The twin sorceresses' coordination was a sight to behold, a deadly dance of fire and ice that forced a low whistle of appreciation from Marcus. One misstep, one mistimed spell, and the hulking creature would capitalize in an instant. For mages whose defenses were as fragile as glass, a single solid hit was often a death sentence. The sheer precision required to maintain the assault was immense, a constant, draining focus.
He could almost feel the mental strain they were under, a high-wire act where the only safety net was each other's timing.
On paper, their flawless assault should have kept the monster permanently on the defensive. But this thing was an anomaly, a brute that defied logic. Not only was it absurdly tough, but it was also deceptively fast. Every time the Water Sorcerer's Freeze failed to land, the creature would lunge, its twisted form closing the distance in a heartbeat, forcing the two women to scramble and reposition in a frantic blur.
Their robes, one the color of deep ocean and the other of blazing embers, swirled around them as they danced just out of reach of its crushing blows.
'What the hell is this thing?' Marcus wondered, his eyes narrowed in analysis. 'It's tanking two high-damage mages like it's nothing, shrugging off spells that should be carving deep into its hide. And that black aura under its feet…'
He focused, casting Insight.
Ironwood Treant: Level 25 (Advanced). Health: 10,005,000. Originally an Ironwood tree that had absorbed energy for a thousand years, it was infected by the corrupting essence of a Shadow-Stained Gryphon King that landed on it. It transformed into an Ironwood Treant, filled with a volatile, murderous aura. Its lifelong dream is to evolve into the Ironwood King.
Skills:
Dark Radiance: Automatic health regeneration. Recovery speed: 50 HP/second.
Arboreal Whip: Transforms its branch-like arm into a vine, attacking the target three times in quick succession, with a chance to knock down.
Regeneration. Of course, Marcus realized, the pieces clicking into place. 'That explains how it's outlasting them. They're pouring everything they have into it, and it's just stubbornly knitting itself back together.'
His Insight also picked up the basics on the twins themselves.
Icefall: Level 20. Class: Water Sorcerer.
Firebrand: Level 20. Class: Fire Sorcerer.
He finally got a clear look at their faces as they moved. FreshwindElara hadn't been exaggerating; they were striking. Identical, with sharp features and an intensity in their eyes that was hard to look away from. They carried themselves with a practiced grace that marked them as serious players.
If there was a difference, it was all in the demeanor.
Firebrand fought with a fierce, almost joyful grin, a spark of wild energy in every motion. She seemed to relish the chaos, her fire spells erupting with a volatile, passionate heat.
Icefall, true to her name, was all cool precision. Her expression was one of focused disdain, as if the very act of having to fight this thing was beneath her. She had that unapproachable, top-player aura that screamed "don't bother me," each of her spells a calculated, frigid strike.
"You two need a hand?" FreshwindElara called out, her voice cutting through the sounds of combat.
Just then, a Freeze spell fizzled. The Treant surged forward, its limb whipping through the air to strike Firebrand three times in rapid succession. She stumbled back, fumbling for a health potion as her sister desperately tried to draw the aggro.
"We have it under control," Icefall replied, her voice crisp and dismissive as a Water Blade slammed into the Treant's back, successfully pulling its attention. She didn't even glance their way, her entire world narrowed to the monster and her sister.
"Friendly, isn't she?" FreshwindElara muttered under her breath to Marcus.
Marcus just shrugged. He'd dealt with colder.
Distracted by the new threat from behind, the dim-witted Treant abandoned its current target and turned to lumber after Icefall. The two sisters fell back into their rhythm, chipping away at its health until it teetered at less than ten percent. They were so close.
Then it happened.
The air itself seemed to grow heavy and thick with power. A deep, guttural roar erupted from the Treant, a sound of splintering wood and raw malice. Propelled by the black halo at its feet, a swirling Earthen Aura and a Verdant Light enveloped its form. Shrouded in the bizarre, dual-colored energy, its body began to swell and grow, the very ground trembling faintly.
"Stone, what's going on?" FreshwindElara asked, her voice tightened.
"It's evolving. Powering up."
He could see the panic flash across the twins' faces. They knew what this meant.
The Treant's Arboreal Whip had already been shredding their health bars. Their survival hinged on perfect teamwork and exploiting the creature's sluggishness. Now, with victory in sight, this changed everything. A simple boost to its speed or attack would be enough to finish them.
Icefall and Firebrand redoubled their assault, spells flying in a desperate, final barrage, hoping to burn it down before the transformation completed. It was a futile, last-ditch effort. Their magic splashed harmlessly against the impenetrable protective Earthen Aura, causing mere ripples on its surface before being snuffed out.
They were utterly out of options, the grim reality of their situation dawning on them.
They were out of options.
"The evolution is almost complete," Marcus stated flatly. "Its health is fully restoring. Defense is probably doubling, too."
Through his Insight, he watched the health bar above the Treant's head refill as the Verdant Light pulsed through its wooden body. The Earthen Aura was making it invulnerable for the duration.
'An unusual evolution trigger,' he noted mentally. Something to watch for in the future.
"It's almost done! It's fully healed! Get ready!" FreshwindElara shouted, heeding Marcus's warning and quickly relaying it to the twins.
The dread on Icefall's face was palpable, a contrast to her earlier icy composure. They were trapped in combat, unable to portal out. Their only hope now was to run, and outrun a newly evolved, undoubtedly enraged monster. A very, very slim hope.