Chapter 35: This is how you rock a Cerberus

The full moon hung low in the sky, its luminescent glow casting a silvery sheen over the land. Wisps of clouds drifted lazily across its face, creating a ghostly halo that added an ethereal beauty to the night. The moon's reflection shimmered on the dark waters below, enhancing the atmosphere with an eerie, otherworldly light.

Marquis Raynes regarded the four of them with a chilling smile. "Let's make this battle more interesting," he said, his voice dripping with menace. He clapped his hands, and intoned, "Blood Realm Magic: Blood Domain Incomplete."

As he spoke, blood began to ooze out from the ground, encircling everyone in a crimson tide. The viscous liquid rose quickly, swallowing them whole.

Each one found themselves in separate rooms, the walls and floor drenched in the color of blood, a macabre and unsettling sight.

Ruchir looked around, his heart pounding. The room was decorated entirely in red, the color of blood. He was alone, feeling an oppressive sense of dread.

Garret's room was similarly decorated. He muttered to himself, trying to steady his nerves. "This is insane," he whispered, his voice shaky.

Alice, too, found herself in a blood-red room. She took a deep breath, readying herself for whatever came next.

A voice echoed in all their rooms, dark and playful. "Let's begin a game now, shall we?" Marquis Raynes' laughter resonated chillingly. "Blood Realm Magic: Summoning Chapter: Blood Cerberus."

In each of their rooms, a blood portal materialized out of nowhere. From it, a blood Cerberus emerged, its three heads snarling and dripping with blood, each one a terrifying manifestation of primal fury.

For Scholar Dwayne, the situation was even more dire. A massive, three-headed Cerberus stepped out of the blood portal in his room, each head growling with unbridled menace.

The creature's eyes glowed with a hellish red light, and its presence filled the room with an oppressive aura. Dwayne's heart pounded in his chest, but he steeled himself for the battle ahead.

In Ruchir's Room, Ruchir's eyes widened as the blood portal appeared and the Cerberus emerged, its teeth bared and eyes glowing malevolently. "What kind of game is this?" he muttered, taking a defensive stance.

In Garret's Room, Garret's eyes nearly popped out of his head when he saw the Cerberus. "You've got to be kidding me!" he exclaimed. "This is not fair!" He tried to maintain his composure, but his voice trembled.

In Alice's Room, Alice narrowed her eyes at the Cerberus in her room. "You want to play games, do you?" she said, her voice steady. "Let's see how you like this." She prepared herself, her agility and escape techniques ready to be deployed.

In Scholar Dwayne's Room, Dwayne faced the three-headed Cerberus with a grim determination. "So, this is how it is," he said, tightening his grip on his sword. "Three heads, three times the trouble." He took a deep breath and prepared to unleash his legacy techniques.

Marquis Raynes' voice echoed again, dripping with mockery. "Do you like my little pets? They are quite eager to play with you. Let's see how you fare against them."

In Ruchir's room, the Cerberus lunged forward, and Ruchir swiftly dodged to the side, barely avoiding the creature's snapping jaws. "I need to find a weak point," he thought, his mind racing.

Garret's Cerberus attacked with ferocity, and Garret barely managed to block its powerful strikes with his rock techniques. "This thing is relentless!" he grunted, feeling the strain of each blow.

Alice's Cerberus moved with surprising agility, and she countered with her own swift movements, dodging and weaving to avoid its deadly attacks. "I need to find an opening," she thought, her eyes scanning the beast for any sign of vulnerability.

In Dwayne's room, the three-headed Cerberus attacked with a coordinated ferocity that tested his skills to the limit. "I can't let it overwhelm me," he thought, parrying a blow from one of its heads while dodging another. "I have to strike back, and I have to do it now."

Marquis Raynes watched from his ethereal vantage point, a twisted smile on his lips. "Oh, little ones, what's the hurry? The night is still young, and the true festival has only just begun," he said, his voice a haunting whisper. "Let's see if you can survive my little game."

As the Cerberus closed in on their targets, the tension in each room reached a fever pitch. The four heroes knew they were in for the fight of their lives, and failure was not an option. The battle against Marquis Raynes and his blood beasts had only just begun, and they would need every ounce of their strength, skill, and determination to prevail.

The rooms echoed with the sounds of snarls, clashes, and desperate shouts, as each of them fought against their monstrous opponents.

Garret squared off against the one-headed Cerberus, his heart pounding but his determination unshaken. "Alright, big guy," he muttered to himself, "let's see how you like my rock techniques."

The Cerberus lunged forward, its jaws snapping dangerously close. Garret sidestepped just in time and thrust his hands into the ground.

"Rock Thrower!" he shouted, and a chunk of earth flew up, smacking the Cerberus right between the eyes. The beast shook its head, momentarily dazed.

"Nice one, Garret," he congratulated himself, then had to duck quickly as the Cerberus recovered and swiped at him with its claws.

Garret rolled to the side and sprang up. "Rock Fall!" he yelled, causing a cascade of rocks to rain down from above. The Cerberus dodged most of them, but a few hit their mark, drawing a growl of frustration from the beast.

Garret grinned, but his smile faded when the Cerberus charged again, faster and angrier. "Rock Shield!" he shouted, summoning a barrier of solid rock in front of him.

The Cerberus slammed into it, cracking the shield but not breaking through. "Whew, that was close," Garret muttered, wiping sweat from his brow.

The Cerberus circled him, looking for an opening. Garret focused, using his "Rock Sense" to feel the vibrations in the ground, predicting the beast's next move.

The Cerberus lunged again, but Garret was ready. "Rock Spikes!" he commanded, and sharp stone spires erupted from the ground, forcing the Cerberus to leap back.

Taking advantage of the momentary respite, Garret enveloped himself in "Rock Armour," his body now covered in a protective layer of stone.

He grabbed a rock from the ground and shaped it into a crude blade. "Rock Sword!" he declared, holding the weapon aloft.

The Cerberus snarled and charged once more, but Garret stood his ground.

As the beast closed in, he swung his rock sword with all his might, clashing with the Cerberus' claws in a burst of sparks.

"Take that, you overgrown puppy!" Garret taunted, though his voice shook with the effort.

The Cerberus growled louder, clearly not enjoying the insult. It snapped at Garret, who narrowly avoided the bite, then swung his sword again, catching the beast on its side.

The Cerberus yelped and backed off, eyeing Garret with renewed caution.

Garret took a deep breath, his confidence growing. "You see, you might be big and scary, but I've got the power of rocks on my side!"

He laughed, then stumbled as the Cerberus pounced again, faster than before. "Whoa, whoa, whoa!" he yelped, barely managing to parry the attack with his rock sword.

The beast's claws scraped against his rock armour, and Garret winced at the impact. "Alright, no more Mr. Nice Guy," he said, then realized how ridiculous that sounded.

"Rock Spikes!" he shouted again, sending another wave of stone shards at the Cerberus. This time, a spike caught the beast on the leg, causing it to stumble.

Garret seized the opportunity. "Rock Thrower!" he yelled, launching another boulder at the Cerberus. The rock hit the beast's head, and it staggered, clearly disoriented. "Yes! Take that!" Garret cheered, pumping his fist.

The Cerberus shook off the hit, its eyes now glowing with rage. It charged with a ferocity that caught Garret off guard.

"Rock Shield!" he screamed, but the shield only partially formed before the beast smashed through it, sending Garret flying backward.

He hit the ground hard, his rock armour cracking but holding. "Okay, that hurt," he groaned, struggling to his feet. The Cerberus was already closing in. Garret's mind raced. "Think, think! Rock Sense!" he used the technique again, feeling the vibrations.

Just as the Cerberus leapt at him, Garret rolled to the side. "Rock Fall!" he shouted, and another barrage of rocks fell from above, this time catching the beast squarely. The Cerberus roared in pain, giving Garret a moment to breathe.

"Alright, Garret," he said to himself, "you've got this. One last push." He summoned his remaining strength and held his rock sword high.

The Cerberus, injured but still dangerous, snarled and prepared to charge once more.

Garret braced himself. "Rock Spikes!" he cried, sending another wave of spikes at the beast. The Cerberus tried to dodge but was too slow, and the spikes pierced its hide. The beast stumbled, growling in agony.

Seizing the moment, Garret lunged forward with his rock sword, striking the Cerberus in the chest. The beast let out a final, mournful howl before collapsing to the ground. Garret stood over it, panting heavily.

"And ," he said, planting his sword in the ground, "This is how you rock a Cerberus."

He chuckled at his own joke, then winced as his armour cracked further. "Alright, maybe a bit too much rocking," he admitted, rubbing his bruised shoulder.

Despite the pain and exhaustion, Garret couldn't help but feel a surge of pride. He had faced a terrifying beast and come out on top, all thanks to his rock techniques and a bit of humor. Now, he just hoped his friends were having as much luck in their own battles.

Marquis Raynes watches in surprise as Garret, whom he considered the weakest, demonstrates remarkable skill and determination in battling the Cerberus with his rock techniques.

Impressed by Garret's unexpected performance, Raynes pours himself a glass of wine, drinks it, and laughs crazily, amused by the turn of events.