“We can do it,” Aurum assured.
My tiny claws kneaded his shirt restlessly. “This is about where I got in my file before my parents barged in...”
“Well, that ain’t happening again. You and I are gonna beat this guy’s ass.”
Hope stirred in my chest. I believed my mate.
“Man, Kiara and Desiree have great synergy,” Aurum noted as the next turn began. “I usually don’t bring both of them to boss fights.”
I nodded eagerly. “They cover each other’s weaknesses well. And their buffs and debuffs work great together.”
“You’re a genius, Mylo.”
I blushed at his praise. “Nah, I just love thinking about this sort of thing.”
“And I loveyou.”
I smiled, beaming inside.
Suddenly, the boss’s animation changed. Jagged clouds of black and white energy surrounded him, crackling like lightning.
“He’s charging up for a brutal attack,” I warned Aurum. “That’s what TKO’d me the first time!”
Aurum’s face tensed as he summoned all his focus. “That won’t happen again. We’re gonna beat him before he unleashes that spell.”
My eyes widened. “What? But he has so much health left!”
“We can do it,” Aurum growled.
I shuddered. There was so much raw conviction in his voice that I had no choice but to believe him.
The snacks went untouched as the stakes intensified. If we lost here, that would be two hours wasted. But we were so close to the end. And if we won...
My body trembled with nerves as Aurum confidently hit the buttons. Each turn that passed filled me with a mix of despair and hope.
The boss rose higher. The energy clouds whipped faster.
“He’s gonna attack next turn!” I cried, fearing the worst—another total party knockout.
Aurum smirked. “One turn is all I need.”
I watched in horror as Aurum switched tactics out of nowhere. He flicked through the skill menu in an unusual way.
What was he doing? Why didn’t he rely on the spells that got us this far?
But then, something magical happened.
I blinked in wonder and confusion. On Desiree’s turn, there was a brand-new spell on her list—one I’d never seen before.
Aurum clicked it.
An incredible animation played. Desiree geared up, swinging her staff high. Suddenly, she grabbed Kiara’s hand. A burst of golden energy flowed through their connected arms. Both women roared with effort, then shot the golden energy towards the boss. It cut through his gathering clouds and struck him down. He fell in a dramatic crash. Then the post-battle screen popped up, showing everyone’s gained experience and loot, while the victory jingle played triumphantly.
My jaw fell open.
The battle was finally over.
“Aurum, you did it!” I cried, overflowing with pride.
