A vicious-looking, dragon-like alien stepped out of the bushes, the ground trembling with each step it took.
Valtor charged forward, his teammates flanking him on both sides. Just as he raised his arm to strike, the creature vanished into thin air. The group froze — startled and on edge.
They shifted until they were standing back-to-back.
"Did that thing just disappear?"
"How do we fight something we can't see?" Zara and Kymani blurted out almost in unison.
Valtor stayed silent, mind racing for a plan.
Suddenly, the monster reappeared a few yards away. Its jaw opened wide, gathering heat for an attack.
"Zara?" Valtor called, urgency in his tone.
"Got it."
Her hands stretched forward, and a glowing purple dome enveloped them just as a torrent of fire erupted from the creature's mouth. The flames slammed against the barrier, rippling across its surface. Zara gritted her teeth, holding firm against the searing heat.
"When it stops," Valtor said, turning to the rest, "we hit it fast — before it vanishes again."
They nodded.
A few tense seconds later, the flames ceased. Zara lowered the barrier, and the team sprang into motion, launching their abilities in unison. But before their attacks could land, the creature shimmered — and disappeared once more.
"Ugh!" Kymani shouted. "I'm getting tired of this!"
"Me too," Rowynn added, frustration clear in her voice.
In a flash, a sharp dragon-scaled claw appeared mid-air and lunged toward Kymani's chest. Reacting instantly, Lynx fired a blast of ice, freezing the arm midair while Kymani dropped to the ground, eyes wide with fear.
Rowynn sprang to action, vines surging from the soil to wrap around the claw, pinning it down. Valtor equally surged forward, fire coiling around his hands as he struck—but the claw shimmered and vanished. His flames struck a bush instead, igniting it in a rush of heat as the vines fell limp.
A gust of wind swept through the clearing as Orea doused the spreading flames. While their next move remained uncertain, Lynx moved beside Valtor. "This isn't working. We need to find a way to detect this thing if we want to kill it."
Valtor nodded, glancing at Kymani crouched by a tree, breath uneven.
Blue eyes then flicked to his wristband. "That's it," Valtor muttered, an idea forming.
"Everyone, activate your trackers!" he called.
A faint red dot blinked toward them on the display. Valtor's stance tightened, flames circling his fists as the others lined up beside him. The instant the creature reappeared, he unleashed a barrage of fire. It shrieked, scales burning, before vanishing in a blur of light.
The crew turned back to their trackers, following the red dot's movement into the shadows.
Growing out an icy blade, Lynx gripped it tightly, muscles coiled with anticipation. The moment the dragon's claws struck the earth, he lunged forward and swung with full force. The blade sliced deep into its foreleg, frost spreading from the wound. Orea followed up instantly, summoning a crackling bolt of lightning that crashed into the creature's back before it vanished once more.
"That should've done some damage," Orea muttered, eyes scanning the clearing.
Lynx nodded, his breath settling.
Before Orea could say another word, a blaze of fire surged behind her. Lynx reacted on instinct—he thrust out a hand and conjured an ice wall. Flames struck its surface, hissing as steam burst into the air. Before Orea could react, Rowynn sprang to action next. With a wave of her arm, thick vines shot from the soil, sending dirt flying. They wrapped tightly around the dragon's tail and legs as it reappeared, thrashing and roaring against the restraint.
"Hold it!" Lynx shouted.
Valtor, Orea, and Zara charged in alongside him. In fury, the dragon twisted its massive neck and unleashed a torrent of fire. The golden blaze spanned outward, consuming everything in its path.
Zara leapt forward, summoning a shimmering barrier that split the flames, heat flickering dangerously close to their faces. "We'll distract it!" she called over the roar. "You two—attack from the sides!"
Lynx and Valtor exchanged a nod and darted in opposite directions.
Wind began to howl around them—Orea had lifted her arms, eyes glowing as she formed a raging cyclone. The gust tore through the clearing, scattering flames and shaking the surrounding trees. Even her teammates gripped nearby trunks to keep from being swept away.
The dragon fought against the wind, forcing its weight forward until it crashed into a dense bush. As soon as it hit, Orea lowered her arms, letting the air fall still again.
Lynx seized the opening. He sprinted toward the creature, icy blade flashing. He slashed in quick arcs, slicing through the dragon's scales until a wild kick sent him flying backward. He landed hard on his back but rolled to his feet just as the monster opened its jaws for another fiery blast.
The reflection of the flames danced in his eyes—there was no time to dodge.
Then Valtor appeared.
He dashed in front of Lynx, taking the full force of the dragon's fire. A wave of heat exploded outward, lighting up the clearing.
"Valtor!" everyone cried out.
But as the flames died down, he stood unscathed—his body bathed in his own fire, burning brighter than the dragon's.
Lynx froze, wide-eyed.
Valtor only sent a faint smirk before surging forward, fire blazing around him like a living inferno.
Valtor shot a blast of fire straight into the creature's eye. It roared in pain, staggering backward as smoke trailed from the wounded socket. Gnashing its teeth, the beast rose again, growling low and furious. Its chest swelled, ready to unleash another strike.
Lynx instantly formed an ice shield around himself while Zara reinforced the barrier, Orea and Rowynn leaning close behind.
Before the monster could attack, a blaze of fire crashed down from above, slamming it into the ground with a thunderous impact. Smoke burst across the clearing, swallowing everything in a heated haze.
All eyes followed the fiery descent until the group saw Valtor suspended mid-air, both legs hovering over blazing streams of fire.
The dragon shook off the dust, refusing to stay down. Valtor clenched his fists, heat radiating from his body. He propelled himself forward, flames swirling around his arms. As he drew closer, he clasped both hands together, shaping a roaring turbo blast and lunged toward the creature for the final hit.
The vines holding the monster snapped as it tore one claw free. It swung upward just as Valtor's fire connected. A wild screech ripped through the air—then a loud yell followed by a deafening explosion that threw dust and flame everywhere.
"Valtor!" Orea shouted as smoke spread across the clearing. The others tensed, eyes scanning the haze. Orea quickly lifted a hand, winds bursting out to clear the fog.
Her heart dropped. Valtor lay face down, flames flickering out around him.
"Shit!" Zara exclaimed while Orea rushed forward. Kneeling beside him, her hands shook as she turned him over. She gasped at the blood soaking through his shirt.
"He's hurt!" Orea cried, voice breaking. "He's hurt really bad!"
Kymani suddenly shimmered into view beside her, his cloak of invisibility fading as he knelt. "We've got him," he said firmly.
As the others moved to join them, the monster shook it's head, struggling to lift itself once again.
Lynx's voice cut through the chaos. "Get him out of here! The rest of us will finish this!"
Orea and Kymani slipped Valtor's arms around their shoulders, dragging him to safety while Lynx and the others turned to face the monster as it began to rise, smoke and fury swirling around it.