Cane:This way…
He led them east, toward the second exit. Not long after, they hit a sheer rock bluff.
Dhalia:Did we miss it?
Cane:Circle back. We'll spread out.
He moved parallel to the ledge, scanning every seam and crevice. Halfway along, he dropped prone and peered over the edge.
Cane:Found it.
Five meters below was a nearly perfect opening in the cliff face—dark, deliberate, and hidden from the trail. Cane muttered a curse. No ledges. No footholds. The descent was smooth as glass.
Dhalia and Clara joined him minutes later, both lying flat to see.
Clara:Um… is this a problem?
Cane:Nope.
Dhalia:Really?
Cane:Let's wait for Fergis.
Fergis:Spike runes are done—I drew two. Working on the frost rune now.
Cane:Take your time. We're still early into its sleep cycle. We'll be heading back your way anyway.
The trio worked in quiet rhythm, ferrying stones to the ledge above the exit where Fergis was still drawing.
Cane:Not that one, Dhalia. The one next to it.
Dhalia:Okay.
She carried the rock to the edge and went back for more.
Cane:The one to the left of it, Clara.
Clara:It's twice the size.
Cane:And has a high iron content. The one you were grabbing is just a rock.
Dhalia: I see… you're going to try and seal this up using the ore itself.
Cane nodded. "Exactly."
Half an hour later, Fergis climbed over the ledge, face slick with sweat.
Cane untied the rope and stowed it.
Fergis: Shit… Is the entrance really over the side?
Cane nodded again.
Dhalia:Can you seal it quietly?
Cane:Think so.
He pressed his hands to the ore, breathing slow and even. The stars overhead burst to life, blue pulsing brighter as it orbited the white. Inside the ore, patterns emerged—rich veins, glinting with potential. He reached through them, calling the metal to move.
Carefully. Quietly.
He didn't speak, didn't shift weight. He worked like a whisper, pulling ore down into the lower face of the ledge and sealing the gap without a sound.
Ten minutes passed before he emerged, pale and dry-mouthed.
Cane:One last one…
Fergis:Makes no sense for all of us to go.
Cane:Just me and you. You draw the runes. I'll gather ore.
Dhalia:What should we do?
Cane:Hide near the main entrance. If it flushes out, I want to know which direction it takes.
Clara:Can I take the shot?
Cane:If you're confident—yes. But you absolutely can't miss.
Cane descended the rope while the others anchored it. He landed softly and looked up.
Cane:Watch your step when you come down.
Fergis followed, sliding easily. Cane caught his arm and steadied him.
Cane:Place your runes five meters straight ahead. I'll start hauling ore.
They worked in tandem for nearly two hours—slow, deliberate, careful not to make noise. When the rune placement was complete and the last stone stacked, Cane returned to the ore world, drawing iron inward and melding the mass into the cliff. He extended it into the walls, reinforcing until the structure was stable and sealed.
They climbed out and looped back around, arriving at the main entrance just shy of noon.
Cane:Drink water. Check your gear. Once Fergis draws the entrance runes, we'll talk strategy.
After Fergis finished drawing the final runes, the group retreated to the horses.
"So we're not using the bait?" Clara asked.
Cane shook his head. "It's sleeping now. We already control the fight. Its wings are furled—if you get a clean shot, you take away its flight and those spike strikes."
Clara nodded, confident. "I got this. Don't worry."
"As soon as she fires, hit it with a flare," Cane said to Fergis. "Its eyes will still be closed—time it right and we'll blind it."
Fergis gave a sharp nod. "I'll keep the flares coming. Keep it blinking."
"Dhalia," Cane turned, "put up the icewall if it charges, and heal whoever needs it. Can you counter the sting?"
"I've mastered a fairly advanced detox spell," she said. "It's ready."
"Should I reload the net-gun first, or use the blunderbuss?" Clara asked.
"Fire both," Cane replied. "Then reload the net. If your root and snare spells stick, keep casting. We need pressure."
He hesitated, running the plan again in his head. With Fergis, their primary damage-dealer, stuck casting flare, it fell to Cane to handle the heavier strikes. He muttered, "Should've finished that damn breach-loading blunderbuss…"
Clara checked the mechanisms on both weapons, then stowed them in her ring. "I'm ready."
"Remember your assignments. Stay flexible—we'll adapt as needed,"
Cane said, draining his canteen and tucking it away.
They moved quietly back toward the cave.
Cane: Stealth is up for the duration. Heartguard cores will likely deplete during the fight—make it count.
He entered first, hugging the left side of the tunnel—the only strip without runes. The manticore lay sleeping, its chest rising and falling in slow, rhythmic menace. Even its breath sounded dangerous.
Cane drew his shield and Starbolt, turning to Clara with a small nod.
THWIP.
The net-gun hissed like a viper, wrapping the manticore's folded wings and pinning them to its sides.
The beast jolted upright, stumbling slightly from the bind.
FLAREBURST.
Three fireballs erupted from Fergis's hands. A breath before impact, they detonated into searing white light across the manticore's face.
It roared in pain, claws scoring deep furrows in the rock as it twisted, momentarily blind.
Then—it froze.
Twin stars flared overhead.
Cane immersed himself fully. His mind sank into his weapons, into the shield—becoming light, becoming force. He blurred forward, trident in hand, and struck.
The weapon punched deep into the manticore's shoulder—more than half its length buried. The beast screamed.
It spun, lashing with its massive stinger—striking Cane squarely.
He braced behind his shield, but the impact hurled him across the floor, skidding hard.
BOOM.
The cavern shook with the echo of Clara's blunderbuss. The shot smashed into the tail mid-strike, obliterating the stinger.
Clara:Got it.
Fergis: It's running—east exit!
Cane rolled to his feet, trident lost but not hesitating. He summoned Starstrike into his hand—axe flashing.
Cane:We're following!
The manticore fled down the eastern tunnel, blood dripping as all four teammates gave chase. It veered left suddenly, forcing its massive frame through a narrow corridor just wide enough to squeeze through.
Cane:Shit… we didn't scout this passage.
Dhalia:It's probably an alternate route to the west exit.
Cane rounded the corner at a run—and skidded to a stop. The tunnel opened into another cavern: the western exit.
The manticore stood, eyes blazing with fury, facing the sealed wall of melded ore. Its nostrils flared. Its instincts told it the way was blocked—permanently.
Fergis: It went through the rune-free side…
Twin stars erupted above Cane's head. He surged forward, shield first, slamming it into the beast's side. Pain lanced up his shoulder, but the impact knocked the manticore several meters sideways.
It was enough.
A burst of light—then hundreds of jagged ice spikes shot from the cavern floor. The creature howled in agony, impaled through its hind leg and abdomen.
Dhalia:Toss me the blunderbuss—I'll reload!
Clara turned, tossing the weapon and reloading satchel in one smooth motion. Then green light flared from her hands.
ROOT.
The vines lashed out, coiling around the manticore's limbs.
Fergis waited—then unleashed his magic.
FLAREBURST.
Blinding fire exploded across the creature's face. It reared back, snarling—then stepped squarely onto another rune. Roots surged, binding its front limbs as the ice trap locked its paws in place.
Cane advanced, axe in hand. He drove the blade down onto the embedded trident, then yanked the weapon free in a spray of blood.
The manticore roared, spinning blindly. Its tail and claws slashed in fury—
Fergis:Shit… I'm hit!
A shard from the ice trap—knocked loose by the thrashing tail—had turned into a projectile. It embedded deep into Fergis's side. His heartguard sparked once… then failed.
Dhalia: Catch—left!
Clara caught the blunderbuss mid-toss. Behind her, Dhalia dragged Fergis to safety, hands already glowing as her own heartguard flickered and died. She pressed both palms to the wound, muttering tightly as she pulled the spike free and began sealing the tear.
BOOM.
Clara's shot slammed into the manticore's front paw, staggering it. Wounded and panicked, the beast twisted and clawed its way back into the narrow tunnel—desperately trying to flee.
Cane:How is he?
Dhalia:Flesh wound—need a sec.
Cane:We don't have a sec. We're following.
Cane's heartguard blinked dimly as he stumbled—the corridor was slick with blood, the air vibrating with a deep, rage-filled roar.
He paused, breathing hard, then turned.
Cane: Change of plans. It's already sprung the next trap. We'll loop to the entrance and get ahead of it. Finish healing Fergis once we're there.
By the time they reached the entrance cavern, all their heartguards had failed—drained, flickering, done.
Cane:Toss me the net-gun. I'll reload it while you work the blunderbuss.
Clara tossed the gear without hesitation. Nearby, Dhalia's hands glowed steady and pale as she pressed down on Fergis's side, mending muscle and sealing sinew. Less than a minute later, the ground trembled.
The beast was coming.
Cane: It's enraged. Let's finish it.
He tossed the reloaded net-gun back to Clara and readied his shield. Starstrike gleamed in his other hand.
The manticore burst from the tunnel, roaring—net trailing behind it, wings unfurled, its eyes glowing red with pain and hate.
Clara: Don't worry. I won't miss.
Cane stepped forward, calm and silent—positioned just at the edge of the ice trap. Irresistible bait. The one who had done the most damage.
The manticore leapt.
The instant it did, the ground betrayed it—ice spikes shot up, piercing its ribcage and lower belly. It shrieked in pain and desperation.
Starlight bloomed overhead.
Cane blurred forward, Starstrike in hand, streaking past the beast with a gleam of steel and ice. His axe cleaved clean through one of the wings. Frost crept up the exposed side of its body.
THWIP.
The net hit again—this time wrapping its head and remaining wing. It crashed down, thrashing and snarling, pinned.
Cane shifted. Trident in hand, he stepped in and drove the weapon into the manticore's throat. Blood gushed, and the trident was ripped from his grip as the creature coughed violently, choking on its own lifeblood.
Clara stepped up, calm and close.
BOOM.
The blunderbuss fired point-blank into the creature's chest. The manticore collapsed, broken and dying.
Cane:Withdraw…
They stepped back, giving it space—no one eager to risk a final, desperate strike.
Moments later, the cave fell still.
The death rattle echoed once—and then, silence.
It was over.