Once again, a rock became my savior. But this time, I wasn't alone—Elfea was with me. That Scorvath looked even angrier, frustrated that its prey had slipped away yet again.
"This place is too cramped..." I gasped, panting heavily.
Elfea shot me an annoyed look. "Why did you get in my way earlier, Rey?"
"We... need a plan first, Elfea," I replied, trying to catch my breath.
Elfea huffed. "Fine, here's my plan... Dragon Fire!"
"Huh? Elfea, wait, what do you—"
Before I could finish my sentence, Elfea had already unleashed her fire magic. A massive explosion shook the entire area, forcing Scorvath to retreat for a moment.
I stood frozen, staring at Elfea as she approached with a slightly worried expression.
"Are you okay, Rey?" she asked, eyeing my face that probably had some scorch marks.
I could only gape at her, torn between being mad or just surrendering to her reckless behavior.
"Am I okay?!" I yelled, my voice shooting up an octave. "My face almost turned into a barbecue because of you, Elfea!"
Elfea just chuckled, covering her mouth as if she felt guilty—but it was obviously just an act. "Eh, really? But you still look handsome, Rey. A little crispy... but still the Rey I know."
"I don't need that kind of comfort!" I shot back, irritated. "Next time you fire off that thing, make sure I'm not in the blast zone, okay?!"
Elfea crossed her arms, acting all smug. "Well, that's your fault for standing too close. Besides, if we waited for your plan, we'd already be Scorvath's lunch, you know!"
I sighed deeply. "Still... that's not how you do it... you can't just charge in like a barbarian."
"You know what, Rey?" Elfea pointed her tiny yet infuriating finger at me. "Sometimes, it's better to act first, think later!"
"I'd rather stay alive first, then think," I replied, patting my still-warm face.
We stared at each other for a few seconds before both of us sighed in exhaustion.
"Geez... I really need a vacation," I muttered.
"Agreed," Elfea grinned. "But let's finish off Scorvath first, yeah?"
I could only groan inwardly. Somehow, whenever I was with Elfea, my life felt both dangerously exciting and... weirdly fun.
After that absurd argument, we finally refocused. Scorvath's roar echoed again from within the dark mist.
"So... what's the plan, Mr. Strategist?" Elfea asked, this time with a teasing tone.
I took a long breath. "Alright, listen. This time, we play it smart. I'll lure him to the left, and you'll prepare your Dragon Fire. And please, no more random explosions."
Elfea looked at me with a challenging smile. "Hmm... fine. I'll behave this time... maybe."
I massaged my temples. 'Maybe'... yeah, I wasn't convinced at all.
But whether it was a miracle or I was just that serious, I managed to bait Scorvath with some flashy moves. I jumped out front, yelling dramatically.
"Hey, you overgrown lizard! Come get me if you dare!" I pulled a face at Scorvath, then bolted at full speed.
Scorvath roared, its voice shaking the ground. The thunderous sound of its footsteps confirmed that it had taken the bait.
I ran as fast as I could, glancing back mid-sprint. "Elfea! Now!"
Elfea was already at the designated spot, both hands aimed at Scorvath, her fire magic gradually building in her palms.
"Dragon Fire... Focus Mode!" she declared, exuding an aura so cool it honestly gave me goosebumps.
A giant dragon-shaped flame shot toward Scorvath, but... crap, the aim was slightly off!
"ELFEAAAA!" I screamed in panic as I dove to the side to avoid the blast.
A deafening explosion rocked the area. Dust and smoke filled the air, and I coughed violently.
I rolled on the ground, waving my hands frantically. "God... Elfea, I almost became grilled human again!"
From the smoke, Elfea emerged with a wide grin. "Hehe... but you're still alive, right? That means our plan worked!"
"Worked?!" I stared at her, on the brink of despair. "I'm going to need therapy after this!"
But as the smoke began to clear, Scorvath stumbled, its massive body scorched and clearly weakened. Elfea's attack had hit hard this time.
"Finally... we landed a solid hit," I muttered, feeling a bit relieved.
Elfea offered me her hand. "See? Our plan wasn't so bad, huh, Rey?"
I took her hand reluctantly. "Yeah... but next time, stick to the plan without your barbaric improvisations, okay?"
Elfea stuck out her tongue. "No promises."
I shook my head in defeat. I was gonna need more than a vacation... maybe early retirement.
But before I could complain further, Scorvath roared again—this time, angrier than ever.
"Uh... looks like we're not done yet," Elfea said casually, though her eyes narrowed with excitement.
I let out a sigh. "Good grief... will my life ever be peaceful..."
Scorvath roared fiercely, its breath searing hot, filling the air with suffocating heat. The wounds from Elfea's attack had made it even more ferocious, but also more reckless.
"Rey! This is our chance!" Elfea shouted, beginning to form a much larger magic circle than before. Flames gathered in her hands, forming a swirling mass of blazing red with sparks dancing wildly.
I swallowed hard. "You sure about going that big?"
Elfea just grinned. "Relax. This time, I made sure the aim's perfect... probably."
There's that 'probably' again... I was too tired to argue.
Elfea raised both hands high. "Dragon Fire... Inferno Mode!"
A colossal dragon-shaped flame descended from the sky, blasting from her palms straight into Scorvath's chest. The massive explosion shook the ground and the surrounding rocks.
Red light engulfed the entire area, forcing me to shield my eyes for a moment. When the smoke and dust finally settled, only Scorvath's charred corpse remained, lying motionless.
"Finally... it's over," I sighed, wiping sweat from my forehead.
But then my eyes caught something shining in Scorvath's burnt chest.
A stone... brownish in color, faintly glowing amid the ashes. It felt... different.
I carefully approached, making sure Scorvath was truly dead, then cautiously picked up the stone.
"Rey, is that the same as the Wargwood shard?" Elfea asked as she came closer.
"I think this will be useful later," I answered softly. "We need to keep this, Elfea." I said as I opened my backpack.
Elfea stared at me in awe. "Wow... you look like a real hero, Rey."
I held up the stone, staring at its rough surface that reflected a faint glow. "Or a professional thief," I murmured with a small grin.
I quickly tucked the stone into my backpack.
Elfea giggled. "Well... at least you didn't end up as a kebab this time."
I could only facepalm. "Thanks for the comforting words, Miss Fire."
We shared a laugh, surrounded by dust and the stench of burning flesh. Maybe... I had to admit, our ridiculous teamwork wasn't that bad after all.