Chapter 50: Thorned Guardian.
The stone door thudded shut behind Ethan with a low, echoing boom, like the lid of a giant tomb sealing tight.
A forest scent rushed into the chamber—rich moss, damp bark, and a faint metallic tang of ancient magic. Roots sprawled like tentacles over cracked tiles, and curling vines dangled from the arched ceiling.
In the center of the cavern, looming like a gnarled oak ripped from the earth, stood the Thorned Guardian.
Its bark plating shone a deep emerald under scattered rays of arcane light. Long, thorny vines writhed around its arms, crackling faintly with green sparks. Beneath a brow of leafy fronds, two eyes glowed like molten amber, fixed on Ethan with primal hostility.
Ethan planted Warlord Fang on his shoulder, rolling his neck with a series of pops. A grin split his face.
"Oho? A tough boss, huh?" He tilted his head, eyes glinting. "Too bad I already know how to tickle your splinters, big guy!"
The Thorned Guardian answered with a roar that rumbled through the chamber, vines cracking like whips. With a ponderous surge, it lunged forward, raising its enormous wooden glaive.
Ethan blurred sideways, skimming the creature’s swing by a hair. A spray of leaves slashed past his cheek, nicking a shallow cut that dripped a thin line of crimson.
"Alright, folks!" he called out, gesturing grandly as if addressing a classroom. "Welcome to Ethan’s Crash Course in Tree-Homicide 101! Lesson one—big dudes are sloooooow."
He hopped back a step as the Guardian brought its glaive down. The floor splintered beneath the blow, stone fragments flying.
"Look at that wind-up!" Ethan said, wiping sweat from his brow. "I could brew coffee, grind the beans, and sip a cappuccino before this guy finishes his swing!"