Phoenix Vanguard: Legends of Astravera

Midnight Hunt

Continuing their mission, Haruki spots a pack of Dire Wolves guarding an underground entrance. Hidden in a bush, he pointed it out to Andres, indicating they should observe a bit more. But before Haruki could finish his warning, Andres, being his impulsive self, charged recklessly at five Dire Wolves, casting Scorched Earth as he slammed his bolo into the ground. The attack dealt 320 damage, effortlessly killing all five wolves in one hit, as they had only 250 HP each. He immediately gained 500 XP for the kills, with Haruki, now seated on a tree branch, also earning 500 XP for watching the chaos unfold.

The loud explosion from Andres' attack alerted the wolves inside the den, who rushed out to investigate. The Alpha Wolf emerged, accompanied by five more Dire Wolves. They attempted to bite at Andres' neck, but he dodged their attacks with ease. The Alpha Wolf growled, signaling a defensive formation, recognizing that Andres was a formidable opponent. Undeterred, Andres activated Blazing Strike and Flame Slash in rapid succession, quickly dispatching the alpha and the five Dire Wolves.

Once the threat was eliminated, Andres turned back and waved to Haruki. "Are you going to help or not? Come on, pick up the loot!" he called out. They collected the spoils from their encounter, which included 3 Enhancement Crystals and 7 Wolf Bones.

As they wrapped things up, they heard whining sounds coming from the underground den. Just as Andres was about to investigate further, Haruki grabbed his arm, stopping him. "Let's leave the wolf pups for now. We should find shelter; I have something amazing to tell you," Haruki said.

Andres turned to face him, curiosity piqued. "Okay," he replied, smiling widely.

The two continue to search for shelter, with Andres playfully urging Haruki to reveal his news. However, Haruki remained composed, insisting that he would share it later.

Eventually, they discover a small cave free from monsters. They walked in and sat down to rest. As they casually talked, Haruki began to pull out the loot they had gathered from their earlier encounters: Singing Crickets, Spirit of the Fountain, and Dire Wolves.

Loot from Singing Crickets:

17 Enhancement Crystals

21 Cricket Wings

Loot from Spirit of the Fountain:

64 Enhancement Crystals

51 Spirit Dust

Loot from Dire Wolf:

3 Enhancement Crystals

7 Wolf Bones

"Let’s split this up," Haruki said, sorting through the items. "You take 2/3 of them. I already got the Spirit Blade earlier." 

Andres nodded in agreement, and they divided the loot. In the end, Andres received:

53 Enhancement Crystals

14 Cricket Wings

30 Spirit Dust

5 Wolf Bones

As the two busied themselves with their haul, a sudden downpour began, prompting them to stay longer in the cave.

"I'm going to take a nap for now," Andres announced.

"Wake me up once the rain stops so we can continue hunting," he added.

Haruki nodded. "I’ll be on guard for the meantime."

Andres soon fell into a deep sleep, losing track of time. When he finally woke up, it was almost midnight, and he saw Haruki sleeping on the other side of the cave. "Guard my ass," he muttered under his breath.

Andres couldn’t help but double over in laughter at Haruki's panic. “No poison gas attack, just my superior farting skills!” he joked, struggling to catch his breath between giggles. Haruki's expression shifted from alarm to exasperation as he realized he’d been the victim of Andres's prank.

Andres laughed even harder, "Calm down, it’s just my fart!"

“Seriously, Andres? That’s your wake-up call?” Haruki groaned, rubbing his eyes and trying to wave away the lingering stench in the air. “You could have just shaken me awake, you know.”

“Where’s the fun in that?” Andres replied, grinning. “Besides, you looked so peaceful, I couldn’t resist.”

Haruki shook his head, a reluctant smile creeping onto his face despite the situation. “You’re impossible,” he said, still chuckling. He got up and stretched, glancing around the cave as he regained his senses. “Did anything happen while I was out?”

“Nothing but the sound of your peaceful snoring,” Andres teased, nudging Haruki playfully. “But we should probably get moving. Who knows if those assassins are still looking for us?”

“Right,” Haruki agreed, his demeanor shifting back to seriousness. “We need to scout the area. Let’s see if we can find a way out of here before they catch up.”

Haruki angrily shouted his name, hitting him on the head. "It’s almost midnight! Are we going back to Valoria or what?"

As they gathered their gear, Andres felt a surge of camaraderie. They had both been through so much already, and even in the face of danger, they could still share moments of levity. With the flickering cave lights illuminating their path, they stepped cautiously into the deeper parts of the cave, alert and ready for anything. 

As they moved further in, the air grew cooler, and the sounds of dripping water echoed around them. “I hope we find an exit soon,” Andres murmured, his voice breaking the tense silence. “I don’t like the idea of being trapped in here if the assassins decide to come looking.”

Haruki nodded, focusing intently on their surroundings. “Keep your eyes peeled for any signs of an exit or anything suspicious,” he said. “We have to be careful; these caves can be full of surprises.”

"The time is just right," Haruki said, regaining his composure. "Did you know there was a hidden monster that was wandering around here at midnight?"

"It just wanders around. Relax! Let’s wait for it and conserve our energy," Haruki suggested.

Andres lay back down. "Just call me once you see it. I’ll kill it immediately."

"Okay, but keep quiet," Haruki instructed.

After a few minutes of silence, Haruki finally spotted the Hidden Boss, The Wraith of Valoria.

Suddenly, a low growl echoed from the shadows, freezing both boys in their tracks. They exchanged worried glances. “What was that?” Andres whispered, gripping the hilt of his sword tightly. Andres's eyes lit up at the mention of a hidden monster.

“Let’s find out,” Haruki said cautiously, stepping forward. They moved as quietly as they could, peering into the darkness where the sound had come from. Just as they neared a bend in the cave, a massive creature emerged—a hulking beast with glowing eyes and jagged teeth, its growl reverberating through the air. 

“Oh crop,” Andres breathed, his bravado fading. “What is that?”

“I think we’re about to find out,” Haruki replied, his voice steady despite the adrenaline surging through him. “Get ready!”

Haruki explained, "If we kill it, we can get a lot of bonuses!"

Greedy for the potential rewards, Andres immediately agreed.

Its ethereal form appeared as a tall, ghostly figure draped in tattered robes, merging with the surrounding shadows. Its face was obscured by a dark hood, revealing only two glowing eyes of an unsettling, otherworldly shade of blue.  

Wisps of shadow trailed from its form, swirling like smoke, creating an aura of unease.

Seeing the Wraith for the first time made Haruki tremble slightly, but he steeled himself. This time, I won’t let Andres steal all the glory, he told himself, determined to fight alongside his friend.