The green-skinned figure, once so confident and arrogant, now seemed vulnerable. His movement erratic, his pain in pure agony. Kael thought he might collapse, his last breath soon. But instead, the Master lifted the book above his head, a red aura blooming around him like an infernal flame.

  The Master wrenched at his mouth, forcing it open with a guttural, tortured sound. With a twist of his jaw, he shoved the book into his mouth, the edges of the tome crumbling as it disappeared down his throat.

  The transformation was immediate, horrifying.

  The Master writhed, his body twisting and stretching in unnatural ways. Bones erupted from the Master’s skin like splintering wood, jagged and sharp, growing outward with horrifying speed. His form began to distort, deforming in front of Kael’s eyes.

  Multiple eyes sprouted from the Master’s head—too many to count, all red and unblinking. His skin, now covered in rough bone-like armor, began to pulsate with the same red aura that had surrounded the book.

  The transformation was agonizing to watch. The Master let out a rough scream, his limbs growing as his body morphed into something far more monstrous. The Master had grown twice the size of Gerry, his new form now towering over the battlefield, a hulking demon covered in spiny bone armor, with countless eyes staring down at his enemies.

  The Master– no, this monstrosity, was a nightmare made flesh.

  The creature’s arms swung out in an arc, and the sheer force of the movement destroyed the hut in a single blow, splintering the wood and sending debris flying through the air. Kael watched, helpless, as the explosion of force knocked the ice slimes off balance. Mush and the others were sent sprawling, their icy forms skittering across the ground like fragile shards of glass.

  Mush, ever resilient, landed hard but managed to keep his form intact. Three other ice slimes survived, their crystalline bodies slightly cracked from the impact. One ice slime, however, did not fare as well, shattering like glass on the ground.

  Its many eyes blinked in unison, its head turning slowly as it looked at Kael. The creature’s massive arms swiped through the air, crashing into the ground, sending shockwaves across the battlefield.

  Kael did not have time to think. Gerry, Three Arms, Jello. Attack, Kael mentally ordered, his voice filled with urgency. There was no room for hesitation now.

  Jello, still attached to Gerry’s hybrid arm, seemed to response to the danger. The slime wasn’t afraid. It had never known fear. And neither would Gerry. But Kael knew that even with the might of his golems and slimes, they were facing something far more powerful than anything they had encountered before.

  The towering, bone-armored monstrosity roared with a bellow, its voice reverberating through the battlefield.

  Gerry charged forward, a flash of motion as he swung his blade in a wide arc. The golem’s attack was fast, an attempt to strike at the beast’s armored form. But the blow landed with a sickening clang, the sword bouncing off the creature’s armor with little more than a glancing strike. The armor was thick, a wall of hardened bone.

  Jello, still attached to Gerry’s remaining arm, stretched out to assist, its flexible form moving with a whip. It swung toward the monstrosity, aiming for a gap in the creature's defenses, but the slime’s blow met the same resistance. The sword was deflected once more, its edge grinding against the bone plating, unable to find any weakness in the armor.

  Gerry tried to swing his sword again but with a terrifying, fluid motion, the monstrosity reached down and grabbed Gerry by the arm. The golem’s massive form was lifted effortlessly from the ground, his body hoisted high into the air as the creature held him with one hand.

  Jello’s slime arm, stretched, twisted and tried to lash out at the monster’s head, to free Gerry from its grasp. But before it could land a blow, the monstrosity’s other hand shot out with terrifying speed and caught the slime arm in its grip. Gerry and Jello wriggled and resisted but were unable to break free.

  Kael’s breath caught in his chest as he watched. They’re being overwhelmed.

  Three Arms didn’t hesitate. The golem darted forward, trying to climb up the back of the monstrosity, its unarmored hide providing an opening.

  His three arms moved quickly, each one finding a hold as he scrambled up the massive beast, determined to find a weak spot. But the creature wasn’t oblivious. Appendages shaped like hands appeared from the creature’s back, extending their outstretched hands out toward Three Arms.

  They grabbed at the golem’s legs and arms, pulling at him, trying to drag him down. The golem’s usual speed was being slowed by the numerous limbs reaching and grabbing hold.

  This is bad, Kael thought. Three Arms, trapped in the creature’s grasp. Gerry and Jello, helpless in the air.

  “Jello, jump!” Kael shouted.

  Jello let go of the severed arm, detached himself from Gerry and lunged at the beast. The slime’s body stretched, its form widening as it made its way to the monster’s head. Its eyes, numerous and unblinking, were the obvious target, and Jello knew what had to be done. The slime’s body hit the monster’s face with great force, covering its many eyes in a thick layer of its gooey mass.

  The creature howled in rage as its arms flailed, trying to pry the slime from its face, but Jello was already climbing, slipping between the monster’s fingers, squishing around the eyes.

  In the chaos, the monster dropped Gerry, who fell heavily to the ground, along with his severed arm, sword still gripped.

  Kael didn’t hesitate.

  He sprinted from his hidden spot in the forest, his Slime Cape fluttering behind him like a banner, a trail of momentum carrying him forward as he reached the fallen golem. With a sharp breath, he dropped to one knee beside Gerry, his hand reaching for the severed arm. The arm was heavy, and Kael lifted it with a grunt.

  Kael gripped the Blacksmithing Hammer, feeling the weight in his hand. The hammer came down with a sharp, ringing blow, the magic rippling from the hammer and into Gerry and his detached arm.

  With a final, resounding clang, the arm was whole once more, the metal gleaming in the fading light.

  “Thank you, Kael,” Gerry said, flexing his attached right arm.

  Three Arms was still struggling in the monster’s hands, forcing the golem into submission. Two of his arms had been ensnared, impossible to pull free. But Three Arms was not one to be held back for long.

  His remaining arm had formed its grip on a dagger, flashing in the air, cutting and slicing at the hands that tried to hold him back. One by one, the creature’s hands were severed, falling to the ground with a sickening thud as Three Arms broke free.

  “Gerry!” Kael shouted. “Grab Three Arms and throw him at the eyes.”

  Three Arms dashed towards Gerry, his agile body moving easily on the field. Gerry, with his new arm, reached out and hoisted the golem into the air, throwing him with all his remaining strength at the monstrosity towering over them. Three Arms flew straight at the creature, his limbs extending as he flew through the air, three daggers in his three arms.

  Jello sensed the movement and reacted with impeccable timing. The slime twisted its ooze away from the eyes just as Three Arms landed on the many eyes. Three Arms’s daggers plunged into the demon’s exposed eye sockets, one, two, three strikes in rapid succession. The creature howled under the weight of the attack, but Three Arms wasn’t finished. In his third arm, he carried the Dagger of Fog, and with a swift, fluid motion, he activated it.

  It shimmered with power, thick fog began to spill from the Dagger of Fog, swirling in thick, opaque tendrils that clouded the battlefield. The monster, now struggling in a haze of mist, swung blindly, its massive arms flailing as it tried to fight against the onslaught.

  Kael knew that this was the moment to strike. He charged forward, ready to take advantage of the opening Three Arms had created. But, he quickly realized that there was a problem.

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  The Skara’s bone armor was too tough, too resilient. His Ice Sickle would do little to pierce the armor, and his Blacksmithing Hammer wasn’t the right tool for the job.

  What else could work? His gaze flicked to the monstrosity’s armored legs, the thick bone that covered its limbs.

  Slashing is good against soft slimes, Kael thought, recalling his earlier encounters with the adventurers that killed Jello. Slashing weapons had been ineffective against the creature's defenses. But what if the opposite is true?

  A flicker of realization sparked in his chest, and Kael turned toward Gerry, his voice filled with urgency. “Gerry! Start punching the bone armor! Hit it with your fists!”

  Without question, the golem raised his arm and delivered a massive punch to the bone armor. The impact echoed throughout the battle, the metal scraping against bone. The punch did not create a massive crack, but it left a small fracture, a tiny fissure in the armor.

  Then, it came to him, a sudden, sharp realization.

  Ice.

  Bone was tough, sturdy, relentless but when frozen, became brittle, fragile. The pieces would snap under the right pressure.

  Kael’s eyes flicked toward the Blacksmithing Hammer at his side. Blunt damage and amplified with the Ring of Frost.

  His hand moved quickly, instinctively. Kael ripped the Ring of Frost from the sickle’s hilt, watching as the weapon’s magic flickered out. The sickle’s glow dimmed immediately, and with a sharp exhale, Kael slammed the Ring into the Blacksmithing Hammer's hilt.

  A surge of ice magic pulsed through the weapon. The hammer’s head, solid and heavy, glowed with a faint blue aura as the magic took hold, the frost beginning to coat the surface like a second skin.

  The monster’s attention was still focused on Three Arms and Jello, Kael could not waste any time. He swung his ice hammer, striking the creature’s armored leg with a heavy thud. The impact was immediate, the force of the blow sending a shockwave through the creature’s body, but the real magic lay in the freezing cold that followed.

  The bone armor instantly froze, a thin layer of frost coating the leg from top to bottom. The crackle of ice echoed, a sharp, high-pitched sound like the breaking of glass.

  Kael didn’t wait. He swung the hammer and sickle together with all his strength, intending to break the frozen area apart. But to his horror, the sickle didn’t cut through the frozen bone as he expected. Instead, it shattered, the blade snapping with a loud crack.

  Kael stared at the broken sickle, the weapon had been a part of him and now it was broken.

  I need that sickle, he thought, but the moment of hesitation passed quickly. He couldn’t afford to dwell on it now. Not with the fight still raging.

  He turned back to the Blacksmithing Hammer, lifting it high once more.

  One more strike.

  Kael’s muscles burned as he swung the Blacksmithing Hammer again, his body straining under the force. But once again, the bone stood. No matter how hard he swung, no matter how much force he poured into the blow, the frozen bone was too tough, too solid for Kael to get through.

  It’s not enough. Nothing is enough. A flicker of doubt crept into his mind.

  Then, another thought sparked in his mind.

  “Gerry!” Kael shouted. “Punch the hammer! Hit it with everything you’ve got!”

  Kael placed the hammer on the frozen bone armor and the golem swung, putting all of his remaining strength into the punch. The blow landed square on the frozen hammer, the force of it reverberating through the air like a thunderclap.

  The result was immediate. The frozen bone, already weakened by the repeated hits, cracked and splintered under the sheer force of Gerry’s punch. The bone shattered like glass, the jagged shards flying outward as the armor crumbled, exposing the monster’s flesh beneath.

  The beast screamed in agony, a howl of rage and pain that pierced the air, its many eyes flashing with an intensity that bordered on madness. The exposed flesh was pale and raw, the creature's body writhing beneath its broken armor. Dark, foul, and thick blood began to spill from the wound, pooling around its feet as it staggered backward.

  Kael barely had time to step back as the monster’s massive form recoiled, its arms grabbing Three Arms and Jello, tossing them like ragdolls to the ground.

  The monster’s eyes locked onto Kael, and in that moment, Kael felt the weight of its fury bearing down on him. It screamed, its voice full of hatred, full of malice.

  "Die!" the monster howled, its voice raw and desperate as it charged.

  The monster, now exposed in places, screamed again, this time in pain as it staggered back, its massive body fighting against the wounds Gerry had inflicted. The cracks in its armor had exposed its flesh and Gerry wasted no time in taking advantage of it.

  The golem lunged forward, his two swords slashing at the exposed flesh of the monster’s leg. The monster roared as the swords cut deep, sending trails of blood splattering, the wound forcing the creature to limp with each step.

  But the monster, furious and unwilling to back down, ignored the injury. The wound did not seem to slow it enough. The monster began to chase after Kael, its monstrous limbs moving with terrifying speed.

  Kael turned and sprinted through the dense trees of his square’s border, the Slime Cape billowing behind him like a shadow of his frantic movements. The only sound was the heavy thudding of the monster’s pursuit. It was angry, its many eyes locked onto Kael with single-minded intent.

  “Die!” it bellowed, its voice a guttural roar that reverberated through the forest, its tone filled with hate. "Die!"

  Kael refused to let the words break his focus. His mind was clear, calculating, each step measured as he darted between trees, weaving a zigzag pattern through the forest to keep the monster from closing in. The monster was persistent, and with every passing second, Kael’s lead began to shrink.

  I can’t keep this up forever, Kael thought, his breath coming in ragged bursts.

  He burst into the clearing, his feet hitting the open ground with a thud. Kael was back in familiar territory, he was back at his square. The Arcane Anvil stood in the center of the clearing, his trap shelter collapsed adjacent to it.

  But as Kael darted across the open space, his eyes flicking behind him, he saw the monster’s massive form coming through the treeline, faster than Kael had anticipated. The monster’s limbs, heavy and powerful, tore through the trees as if they were paper, uprooting them with each swipe.

  "Die!" the monster shouted again, its voice filled with an almost sick pleasure. "Die!"

  The monster was too close now. He could hear its breathing and the stench of death that followed it. But Kael didn’t stop.

  He just needed to time it right.

  The monster was almost upon him when Kael made his move. It roared, its arm reaching out for Kael, its claws scraping the air as it swung forward with monstrous strength. But in its haste, it slipped.

  Its large body, too large to regain balance, tumbled forward, its skull smashing into the Arcane Anvil with a resounding crash. A horrible, bone-shattering sound rang through the air, and the creature's body went still, its limbs twitching once, then laying limp on the ground.

  The heavy, bone-like armor that had been so impervious to their attacks had now crumbled under the weight of its own defeat.

  Kael’s eyes fell to the slimes that had flattened themselves across the ground. They had been part of the trap, part of the strategy. When the beast had swung its arms, Kael had removed his Slime Cape and the slimes had melded into the earth, tripping the demon and causing it to stumble in the right spot.

  Kael looked at the fallen creature, its bone covered chest rose and fell in shallow breaths. He reached out, his hand brushing the Arcane Anvil. The Anvil responded, pulsing with energy as Kael directed his will toward it.

  Swords, dozens of swords formed from the very air itself, above the Arcane Anvil. They shone faintly as they fell from the sky, their sharp points aimed directly at the exposed back of the beast. The swords rained down, piercing the monster’s flesh, each one driving deep into its body.

  The monster was dead.

  Gerry, Jello, and Three Arms arrived in the clearing shortly after the blades fell. Kael’s eyes flicked between them and the monster, still watching for any signs of life, any flicker of movement that might betray its death.

  It was silent for a long moment. Blood pooled under the anvil. The monster lay still, unmoving.

  It’s done, Kael thought, his breath steadying. It’s over.

  But then, just as he began to exhale, just as he allowed himself a moment of quiet relief, a single hand twitched.

  The Master, the monster, it wasn't dead. Not yet.

  The monster’s massive hand twitched with a slow, deliberate movement. The fingers curled, its claws stretching toward Kael, like some final, desperate act of defiance.

  Kael raised his hand, his fingers splayed wide, and with a single, sharp command, Kael reached deep within himself and called upon the will of the square.

  From the corners of his square, from the depths of his power, two dozen will-o-wisps emerged. The glowing lights, ethereal and powerful, appeared around the monster like a ring of silent watchers. The wisps flickered, their soft glow illuminating the clearing in a haunting dance of pale light.

  They were Kael’s ultimate weapon. Two dozen will-o-wisps self detonation.

  The creature’s many eyes seemed to follow the wisps’ movement, a rhythmic back and forth as they hovered in the air. Kael’s hand remained outstretched, ready to unleash the full force of his power, ready to end it once and for all.

  But then, something happened.

  It dropped. The fingers curled in on themselves, and then the hand fell lifeless to the ground, the last breath of the beast leaving it with a faint, rattling hiss. The monster’s massive form slumped, its body shuddering as it collapsed completely, its many eyes now empty, staring blankly at the sky.

  For a long time, Kael stood there, his chest heaving with exhaustion. The monster was dead. It was truly over.

  The silence stretched, and then Gerry’s mechanical voice broke it, his words filled with weary approval. "Good on ya, Kael."

  Jello let out a small gurgle of satisfaction, and Three Arms nodded, waving all three of his arms.

  Kael looked toward them. Their bodies were battered, damaged but they were standing.

  He stood, taking a long breath, a sense of pride swelling in his chest, the power of his square thrumming beneath his feet. Kael knew one thing for certain:

  This was just the beginning.

  ******

  Square: Unknown

  Master: Kael

  Difficulty: Bronze

  Conclave: None

  Treasure: 1020 Gold

  Residents: 4 Ice Slimes Lvl 1

  8 Green Slimes Lvl 1

  1 Green Slime Lvl 2

  24 Will-o-wisp Lvl 1

  1 Steel Golem (Strength Specialization) Lvl 3

  1 Steel Golem (Complexity Specialization) Lvl 3

  Kills: 10