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Chapter 8 - The Fights

Chapter 8: The Fights

After the close call in the forest, the cave no longer felt safe. So the group—Lucas, Leo, Eline, and Eric—decided to spend the night sleeping high up in the trees, hidden in silence under the rising moon.

Morning came with a soft glow from the sun. The air was quiet, but tension hung heavy. Today was the day they would face the Guardian Beast.

From the trees, Lucas and Eline descended first. Eline used her vanish ability to cloak herself and Lucas, and together they crept through the forest toward the beast's location. Eric followed carefully behind them while Leo stayed hidden near the battleground, his hands ready, waiting for the moment to strike.

When Lucas sensed they were close to the beast, he turned to Eric.

"Now," Lucas whispered.

Eric gulped, nervous. "Me again? Why always me?"

"Because only you can do this," Lucas said. "Clone yourself. We need distractions."

Eric focused and created five clones of himself that scattered in different directions.

Lucas immediately rushed back to Leo's position to deliver the weapon he had asked for—a long sword. Leo grabbed it with excitement.

"Finally," Leo grinned. "This is going to be fun. I better get my cake and ice cream after this."

Meanwhile, still vanished, Lucas and Eline silently walked toward the beast. They stood only feet away, completely hidden. The Guardian Beast—a towering monster with four muscular arms, a huge elephant head, a cow's horns, and legs like a bull—stomped through the woods, sniffing the air with its long elephant trunk.

The beast paused, sensing something strange. It hovered its nose over Lucas and Eline without knowing they were there. Lucas held his breath. The moment passed. The beast roared in frustration and turned toward the scent trail.

It saw Eric's first clone.

The beast lunged, striking the clone and watching it vanish into thin air. It roared and charged at the second, third, fourth… all gone in moments. Then came the fifth clone.

Leo struck.

He leapt from the shadows, swinging the long sword with full force. The beast turned just in time, blocking with one of its four arms. The fight had begun.

Steel clashed with beastly power. Leo was quick, dodging massive hammer swings from the beast. He ducked, rolled, and counterattacked. Eric helped by summoning more clones, trying to confuse the monster.

Leo kept the beast busy, but in a moment of overconfidence, he turned to make fun of Eric.

"My supplier boy, I better not lose you again!"

In that instant, the beast slammed him with its hammer.

BOOM!

Leo flew through the air, crashing into the ground. His sword flew from his hand, and his HP dropped from 100 to 80.

"Ugh… that hurts…" he groaned.

Lucas and Eline ran to help, but the beast turned toward them. Lucas panicked—and vanished. One blink, and he was on top of a tree branch.

"I… teleported?" he muttered, still stunned.

The beast charged Leo again. Eline rushed in and distracted the beast, giving Leo time to grab his small knife from his sock. With it, he stabbed one of the beast's legs. The beast roared and kicked him away again.

Leo's HP dropped to 65.

"Oh my god," Leo muttered, "am I going to die here?"

Eline tried to reach him with a healing apple, but the battlefield was too dangerous. Leo kept fighting, barely staying on his feet.

Then—an opening.

Leo grabbed the long sword again and, with a yell, cut off one of the beast's arms, the one holding the black hammer. The hammer crashed to the ground. Purple blood splattered everywhere. The beast screamed in pain.

Leo didn't stop.

He struck again—slicing off the beast's long elephant trunk.

"Yes!" Leo shouted. "We're getting there! 50/50 now, my beast!"

Everyone watching felt a spark of hope. For the first time, the beast looked like it was weakening.

But then—something terrible happened.

The beast stepped back, still bleeding, and suddenly… the arm grew back.

So did the trunk.

All four—Lucas, Eline, Eric, and Leo—stared, horrified.

Leo screamed, "WHAT?! You've got to be kidding me!"

The beast growled, and Leo turned to ask Lucas what to do—but Lucas was gone. So was Eline. So was Eric.

He looked around, breathing hard. Alone.

The beast struck again.

WHAM!

HP: 65 → 35

Leo crashed beside the roots of a large tree. The beast raised its hammer, ready to crush him for good.

Leo could barely move.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "Grandma… Lucas… everyone…"

Then—a flash.

Lucas appeared beside him.

Before the hammer could fall, Lucas grabbed Leo and teleported them both away—back to the cave.

Eline was already waiting. She rushed over and gave Leo a glowing fruit—the healing apple. He swallowed it quickly, gasping as warmth spread through his body.

"Thank you…" Leo whispered.

From deep within the woods, the sound of the Guardian Beast's roar echoed again, shaking the trees.

The fight wasn't over.

But they had survived.

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