Creature of nightmare

Kaden gripped the jagged rocks, his fingers digging into the cold, rough surface as he began his descent into the Bone Pit. His body trembled with exhaustion, the weight of the transformation and the chase still weighing heavy on him, but his eyes blazed with determination. No more running.

The mist swirled around him, its cold touch chilling him to the bone. It felt alive, slithering around his limbs like snakes. He continued his descent, his body pressed tight against the rock wall as the roars and growls grew louder, more feral. 

He could hear the clash of scales and claws, the thunderous impact of colossal bodies slamming against each other. The entire Pit trembled under the force of their battle.

Kaden's heart pounded against his ribs, but his hands were steady. This is why I was given a second chance. This is why I'm here. He had to take that dragon's power no matter what. Even if it was a little bit. He needed to gain something here. He needed to make sure that thing died here and didn't come for him again.

The roar of the dragon echoed once more, but this time it was different. It was strained as if it had suffered an injury. Kaden's jaw tightened. He had to move faster.

Kaden's muscles burned as he pressed himself harder against the jagged rocks, his fingers gripping the cold, rough surface with an iron will. He could feel the vibrations coursing through the stone, reverberating from the titanic battle below.

He could see flashes of crimson scales through the churning fog, the dragon's wings flaring wide as it spat fire, its golden eyes blazing with fury. And for the first time, Kaden could see its opponent.

A skeletal claw swiped through the mist, its bony talons glinting as they collided with the dragon's flaming breath. The fire splashed against the skeletal arm, but the bones didn't burn—they absorbed the flames, swallowing them whole as if they were nothing more than air.

Kaden's breath caught in his throat as the creature stepped into view, its colossal form emerging from the swirling fog. It was massive, towering over the dragon as it stood on its hind legs, its skeletal frame wrapped in shadows. 

Its ribs were exposed, hollow, and twisted, a black void swirling within its chest. Its skull bore no flesh, its jaw hanging open in a permanent grin, fangs dripping with darkness. Its eyes blazed with an eerie, violet flame, hollow and soulless, yet burning with malevolent hunger.

A Tiger.

A massive skeletal tiger that had quite a good control of death magic from the looks of it.

The skeletal tiger moved with a terrifying grace, its massive bones creaking as shadows danced between its ribcage, swirling like tendrils of smoke. Its fangs gleamed with dark energy, the violet flames in its hollow eyes flickering with malice. It was a creature of nightmares, a predator that defied death itself.

Kaden watched as the dragon roared, its golden eyes blazing with defiance as it lunged forward, its crimson scales glowing with inner fire. Its maw opened wide, a torrent of flame surging forth with unrelenting fury.

The skeletal tiger met the attack head-on, its jaw unhinging impossibly wide as it swallowed the flames. The fire vanished into the black void within its ribcage, absorbed into nothingness. The shadows between its bones glowed faintly, flickers of red light dancing within the swirling darkness. It was feeding on the flames, consuming the dragon's power.

Kaden's heart skipped a beat. The dragon seemed to realize this too, its eyes narrowing as it flapped its wings, trying to create distance. But the tiger was faster. It moved like a wraith, its skeletal form gliding through the air as it lunged, its claws extended, dripping with black mist.

CRASH!

The impact was thunderous. The tiger's claws collided with the dragon's scales, darkness seeping into the crimson armor as the shadows corroded the dragon's defenses. The scales cracked, their glow dimming as the black mist ate away at their strength. 

The dragon howled in pain, its body convulsing as the shadows spread, crawling along its neck and chest like living parasites.

Kaden felt a chill crawl down his spine. That wasn't just death magic. It was decay, a curse that could erode life itself. If the dragon didn't break free, it would be devoured, body and soul.

The dragon's eyes flared with golden light, a pulse of energy erupting from its chest as it unleashed a shockwave of raw Essence. The force shattered the shadows, the decay retreating as the golden flames burned them away. 

The skeletal tiger was thrown back, its massive frame crashing into the rock wall, bones rattling as shadows reformed around it, repairing the damage. However, this was a moment of weakness and the dragon was ready to seize it.

Unfortunately for it, so was Kaden. 

Just as the dragon was prepared to charge forward, Kaden used every bit of mana he had and channeled it all into one big mana bolt. He then sent the massive swirling ball forward aiming for the spot where he knew the dragon was going to be.