The battlefield was a chaotic blur of steel and fury, but for once, I relished the violence. It felt good—no, it felt right—to get my hands dirty again. Adrenaline surged through my veins as I tightened my grip on the hilt of my sword, the blade humming with the energy of the fight. Before me stood the Ralvuitaur, a monstrous hybrid of nightmarish proportions.
Its massive frame loomed over me, the lower half resembling a grotesquely oversized spider, each of its eight legs ending in jagged spikes that dug into the earth with every step. The exoskeleton was a mix of mottled black and sickly green, the plates shifting and flexing as the creature moved with an eerie, almost mechanical grace. But the true terror was in its upper half—a minotaur’s body, hulking and brutish, with muscles rippling beneath a hide as dark and unforgiving as the shadows of the Sewers.
The Ralvuitaur’s arms ended in claws that could rend flesh from bone with a single swipe, each finger tipped with a talon that gleamed with malevolence. Its head—God, that head—was a bull’s, twisted into something demonic. Glowing red eyes seethed with a hatred so intense it felt like the creature’s very soul was on fire. Curved horns jutted out from either side of its skull, sharp enough to skewer a man with ease. Its mouth was a cavern of fanged teeth, dripping with a venomous ichor, the same greenish fluid that seemed to pulse through its entire being.
The creature’s breath came in heavy snorts, each exhale filling the air with the stench of decay and rot. The acrid smell burned my nostrils, but it fueled my determination. I bared my teeth in a feral grin, feeling an odd kinship with the beast before me. This wasn’t just a fight for survival—it was a test, a trial by combat against a beast born from the darkest depths of Penance.
With a roar of my own, I charged. My sword flashed in the dim light, an arc of silver aimed straight for the Ralvuitaur’s monstrous head. The creature reacted with terrifying speed, one of its clawed hands swiping toward me with enough force to cleave me in two. I ducked and rolled, the ground rough and unyielding beneath me as I narrowly avoided the deadly strike. The wind of its talons passed just above my head, close enough that I could hear the whistle of its claws slicing through the air.
[Damage: Miss]
I came up on one knee, sword already swinging upward. The blade connected with the Ralvuitaur’s side, slicing through the thick hide and into the flesh beneath. The sensation of resistance followed by the ease of the cut sent a thrill through me. The creature’s pained bellow was a symphony to my ears.
[Damage Dealt: 22]
The Ralvuitaur roared in pain, the sound so powerful it shook the ground beneath us. Greenish blood spurted from the wound, splattering across my armor. I hissed in pain as the acidic fluid began eating through the metal, searing my skin wherever it touched. But I didn’t let up. I pushed forward, driving my sword deeper into the creature’s body, aiming for the heart—or whatever served as one in this abomination.
The Ralvuitaur retaliated, its spider legs striking out in a frenzy. I saw them coming and tried to leap back, but the battlefield was unforgiving. The uneven terrain caught my foot, and I stumbled just as one of the legs caught me in the side. The impact sent a shockwave of pain through my ribs, and I gasped as the breath was knocked from my lungs.
[Damage Taken: 10]
I staggered but didn’t fall. Gritting my teeth, I forced myself to focus, ducking and weaving as the Ralvuitaur’s claws raked the air around me. One swipe grazed my shoulder, the talons slicing through armor and flesh alike. Pain flared, hot and sharp, but I welcomed it. Pain meant I was still alive.
[Damage Taken: 8]
Ignoring the searing pain in my shoulder, I retaliated, slashing at the Ralvuitaur’s arm. The blade bit deep, leaving a gash that sent more of that toxic blood spraying into the air. I twisted the sword as I pulled it free, causing the wound to widen.
[Damage Dealt: 10]
I tried to back away, to put some distance between us, but the Ralvuitaur was relentless. It lunged forward, its horns aimed straight at my chest. There was no time to think, only to act. I threw myself to the side, feeling the ground give way beneath me as I rolled to avoid being impaled. The Ralvuitaur’s momentum carried it past me, its claws scraping against the stone, leaving deep gouges in the earth.
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Seeing my chance, I surged to my feet, every muscle screaming in protest, and lunged forward, my sword raised high. The Ralvuitaur tried to turn, but it was too late. I drove the blade down into the back of its neck, the point piercing through muscle and bone, and out through the creature’s throat.
[Damage Dealt: 20]
Greenish blood gushed from the wound, covering me in a torrent of foul-smelling liquid. The Ralvuitaur let out a final, ear-splitting scream as its body convulsed, the last vestiges of life draining from its monstrous form. But it wasn’t over. With a last burst of strength, the Ralvuitaur twisted its body, one of its spider legs lashing out and catching me in the side. The force of the blow sent me crashing into a nearby wall, the impact jarring every bone in my body.
[Damage Taken: 33]
Gasping for breath, I struggled to my feet, ignoring the searing pain in my ribs and the blood that now dripped from a dozen wounds. The battlefield around me was a wasteland of death and destruction, littered with the bodies of fallen creatures and the twisted remains of the Ralvuitaur. Its massive body twitched once, then went still, the acidic blood hissing and bubbling where it touched the ground.
I stood over its lifeless form, chest heaving, my sword still embedded in its neck. For a moment, I simply stared at the fallen beast, a mix of exhaustion and grim satisfaction settling over me. I had won. But the victory felt hollow, the adrenaline ebbing away to leave only the aching throb of my injuries and the gnawing dread of what was to come.
I caught sight of Michael in the distance, standing close to Elric, who was preparing his siege spell to destroy the spawner—the only way to stop the horde. The tension in the air was palpable, every soldier on edge, waiting for the next wave of monsters to emerge.
If someone were to attack Elric, it would be now. The thought gnawed at me, a persistent dread that wouldn’t leave my mind. The traitors were somewhere in this battlefield, hidden among the soldiers, waiting for their moment to strike. I couldn’t let them get away. If I didn’t protect Elric, it would come back to bite me—hard.
My eyes darted around the camp, scanning the faces of the soldiers, searching for any sign of treachery. The fires cast long, flickering shadows that danced across the makeshift barricades, creating an atmosphere of unease. Every movement, every flicker of a shadow, set my nerves on edge. Malice’s earlier taunts echoed in my mind, but I pushed them aside. There was no room for doubt now.
As I approached Michael and Elric, I tightened my grip on my sword, ready for whatever might come next. The air buzzed with anticipation, the soldiers’ whispers and the crackling of the fires the only sounds in the oppressive silence. I could feel the weight of the moment, the knowledge that everything hinged on what happened next.
Elric’s voice rang out, commanding and filled with power as he began the incantation for the siege spell. The air around him shimmered, charged with the energy he was gathering. I positioned myself at his side, my eyes still scanning the surroundings, my muscles tense and ready to spring into action at the slightest hint of danger.
And then I saw it—a movement in the shadows, subtle but unmistakable. A figure was creeping closer to Elric, blending in with the other soldiers, their intent clear in the way they moved. My heart pounded in my chest as I realized this was it. The traitor was making their move.
Without a second thought, I lunged forward, cutting through the distance between us. My sword flashed in the dim light, aimed directly at the would-be assassin. The figure turned at the last moment, eyes widening in shock as they realized they’d been caught. For a split second, our eyes locked, and I saw the fear in their gaze—the realization that they had failed.
[Damage Dealt: 15]
The blade struck true, sinking deep into the traitor’s side. They gasped, a look of disbelief etched on their face as they crumpled to the ground. I yanked my sword free, the blood-soaked steel gleaming as I turned to face the rest of the camp.
For a moment, there was silence, the soldiers staring at the fallen traitor in stunned disbelief. And then, as if a spell had been broken, they sprang into action, rounding up the remaining suspects. The camp was thrown into a frenzy as the other traitors were rooted out.
The camp was thrown into a frenzy as the other traitors were rooted out, their plans unraveling before they could even begin. Shouts rang out as soldiers apprehended those who had been waiting for the right moment to strike. The tension that had hung heavy in the air began to lift, replaced by a grim determination to see the mission through. Everything was going too right. But I wasn't going to look a gift horse-weasel in the mouth.
Elric finished his incantation, the ground trembling as the siege spell activated. A massive surge of energy erupted from the center of the camp, blasting through the spawner in a blinding flash of light. The remaining monsters shrieked in agony as they were obliterated, their forms disintegrating in the wake of Elric's spell. The horde was finally vanquished.
[Horde 6 of 7 eliminated.]