Chapter 13

The Grendel let out a deep, rumbling growl, its massive body crouching low, muscles tight like springs. Then it moved—fast, too fast. It lunged at Shaun, claws slashing through the air in a deadly arc.

Shaun barely dodged, feeling the wind from the claws as they missed him by inches. He spun around, swinging his sword at the creature's side. The blade hit—but it bounced off with a loud *clang*, like he'd struck solid metal.

Laelar rushed in from the side, kicking the back of the Grendel's knee hard. The creature barely stumbled. With a growl, it turned, swinging its massive arms. Laelar ducked, rolling under the attack and popping up to slam his elbow into its ribs.

The monster didn't even budge.

"Great," Laelar muttered. "This thing is a living fortress."

Shaun gritted his teeth. He shifted his grip on his sword and lunged again, feinting left before slashing at its thigh. But once again, his blade skidded harmlessly off its hide.

"Alright, big guy," Laelar muttered, his voice tense. "Let's see how you like this!"

He thrust his hands forward, and a wave of fire shot from his palms, racing toward the Grendel. But just before the flames could hit, the air around the creature shimmered. A clear barrier appeared, swallowing the fire completely. The flames didn't even touch the ground—they just vanished, like they'd been erased.

Laelar's eyes widened. "You've got to be kidding me!"

The Grendel growled, standing unharmed behind its shield.

"Magic's not working, swords aren't working," Shaun growled. "What are we supposed to—"

Suddenly, heat flared behind them.

The Grendel's throat bulged, its chest swelling as a bright glow built inside it. Shaun's instincts screamed at him to act.

"GET DOWN!" he yelled.

They leaped in opposite directions just as the Grendel unleashed a stream of blazing blue fire, burning the ground where they'd been standing. The air shimmered with heat, and the rocks beneath the flames sizzled and cracked from the sheer heat.

Shaun landed in a crouch, eyes narrowing. So it could use magic.

"But that doesn't fix the big question—how do we actually hurt this thing?"

The Grendel didn't give them time to think. It charged at Shaun, the ground shaking under its weight. Shaun jumped out of the way, barely dodging being crushed, but the creature turned fast—too fast. Its huge arm swung out, claws slashing toward him.

Shaun raised his sword to block, but the impact was so strong that it pushed him backward. The Grendel didn't stop, charging at him again.

Laelar saw his chance. While the creature focused on Shaun, he ran behind it and jumped onto its back. Flames formed in his hands, twisting into a rope of fire. He quickly wrapped it around the Grendel's thick neck, trying to hold it in place.

The Grendel thrashed wildly, slamming its back against the sharp rocks to shake Laelar off. Laelar winced as the impact jolted his body, but he clung on tight.

Shaun saw his chance. He dashed forward, aiming a precise strike at one of the creature's pulsing scars. But just as his blade was about to hit—

A burst of energy exploded from the Grendel's skin, like an invisible shockwave. Shaun was flung backward, slamming into the ground. His sword slipped from his hand.

Laelar was thrown off too, crashing into a boulder before collapsing, coughing.

Shaun groaned, pushing himself up. "What the hell was that?"

"A counterforce field," Laelar muttered, shaking off the impact. "It's not just immune to magic—it's actively repelling anything that gets too close."

The Grendel turned toward them, its ribs pulsing with that eerie blue glow again. It was about to breathe fire—again.

Laelar scrambled to his feet, urgency in his actions.

The Grendel opened its massive jaws, ready to blast them with another wave of fire. But before it could attack, Shaun noticed something behind the creature—the thing they'd been looking for.

"Laelar, behind it! The crystal!" he yelled, pointing to a small blue crystal stuck just above the Grendel's right sternoclavicular joint. It glowed faintly, pulsing with energy.

Laelar's eyes widened as he understood.

"That's not just a crystal," Laelar said as he launched himself at the creature, gripping his dagger tight. "It's a Soul Stone! If we can pry it off, we can disrupt its defenses."

Shaun locked eyes with Laelar, knowing their best chance lay in teamwork. "We've got one shot at this. I'll distract the Grendel; you aim for the crystal."

With that, Shaun surged forward, feigning a thrust with his blade to draw the Grendel's attention.

"Shaun, move!" Laelar yelled, his voice almost drowned out by the Grendel's roar.

But Shaun couldn't react fast enough. The Grendel unleashed its attack—a massive concentration of blue-white flames, way stronger than before. The beam ripped through the ground, melting rocks and flinging molten debris everywhere.

The heat was unbearable, and the sheer force of the blast created a shockwave that knocked Laelar off his feet.

As the dust and smoke cleared, Laelar pushed himself up, coughing and brushing ash off his face. The ground around him was burned and still smoking, the air heavy with the sharp smell of scorched rock. His heart pounded as he looked around in a panic.

"Shaun!" he called out, his voice echoing through the rocky pass. "Shaun, where are you?!"

Silence. The only sounds were the soft crackling of flames and the distant crash of falling rocks. Laelar's chest tightened as his eyes darted across the wreckage, searching desperately.

The Grendel stood at the same spot, its glowing throat now dimming. But Shaun—Shaun was nowhere to be seen.

"Shaun!" Laelar called again, louder this time, his voice tinged with panic. He stumbled forward, his boots crunching over the charred ground. "Answer me, damn it!"

Still, there was no response. Laelar's mind raced. Had Shaun been caught in the blast? Had the Grendel's final attack been too much? He clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms as fear and frustration surged through him.

Laelar's stomach churned as the reality of the situation sank in. Shaun was gone—possibly dead—and it had happened on *his* watch. He could already picture Aldric's face as he delivered the news. The man had trusted him to protect Shaun, and now…

"Aldric's going to have my head," Laelar muttered, running a hand through his hair. He could almost hear the man's voice, sharp and cutting: *"You had one job, Laelar. One job."*

He clenched his fists, his jaw tightening. "No," he said aloud, as if trying to convince himself. "I'm not going back empty-handed. Not like this."

Laelar's eyes scanned the battlefield again, his determination hardening.

"You better not be dead, you idiot," he muttered under his breath, his voice trembling.