The desert sun bore down on Dalmasca, its rays burning the stone ridges and yellow dunes until the whole land shimmered like molten glass. Even seasoned hunters avoided this wasteland at midday—but today, five figures pressed forward with steady resolve, eyes fixed on the tracks carved into the dirt.
Deep, heavy claw marks gouged the sand, and the occasional smear of blood showed where prey had been dragged away. The locals had whispered of a creature prowling the outskirts of the kingdom—one that could flatten caravans, topple walls, and devour wolves whole. The Wild Saurian.
Clive's hand rested against the hilt of his sword, his knuckles pale. "This is it. Montblanc wasn't exaggerating." His voice was low but firm. "We end this thing before it settles near the villages."
Beside him, Lunafreya adjusted her staff, sweat already beading on her brow. She lifted her chin, her eyes calm despite the heat. "Then we must face it with unity. Our strength will be tested here."
Vivi shuffled nervously, his staff nearly as tall as his small body. "It… it feels big. Stronger than anything I've ever sensed." His yellow eyes glowed faintly, the magic inside him already stirring like a storm.
Serah brushed her fingers across Mog, who instantly shimmered into his bowsword form with a cheerful kupo! "Then we'll show it what we're made of," she said, determination in her voice. "Together."
Auron stood slightly apart, his crimson coat snapping in the hot wind. He gripped the hilt of his massive katana with one hand, resting it against his shoulder. His one visible eye narrowed. "A beast is a beast. Cut it down, and it falls." His tone was steady, but within it there was a flicker of doubt—this fight would be different.
---
They didn't wait long.
The ground trembled first, a rhythmic thudding that rattled loose stones from the cliffs. Then came the roar—low, guttural, like the grinding of boulders.
The Wild Saurian emerged from a broken ridge, its massive frame blotting out the sun. Its scales were jagged stone plates, each the size of a shield, glistening with a slick sheen. Its jaws opened wide, revealing rows of serrated fangs. A long tail, barbed at the tip, dragged trenches through the sand as it moved.
It let out a bellowing roar that shook the very air.
"Gods," Clive muttered. "It's bigger than I imagined."
"Not just big," Luna whispered, tightening her grip on her staff. "It reeks of violence."
Serah stood her ground, raising Mog in bowsword form. "This is where the Paradigm System comes in. Mog, let's coordinate!"
The bow pulsed with light, and a shimmering aura spread between the five of them. Roles shifted instinctively—Clive's stance firmed into that of a frontline attacker, Vivi's aura flared with arcane power, Luna's staff glowed with protective magic, and Serah centered herself as both support and striker.
Auron frowned, watching the sudden shift. "What is this sorcery?"
"You'll see," Serah shot back, already moving.
---
The battle began in chaos.
The Saurian lunged, its jaws snapping. Clive surged forward, sword blazing with Ifrit's fire, and slammed it into the beast's snout. The impact sent a wave of flame across its face, but the monster barely flinched. With a guttural snarl, it swung its massive tail.
"Watch out!" Luna cried.
The barbed tail whipped across the sand like a scythe. Auron was the first to meet it, katana raised. Steel clashed against scale, the sheer force driving him back several feet, boots digging trenches into the dirt. "It hits harder than Sin's spawn," he growled.
Vivi planted his staff in the ground, chanting rapidly. "F-Fireaga!" A pillar of flame burst upward beneath the Saurian's chest. The creature roared in pain, staggering slightly—but then its glowing eyes locked on Vivi.
The beast inhaled, its jaws sparking with energy.
"Thundaga incoming!" Vivi squeaked.
The bolt struck like a hammer. Electricity split the sky, slamming into the group's barrier. Serah had shifted to Medic at the last instant, her magic forming a shield of light. The blast still threw them backward, hair and cloth scorched, but they lived.
"Without the Paradigm…" Serah gasped, sweat on her brow. "That would've killed us."
Auron's eye widened slightly. For the first time, he understood—the system wasn't mere sorcery. It was strategy woven into magic. "Hmph. Impressive."
---
But the monster pressed harder.
It reared back on its hind legs, slamming its claws into the earth. The ground shook violently, cracks spreading beneath their feet. Clive lunged forward, his sword igniting in Ifrit's flames, carving a blazing arc across the beast's armored chest. The scales cracked, smoke rising from the wound.
"Break its armor!" Clive shouted.
Auron stepped forward, his voice sharp as steel. "Leave it to me."
He swung his katana with deadly precision, his strike glowing with crimson energy. "Armor Break!" The blade cleaved into the Saurian's flank, and the beast roared in pain, its movements suddenly slower, weaker.
"Nice!" Serah shouted, shifting back to offense. She loosed a flurry of arrows, Mog's bolts piercing the softened scales. Luna lifted her staff, chanting. A torrent of water surged from the air itself, crashing into the beast's wounds.
"Now, Vivi!"
Vivi didn't hesitate. His staff glowed brighter than ever before. "Firaga!"
The explosion rocked the Saurian's body, flames consuming its chest. Smoke filled the air. For a moment, it seemed the tide had turned.
But then…
The beast roared louder than before. Its tail rose high, barbs gleaming with crimson light.
"Screwtail!" Luna shouted in alarm.
The barbed tail slammed into the earth, releasing a shockwave of force that tore through the battlefield. Clive was thrown into the sand, his sword flying from his grip. Vivi tumbled backward, his hat nearly torn off. Luna fell to her knees, clutching her staff. Serah barely kept Mog steady, her bow flickering with unstable energy.
Auron alone remained standing, though his body trembled from the impact. He planted his katana in the ground to steady himself.
The Wild Saurian loomed above them, smoke and fire still rising from its wounds, but its eyes burned with renewed fury.
Auron spat blood into the sand, then raised his blade again. "This beast… it refuses to die."
Serah wiped sweat from her brow, panting. "Then we don't let it. Paradigm—shift!"
---
The battle raged on, each fighter bloodied, exhausted, yet unbroken. They had only begun to understand the true terror of the Wild Saurian—and the strength it would take to bring it down.