A large hand gripped the stone that had fallen from the well. It clenched and the stone cracked further. As it pulled itself up its head was revealed. Elias and Alice were forced back. The ogre’s head was blackened and gray. With a thud, it landed on the ground. The space around the well was now crumbling. Dirt fell back into the well hole. The ogre roared again.

“The corruption has taken over its mind," Elias observed.

"We need to book it out of here, then. Grab the horses and go," said Alice.

“That is something to be considered, but we can stand up to it. If we let it go then it will attack other villages. They will have little to deal with its strength. Don’t worry. Ogres are naturally slow. We just need to be faster than it is. Target its legs first so we can bring it to its knees. Follow my lead.”

Elias lunged forward, his sword slicing through the air as he aimed for the ogre's massive legs. Alice followed suit, her movements graceful and precise. Their swords struck the corrupted ogre's limbs, causing it to bellow in pain. The wounds they cut open dripped with black blood that oozed and burnt the ground around it.

The ogre swung its enormous arms, trying to land a crushing blow on Elias and Alice, but they danced away, narrowly avoiding the devastating attacks. He darted in and slashed at the creature's other leg, causing it to stumble. The ogre's roars echoed as it struggled to maintain its balance. His slashes quickened as he sidestepped the creature’s huge feet. Its steps rocked the ground and splintered boxes as it stepped. Alice attacked the other leg digging her sword into the back of the ogre’s knee.

Elias took a deep breath as he stabbed into the upper leg of the ogre. He focused his power downward. The blade slid down the side of the ogre’s leg until it hit the calf and popped out. More blood slid off his blade and down the ogre’s leg. It swung its hand in retaliation in a swatting motion. He was forced to quickly duck under the hand before stepping back. Alice also fled backward.

“This doesn’t seem to be working,” said Alice. “Whatever this corruption is. It is letting the ogre ignore our attacks. The thing should be on its knees already. Instead, it doesn’t seem to care how much it bleeds. The corruption is enhancing it.”

“If all else fails, then kill it with fire. That usually works great against corrupted beasts and ogres aren’t a fan either. I’ll keep it at bay. You run back to the horses. I have some firestarter in my bag and…”

“You take care of it. It is your bag. I can handle the ogre myself for a while.”

Elias paused for a second, his mind quickly considering possible courses of action. “Fine. Just be careful.”

With that, he disengaged from the fight and backed away. When his sword hit the end of its sheath he went into a full sprint. He ran toward the horses on the other side of the villages. They were still waiting patiently resting.

“Why did I leave the fire starter with Thunderstruck,” he thought to himself.

“It is just you and me now,” said Alice aloud.

She held her sword confidently in front of her. Her blade flashed forward her body following after. Two quick slashes followed. They cut shallowly into the ogre. More black blood dripped out of the wound. With one fist the ogre slammed down with its fist. The other swung around. Alice was not fast enough. She was knocked back. Her blade hit the ground.

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Hurriedly she got to her feet. Wiping blood from her cheek she raced for her blade. Dodging past another attack she picked her blade back up. Alice knew she couldn't afford to let the ogre get too close again. She needed to keep her distance and strike from afar. With a deep breath, she focused her energy, drawing upon her training and the determination burning within her.

The ogre roared and charged at her, swinging its massive fists. She ducked and weaved, narrowly avoiding the crushing blows. With each near-miss, she felt the ground shake beneath her. The corruption was indeed making the ogre stronger and more relentless, but Alice was determined not to let it win.

She stabbed at its chest. Blood dripped onto her blade as it slid out of the creature. Her adrenaline spiked after the hit. The ogre seemed to slow further. It put a hand to its chest. As Alice moved back to strike again the ogre grabbed her free arm. She was lifted into the air and the ogre roared once more. Her body twisted as she rose in the air, and she kicked the ogre in the arm while swinging her sword.

The joint popped and a large slit opened up on the wrist of the ogre. It dropped Alice quickly causing her to hit the ground with a thud. Alice groaned but held herself together as she rolled away from the ogre’s stomping foot. She felt the ground shake and a soreness in her ribs. Her vision turned away from the ogre, and she could see Elias running toward her.

In one hand he held his sword and in the other was a lit torch. He charged items at the ready. The fire lit up the dark evening casting shadows on their impromptu battlefield. Holding the torch tightly he swung it in front of the ogre. It paused its attack. Hurriedly he thrust the torch into one of the ogre’s many open wounds.

The ogre roared and the wound sizzled. The blood boiled further. Its corruptive nature burned away by the fire. Elias attacked again at another wound. Once with his sword and once with the flaming torch. He felt his muscles burn from exertion. Especially his feet after running.

The ogre howled in agony as the flames consumed its corrupted flesh. It stumbled back, its movements sluggish and disoriented. Elias seized the opportunity, charging forward with determination in his eyes. He knew he had to keep the pressure on, to finish what they had started.

Alice, still recovering from her fall, watched as Elias unleashed a flurry of attacks. His sword sliced through the ogre's thick skin, each strike guided by precision and the burning fury of vengeance. With each hit, the flames from the torch intensified, searing away the foul corruption that had empowered the beast.

The ogre weakened and on the brink of defeat, desperately swung its massive fists at Elias. But the flames had taken their toll, and its movements lacked the deadly force they once possessed. Elias skillfully dodged the blows and darted out of the way. Alice moved forward to attack as well. She moved around to the back of the ogre. It did little to stop her. The torch continued to burn the ogre in places. It roared and stomped.

Elias stabbed the ogre’s leg once more. The muscle and fat of its body now slowly chipped away. After another strike, the leg could no longer support the rest of its body. It dropped to one knee. She struck at its head a moment later.

Using what leverage, she could, Alice swung at the ogre’s neck. A black line opened up on the back of the ogre’s head. With both hands, she attacked again.

“Pass me the torch,” she yelled.

Elias nodded and tossed her the torch. She caught it with one hand and turned the torch downward. The flames warmed her skin and then scalded the ogre’s skin. The open wound that bubbled up with corruption was burned by the flames. She pushed the torch in deeper and the ogre released a more guttural roar as it fell. It flailed slightly as it let out its dying gasps.

Alice rolled off the ogre dropping the torch in the process. She let out slow breaths as she felt the pain of her injuries throughout her body. Taking a few steps, she finally sat down.

“You’re injured let me look at that wound,” said Elias.

He approached Alice sitting down next to her and grabbing his glass bottle filled with healing gel. “Your wrist may be broken. Its claws got in you pretty good.” He uncorked the bottle and held the arm in his hands. Wrapped around the wrist were claw marks now greyish looking. Her arm was twisted slightly. Elias held it in place as he scooped up some of the gel and started applying it. Alice winced slightly but let him continue working.