A week later, Sofía moved through the forest, following the tracks left behind by the magical beast. The air was dense, charged with mana so concentrated that it caused pain even to the most experienced. Many knights and mages had fallen behind; even Sofía could feel her magical core protesting.
—Lusian, are you alright? —she asked, her voice firm but concerned.
—What's happening? —he replied, panting—. My chest... it hurts like never before.
—The mana density is stronger here —Sofía explained—. Our cores aren't used to assimilating this kind of energy.
Lusian closed his eyes and took a deep breath, recalling the days when he traveled to cities located at high altitudes. But this... this was different, multiplied tenfold.
—We won't be able to continue... What will we do, mother?
—We must wait —Sofía said resolutely—. Our bodies need to gradually adapt to this environment. Only then can we move forward without perishing.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the forest, Gonzalo Sneider, commander of the Sneider, walked through a treacherous swamp. Every step was a challenge; every sound, a warning. The trees concealed dangers that had already claimed several lives. Flying creatures descended without warning, snatching his men in the blink of an eye. And he, powerless, could only listen to the screams of desperation echoing from the treetops.
In an instant, a massive jaw emerged from the depths of the water and caught him. Before he could react, the commander was dragged to the bottom of the lake, disappearing forever.
The commander of the Briggs unit stepped forward and spoke in a grave voice:
—Commander Gonzalo has died. Everyone, remain calm. I will take command. This place is extremely dangerous. Do not lower your guard.
Four days later, on a plain, the Bourlance group had gathered when Kara accidentally fell into the middle of a battle.
—Miss, what are you doing here? —shouted Commander Wilbur Bourlance, alarmed.
—You didn't see anything —Kara replied as she put on her helmet, with a calm that contradicted the situation—. Understood?
—Does your father know you're here? —the commander asked—. The entire duchy must be in chaos.
—I don't know what you're talking about —Kara replied, rejoining the group with steady steps.
—Please, go back. I will assign escorts for your safety...
The ground shook violently. A herd of majestic B-rank deer, along with their young, crossed the plain in a thunder of fear. The knights prepared to defend themselves; confusion was total. However, the deer kept running, blinded by panic.
With precision and speed, the Bourlance brought down several deer. The opportunity to take advantage of the hunt was clear: the meat of these animals, a delicacy among nobles, could not be wasted. As they gathered their spoils, an ominous sensation spread through the air.
—Humans! —a voice echoed in their minds—. You steal my prey and invade my home! I will kill you all!
—That thing... is talking to us? —Kara murmured, unable to hide her astonishment.
Confusion took hold of the group. Before them, Basilco, the king of the forest, a magical beast eight meters tall and fifteen long, rose imposingly. Its eyes burned with primordial fury as it opened its mouth and unleashed a beam of light that swept everything in its path.
In an instant, 221 knights and 76 mages disappeared, leaving behind silence and despair. The survivors, stunned, launched spells at Basilco, but it was useless: the beast took no damage. With each step, its colossal body drew closer, determined to annihilate those who dared challenge it.
Wilbur did not hesitate. He activated the distress signal he carried, hoping some nearby group would answer the call. He grabbed Kara and moved away from the center of the battle, aware that many knights could not fight effectively due to the mana density saturating the environment.
Just as they managed to gain distance, a new glow emerged from Basilco. Another group of knights vanished in an instant, devoured by the forest king's fury.
—We have to go help them! —Kara shouted, desperate—. They're all going to die!
—Miss, your safety comes first —Wilbur replied, trying to calm her—. Let's wait for a support group to arrive, and I'll get you out of the forest.
Upon seeing the distress signal, Sofía did not hesitate to order immediate deployment. In the distance, they made out Basilco's imposing silhouette. Lusian took a breath and spoke calmly, measuring every word:
—Is that... Basilco? Mother, wait.
—What is it, son? —Sofía asked, concerned—. Can't you see we're in trouble?
—That creature is the king of the forest —Lusian explained with determination—. Sending soldiers would be suicide. Their numbers won't change anything. But there is a way to defeat it.
—Tell me what you know, but the soldiers will stay behind —Sofía ordered, trusting her son but aware of the danger.
—This monster is called Sarcosuchus imperator. It is resistant to all elements. Its most lethal attack is a beam of light it fires from its mouth. It can be harmed in two ways: with physical force, although its size makes a frontal attack almost useless, or through dark magic equal to or stronger than its own. It has a weakness: just before firing its beam, it concentrates mana at four points around its legs. If we strike it with dark magic at that moment, it will become immobile for an instant, and we can launch all our attacks. If you trust me, I can coordinate with Umber and strike at the exact moment.
Sofía reflected, pride and concern crossing her face.
—I don't want to put you in danger, Lusian. It's better if you stay with the group —she said softly, trying to protect him.
—Mother, I'll be with Umber —he replied firmly—. No one else can support him like I can. Trust me, but I promise I'll pull back if I'm in danger.
Sofía nodded, resigned. She knew she could not stop her son when he was determined.
—Alright —she said—. I will trust you this time, but remember: if you are in danger, you will withdraw immediately. Your safety is the most important thing.
With determination, Sofía moved forward and organized the deployment into five small groups: each with ten knights and five mages. The rest of the unit remained alert in the surroundings, ready to respond to any threat.
Meanwhile, Basilco continued massacring the Bourlance group. Suddenly, a sharp pain struck him: a lion lunged at him, and the monster tried to react. But its legs went numb as it received an electric discharge that spread through the ground, dampened by the Douglas mages' water spells. The opening allowed the duchess and Tunder to land their attacks.
Enraged, Basilco concentrated mana for a devastating strike. At that moment, one of the concentration points was struck with dark magic, and the monster writhed in pain. Larryet did not hesitate: he leapt onto Basilco's head, destroying one of its eyes. The beast tried to bite him, but once again was struck by a powerful electric shock.
Desperate, Basilco tried to concentrate mana again, but another blow of dark magic interrupted it, halting its attack. Every movement of the monster was now more erratic, every action more vulnerable, as the heroes took advantage of the moment to strike with precision and force.
Basilco, overwhelmed and cornered, tried to flee, but its legs were seized by a lion and a wolf that bit down with ferocity. Sofía, concentrating her area spell that amplified the strength and speed of her beasts, rode directly toward the monster. Her spear sank into its remaining eye, leaving it completely blind.
A cry, never before heard in that forest, echoed loudly. Basilco, until that moment invincible, had learned what fear was. His days as ruler of that territory were coming to an end. Since his birth, he had known no opponent. The monsters of his forest succumbed to his light breath, and no Omega beast could challenge him. Today, everything had changed.