Foot-Steps

Dante turned to Randal, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Alright, Randal, time to use your magic. But remember, we need to be stealthy, so no big explosions, alright?"

Randal hesitated, unsure if he could control his powers well enough to avoid detection. He glanced at the Grothak, which was still busy feasting on its prey. Taking a deep breath, he tried to summon his magic but found himself unable to do so.

Dante noticed Randal's struggle and grinned, clearly amused by the situation. "Hmmm, looks like you need a bit of... motivation," he whispered before suddenly shoving Randal out into the open.

The Grothak immediately spotted Randal and let out a thunderous roar, enraged by the intrusion. It turned its attention away from its meal and began flinging magic at Randal. Blasts of fire, ice, and electricity flew in Randal's direction, forcing him to dodge the onslaught.

As Randal desperately tried to evade the Grothak's attacks, Dante couldn't help but laugh from his hiding spot. "Come on, Randal! Show us what you've got!" he shouted, thoroughly enjoying the chaos he had created.

Randal, however, was not amused. The Grothak's relentless barrage of spells continued, leaving him with no choice but to use his magic in defense. Cornered and out of options, Randal finally let his power surge, casting a spell he didn't even know he had.

A brilliant, multi-colored barrier of light formed around Randal, deflecting the Grothak's attacks. The creature, surprised by Randal's sudden display of power, paused for a moment before launching an even more ferocious assault.

Dante watched in awe as Randal's barrier held strong, amazed by the human's untapped potential. "Alright, alright!" he shouted, finally stepping out of hiding. "That's enough, Randal! You've proven yourself. Now let's take this beast down together!"

Dante unsheathed a gleaming magic sword, a family heirloom with a hilt adorned by a unique crest. The design resembled a golden umbrella without its cane or the skeletal fingers of a bat's wing, devoid of flesh in between. He brandished the sword with practiced ease, preparing to join Randal in battle against the Grothak.

"Alright, Randal, we're in this together now. Let's show this beast what we're made of!" Dante encouraged, his voice filled with excitement.

Randal, inspired by Dante's determination, focused on his own powers once more. He tried to summon another powerful spell, but instead managed to create only a small, flickering rune of fire in his palm. Frustrated, he looked at Dante, unsure of what to do next.

Dante chuckled, seeing Randal's disappointment. "Hey, don't worry about it. We all start somewhere, right? Just follow my lead, and we'll get through this," he reassured, his confidence infectious.

With a determined nod, Randal gripped his small fire rune, ready to assist Dante in any way he could. The two charged at the Grothak, with Dante leading the way, his enchanted sword glowing with an intense, golden light.

The Grothak, sensing the imminent threat, unleashed a powerful torrent of dark energy toward Dante and Randal. Dante swung his sword in a wide arc, releasing a brilliant beam of golden light that collided with the dark energy, causing a massive explosion.

Randal, taking advantage of the creature's momentary disorientation, hurled his fire rune at the Grothak. The rune, small as it was, managed to find its mark, landing on the creature's leg and igniting a small flame. The Grothak roared in pain, its attention now divided between its two attackers.

Dante and Randal continued their relentless assault, their teamwork and determination proving to be a formidable force against the Grothak. The battle raged on, with each side growing more desperate to claim victory.

Dante called out to Randal amidst the chaos of battle, "Randal, try applying that fire rune to your fists! It might give you the extra punch we need!" Randal nodded, focusing his energy on channeling the fire rune's power into his fists.

The small flame spread across his hands, wreathing them in flickering fire. He charged at the Grothak, now more confident in his abilities.

Randal struck the creature repeatedly, the fire from his fists searing its flesh with each blow. The Grothak reeled in agony, further weakened by Randal's newfound strength.

Dante seized the opportunity and darted in close, his sword glowing with energy. With a powerful swing, he slashed at the Grothak's neck, severing its head from its body. The creature fell to the ground, lifeless and defeated.

As the adrenaline began to fade, Dante and Randal heard a series of loud, heavy footsteps approaching their location. The explosion from their earlier clash must have attracted the attention of the larger, more dangerous creature they had discovered tracks of earlier.

"We need to move, and fast!" Dante urged, eyeing the Grothak's carcass. "This thing has valuable materials we can't afford to leave behind!" Working quickly, the pair hoisted the Grothak's body onto their shoulders, struggling under its immense weight.

They hurried away from the scene, their hearts pounding with the fear of the unknown threat closing in. The ground trembled with each step of the approaching creature, a constant reminder of the danger they faced.

As they fled, Randal couldn't help but feel a mixture of exhilaration and terror. He had just faced his first real battle in the Hell-Verse and come out victorious, but he knew there were far greater challenges ahead. With Dante by his side, though, he felt that perhaps he had a fighting chance.