Boom!
Thunder rolled, and a flash of lightning illuminated the entire forest for an instant, revealing the tall, gaunt figure of the barrow-wight.
The two Rangers instinctively stepped back in unison, faces tense, clearly regretting having provoked such a dangerous opponent. But at this moment, there was no room for retreat.
Only to fight!
A longsword sliced through the curtain of rain as one of them charged forward, risking everything, swinging his weapon with all his strength.
Clang, clang!
He exchanged two blows with the barrow-wight, but each time he was forced back by its iron-like arms.
This creature could truly deflect their blades with ease.
The barrow-wight seemed to have had its fun. It let out two mocking chuckles, then suddenly lunged forward, no warning, no preparation, almost as if it had simply appeared there.
Thud!
The sound of something heavy striking against steel rang out.
The armor, capable of withstanding heavy blows in training, did its job well, protecting the Ranger from the impact. Even so, as he rolled across the ground, he felt a wrenching pain deep in his chest, as if his organs had been knocked out of place.
"Cough... cough... still not finished yet...?"
Whoosh.
A signal flare shot up, slipping through gaps in leaves and branches, climbing into the rain-heavy sky before bursting into blooms of orange and red.
Against the pitch-black woodland, it was impossible to miss.
"Back off!"
The other Ranger arrived a moment later, bracing his sword against the barrow-wight's incoming claw. But how could mortal strength match that of such a creature?
In moments, he too was thrown aside, crashing into a tree next to his companion.
"I... feel terrible... like I'm falling ill..."
The first Ranger coughed violently, his pallor so stark that even the darkness couldn't conceal it. Perhaps soon, he would sleep forever, just like the boy from the village.
"Bah!"
The other spat out a mouthful of mud he'd accidentally taken in, then shouted, "You haven't drunk your milk yet, have you? Take it out, drink it, and then run. Don't stop. I'll hold it off."
He didn't wait for a reply, after saying this, he charged straight ahead.
"In the name of our lord, Garrett, I will not retreat a single step!"
Clang!
The strike was his utmost effort. When the blade hit the barrow-wight's withered flesh, the force was more like a hammer blow than a cut.
For a moment, the barrow-wight actually staggered back a step.
The Ranger blinked in surprise.
Was it his imagination, or had the barrow-wight's malevolent aura weakened after his battle cry, enough for him to drive it back?
But that was the limit.
The barrow-wight glanced left and right, then, realizing what had occurred, flew into a rage and lunged again with both hands outstretched.
At the brink of death, Whoosh, a dagger came hurtling from an unexpected angle, sinking directly into the barrow-wight's shadowy, insubstantial form.
Aaahhh!
A piercing scream erupted, sharp enough to pain their ears.
"Courage... is the blade that cuts through fear."
A man in a deep green cloak drew a long, ancient-looking sword from his waist. Cutting through the wail, he charged the barrow-wight without hesitation, boots splashing through the rain.
That tall, powerful silhouette burned itself into the minds of the two apprentice Rangers.
He moved like a hunting cat, yet struck with the strength of a bear. Every swing of his sword forced the barrow-wight back a step; a few sudden, fierce combinations even severed several of the trinkets embedded in its flesh. The darkness clinging to it faded, making its form almost translucent.
The cold fire in the barrow-wight's eyes grew red with rage. It swung its iron-like arm in a sweep, yet the green-cloaked man's sword struck it back as if it were a heavy hammer, driving the limb into retreat.
A wave of heat rose in the air, only to be instantly quenched by the falling rain. This strange sensation made the barrow-wight's essence tremble.
Yes, this creature, the very embodiment of unnatural dread, was now experiencing that feeling for itself.
As the battle continued, the darkness it needed to maintain its form kept leaking away, while the mysterious warrior who had suddenly appeared hadn't suffered so much as a scratch, nor did he show the slightest sign of fatigue.
Whoosh.
The barrow-wight's figure flickered, retreating deeper into the forest.
A tactical withdrawal.
Whoosh!
A flash bomb shot out sideways, trailing white sparks at a leisurely pace before striking the barrow-wight, triggering a series of explosions.
The kinetic force traveled from its back straight through to its chest.
If the cold light in its eyes could spread, the barrow-wight's whole form would surely be blazing with fury by now.
The explosive charges didn't harm it, after all, there was nothing magical about them, but the shockwave had a peculiar effect, halting its movement for a brief instant.
The pursuer was closing in.
Cough... cough...
It had all happened in mere moments. The Ranger on the ground hastily drained a bottle of milk, stood, and looked toward where the man and the barrow-wight had vanished.
"Was that...?"
That agile figure, that confident stride, that superb swordsmanship, and the courage to hunt a barrow-wight...
"Could it be... our lord himself?"
The two felt a surge of excitement, but it was quickly quenched by the falling rain.
The icy droplets, combined with the pain from their various wounds inside and out, brought their minds back to reality.
"No... our lord isn't this restrained. If it were him, that barrow-wight wouldn't have lasted more than two strikes."
"Fair point. Though... I don't quite agree with one thing, if it had been our lord, the barrow-wight might have simply fled the moment he arrived."
"You've got that right." This time, the other Ranger didn't argue; they were strangely in agreement.
"You two seem quite at ease, chatting like this. I take it your wounds are all healed, then?"
Clap.
Suddenly, they felt weight on their shoulders, two hands had appeared behind them, gripping firmly without making a sound.
They started and spun around, only to see that the man who had been pursuing the barrow-wight was somehow already standing behind them.
He pulled back his hood, revealing a weathered, battle-worn face.
"Thank you! You saved our lives!"
The Rangers quickly changed the subject, bowing to him in salute.
"Enough, spend that time checking yourselves for wounds or lingering corruption. Don't worry if you've finished your milk. If you're fortunate, you might even find some athelas along the roadside—it can also ease the barrow-wight's poison and curses."
"This plant isn't exactly common, but it's not rare either. A bit of searching and you'll find it somewhere."
As he spoke, the tall man crouched down and pulled a blade of grass with a distinctive leaf pattern from beside a tree root.
"Looks like this. Remember it, you two saplings from Wayfort."
Saplings?
The moment they heard the term, both Rangers perked up.
Wasn't that what the Ranger instructors called trainees?
"Sir, are you...?"
"Halbarad. Just a wandering Ranger."
They knew it!
Their eyes lit up, and a wave of reassurance washed over them.
Though... along with the relief came a pang of guilt. Hopefully, this instructor wouldn't mind them comparing him to their lord...
"We'll remember!"
Regardless of their inner thoughts, the two apprentice Rangers stood at attention and saluted.
Halbarad sighed and waved for them to relax, then continued, "Also, your fighting method has some issues. Did you forget that flash bombs can also be fired from a crossbow?"
"While they can't actually harm creatures like barrow-wights, the 'explosive' property alone can still provide effective knockback."
"Were you even paying attention during training at the camp?"