My heart beat as if it were about to explode. Every time the thump, thump echoed in my ears, white steam hissed from my body. The Frost Lord swung its ice arm again. But this time, it looked slow.
"Li-An, now!"
Jia used my shoulder as a stepping stone, leaping high to draw the monster's attention. Its massive hand cut through empty air. I didn't miss the opening and kicked off the ground. The ice beneath my feet melted from the heat, splashing water.
I dove into the beast's chest. Chen and Mei lunged from my sides simultaneously. Chen clawed at its flank, and Mei drove her daggers into the back of its knee. The monster lost its balance and tottered.
"Die!"
I gripped my sword in a reverse hold and slammed it into the center of its chest. The muscles in my arms screamed. As the tip pierced the hard ice shell, the hot mana pooled inside me swirled and poured into the monster's body.
Ssssssss!
A sound like a scream erupted where the ice met the heat. Cracks began to spiderweb from within the creature. With a burst of blinding light, the Frost Lord's massive frame shattered into pieces. Shards rained down like glass, but I didn't move.
"Haa... haa..."
A single blue gem remained where the monster had fallen. I dropped to my knees. It felt like all the strength was draining out of me.
"Li-An! Are you okay?"
Mei was the first to rush over, catching me. Her small hands cupped my cheeks. Chen and Jia approached, surrounding me. All three of their faces were slick with sweat, their eyes filled with relief.
"We did it. We took that monster down," Jia said, picking up the gem. But she was looking at my condition more than the loot. Chen leaned her head against my back, breathing heavily.
"We're not done yet, right? We... still have things to do."
Chen whispered into my ear. Her voice was trembling. The battle was over, but the heat remaining in my body refused to cool down. In fact, as the girls' skin touched mine, it felt like the embers were being fanned back into a flame.
We stayed there for a while, holding onto each other atop the remains of the fallen boss.