Ketka frowned, his chest heaving as he caught his breath. “Why not?”
Stamas didn’t answer, his eyes fixed on the ruins. He could feel it—something powerful, something ancient, watching them from within.
“This isn’t over,” he said quietly, his voice grim. “Not by a long shot so let’s leave this area. We can come back with stronger people later.”
Ketka nodded and the group started moving away from the ruins.
Reeeeeeiii!!
They had barely made it out of the clearing when the eerie screeches began to echo behind them once more.
Stamas’s instincts flared, and he spun around to see the glowing-eyed creatures surging out of the ruins like a black tide. Their jerky, unnatural movements had been replaced with terrifying speed, their hollow eyes locked onto the fleeing group.
“They’re coming!” Stamas roared, drawing his sword.
Ketka cursed under his breath. “Form up! Stay in formation and move!”
The researchers, already pale and trembling, stumbled into a tight cluster as the mercenaries surrounded them again.
The guards drew their weapons, and the group broke into a hurried pace, retreating as quickly as they could without breaking formation.
Stamas held his position at the rear, his blade ready as the first of the creatures closed the distance.
It lunged at him with outstretched claws, but he sidestepped swiftly, bringing his sword down in a clean arc.
Reeeei!!
The creature let out an unearthly screech as it disintegrated into ash.
“Keep moving!” Ketka bellowed, his sword flashing as he cut down another creature.
The group surged forward, their pace quickening as the creatures pressed in. The air was filled with the clang of steel, the crackle of ash, and the desperate shouts of mercenaries as they fought to protect the researchers.
“Behind you!” one of the guards yelled as a creature lunged toward a young researcher.
Stamas was already moving, his blade slicing through the air. The creature fell, its body dissolving before it hit the ground. He shot the researcher a sharp look. “Stay in the middle! Don’t fall behind!”
The researcher nodded frantically, scrambling to keep up with the group.
Despite their efforts, the creatures seemed endless. For every one they cut down, another two appeared, their glowing eyes and grotesque forms a nightmarish sight in the dim light.
Stamas noticed a younger mercenary faltering, his breathing ragged as he struggled to keep pace. The man’s movements were sluggish, his swings losing strength as exhaustion took its toll.
“Hold on!” Stamas shouted, fighting his way toward the mercenary.
But before he could reach him, a creature blindsided the man, its claws tearing into his shoulder and dragging him to the ground.
“Ahhhh! Fuck!!” The mercenary let out a blood-curdling scream, flailing desperately, but more creatures swarmed him before anyone could intervene.
“Damn it!” Ketka roared, cutting down another creature.
The group pressed on, their movements growing more desperate. The creatures showed no mercy, their glowing eyes filled with an unnatural hunger.
Another guard fell, this time to a coordinated attack by two creatures. They dragged him into the darkness, his cries abruptly silenced. Experience more content on empire
“We can’t keep this up!” one of the remaining guards yelled, his voice shaking.
Ketka gritted his teeth, his sword flashing as he took down two creatures in quick succession. “We don’t have to! Just get to the treeline!”
The group redoubled their efforts, the researchers stumbling as they tried to keep up with the mercenaries. Stamas’s blade worked tirelessly, cutting down anything that came too close. His muscles burned with exertion, but he refused to falter.
After what felt like an eternity, the horde began to thin. Only a handful of creatures remained, their glowing eyes still filled with relentless malice.
Ketka and Stamas worked together to cut them down, their movements sharp and practiced despite their fatigue. When the last creature fell, the group came to an abrupt halt, their chests heaving as they tried to catch their breath.
The silence that followed was oppressive, broken only by the crackle of ash as the remains of the creatures disintegrated into the wind.
“We lost two,” one of the mercenaries said quietly, his voice heavy with grief.
Ketka’s jaw tightened, his gaze falling to the spot where the fallen had last stood. “They fought well,” he said solemnly. “We’ll make sure they’re honored.”
One of the researchers, Marielle, a woman with sharp eyes and a steady hand, stepped forward to examine the remains of one of the creatures. Despite its ash-covered state, it retained enough of its form for her to inspect.
“These things… they’re not natural,” she murmured, her brow furrowing.
“Whatever they are, we don’t have time to study them here,” Ketka said firmly.
The researcher nodded, pulling out a Void Key from her belt. The small, magical device glowed faintly as it created a spatial pocket. Carefully, she stored the creature’s remains inside.
“I’ll study it once we’re back in the city,” she said, her voice steady despite the tremor in her hands.
Ketka turned to Stamas, his expression grim. “We’ll take our fallen with us too. They deserve better than to be left here.”
Stamas nodded as Ketka used his own Void Key to store the bodies of the two mercenaries.
Once the task was done, Ketka turned to Stamas, his expression softening. “I owe you an apology,” he said quietly. “You were right about this place. I should’ve listened.”
Stamas waved him off, though his eyes remained sharp as they scanned the shadows. “You don’t have to apologise. It’s not over yet.”
Ketka frowned. “What do you mean?”
Stamas tightened his grip on his sword. “I don’t think we’re safe. Something is still out there. I can feel it.”
Ketka’s face hardened, and he turned to the group. “No more stops. We move fast and don’t look back. Understood?”
The group nodded, their faces pale but determined.
“Let’s go,” Stamas said, his voice firm.
The group broke into a run, their footsteps pounding against the frosty ground as they pushed toward the treeline. The researchers stumbled, struggling to keep up, but the mercenaries urged them forward.
The forest around them grew darker, the shadows pressing in like a living entity. Every rustle of leaves, every snap of a twig set their nerves on edge.
“Please, do not make a move.” From Stamas’s senses, he could tell whatever it was, it was stationed in one place. It refused to move.
