Humans are funny in their odd ways.

In the face of disaster, no matter how terrible, we will not accept it.

When presented with an insurmountable problem we will search for profound answers, ones that would go beyond our own understanding.

As we continued to dodge for our lives, swinging counters in return, attempting every type of attack, whether that be physical, magical, elemental, holy, dark, fire…it was all the same- everything was nothing.

Above the boss loomed with a health bar that wouldn't budge.

Even if resistant, it should at least crawl, inch down in a display of loss of life.

But nothing.

It stood frozen.

It stood daunting, breaking our spirits with every swing that proved futile.

Once the health bar has reached the halfway point, we anticipated a change in attack patterns, a new weapon to be drawn, anything but this.

He simply no longer took damage.

You bastards will die!

Nothing will stop me from digging your graves here.

I will feast on your bones and prepare your flesh for the sons I lost, let them rise as ghouls from your souls.

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Once his dialogue had been terrifying.

Now, it was a nuisance as he repeated the same quotes like a corrupted song or a drunken bard.

Looking over at Shelly and at the other two warriors whose movements began to slow down, I knew that this wasn't the way.

Looking deep into my soul, I began to resonate with the realm

Dashing back away from the party, I screamed.

"Give me some time!"

The frontline nodded as they dodged blows.

Shelly's eyes paused, resting on my own.

I grinned with every attempt at brewing a confidence I never felt.

Returning the grin, I hoped hers was nowhere near as false as my own, she continued our useless attempts.

On the floor before me rested a pool of blood wine. In it I saw my reflection in a crimson hue that showed a young man, battered, bloodied, and worried.

This was no leader.

This was no victor.

Deepening my breath.

Calming the tempest within.

I closed my eyes.

Opening them and gazing back into the bloody mirror, I was met with a man confident when the world around him burned.

Within my soul I searched and found something, like a trigger, an unknown ability had unlocked.

[Realm's Guidance]

A golden strand appeared, hazy but there lingering in the air like a phantasm.

It sparkled and quivered from my feet all the way to the table across the hall.

Dashing towards the strand, I narrowly slid and dodged a blow that could have been my last.

What the hell are you doing!

Shelly howled from across the battlefield.

But I paid no heed.

The line of gold being the only thing within my sights.

Arriving at the table I followed the strand to a dish.

What the fuck.

The strand disappeared before my eyes.

Dashing around the table I frantically searched for the golden strand only for it to take me back to the plate at the giants feast.

What the hell, I muttered to myself as the carnage of the battle waged on around me.

I needed to be quick.

A part of me regretted even following this whim, but my soul urged me and my surroundings spoke of nothing else.

Everything had been tried.

Let's have faith in this golden light.

Settling my racing heart.

I looked around the table once again.

What differed from this plate than the others...

Focusing, looking around, then it dawned on me.

As if acknowledging my breakthrough, the golden trail began to circle around a piece of mutton that looked different from the rest.

A green ooze and fungus crawled amongst the meat as if tainted.

Holding it up high like a trophy and not spoiled meat, I ran back into the battlefield wielding a slab of beef instead of a slab of steel.