chapter ten

The squad's morning was filled with tension as they prepared to continue their perilous journey. Nikita, with her extraordinary magical abilities, enveloped them in a protective barrier, amplifying their movements as they traversed through the dense forest. After what seemed like an eternity, they finally reached the edge of the river where the precious pinesilver awaited them.

The priestess, exhausted yet determined, couldn't help but laugh in relief as she splashed water from the river onto her face to refresh herself. The journey had been arduous, but they were one step closer to their goal. However, their moment of respite was short-lived as their attention was drawn to a figure sitting atop the river cliff.

There, perched like a malevolent specter, was Garvin. His once handsome features now marred by monstrous transformations - his skin torn, shark-like injuries etched into his body, and an eerie orange third eye glinting on his forehead. The realization dawned upon the group as they recognized him as the one responsible for turning innocent people into abominable creatures.

Oliver, the stalwart warrior of the group, wasted no time in readying his magical prowess, preparing for the impending confrontation. "He must have clashed with the other teams," Charlotte mused, her eyes fixed on Garvin's grotesque appearance as she readied herself for the battle ahead.

As Oliver brandished his sword, he issued commands to his companions, strategizing their defense against the formidable foe. "Nikita, fortify a strong barrier around the priestess. You are our last line of defense against him," he instructed, placing his trust in her protective magic.

Charlotte, the resourceful mage of the group, clutched the necklace around her neck, a conduit for her unique ability to absorb and manipulate the properties of materials. With a determined gleam in her eye, she readied herself for what was to come, her resolve unbroken.

With a swift and decisive movement, Oliver propelled himself across the water's surface, scaling the rocky terrain around the river with unnatural speed. As he closed the distance, his sword ablaze with fiery magic, he launched a fierce assault on Garvin. However, the malevolent being proved to be a formidable opponent, evading Oliver's initial strike and retaliating with a powerful surge of magic that sent him reeling backward.

Undeterred, Oliver channeled his resolve into his attacks, igniting his sword once more with intense flames. Each strike was a testament to his skill and determination, culminating in a final, devastating blow that seared through Garvin's arm, tearing it from his body with a burst of fiery energy.

Garvin's agonized screams filled the air, but he refused to yield, his resilience matched only by his dark resolve. In a swift counterattack, he lashed out, breaking Oliver's nose with a brutal headbutt and delivering a crushing blow to his abdomen, leaving him gasping for breath on the ground.

In that moment of peril, Charlotte intervened, her magical prowess unleashed in a dazzling display of strength. With a deft motion, she hurled massive rocks at Garvin, each impact sending tremors through the rocky terrain. Amidst the chaos, Oliver found cover behind the shattered remnants of one of the rocks, using it to launch a surprise attack on their adversary.

Taking advantage of the distraction, Oliver launched himself at Garvin with a swift kick to the chin, sending him hurtling into the air. As Garvin struggled to regain his footing, Charlotte surged forward, her arm transforming into shimmering silver metal, a manifestation of her formidable powers.

With a fearsome punch, Charlotte struck Garvin square in the stomach, unleashing a torrent of blood from his lips as the ground trembled beneath him.

Garvin's dark magic swirled around his arm, causing it to regenerate before Oliver and Charlotte's stunned eyes. The sinister grin on his face only added to their sense of dread as they watched his impossible recovery unfold.

"You must be wondering how," Garvin taunted as he flexed his newly regenerated arm, relishing in the power at his disposal. "But it doesn't really matter," he added with a hint of maniacal glee. With a swift motion, he placed his hand on the ground, unleashing a surge of chaotic magic that manifested as a glowing ray on the ground, summoning a horde of monstrous creatures from the depths of his twisted power.

In a split-second decision, Charlotte made a bold move, transforming both her arms into gleaming silver metal before leaping towards Garvin with determination in her eyes. She launched a flurry of bone-shattering blows at him, only to witness his bones effortlessly healing at an alarming rate each time they shattered under her powerful strikes.

Despite the futility of her efforts, Charlotte refused to back down, her resolve unyielding as she continued her relentless assault. Garvin deftly dodged her final punch, seizing her arm in a vice-like grip as his chaotic magic began to corrupt it, twisting it into a monstrous appendage that sent a chill down Charlotte's spine.

Meanwhile, Oliver found himself locked in a desperate battle against the relentless tide of monsters pouring forth from the magical portal created by Garvin's dark powers. With each creature he vanquished, two more seemed to take its place, pushing him to his limits as he struggled to keep them at bay.

Realizing that a change in strategy was needed, Oliver focused his energy, channeling the essence of fire magic into his sword until it glowed bright red with intense heat. With a defiant cry, he unleashed a new technique, proclaiming, "Fire magic: plasma cutter!" The blade of his sword crackled with fiery energy as it sliced through the horde of monsters with precision, cutting them down in droves.

With a path cleared before him, Oliver wasted no time, sprinting towards the source of the chaos—the magical symbol on the ground that spawned the malevolent creatures. Drawing upon the full extent of his fire magic, he unleashed a torrent of flames that engulfed the symbol, incinerating it in a brilliant blaze of light that signaled the end of Garvin's dark ritual.

As Garvin, the wicked sorcerer, was about to use his Chaos magic to corrupt Charlotte and turn her into a monstrous being, the atmosphere around them was filled with enchanting fire magic flowers that Oliver conjured using his fiery powers. The fiery blooms twinkled brightly in the air, adding a mystical touch to the already intense scene.

In a split second decision, Charlotte took advantage of Garvin's momentary distraction and swiftly planted a kick on his face, causing him to momentarily lose his grip on her. Seizing the opportunity, she leaped backward and vanished into the field of magical fire flowers, using their shimmering petals as cover to escape her assailant.

Meanwhile, Garvin, sensing movement around him, quickly realized that Charlotte had slipped away. With a swift motion, he caught a small barrier hurtling towards him and watched as it expanded and burst upon impact. Recognizing the imminent threat, Garvin focused his chaotic energy and slammed his powers into the ground, invoking a magical symbol that summoned a colossal ten-feet monster.

The monstrous being emerged from the symbol, absorbing three small magical barriers into its chest before detonating in a spectacular display of power. The resulting explosion sent shockwaves rippling through the fire flower field, causing the flames to flare up intensely, momentarily blinding Garvin in the process.

Amidst the blinding radiance of the magical inferno, Oliver, wielding his gleaming sword, seized the opportunity and swiftly moved in, delivering a decisive strike that severed Garvin's head from his body. The sinister sorcerer's head tumbled to the ground, while Oliver and his companions let out a collective sigh of relief, believing that the battle was finally over.

However, their relief was short-lived as they watched in horror as Garvin's severed head began to emit a chilling laughter, shrouded in swirling chaotic magic. To their astonishment and growing dread, Garvin's head started to regenerate, his body slowly reforming before their disbelieving eyes. The group stood frozen in terror, realizing that the battle was far from being won, and the true extent of Garvin's powers was beyond their worst nightmares.