As we move forward, the pain in my forearm grows stronger, almost as if it were begging me to get away from this place.
The light stones are the only thing allowing us to see the path, since Lumos, for some reason, doesn't work here—it's almost as if there's an enchantment that cancels out the light of the wand, something similar to Nox.
Things aren't looking good. Some have minor injuries—not life-threatening, but emotionally draining. Estrella hasn't spoken for a while; her usual lively personality had been extinguished after Kaelor's death right before her eyes.
After walking for a few minutes, we spot a massive half-open door wedged between towering rocks, with two statues that seemed to have been destroyed by the quake that happened moments ago.
"Look, over there!"—Patrick bolts toward the door, where a dark figure can be seen coming out of the giant half-open entrance.
"Stop, Patrick! Don't rush in—we don't know what's in there!" shouts Aelric, trying to hold him back.
A few steps closer, Patrick notices the silhouette more clearly and runs even faster, rushing to help one of the students who had entered before our group.
Gathered around the injured student, we can tell that behind the door, the others are fighting desperately to survive against something. The sounds of explosions and crashes make it clear that a fierce battle is raging inside.
"Please… go back and get help. It's a dangerous creature—I've never seen anything like it. Run… the others are doing their best. Please, go back and bring help…" were the boy's last words before his eyes shut.
"Hey, wake up! Don't do this, stay with me!" Patrick cries, shaking the boy's body.
"Patrick, stop," says Seraphis. "Let me check him… he still has a pulse, he's breathing. He must have passed out. Good, I was hoping to find more people, but if the creature is behind that door, we need to go in at full strength. Everyone, gather up." She casts a spell that heals the scrapes and restores the strength and magic we'd lost in the earlier fights. It even helps the boy's wounds a little, though he still doesn't wake up.
Impulsive as always, Patrick raised his wand, ready to charge through the door. But before he could act, Seraphis collapsed to the floor, exhausted from casting a spell powerful enough to heal several people at once—something rare for a first-year.
Talrico, just as rash as Patrick, was ready to follow him inside without a second thought, but Vaelin grabbed both of them by the arms.
"And where do you think you're going?" Vaelin demanded.
"Are you kidding? Didn't you hear? They're fighting a dangerous creature—we have to help them!" Talrico snapped, yanking his arm violently out of Vaelin's grip.
"She's right—we can't just rush in."
"Dion, what are you saying? Are you seriously—"
"Patrick, listen to me. We can't go in without a plan. Whatever's in there, it's not something we can face alone."
"…Fine. What plan do you have?" Patrick growled.
For a moment, the place was filled only with the roars, blasts, and screams of the beast and the struggling students inside. Looking around, I saw fear everywhere—Estrella still unresponsive, Seraphis limp in Nyxithra's arms, and Aelric, though trying to hide it, trembling hands betraying his uncertainty.
And it was only natural—we're still just kids, kids with no experience. Which meant I had no choice.
"Alright, listen. Nyxithra and Aelric will come with me in front. Patrick and Talrico will circle around the creature while we distract it. As for the others, tell everyone that the best chance is to attack the beast from different angles. Anyone who still has magic left and can fight should follow us. The rest should fall back and get out of here."
"But Estrella and Seraphis—" Nyxithra began.
"I know. Estrella will take care of Seraphis. We don't need to worry about other monsters—they won't come near if they sense that beast's presence."
"We'll get the wounded out," Lyara said, taking Vaelin by the arm.
We all nodded, wands at the ready. Aelric tightened his grip on his wand, forcing his trembling to stop so he could aim true. My wrist felt as though it were burning, the searing pain unbearable—but there was no other choice if we wanted to get out of here alive.
Inside, the flashes of spells and the glowing stones revealed a terrifying sight: students fighting desperately against a massive creature with enormous horns, a muscular body, huge hands, and a wide, terrifying mouth full of jagged fangs. It stood well over two meters tall, with a single glaring eye. A guardian cyclops, by the looks of it.
The magical attacks were relentless but ineffective. They weren't strong enough—hurried, imprecise spells born of fear. Desperation consumed the students, especially those trying to shield the injured lying on the ground.
The creature wasn't fast, but its strength was overwhelming. Patrick and Talrico, seeing how many were hurt, were ready to jump in recklessly, but Aelric glared at them with such authority that they froze, remembering the plan.
"Let's go."
At my command, the others followed without hesitation, while Vaelin and Lyara headed for the wounded. We moved up to where the students were casting shield spells, trying to block the cyclops's advance. But it was useless—the beast smashed through them easily, injuring several in the process.
Just as planned, Aelric, Nyxithra, and I cast stronger spells to draw the creature's attention, while Patrick and Talrico rushed to flank it.
Our combined attacks, joined by the others, finally made the cyclops stagger back a few steps. It was a good sign—on the students' faces, I saw a spark of hope return after the despair of seeing their friends hurt.
The beast then charged violently, lowering its head at us. Obvious—our attacks had been the most precise and effective.
"Dodge! Move!"
But Aelric and Nyxithra froze in terror, not moving an inch. I had no choice but to rush back, pushing them aside before the cyclops trampled them.
The blow hit me instead, full force.
I was thrown through the air, crashing hard into a wall—a critical hit that would've knocked me out cold if I hadn't reinforced myself with a hardening spell just seconds earlier.
Offensive and enhancement spells are my specialty, but this… this pushed me beyond my limits. Even though I softened the impact, the blow left me gasping, unable to breathe or speak properly.
"Dion!" Patrick's voice echoed in the distance. Through blurred vision, I saw him running toward me.
The cyclops noticed too and swung at him directly. Other students blocked the attack, but the beast didn't relent—it tried to strike Patrick again.
It failed. Even though I was dazed and couldn't move, I saw another student shove Patrick out of the cyclops's path.
With a basic healing spell, I regained just enough of my senses to see Patrick and Phylicia standing up after dodging the creature's attack. Which meant it had been Phylicia who saved Patrick from certain death.