This Is Not the Life That I Imagined

A sharp claw swipe cracked a hound's neck, followed by a paw on its head as a finishing crushing force. That was Joe in his lion form. Each attack of his was devastating, as his damage and power are way higher than normal lions.

He quickly turned, swiping another beast with a powerful paw, sending it tumbling across the icy ground. Turning again, he rammed into the nearest hound, crushing it into the frozen earth. Toby fought beside him, flames coating his fists as he lashed out at the silver hounds, but there was something different about his movements—his usual rhythm disrupted by the close-quarters combat.

Joe growled as he snapped his jaws around the neck of another hound. "Focus, Toby. I know you are not used to this but we can't afford more mist. "

Toby's breath came in quick bursts, each exhaling a puff of mist in the freezing air. His flames flickered weakly, hindered by the biting cold. but his fists blazed as he swung them at the hounds trying to surround him. 

"I know, I know," he grunted, smashing another hound in the side. "But this is not my usual fighting style. I feel restrained."

Joe snarled, pushing another beast back with a swipe of his paw. "Adapt then! There is no fighting style that is completely fixed. This is better for us as a team and you too. You barely were able to see the beast ten minutes ago. Look now; it is much clearer."

Toby nodded, gritting his teeth. His usual style was a balanced dance between long-range fire blasts and melee strikes when enemies got too close, but with Joe's guidance, he forced himself to stay locked in melee.

His flames swirled tighter around his fists, controlled and condensed as he ducked under a lunging hound, driving a fiery fist into its belly, sending it crashing down with a yelp.

"Good," Joe rumbled, biting into another hound's leg and tossing it aside. "You are getting the hang of it. Don't give them room to attack from different directions. Always be aware of the surroundings and move around. Create your own fighting condition; don't let the enemy fight on their own condition."

Toby spun, dodging an ice blast from a distant hound, then immediately closed the distance with a burst of flames at his feet. His fist connected with its head, a burst of fire frying the beast in an instant. The number of enemies was slowly thinning, the advantage turning in their favor. Joe's assistance had made the difference, and Toby was finding his footing.

"We're almost there," Toby said, catching his breath as another hound tried to leap at him. This time, he grabbed it by the throat, fire erupting from his grip, incinerating it.

Joe slashed another hound, his eyes scanning the battlefield. "You can handle the rest. I'm going to help Zak."

Toby, wiping the sweat from his brow, nodded. "Go. I've got this."

Joe's sharp eyes scanned the battlefield, his gaze locking onto the distant figures of Zak and Maxwell. Zak was surrounded by a thin layer of ice, his movements slower, while Maxwell was fending off several hounds, his hardened fists smashing into their fur-covered forms. Joe flexed his claws, muscles rippling beneath his fur.

"Time to help the others," Joe growled, turning toward the chaotic fight. Without another word, he leapt forward, bounding across the frozen battlefield toward the struggling duo.

Mid-running, he transformed into a rhino; it was a swift and smooth transformation. One second, he was a lion; the next, he became a rhino. It was a magical scene; unfortunately, no one had the time nor the energy to appreciate his spectacular shift between animals.

"Zak, hold on!" Joe's charging speed was increasing with every stomp; the shear force of it was astonishing.

The huge silver hound caught a glance of Joe's charge and jumped away in an attempt to evade it.

"No!" Zak conjured three earth walls, blocking the beast's path. "I won't let you escape!"

BOOOM!

The head first, Joe smashed into the hound side, its body bending in an unnatural way as the momentum continued. Joe's rhino form rammed the monster into Zak's wall, and within less than a second it crumbled. The impact didn't end there as he continued dragging the beast body forward.

Zak, taking the chance, created a number of spears, sending them after the hound. Not stopping there, he created a wall with a main spike in its center waiting for Joe to crash the beast into it.

Joe didn't disappoint as the charge implanted the beast in the spike, making a blood gush out from the open wound.

"Good job, Joe!" Zak's eyes lit up at finally injuring the beast. "Help me finish it." He shouted; his tone carried a hint of excitement.

 Joe swiftly changed back to Lion as he backed off, noticing the silver hound's eye glinting dangerously. Its muscles twitched, despite the spear embedded deep in its side.

"Careful," Joe growled, his voice echoing. "It's not done yet."

AHOOOOOO!

Suddenly, the beast let out a piercing howl, louder and more furious than before. Its entire body trembled with the last remnants of its strength, blood pouring from its wounds in heavy gushes, yet its eyes gleamed with a wild, unnatural fury. Its remaining strength surged in one final, desperate attempt. Snapping the spear embedded in its side, the beast roared and lunged—straight at Zak with a burst of unnatural speed.

Zak's eyes widened. "Damn it!" He conjured another wall, but the hound slammed through it with brute force, sending shards of earth flying like shrapnel. In the blink of an eye, the beast closed the distance, its jaws wide.

"Oh no!" Zak raised his arms to brace for impact.

With a deafening crash, it struck Zak, sending him skidding across the frozen ground, blood staining his mouth as the shields protecting him shattered one after another. His body screamed in pain, but Zak gritted his teeth, forcing himself to rise. "Fu— hell! Joe, pin it down for me!"

Without hesitation, Joe snarled ferociously and leapt onto the beast, his claws sinking deep into its flesh. The hound thrashed in a wild frenzy, muscles twitching uncontrollably, but it was losing too much blood. Joe growled, jaws clamping onto the creature's neck, holding the thrashing creature in place.

"Now, Zak! Finish it!"

Zak, recovering from the hit, gathering every bit of energy he had left, slammed his hands down. A massive spike of earth shot up from beneath the hound, impaling it through the chest. The beast let out a final, gurgling growl before it went limp, its eyes dimming as its life finally came to an end.