"Cain, stop! Focus!"

I hesitated as Alice gripped my shoulder. I paused long enough for her to forcefully turn me around.

"You heard Devon," she yelled. "They have walls and can handle themselves."

"But the people, Alice!" I argued, despite not moving. I turned and stared at the broken branches left in the beast's wake. "What if they break through the gate?"

"Have your wolf check it out. Calm down."

I growled but shut my eyes. The connection was there, and I imagined the void sucking me in. It pulled me through, and my vision split. My wolf had been running towards us but had already started veering towards the city.

Come on… Come on!

Through its vision, I saw a mana-corrupted bear crashing through the trees. My summon ignored it and rushed ahead as the bear knocked another trunk out of its way, adding another log to its wake.

The ground shifted, and then my wolf exited the forest, coming to a stop as it got sight of the town gate.

Another bear scratched deep furrows with claws that were way too long. Pieces of its fur shined grey as it continued to carve at the gate, with more beasts showing up.

It wasn't just forest critters laying siege to the city. More kobolds, two groups—one made of moss-covered stone and another that looked like they were made of living dirt—began to crowd together. One slowly climbed atop another, and more began to follow.

Rabbits hopped onto taller animals' shoulders and leapt up, only to fall short.

A physical shake brought me back to my body. This time, I tugged my shoulder free from her grip and stepped towards the woods.

"Stop. What did you see?" she demanded.

I gritted my teeth. "There's a lot. A crap ton! They'll be in the city soon. We need to go!"

She shook her head, and I growled. If she cared, she didn't show it and instead grabbed my cloak. It reacted, and her hand came free. She stared before looking away to meet my eyes.

"We need to protect the circle, and bind the monster. If we don't, it'll get free."

"And if people die?"

Her eyes flashed red. "Then they die."

I kept the snarl from escaping, and she held my gaze. My tapping and the sudden flare-up from the static ruined the silence. In response, my cloak regrew the shell around my body, but it felt paper thin.

We turned, and the static rose to a shrill pitch. Alice covered her ears and began to shake while I stared beyond the haze and watched as the black blob floating above Devon's head elongated.

Black grass merged with the blob, leaving the earth a lifeless grey. The sphere then morphed into a stake and split into three segments, each beginning to rotate slowly. As this unfolded, Alice collapsed to her knees.

I felt it eating away at the shell.

The spikes began to spin in a rush of energy, and suddenly, the circle exploded in a shockwave that bowed me over. Alice collapsed to the ground, and I barely managed to brace myself.

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I looked up; the spikes had created black streaks as they rocketed away. The lines of the ritual circle lifted into the air before crumbling to ash.

Devon removed his hands from the ground. He wiped away dust and dirt and stood up, eyeing the two of us.

On the back of his left hand, small inky-black runes rotated clockwise. In the center, a single black streak stayed still. It pulsed every two seconds.

"Get up," he ordered.

A groan left my body as I stood up. Several of my bones popped and cracked. My arm throbbed, but the punctures had already closed, and I didn't care about the lingering pain.

"Devon. The city. It's under attack," I said.

"They'll handle it. The binding should have disrupted the creature's control."

I bit my lip and closed my eyes, switching my point of view to my summon's. Almost all of the forest beasts had stopped or moved away from the gate. A deer fought another deer, their horns locked together, while a bunny thumped wildly at the ground, hopping in a circle.

Only the corrupted bear and elementals continued to bombard the gate. From the top of the wall, a single soldier stared down with his spear pointed out. He gripped the edge with one hand, shaking like a leaf in the wind.

He said something, paused, and then called back to someone behind the wall.

I exited the double-sight and forced myself through a breathing exercise. Devon waited, but Alice stood up and resheathed her axe.

"They'll bust the gate down, Devon. A massive bear and two groups of kobolds. Not to mention other corrupted animals. Can't you just rush over there and get rid of them?" I implored.

He held up his hand, the one with the spinning runes. "This won't hold for long. The guards will have to make do."

The world brightened as colors came rushing in vivid detail. But then the mana in my core retracted, and the colors faded away, leaving the world dull.

"Fine," I ground out.

Whatever fueled the engine in my chest to make my blood run hot, cooled, leaving grim acceptance behind.

I stood up and joined them, glancing around the area, noting the ruined earth and destroyed flora.

We're like a roaming disaster to the wildlife.

Despite waiting for a chuckle, I couldn't bring myself to laugh.

Devon pulled out a bottle filled with a light-blue liquid. He downed it, and for the first time, I saw him struggle. His hand shook as he stopped the bottle and stored it in his pouch.

"Are you okay?" I asked, observing him. I found him slouching, his breaths mistimed and erratic. "You look like crap."

"Used too much mana. My regeneration is trying to fix a lot of the internal bleeding."

He shifted slightly, adjusting the sheath to his spear, before pointing across the river. "Let's go."

Alice watched him move, studying his legs, while I moved behind him. I reluctantly called my summon back. As much as I wanted the wolf to stay watching the town, I needed it just in case.

"How do you know where to go?" Alice asked as she joined me, walking beside me.

"The ritual created a connection with the binding. As long as the ritual is in effect, I can track it."

"Rough estimate how far it is?"

He didn't reply, and I inwardly groaned. But then I noticed him lean to the side to spit out some blood. The blood had splotches of grey mixed in.

"No more talking. Follow me."

He took off in a run, just barely above a fast jog.

This better end soon.

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We came to what looked like a hole in the ground. After crossing the river, we ran for nearly a mile. I was honestly surprised I didn't keel over and die, but even more impressive was that Devon never stopped.

His chest heaved up and down, the sound of his breathing loud enough to fill the silent forest.

Alice panted, heavier than me, but not by much.

I guess stats actually doing something.

After collecting myself, I waited for Devon's breathing to calm before speaking. "Are we really entering the dark pit?"

He glared. "If the creature breaks free, the entire town will die. Don't forget that."

"I haven't," I replied, with steel in my voice.

"Good. Pull out your weapon. Keep your summon close."

Alice handed me another one of the glow vials, and we popped the caps and shook the contents. The vials slotted into our belts, illuminating stone steps leading downward.

Devon moved first, and Alice followed. I lowered myself into the pit last. It was impossible to see past Devon's broad shoulders, but the stairs didn't continue for long before they leveled out into a stone hallway.

The stone had curving lines carved into its side, but if they formed words or letters, I didn't understand them.

We continued until Devon slowed his steps. I sniffed the air, and something sweet entered my nose.

Prey!

The thoughts came screeching into existence, and I covered my lower face.

"We're here," Devon stated.