The heavy door creaked open.
The room ahead was massive. The air was still and thick, and the walls were lined with moving red torches that barely lit the space. The ground was cracked and uneven, littered with bones, shattered armor, and broken weapons. Some looked fresh. Others didn't look human.
At the far end of the room sat a throne. It wasn't ornate or regal, just a pile of skulls, melted blades, and twisted chunks of armor, all fused together like they'd been cooked in fire and shaped by hand. It looked less like a seat and more like a warning.
And sitting on it was a monster.
He was enormous. His shoulders were broad enough to block out the torchlight behind him. His skin was dark and rough, like stone burned black. One of his horns was jagged, broken near the base, while the other curved forward like a massive hook.
His chest was bare, scarred from countless battles. His legs ended in cracked hooves. A massive axe rested across his lap, rusted and chipped, but still razor sharp.
He didn't move. Didn't blink. Didn't speak.
Zara froze. Lato stayed silent. Vaylan tilted his head. "Huh."
He raised a hand and waved. "Hi! Uh... we didn't know anyone was in here. Sorry if we're trespassing."
No response.
Vaylan tried again, smiling nervously. "Nice place, by the way. Bit of a mess, though."
The figure stood.
Slow. Heavy. He picked up the axe with one hand; it scraped across the floor, throwing sparks as it dragged. He tapped his chest once.
"Tauros," he said, his voice low and cracked. "Son of Asterion."
Vaylan blinked. "Oh. Cool name. Fancy. Is that... your actual name or just something you say to scare people?"
Tauros stepped forward. Each step made the floor tremble. He leaned in slightly, then sniffed.
"Smell... different."
Vaylan raised his hand again. "Yeah, sorry. I stepped in some rat guts earlier. Or maybe it's the cat."
Tauros tilted his head. "Small," he growled. "Weak."
Vaylan forced a smile. "Okay, that one feels personal."
The axe lifted, not to swing, but to rest on his shoulder. He stared.
Long. Unmoving. Then, without a word, he turned. Walked back to his throne and sat down. The sound echoed through the entire chamber. One final grunt followed.
"You. Die."
Zara finally let out a breath. Her hands were clenched tight. She hadn't spoken since the door opened.
Vaylan walked back beside her. "So... I don't think he's very friendly."
Lato's eyes didn't leave the throne. "You think?"
Tauros stood from his throne. Then, without a word, he raised his axe high into the air—and brought it down.
BOOM!
Stone shattered like glass. The whole floor quaked as the blade slammed into the ground, carving a crater right where the trio had been standing a second ago.
"Move!" Lato barked.
They scattered—Vaylan rolled right, Zara dove left, and Lato darted straight back in a blur of fur. Dust exploded around them.
Vaylan stumbled to his feet, coughing. "Okay! That was rude!"
Tauros didn't respond. He lifted his axe with one hand, swinging it again with a low grunt. The movement was slow, but wide, and powerful enough to split a wagon in two.
Vaylan didn't wait. He raised his hand, his eyes glowing faintly blue.
[Fire Ball]
A flame burst into his palm and launched forward. It hit Tauros square in the chest, then fizzled out like a match hitting a wet log.
The beast didn't flinch. He kept walking. Heavy steps. Slow, but constant.
Vaylan launched another.
[Fire Ball]
It struck the shoulder. Left a black smudge. Still nothing.
"Okay, okay," Vaylan muttered. "Fire... not working. Great—"
He ducked just as Tauros' axe came swinging across. The force of it blasted hot wind into his face. The blade scraped the wall behind him, tearing through stone like soft bread.
Vaylan hit the ground, rolled, and fired again.
[Fire Ball]
Another weak puff of flame. Another useless impact. "What the hell are you made out of?!"
Zara darted around the edge of the fight, silent. Her usual sharp tongue was gone. She gripped her daggers tight, but her movements were stiff, cautious. Hesitant.
Then, in a flash, she moved in.
A clean dash. She leapt, both daggers drawn, and stabbed downward into the creature's back.
Clink!
The blades bounced off his hide like cheap forks hitting stone.
Zara's eyes went wide. Tauros turned. His tail came around.
WHACK!
She was thrown across the room like a doll. Her body slammed against the far wall and crumpled to the ground.
"ZARA!" Vaylan shouted.
Lato was already moving. He reached her side, his fur glowing with a pale golden light. A gentle sound filled the room.
Zara stirred with a quiet groan.
"She'll live," Lato said quickly. "I've got her. You focus."
Vaylan's eyes darted back to the monster, still slowly stomping forward, dragging his axe behind him.
"Right. Focus," he mumbled, wiping sweat off his forehead. "No pressure or anything."
He started running again, circling wide, launching spell after spell.
[Fire Ball]
[Fire Ball]
[Fire Ball]
They scorched the walls. Burned through old bones. But against Tauros? Nothing.
The beast was too tough. Too slow to be clever, but too strong to care.
Every step sent vibrations through the floor. Every swing came close enough to kill. But Vaylan kept dodging. Rolling. Jumping. His robe tore in places. His breath grew heavier.
Then he landed near Lato and Zara.
Zara was sitting up now, rubbing her side with a wince.
"Hey," Vaylan panted. "Good nap?"
She looked down, ashamed. "I'm sorry," she muttered. "I froze up. I just... I got scared."
Vaylan smiled, tired but warm. "Well, at least you're honest about it. I thought you just tripped."
Another swing crashed down. They all jumped out of the way as the axe smashed the ground again, stone flying.
"Zara," Vaylan called, landing beside her. "If you've got any skills for dodging or running fast, use them. That thing's slow. You cut it, I burn the wounds. That should do something, I think."
She looked up at him. Then away. Bit her lip.
"I..." Her voice cracked.
He stared at her. She clenched her fists.
"I-I can't..." She shouted.
"I-I can't use any skills!"
The silence that followed was utterly deafening.