The chamber trembled as the Queen’s enraged screech echoed through the nest, her massive wings buzzing furiously as her venomous aura pulsed once again, suffocating the air with a toxic, poisonous energy. The ground beneath Caelum’s feet cracked and groaned under the pressure, the nest itself responding to the Queen’s desperation. But amid the chaos, something had changed.

  Caelum stood, his body trembling from exhaustion, barely able to hold himself up. His magic reserves were almost entirely spent, the weight of the Queen’s venom pressing down on his lungs, burning with every breath. But through the thick haze of the venomous fog, he could see it—an opening, a vulnerability in the Queen’s defenses.

  Her aura, though powerful, was faltering. The overuse of her Venomous Aura had drained her. Her movements, once swift and relentless, were now slower, more labored. Her connection to the nest, once absolute, was flickering. For the first time since the battle had begun, the Queen was vulnerable.

  But it wouldn’t last.

  Caelum gritted his teeth, his mind racing. He had one chance—one moment to strike before the Queen regained her strength. But he couldn’t do it alone.

  Caelum…

  Aurelia’s voice cut through the telepathic void, faint but clear. She was still there, still fighting, even though her body was barely holding on. Her Guardian’s Aura flickered weakly, shielding them both from the worst of the venom, but her strength was fading fast. Yet despite her weakened state, her mind remained sharp.

  The Queen… she’s vulnerable now, Aurelia sent, her thoughts laced with urgency. She’s overused her venom. It’s drained her. But you have to act fast.

  Caelum’s heart raced as he processed Aurelia’s words. She was right. The Queen’s overreliance on her Venomous Aura had left her exposed. Her power, which had once suffocated the entire chamber, was starting to weaken. The Queen was slowing, her massive form trembling as the weight of her own venom turned against her.

  You have to strike at her core, Aurelia continued, her mental voice steady despite her pain. It’s the only way. Use everything you have left—strike while she’s weak.

  Caelum glanced at Aurelia, her body trembling from exhaustion but her eyes burning with determination. She had endured so much, fought so hard, and now she was giving him the information he needed to end this.

  I won’t let her down, he thought, his resolve hardening.

  With a deep breath, Caelum summoned the last remnants of his magic. His body screamed in protest, his limbs heavy and weak, but he forced himself to move, to push through the pain. The Queen’s presence still loomed over them, massive and deadly, but this was their chance. Her weakness was fleeting, and if they didn’t act now, they might not survive another onslaught.

  I need to strike at her core… but how?

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  His mind raced, his Arcane Insight flaring as he processed everything he knew about the Queen, about her power and the resonance that fueled her control over the nest. Her core wasn’t just a physical weak spot—it was the center of her resonance, the point where her connection to the hive and her aura converged. It was the key to her strength.

  If I can disrupt that resonance completely…

  Caelum focused, his hands trembling as he channeled both Earth Magic and Water Magic once again. He could feel the flow of energy beneath the chamber, the way the nest responded to the Queen’s will. If he could sever that connection, if he could force her power to collapse in on itself, he could create an opening—a moment when she would be completely exposed.

  But he had to time it perfectly.

  I’m going to use all my remaining magic, Caelum sent to Aurelia through their telepathic link. It’s risky, but it’s the only way. When I give you the signal, strike again with your Sting. We have to hit her at the exact moment her resonance breaks.

  Aurelia’s telepathic voice, though weak, was filled with determination. I’ll be ready.

  Caelum nodded, his heart pounding in his chest as he prepared for the final strike. His magic surged within him, the familiar pull of both Earth and Water filling his body with a last burst of energy. He could feel the resonance of the Queen’s power flowing through the ground, through the walls of the nest. It was still strong, but it was fragile—on the brink of collapsing.

  This is it.

  With a sharp motion, Caelum slammed his hands into the ground, channeling all his remaining magic into the earth beneath him. The floor rumbled, cracks spreading through the resinous walls as the ground shifted under his will. Water surged from the air, flooding the cracks, creating a churning mass of mud and debris. The very foundation of the nest shook as Caelum focused all his energy on disrupting the Queen’s resonance, on severing her connection to the hive.

  The Queen screeched, her wings thrashing wildly as she felt the ground give way beneath her. Her venomous aura flared again, but it was weaker, more unstable. The resonance that had once amplified her power was flickering, faltering as Caelum’s magic tore through the core of her strength.

  Now!

  Caelum’s heart raced as he pushed the magic further, pulling the ground upward, creating jagged spikes of earth that shot toward the Queen. Her massive form convulsed, her wings buzzing furiously as she tried to regain control. But her resonance was breaking, her power unraveling as the ground itself rebelled against her.

  Strike, Aurelia! Now!

  With a surge of willpower, Aurelia pushed herself to her feet, her body trembling but her mind focused. Her Sting gleamed with venom as she lunged forward, as she closed the distance between her and the Queen.

  The Queen, her resonance collapsing, was too slow to react.

  Aurelia’s Sting struck true, piercing the Queen’s side with deadly precision. The venom surged into the Queen’s body, spreading quickly through her weakened system. The Queen screeched again, her wings faltering as the poison took hold, her massive form convulsing as the venom attacked her from within.

  Caelum’s magic surged one last time, severing the Queen’s connection to the nest completely. The resonance shattered, the power that had once filled the chamber dissipating into nothing. The ground beneath the Queen cracked and crumbled, her massive body sinking into the mud and debris.

  We’ve done it…

  But it wasn’t over yet. The Queen, though gravely wounded, wasn’t finished. Her eyes gleamed with fury, her body trembling as she prepared for one final attack.

  Caelum, his body shaking from exhaustion, stood tall. This was the final moment. The Queen was vulnerable, but they had to finish it now.

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