The sun dipped below the mountain peaks, casting long shadows over the mountainside. Xin stood at the head of the group, his coat flapping as they descended the rocky path toward the miasma tunnels. The twelve recruits followed, their steps quieter now, disciplined by the morning's drills. Toren and Raven flanked the group, their presence anchoring the team. This was no training exercise. They were hunting a prime Mirror Beast—a six-legged, scaled monstrosity with four gleaming eyes that could disorient and paralyze with a glance. This was their test, a real battle to prove their mettle.
Xin's role was clear: he was the sole healer, responsible for keeping the team alive against a creature that could tear through steel. His stomach tightened at the thought, but he pushed it down. Doubt was a luxury he couldn't afford.
As they neared the tunnel entrance, a jagged maw of stone shrouded in violet mist, Xin caught sight of the short girl from the vanguard, Roma, gripping her broadshield too tightly. Her knuckles were white, her jaw set, but her stance screamed tension. Raven's warning echoed in his mind: She'll break soon if she doesn't stop relying on muscle.
"Roma," Xin called softly, slowing his pace to fall in step with her.
She glanced up, startled, then straightened. "Yes, s—Xin?"
He gestured for her to ease her grip on the shield. "You're holding it like it's going to run away. Relax your arms. You're strong, but strength won't help if you're too rigid to move."
Her brow furrowed, but she nodded, loosening her hold. "I just… don't want to mess this up. Not today."
"You won't," Xin smiled, his voice steady but kind. "You've got the stance down, but it's not about brute force. When the beast comes, let the shield take the hit, not your body. Flow with it, like water. You'll last longer."
Roma's eyes softened, a flicker of relief breaking through her nerves. "Thanks, Xin. I'll try."
It felt weird consoling someone that's older than him but it had to be done, He gave her a small nod, then moved back to the front, his mind already shifting to the strategy ahead. Toren had briefed them at dusk: the Mirror Beast was fast, its scales reflective and near-impenetrable, its four eyes capable of locking onto multiple targets. The vanguard would hold its attention, the duelists would harass its flanks, and the strategists would deploy traps to limit its mobility. Xin would stay central, ready to heal wounds or counter the beast's disorienting gaze with cleansing ether pulses.
"Positions!" Toren barked as they reached the tunnel's mouth. The air grew heavy, thick with the acrid tang of miasma. The recruits moved with purpose, their training taking over. The four vanguard shield bearers, including Roma, formed a tight semicircle at the front, shields raised. The three duelists fanned out to the sides, blades drawn, their steps light. The three strategists positioned themselves at the rear, unpacking ether mines and collapsible barricades. Raven stood slightly ahead of Xin, his black armor a stark contrast to the glowing mist, while Toren took the lead, his twin blades glinting faintly.
Xin's heart pounded, but he forced his breathing to steady. He clutched the Dharma wheel at his side, its crystal tip pulsing faintly with stored energy. As the healer, he had to stay sharp, watching for injuries, ready to act the moment someone faltered.
The tunnel sloped downward, its walls slick with condensation. The miasma thickened, curling around their ankles like living smoke. A low, guttural rumble echoed fRoma the depths, followed by the scrape of claws on stone. The Mirror Beast was close.
"Eyes sharp," Raven said, his voice low and metallic. "It'll try to confuse us first."
The team advanced, their formation tight. Xin's senses strained, catching every sound—the clink of armor, the shuffle of boots, the faint hum of the strategists' devices. Then, a flash of movement ahead. Four glowing eyes emerged from the mist, set in a broad, reptilian head. The Mirror Beast loomed, its six legs splayed, its scales shimmering like liquid glass. It was larger than Xin had imagined, nearly twice his height, its tail lashing with a barbed tip.
"Vanguard, brace!" Toren shouted.
The beast lunged, faster than its size suggested. Its claws raked across Roma's shield, the impact sending a shockwave through the tunnel. She staggered but held, her knees bent as Xin had advised, letting the force flow through her. The other vanguard members locked their shields, forming a wall.
"Hold the line!" Xin called, his voice cutting through the battle. He raised his wheel, sending a pulse of cleansing ether toward the vanguard to counter any disorienting effects from the beast's eyes. The air shimmered briefly, and Roma's stance steadied.
The duelists struck next, darting in from the sides. A young woman named Roma, her blade a blur, slashed at the beast's foreleg. The strike sparked off its scales, barely leaving a mark, but it drew the creature's attention. Two of its eyes locked onto her, and she froze, her body rigid as if caught in a trance.
"Roma!" Xin shouted, sprinting forward. He swung Wheel, releasing another ether pulse. The glow enveloped Roma, breaking the beast's gaze, and she stumbled back, gasping. "Stay focused! Don't meet its eyes!"
The strategists acted, one tossing an ether mine that detonated beneath the beast's hind legs. The explosion rocked the tunnel, forcing the creature to rear back, its roar shaking the walls. The other strategists erected a barricade, funneling the beast toward the vanguard.
Toren charged, his blades aimed at the beast's underbelly, one of the few vulnerable spots. He struck true, drawing a spray of dark ichor, but the beast retaliated, its barbed tail whipping toward him. Raven was there in an instant, catching the tail with both gauntlets, his boots skidding across the stone as he held it back.
"Flank it!" Raven growled, his voice strained but steady.
The duelists regrouped, striking at the beast's sides while the vanguard pushed forward, their shields absorbing blow after blow. Xin stayed central, his wheel glowing as he sent healing pulses to the vanguard. Roma took another hit, her shield dented but holding. A duelist, Jace, cried out as a claw grazed his arm, blood welling through his sleeve. Xin was at his side in seconds, pressing a hand to the wound, channeling ether to seal it. Jace nodded, grimacing, and rejoined the fight.
The beast was relentless, its eyes darting, its claws slashing. It lunged for Roma again, sensing weakness. She braced, her shield trembling, and Xin saw her knees start to lock. "Flow, Roma!" he shouted, sending another pulse her way. She adjusted just in time, deflecting the blow and stepping aside, letting the beast's momentum carry it past her.
Toren seized the opening, driving both blades into the beast's side. The creature screeched, its scales cracking under the force. The strategists detonated another mine, this one catching the beast's rear legs, slowing it. Raven moved in, his gauntlets slamming into the creature's head, dazing it.
"Now!" Toren roared.
The team converged. The vanguard pushed forward, pinning the beast against the barricade. The duelists struck at its joints, targeting weak points in its scales. The strategists unleashed a final volley of ether mines, the explosions shaking the tunnel. Xin kept his wheel raised, healing wounds as they appeared—a gash on a duelist's leg, a bruise on Roma's shoulder, a cut across Toren's forearm.
The beast's movements grew sluggish, its roars weaker. With a final, desperate lunge, it swiped at Raven, but he sidestepped, grabbing its foreleg and twisting with all his strength. The creature collapsed, its scales dimming, its eyes losing their glow.
Toren drove his blade into its underbelly one last time. The beast shuddered and went still.
Silence fell, broken only by the recruits' heavy breathing. Xin lowered his wheel, his arms trembling from the strain. He scanned the team—no fatalities, no critical injuries. They'd done it.
Toren wiped his blades, his face bruised but grinning. "Not bad for a first hunt."
Raven removed his helmet, his dark eyes assessing the team. "They held."
Roma approached Xin, her shield battered but her expression proud. "I flowed," she said, a small smile breaking through.
"You did," Xin replied, returning the smile. "You all did."
The team regrouped, their confidence palpable. They'd faced a prime Mirror Beast and won. This was their test, and they'd passed.
Raven walked up beside Xin, arms crossed. "Told you she'd break if she didn't adjust."
"You did," Xin said. "Good call."