Echoed Lands

As if on cue, the faint glow of the sunlit petals faded, leaving the room steeped in darkness, illuminated only by the dim light from the stone pillar, the eerie glow of his phantoms, and the faint yellow glint in the Stone Gnawer's eyes. "Yeah… right in line with my luck," Colm muttered, inwardly frustrated. Should've planned better for a light source.

He kept his gaze fixed on the Stone Gnawer, tracking the creature's yellow eyes as it circled around the room, moving with disturbing intelligence. Its gaze darted between Colm and his phantoms, as if calculating who posed the biggest threat. They kept this tense dance for what felt like an eternity, each waiting for the other to make the first move. Colm hesitated, gripping his wooden spear tighter. Charging at a creature the size of a compact car with his flimsy weapon didn't feel like the wisest plan. He positioned his Phantom Warrior closest to himself, with the Phantom Spearman cautiously advancing, hoping to engage first and wear the creature down.

Suddenly, the Stone Gnawer's eyes flared green, and Colm's instincts screamed a warning. Before he could react, pain lanced through his leg. "Damn it—the rat has magic!" he hissed, stumbling as his foot gave way. He looked down to see a spike of earth jutting up from the ground where he'd been standing.

He barely had a moment to register the attack before the Stone Gnawer lunged, charging straight past the Phantom Spearman. The Spearman managed a powerful thrust, briefly staggering the creature, but the rat's momentum carried it forward, barreling toward Colm. He braced himself, but just as it closed in, his Phantom Warrior threw itself between them, shoving Colm out of the way as it intercepted the creature.

A system notification flashed in his vision.

Your Phantom Warrior has been destroyed.

"Thanks for the save, buddy," Colm muttered, panting as he scrambled to his feet, grimacing from the pain in his leg. With a quick focus, he re-summoned the Phantom Warrior, bracing himself as the fight began in earnest.

The Stone Gnawer staggered from its charge, but before it could fully recover, the Phantom Spearman was upon it, delivering powerful thrusts to wear it down. The Phantom Warrior circled to the side, striking with precise, calculated blows. Each hit made only a shallow mark on the rat's hide, which was tough as stone. Colm's eyes widened—this would not be easy. The creature's thick hide and high level made it a formidable opponent.

Colm watched in awe as his phantoms moved in seamless tandem, coordinating their attacks to keep the creature off balance. But just as the Spearman was mid-thrust, the Stone Gnawer let out a furious swipe, catching the Spearman off guard. Its eyes flashed green, and Colm instinctively dodged, expecting another earth spike aimed at him—but this time, the creature directed its attack at his phantom. The spike impaled the Phantom Warrior, momentarily slowing it, giving the rat an opening to pounce.

Your Phantom Spearman has been destroyed.

Your Phantom Warrior has been destroyed.

"Damn, this isn't good," Colm muttered, quickly re-summoning his spirits. A surge of frustration hit him. "I feel useless here… sure, my spirits are my main abilities, but I need something of my own."

The Stone Gnawer seized the brief lull as Colm re-summoned his allies, charging forward. Colm barely had time to dive ungracefully out of the way, landing on his stomach and rolling to the side just as the rat barreled past him, inches away. "Almost didn't react in time," he muttered, realizing how much focus the summoning had taken. But the danger wasn't over yet—the rat's eyes glowed green again, and Colm's stomach dropped. Before he could fully brace himself, pain shot through his shoulder as another earth spike struck.

"Damn it!" Colm gasped, wincing. "If I hadn't moved, that could've gone right through my heart." He clutched his shoulder, feeling blood drip out, eyes narrowing as he watched his phantoms reengage. This time, they moved with heightened caution, as if learning from their earlier mistakes. Each strike was more calculated, their movements swift yet guarded as they chipped away at the creature's defenses.

Colm pushed down the pain, forcing himself to refocus. The fight was far from over, but he could feel his phantoms adapting to the challenge, their strikes more decisive as they pressed the attack.

Colm took a quick moment to look at his status, and he was at 30% health with about 50% mana left. "This isn't good. I'm almost tapped out." I have about four phantom summons left, and I can't take another hit like that.

As if reaching some kind of threshold, the Stone Gnawer let out a furious roar. Its eyes, which had been flashing between yellow and green, flared an ominous red, and Colm's heart lurched. "Shit, what does that mean?" he muttered, bracing himself. A rumbling sound filled the room, followed by the sharp crash of falling rocks—like a stone rainstorm.

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

Realizing the danger, Colm quickly scanned his surroundings, making a dash toward the central pillar where the light was strongest. Dodging through the falling stones with ease with the additional light, he glanced back and winced as his phantoms weren't as fortunate. They continued their assault on the rat, but stray stones struck them as they fought.

Your Phantom Warrior has been destroyed.

Your Phantom Spearman has been destroyed.

He dismissed the notifications, deciding to summon only his Phantom Warrior this time. Let's not get greedy, he reminded himself. As if on cue, the Stone Gnawer charged again, and with the few extra moments saved from summoning a single phantom, Colm dodged swiftly, sidestepping as the rat barreled past him. Noticing its eyes flickering green, he expected the next attack, leaping to avoid an incoming earth spike. "You're predictable. Swipe, charge, spike. And when you're mad, you throw a tantrum," he taunted.

Your Phantom Warrior has been destroyed.

The moment the Warrior went to charge, Colm summoned his Spearman to follow up right behind. But the rat's speed caught the lone warrior off guard, overpowering it without the Phantom Spearman's support. "Damn, I really need both of them in sync for this," he muttered, quickly re-summoning the Phantom Warrior to join the fight.

With both phantoms back on the battlefield, Colm took a steadying breath, ready to push forward with a renewed focus. This was going to be a test of endurance, and he was determined to see it through. "I have little left in me. About enough mana for one more summon, but with how the warrior went down so quickly alone, it may not mean much," he said through gritted teeth.

The Warrior and Spearman moved as if locked in a deadly dance, dodging and striking the enraged rat with the precision and synchronicity of a well-trained unit. It was as if an iron will to protect their master fueled them, each move sharper and more focused than the last. They seemed to know this was their final chance. The phantoms had learned the rat's patterns, and they worked flawlessly together—one would slash and retreat while the other charged in, rolling aside to dodge the rat's deadly swipes and avoid its erupting earth spikes.

Minutes passed in this tense, choreographed battle, and the Stone Gnawer began to slow. Colm watched in awe, fully alert and careful to dodge any stray attacks, knowing that he couldn't let his phantoms' efforts go to waste.

Sensing its weakening position, the Stone Gnawer made a desperate move, casting all caution aside. With a furious growl, it locked its gaze on Colm and charged. "Looks like it's my turn," Colm muttered, bracing himself for the oncoming assault while his phantoms gave chase. But just as it seemed the creature was charging headlong, it abruptly halted, spun around with shocking speed, and lunged at the pursuing phantoms.

The creature tore into the Phantom Warrior, dispatching it instantly, then turned on the Spearman, which could only hold its ground for a few moments before succumbing.

Your Phantom Warrior has been destroyed.

Your Phantom Spearman has been destroyed.

"Damn it," Colm muttered, feeling the weight of the battle pressing down on him. With the last reserves of his mana, he summoned his Phantom Warrior one final time. "This is it, buddy," he said, gripping his weapon tighter as the phantom appeared beside him. "One last chance. I've been standing back, being absolutely useless, this whole fight—it's time I tag in."

The rat's movements were sluggish, each wound slowing it further. Colm and his Warrior advanced together, both knowing this was the final stand; there would be no second chances after this. The Phantom Warrior lunged first, catching the rat off guard and driving its blade deep into the creature's thick hide. Colm followed, tightening his grip on his spear as he aimed for where he imagined its heart might be. His strike landed true, spear shattering in the process, but the rat thrashed wildly, knocking Colm back and flinging his phantom to the side.

Pain jolted through Colm as he slammed into the wall. He barely had time to breathe before he saw the Stone Gnawer barrel toward him in a final, desperate charge. The Phantom Warrior intercepted, lunging into position and delivering a final, powerful blow. The creature let out a strangled roar as it collapsed, and a notification popped up in Colm's vision.

Stone Gnawer (Level 44) Defeated. Experience Gained. Bonus experience granted for defeating a higher level enemy.

[ Loot Acquired: Ring of the Stone Gnawer ]

Forged from remnants of the Stone Gnawer, this rugged ring bears the creature's essence, granting resilience and endurance to the wearer.

Pain Resistance (Level 3) is now Pain Resistance (Level 4)

Hardened Skin (Level 2) is now Hardened Skin (Level 3)

Phantom Spearman (Level 3) is now Phantom Spearman (Level 4)

Phantom Spearman (Level 4) is now Phantom Spearman (Level 5)

Phantom Spearman (Level 5) is now Phantom Spearman (Level 6)

Phantom Warrior (Level 4) is now Phantom Warrior (Level 5)

Phantom Warrior (Level 5) is now Phantom Warrior (Level 6)

Phantom Warrior (Level 6) is now Phantom Warrior (Level 7)

Lingering Vitality (Level 5) is now Lingering Vitality (Level 6)

Level Up! +5 Stat Points Available.

Level Up! +5 Stat Points Available.

Level Up! +5 Stat Points Available.

Colm let out a shaky breath, gritting his teeth as he whispered, "We won." He glanced at his status screen, his vision blurring.

Health: 8 / 390

Mana: 10 / 220

And then, as darkness closed in around him, everything faded.