The sand around Eccar surged and twisted as if alive. It swirling in tight spirals before solidifying into massive spears. Hundreds of them, each as large as a tree trunk, floated menacingly in the air.
Their tips were razor-sharp, gleaming dangerously under the scorching sun. The sheer number and the precision with which they hovered made it clear that this was no ordinary manipulation. Eccar had crafted these with a purpose to unleash deadly attack.
With a sharp motion of his hand, Eccar sent the spears hurtling toward the colossal rock giant.
Erend, in mid-flight, glanced over in surprise. "I didn't know he could do that," he thought, his eyes widening slightly at the sight of Eccar's display of power. The sand spears shot through the air with terrifying speed, aimed directly at the giant's massive frame.
The first wave struck the creature's rocky exterior and embedding themselves deep into its stone and crystal surface. A loud grinding sound filled the air as the spears impacted shattering large chunks of rock and sending shards of crystal flying in all directions. The force of the attack was immense and for the first time, the rock giant visibly faltered.
One by one, the sand spears tore into the creature's body, breaking through the crystalline armor that had previously resisted their efforts. Each hit caused more cracks to spread across the giant's form and bits of stone began to crumble and fall away.
Though there was still a lot of rock left in the creature's massive body, Erend could see that they were finally making real progress.
The creature let out a deep, rumbling growl, its molten eyes flashing with anger. It raised one of its colossal arms, preparing to retaliate, but its movements were slower now, more labored. The damage from Eccar's sand spears had weakened it.
"Nice work!" Erend called down to Eccar, his voice carrying through the wind.
Eccar didn't respond with words. Instead, he focused and sending another volley of sand spears toward the giant, aiming for the cracks already made. The spears slammed into it, further destabilizing the creature's structure.
Erend seized the opportunity. His wings flared as he darted forward again, lightning crackling around him. He called upon his thunder-based powers once more, summoning another massive bolt of electricity. This time, he targeted the exposed areas where the sand spears had already broken through.
With a deafening crack, the bolt of lightning struck the creature's weakened spots, sending arcs of electricity coursing through its body. The combination of lightning and the piercing sand spears proved too much.
The rock giant let out a loud groan as its body began to disintegrate. But it still alive.
BUAGH!
The creature's fist connected with him, sending a shockwave of force through his body. He was thrown backward, flying through the air for several meters before crashing into the sand with a hard booming sound.
The world spun for a moment as Erend lay there, sand clinging to his scales. He groaned and pushed himself up, cursing under his breath. His body start to feel pain now and as he looked down, he noticed small cracks forming across his arms and chest—his Dragon Scales that usually resilient had fractured from the blow.
"Damn it..." he muttered, spitting sand from his mouth. "That thing hits harder than anything I've faced."
His body trembled, not from fear but from the realization that they were up against something far stronger than he had anticipated. The giant was not just powerful—it was fast, and worse, it seemed to be getting stronger.
Erend's attention snapped back to the battle in time to see the giant raise its enormous foot, aiming a devastating stomp at Eccar who was still on the ground.
"Eccar!" Erend shouted, watching helplessly as the foot descended with terrifying speed.
But Eccar was a seasoned warrior, so he was quicker than the giant anticipated. With a burst he leaped into the air, narrowly avoiding the crushing impact. The sand trembled violently as the creature's foot slammed into the sand, leaving a deep crater where Eccar had just been.
Eccar's wings unfurled as he soared upwards, joining Erend. His eyes were wide with shock, the sheer power of their enemy now fully apparent.
"That thing just got a lot faster," Eccar said, his voice tight with tension. "We can't afford to make any mistakes."
Erend wiped a streak of blood from the corner of his mouth. He glanced at the giant, now pacing below them, its molten eyes watching their every move more intensely. This was not the same battle like before. This time, they were dealing with a monster unlike anything they had ever faced in the Dungeon.
"We need to get serious," Erend said, his voice low. "And we need to be careful."
Eccar nodded, his jaw clenched. They both understand that this was it, the fight was about to escalate to a whole new level. The giant now looks unchained and relentless and they were sure it wasn't going to give them any more chances.
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