The Predators

Cedric stood firm, gripping his conjured shields tightly as another wave of mud surged toward him. The Murkwalker's strength was overwhelming, and each attack sent him skidding backward despite his best efforts. The long, glowing shields he created were sturdy, but not optimized for prolonged defense against such a relentless foe.

"Evan, how do you make it look so easy?" Cedric muttered under his breath, glancing at his friend mid-struggle.

Evan was further ahead, summoning flame-imbued shields with remarkable ease and timing. Each one appeared only for the moment it was needed, blocking an incoming strike before dissipating, allowing him to move without burden. He seemed to anticipate the Murkwalker's every move, his Simulate guiding him effortlessly.

"It's not about holding your ground, Cedric," Evan called out, his voice calm but firm. "It's about timing. Place the shield where it needs to be, not where you want it to stay."

Cedric gritted his teeth, nodding as he tried to adjust his approach. He condensed his shields, making them shorter and sturdier to better absorb the impact of the mud strikes. The Murkwalker in front of him snarled, its yellow eyes locking onto him with predatory intent. But Cedric, despite his inexperience in combat, was holding his own.

Evan turned his attention to the Murkwalker before him. The creature lunged, its claws glinting in the light. Evan conjured a flaming dagger in his hand, the weapon pulsing with energy from his absorption rune. The flames danced along the blade, their intensity fueled by the ambient magic flowing into his core.

The Murkwalker's skin was incredibly tough, its scales deflecting most strikes, but Evan was precise. He darted in and out, striking at weak points along the creature's torso and arms. Each stab of the flaming dagger left deep burns, the fire searing through the resilient flesh.

The Murkwalker roared in pain, stumbling back as it clutched its wounds. Evan stepped forward, ready to press his advantage, when the creature suddenly froze. Its yellow eyes darted behind it, and it twisted its body just in time to avoid a massive claw swiping at its head.

Another Murkwalker had arrived.

The injured one growled and backed away, ceding ground to its unscathed counterpart. This new creature was larger, its muscles rippling as it sized up the group. It locked eyes with Evan and Cedric, its gaze filled with malice.

Cedric glanced at Evan, his face pale but determined. "Two of them?"

Evan's jaw tightened. "Not just two," he muttered, his Simulate flaring with a new signal. Beneath the ground, another Murkwalker was approaching, swimming through the earth like it was water.

Evan didn't react outwardly. Instead, he kept his focus on the two visible threats, allowing the hidden one to believe it still had the element of surprise.

Evan conjured a flaming dagger in his hand, its blade pulsing with heat as he lunged toward the first Murkwalker. The creature snarled, its webbed claws slashing through the air as it met Evan's attacks head-on. The dagger burned through its tough, scaled hide, leaving seared wounds that made the creature roar in pain and stagger back.

But Evan didn't have time to celebrate.

The second Murkwalker emerged from the shadows with startling speed, barreling toward Evan with its claws outstretched. This one was larger, unscathed, and moving with terrifying precision. Its muscles rippled as it closed the distance, forcing Evan to backpedal to avoid its sweeping strikes.

"Evan!" Cedric shouted, his voice strained as he blocked a fresh assault from the first Murkwalker. The creature, though wounded, was relentless, and Cedric's long shield strained against its powerful blows. Every strike pushed him back, his boots digging into the mud for traction.

"Hold your ground, Cedric!" Evan called out, dodging another slash from the second Murkwalker. His nucleus pulsed, feeding energy into his mark as he focused on timing each step, each strike.

The battle was chaos. Evan's dagger flashed as he drove it into the arm of the second Murkwalker, flames licking at the wound, but the creature didn't flinch. Instead, it roared, slamming its other claw into the ground. Mud erupted around Evan, forcing him to leap back as the creature charged again.

Meanwhile, Cedric gritted his teeth, adapting to the rhythm of his foe. He shortened his shield, making it denser and easier to maneuver, and began deflecting the Murkwalker's strikes with precision. His Potency Mark flared on his back, empowering his movements as he countered with sharp, calculated strikes from his conjured dagger.

"You're not the only one who can fight!" Cedric growled, driving the dagger into the creature's thigh. The Murkwalker howled, its movements faltering for a moment, but it quickly recovered, swiping at Cedric with renewed fury.

Evan was fully engaged with the second Murkwalker, their battle a blur of claws and flames. The creature reinforced its body with a layer of mud, hardening its defenses as it pressed its advantage. Evan's flames scorched through the mud, but the process was slow, and the Murkwalker's relentless attacks kept him on the defensive.

Then Evan's Simulate flared, a new signal lighting up his mental map.

"The another one," he thought, his eyes narrowing.

The third Murkwalker was approaching—It was burrowing through the ground, moving like a shadow beneath the mud. Evan's mind raced as he tracked its movements, waiting for the perfect moment to act.

The second Murkwalker lunged at him, claws slashing downward. Evan sidestepped, conjuring a flaming shield to deflect the blow. The shield flared brightly as it caught the strike, but Evan dissipated it immediately, conserving his energy as he drove his dagger into the creature's side.

The Murkwalker roared, stumbling back, but its movements were deliberate. It was buying time, creating an opening for its ally below.

Evan felt the ground beneath him shift.

The third Murkwalker struck with terrifying speed, its claws bursting from the mud in a blur of motion. It lunged upward, aiming directly for Evan's head, its sharp talons gleaming in the dim light.

The apprentices behind him screamed.

"No!" Mira cried, her voice breaking.

"This is it," Lars muttered, his face pale. "We're done."

But Evan wasn't done.

He had been tracking the creature's every move, waiting for the exact moment it would emerge. As the Murkwalker's claws closed in, Evan twisted his body at an awkward angle, dodging the strike by mere inches.

In his hand was a condensed Flame Sparkle, the orb of fire glowing with a deep, fiery intensity. The heat radiating from it was almost unbearable, the energy so concentrated that it seemed to hum in his grip.

Evan didn't hesitate. He drove the orb directly into the Murkwalker's face, the impact releasing an explosive wave of fire and heat.

The sound was deafening—a sharp boom that echoed through the forest. Flames erupted outward, consuming the creature's head in an instant. The apprentices shielded their faces as the heat washed over them, the sheer intensity of the attack leaving them stunned.

When the light faded, the third Murkwalker's body was flung through the air, its lifeless form landing with a heavy thud several meters away. Its head was gone, obliterated by the attack, and its muscular frame lay motionless, the remnants of fire still smoldering on its body.