Petra's scythe passed through loose sand, and the creature answered immediately. Its body rippled, and clusters of hardened sand burst from its surface—three spear-like projectiles firing from its sides. They screamed through the air, sharp and fast.
Petra spun sideways, letting the first spear graze past her shoulder. She twisted her wrists mid-motion and cleaved the second and third at the same time, the scythe flashing in a tight arc. The sand shattered on impact, bursting into dust that scattered across the battlefield.
Before the dust could settle, the creature's massive tail whipped toward her, wide as a fallen pillar and moving with crushing force.
Petra stepped aside as if she had been expecting it.
She didn't stop moving. Instead, she continued to spin, the scythe circling her body like an extension of her arms. Her metallic boots glided across the sand, each step light yet precise, carving shallow lines in the dunes. She looked less like a warrior and more like a dancer, twirling an oversized baton with calm confidence.
Every movement was deliberate. Every swing forced the creature to react.
It was as if she was setting the tempo, and the beast had no choice but to follow.
Kiel's jaw slowly dropped.
"…Is she really this good?" he muttered, blinking hard. "Why does it feel like she's dancing?"
Maddy clicked her tongue, though her eyes never left Petra.
"I hate to admit it," she said, her nagging tone softened by concern, "but this side of Petra is far more effective. Normally, she swings her scythe just to survive." She swallowed. "This Petra swings to kill."
Ulon let out a loud laugh, cracking his knuckles.
"And she's enjoying it."
"That's not funny," Maddy snapped.
"This isn't the time to be impressed!" Shalotte shouted, nearly tripping over his own staff as he repositioned himself. "We need to help her!"
Kiel glanced between Petra and the shifting sands.
"Help her? How? I think what she said earlier wasn't a threat. She might actually do it."
Ulon grinned and rolled his shoulders.
"Then don't mess up her rhythm. Every fight has a pattern." He pointed at Petra. "She's already leading."
He turned to Kiel.
"Can you dance?"
Kiel shook his head immediately.
"Nope. Not even a little."
"Then stay right here," Maddy said sharply. "And don't shoot anything. If you distract her, we might not be able to restrain her if she decides you're next."
"…Comforting," Kiel muttered.
Ulon stepped forward, planting his mace on his shoulder.
"Watch and learn, kid. You don't need to lead. You just follow the beat."
Maddy didn't wait any longer.
She sprinted forward, daggers flashing in her hands as she slipped into Petra's orbit. The sand creature sensed the shift immediately. Its body swelled, and clusters of sand launched outward from its sides in rapid succession.
Ulon charged in head-on.
"HAHA!" he roared as his mace slammed into the incoming spears. Sand exploded around him, coating his silver body in dust. He barely slowed, smashing through the barrage with reckless enthusiasm.
"Block high!" Petra snapped without looking.
Ulon reacted on instinct, raising his mace just as a heavier cluster formed above and crashed down. The impact sent a shock through his arms, but he held.
Maddy darted in beneath the block, her blades slicing into the creature's surface where Petra had just forced it to expose itself. The sand parted, not wounded, but disrupted.
"Left!" Maddy shouted.
Petra pivoted instantly, her scythe intercepting a spear that fired from the creature's flank. She twisted the blade and redirected the projectile into the ground.
"Shalotte—now!" Maddy called.
"R-right!" Shalotte slammed his staff into the sand. "Stone Pillar!"
The ground erupted.
A pillar of stone burst upward beneath the creature's midsection, lifting its massive body and throwing off its balance. Sand poured down like rain as the beast let out a low, grinding roar.
Petra moved first.
She stepped into the opening, scythe carving a brutal arc toward the creature's head. The beast twisted away, firing more sand spears in desperation.
Ulon barreled in, laughing as he swatted the projectiles aside.
"Is that all you've got?"
Maddy followed Petra's strike perfectly, her blades slipping into the same gap Petra opened, their movements aligned as if they had practiced this a thousand times.
"Again!" Maddy barked.
Petra obliged.
The creature slammed its tail into the ground, sending a shockwave through the sand. Kiel stumbled backward, barely keeping his footing.
"Hey! I'm not even in this!" he yelped.
Another barrage of sand spears erupted from the creature's back.
"Block!" Petra commanded.
Ulon planted himself between the spears and the others, bracing as his mace absorbed impact after impact. Sand chipped and cracked against his metallic body.
"Shalotte!" Maddy shouted. "Another pillar—angle it!"
"I-I'm trying!" Shalotte squeaked, adjusting his stance. "Stone Pillar!"
The next pillar rose diagonally, forcing the creature to tilt and exposing its underside.
Petra didn't hesitate.
She leapt.
Her scythe came down in a vicious spiral, dragging sand away and destabilizing the creature's form. The beast thrashed, firing spears wildly now, its rhythm broken.
Maddy slipped in close, blades flashing in short, efficient strikes that kept the creature from regaining balance.
Ulon laughed again, voice booming across the desert.
"See? Perfect dance partners!"
"This is not a dance!" Shalotte yelled, ducking as a stray spear shot past him.
Petra landed lightly, boots sinking just a little into the sand. Her breathing was steady, controlled—but her smile was sharp.
The creature backed dozens of meters away. The mound of sand remained still.
For the first time since the fight began, it hesitated.
Kiel lowered his bow, staring.
"…So this is what teamwork looks like when no one's yelling at me."
Maddy snorted despite herself.
"Don't get used to it."
Petra raised her scythe again, eyes locked on the beast.
"Stay in formation," she said coldly. "It's adapting."
The mount twisted its body, coiling like a spring.
Then it screamed.
The sound was deafening. Not just loud, but violent. The sand around the creature exploded outward in a wide ring, grains hitting skin and armor like needles. Maddy yelped and clamped her hands over her ears. Shalotte nearly dropped his staff. Kiel staggered back with a curse.
Only Petra remained unmoved.
Her eyes narrowed.
"Get ready, maggots," she muttered.
The creature charged.
It took only a few heavy steps—then it vanished.
The sand collapsed inward where it once stood, leaving nothing but a shallow crater and swirling dust.
Maddy spun in place, panic creeping into her voice.
"Where is it? Don't tell me it learned how to teleport. I hate monsters that cheat!"
Petra didn't answer. Her head snapped to the right.
"Shalotte—!"
She saw it then.
The sand burst open several steps infront Shalotte, the creature erupting from below with terrifying speed. Its massive body arched upward, jaws splitting wide. Rows of jagged teeth lined its mouth, each one grinding against the other as sand and saliva spilled out.
Shalotte froze.
His eyes widened, reflecting nothing but teeth.
"…Again?" he whispered.
A shout tore through the chaos.
"DUCK!!"
Shalotte didn't think. He didn't argue. He didn't even scream.
He dropped.
A sharp wind ripped over his head.
Kiel stood several meters away, feet planted unevenly in the sand, his bow drawn so far back it looked ready to snap. His expression was no longer playful—his usual mischief replaced by raw focus and fear.