Alex stood in anticipation, eyes fixed on the dark passage ahead. He could feel the next monster coming. Its presence was thick and heavy, moving with slow, deliberate steps—like it was trying to make a grand entrance, hoping Alex would run away in fear.
But Alex stayed where he was, calm and ready for the worst.
He quickly checked his remaining energy. It wasn't looking good. He had used too much in the last fight. He got carried away, using more magic and ranged attacks than he should have. He should have relied on his physical abilities, just like he used to.
Now, the creature approaching carried a darker, heavier energy than the last one. The air itself seemed to grow colder.
Then, as if on cue, the monster stepped out of the dark tunnel. Its steps were slow and almost regal. It looked at the body of the dark creature—Kabrar-qa—then turned its eyes to Alex. Its face was blank, like bond paper. But its eyes… they burned with hatred and murderous intent.
"Who are you? How did you kill Kabrar-qa?" it asked in perfect human language.
"It's not difficult to kill him. He is talking most of the time," Alex replied.
"I am Alex. I killed all your children. They are a bunch of spoiled brats terrorizing the town, so I put an end to their naughty behavior," he continued.
"You think you are smart? You are too proud of yourself," the creature said. "Just because those deserters who live in the sky gave you powers does not mean you are good enough. Hah! What you are given is not yours. They are just borrowed. You have to work hard for something to have a real claim in it."
Alex was caught off guard by the creature's words. It felt like something his mother would say. He didn't know what to think of it.
"So what are you saying? That I have to earn your respect first before I fight you?" Alex asked.
The creature smiled in a grotesque way.
"I am called Hilk-daq. You killed my husband. Once I kill you here, I will look for your siblings and all your kin. I will do to them what you do to mine," Hilk-daq said.
"You're welcome to—" Alex began, but before he could finish, the creature moved her hand in a swift motion. Instantly, the ground shook, and dust began rising from the floor, forming into a humanoid figure two meters taller than Alex.
"You are a mage? An earth shaman?" Alex exclaimed.
Hilk-daq smiled ruthlessly. "Yes, and I will happily feed on your corpse after I pull your body apart," she said.
Kael made a move, leaping off the cave wall to dash at the golem. But the towering figure swatted the wolf without much effort. Kael took the hit, landing on his feet, but his head bled from the force.
Alex rushed to him and placed a hand on Kael's wound, healing it with his ability. Hilk-daq watched them, her expression like she was staring at a fly on her dinner table.
The golem approached, moving faster than expected for its bulky frame.
Alex made a quick decision and unsummoned Kael after healing him—he couldn't risk losing his companion in a fight like this.
He had been practicing his elemental abilities, and now they might just come in handy.
With a swift motion, Alex summoned two balls of water, each the size of a basketball, and hurled them at the approaching golem. One missed, but the other hit the creature directly on its right knee. The water's effectiveness against earth, along with its impact, tore the leg apart.
But then Hilk-daq summoned more dirt to rebuild the golem's crushed limb.
Before Alex could react again, the golem leapt high and landed right in front of him. Its massive fist crashed into Alex's head with incredible force.
The hit was too quick—beyond even his reflexes.
Alex was thrown against the cave wall. Blood ran down the side of his head. Fortunately, the wound wasn't fatal. His strong constitution and vitality had saved him, and his regeneration ability had already begun to work.
Hilk-daq raised a brow.
"So you are not just talk. You do have some grit. No wonder you disposed of my careless husband. But I will not commit the same mistake," she said.
Alex straightened, pain twisting his features. He spoke between clenched teeth: "Enough talk."
In response, she fired a rock bullet—big enough to crack an elephant skull—and hurled it at Alex at lightning speed. Alex rolled to the side, creating an earth wall in front of him
He answered with another water orb, striking the golem's shoulder again, destroying it. But Hilk-daq once again summoned dirt to repair the damage.
That's when Alex realized he couldn't defeat the golem directly—it would keep rebuilding itself as long as the shaman lived.
He needed to take out Hilk-daq.
Alex summoned two fireballs and launched them at her like bullets. But she blocked them with her own rock projectile.
Anticipating that, Alex quickly summoned thick vines that wrapped tightly around Hilk-daq's hands.
Hilk-daq screamed, lifting her arms to try to free herself—but vines were stronger than her rage.
She was surprised. She hadn't expected him to use so many different elements
But Alex didn't wait. He called surgical wind blades—sharp, precise—and released one. It soared across the cavern and sliced her scalp deeply. Her blood arced as her body froze with shock.
She hissed in pain and commanded the golem to finish him.
"Enough," Alex said calmly. He leapt, mid-air strike ready. His feet wrapped in solid stone, he drove forcefully into her skull.
The world slowed.
The impact was massive. He put all his strength into that one final strike.
Her head gave way. Cave walls thundered as her body crumpled.
The golem crumbled into dust the moment its master died.
Dust drifted. Alex breathed heavily.
And just like that, the cave fell into silence.
Alex stood still, listening.
No more footsteps. No more laughter. No more monsters waiting in the dark.