The atmosphere thickened with impending danger. A horde of enemies, too many to count, lay in wait, but that didn’t deter the group. In the eyes of Sera and the others, they were just beasts. Ever since they became stronger, they also became more confident.
Zayzal was the only one who was worried about the number, especially considering he’d been fighting for a while now. The exhaustion from today’s events was starting to catch up to him despite his new ability to adapt quickly.
Sera, with her battle axe at the ready, took a deep breath and signaled for the group to get into formation. The plan was straightforward: engage the enemy quickly and decisively, ensuring that none could escape to warn others or reinforce their numbers.
The goal was to kill every single one of them to ease the burden on the village.
Suddenly, a shrieking howl echoed from one of the wolves, a larger one that had seemingly sniffed them out. Its golden eyes locked onto Zayzal's, and in an instant, the room was alive with activity.
Goblins, hearing the warning call, snapped to attention, with some even mounting the wolves, brandishing their crude weapons in anticipation.
"Kill them all!" Sera shouted, leading the charge. Following closely behind her, Einar and three other Viking warriors formed the frontline, with Zayzal holding the center, ready to guard the flanks and rearguard.
As they rushed forward, the mounted goblins, riding atop the wolves, intercepted them.
Their pace was shockingly fast, the wolves darting in and out of the group with impressive agility, forcing the Vikings to pivot in every direction.
Einar, taking aim, let loose arrow after arrow, managing to down a goblin rider. Another warrior, wielding a hefty mace, crushed a wolf’s skull as it lunged at him.
The synergy the group had developed earlier was manifesting, but the numbers weren't in their favor.
Suddenly, from the right flank, a heavily armored goblin, larger than the rest and riding an enormous wolf, charged at Zayzal. This goblin was clearly a leader or a guard of some sort.
It was a bit taller, its muscles more pronounced than the others.
Reacting instinctively, Zayzal braced himself, gripping his spear tightly. As the goblin neared, he thrust his spear forward, but the wolf darted to the side, and Zayzal barely managed to parry the goblin's descending blade.
It was a game of inches and seconds, and the stakes were deadly high. The goblin rider was focused on him, and since his companions were busy fending off their opponents, he couldn’t call for help.
Taking a deep breath, Zayzal’s eyes steeled. He kept his spear out, choosing to stay on the defensive. The wolf tried to close in, but it was always met with a spear to its face.
However, it seemed he had taken the intelligence of the goblin too lightly.
With the flat side of its sword, it smacked his spear, hard, causing it to stagger. Seizing this opportunity, the wolf stepped on the spear, closing the distance in an instant.
"Zayzal, move!" Sera screamed.
An ethereal barrier appeared in front of him, blocking the goblin’s attack, but it only lasted a moment. The barrier soon cracked under the force.
Fortunately, that was all the time he needed to drop his spear and dodge.
Afterward, Sera dashed in, swinging her axe, which was met with a resounding clang as the goblin deflected her blow. The wolf, sensing an opportunity, lunged at her exposed side.
In a flash, another Viking warrior, Rurik, stepped in, blocking the wolf's attack with his shield and slashing its underbelly with a short sword.
The goblin, enraged by the injury to his mount, retaliated with a flurry of strikes, pushing both Sera and Rurik back. Zayzal, seeing a brief opening, picked up his spear and threw it.
Finding a gap in the goblin’s armor, the spear pierced its shoulder, causing it to howl in pain.
Without giving it a chance to retaliate, the third Viking warrior, Ragnar, chopped off the head of the goblin leader with his battle axe.
Einar followed up, penetrating the wolf’s skull with an arrow.
The battle was frantic. Everywhere you looked, Vikings clashed with goblins, their weapons rough but sharp enough to kill. Wolves, teeth bared, snapped, and lunged at any warrior they could find.
Sera, Zayzal, Einar, Ragnar, Rurik, and Gunnar surpassed expectations, their prowess honed by years of rigorous training, yielding a field littered with fallen foes. However, victory demanded its tribute.
Their bodies bore the evidence of brutal combat, with bite marks, pikes embedded in their flesh, and a multitude of cuts and bruises showcasing the sacrificial grit they had put forth.
Gasping for breath amidst the dim, blood-soaked room, the group stood resolute, eyes aflame with unyielding fury, gazing upon the additional wave of adversaries.
What they accomplished was merely the beginning.
The wolves circled them cautiously, not daring to underestimate the prey before them. While the goblins screeched loudly, trying to enrage the invaders.
Then, as things began to worsen for the monsters, the biggest enemy in the room, the black wolf stirred, its massive body slowly rising.
The wolf towered over its brethren, its hulking form draped in fur so dark it seemed to absorb the scant light within the dungeon. Its eyes, gleaming like twin gold coins, surveyed the surroundings with predatory intensity.
Each step it took was graceful yet menacing, and its growl resonated through the air, sending shivers down the spines of even the bravest warriors.
Zayzal felt a shiver run down his spine. Every instinct screamed at him to flee, but he stood his ground. He couldn't afford to waver now.
However, part of him also thought that the wolf sounded similar to the howl he heard after facing those wolves right after he woke up. ‘....Could it be?’
“Focus on the goblins! I'll handle this one,” Sera roared, interrupting his thoughts. It was her duty as the Chief’s daughter to take on the enemy’s boss!
“No! We’ll confront it together!” Zayzal snapped back, but it was too late.
The creature pounced faster than anything its size should be capable of. Sera narrowly evaded its snapping jaws, but a swipe from its paw sent her crashing into a nearby wall. The impact echoed around the chamber, causing a collective gasp from the group.
“Sera!”
Seeing Sera in peril, Zayzal felt an indescribable rush of adrenaline. Abandoning his immediate opponent, he raced towards the black wolf with his spear at the ready.
But before he could get close, a group of three heavily armored goblin guards blocked his path. They moved in unison, their shields forming an impenetrable barrier.
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Einar, sensing Zayzal's intent, loosed arrow after arrow at the guards, trying to create an opening. But the goblins, anticipating this, deflected each projectile with ease.
It felt like the odds were insurmountable.
Zayzal, eyes burning with fury, mustered all his strength and launched himself at the goblin barrier with his spear leading the way. One of the armored goblins, caught off guard by his ferocity, was pierced through the chest. Seizing the momentary disruption in their formation, the other Vikings surged forward.
Suddenly, the tide began to turn. The warriors' relentless attacks forced the goblins to retreat step by step.
The black wolf, sensing the shift, let out a deafening roar and lunged at the least protected warrior, biting down hard.
Einar.
Blood spurted out of his arm, and the man's ear-splitting scream echoed through the chamber.
Sera, though dazed, heard her companion’s cry and lunged toward him raising her hand in defense, casting a barrier around Einar to try and protect him.
However, the black wolf just grunted in annoyance and ripped the barrier to shreds before sinking his teeth into Einar’s neck, tearing his throat. His eyes rolled back with blood spurting from his body as he convulsed.
A moment later, his body stopped moving and went limp.
Zayzal, Sera, Ragnar, Rurik, and Gunnar looked on in horror, not expecting one of their own to die here. They opened their mouths to speak, to scream, but nothing came out. Tears unknowingly rolled down their cheeks as the man they spent decades with was dead.
Zayzal felt as though the air had been punched out of his lungs, watching in helpless horror as Einar fell. Each heartbeat pounded in his ears, a dull, agonizing drum that underscored the finality of what he’d just witnessed. For a split second, the world narrowed, colors bled away, and all he could see was the crumpled form of his fallen comrade.
His heart seemed to pump so loudly that it was the only thing ringing in his ears.
He grew up in the modern era. Watching another man get torn to shreds was not something he ever thought he’d see.
‘Why? Why’d he have to die?’ He internally questioned, his heart smashing against his chest. His eyes went blurry for a moment before a cooling sensation ran through his body, forcing his heart rate back to normal.
His [Adaptability] seemed to be working at full force to bring him back to reality. However, his mind had almost stopped working in an attempt to rationalize this situation.
The black wolf tossed the corpse to the side and looked toward its next meal: Ragnar.
With one leap, it appeared in front of the man, its legs landing hard on his shoulders, breaking them.
“AHHG!” Ragnar yelled in pain, only for the black wolf’s jaws to snap shut around his neck, decapitating him.
“Þetta fai! Ek mun drepa þik!(Dammit! I’ll kill you!)” Rurik stormed at the beast, his sword and shield at the ready. Only for him to be skewered by various crude weapons from the goblins.
Gunnar and Zayzal, now fully understanding the situation they were in, snapped out of their fear. Sera, on the other hand, had bloodshot eyes burning with rage as she slowly stood up.
Suddenly, Zayzal’s eyes turned a shade of silver. All kinds of lines appeared in his vision. He looked at Gunnar and noticed the red orb and various pathways were much easier to spot.
Suddenly, a word popped up in his head, ‘[Pathfinder].’
Turning to Sera, he saw the same thing, but she had a Gold and a Red orb, each with different pathways. A silver line directed him in Sera’s direction, pointing to her Red orb.
“Gunnar! Survive!” Zayzal yelled before he ran toward Sera, no longer paying any attention to the man. Thrusting his spear forward, he jabbed it inside the brain of one of the wolves guarding Sera. The goblin on top of it lost his balance, allowing him to disarm it.
With a wooden pike in hand, he jabbed it in the goblin’s neck, taking both his spear and pike out of their bodies at the same time.
The remaining goblin rider in front of Sera wouldn’t let him do as he pleased and jumped at him. Fortunately, before it could reach him, Sera’s axe met the wolf’s head. Taking advantage of that, Zayzal pierced through the eyehole in the goblin’s armor with his pike, sending it straight into the monster’s brain.
Before Sera could even say anything, Zayzal sprinted behind her.
“Follow my lead!” He ordered, planting his hand on her back and sending a minute amount of energy into her body, specifically the Red orb.
He didn’t even know what he was doing, why, or how he was doing it, but he felt like he needed to do this.
Sera nodded, trusting Zayzal.
However, feeling the energy coursing through her body, she became confused.
“What am I supposed to do?” She asked.
“Absorb the ambient energy and send it through the pathways I show you.” He responded.
So, Sera did exactly that.
Surprisingly, it was quite easy. Just thinking about collecting the energy that changed her caused it to surge in her direction. From there, all she had to do was follow Zayzal’s lead.
Energy spread throughout her body, wrapping around all her bones before it infused into them.
Her bones cracked and popped, but not as if they were breaking. Instead, Sera felt them getting stronger at an expedited rate.
Excited at this discovery, Sera became even more eager to absorb energy and channel it in the places Zayzal showed her.
Within moments, Sera felt a surge of power like never before. The pain from her injuries began to wane, replaced by a renewed vigor that made her feel invincible. Her axe, which she had been wielding with exertion earlier, now felt like a toy in her hands.
Not even a second later, Zayzal took his hands off Sera, his face pale and covered in sweat.
With newfound strength, Sera roared, charging into the fray with her battle axe swinging. She didn’t need anyone to tell her what to do now.
The goblins, thinking she was weakened from the previous clash, found themselves terribly mistaken. One by one, they fell, their feeble defenses no match for her strength.
The black wolf, witnessing the annihilation of its forces, locked its gaze onto Zayzal and Sera. The air around it started to chill, and an ominous air blew through the chamber.
Zayzal sensed the impending danger and shouted, "Sera, be careful!" He glanced to the side and saw Gunnar running around, doing his best to survive. “Gunnar, I have your back! Go finish that beast, Sera!”
“Y-You don’t need to tell me twice!” Her voice, usually steady and composed, trembled slightly with a mix of fury and apprehension, reflecting the tumultuous emotions within.
Sera, with her axe gleaming menacingly, fixed her eyes on the black wolf.
Sera, with her axe gleaming menacingly, fixed her eyes on the black wolf. It seemed to sense her determination and met her gaze, its eyes cold and predatory. The two circled each other for a moment, the tense stillness of the room palpable.
Meanwhile, Zayzal had quickly regained his bearings. He noticed a few goblins trying to flank Sera, so he launched himself into their path, his spear moving so rapidly that it was a mere blur. The piercing shriek of goblins filled the air, signaling their end.
Gunnar, despite his injuries, had tapped into his inner strength and was now a force to be reckoned with. His short sword cut through enemies as if they were butter, every move calculated and efficient.
As Sera and the black wolf continued their intense standoff, the creature let out a piercing howl and pounded his paws against the ground. Cracks formed beneath Sera's feet, forcing her to dodge and roll to the side.
Taking advantage of the momentary distraction, the black wolf rushed at Sera like a cheetah. But Sera, with her new-found strength and agility, evaded the beast and swung her axe, landing a glancing blow on its side. Blood oozed from the wound.
The wolf snarled in pain and fury, its attention wholly on Sera. They clashed again and again, with neither showing any mercy. Each of Sera's strikes was met with swift dodges or deflections from the beast, and its counter-attacks forced her to continuously dance on the edge of danger.
Meanwhile, Gunnar and Zayzal had successfully taken down the majority of the remaining goblins. Gunnar shouted, "Zayzal! Let's help Sera!"
Before Zayzal could respond, the beast's tail swept across the ground, catching him off-guard. He was sent flying into a nearby wall. Gunnar saw this and roared in fury, charging at the wolf with all his might, trying to divert its attention.
Using his distraction, Sera found an opening. With all her strength, she swung her axe directly at the beast's head. It barely managed to tilt its head while trying to dodge, resulting in a deep gash across its eye and partially blinding it.
With the creature in pain, Zayzal, having recovered from the impact, rallied and threw his spear with all his might, piercing its other eye. Now fully blind, the beast thrashed around wildly, trying to rely on its other senses.
Seizing the moment, Sera jumped onto its back, using her axe to anchor herself. She then drove the weapon deep into the back of the creature's neck. The black wolf let out a heart-wrenching howl, its body convulsing violently before slumping to the ground, defeated.
With the wolf's death, a resonating thud echoed throughout the dungeon. In that brief silence, the adrenaline that had fueled their fight drained away, replaced by the stark reality of what had transpired. Tears welled in Sera, Gunnar, and Zayzal’s eyes.
As the dust settled, the trio regrouped, their breathing ragged and their bodies covered in sweat and blood. The weight of their loss was evident in their eyes, but at least they had lived to tell the tale.