Enveloped in shadows, I swiftly navigate through the darkness, tracking various shadow movements. Pausing for a moment, I sense the presence of the target shadow we are about to eliminate. This particular beast is formidable and has inexplicably appeared near our village. Lately, an increasing number of powerful beasts have been infiltrating the village, growing stronger with each passing day.

Emerging from the shadows, I assume my human form, causing Rohan, Farkas, and Luna to halt in their tracks. I nod to them, and they reciprocate the gesture. With caution, we stealthily approach the beast, unaware of its species. We signal to one another, preparing to encircle it and prevent any chance of escape.

A sudden gust of wind howls to my left, catching the attention of both the beast and myself. It veers away from the trees, revealing its true form. Resembling a bull, it boasts four horns protruding from its head, a closed eye in the center of its forehead, an imposing size two or three times that of an ordinary bull, vibrant orange fur, and two tails. This is a beast unlike any we encountered during our travels, which heightens our wariness.

My gaze shifts towards Rohan, as the beast fixates on his direction. But before I can fully divert my attention, a resounding impact reverberates through the air. I swiftly leap between shadows, utilizing my spell slots to reach him as swiftly as possible.

*****

Harnessing the power of the wind, I conjure three mighty arrows of air and release them towards the beast, obliterating the trees in front of me. Two of the arrows are launched in an arc, aiming for the bull's sides, while the last one pierces straight toward its head. All three arrows find their mark, creating a colossal dust cloud upon impact.

Sensing a profound animosity emanating from behind me, I whirl around just in time to be struck with a forceful blow to the back of my head. I am sent hurtling through the air, crashing into a cluster of trees.

"You foolish imbecile! What happened to our agreement to preserve nature? You could have handled that differently, you know," my wife chastises me, her words sharp with frustration.

I glance up, still feeling dazed from the impact. My wife certainly possesses quite the punch.

"Honey, please, calm down. I thought it was an incredibly powerful monster, so I had to exert significant force," I offer, attempting to defend myself, albeit unsuccessfully.

"You're a terrible liar. You're just trying to compete with Farkas," she retorts, her accusation hitting the mark. I am caught red-handed and fully aware that I will face significant consequences from my wife later on.

"Don't be too hard on him, Vail. You know how these two are," Luna intervenes, attempting to diffuse the tension.

Joining us after my encounter with my wife, Farkas adds, "She really got you good, man," erupting into laughter at my expense, a sound that quickly grows irritating.

"Whatever, man. Just help me up," I reply, annoyed. As he extends his hand to assist me, a loud noise emanates from the vicinity of the bull I struck. We all instinctively turn to face the source, only to find myself engulfed in a torrent of water, its force overwhelming. I am submerged, unable to discern the surface, and my powers of manipulation become impotent. Gradually losing consciousness, my eyelids grow heavy, slowly succumbing to the darkness.