Terra looks at the grotesque creature before her. "What the hell, why's there a Graith here?!" She shouts. Ray casts a barrier around Kaito clutching his staff tight. "I'm not sure." He timidly says.
The Graith continued its relentless assault, its speed blurring the air around it. In an instant, it lunged, claws aimed straight for Terra's head.
Ray threw up a barrier just in time. The creature's strike slammed against the shimmering wall with a deafening crack.
Behind Terra, a golden portal snapped open. She reached through, gripping the hilt of a sword far larger than the last. With a fierce yell, she swung, landing a powerful slash across the Graith's chest.
The blade tore a deep gash into its flesh, but the wound healed instantly, the skin sealing shut as if untouched.
"What?!" Terra stumbled back, eyes wide.
The Graith didn't hesitate. It closed the distance again, swinging viciously.
Terra raised her sword, barely catching the blow. Gritting her teeth, she opened another portal beside her. A volley of blades shot out, embedding themselves deep into the Graith's chest. Crimson blood sprayed out in sharp arcs.
The beast let out a guttural howl, then surged forward with renewed fury.
Terra turned, just as it vanished and reappeared behind her.
She swung, too late.
Ray's barrier flashed into place once more, absorbing the blow, but the force launched her across the battlefield. She rolled and sprang to her feet, tossing her hair out of her face.
"How am I supposed to land a good hit on something this fast?!" she shouted.
The Graith came at her again, claws slashing in a deadly rhythm. Terra met its speed now, her movements sharp and focused, dodging and countering each strike.
But one claw came too fast, too close.
She braced for the impact-
CLANG!
Breathing heavily, Max stands strong, and firm in front of her. "I'm glad I managed to find you all." He croaked through a horse voice.
"I made a horrible mistake," Max said, his voice low with frustration. "This dungeon's a much higher grade than I thought. We should've brought a B-rank mage with us, we can't win this fight!"
He turned, and spotted Kaito lying motionless on the floor.
"Damn it!" Max cursed, guilt hitting him hard. "I should've been there to protect him!"
Terra stepped up beside him, her jaw set. "We can't retreat. That means we have to beat this thing."
Ray nodded, his expression calm but serious. "Kaito's down, and we still don't know where Emma is. If we run now, we doom them both."
Max clenched his fists, biting back his doubt. Finally, he gave a sharp nod. "Alright. The odds are slim… but if there's even a chance, we take it."
Terra clapped a hand onto his shoulder, "boss put you in charge for a reason." She says.
He looked to his two friends, solid at his sides.
"Terra, stay on the front lines with me. Ray, support from the back. Conserve your energy, only use your shield in critical moments!"
Suddenly, the Graith returned, screeching as it launched forward.
This time, it charged Max.
Max surged forward with a burst of wind magic, launching himself into the fray. His blade pierced the Graith's chest just as Terra flew in, slicing across its head with two swift strikes.
With a roar, the Graith lashed out. A massive tentacle smacked Terra midair, hurling her backward. She caught herself, quickly darting back into the combat, It twisted toward Max, attempting to crush him, he dodged just in time, leaping back.
Another swing came for Terra. She flipped to avoid it, then countered, driving her blade deep into the beast's stomach.
The Graith let out a low growl, then twisted its body, wrapping around her sword and trapping her in place. It raised it's arm to crush her.
Ray's barrier shimmered to life just in time, saving her from being crushed.
The Graith flung her aside like a rag doll, then turned its sights toward Ray.
"It's targeting Ray!" Max shouted.
The creature blurred forward with terrifying speed, appearing right in front of Ray. The mage stumbled back, caught off guard.
Before the claws could land, Max hurled himself into the path!
But it was a feint.
The Graith turned mid-swing, its claws catching Max square in the chest and launching him across the chamber with bone-rattling force.
It pivoted again, bearing down on Ray.
Terra dashed in, catching Max mid-air with a burst of strength. Without hesitation, she hurled him back toward the Graith.
Max rode the wind, accelerating like a missile. His blade punched straight into the Graith's face.
The creature roared, staggering back.
Terra followed in a flash, her blade beginning to glow with radiant energy.
"Weapon Arte!" she cried, her sword flaring with brilliant silver light.
She leapt high into the air, her voice ringing out like thunder.
"Wolf's Reckoning!"
A massive silver ring of light erupted from her blade, slicing through the Graith with blinding force.
The beasts body falls to the ground lifeless.
Terra laughs. "I told you I'd have the team on my back Max!" She happily says.
Max rolls his eyes. "You were following my lead." He says.
Ray laughs nervously. "Lets hurry up and grab everyone and get out of here." He says.
Terra agrees. "Fine but when we leave Max you owe me dri-" Terra's sentence it's cut off by a horrible sight. Max too caught off guard as blood sprayed onto his face.
The Graith has returned to it's feet and plunged a hand through Rays stomach. Blood spills onto their faces and they both yell a terrified scream at the sight of their long time friend.
Max sweats as the Graith drops Ray. "Without Ray on defense, the beast is much more dangerous," Max says, his mood sinking. "Our chances of victory are much worse than before," he thinks.
What can they even do now? He doubts Kaito will be any good in a fight. He and Terra are good fighters, sure, but he wonders if continuing the fight is worth it, as their lives seem forfeit now.
Kaito breathes heavily from the ground. "This is terrible. I'm just watching from the sidelines while they fight for their lives," he says, twitching his fingers. "Please, I have to do something!" Kaito shouts.
Terra glances at Max. "Don't tell me you're thinking about giving up!" she yells, blocking an oncoming attack. "We both said one day we'd be top-ranking adventurers in a guild, remember?!" she reminds him.
Max listens, his throat tightening at her words.
"We don't give up; we never have!" Terra shouts as the Graith slices her side.
Despite his waning spirit, Max joins the fight with Terra.
They land blow after blow, taking multiple nasty hits themselves, putting their all into the combat.
Max is thrown aside, watching in horror as the Graith aims a killing blow at Terra.
Before the attack lands, she's shielded by a barrier. A red barrier?
They look over, and it's not Ray who conjured this barrier but Kaito.
"Little buddy?" Terra asks, surprised that he can use barrier magic. She thought he could only shoot dirt.
Kaito then charges fire in both hands and BLASTS it at the Graith, sending it flying away from Terra.
Max and Terra are both bewildered. Kaito smiles at them. "You guys still got your nerve?" he teases.
Terra and Max join his side and attack once more. Exhausted from the fight that has dragged on far too long, they persist. Kaito dodges an attack and unleashes more fire at the beast.
"It feels so good to use fire again!" he exclaims. Terra and Max both continue to press on. Shocked yet thankful by Kaito's prowess.
Max uses a weapon arte of his own cutting off the Graiths tentacles. The Graith howls and it grabs Max by his head. With all it's might it throws Max through a wall knocking him unconscious.
The Graith charges Kaito. The speed still a surprise he manages to react to it. Kaito flips forwards and slashes off the Graiths fingers from its hand. He then ignited his body using fire to propel himself away from it.
The move surprises Terra herself. "He's managing to keep up," she says her voiced filled with surprise. "Even though he's weaker than us?" She questions. In awe from his skill.
Terra swallows her ragged breath, with her entire body wincing from pain watching someone weaker than her fight she regains herself.
She recalls her past and all the various adventures she's been in with her friends, and how Max has always been ahead of her. His strength being both an inspiration and frustration.
She dashes in and assist Kaito as she uses her sacred arte to enhance her senses. Pushing herself even harder to protect them. The beast roars and fires blasts towards her slicing into her flesh, blood staining its claws.
She fights through the pain. Her entire body screaming. She looks around at the carnage seeing her friends on the ground and seeing this boy. Much weaker then herself performing so well causing her emotions to stir and her output strengthens.
The continued fight makes Kaito's wound open again. He slips up fromthe Pain and the Graith lands another attack on him. Kaito lands on the ground - quickly he shakes it off, attempting to rejoin the combat. Before he can Terra tosses him aside.
Terra howls like a beast. "Maximum output! Sacred arte!" She shouts at the top of her lungs. The brilliant silver glow illuminates the entire dungeon even reaching outside.
"Maximum output! Weapon arte!" Terra shouts, overexerting herself it feels as though her body rejects the overwhelming pressure. She forces her body to accept the power flowing through her.
All of her limits shattering before her very eyes she whips her blade around and her silver lights takes shape of a magnificent silver wolf! Gleaming beautiful despite their horrid circumstances! "Beastly calamity!" Terra unleashes an all new weapon arte.
The Graith howls, Terra's weapon arte, having no trouble passing through and destroying the beast whole finally putting an end to it's rampage.
She falls down to the ground exhausted from the fight. Though her best efforts she passes out. Kaito is left stunned at the display of strength before him. "Woah." Is all he can muster.
He sits down too tired and in pain.
He hears the sound of footsteps approaching them as he sits.