A group of 17 adventurers and guards fought defiantly against a group of Orcs and Goblins. Their sharp blades pierced through their hides as they fell to their blades.

“Sir! Monsters in the town square!”, a small youth with a shortsword gripped in hand yelled from afar. He had eyes stricken with fear as he gasped for breath, darkened blood coated his hands as he slashed at the throat of a charging Goblin.

“What?!”, the leading guardsman shouted back, ‘How could they have gotten there so fast?!’

“You two and you, let’s move!”, he gestured towards a pair of adventurers and guard as he followed the youth’s trail. Monsters obstructed their path as they too fell to their blades. An orchestra produced from the series of deaths and pained screams continued forth as arrows and swords fought back against the horde.

“We are nearly there! Just near th-”, the young guardsmans words were cut off as his eyes grew dim.

“Well?! What is it!”, the leader of the guardsman approached the sole guardsman as he too came to a gradual halt.

‘What is that?’

Before them stood a view of carnage and destruction. Craters caved the floor whilst bodies were splattered in their place in a variety of blood and gore. Buildings were turned to rubble as both the sight of people and monsters laid against the floor greeted them. Before them, a sole person stood atop of an Ogre’s corpse. No- a sole monster. It was bathed in darkened blood and shrouded in a vague yellow light as it went over the destruction and death that plagued the town.

It was as if it were inspecting its own piece of art as it seemed to be emerged in the spectacle. Taking in every little detail, taking in every soul that was taken by it’s blade.

“Ru-”, before the leading guardsman could speak, an arrow supported by wind magic flew in a beeline towards the monster. It reacted without a moment of hesitation before having it’s arm shredded. Becoming but minced meat as it fell to the floor. It released a fit of rage as an inexplicable scream parted from it’s mouth.

It turned towards them with what seemed to be eyes of hatred as it stood stunned. It looked them over as it seemed to consider what they were- what they were doing. The battlecries of the group followed through as they charged towards the monster. The leading guardsman being the only one to stand back and watch. He hesitated before deciding to enter the fight. To only have a change of mind instantaneously at the sight that flashed forth.

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The monster was covered once more in a vague light as it bursted into a sprint. The guardsmen who had sword and shield in hand, assumedly a Shieldbearer or Paladin, parried the monster’s blade as it was parried with his shield. The force of the blow pushed him back as arrows flew from behind him. The archer who was a guardsman himself continued to fire as the sole adventurer of the group moved next to the Paladin. His claymore cleaved through the air as it swept towards the monster, slashing it along the chest.

It was once again shrouded in a light as it stared daggers into the group. It backed away as it kept it’s distance from the group. Eyeing the two melee users before laying it’s sights on the archer. It dashed towards the two melee users as their weapons closed the distance towards the monster. The leading guardsman became wide eyed as he observed the footwork of the monster. It replicated those of the soldiers in the capital almost perfectly and flawlessly with such attributes. It was vaguely similar, but likely different due to the vast difference in attributes to the royal guardsman. The monster slowed down in speed as it began to pivot on it’s foot, simultaneously sweeping the legs under the two men. It used the body of one of the two to direct itself as it leapt towards the archer.

Blood splashed forth as he too joined the result of the monsters deathly dance.

‘What in the hell?! How? A monster? With that kind of technique and skill?! Impossible!’

The leading guardsman began to back away as it yelled for the other two to run. Not leaving a second of hesitation to run himself as he backed towards the main group. There he knew he would be safe. The pair of abandoned men were confused and somewhat terrified at the look of such a veteran retreating in fear. So they themselves tried to run, but were only met with the monster’s blade. No screams were uttered, no struggle was made. Just a sudden and quick thrust of a sword that erased their fragile lives was made.

****

(Luther PoV)

Luther swore as his chest rose rapidly and his heart raced with adrenaline and blood. It did not help as blood dripped from his mangled arm. He rushed towards a small clothing store that lined the main streets of Mesilla. It seemed to be fine for the most part in contrast to the death and destruction around him. He smashed the door down as he entered through the front of store, stumbling towards the back. He rummaged through the entirety of clothes and cloth as he came to rest along the interior of the store behind the counter. In his hands he held a leather belt and shirt which he used to cover his mangled arm.

Pain stung him constantly as he applied a makeshift bandage on the spot. It came as second thought to him as he cut the circulation to the stump. Tightening the badges with the belt as he remembered all he learnt from his time as a soldier. He groaned as his mind screamed for rest. Shortly after he finished applying the bandages as he casted his healing spells. Waiting patiently for the pain to numb. He was however surprised as a radiant violet light was instead emitted from his palm.

‘What the…’

The pain intensified greatly as his body began to tremble and sweat. He gritted his teeth as he tried to suppress the waves of pain that assaulted him. But it was futile as he screamed for minutes on end. Gradually, with just the bare bits of consciousness left from the ordeal. He slumped back against the counter as his breathing continued in a rapid unorderly pattern. He looked to his arm as he realised the bloodloss had stopped. He considered taking off the bandage too look, but decided it’d be safer to leave it for now.

‘What in the hell happened…’

His mind felt uneasy and weak as he was left bordered between the line of reality and dream.

‘Wait, could it be….’

He was about to check his status as a high pitched whimper was released from nearby. He raised his head as he looked over the counter towards the source. His eyes met those of a small girl who stood barely metres away behind the cover of some clothes. Her face was ridden with tears and blood as she trembled in fear, petrified by Luther’s stare.