The oppressive silence of the Scorching Badlands deepened with every step. The brittle ground crackled beneath their feet, threatening to crumble with their weight. Heat waves shimmered across the horizon, warping the jagged spires of obsidian that towered above them. The molten rivers hissed in the distance, their glow casting an eerie light that flickered like the heartbeat of a slumbering beast.
James tightened his grip on his satchel, the hum of his Heat Resistant Runestone a small comfort against the unbearable temperature. He felt sweat trickling down his temple, but he didn’t dare pause to wipe it away. Not here. Not with the unshakable feeling of eyes watching their every move.
"Stay sharp," Sylvia said, her voice soft but firm. Her luminous wings glowed faintly, their light deflecting some of the heat but doing little to ease the tension in the air. She scanned the terrain with sharp, focused eyes, her every movement purposeful. "We’re not alone."
Kael snorted, his claws digging into the brittle ground. "I’d be disappointed if we were. Something here is waiting for us. I can feel it."
"Probably sizing us up," Thrain muttered, his gruff voice barely audible over the crackling heat. The Dwarf kept his hammer resting against his shoulder, his fingers twitching as though itching for a fight. "Won’t have to wait long before it tries its luck."
Elyndor walked at the rear of the group, his staff tapping lightly against the ground. His golden eyes flickered with a faint glow, as though peering beyond the visible spectrum. "It’s not just one presence," he said, his voice calm but tense. "The spirits whisper of many. Shadows moving through the fire."
James felt a chill crawl up his spine, despite the heat. He tried to focus on his surroundings, his mind racing with calculations. The heat. The silence. The lingering marks of destruction they’d seen earlier. All of it pointed to one thing—they were walking into the domain of something far stronger than they could comprehend.
+
They came across a new clearing, the ground scorched and cratered as though struck by a great force. Blackened bones lay scattered across the terrain, their edges melted and fused to the rock. The air carried a faint metallic tang that stung the back of James’s throat.
Sylvia knelt to examine the remains, her luminous wings casting soft light over the charred ground. She brushed her fingers against a fragment of bone, her expression unreadable. "This isn’t just destruction. It’s precision."
"Precision?" Kael growled, his amber eyes narrowing. "Looks like a slaughter to me."
Sylvia glanced up, her gaze steady. "No. These strikes weren’t random. They were targeted. Whatever did this knew exactly where to hit."
"Great," Thrain muttered, tightening his grip on his hammer. "So we’re dealing with a genius monster. Just what we needed."
Elyndor raised his staff, the glow around him intensifying. He murmured something under his breath, his voice barely audible, and a faint green wisp appeared, swirling around his fingers. The High Elf closed his eyes, his expression tense as he communed with the spirit.
"The spirits are restless," Elyndor said after a moment, his voice strained. "They speak of something… vast. Powerful. Watching."
James swallowed hard, his fingers fidgeting with the strap of his satchel. "Watching? Like it’s studying us?"
"Exactly," Elyndor replied, his gaze fixed on the distant horizon. "It’s waiting for the right moment to strike."
Kael let out a low growl, his claws flexing. "Then let it come. I’m tired of all this sneaking around."
Sylvia stood, her wings flaring slightly. "No. If it’s studying us, it means it’s intelligent. We can’t underestimate it."
"Too late for that," Thrain said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "We’re already knee-deep in molten hell. Might as well see what’s waiting."
+
The air shifted.
James felt it first—a chill threading through the oppressive heat, crawling up his spine and sinking into his chest. It wasn’t relief. It was dread. His stomach twisted as he froze in place, gripping his satchel tightly. Whatever was coming, it wasn’t natural.
Kael snarled low, his claws scraping against the cracked earth as he crouched, his eyes scanning the horizon like a predator sensing its rival. "It’s close."
Sylvia’s wings flared behind her, their glow cutting through the swirling ash. She moved forward, her gaze sharp as she spread her luminous aura outward, a shield against the encroaching darkness. "Stay together. We can’t afford to scatter."
Elyndor planted his staff into the ground, the faint hum of spirits vibrating in the air around him. His golden eyes narrowed. "It’s more than just close. It’s hunting us."
A deep, guttural sound rose from the shadows, vibrating through the ground and into their bones. James clenched his teeth, his pulse hammering in his ears. It wasn’t just a sound—it was a presence, heavy and suffocating.
And then it appeared.
From the jagged spires of obsidian came a serpentine behemoth, its molten veins glowing like rivers of fire beneath its obsidian-scaled hide. Steam hissed from its body with every movement, and its burning eyes locked onto them with a calculated hunger. The creature exuded power, the kind that didn’t merely threaten—it promised.
"Gods above," James whispered, unable to tear his eyes away. "An abyssal serpent. . ."
The creature lunged.
Kael moved first, his instincts honed from years of combat. He roared as he met the creature mid-lunge, his claws slicing across its molten hide. Sparks exploded on impact, the sound a deafening screech of metal on stone. The beast twisted, its tail whipping out with brutal force and slamming into Kael’s side. He flew back, landing with a heavy thud that cracked the earth beneath him.
"Damn it!" Kael growled, staggering to his feet, smoke rising from his scorched armor. "Its hide’s like forged steel!"
Sylvia stepped forward, her wings flaring as she extended her Luminous Barrier. A radiant wall of light materialized between the group and the advancing beast. The creature slammed into it, its molten breath steaming against the shield, but Sylvia held firm.
"Hold it!" she commanded, her voice steady but strained. "We need time to regroup!"
Elyndor didn’t hesitate. He raised his staff, green energy crackling to life. With a wordless chant, ethereal vines erupted from the ground, snaking toward the beast and wrapping around its limbs. The creature thrashed, its molten veins searing through the spectral bindings, but Elyndor’s hold didn’t waver.
"It won’t stay trapped for long," Elyndor warned, sweat beading on his brow. "Do something now!"
James fumbled with his satchel, pulling out a small rune-etched sphere. His hands trembled as he activated it, the device humming with arcane energy. "Disrupt its core… disrupt its core…" he muttered to himself, repeating the plan he’d rehearsed in his mind.
With a shaky breath, he hurled the sphere at the creature. It struck its side, embedding itself into the molten veins before detonating in a burst of blue energy. The beast let out a guttural roar, its molten glow dimming as cracks formed along its hide.
"It worked!" James gasped, a flicker of hope lighting up his face.
But the creature wasn’t done.
Sylvia stepped forward, her wings spreading wide. A barrier of light erupted between the group and the creature, halting its charge. The beast roared in frustration, its molten breath steaming against the barrier.
"Keep it busy!" Sylvia shouted, her voice steady despite the strain. "I can hold it, but not for long!"
Elyndor raised his staff, summoning a surge of green energy. Ethereal vines erupted from the ground, wrapping around the creature’s limbs and holding it in place. "James, now would be a good time to prove your worth!"
James fumbled with his satchel, pulling out a small device—a rune-etched sphere designed to disrupt elemental energy. His hands shook as he activated it, the sphere humming to life with a faint glow.
"Here goes nothing," James muttered, throwing the device at the creature.
The sphere struck the beast’s side, exploding in a burst of arcane energy. The molten veins along its body dimmed for a moment, and the creature let out a pained roar. It thrashed against the vines, snapping them as it lunged again.
Kael intercepted it, his claws slashing at its face. "Stay down, you oversized lizard!"
The beast reared back, its molten breath gathering in its throat. Sylvia’s eyes widened. "Scatter! Now!"
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The group dove in different directions as the creature unleashed a torrent of molten fire. The ground sizzled and cracked, the heat searing even through the protection of the runestones. James rolled to the side, clutching his satchel as he gasped for air.
"This thing’s not going down easy," Thrain growled, his hammer glowing with an earthy light. "We need to hit it harder!"
Sylvia nodded, her wings flaring. "Together, then. Kael, keep it distracted. Elyndor, bind it again. Thrain, aim for the core."
"And me?" James asked, his voice shaking.
Sylvia’s gaze softened for a moment. "You’re the thinker, James. Find us an opening."
James swallowed hard but nodded. He clutched another gadget in his hand, his mind racing as the battle raged around him. He had to focus. He had to be ready.
The Scorching Badlands weren’t going to give them another chance.