The moment of silence shattered as another deep, resonant chime rang through the air. The mountain trembled beneath them, its unseen architect stirring once more. Then, the deafening sound of stone against stone rumbled from above.

More boulders were coming.

Stronric gritted his teeth. "Stay back!" he bellowed as he took off up the steep incline alone. His boots pounded against the treacherous stone, every step a battle against the unstable ground. The others remained on the platform below, watching as he ascended, their breath held tight as they scanned the unfolding chaos.

The first boulder came into view, rolling down the narrow corridor at a breakneck speed. Its surface was etched with glowing runes, identical to those carved into the alcoves lining the mountain wall. Stronric's eye flicked to the recesses in the stone—he could make it.

Without hesitation, he veered to the nearest alcove and leapt inside. The instant his boots touched the carved floor, the walls shuddered. A sharp click echoed through the narrow space. Then

THWIP!

A spear shot from the wall like a viper striking its prey. Stronric barely had time to turn before the tip raked across his shoulder, slicing through his armor. He grunted, staggering back, the sharp sting of the cut flaring against his skin. Had he been a step slower, the spear would've skewered him outright.

"Ach! What in the…?"

From below, Giles' sharp eyes scanned the alcoves, his brow furrowing. "Stronric! Get out of zere!" he shouted.

Stronric swore and dove out just as the boulder thundered past, the rush of wind from its passing sending dust swirling around him. He hit the ground with a grunt and rolled to his feet, pressing a hand to his bleeding shoulder.

"What the hell was that?!" Kara yelled from the platform, gripping the edge of the rock as she strained to see.

Giles' eyes darted from the glowing runes on the boulder to the markings above the alcoves. His face paled. "It's a puzzle! Ze alcoves correspond to ze boulders! If you enter ze wrong one," he gestured to Stronric's fresh wound. " You get punished."

Stronric, still panting, turned his head to see another boulder roaring into view, its symbols pulsing like embers in a dying fire. The ground trembled, the very mountain eager to claim him.

"Figure it out fast!" Dane barked. "We don't have time for a lecture!"

Giles' mind raced, scanning the glyphs. Then, his eyes lit up. "Ze runes on ze boulder! Zey match one of ze alcoves! Only ze right alcove will be safe!"

From below, Rugiel called out, her sharp eyes locking onto a matching alcove further up. "That one! The symbols match the third alcove! Stronric, move!"

Stronric gritted his teeth, pushing forward, dodging loose stones as the next boulder barreled toward him. At the last second, he threw himself into the designated alcove. This time, nothing happened. No spears shot out and no deadly trap was activated.

The others exhaled in unison.

Stronric wiped a hand across his bleeding shoulder. "Right, so next time, someone figures that out before I take a spear to the ribs, aye?"

Giles smirked. "You are ze first to test ze path, non? Consider it a lesson for ze rest of us."

Stronric grumbled but gave a curt nod. "Fine. Now get up here! More are comin'."

"We go in pairs!" Giles commanded, scanning the path ahead. "Stay together, move only when we see ze next match!"

Kara clicked her tongue. "Lovely. A puzzle that tries to kill us. Just what I wanted."

The humans took off first, Giles stood ready to go, Armand walked to join him in his run when Kara put her hand on Armand's arm. "Ladies first." Kara stepped next to Giles, whose eyes were flickering between the boulders and the alcoves, frantically matching symbols before each new wave of stone threatened to crush them. Giles counted down and they started their run up the hill. Armand and Serene followed next, Serene nearly hesitating before Rugiel shoved her forward.

"Do not stop! Keep moving!" Rugiel ordered, running alongside her as the boulders roared above them.

Stronric waited as the last group, Dane and Rugiel, finally started their run. He turned his head upward. More boulders were forming at the summit. Whatever force controlled this place, it had no intention of letting them reach the top.

"Come on then!" he growled, Let's see what you go mountain, I have yet to lose to battle to the stone."

Stronric broke from cover, sprinting up the slope with all the power his legs could muster. The next boulder roared into view, its rune still obscured as the stone gained speed, thundering toward him like an executioner's blade. He didn't slow. Instead, he bellowed over his shoulder, trusting his companions to handle their own fates.

Eyes narrowing in concentration, Stronric fought to make out the sigil. As the boulder hurtled forward, the rune began to glow, its light flickering like fire in the wind. The faster it rolled, the clearer it became, until the symbol projected off the boulder's surface in sharp relief. The problem? It was still too fast. His breath came in short bursts as he struggled to read it until, at last, the meaning struck him.

"Broken box!" Stronric shouted, his voice carrying over the chaos. His gaze darted to the alcoves ahead, scanning desperately. There! Etched into the stone, a box split by a jagged crack.

Without hesitation, he lunged inside, pressing his back against the uphill wall, his muscles taut with tension. He looked back down toward his group, watching as they scrambled for safety. One by one, they each dove into matching alcoves, narrowly avoiding disaster. Relief flooded his chest, but he had no time to dwell on it.

The air split with a crack of wind as the boulder thundered past his hiding spot, shaking the ground beneath his feet. Stronric wasted no time. The moment it passed, he burst from the alcove, feet pounding against the uneven ground. The next boulder was already coming, its rune shifting, harder to read. Each step forward, each dive for safety, each frantic call of a new symbol pushed him further, but the challenge only grew more intense.

The summit loomed ahead, but as Stronric crested the last rise his breath caught in his throat. Before him was a small flat rim that surrounded a massive, deep bowl carved into the mountain itself. The walls of the bowl were steep and smooth as though shaped by an immense force. Only a thin flat rim of earth ran around the lip of the bowl connecting where the group came from to what looked like an opening on the other side that a path may continue up the mountain. Stronric's attention was pulled into the center of the bowl where at the very center a hulking figure stirred from his arrival.

The giant was colossal, its form stretching high into the air, an abomination of raw muscle and obsidian-black skin. Jagged ridges ran down its broad torso, its flesh appearing like cracked stone, thick and unyielding. Its arms were long and sinewy, ending in wicked, clawed fingers large enough to crush a man in its grip.

It had no legs.

Instead, its body ended in thick, mangled stumps, planted firmly into the earth. The creature's immense weight pressed into the ground, cracks spiderwebbing beneath it as if the mountain itself strained beneath its bulk. A constant, guttural growl rumbled from its chest, shaking the very earth around them. The demon's eyes burned with cruel intelligence, fixed upon the intruders with an expression of hunger and malice.

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Then, with a slow, deliberate motion, it reached down.

Its clawed fingers closed around an immense boulder, and with a sudden, terrifying speed, it hurled the stone. The boulder slammed into the curved walls of the bowl and did not stop, it spun, gaining momentum, ricocheting wildly off the terrain. The force sent it bouncing unpredictably, careening toward the Stronric with lethal speed.

Stronric barely had time to react before the ground beneath him shook violently from the impact. A sudden explosion of rock sent him stumbling backward, his boots skidding against loose gravel. He grunted, trying to regain his balance, but the next boulder struck the ridge just below him again. bone. The giant thrashed violently and Stronric hung dangling high above the battlefield from one hand that remained clutching the buried axe. He looked down and saw an open abyss yawning below. The force was too much. The ledge crumbled beneath his feet, and with a startled curse, Stronric tumbled forward. He clawed for purchase, fingers grasping at loose stone, but gravity took hold. With a harsh impact, he landed on his back at the base of the bowl, a sharp pain jolting through his spine.

Dust swirled around him as the giant's laughter rumbled across the battlefield. The beast turned its smoldering gaze toward Stronric, who groaned as he pushed himself onto his hands and knees. Above, the others coming up the hill stood at the ridge, their weapons drawn, but they had no way of reaching him in time.

The giant flexed its massive arms and reached for another boulder.

Stronric spat blood onto the ground, gripping his axe tightly. "Well… shite."

The beast let out a thunderous laugh and slammed a boulder down where Stronric had stood just moments before. Scrambling to his feet, he barely had time to take in the chaos around him, boulders crashing into each other, ricocheting unpredictably around the bowl, before he had to dodge another one. He twisted aside just in time, only to be caught off guard by a massive fist. The giant's blow struck him like a battering ram, hurling him through the air. He smashed into the rock wall and tumbled down, bouncing off the unforgiving ground several times before sliding to a stop. Stronric coughed up a mouthful of blood, wiped his mouth, and pushed himself to his feet.

A deafening scream, like thunder splitting the sky, roared overhead. Stronric looked up to see a fiery explosion, Serene had cast something at the monster. The giant's head whipped back in agony, its roar shaking the ground. Enraged, it grabbed a boulder and hurled it toward the group. The impact sent several of them tumbling into the bowl, scattering like leaves in a storm. More boulders collided, ricocheting in deadly trajectories.

Stronric let out a furious war cry and charged, weaving through the chaos. If he couldn't reach the giant's head, he'd cut it down at the torso. But as he neared, he skidded to a halt. The ground before him dropped off into a sheer pit, the beast was digging a moat around itself. He couldn't leap the gap. His momentum was useless here. His gaze darted across the battlefield. If they could reach the other side of the sloping basin, they could escape. The giant was trapped in this place, it wouldn't be able to follow far.

"FLEE! Get to the other side and get out!" Stronric bellowed, turning back the way he came.

The others heard him. They ran. But the giant, enraged by their retreat, grabbed two more boulders and twisted its wrist in a way that sent them skidding unpredictably across the battlefield. The stones didn't just follow a straight path, they changed direction mid-flight, veering toward different targets at random. A scream rang out, Serene. Stronric didn't see the hit, only the aftermath: her body tumbling, her foot dangling at an unnatural angle. Dane spun back, scooped her up without a word, and ran.

Armand shouted a warning to Giles as one of the cursed boulders suddenly altered course, but then, just as quickly, Kara intervened. Ice magic flashed, redirecting the deadly projectile, straight toward Rugiel. She caught sight of it at the last moment and swung her warhammer with all her might. The impact sent her staggering sideways, but she managed to divert the stone's trajectory.

Stronric snarled in frustration, he was powerless to help them.

Then he saw it.

His hand went to his magic pouch. A throwing axe. He pulled it free, scanning the battlefield. The chaos, the bouncing, the ricocheting, then he spotted the moment. Two boulders about to collide.

He threw.

The axe spun through the air, burying itself in one of the stones just as the two boulders crashed together. Stronric lunged.

His timing was nearly perfect.

The impact sent the boulders and him hurtling through the air. For a brief, heart-stopping moment, he soared skyward, riding the force like a cannon shot. His target had been the giant's torso, but the chaotic energy threw him slightly off course.

No matter.

Stronric ripped his axe free and swung it overhead, slamming the beard of the weapon into the giant's arm. The sheer force nearly wrenched it from his grip. The momentum carried him downward, spiraling uncontrollably along the beast's limb as it howled in pain. His descent only stopped when his axe bit into the wrist bone. The giant thrashed violently and Stronric hung dangling high above the battlefield from one hand that remained clutching the buried axe. He looked down and saw an open abyss yawning below.

Stronric gritted his teeth, his axe buried deep in the giant's arm as it roared in fury. The colossus swung violently, trying to shake him but Stronric held tight, his his boots scraping against its thick, cracked flesh. Then, with a sudden, brutal jerk, the beast flung its arm outward.

Stronric, refusing to be thrown, gritted his teeth and climbed up onto the beast's arm. The giant's other hand came down with a thunderous clap, as if trying to swat away a pesky fly. Stronric jumped and rolled away just in time. Coming up onto his feet, he sprinted up the beast's forearm. Shadowed by death, the giant slammed its hand down at him again. This time, Stronric used the power from the blow to launch himself forward, stumbling as his legs barely kept up with the speed. Dodging several more attacks, he finally reached the beast's shoulder.

With a snarl, Stronric swung his axe in rapid, brutal arcs, carving deep gouges into the beast's hardened neck flesh. Every strike sent tremors through its body, forcing it into further desperation. He could feel its rage mounting, its roars growing more primal as it flailed harder, trying to rid itself of the relentless attacker clinging to it. Then, Stronric caught a glow—a strange light emanating from the giant's Adam's apple.

It mesmerized him for a moment. A heart-shaped object pulsed just beneath the skin. Stronric shot toward it, raising his axe and swinging it down. A pulse of energy spread from the blow. The giant screamed, slamming its massive hand onto its throat in an attempt to crush him. Stronric reacted instantly, driving his axe into the nape of the beast's neck and sliding down, carving a deep wound as he went. He landed in safety, but when he looked back, the skin around the glowing heart-shaped object was untouched.

Stronric's sharp eye caught something, a jagged stone spur jutting out from the mountainside, sharp and unyielding like the blade of a buried axe. An idea struck. He climbed back up, adjusting his grip and slashing again, this time not to wound, but to direct. Each swing of his axe forced the giant to jerk its head in pain, twisting toward the mountainside. Again, he struck, feeling the beast instinctively recoil, unknowingly following the path he laid for it. Then, with a final, savage blow, he drove the edge of his weapon into the sensitive tendons along its throat. The pain was too much.

Stronric tried to move out of the way but was slammed against the giant's throat. The beast bellowed in frustration, but desperation overtook reason, driving it into a frenzy. The giant lifted Stronric up to its mouth, intending to bite off his head. Stronric roared in defiance, drawing in a deep breath. He pulled the Ruhan out of the air and forced its power into his soul forge. Quickly, he refined the energy, forging a bar marked with the rune of strength. Smaller than his past attempts, he knew he only needed a fraction of the power to achieve his goal. As the rune spread across his body, he broke the bar of energy.

Pain surged through Stronric as his body struggled to contain the energy, his bones groaning under the strain. Using his runes of power, he controlled it, stopping it from tearing him apart again.

The giant's fingers crushed around him like a steel vice. His ribs groaned under the force, but he refused to be caged. With a roar that echoed through the battlefield, he planted his feet against the beast's palm and drove his arms outward. Veins bulged, muscles burned, and with a final, earth-shaking heave, he pried the monstrous fingers apart. A crack like splitting stone filled the air as the grip shattered, and he tore himself free, leaping for the giant's face. Stronric grabbed onto the giant's eyebrow, clinging on for dear life.

He concentrated. His right hand shifted, forming into a metallic spear, his skin turning to iron. With a snarl, he drove his hand into the giant's eye, digging deep. His fingers latched onto something inside, something pulsing and fibrous. Stronric released his grip on the eyebrow and seized hold of whatever his iron hand had found, bracing his feet against the giant's eye socket.

With a violent heave, he ripped it free.

The eye tore from its socket as Stronric yanked with all his might, sending him falling backward. He caught onto the nerve, swinging wildly as the beast let out a scream of pure agony. The giant staggered, instinctively moving forward to protect itself from further pain. It overbalanced, its massive body lurching forward as if in slow motion.

Stronric swung back and forth on the nerve before releasing and landing on the giant's shoulder. As the colossus tipped forward, deceptively slow in its descent, Stronric ran with all his speed toward its lower back, using the momentum of its fall to his advantage.

The entire battlefield trembled as the colossus struck the rock. The impact sent shockwaves through the ground, throwing debris in all directions. Massive cracks spiderwebbed up the mountainside as boulders tumbled down, threatening to crush anything in their path. The deafening sound of stone grinding against stone echoed across the battlefield. The party looked as dust and debris clouded the landscape below leaving only thought of fear and loss as they waited for it to clear.

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