Kaida’s blade gleamed in the dim light of the wasteland as she moved through the horde of monsters surrounding her.
A beast leaped at her from the side, its claws extended. Kaida pivoted on her heel, her sword slicing through the air in a wide vertical arc. The blade cleaved through the monster’s neck, severing its head from its body in one smooth motion.
Without missing a beat, Kaida spun around, catching another creature mid-leap. She stepped back, her body low to the ground as she angled her sword upward, impaling the beast through its chest. With a grunt of effort, she shoved the monster off her blade, watching as it collapsed to the ground, lifeless.
A third creature, this one larger and more intimidating, charged at her, its eyes glowing with rage. Kaida met its charge head-on, her feet light on the ground as she sidestepped its attack. Her sword flashed in the air, cutting a deep gash across the creature’s side.
The beast roared in pain, and she pressed the attack. Her sword became a blur as she delivered a series of rapid strikes, each one leaving deep cuts in its flesh.
The monster staggered back, its strength waning, and Kaida continued her attacks. With a final, powerful swing, she brought her sword down on the creature’s head, splitting it open. The beast crumpled to the ground, its body twitching before going still.
Kaida took a moment to catch her breath, her chest heaving from exhaustion. She wiped the sweat from her brow, smearing a streak of dirt across her forehead.
She looked around the battlefield, taking in the carnage around her. The ground was littered with the bodies of dead monsters, their blood soaking into the earth.
Ren, standing a few feet away, took a look at the aftermath of his own flames. The pile of monsters he had reduced to ash still smoldered, the flames swaying in the air as they consumed the remains. He turned his gaze toward Goro, who was dispatching the last of the creatures in his vicinity.
“Goro,” Ren called out over the comms.
“Secure the perimeter and build a wall. We’re done with this sector.”
Goro nodded, his expression serious as he hefted his massive battle axe over his shoulder. “Understood,” he replied.
He turned his attention to the ground, his hand outstretched as he willed the earth to his command. The ground rumbled beneath his feet as slabs of rock erupted from the earth, forming a solid barrier around their position.
Just then, a massive explosion echoed through the wastelands close by, causing all of them to tense up.
They instinctively tightened their grips on their weapons, taking on battle-ready stances, their eyes scanning the horizon for the source of the blast.
The dust that had been kicked up by the explosion began to settle, and out of the haze emerged a figure, walking calmly toward them.
Alister stepped forward, walking calmly. His black hair was tousled from the wind, and his armor wasn’t stained with the blood of the monsters like the others were, a sign that Cinder carried him throughout.
As he approached the group, he spoke up over the comms, “I’m done clearing my side.”
Hiroshi, who had been on high alert, let out a sigh of relief. He sheathed his twin daggers, shaking his head, exasperated.
“Alister, you’ve got to stop with those massive booms,” Hiroshi said, half-joking. “You’re going to give us all heart attacks at this rate.”
Razogrin, who had been resting his massive hammer on his shoulder, rolled his eyes and said, “Showoff.”
Ren walked up to Alister, his expression calm. Tapping his right hand on Alister’s shoulder, he said, “Good work, but why are you off your summon?”
“You’re vulnerable like this.”
“Not to worry, sir,” Alister began, sounding slightly confident. “There are no monsters nearby, so the chance of that happening is low.”
“Is that so? I guess we don’t have to worry, then.”
“Alright, Goro,” Ren said, turning to face the others, “erect a structure where we’ll spend the night. We’ve done enough for the day.”
Goro outstretched his arms as he focused his will on the earth. Massive chunks of rock and soil erupted from the ground, twisting and turning in the air. With speed, they condensed into a massive structure, its shape similar to a primitive fortress. The ground trembled slightly as the final stones settled into place.
Razogrin, leaning on his colossal hammer, whistled. “Goro, old friend, your structure creation skills are reaching new heights. This could almost pass for a proper building back in the city, if only it had a coat of paint and some glass.”
Goro grinned, a touch of pride in his eyes. “Thank you, Razogrin. I’ve been practicing a lot, trying to improve my control.”
Ren nodded as they entered. “Good work, Goro. This will do for the night.” He turned to the others.
“Let’s get settled in. We can discuss our next move in the morning.”
“For now, we should be on the lookout. Another aircraft should be coming soon to harvest resources from the monsters we killed, as well as food.”
The group began to make their way towards the newly erected structure. As they walked, Alister caught up with Kaida, his gaze fixed on her curiously.
“You seem more tired than the rest of us,” he observed.
Kaida chuckled lightly, wiping a bead of sweat from her brow.
“It’s just a healer thing, I suppose. I can’t physically match up with the others. Even Ren is in a league of his own,” she replied, sounding slightly amused.
Alister’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “You’re a healer? But you fought so well out there.”
Kaida chuckled, a hint of pride in her voice. “All thanks to items. You’d be surprised if you knew how many enhancement items I have hidden away under here.” She patted her armor lightly, a mischievous look in her eyes.
Alister tilted his head, a thoughtful expression on his face. “If you’re a healer, what are you doing here in the wastelands? Shouldn’t you be back at the guild?”
Kaida chuckled lightly, her eyes sparkling with amusement. “Isn’t this the place I’m supposed to be most? Think about it. Even the toughest warriors aren’t immune to wounds or poisons. Just because they are strong doesn’t mean they are unstoppable. What kind of raid team
doesn’t have a healer?”
Before Alister could respond, he was interrupted by the system.
[Notice to the player: 04:33:26 left for daily quest completion.]