder-like muscles and combination of patched-black fur and exposed crystal, there was no doubt that the Draiken pair were standing before the Final Guardian of the Dragon’s Eye.

“KRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH…!!!!!”

Skid! DASH!

As the beast unleashed a rumbling, deep bellow, Zaron switched back and dashed away in an instant, racing towards Veena in desperate haste.

“Veena! Catch!”

“Wha-?!”

Before she had time to react, Zaron chucked the Kurama blade towards the bewildered Veena. Feeling the surge of pain erupt in her ribs as she shifted, the wheezing Veena caught the blade by its hilt with a firm grasp. After that, she twisted and entered a hobbled run towards the opened exit, seeing no point in standing idly as the gigantic beast rampaged towards her. As she ran, her damaged ribs proceeded to scream at her in rising agony, causing her to only reach a fraction of her usual speed. Noticing her struggled, the frantic Zaron raced up behind her with an idea in mind.

“Sorry, this isn’t going to be pleasant!” He warned hastily, snatching her off her feet and into his arms like a princess.

“Eh?! HEY! WHAT ARE YOU-?!”

Boom-Boom! Boom-BOOM!!!

With the distraught Veena secured in his grasps, Zaron sprinted towards the passageway as full velocity. Although he could feel the monstrous beast chasing him down from close behind at a horrifying pace, the young Draiken refused to glance back. All he could focus on was their escape, praying they had enough time to slip through the escape route before they could be snatched up by the bouldering Guardian. Thankfully, the exit was upon them, and so was the beast.

“VEENA! BRACE YOURSELF!”

As he roared out, Zaron launched himself towards the exit, holding Veena tightly in his arms as he flew into the passageway. Veena curled up into a bracing ball, closing her eyes as she prayed for the madness to end – preferably with their lives intact. Realising Zaron’s desperate plan of escape, the colossal beast reached out to snatch at Zaron’s wing. However, at the last second, the Guardian collided into the exit’s archway just as its prey slipped through to safety.

CRASH!!!

With that, the entire passageway had fallen into pitch-black darkness.