The Carrigorn was a mole-like creature, with larger eyes shared with its body size, totalling a little under triple Ferlein’s vertical height when standing on all fours. That was over half the height of some of the trees it pushed to the side, as it strode its way before them, alerting everyone of its prevailing presence.

While everyone was alarmed by its size, Silas seemed to be the only one paying attention to the green antenna that extruded from its large forehead, which slowly lost its shine. This creature was the type to wield life and earth elemental magics, its antenna triggering naturally to part the trees in its wake, reverting them back into position when it passed.

It was a non destructive form to travel great distances, despite its large size. In addition he knew it to be capable of barrier magics, namely of erecting pillars of dirt from the ground, as well as trees to block paths and hinder the advance of its predators. Or to entrap its prey.

Yet this ability would often serve the additional purpose of causing discoordination amongst low tiered adventurers tasked to subjugate the beast. While the beast's stats were fairly mediocre, at the Dark Bronze rank, it was determined a Light Silver leveled beast, since beginner adventurers that weren’t well versed yet in party play would not be able to counter the attacks that would often separate them. And a general Light Silver ranked adventurer was not capable of soloing a beast of that level, let alone one of lower rank.

‘Our combined party strength should be around that rank. While one is out of commission, and all are fairly injured… And none of them are best equipped… Neither can we outrun it… In any case, I’ve my bait in the worst possible scenario’

Silas thought quickly assessing the situation. Only Ferlein was out of it, but it wasn’t as if she was unconscious and needed protecting. He promptly threw all the respective weapons at his feet, to his slaves. Then commanded them to get ready.

“All of you, to arms. Before me, get ready”

He commanded while stepping backwards. He was not trained in the art of combat, despite his family being one of warriors. He had a limited range of knowledge when it came to wielding the blade, as he did his best to digest as much information in his forced combat classes. But his body was not trained, and being ostracized he learnt more about being beaten than of doing it.

While he had some unarmed experience, it was nothing refined. And none of those experiences would help him now. No, the only assets he could rely on now were his slaves and blood magic. But there was no need to utilize both just yet. Because while he’s read about them, he’d never seen one before, and he couldn’t judge the exact physical capabilities they possessed. So what better way than to find out?

“Wait, I’ll help”, Ferlein tried to get up, but only managed to stumble down, clutching at her shield.

“Just rest”, Thaite spoke and sighed, “but hide in the trees if the situation turns for the worse”.

“No, I-I’m going to help”, but her body continued to fail in leaving the ground.

He shook his head and lamented as he walked forward, gathering with the others.

“Well great, now we’re to be disposed of'', Thaite couldn’t help but complain as he threw his quivers over his back, glancing at the men beside him. A stark contrast to his calming demeanor when talking to Ferlein.

“Halt yer grievances lad, we ain’t making it out of this unless we work together. And I ain’t dying here today”, the dwarf dueled wielded his daggers, putting more focus on preparation than on complaining.

Dromund silently nodded as he clutched his sword with both hands.

“Do ya think yer can hit it’s eye?”, the dwarf asked Thaite.

“If it just keeps moving towards us steadily… Maybe”, he aimed with his bow and winced once as the pain from the cuts on his back consumed him. But he bottled it down, grimacing at the dwarf as he tried to hide his pain.

“But shit’ll hit the fan once I piss it off”

“Ay… You sure I can’t have the sword?”, the dwarf questioned the elf.

“It’s… The only weapon I know how to wield”

“Harh, harh, just be sure to do enough damage then”, he lamented while grimacing at the daggers in his hands.

The Carrigorn stopped sniffing the air, as its body fully emerged from the trees. It looked at the trio gathered in front of it, a blur of warm colours that contrasted the environment around them. Then it faced the blood ball next to Silas that stood farther away. The beast gave out a mighty roar as it charged forward, its meaty paws once again causing a tremor as it prepared to pave its way through the pests, and maybe fill its belly while it's at it.

“Ya take left, aim fer its heart if ya can. I’ll go right an’ try to climb the blasted thing. Thaite? Good luck”

The elf nodded and Thaite sighed once again. But his aim stayed true to the beast's eye.

“Charrrrrge!”, the dwarf cried.

But their movements went nowhere, so seeing this Thaite held his arrow.

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The dwarf gave a quiet exasperated sigh, “sir, may we?”.

“Charge”, Silas nodded his head from his distance.

“Gaaahh”, the dwarf riled himself up again as he lept into action, the elf symmetrically matching his speed to the left.

While given permission to move, even had they turned heel and ran, they were too close to their foe, and would have simply been attacked from behind. Thinking of this, Thaite let loose his arrow, and before it even made contact he reached back for another. But while the arrow neared its eye, the creature closed it, the eye lid reflecting the arrow on its skin.

While the eye of a Carrigorn was weak, much like most other creatures. Due to the lacking necessity of its vision, it could afford a heavier, thicker, and better protected eyelid to keep things out of its eye. In addition this was used for when it burrowed under ground to protect it from dirt and roots, though the adults of their kind generally lost that form of travel as their size increased. Nonetheless, it was an evolutionized magic beast, an animal that could not be judged through conventional Earthly means.

“Graa- Ooof”

The mole swiped to the side, as the dwarf targeting that limb was hit by the base of the claw, of the beast. The giant mole’s claw pushed him around like dirt from a shovel, swinging him over to the elf, to contain them both in one fell swoop. But the elf was too agile, attentively examining its every movement, and ducked under the wide paw, cleaving at its forearm as it passed him by. But it left only a shallow wound, one the beast didn’t even seem to register.

As the claw finished its rotation, the dwarf was almost sent flying, but instead punctured both of his daggers into the flesh of the beast, puncturing it again as he tried to climb it. While his actions were akin to a splinter, the beast seemed to roar, its emotions unknown as it ferociously flicked its claw in the air, but the stubborn dwarf held on with all his might.

The beast seemed to give up as it returned the claw to the ground, effectively attempting to crush him, whereby the dwarf was forced to give up, unlodging one dagger, yet the other resisted almost as stubborn as its wielder, remaining a thorn in the side of the beast. The dwarf held no commitment to the blade, cutting his losses and jumping from the monster, at a distance past the beast's eye level. In its eye, its pupils traced him while the dwarf's stubby body plummeted with the grace of gravity.

‘He seems well versed in this, clearly it’s not his first rodeo’

Silas continued to analyze the beast with his head cocked to the side, as his slaves risked their lives. He didn’t feel much of any urgency, certain that the warriors he picked could at least stall for time. But then was this the best use of his time? His curiosity was akin to a cats. And you know what they say…

Fssskk.

The dwarf hit the grass with a thud. He rolled upon impact, recovering his feet. As he lifted his head, his eyes met the elfs, of whom were under the beast, preparing to stab its chest. Then he glanced at Thaite, who continued pelting his arrows, but the beast's arm was still in the air, from the position where he jumped, protecting its eye.

And then it hit him. Figuratively. He noticed the hardened eyes of the beast penetrating deep into his own. It could be paying attention to anyone, but its gaze remained steadfast upon him. The antenna glowing from atop of its head.

“Ay, f-”

And then it hit him. Literally. An erection of dirt propelled him from under his feet. He barely noticed the ground shift until he realized himself in the air, momentum carrying him upward, back to the height he just jumped from. And his gaze was once again reunited with the claw he abandoned.

“Ooof”, blood emerged from his mouth upon collision.

The claw hit him at a high velocity, sending him flying across a distance. His back hit a tree, his body flew beyond, as the tree dented from the side of collision. His body continued in flight, but it went out of vision as Thaite clenched his teeth, letting out a disparaging remark.

“This isn’t fucking working!”, he lost his composure, but he didn’t lose sight of the goal.

He launched another barrage of arrows, but the face was too well protected, and the arrows that splintered its flesh didn’t seem to disrupt it at all. He felt inconsequential to the grand scheme of things, and started walking backwards as he fired.

Stab.

Groooooaaar.

The elf pierced its chest, the beast stampeded forward. The sword was lodged in it, and the elf carried forward. He could have let go, but looked forward, witnessing the panicked expression of the human he was well acquainted with.

He found a sense of courage, as his feet pressed into the ground, heaving the sword further in, but the beast's momentum was unyielding.

“Yaaarrrrh”

The elf screamed, pushing in half the blade. He strove for the heart, even though he didn’t know of the beast's anatomy all that well. It didn’t matter, as he lost grip of the blade. Before that he turned his head to the side, his eyes closing. Was it really a coincidence? Or did he make up his mind, acknowledging that was all he could do?

Nonetheless, his foot hit a rock, his feet encased in blisters. His grip loosened. He tumbled forward, and was left behind as the beast swiped its claws at the human, its nails as sharp as a blades.

The human realized his impending doom, choosing to shoot his arrow once again at the eye. It was his final resistance, yet it proved futile as he witnessed the beast blink once again. So he closed his own eyes. There was nothing more he could do.

“Fuck”, he muttered, gritting his teeth at his uselessness.

“Thaite!”

Swwwssip.

Ching.

The human was sent flying, his eyes that he closed at the last second of his life, opened as he revealed himself to be flying in the air. He looked to the mournful expression of the beast, at the blood that stained, and penetrated its eye. Then below to its claws, at the woman who took his place.

“Fer!”, he shouted. Ignoring the two additional shots of blood that hit the beast's exposed side.

The woman was sent flying a distance as well, her expression pale as she coughed out a mouthful of blood. Yet she didn’t have much of that left to begin with.

“Fe-”, he tried to shout again, but he hit the grass behind him and tumbled until his momentum calmed.

He looked up to check on her condition, but suddenly what little light he had to see diminished, mere shadows engulfed him as he almost lost complete vision.

Large pillars of dirt erected a wall that separated them from Silas, and thus the majority of the exposed land they were in. They were amongst the tree borders, and didn’t have much light other than that as a source.

He looked forward to the beast. Is this how they would all die? Due to an incompetent master, one that felt no remorse for their plight? But he had more to do with his life. Time to make up for, and actions to be reversed. How would he pay for his sins? For the people he wronged, for the past he could never forget. It would’ve been better to have stayed in their cage.

Boom!

And in an instant, his worries meant nothing.