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Chapter 21: Shadow Of Death

Chapter 21: Shadow Of Death

The cavern seemed to breathe around them, the air thick with the oppressive weight of the dark aura emanating from the crippled entity. It towered above Daniel and Faelar, a mass of writhing shadows and twisted, gnarled limbs.

Its eyes—if they could even be called eyes—glowed a sickly green, radiating malice. Every step it took sent tremors through the ground. The very walls of the cave seemed to pulse in time with its movements, feeding off its corrupting energy.

Faelar and Daniel maintained their close position, both having to focus on shielding from the initial barrage of tendrils.

After what seemed like an eternity, Daniel saw an opening as the entity withdrew a tendril, allowing him to instantly dip his shield slightly, thrusting forward into the shoulder of the creature, who had eventually landed within their range.

Almost instantaneously, a tendril snapped towards the opening left by Daniel lowering the shield, but Faelar was mechanical in his reaction, providing cover with his own shield, blocking the vicious, whipping tendril of shadow as Daniel withdrew his spear and settled back into the form.

The pair maintained their well drilled form, keeping just within striking range whilst maintaining excellent defensive posture.

Faelar saw an opening this time as the beast attempted to manoeuvre to the side to get around their shields, allowing him to snap his spear forth, darting into the entity's knee.

Daniel knew the second Faelar's body veered from the usual stance that he was going to attack, ensuring his own shield was there to cover the resulting gap.

Due to the nature of this combat, only having two spearmen within the phalanx, a covering block meant the shielding spearman was to step just ahead of their partner, so as not to leave themselves open whilst defending another. Though not optimal, it was still effective.

Daniel’s knuckles were white as he gripped his spear, his body already aching from the numerous shallow cuts and bruises he had sustained in the previous fights.

Faelar, too, was bloodied, his elegantly draped leather armour marred by streaks of his own blood, not to mention the black ichor that spewed from the wounds of the previously slain minions.

They had been fighting for what felt like hours, neither of them was sure how much longer they could hold out.

The entity lashed out with another tendril of shadow, its movements unnaturally fast for something so large. Faelar seemed to struggle more against the smothering presence of the being, which caused a slight delay in his attention to the defensive shape.

Daniel barely managed to deflect the blow with his shield, the impact reverberating through his arms, nearly knocking it from his grasp.

The wounded entity was attacking with such ferocious speed, from so many angles, that the pair struggled to forge a counter attack. As Daniel desperately looked for openings, he noticed a purple crackling energy within the wound Roderic left.

The corrupting influence of the entity’s aura was taking its toll on Faelar, clouding his mind with rage and frustration.

As the entity battered the shield of Faelar, Daniel could feel the elf losing control before sending an angry thrust towards its body, landing a solid hit, yet taking a whip to his own shoulder the second he lowered his shield.

"Stay in formation!" Daniel shouted, though his voice was ragged from exhaustion. He felt the insidious aura attempt to corrupt his mind, but for some reason it was unable to sink it's claws in.

"Shut up, Gailor!" Faelar barked, his voice dripping with venom. He swung his spear at the creature’s flank, but the blow lacked the precision needed to do any real damage. "I don’t need your orders!"

The entity roared, its voice a guttural, otherworldly sound that echoed through the cavern, making the air vibrate with raw power. It lashed out again, this time with two tendrils seeped with a crackling energy, one striking at Daniel, the other at Faelar.

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"Break!" Daniel barked, diving to the side, narrowly avoiding the blow, but Faelar wasn’t as fortunate. The tendril slammed into his shield, sending him crashing against the cavern wall with a sickening thud, the shield now crackling with the energy imbued into the attack.

"Faelar!" Daniel yelled, glancing over at the elf, who was struggling to stand, his face twisted in pain. There was no time to help him—the entity wasn’t going to give them any breathing room.

The beast reared back, its massive, deformed head lowering as it prepared to strike again. Daniel could see the corrupted energy building around its form, the black tendrils of power coiling tighter as it prepared to unleash a final devastating attack. For a moment, he wondered if this was it—if they had pushed too far, if this battle was already lost.

'No, we can't lose. My kids need me,' he thought, an intense clarity forming in his head.

Summoning all his strength, Daniel sprinted forward, driving his spear into the creature’s leg. The spearhead pierced the shifting hide, sending a spurt of black ichor flying into the air.

The entity howled in rage, and the tendrils whipped back in retaliation, catching Daniel across the chest, sending him sprawling across the ground. Pain erupted in his ribs, and for a moment, he couldn’t breathe. His vision blurred as he struggled to get back on his feet.

Beside him, Faelar had finally managed to stand, his face twisted in fury. His hand clutched his spear so tightly that his knuckles had turned white. "This is my fight!" he screamed, charging at the entity with reckless abandon.

"No! Faelar, don’t—" Daniel’s voice was cut off as the elf leaped into the air, his spear raised high. Faelar’s strike was powerful, but sloppy, and the entity easily swatted him aside like a fly. Faelar hit the ground hard, his body skidding across the dirt, coming to a stop a few feet from Daniel.

He didn’t get up.

Panic flared in Daniel’s chest as he pushed himself to his feet, gasping for breath. They couldn’t take much more of this. The creature was too strong, and Faelar was losing control, his mind clearly corrupted by the entity’s influence.

The entity let out another roar, but this time, it charged. Its massive form barrelled toward them with terrifying speed, its tendrils flailing wildly. Daniel knew something had to change, if he kept playing defence, he would be overcome.

He planted his feet and braced his spear, just as Roderic had taught him. He remembered the captain’s words, how he had described the way a spearman should always keep their weapon steady, how they should feel the flow of the fight, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

The entity closed the distance in an instant. Daniel's heart pounded in his ears, but as the beast lunged forward, he saw his opening. With a roar of defiance, he thrust his spear forward with every ounce of strength he had left.

The spear pierced the creature’s chest, right through the wound Roderic had inflicted earlier.

Black ichor sprayed across Daniel's face, but he held firm, twisting his spear whilst driving it deeper into the creature’s flesh, the purple energy within beginning to crackle and spark violently.

The entity howled in agony, its body convulsing as it thrashed wildly. For a moment, it looked like it might crush him under its massive weight.

But then, with a final, ear-piercing scream, the creature collapsed, its body going limp as it finally succumbed to its wounds.

Daniel pulled his spear free, stumbling backward, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath. Blood dripped from the cuts on his arms and legs, and his chest burned where the tendril had struck him, but it was over. They had won.

For a moment, Daniel allowed himself to feel a flicker of triumph. They had faced the impossible, surviving somehow. He turned toward Faelar, ready to help the elf back to his feet, but the expression on Faelar’s face stopped him cold.

Faelar’s eyes were filled with hatred, his face twisted into a mask of pure rage. He staggered to his feet, his spear shaking in his hands. "You… you stole my kill!" he spat, his voice trembling with fury.

Daniel blinked, confused. "What? Faelar, I—"

"Shut your filthy mouth, peasant!" Faelar screamed, his voice raw with emotion, strained with breathlessness. "You did nothing! You -ARE- nothing but a coward, hiding behind me, waiting to strike when it’s safe. You stole my kill!"

"Faelar, listen to yourself!" Daniel took a step back, his heart racing as the elf advanced toward him. "The creature’s aura is still affecting you. You’re not thinking straight!"

But Faelar wasn’t listening. His eyes were wild, his entire body trembling with anger. "You’ve always been in my way," he hissed. "but not anymore."

Without warning, Faelar lunged forward, his spear aimed directly at Daniel’s heart.