Three people were running. They ran without looking back even once. The flames that chased them were no longer there, yet they still ran, knowing the danger still lived. “Stop.” Jason appeared out of nowhere. Tapeesa retreated out of reflex, while the other two swung their weapons without hesitation.

“It’s me!” Jason somersaulted in the air dodging the mad swings of Arrluk and Nuniq. Both grandfather and grandson stared with wide eyes at their one and only ally.

“You’re still alive!” Tapeesa barged in between Arrluk and Nuniq and jumped at Jason for a hug. Jason sidestepped as Tapeesa dropped on the ground.

“I need your help,” said Jason.

“Are you crazy? That pig almost killed us,” Nuniq bellowed at him. They were running with their tails between their legs, and this man had the audacity to go against Muzgonk once more.

“Relax, we can do this,” said Jason. His tone betrayed his words. It didn’t actually instill the kind of motivation that a hero would do in a time of great peril.

“Relax? Didn’t you see that pig spitting out fire like a freaking flamethrower?” Nuniq spitted words, exerting his opinion.

“Nuniq is right, Jason. We are not enough, it’s too strong,” said Arrluk. The old man took a seat at one of the large debris laying around. Today was a tiring day, and the fight against Muzgonk took a pretty heavy toll on him. Although Jason healed him back to health, yet his mental strength was worn out by the ineffectiveness of their assault.

“Trust me on this old man. We can’t let that orc live,” Jason tried to reason. He knew he could run away from it, but he couldn’t imagine what would happen if he let Muzgonk stayed alive.

“He’s right grandpa. We need to help him,” Tapeesa chimed in.

“Listen Tapeesa, we can…” Arrluk stopped his words. His eyes glanced at the blade that nicked the skin of his neck. All eyes went to Jason, the man who drew his blade at Arrluk.

“What’s the meaning of this?” Arrluk asked. A glare coming from the old man.

“I’m not going to repeat this twice, I saved your life old man.” Jason was taking an aggressive stance. “And it’s time you pay me back what you owed.”

He didn’t want to resort to such a path, but the situation called for it.

Nuniq activated his skill as the fur of a bear enveloped his whole back. The glint of his eyes changed into savageness. Tapeesa, on the other hand, stood there in shock. Jason’s action went far too much even to her.

“Stand down, Nuniq,” said Arrluk. The old man looked back at Jason with his eyes filled with intense fire.

“What if I die after against the orc?” he asked.

“I won’t let it,” said Jason.

“How sure of you?”

“As long as I still have energy, it won’t be a problem,” said Jason.

“Fine, but my…” Arrluk’s words were cut off.

“No, these two also need to tag along,” Jason said.

“But they can’t do a thing against that orc,” said Arrluk.

“No, they can. Everyone can as long as they don’t give up,” said Jason.

Then silence prevailed for a few seconds. Jason and Arrluk kept staring at one another without saying a word. Over the course of knowing each other, Jason and Arrluk had butted heads quite a few times, and most of it was stemmed from Arrluk’s detest towards the military.

“Fine, I’ll help. But this will be the last time,” said Arrluk.

“Good, then we better get a move on,” Jason left without looking back. He trusted those words from Arrluk. He knew the old man won’t go back down on his own words.

“Grandpa, are you sure about this? You don’t have to listen to that scumbag. We can just bail right now,” said Nuniq.

Arrluk placed his hand over Nuniq’s shoulder. “A man never goes back on his words.”

To the old man's reply, the three family members chased after Jason’s trail. Soon, everyone grouped up as the party right now stood at six people, four melee combatant, one long-range nuker, and the last one, a jack of all trades.

“Hi, it’s been a while,” Hakeem opened up as his hand reached out for a handshake. But the three of them ignored it, leaving Hakeem’s hand hanging.

This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

“Enough pleasantries, Hakeem. We’ve got bigger things to do,” said Jason.

Jason gave a rundown of what they were about to do. He only explained it once, and once was enough. Then as Jason was about to disperse them six, Hakeem reached out his hand in the middle of their circle.

“What are you doing?” Esther asked.

“It’s for team building,” Hakeem said. He was hoping for them to put their hands together for the sake of motivating themselves.

“Come on, Jason. Let’s do this,” Hakeem stared at his one and only friend. Hoping for him to play along with his action.

“We’re going to fight to our death, and you’re worried about this?” Esther complained as she couldn’t understand why this was important. But contrary to her expectation, Jason reached out his hand and placed it over Hakeem’s.

Then Arrluk followed suit, followed by Tapeesa. Nuniq, who gnashed his teeth, felt all of this was pretty stupid but seeing the glare from his sister made him placed his hand. Then what left was Esther. All eyes were on her.

“Come on, put your hand on it,” said Jason. “We don’t have time you know.”

Esther clicked her tongue and did the same like the rest of them.

“Let’s get it!” Hakeem shouted as everyone hands went up into the air. A mediocre battle cry as most of it came from Hakeem’s voice, but it was enough to lit the fire in everyone's heart.

Muzgonk, who stood there silently, didn’t move a muscle. Yet its wild instinct was alerted as it opened its eyes and saw the incoming blunt weapon. It was heading right at its head, and Muzgonk raised up its arms with the full intention of blocking it.

The metal rod bashed right at the thick forearm of Muzgonk, but another strike was coming. Crackling sparks warned the Orc Chieftain of an incoming attack. It looked up in the sky, preparing to faced the Lightning Fury that stunned it, but it then felt something smashing over its open flank. It heard a sizzle as the smell of something burning invaded its nostril.

Muzgonk, enraged by a sneak attack, threw a punch right in front of it. A wide swing hit right at the old man. But Arrluk guarded well with his metal rod blocking the heavy punch. With Muzgonk’s arm in full reach, two figures flanked it. Hakeem gunning to Muzgonk’s left, and Jason going for its right.

Jason was a whole lot faster as he slashed numerous times with Blood Edge Combo. The Orc Chieftain yelled out in pain, and then came the next strike from the left. The lightning infused mallet struck Muzgonk, and Hakeem didn’t stop at only once.

The tall man went mad with his assault, striking the Orc Chieftain until his mallet ran out of electric juice.

“Watch out!” a voice warned him. Muzgonk threw a punch at Hakeem, and its punch missed as someone tackled Hakeem to the ground.

Esther came to save the day, dragging Hakeem a distance away.

“Thanks,” Hakeem said as his mace crackled by the power of Bolt Hammer. Muzgonk wanted to chase over Hakeem, but another stabbing pain jolted it back to its current reality.

The speedy Jason took his chance and stabbed Muzgonk with his two swords. He saw his opportunity and shoved his swords deeper into the thick flesh and fat of Muzgonk. Before even turning its head, Muzgonk swung its arm while rotating its body around. Jason ducked and took out his swords. He retreated within a flash with blood bathing both the blades of his swords.

Muzgonk stared at Jason, fuming in rage. But it felt something striking it at the back of its knee. It was Arrluk, the fisherman who used his rod to slain monsters. The old man went up to the orc one more time even after getting that huge damage from that single punch.

The metal rod was bashing Muzgonk’s lower limbs as if mocking the powerful monster. It barely felt a thing over Arrluk’s weak attacks, but at least the old man managed to enraged the Orc Chieftain even further.

Muzgonk rushed at Arrluk sending out a massive punch. With its muscles enhanced by the power of Enhanced Strength, the power behind that punch was simply unimaginable. Arrluk dodged one of them as it cracked the ground, but another came after. It was quick and swift. The punch knocked Arrluk, sending the old man off from his feet. The old man fell and rolled on the ground as Muzgonk gave chase.

Yet an ice spear came flying at the Orc Chieftain out of nowhere, prompting the monster to halt its advance. Tapeesa, who stood from afar, finally made her move. She was reminded by Jason to only attacked when one of the melee fighters was in danger, and she did it without disobeying Jason. She threw a few more ice spears gaining the attention of Muzgonk, and it was all for the sake of giving Jason a chance.

The man holding two swords reached Arrluk as he immediately healed the down man. Green glow did its job, and Arrluk was back in action.

“You took a pretty nasty hit,” Jason said as he saw Arrluk’s Fisherman Physique cut down almost two-thirds of it.

“I’m going back,” Arrluk wiped off the dirt from his mouth as he rushed back at Muzgonk. Jason followed suit as Muzgonk was currently paying attention to Hakeem.

The man with the mace took an aggressive act and bashed Muzgonk by the back of its head. With his career as an ex-athlete, Hakeem’s jump was enough to make him reach it.

Muzgonk felt its scalp burned by the electric, and in retaliation, it threw a heavy fist. Hakeem held his shield up and blocked it by the nick of time. He was knocked back a couple of feet away as his shield was bent beyond recognition.

“Shit,” said Hakeem as he threw his shield away. He watched a chunk of his energy guard went away as the punch did quite a damage at him even with the shield blocking it.

Muzgonk came right in front of Hakeem once more as another fist came flying right at him. The Orc Chieftain was tenacious in its attack, but once more, it missed.

Esther came to saved the day again as her timely interception did wonders for Hakeem.

“Damn it, I almost miscalculated,” said Esther. Jason instructed her for a single purpose only, and that was to saved Hakeem’s ass. Jason put his trust in her as he believed in Esther’s concentration.

Muzgonk felt it again, the feeling of punching the empty ground. It looked at the duo who dodged its attack. The madden orc was getting even madder. But then it felt once more. Another weak attack right at the back of its knee, it turned and saw Arrluk as if seeing an old friend.

“Come on, give it all you got!” Arrluk shouted.

Muzgonk took up the challenge and punched. Yet the moment it did, Jason emerged from the back. The glint in his eyes stared right at the nape of Muzgonk. Jason took his chance and stabbed the heck out of it. Two swords went inches into Muzgonk’s neck, but the moment it did, Muzgonk felt its instinct flared up.

Muzgonk strained its neck, and with incredible force, it stopped Jason’s swords advancement. At the same time, it rotated its whole body and swung both its arms.

Jason was smashed at point-blank as he went flying in the air before crashing into a car. The windows of the abandoned car shattered as he dented one side of the car.

“Fuck!” his hand glowed in green as he healed himself back. He thought he was inching closer to killing it, but that fat pig had some incredible trick in staying alive. One of his swords was still lodged in between the muscles of its neck. That alone was enough to show the tenacity of that Orc Chieftain.

Muzgonk took a look around as it saw these humans fighting against it like a bunch of undying cockroaches. It knew its strength well, and it knew of how easy it was to kill other living things with its bare fists. But these people were standing back up again like nothing had happened.

The old man was swinging its metal rod once more, and Hakeem was charging ahead with his lightning-clad mace. While Esther was standing within the distance, keeping an eye at the situation with her keen eyes. Tapeesa, who was running around, was maintaining her distance away from the fight. Then there was Jason, who stood back up again, even after the fail attempt of slicing up its neck.

Just the act of seeing Jason running back at it again made Muzgonk enraged in its anger. Then it reached its boiling point. The intense heat was coming from the pit of its stomach as smokes were starting to come out from its nostrils and mouth. Then its mouth opened, preparing to unleash another wave of flames.

Yet the moment it opened, a chilling sphere came flying, striking Muzgonk right at its open mouth.

“Frost Orb!” it was Tapeesa, and she wasn’t done with only one. She threw a couple of more Frost Orb with a good accuracy right at the snout of Muzgonk.

Some missed, but most hit it right at the snout. The flaring rage from the pit of the stomach was starting to cool down as Tapeesa managed to interrupt the cast time of Muzgonk. Even more so, she was using her ice abilities. But Muzgonk wasn’t some normal monster roaming around, it was a named monster, and it had its pride.

The rage came back again as this time, the Flame Wave unleashed itself. Muzgonk spewed out flames like a dragon from the fairy tale, but unlike a dragon, it was more like a hybrid of a Shrek and a dragon. It spun around and breathed out flames at every angle. Its sole intention was to burn its enemies, and it was the only thing that was in its mind.

But unknown to it, the whole party was standing at a far distance away. All five of them were standing side by side as they witnessed the flames that were still far away from them.

“It works,” Esther said.

“Of course it works,” Jason said with confidence. “It’s all thanks to Tapeesa.”

Tapeesa’s action of hurling those chilling orbs wasn’t meant to stop the flames from coming out, but it was just a method to gave the others some time to fled away before it was too late.

“I’d to admit, your plan work, but it still lives,” said Arrluk.

“It’s fine,” Jason said with a smile hung on his face. “Right now, all we need to do is just grind it down until its last breath.”

A smirk as Muzgonk’s death was only in due time.