The terrifying realization about the Behemoth and Louis hung heavy in the air, but also ignited a grim resolve within us. There was no turning back now.
"Okay, folks," I said, my voice cutting through the tension, "are we ready for next?"
A chorus of determined nods and firm "Ready!" echoed my sentiment. With a collective breath, we walked towards the portal that would undoubtedly lead us deeper into Merlin's Gauntlet.
We stepped through, and the familiar disorienting swirl gave way to a new environment. This time, we found ourselves in a vast, echoing cavern, dimly lit by phosphorescent fungi clinging to the stalactites above. The air was cold, damp, and tasted faintly of iron.
Jove, who had been consulting his stolen map even as we moved, his usual cocky grin already fading, suddenly froze. His eyes, usually bright with mischief, widened into discs of pure, unadulterated panic, darting frantically across the parchment. "This place... this isn't on the map!" he shrieked, his voice laced with raw, desperate fear, utterly unlike his usual theatrical complaints. "Why were we transported here?! This isn't right! This isn't... planned!" The cavern, already vast and eerie, seemed to press in on us, the phosphorescent fungi casting long, dancing shadows that twisted into monstrous shapes. The air grew colder, heavier, and a profound silence descended, broken only by Jove's ragged breaths and the frantic thumping of our own hearts. A wave of collective dread washed over us, visible in the sudden pallor of Henry's face, the slight tremor in Gianna's hand, and Yor's unreadable eyes widening just a fraction.
The chilling realization that we were off the map was immediately overshadowed by a guttural, earth-shaking growl that vibrated through the very stone beneath our feet, followed by a piercing, desperate scream of a lady that tore through the air, raw with terror.
"Run!" I commanded, my voice sharp with urgency, and we sprinted towards the horrifying sounds, our boots skidding on the damp cavern floor.
What we found stopped us cold, freezing us in place. There, in the dim, phosphorescent glow, was the very creature from our nightmares: the Behemoth. It was a colossal monstrosity, easily ten meters tall, its massive, powerful body covered in a coat of pitch-black fur that seemed to absorb all light. From its head, two thick, curled horns, as dark as polished obsidian, twisted upwards, menacing and ancient. But what truly held my gaze were its eyes: two burning, malevolent red orbs that glowed with an infernal light, fixed on the terrified Merlin Dorm team.
The Merlin Dorm students were a picture of disarray and terror. Raika, her distinctive blue robe of Merlin Dorm torn in places, revealing glimpses of her lean, athletic form, stood closest to the beast, her straight Drakarian horns prominent against her pale face, her eyes wide, and her Lightning Bind sparking wildly around her, a desperate, uncontrolled discharge of power. Oliver, the Aetherian, his single wing visibly battered and bruised, its iridescent feathers dulled, stood bravely, his halberd drawn, but his stance was desperate, his breath coming in ragged gasps, clearly at his physical limit, his eyes fixed on the Behemoth with a mixture of defiance and terror. Anna Emrys, the pink-haired human girl, was huddled on the ground, her oversized blue robe torn, desperately trying to mend the unconscious Selica, who lay in her lap, her usually neat braided white hair now messy and tangled, her thin-rimmed glasses askew. Dorrick Tanner, the usually chattering Kaynari, was eerily silent, his goggles hanging crookedly from his head, his face pale and slack with shock, his tools scattered around him, utterly paralyzed by the colossal beast. Their blue robes, once so neat, were now stained with dust and dampness, some torn, reflecting the brutal encounter they had clearly endured.
"Gianna, cast your mist! Now!" I yelled, my voice raw with a desperate urgency that cut through the chaos. "Disorient the Behemoth! We need time! Jove, wind bind on me, Yor, and Henry! Move! We're going in!"
As Gianna, her face pale but resolute, began to weave her spell, a shimmering veil of mist already beginning to bloom from her outstretched hands, I felt the familiar surge of Jove's wind bind around me, a sudden lightness that made my limbs sing. Yor and Henry, their expressions grim but determined, were equally enveloped. We charged, a blur of desperate motion, straight towards the still-disoriented Behemoth, knowing every second counted.
I reached Selica first, scooping her unconscious form into my arms. Her rapid, shallow breathing was a faint flutter against my chest, her body surprisingly light. I quickly carried her back, placing her gently beside Gianna, away from the now disoriented Behemoth, whose frustrated roars were already beginning to clear the mist.
"Yor, Henry, Jove!" I shouted, turning back, my voice strained. "Get the rest of the Merlin Dorm team! Retreat! Now!"