The moment James said this Joey stepped forward, his stance wide and solid, his bronze-hued skin shimmering under the dim light of the cave. His hands flexed at his sides, fingers curling and uncurling as he readied himself to face the swarm of salamanders rushing toward them. James followed behind, his trident angled low, his eyes darting from salamander to salamander, trying to assess their movements and anticipate their attacks.

The first salamander lunged at Joey, its teeth bared, a feral snarl escaping its throat. Joey met its advance with a low, powerful swing of his arm, his fist connecting with the salamander’s side. There was a sickening crunch as bones cracked under the impact, and the salamander flew to the side, its body rolling across the rocky ground. Joey grinned, his lips pulling back in a triumphant snarl. “Come on, you lizard freaks!” he taunted, his eyes blazing with excitement.

James had no time to celebrate Joey’s victory, for another salamander was already lunging toward him. James shifted his weight, his trident coming up in a swift arc, the sharpened prongs catching the creature mid-leap. He felt the jarring impact reverberate through the handle as the prongs pierced the salamander’s scaled hide, the creature’s momentum nearly knocking him backward. James gritted his teeth, adjusting his stance and driving the weapon further into the salamander’s body until he felt the resistance give way, the creature’s snarls fading into a wet gurgle as its body went limp.

“James! On your right!” Joey’s voice rang out, sharp with urgency. James turned just in time to see a salamander barreling toward him, its eyes gleaming with malice. He barely had time to react, twisting his body to avoid the brunt of the attack, the creature’s claws raking across his side. Pain flared in his ribs, a searing heat that made him suck in a breath. James stumbled, but before the salamander could capitalize on his moment of weakness, Joey was there. He barreled into the creature with a shoulder check that sent it sprawling into the water that was a few feet away, his {bronze skin} shimmering like living armor as he shielded James. A resounding SNAP echoing out as the creature in the water bisected the salamander daring to intrude on its domain. there was only ten feet of space in the area they fought in and they were using all of it to the best of their ability to keep the salamanders in front and not behind them.

“Thanks,” James managed, his breath coming in ragged gasps as he tried to steady himself. Joey shot him a quick grin, his eyes alight with a wild, reckless excitement.

“We’re not done yet,” Joey said, turning to face the next wave.

The salamanders were relentless, their eyes glinting in the dim cave light as they advanced, their movements synchronized, almost predatory. James could hear the skittering of their claws on the stone floor, the sound like nails on a chalkboard, setting his teeth on edge. His heart pounded in his chest, adrenaline flooding his veins as he tried to focus, to stay calm. They had trained for this. They had prepared. They could do this.

“Left flank!” James called out, and Joey responded instantly, pivoting to intercept the salamander that was trying to circle around them. His fist shot out, his knuckles connecting with the creature’s head in a powerful strike that sent it reeling. James took the opportunity to press forward, thrusting his trident at another salamander, the prongs sinking into its flesh with a sickening squelch. The creature let out a strangled screech, its body convulsing as it tried to free itself from the weapon’s hold.

Another salamander lunged at James from his blind spot, its teeth snapping dangerously close to his neck. James barely had time to react, twisting his body in a desperate attempt to evade the attack. He felt the creature’s teeth graze his skin, a sharp pain flaring along his neck. Before he could retaliate, Joey was there, his arm wrapping around the salamander’s throat in a chokehold, his muscles straining as he wrenched the creature away from James.

“Get off him!” Joey roared, his voice echoing through the cave as he twisted the salamander’s head, the creature’s body thrashing violently in his grip. With a final, bone-cracking twist, Joey snapped its neck, the creature going limp in his arms before he tossed it aside, his breath coming in ragged gasps.

“You good?” Joey asked, his eyes darting to James, concern etched across his features.

James nodded, wiping the blood from his neck with the back of his hand. “Yeah, just a scratch,” he said, his voice steady despite the fear that coiled in his gut. He couldn’t let himself be distracted, not now. Not with so many of them still coming.

They were almost surrounded, the salamanders closing in from all sides, their low, guttural growls filling the air. James could feel the tension in the air, the weight of the impending clash pressing down on him. He glanced at Joey, who stood beside him, his fists clenched, his stance solid. They were in this together, and they would fight their way out together—no matter what.

“Back to back!” James called, and Joey immediately shifted, moving to stand back-to-back with James, their bodies forming a barrier against the advancing salamanders. James could feel Joey’s presence behind him, a comforting weight that grounded him, gave him strength. He took a deep breath, his hands tightening around the handle of his trident as he braced himself for the onslaught.

The first salamander lunged at them, its body a blur of motion. James reacted instinctively, his trident coming up to meet the creature’s advance. The prongs sank into its side guided by the tridents help, the force of the impact jarring his arms. He gritted his teeth, twisting the weapon to free it from the salamander’s body before pulling it back, his eyes scanning for the next threat. Joey was a blur of movement beside him, his fists flying as he took on the salamanders that came at them from the rear, each punch landing with a bone-cracking impact that sent the creatures sprawling.

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“We’re getting boxed in!” Joey shouted, his voice strained as he fought off another salamander, his knuckles stained with the creature’s blood. James could feel it too—the way the salamanders were closing in, their movements coordinated, strategic. They were being forced back, their space shrinking with each passing second. They had to break free, had to find a way to turn the tide of the battle.

“Push forward to the rear of the cave!” James called, his voice carrying over the din of the fight. He surged forward, his trident leading the way, the prongs piercing through the scaled hide of the salamander that tried to block his path. He could feel the creature’s body convulsing around the weapon, its death throes almost violent as it tried to drag him down with it. James grunted, yanking the trident free, the creature’s body collapsing to the ground in a lifeless heap.

Joey was right behind him, his shoulder slamming into a salamander, the force of the impact sending the creature stumbling back. He didn’t hesitate, his fist following through, the blow landing squarely on the creature’s jaw, a sickening crack echoing through the cave as its head snapped to the side. The salamander crumpled, and Joey stepped over its body, his eyes scanning for the next target.

“We’re almost through!” James shouted, his heart pounding in his chest as he drove his trident into another salamander, the prongs sinking deep into its flesh. He could feel the weight of the creature as it sagged against the weapon, its body convulsing before going still. He yanked the trident free, his breath coming in ragged gasps as he turned to face the next threat.

The salamanders were relentless, their numbers seemingly endless as they swarmed around them. James could feel the strain in his muscles, the exhaustion beginning to set in as he fought, his movements becoming slower, less precise. He could see Joey struggling too, his punches lacking the power they had at the start of the fight, his movements sluggish.

“We’ve got to end this!” James shouted, his voice hoarse from the effort. He could feel the desperation clawing at him, the fear that they wouldn’t make it out of this alive. He couldn’t let that happen. They had come too far, fought too hard to fall now.

“I’ve got an idea!” Joey called back, his voice strained as he ducked under a salamander’s claws, his fist shooting out to catch the creature in the side. He glanced at James, a wild grin spreading across his face. “Just cover me!”

James didn’t hesitate, nodding as he turned to face the salamanders that were advancing on them. He could hear Joey moving behind him, the sound of his footsteps fading as he broke away from their formation. James set his stance, his trident held at the ready as he prepared to hold off the salamanders, to buy Joey the time he needed.

The first salamander lunged at him, its teeth bared, a snarl escaping its throat. James met its advance with a thrust of his trident, the prongs piercing through its flesh, the force of the impact sending another shockwave up his arms. He could feel the strain in his muscles, the exhaustion weighing on him as he fought, his breath coming in ragged gasps.

Behind him, Joey was moving, his body a blur as he darted between the salamanders, his fists flying as he struck at their vulnerable spots, his movements quick and precise. He was making his way toward the largest of the salamanders, the one that seemed to be leading the others, its eyes glowing with an unnatural light. James could see it too, the way the other salamanders seemed to move in response to it, their movements coordinated, almost as if they were being directed.

“Go for the leader!” James shouted, his voice carrying over the din of the fight. He could see Joey nod, his eyes locking onto the target, his body tensing as he prepared to strike. James turned his attention back to the salamanders in front of him, his trident moving in a blur as he fought, each thrust and swing precise, calculated. He could feel the exhaustion in his muscles, the strain of the fight beginning to take its toll, but he pushed it aside, focusing on the task at hand.

Joey couldn't get through to the leader and was caught in a melee of the salamanders rushing him creating a wall of flesh in his way.

James had a brief reprieve as the few that remained on him turned towards Joey and he took advantage to look around at the carnage that they had wrought. Four killed by him, three by Joey and one to the water, a faint buzzing in the back of his head was all he got in response to his looking.

James saw the horde of salamanders and to his horror a giant mutant looking crab with two pinchers was climbing out of the water, no longer willing to be a passive onlooker. Joey broke away from the salamanders and received a bite on the leg the shimmer of his {Bronze Skin} was losing its lusture and the boy looked flagged and tired.

Trapped with no path behind them and more Salamanders than James could count in front, the only blessing they had was the leader of them seemed more interested in the Giant crab who was contending with the crowd.

"James I want my mom, I don't want to adventure anymore," Joey said with a resignation causing a stirring in James' heart.

"I know I want my parents too," at this point all four James realized. "But we can't give up, we can do this!" buzzing intensifying.

"Alright man, whats the plan?" Joey said his {Bronze Skin} leaving him the normal tone of the tanned region they lived in.

Looking at the creatures fighting James looked over at the rushing water and realized they have one option they hadn't thought of. "Joey, you trust me right?"

"Always,"

"Then we have to jump in the water," looking at the melee coming to an end, the giant crab had a swarm of lizards on it, the weight too much even for the monstrosity bigger than them to handle.

looking with tired eyes Joey just said "Okay," and jumped in the water.

James flabbergasted at the show of faith was astounded when he saw the boy carried downstream by the swift current. looking back at the salamanders James grabbed an item that dropped from one of them as he ran and jumped into the water himself.

Shockingly cold the breath was taken out of him as the rapids sent him tumbling under the water and crashing against the rocks. somehow holding onto the trident and the oblong item he grabbed, James tried his best to get upright and was able to after a brief bit of swirling.

Coming up for air and gasping it in, the salamanders stood at the edge of the water, fight still happening with the crab. James looked at the rapidly approaching end of the line and realized this might have been a bad idea. atleast they could have fought the creatures, but the current was too strong to fight against and he realized the end was coming. he had come back twice just for it to end all again.

head going under water and entering what he thought of as a sluice gate, James' world once again went dark.