The ground shook. The Riftscale stumbled for a moment, caught off balance by Lyra's new skill, Earthen Pulse.
Lucien took advantage. "Cael, left flank!"
Cael followed, rolling under a swing of the barbed tail and driving his sword upward. The blade pierced the softer scales beneath the arm. The beast screeched, thrashing violently as arcs of lightning shot from its body.
Zzzap!
Cael was thrown back, his armor smoking faintly. "Damn, that thing bites!"
"Stay down for a second!" Lucien called out, eyes sharp as the creature turned its rage toward him.
He drew on the link with Lyra, feeling her presence sharpen his focus. Their shared senses aligned, he could see the twitch of the tail before it moved, the faint hum of static before each discharge.
"Now!" Lucien shouted.
Lyra dashed forward, her form bursting with light. She struck the beast's head, disorienting it long enough for Lucien to close the distance. He drove his blade deep into one of its exposed joints, twisting hard before pulling back.
The Beast screamed, slamming its tail into the ground. The impact threw Lucien off balance, but Cael was already back on his feet, charging with a battle cry.
"Got your back!" he yelled.
Their attacks began to flow together, the rhythm building as they adapted to the beast's movements. Lyra's pulses disrupted its footing each time it tried to regain control, while Cael's blade cut through weakened scales one after another. Lucien's commands were short, sharp, and precise.
"Left! Shift back! Now strike!"
For a moment, they seemed to have the upper hand. But the Riftscale stumbled, roaring in frustration as its movements became sluggish. Then its body began to glow, the blue lines along its scales brightening until they shone like molten metal.
Lucien's eyes widened. "Back! Everyone, back now!"
The beast's body convulsed before releasing a surge of energy that cracked the ground around it. The air filled with a piercing hum, the scent of copper burning through their lungs.
Cael braced his sword, panting. "What the hell was that?"
Lucien narrowed his eyes. "It's shifting phases. This next part's going to hurt." He looked at them both, voice steady but firm. "Stay focused. We've got this. Just don't get reckless."
Lyra floated beside him, her glow rising again. "We're ready."
Lucien grinned, faint but sure. "Then let's finish what we started."
The Riftscale Lizard roared again, sparks leaping across its scales as the ground trembled beneath them. Lucien steadied his blade, eyes locked on the glowing beast.
"Round two," he said quietly. "Let's make it count."
And with that, the three of them surged forward, just as the beast's energy exploded outward, signaling the start of another brutal clash.
The Riftscale Lizard slammed its tail into the ground again, stone cracking under the force as sparks crawled along its scales. Lucien felt the vibration through his boots and adjusted his stance without thinking. His dagger moved in short, careful arcs, never greedy, never lingering. He was not trying to overpower the beast. He was buying time.
Cael was the one doing the real damage.
Each time the warrior stepped in, his blade carved deep, forcing the creature back bit by bit. Sweat ran down Cael's face, his breathing rough, but his eyes stayed sharp as he followed Lucien's voice.
"Don't chase," Lucien said. "Let it turn first."
Cael grunted and pulled back just as the barbed tail whipped through the space where his head had been. Sparks burst against the stone with a sharp crack.
"Yeah," Cael muttered. "I see it."
Lucien moved in, slashing at a joint and then retreating. The timing was tight, but it worked. The Riftscale roared, scales flaring as static crawled over its body. It stomped forward, using Ground Surge, sending a ripple through the earth.
Lyra reacted instantly, drifting higher as the shockwave passed beneath her. Through their shared senses, Lucien felt the shift in the beast's balance before it fully committed.
"Left side is weak," he said calmly. "It's overloading its core now."
He knew that calm came from somewhere familiar. The years spent staring at screens, reading patterns, learning enemy behavior. The Rift was not a game, but the habits stuck. As he watched. adapted. and controlled the pace.
As the fight slid back into a deadlock.
The Beast circled them, breathing heavy now. Even an E rank beast could feel exhaustion.
Cael drove his sword down, forcing it back once more, then staggered a step as he pulled free.
He glanced at Lucien, chest rising and falling. "I can keep this up," he said, though the strain showed. "But not forever."
Lucien wiped sweat from his brow and exhaled slowly. "You don't need forever. Just a bit longer."
Cael huffed a laugh. "You always say that like it's easy."
Lucien allowed himself a small smile. "You're still holding up your ground, aren't you?"
And that was enough. Cael straightened, his grip tightening on his sword. "Then let's finish annoying this thing."
Lucien turned his focus inward, reaching for the bond he shared with Lyra. "Alright," he said softly. "This time, we use both."
Lyra hovered closer, her light steady. "I'm ready."
"Good. Earthen Pulse first, on my signal. Then Phantom Rush. Don't rush it."
She nodded, trusting him without hesitation.
The Riftscale Lizard charged, static flaring brighter as it closed the distance. Its Static Carapace crackled, electricity snapping in the air with a sharp hiss.
"Now," Lucien said.
Lyra dropped low and struck the ground.
Boom.
The kinetic burst rippled outward, disrupting the creature's footing. Its charge faltered just for a breath.
"Cael," Lucien shouted. "Go!"
Cael surged forward, blade glowing faintly as he poured aether into the strike.
Steel met scale with a grinding shriek. The beast reeled, roaring in pain, but it did not fall. It lashed out wildly, tail whipping around with brutal force.
Lucien moved without thinking, stepping in just long enough to draw its attention, then slipping away as the tail smashed down where he had been.
Still not enough.
Lucien felt it then. The stall would not break on its own.