The Wither's bone-chilling roar reverberated through the forest, each sound wave crashing through the trees and reducing their ancient trunks to splinters and ash. Azad, Ellie, and Choco huddled together, dwarfed by the monstrous creature before them. Each of the Wither's three skulls twisted with menacing precision, its hollow eyes gleaming with an unnatural, purple light.
Azad's heart pounded, the earlier skirmish with mobs leaving his body aching and bruised. Blood trickled down his forehead, mixing with the sweat that dampened his face, and his sword felt heavier with each passing second. Beside him, Ellie's hands glowed weakly, flickering with her unstable power, while Choco, wounded and limping, barked fiercely at the creature, refusing to back down.
"Ellie, what do we do?" Azad's voice was a shaky whisper, barely audible above the Wither's low, guttural growl.
Ellie forced herself to keep her voice steady. "We need to get out of here, Azad," he muttered, her eyes locked on the Wither. "That thing isn't just any mob. It's a killing machine. We can't fight it head-on."
But the Wither didn't wait for their decision. With a sudden, horrifying screech, it lunged forward, and one of its heads fired a crackling blast of dark energy straight toward them.
"Move!" Azad shouted, pushing Ellie out of the way as he dove to the side. The blast struck the ground near them, detonating with a force that rippled through the forest. Azad and Ellie were thrown into the air, tumbling apart from each other like ragdolls.
Azad hit the ground with a jarring thud, his vision flashing white as pain lanced through his leg. His breath caught in his throat, and he clenched his teeth, struggling to stay conscious. Blinking away the haze, he saw Ellie, sprawled on the other side of the clearing, shakily trying to stand. Between them, the Wither loomed, exuding a dark, unearthly power. Its gaze settled on him, and each of its three heads twisted as if it was savoring his fear.
"Azad!" Ellie shouted as she was trying to stand up.
Ellie's eyes darted to him, fear shining brightly in her gaze. She held up her hands, trying to summon her power, but it flickered weakly, slipping away before she could shape it.
"Come on… Come on," Ellie whispered, her voice shaking. "Why won't it work?"
Azad's fists clenched as he watched her struggle, helpless against the Wither's approach. "Ellie, you have to focus! I will haunt you for your entire life if you let me die here." he called, willing strength into his voice. "If there's any time to use that power, it's now!"
She gave him a terrified look, her breathing uneven. "I can't! Azad, I don't know how! I'm trying"
"Listen to me, Ellie," he said, his voice intense. "I don't care if you're tired. I don't care if you're scared. We don't have a choice. That thing is coming, and it's going to chew me alive if you don't use your powers"
As he spoke, the Wither's shadow fell over him, and a low, throaty growl escaped from its maw. Choco darted in, snapping at the Wither's skeletal leg, trying to draw its attention away from Azad. But the Wither hardly seemed to notice, its purple eyes locked onto Azad with a horrifying, murderous intent.
Azad's stomach twisted, and he felt his own courage faltering. He forced himself to think, his thoughts racing, "How do I kill something like this? Can I even hurt it?" He gripped his sword tighter, the hilt digging into his palm. "One shot… If I can just get one good hit…"
He aimed his sword and threw it with all his remaining strength, aiming at one of the Wither's necks. His blade met its target, but it barely scratched the bone, glancing off with a metallic screech. The Wither's eyes flared with fury, and it swatted him away like an insect, sending him tumbling back.
Azad rolled to a stop, coughing blood as he struggled to breathe. "This… is not going well," he muttered, feeling blood trickle from his mouth.
"Azad!" Ellie shouted, watching him in horror. She tried to move toward him, but the Wither's gaze swung back to her, and she froze, her hands raised defensively.
In a moment of blind panic, Azad pushed himself up, staggering toward the Wither, ignoring the pain screaming in his body. "You want me? Come on, then!" he shouted, trying to draw the creature's attention away from Ellie. "I'm right here!"
The Wither turned, its three heads swiveling in unison, and it let out a rumbling growl that shook the ground beneath him. It fired another blast of energy, and Azad barely managed to dodge, stumbling as he did. The blast struck a nearby tree, reducing it to ashes in an instant.
Azad's vision blurred, and his limbs felt like lead. His body was on the brink of giving up, but he forced himself to crawl, to keep fighting. "I can't… give up. Not now," he whispered, his gaze drifting to Ellie and Choco. "They're depending on me."
Another shockwave rocked the clearing as the Wither struck the ground, sending Azad flying backward. He landed hard, his leg twisted beneath him, and a scream of pain tore from his throat. His vision swam, and he fought to stay conscious, but his strength was slipping away.
Through his blurred vision, he saw the Wither advancing, its shadow falling over him as it loomed above, like a vengeful god ready to pass judgment.
Azad's thoughts raced, his mind a frantic whirl of desperation.He tried to move, but his body refused to obey. His broken leg throbbed, each beat of his heart sending fresh waves of agony through him. "This is it," he realized, a bitter edge to the thought.
"I'm not… getting out of this one."