The sun had just reached its peak as the Kind Heroes—Arriel, Lira, Kell, and their newest member, Mirable—stood on the edge of a scorched canyon half a day north of Veilden. The ground beneath their boots was cracked and dry, and the smell of burnt wood and sulfur hung in the air. Jagged rock formations towered like the spines of buried giants, and steam hissed from vents that crisscrossed the terrain.
"So this is Flamehorn Drakar's territory," Kell muttered, shielding his eyes from the heatwaves rising from the stone.
"We need to be careful," Lira said, her eyes scanning the landscape. "It's not just the Drakar—it's the terrain. The air is thick with fire mana."
Mirable knelt, brushing her fingers against claw marks etched deep into the rock. "Massive. At least twice the size of a bear. Fast too."
"We'll use our usual approach," Arriel said, tightening the straps on his gauntlets. "Distraction and divide. Lira, cast defense from the rear. Kell, long-range suppression. Mirable, we need your speed. I'll take it head-on."
Everyone nodded. No time was wasted.
As they moved cautiously into the canyon, a deafening roar shattered the silence. From behind a jagged ridge, the Flamehorn Drakar emerged—towering, quadrupedal, its black-scaled body glowing with red-hot veins of lava. Twin horns curved upward from its snout, and its tail dragged a glowing scar through the earth.
"Incoming!" Arriel shouted.
The monster reared back and released a breath of fire. The group scattered, flames missing them by mere seconds.
"Eyes on the left horn!" Lira called out, already casting a Tier 3 Ice Spear. "It's resonating with mana!"
The spell launched with precision, slamming into the Drakar's front leg and coating it in ice. The beast roared in pain and anger.
Mirable was already moving. With a blur of motion, she darted left, blades flashing as she struck at its flank. Her movements were graceful and deliberate, slicing shallow cuts into the Drakar's hide, just enough to bait its attention without fully engaging.
Kell, from a higher ledge, cast bursts of pressurized wind magic, disrupting the Drakar's footing. The monster shifted its weight, stumbling slightly.
Arriel seized the chance. With a mighty leap, he vaulted onto the creature's back, grabbing one of its molten spines for balance.
"Now!" he roared.
Lira followed up with a Tier 2 Water Bolt barrage to cool the horn, allowing Arriel to strike. His sword, glowing with blue mana, came down hard on the left horn, cracking it.
The Drakar screamed, and a violent pulse of heat erupted from its body, sending Arriel flying backward. He crashed into the canyon wall and slid to the ground.
"Arriel!" Lira shouted, rushing forward.
She dropped beside him, casting **Regenerate** without hesitation. Her mana crystal glowed yellow from rapid drain, but Arriel's breathing evened, burns healing as his muscles knitted back together.
"Still breathing," Arriel groaned. "That was too close."
"Don't move yet," she instructed, gritting her teeth as she maintained the spell.
Kell tossed a mana potion toward Arriel, who caught it mid-air and downed it in one gulp. The glow on his bracelet stabilized.
Meanwhile, Mirable was leading the Drakar in a dizzying circle, blades flashing as she danced just outside its reach. She shouted taunts to keep its attention focused.
"Come on, you oversized campfire!"
Arriel climbed to his feet. "Let's end this."
With renewed strength, he charged. Lira followed, casting **Mana Bind** on the Drakar's rear legs to slow it. Kell launched a shockwave of air, and the monster faltered.
Mirable flipped backward just in time as Arriel leapt high once more, sword raised overhead.
With a battle cry, he brought the blade crashing down onto the cracked horn. A burst of mana surged from the point of impact. The horn shattered—and the Flamehorn Drakar collapsed, flames flickering out like dying embers.
Silence returned to the canyon.
They all stood breathing heavily. Lira fell to her knees, exhausted but smiling. Mirable spun her blades once before sheathing them.
"We did it," Kell said, exhaling. "That was insane."
They harvested what they could—scale fragments, a molten fang, pieces of the shattered horn. Valuable materials.
"Great teamwork," Arriel said, patting Mirable's shoulder.
She smiled, but her expression darkened briefly when no one saw. The image of a dying brother still lingered in her mind.
"Thanks. You guys are pretty amazing too."
They began the journey back to Veilden, sore but triumphant. The Kind Heroes had proven themselves once again.