Sanctuary: Safe Haven

As Canna hovered above, watching Solara's intense battle with the Queen Lamia, his focus briefly shifted when Noctis' voice crackled through their connection.

"We've got a disaster-ranked creature on the move to the east," Noctis reported. "It's the Dreadmire Behemoth. All nearby warriors, evacuate the area immediately. This thing is barreling through fast, and it's not stopping. Zephyros, you're up."

Canna's eyes narrowed as he looked toward the eastern horizon. Even from his high vantage point, he could sense the dark, looming presence of the Dreadmire Behemoth approaching. He smirked, knowing Zephyros would relish the opportunity.

Zephyros, the massive disaster-ranked wolf, had been waiting for this moment. His jet-black fur shimmered under the faint light of the marsh moon, his form almost blending into the shadows that clung to him like a second skin. His deep purple eyes gleamed with anticipation, while the dark, swirling energy around him grew more intense by the second.

The Dreadmire Behemoth was his prey, and he would not disappoint Canna.

Zephyros took off, his enormous form cutting through the air like a shadow in the night, swift and silent. As he moved, tendrils of darkness followed in his wake, trailing like wisps of smoke. His claws barely made a sound as they skimmed over the muddy terrain, each step as graceful as it was deadly.

The marsh around him seemed to bend to his will, the darkness growing thicker, deeper, as if the land itself feared his approach.

Ahead, the Dreadmire Behemoth made its presence known. This hulking, marsh-dwelling monstrosity was a sight to behold—an abomination of the swamp, towering over the trees with thick, moss-covered scales and beady, glowing green eyes. Its four muscular limbs ended in spiked claws that could tear through rock and earth with ease.

Its massive, gaping maw was lined with jagged, uneven teeth, and thick tendrils of sludge dripped from its body, corrupting the ground it walked on.

The Behemoth let out a low, guttural roar, shaking the air and rattling the bones of any creature unlucky enough to be in its vicinity. The earth beneath its feet trembled, and the swamp waters rippled as if in terror. It moved with surprising speed for something so large, crashing through trees and sinking its claws into the marshland as it charged forward.

Zephyros didn't hesitate. He snarled, the shadows around him flaring to life as he increased his speed, closing the distance between them. His affinity for darkness was more than just magic; it was an extension of his very being, and he intended to use it to its fullest.

The first strike came swiftly.

Zephyros leaped into the air, disappearing into the shadows just as the Dreadmire Behemoth swung one of its massive arms in his direction. The behemoth's claws tore through the space where Zephyros had been only moments before, but the wolf was already gone, reappearing behind the creature, his form materializing from the shadows as if he were part of the night itself.

With a growl, Zephyros lunged, his jaws snapping around the Behemoth's hind leg, dark energy crackling through his teeth as he bit down. The Behemoth roared in pain, thrashing violently, trying to shake him off. But Zephyros held firm, the shadows coiling around him like armor, amplifying his strength.

He used the force of his bite to throw the Behemoth off balance, causing it to stumble, its enormous bulk crashing into the swampy waters with a thunderous splash.

But the Behemoth was far from defeated.

As it recovered, the creature reared back, its glowing eyes narrowing in rage. It opened its massive maw, and with a guttural roar, it unleashed a torrent of foul, noxious sludge from its mouth. The toxic ooze shot toward Zephyros like a wave, threatening to engulf him completely.

Zephyros reacted in an instant. The shadows around him thickened, swirling into a protective barrier that shielded him from the sludge. The toxic substance hissed as it made contact with the shadow barrier, but it couldn't penetrate the darkness that Zephyros commanded.

With a fierce snarl, Zephyros summoned his power, the shadows around him coalescing into razor-sharp tendrils that shot out toward the Behemoth. The tendrils lashed at the creature's legs and body, slicing through its thick, moss-covered hide and drawing forth dark, tar-like blood. The Behemoth bellowed in pain, thrashing about wildly, but Zephyros wasn't done yet.

Moving with blinding speed, Zephyros disappeared again into the shadows, reappearing in front of the Behemoth's face. His glowing purple eyes locked onto the creature's own green, luminescent orbs, and for a moment, the two disaster-ranked beasts stared each other down.

Then Zephyros struck.

With a mighty leap, he launched himself at the Behemoth's face, his claws glowing with dark energy. He swiped at the creature's eyes, aiming to blind it, but the Behemoth reacted just in time, swinging one massive arm upward to block the attack. Zephyros's claws raked across the Behemoth's arm, leaving deep gashes in its flesh, but the blow knocked him back, sending him skidding across the swamp.

Undeterred, Zephyros rose to his feet, the shadows swirling around him like a storm. He licked the blood from his claws, a wicked grin spreading across his face. This was the thrill of the hunt. This was what he lived for.

The Behemoth, enraged and bleeding, let out another deafening roar. It stomped forward, its massive claws sinking into the ground, causing the earth to tremble. The swamp water surged around it as it charged toward Zephyros, intent on crushing him beneath its weight.

Zephyros stood his ground, his eyes narrowing in focus. As the Behemoth barreled toward him, he summoned his power once more, the darkness around him growing thicker, more oppressive. Just as the Behemoth was about to strike, Zephyros vanished, disappearing into the shadows once again.

The Behemoth's claws slammed into the ground where Zephyros had been, sending mud and debris flying in all directions. But Zephyros was already behind the creature, his form materializing from the darkness as he prepared his next strike.

This time, Zephyros unleashed his full power. The shadows around him surged forward, enveloping the Behemoth in a suffocating cloud of darkness. The creature thrashed and roared, but the shadows tightened, binding it in place. With a growl, Zephyros charged forward, his claws glowing with dark energy as he leaped onto the Behemoth's back.

The fight had only just begun, and already the swamp trembled under the weight of their battle. Neither side had gained the upper hand, and the night was far from over. As Zephyros and the Dreadmire Behemoth clashed, the true battle of the powerhouses was about to unfold.