The mind flayer fled as the minotaur charged, with Jasmine hot on its tail, hurling balls of poison. The creature zig-zagged, dodging most of them. One ball slammed into its back, sending it sprawling to the ground as the point of contact corroded and melted its flesh. William leaped, axe overhead, and brought it down in a brutal arc on the mind flayer. Purple fire sprayed everywhere, setting the nearby vegetation ablaze.
The mind flayer hardened its body to withstand William's attack, sparks and blood flying as the axe blade bit into it.
"This one's quite different, Jazz. It's using the abilities of the monsters under its control," William said as balls of fire slammed into the mind flayer.
"Don't call me Jazz," Jasmine snapped, rushing toward the mind flayer, daggers drawn.
She thrust her blade forward, poison dripping from its edge. The mind flayer blocked with an earth wall, which quickly melted into a gooey pile.
It opened its mouth to spew flames at her, but suddenly stopped and jumped back as William lunged with his axe.
He swung the axe toward the monster's side, flames burning along its blade.
The mind flayer hardened its body again, taking the attack head-on, and swung an axe made of earth at him.
William leaned sideways, dodging the strike by inches.
Jasmine jumped in, her daggers digging into the creature's side.
It screeched and erupted into flames, its power suddenly increasing.
William let go of his axe and charged in with flaming fists. He struck the beast in quick succession, each blow accompanied by thunderous roars and shockwaves.
Jasmine moved like a ghost, her daggers dealing critical damage as the creature screeched and snarled, its attempts at a counterattack shut down by William.
The creature, battered and bloodied, fell to the ground.
Jasmine dashed in and sank her daggers into its chest. The creature screeched before going limp, crumpling onto the ruined ground.
"That should do it," she said with a triumphant grin.
"It seems you know nothing about mind flayers, Jazz," William said suddenly.
"Huh? What do you mean?" Jasmine replied with a frown.
"The special ones can use the abilities of the beasts under their control," he said, raising his axe overhead and charging it with energy.
The axe hummed as it turned deep purple, the surrounding temperature rising rapidly. The heat coming off the blade warped the air and turned the earth beneath them to lava.
"What are you doing, it's de—" Jasmine started, but she was cut off as the supposedly dead creature, with renewed vigor and surprising speed, lunged at her. Caught completely off guard, she couldn't put up any defenses as the creature's burning claws came for her head.
A bright purple light flashed as William's empowered axe struck the mind flayer's body. A sickening crunch was followed by a thunderous explosion that shook the air.
Jasmine crashed into a nearby tree, flung back by the shockwave.
"Told you you know nothing about mind flayers," William's voice echoed smugly through the dust and debris. He emerged, his torso glistening with sweat, the axe slung over his shoulders.
"You good?" he asked sarcastically as he walked past her.
**********************************************
The minotaur froze for a second, eyes glazed, before coming back to its senses. It looked around in confusion before it was suddenly flung back by Richard's fist crashing into its jaw. The sky darkened as thunder rumbled.
The minotaur stood up, flaring its nostrils, and charged at Richard, but was stopped in its tracks by a thick bolt of lightning.
It roared in pain, raising an earth wall to block the lightning strikes. The wall held for a moment before crumbling as more bolts fell from the darkened sky.
Richard surged forward, covered in lightning. He raised his hands, fingers interlocked, and brought them down on the beast.
The ground caved in as the body of the titan minotaur fell with a thud.
More lightning fell, striking it. William emerged from the smoke, bringing his axe down in a brutal arc on the beast's back.
Blood and fire exploded everywhere as the minotaur succumbed, dying in a blazing inferno.