The clash began the moment Rael took a step forward.
The Moltenhide Graver was nothing short of brutal. It towered with thick arms that cracked the earth with each movement. Steam hissed off its hide, and molten drool sizzled where it landed.
Rael struggled from the start. His ice cracked too early, his lightning scattered with no aim, and his footing wavered. He wasn't slow, but his elements refused to obey like they should. And the Graver didn't hesitate, it charged through everything he threw at it, shrugging off the strikes like splashes of water.
Still, Arden didn't step in right away. He watched with a steady expression, arms folded as the ground shook beneath them.
"You're not supposed to win," he muttered under his breath. "Just fight."
Rael panted, stumbling backward as the beast reared for another strike. His attacks were barely scratching it. Sparks fizzled from his palm while ice coated his arm in uneven layers.
Then the Graver got too close.
