A young girl around the age of 15, stood there, in deep, immense horror. Fear crushing her throat as she failed to conjure any spells, nor speak for that matter. Her eyes expelling tears as they ran down her pale ridden face. Dropping to the ground where it splashed in sync with the sounds of wolves gorging themselves on the body of a deceased victim.

Apart from her were four others, all on alert as they stood their ground in face of the massive threat that aimed to take their lives. Their group ranged from level 7 - 9 as they began to prepare for the slaughter ahead of them. A boy, stricken with fear and anger at the loss of his brother, ran in defiance at the approaching group of monsters. Where he brought down his great sword with massive strength fueled with his emotions upon the closest wolf to him, a skill activating at command. Upon contact, the wolfs skull caved in, as its body went head first into the soil.

Its wolven mane dirtied with blood, viscera, and dirt as its compatriots leaped into action, pouncing upon the boys motionless body as he gripped the two handed sword. But before the group of wolves could sink their jaws into the boys flesh, a ball of fire enveloped a wolf in pursuit, causing it to go off course, knocking down two others before they landed on the ground in a lump. Behind them however, were an additional 2 more wolves who managed to close the distance between themselves and the boy. The first wolf bit down into his right forearm making him helpless, whilst the second bit into his throat, tearing it out but seconds later.

Blood flowed from his mouth as he tried to scream in what seemed to be fear or pain at the fact he faced the same fate as his brother, his grip on the world loosened as he let his body be engulfed by the pain. The group now consisted of a girl and 3 boys, a fire mage, priest (Healer), swordsman, and a person wielding a shield and sword, a paladin of sorts.

“Everyone stay calm! Sarah, Jack, behind me! Noah, you're with me! This is no time to be flustered! Get your act together!” yelled the Paladin, his blonde hair flowing with the wind as he seemed to cast a buff on himself and the team, increasing their constitution by 2 points each for a period of 20 minutes.

The swordsman reacted quickly, executing the orders flawlessly as he ran towards the Paladin, but before he reached him, he saw something approaching from the distance.

“Ethan! There’s something coming our way!” wailed the Swordsman, his eyes darting to the field where a black figure enveloped in black tendrils and mist seemed to court death as it dodged the attacks of numerous oncoming wolves. It’s hand moving in motions too fast to track as it tore through a wolves head before pulling it in close, tossing the corpse back towards a group of 3 wolves at his left. Impeding their approach, as it slipped into their ranks, cutting at their legs before ending their lives with a quick precise strike to their eyes, neck, or heart.

It was as chaotic as it was graceful as the figure of Shadows strode on. Whilst the swordsman was gawking at the sight, the Paladin, Ethan, was being flanked at all sides by wolves as he barely made it with his life, screaming for aid as the healer barely saved his life. The swordsman ran over in hopes to save him and their groups lives, completely forgetting of the black silhouette that had seemed to dance with death.

‘May the gods be with us’, prayed the swordsman as he leapt into the fray of battle.

*Nicholas*

As Nicholas dealt with the 4 wolves that were feasting themselves on the corpse, he took a quick glance at the group ahead of him as he approached. 3 wolven corpse lay down on the ground next to another 2 human corpses, one a Paladin with light blonde hair, now dyed red, whilst the other was a boy with a two handed great sword made of iron. The other 6 wolves were encircling another boy clad in armour meant for swift movements, sword in hand, whilst the girl behind him chanted spells that bathed the boy covered in scratches and wounds in a golden bright light.

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The small scratches healing upon its touch as his pale face began to fill in colour, before suddenly becoming a torn mess from the arc of a stray wolf's claw. He clawed at his face in pain as he lost himself to its grasp, wolves jumped upon him as his body fell limp, the last of his health drifted away, leaving him unarmed against the pack of wolves that gathered around his now desolate corpse.

Nicholas ran forward in hopes of at least saving the priest as she struggled to fend for herself against the oncoming group. Producing spikes from the shadows of the trees within the vicinity, he manipulated them to his will as they pierced through the legs and paws of the wolves at least an inch deep, keeping them at bay. 2 of them however managed to run free as they converged on the priests location.

Acting fast, he threw his knife at one of the wolves in front of him, plowing it into the side of his neck with the burst of momentum from his agility. He followed through with a quick leap, gripping onto the knife's handle as he veered over the wolf bringing the knife with him as it raced across the back of its neck, flowing like water as he landed on the ground opposite of his arrival. He began to pivot his feet with the aid of shadow footwork, moving his combat knife’s blade with the added agility and dexterity bonus into another wolf placed conveniently behind him, the combat knife driving itself into the epicenter of its brain.

He tugged his knife from the wound, causing an outpour of blood to shower him in all its glory. He proceeded to dispose of the 2 other wolves in a similar fashion before glancing back at the priest left by herself with the last 2 wolves.

She stood still as she trembled in dread and dismay, her eyes frozen with fear, as the wolves began to close the distance. Nicholas having dispatched of the 4 wolves in such a small timeframe tried his best to reach her in the short time he had left. He rushed forwards, his feet assisted by the effects of his agility as he was determined too close the length between him and the group.

Unfortunately, life wasn’t always fair, the wolves claws arced towards her as a sharp laceration was created along the lining of her stomach. She coughed up blood as the second wolf pounced on top of her, knocking her down to the ground as she stumbled over herself as she tried to crawl away. A great pressure crushed her ribs as the wolves body weight was placed on her back, generating a few screams of agony and despair to escape from the priests mouth as it echoed throughout the forest.

Nicholas having reached the wolves at this time began his barrage of attacks, slashes and thrusts cut through the wolves fur as they too howled in pain. A knife entered through the closest wolfs jaw as he stabbed in from the bottom jaw, up into the upper jaw before crudely jerking the neck of the beast in a burst of great momentum, as it collapsed onto the ground with a broken neck. He yanked his combat knife from the lifeless corpse as he rotated on his left foot as he flung his knife with great force at the last wolf that was overtop the priest.

A great thud sounded out from the gray wolf as it spurted forth blood upon impact. Collapsing along side the priest as the pressure from its body weight eased away, as did the priests life. The Shadow Demon wavered overtop the priest, scanning over her battle ridden, blood soaked body. Or what was left. Her chest ascended and descended in a rhythmic pattern as her breathing progressively weakened. Her eyes began to lose their lustrous youthful colour as she too, faded away. Just like the rest of them.

Her eyes now filled with a great pain and sorrow as she slowly left this world. Nicholas, crouched beside the young priest as he slid his hand beneath her head lifting it up from the rough surface of the ground, humming a soothing and harmonious tune as he quickly and gently slid his blade past her ribcage into her heart. She struggled and gasped rapidly in response, but slowly fell limp as she was laid to the cold ground.

Nicholas placed his bloodied hand onto his knee as he stood up from the ground, subsequently dissipating his combat knife from the remains of the priest. He skimmed through the carnage that took place, a total of 6 people and 13 wolves lay along the ground. Lifeless cold corpses with innards spewing out from their mangled bodies, limbs displaced on top of the soil from the small skirmish that took place.

Nicholas, having endured numerous other experiences just like this one, stood there with but a hint of dismay at the fact that they had died. Their lifeless corpses so very similar to the comrades and friends he were acquainted with in the past. The fact he still held no reaction, neither emotional or physical, even after accounting the loss of the limiter, told Nicholas of the impact it had on him for those numerous years he had it active.

Wanting to have the need for change, he decided he would show some respect to the dead for the first time in both his past and present lifetime. He gathered the bodies of the 6 as he stockpiled them into a mountain of corpses. Later, gathering some kindle to start the flames, he placed it at the base of the corpses, igniting it the old fashioned way, with a stick and branch, as it produced friction which provided him with the very sparks he needed in order to get it going.

He watched in awe as he saw the raging flames roar into action. Devouring the corpses of the 6 as they were slowly turned to ash, and slowly after, to dust.