Bewilderment clouded my gaze as I locked eyes with the Apostle. "Why should I sacrifice myself when the purpose eludes me?" I demanded, frustration tainting my tone.
The Apostle, mask concealing any hint of emotion, lowered his sword, breaking the menacing silence with impatience. "I don't have time for your emotions!" he bellowed. "An ultimatum: you for your friends' lives!" My fist clenched, head bowed in uncertainty. Stuck between a rock and a hard place, I grappled with the weight of leadership and the promise I made to Klayden.
Pursing my lips, a sigh escaped me, and I made a choice. Before I could articulate it, a force surged past me—Shael. Her right arm outstretched, runes materialized. "Vile au!" she exclaimed, a powerful force hurling the horsemen and their mounts backward. Branches cascaded, revealing Duskfangs in the trees, likely under the masked horseman's control.
Stunned, we stood frozen. "What are you waiting for?" Shael's urgency pierced the silence. "Run!" Supplies abandoned, we sprinted in the wrong direction, but survival demanded it. Magic fueled my feet, and we fled. Branches cracked loudly, my heart pounding, stamina mismatched against the swift Duskfangs. Evading injury proved futile, and I stumbled over an unnatural tree root.
With no time to dwell, I rose swiftly, panting alongside my companions. Thorns struck our faces as we hurdled bushes, fatigue etched on our features. The relentless Duskfangs, fueled by fear, chased us through the forest. My head pulsed violently, a cold sensation gripping my neck as the creatures closed in. Abruptly, a burning feeling signaled danger behind me, halting my steps. Unsheathing my sword, magic imbued my arms with strength, runes flickering to life.
A surreal moment unfolded—a Duskfang midair, poised to strike. Time slowed. Breath halted. In a flash, I severed the creature's head. Teeth retracted, pondering the fangs' hypothetical touch. Three more Duskfangs leaped from tree to tree, easily dispatched. The foreboding sensation lifted, but the bushes swayed—more Duskfangs approached.
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How naive to trust an unknown feeling.
Abandoning safety, contemplation of escape seemed futile. Committed to duty, I assumed a defensive stance. Sword gripped tightly, I was ready to face the approaching danger. Branches snapped behind me, and a quick turn revealed Shael—twice my savior that night. "Get down!" she commanded, arms outstretched, uttering the cabin's incantation. "Vile au!" The Duskfangs screeched, violently repelled.
Retreating, I followed Shael through the dense wood. Emerging, we found Klayden and the others at a cliff's edge. The moon illuminated the endless forest below, a fast-flowing river beneath. Panting at the cliff, distant screeches signaled the enemy's relentless pursuit.
"So, who's going first!?" Klayden shouted. "Certainly not me!"
Fear gripping, we faced imminent death. "Alright, I'll go!" Nervousness tainted my voice. "But start swimming when you hit the water!" I commanded.
A deep breath, a dizzying look down, and a muttered "Fuck it!" preceded my plunge. Rapid descent, realization of armor-clad impact, and a panicked scream greeted the water. Arms imbued with magic, runes glowed dimly in the water's chaos. Panic escalated until, at last, I breached the surface, coughing water, and gasping for air.
Weakness enveloped me as the water carried me. I swam vigorously against the current, guided by the sounds of companions entering the water. Crawling onto the bank, mud embraced my weakness. Shael, Roger, and others joined, panting from the ordeal. At the mountain's edge, screeching Duskfangs watched helplessly.
"Stay up there, you pieces of shit!" Klayden spat defiantly.
Limbs weak, I rose. "Is everyone alright?" I asked, sensing an underlying issue. "Yes!" they responded, yet an unsettling feeling gnawed at me. "Where is Dagen?" I inquired, dread settling in.
"What do you mean, he jumped off the cliff with u-" Klayden halted, realizing Dagen's absence.
Rushing to the bank's edge, my eyes scanned the water, my heart racing. A barely visible arm dipped in and out, drifting away. "There he is!" I exclaimed, running toward him. His flailing hand disappeared beneath the water, frustration echoing my sentiment.