Resting in the bush, with the thick darkened canopy rustling above, Hector kicked into action.

Before he could even fully think it through, he willed several leaves forward. In a burst of sharp snips, they sliced through the bush and darted through the air, slamming into the creature's face. Luckily, several of them punctured its eye, though most missed. The Shadow Wyrm let out a roar, its head flailing from side to side.

It'd worked, maybe a bit too well.

Hector crouched there, eyeing the beast as the shadow lizards around it began darting back and forth, leaping in and out of bushes, looking for the attacker.

Sticks cracked as Hector got to his feet and stepped forward. They needed to see him. If they didn't, they wouldn't chase.

A few lizards snapped towards him, their eyes leering, and before he could get a proper look at the number of them, several darted towards him. The Shadow Wyrm continued to roar, its head whipping back and forth.

Still not enough.

His purple knife dropped into his waiting hand, static crackling as it formed. With the crunch of a branch, Hector darted forward, ducking a shadow lizard and stabbing his knife through the one that came after it. The blade pierced the creature's skull, and Hector slid the blade free, throwing it into the body of another that leapt for him.

His blade jammed through the jaw of another lizard, and he manifested another purple knife. Flipping it and snapping his wrist forward, the knife darted towards the Shadow Wyrm, which began calming down.

Bone crunched as the knife that was still in his hand popped the head of a shadow lizard. He swept the knife to the side, and with a wet thud, the lizard slumped to the ground. Hector's gaze turned to the Shadow Wyrm, a tight tension building in his gut.

As the knife he'd thrown bounced off its scales, its head snapped to him, and it took him in with its one good eye. Clearly not appreciating his butchering of its kin and his ambush, the Wyrm roared, the sound shaking the trees around him and ruffling Hector's cloak.

Before it could even turn its large bulk in his direction, Hector was already on the run, blitzing through bushes and hopping over thick tree roots. The Shadow Wyrm behind him roared, lumbering forward, chasing. Hector ducked branches and dove through bushes. Occasionally, he'd stab out his blade, piercing the flesh of any shadow lizard it met.

"I just have to keep going in this direction," Hector said, ducking under a branch and vaulting a fallen trunk. "Hopefully by now, Lincoln and Jodie have already set up the traps."

Behind him, a tree trunk snapped, collapsing as the Shadow Wyrm let out a roar, the forest shaking around it. Shadows darted from place to place, most of them moving in the opposite direction from Hector. They weren't shadow lizards and were no doubt just as fearful of the Wyrm behind Hector.

Glancing over his shoulder, Hector narrowed his eyes at the beast, its heft practically tearing through the forest like a bulldozer. Gone was that subtle agility it had when climbing the canopies—pure rage was all it had left.

Come on, you intelligent idiot, just keep following me through the forest, and as soon as we're out in the open—

Hector's world fell out from under him as he stumbled forward. Dirt slammed into his chin, and he tumbled over himself, falling to the damp ground. He grunted, gripping at his side, forest debris biting at his skin even as the beast continued to lumber towards him.

I need to get up.

Static sparked across his legs, and he willed the static field to life, leaping to his feet. The beast barreled past him, wind rustling against his face, the force of it all knocking him back slightly. But then an arcing tail followed. Too close. Hector braced his arms in front of him as the force slammed into him, sending him hurtling back. He smacked through bushes and crunched onto branches before tumbling to a stop, pain stinging through his arms.

"Well, that wasn't very fun," Hector grumbled, staggering to his feet. A slight relief washed over him as the metallic grey texture on his forearms faded. His control of the [Iron Skin] Talent was getting better.

Even as he stood, the Wyrm was already in front of him, jaws biting down. Jerking to the side, Hector's purple knife whipped out, jabbing into the neck of the beast. Sparks flew and scales chipped.

Not enough force.

Hector leapt back, the beast again snapping forward and then to his right. Where was the treeline? Hector's eyes darted around as he continued to dodge the beast, stepping to the side, sliding under its furious tail and hiding behind trees.

I need to calm down. I need to focus. Where was it?

He rolled forward as the Shadow Wyrm's tail blew out half of the tree trunk he'd been leaning against, showering him in splinters. As he got to his feet, he spotted it. The sun's rays peeking through the canopy just up ahead were a beautiful sight.

That way.

He darted forward, static churning within his legs, as he raced through the forest. Behind him, the Shadow Wyrm roared. It had grown angrier with each failed attempt to kill him. Trees shook, most of them collapsing as the beast charged.

A few tight breaths later, Hector burst from the tree line, leaves trailing his body as he sprinted. Ahead, he spotted Jodie, who was crouched behind a rock. Lincoln was most likely nearby. Out in front of him, the pit they'd been digging before he left was finished. Hector smiled.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

"Get ready!" he yelled, voice slightly muffled by his mask, pumping his legs. He then clenched his jaw and leapt over the pit. He hung for a moment.

Then, thudding to the dirt, Hector staggered to a stop. He planted his heels and spun. His heart thundered in his chest, anxiety rushing through his veins. "Now!" he screamed.

Mist exploded from the pit even as the Shadow Wyrm lumbered towards him. The fog obscured the area instantly, billowing out in waves. In the mist, the faint outline of the Shadow Wyrm didn't stop. It roared, undeterred by losing him, but Hector's goal was never to block himself from its sight. No, it was to block its rear.

He reached into the back of his mind and pulled his Talent to life. Even through the fog, a pool of yellow-reddish light gathered. By the first pool's side, a second one erupted. The faint, mist-shrouded flames twirled into the air.

With a ground-shaking thud, the Shadow Wyrm broke through the fog, trails of mist following as it swung its head from side to side. It searched for Hector and found him within moments.

"Alright," he muttered, lowering his stance. His hot breath curled out of his mask's eyeholes, and Hector squinted. Thoughts slowing.

Static crackled across his legs, arcing up his thighs and jumping to his waist. The surrounding air prickled with energy. Regrettably, the static field wouldn't slow the beast much. The blow from the beast's tail he'd taken on his arms earlier in the forest had already shown that much.

With a ground-shaking roar, the Shadow Wyrm lunged at him. Hector darted to the side. Churning up dirt, the beast skidded to a stop, turned, and lunged again, closing its jaws inches from Hector's head.

Tucking his chin, Hector moved to the beast's side, jabbing forward even as his mana blade formed. The blade bit into the Shadow Wyrm's neck, sparks flying. Its neck scales were too thick. He rebounded from the force and staggered, eyes widening as the beast swung its tail towards him.

Diving forward, the tail whizzed overhead, the force of the air slamming into his back. With a pained grunt, Hector bounced off the ground and jumped to his feet.

Through the mist, the fireballs had reached saturation. Adrenaline shot through his body, and he yelled, "Do it now, Jodie."

Two balls of fire tore through the mist, leaving holes in the thick cloud as they raced towards the Shadow Wyrm's exposed back.

He locked eyes with the beast, waiting to finish it as soon as the flames did their work. But the smile forming on Hector's lips froze as, behind the Shadow Wyrm, several shadow lizards jumped up.

Five of them formed a wall that took the brunt of the two fireballs. The flames consumed the shadow lizards instantly, the few remaining sparks washing over the Shadow Wyrm, dealing little to no damage. Annoyingly, the flames spooked the beast.

The Wyrm's good eye snapped away from Hector, fear filling it, and it turned its hulking body, crunching grass beneath it as it lumbered towards the Shade Forest.

"We can't let it escape!" Hector yelled, even as he pulled on the [Blazing Arsenal] Talent, generating another fireball.

He pumped his legs before leaping and slamming onto the beast's back, plunging his knives forward. Sparks again flew, the knives not finding purchase as Hector slipped off the Wyrm's body and clattered to the grass.

"Aim for a weak spot!" Jodie said, rushing from behind the rock.

The ground shook as the Wyrm staggered into the pit; the mist continuing to billow out. What sounded like panicked screeches tore through the air as the Wyrm writhed around.

Not how I thought it would go, but I'll take it.

Hector jumped to his feet and raced towards the Shadow Wyrm. The fire from the blazing arsenal pool continued to build—it was almost ready.

Feet pounding against the grass, he sprinted forward and leapt as high as he could. Then, with a grunt, he slapped onto the shoulders of the Shadow Wyrm. The creature, for all its panic, began climbing out of the hole, its claws finding purchase on the edge, tearing at the dirt and pulling itself up.

Hector shuffled up its neck in moments and slammed a fist into its head. Pain exploded through his knuckles. The beast roared, sinking. Gritting his teeth, Hector tightened his grip on its neck and held on for dear life as the beast's head whipped back and forth, the world blurring around him. Air whipped by him, and he was pretty sure he heard some shouting.

I need to get its head at the right angle.

Hector held on tight even as the beast slowed. He grabbed his knife, which began manifesting in his hand. He gripped the blade's hilt and dragged himself up the beast's head even as it continued shaking. With a scream, he plunged the knife forward and sank it just beneath its eye, finding tight purchase. Scrambling to his feet, he then lurched his body backwards, yanking the beast's head to the side, exposing its tender neck to his blazing arsenal pools.

"Now, Jodie!" he screamed.

Fireballs again ripped free and slammed into the beast's front, the flames washing into the pit, charring the flesh and consuming the Shadow Wyrm. The heat was so strong that it forced Hector to let go.

The force of the still-flailing beast whipped him off, and he sailed through the air. Earth slammed into his shoulder, and he tumbled across the grass, tucking himself tight. He rolled to a stop before scuttling to his feet.

The beast in the pit continued to roar, the sound more akin to a pig being roasted alive—which it kind of was. Even as the flames consumed it, its roars shook the ground, forcing Hector to cover his ears. This was not a pretty sight.

Eventually, the beast's movements stilled, light smoke rising from it in hazy trails. Short flames continued to lick at its flesh as several pops like crackling beef came from its body. The scales and bits of flesh sloughed off the Shadow Wyrm's corpse.

Hector, massaging his tender sides, walked over to the pit's edge. Below, he could still hear hissing, but it wasn't from the beast anymore, just the cooking skin that continued burning. A deep smell of warmed jasmine slipped into Hector's nose, causing a light haze to take over his mind. He stepped back.

Probably shouldn't breathe too much of that in. It can't be healthy.

A low whistle cut through the crackling flames, and Jodie stepped to Hector's side, one hand raising the front of her mask. "That is quite a sight, ain't it?" she asked, resting her other hand on her hip.

"You're telling me," Lincoln said, falling in on Hector's left. He adjusted his mask a little and took a breath. "Smells kinda nice. You know, I didn't actually think that would work so well." Eyes practically sparkling, he turned to Hector. "These runes are kind of crazy." Lincoln raised a hand. He turned it from back to front, squinting at his palm, as if watching the mana flow through it.

Hector eyed him from the corner of his eye and shook his head. The Talent had played a crucial role, or maybe they'd gotten lucky. "I'm just glad it actually fell into the pit. I won't lie to you. When it jumped over the first time, my heart almost sank."

Jodie nodded. "We probably could have made it a little bigger. Maybe with a bit more time we—"

"If it were any bigger," Hector interrupted, "I would have fallen in myself. I barely made the jump." His gaze flickered up. At the Shade Forest tree line, several shadow lizards rose to their hind legs and watched them. However, after a few seconds, they dropped back down and turned, rushing off into the brush.

Both of his friends nodded. Jodie looked up from the pit and nudged him in the arm. "Well, you did a good job either way. Next time, we just have to make sure we get it into the pit first, then burn it."

"And clear out the little ones," Lincoln finished.

But as Hector went to speak, the sound of faint thudding behind him caused his ears to twitch. "Hector!" A cry split the air.

With a light breeze washing over him, Hector turned. A few feet away, Mirae crested the hill, her cloak flapping behind her as she ran. "We have a problem. It's Otter. He's not responding."

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