First Battle (i)

Out of the water, a tentacle rose high into the air, dark and ominous, before crashing down with ferocious intent and about to land atop Aldrich.

Fiona sprinted across the water, her feet skimming the surface as though it were solid ground.

Her sword, unsheathed and held firmly in her right hand, glinted under the sun's harsh light.

With a body enhanced by the coursing power of mana, she intercepted the descending tentacle, meeting its crushing force with the steel of her blade.

The impact sent ripples across the ocean surface, but she stood her ground, struggling to keep the immense pressure at bay.

"Aldrich! Snap out of whatever fantasy you're in!" she shouted, her voice strained as she fought to hold back the tentacle's weight.

The Kraken, frustrated by its failed attempt to crush them with one strike, sent another tentacle lashing towards them from the side.

The air trembled with its approach.