The air hummed as the crystal creature shifted its form, its jagged limbs sparking with sharp, blinding light. It was smaller than the stone Echo, but just as terrifying. Its body shimmered, casting eerie reflections of light across the shattered ruins of the earlier battle, and every movement it made sent a pulse of energy that cracked the ground beneath their feet.
Amira didn’t flinch as she faced the creature, but her mind was racing. The glowing, shifting crystal had an unpredictable nature—sharp edges that could tear through anything, and the strange resonance that seemed to vibrate through the air, affecting their very perception. It was a creature of chaos, and that meant it was far from simple to defeat.
Alex was already on the move, stepping to the side to avoid a sweeping attack from one of the creature’s crystal claws. The claw struck the ground with a deafening crack , sending shards flying in all directions. One of the shards narrowly missed his face, grazing his cheek and leaving a thin line of blood behind.
“Watch it!” Amira shouted, diving toward Alex and pushing him to the side. “This thing is no joke!”
“Yeah, I’m starting to get that impression,” Alex said, wincing as he clutched his side. “So, any grand plan or are we just winging it?”
Amira didn’t have time to answer. The crystal creature was already rearing back for another attack. Its form shifted and crackled as it reassembled itself, the sharp points of its crystalline body growing even longer. There was no time for plans. They needed to act fast.
“Stay close,” Amira ordered, her voice sharp. She reached for her energy weapon, firing at the creature’s glowing center. The shot struck one of the crystal’s facets, causing a brilliant flash of light, but the creature barely seemed fazed.
Alex, breathing heavily, glanced at Amira. “The core is there, right? Somewhere inside it?”
Amira nodded quickly. “It has to be. The last two had cores, and this one’s no different.”
But it wasn’t going to be easy. The crystal creature’s limbs flailed with unnatural precision, its claws scraping the ground as it advanced toward them. Each movement sent a vibration through the air, sending shockwaves that disrupted their balance. It was clear that getting close enough to find its core would require more than just speed—it would require strategy.
Alex’s eyes darted around, looking for something, anything, that could give them the upper hand. The surrounding rocks were scattered and unstable, but they could still use the terrain to their advantage. He motioned toward a large boulder on the far side of the clearing.
“Amira, get over there! We’ll use the rocks to shield us while we figure out how to hit the core!”
Amira hesitated for a moment, sizing up the distance. She didn’t like splitting up—especially with an enemy that could strike from any angle—but they didn’t have much of a choice.
“Alright, on three,” she said, locking eyes with Alex. “One—two—three!”
They both bolted, sprinting in opposite directions. Alex dodged another swipe from the creature, using the debris and falling rocks to create a barrier between him and the creature’s relentless pursuit. Amira ran toward the boulder, her weapon charged and ready. She could feel the vibrations of the creature’s movements through the ground beneath her feet, the sense of danger pressing in from every direction.
From behind the cover of the boulder, she peered out to see Alex, now positioned on the other side of the clearing. He was readying his blade, the weapon glowing with energy as he prepared to launch himself at the creature.
“Alex!” Amira shouted. “I’ve got a shot! Just give me a second!”
The crystal creature, sensing their plan, roared and advanced, its claws slashing through the air in wild arcs. Alex lunged forward, aiming for the creature’s closest limb. With a quick, practiced motion, he brought his energy blade down in a powerful arc, slicing through the crystalline body. A sharp screech rang through the air, and the creature staggered back, but only for a moment. Its body reformed almost instantly, its crystalline limbs reassembling with unsettling speed.
“No good,” Alex muttered, grimacing as he pulled back. The creature’s form was too fluid, too resilient. Each strike barely slowed it down. They needed a better approach.
Amira’s mind raced, analyzing the creature’s movements. There had to be a weakness, something they were missing. And then she saw it—deep within the creature’s shifting form, a faint glow pulsated at the center, the core of the creature, barely visible beneath the layers of jagged crystal.
“Got it!” Amira shouted, her heart pounding. “It’s in the middle! But it’s protected by the crystals—we need to break the shell !”
Alex’s eyes widened as he registered her words. “Well, that’s easier said than done!”
Amira didn’t wait for a response. She sprinted out from behind the boulder, her energy weapon charged and ready. She fired directly at the glowing core, but as expected, the shot was deflected by the hard surface of the creature’s crystalline exterior.
Frustrated, Amira looked around. The terrain was unstable, and they were surrounded by the shattered remains of the stone Echo’s body. Then, she noticed something—pieces of the stone had begun to heat up from the blast earlier. The heat was rising in the rocks, but there was a pattern to it. The ground beneath them was starting to crack in places where the heat seemed to concentrate.
“Alex! The heat! It’s destabilizing the crystal!” she shouted.
“What do you mean?” Alex asked, still dodging the creature’s attacks.
“ Use the heat! ” Amira cried. “It’s the only way to break through the creature’s shell! The heated stone will crack the crystal!”
Alex’s eyes lit up. “Got it! I’ll make it work!”
Without hesitation, Alex dashed toward the heated rocks, gathering pieces of debris and throwing them toward the creature’s body. The rocks struck the crystal shell, causing a reaction that sent cracks spider-webbing across the surface.
The creature howled in frustration, thrashing wildly. But the cracks were deepening, and the core was beginning to show.
“Now’s our chance!” Amira yelled. She charged forward, aiming directly for the weakened spot, hoping she could land the final blow.
The crystal creature screeched one last time, its form shaking violently as the core glowed brighter and brighter.
But just as Amira raised her weapon to strike, the ground beneath them shook again, this time much harder than before.
“ Amira, look out! ”
Before Amira could react, a massive shard of crystal shot from the creature’s body, piercing the air toward her.