Where?
I don’t remember what happened. I was… standing and then… Something hit me.
No, not hit. Something… fit me. No, not fit. It hurt.
The nameless thing swayed, unsteady on its feet. It tried to think (Where am I?), but its thoughts moved like molasses. The wind blew, but the thing was barely aware of it. In fact, the only way it knew was because of the rustling of the leaves on the trees (What’s going on?).
The others around it were likewise swaying mindlessly, nudged occasionally by the wind (Others?). The small group wasn’t staying together out of concern or because they were following any leader. It was more animal instinct, like the flocking of birds (I can’t… move).
Off in the distance, there was movement. The nameless thing (Name?) didn’t see it at first, but one of the others around it did. One head turned. Then another. A branch cracked in the distance (My name… I have a name).
One by one, the things became aware of the rustling and their bodies turned to the sound. Each one put one foot in front of the other (I have a name, I… wait. Where am I?)
Nine pairs of feet drag through the soil moving towards the sound. Towards (Hunger…).
Much as it struggled, the thing walked towards the disturbance. Feet moving faster as it got closer, in expectation of an event (I… feel.).
One of the others in front of it let out a screech. It pierced the thing’s ears but it wasn’t a painful screech. It was something else (A warning…? No, not that. Not fear.).
The others around it moved faster and the nameless thing’s own body moved faster until it felt its knees pumping. It was running (I feel… something.)
A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
Then it saw them. Four of them. Not like the others it was with, no. (Hunger…).
The sudden surge of emotion was overwhelming. It felt like a tidal wave that washed away his thoughts and replaced them with an overwhelming need. The nameless thing was truly nameless with any consciousness buried under the deluge of a single obsession.
Hungry.
***
Jinyoung spotted them first. “Head’s up!”
Uphill from their position, a lone figure broke through the treeline and spotted the four of them making their way through the dried riverbed.
The Frostbitten raised its head and let out a terrifying screech. Its siren call was cut short when Willow’s [arcane bolt] struck it in its face, sending it tumbling backwards. Before Jinyoung had the chance to compliment Willow on her aim, two other Frostbitten crested over the hill and sprinted at them.
A bolt launched itself from Seunghyo’s bow and shot towards the head of the nearest one. Instead of simply burying itself in the monster’s head, it plowed straight through like a sledgehammer. A second bolt swiftly followed, but the other Frostbitten dodged sideways, sending the bolt sailing helplessly past.
It rushed forward on uneven legs, targeting Willow with wide open unblinking eyes. It opened its mouth, revealing very human teeth before its face was caved in by the impact of Hana’s shield. Hana shoved hard, pushing the monster back before sending a chop at the monster’s head.
On the hill, six more figures burst out and ran at them. Jinyoung stepped forward and eyed the group. They were close enough that he might be able to take them out with one blow, but it was just as likely he’d miss one or two and leave himself open to attack.
Instead, Jinyoung readied his [charge] and [dashed] past the group of Frostbitten coming to a stop just behind the last two.
He swung wide, but kept himself from spinning and instead let the momentum of the sword carry his arm back. The swipe cut down two Frostbitten while the other four continued their charge at the rest of his party.
Jinyoung turned, expecting to see Seunghyo notching another arrow, but instead, the pathfinder was simply watching. Willow launched another [arcane bolt] which missed its intended target leaving four Frostbitten charging directly at Hana. He opened his mouth to call out to Seunghyo or Willow. One of them had to back her up before they got to her.
Instead of backing up, Hana shrugged her shield down to her forearm and tensed her sword arm. In the blink of an eye, the first Frostbitten was knocked aside with her shield. The shield hit it with such force that Jinyoung could hear the hapless monster’s neck break from a distance. The second one was on her quickly, but her sword was quicker. A quick and efficient cut ended the monster’s life.
Before they could react, Hana spun cutting a wide slash similar to the one Jinyoung had just performed but without the addition of a skill and cut down the last two Frostbitten, letting their momentum carry them into the path of her blade.
In the time it had taken Jinyoung to use two skills to cut down two monsters, Hana had essentially done the same to four without the use of a skill.