At the entrance of the Shattered Rest, ahead of the broken archway, on the cracked and uneven, sunken graves, broken tombstones, and the occasional fallen statue of angels and guardians long forgotten.
Few dared to tread this cursed land... Fewer ever returned.
It was said the graveyard held remnants of ancient Relics… some cursed, others pulsed with forgotten magic. But that didn't deter Halcyon.
As she stood motionless behind a thin, cloud of smoke… Her gaze hardened, despite the decay around her… she was oddly calm.
Even the wind whistled through the dead trees, stirring brittle leaves. Her eyes narrowed at the silhouette within the smoke… Its green eyes glowing in the haze.
When the smoke disappeared.
She saw a couple creature's emerged, standing four feet tall, Its body was a hideous. Its upper half was covered in dark feathers, jagged as shattered glass. The lower half was rubbery scales, twisting unnaturally with each movement. Its head was a sharp angular beak dripping with saliva. Atop it, a feathery crown.
Nyxirath... I suppose they'll be here first. I've already killed so many... once I learned, simple silver won't work. God, I'll never forget their screams.
Her mind drifted away, as she remembered Lucian, Lazarus, and herself. Young and foolish, they believed they could take on anything that lurked in the dark. They were good. Hell, they were great… But nothing prepared them for the nightmare that was Nyxirath.
She felt had felt petrified leaning that they aren't just creatures…
It's a nightmare made flesh. Feathers like shards of glass, scales that glisten in the dark like slick oil, eyes that glow with that damnable purple light. They don't just kill for food, they hunt for sport, for something far darker.
Nyxirath, ahead spoke up first, as they flapped their two massive feathered wings sprout from its back, the feathers dark and dense, their span wide enough to send a gust of winds at her.
"What are you doing here, Homosapien? It's been years since one of your kind dared come down here, after we claimed this layer for our own... Come to take it back?"
Halcyon smirked. That was something. Nyxirath. So sure of themselves, so blind.
Nyxirath... They're completely oblivious to this place. Even the organization, when they were here, didn't find anything strange. For creatures who are supposed to monitor everything at night, they really aren't very good at it.
"Looking for something? My kind used to own this layer. I'm here by entitlement, for history's sake." She said.
Another Nyxirath spoke up, stepping closer to Halcyon. "I don't care. If you've been looking for something for thousands of years, it won't matter. Your kind lost this layer. You humans are weak and will never get it back."
"So, you're asking for a quick death? Or would you prefer I just walk past without having to kill you?"
One Nyxirath, at the back suddenly moved, in a blur ahead of everyone he used his long single featherd tails… passing almost against Halcyon face.
"You come into our home and threaten us… Let's see how long you last before your courage turns to dust."
Halcyon just stared deeply, in the Nyxirath face she didn't react from nether from it's movement. In the past, she would has dashed away at thr sight of them, you can say the same for them… Why would she fear this creature anymore? After all what it's not the scariest she encountered before.
She just stared deeply into it's green large round gaze. "Once, I feared you… your darkness, your silence, your presence choked the air me. But no longer. I've stood in the depths of your shadow and felt the weight of your grip, only to find that fear is a weapon that loses its edge once it is faced. You are nothing more than a passing nightmare, and I've learned to wake from your illusions. So, look into my eyes, Nyxirath. This graveyard is mine now, and I will no longer cower before you. You are the past. I am the future."
All Nyxirath eyes widened… they didn't know what to say, still they couldn't as her muscles tensed up as she saw all the Nyxirath also did… In that moment she suddenly, spun on her heel and darted toward the nearest tombstone, using the momentum of her movement to dive behind the stone for cover.
All of the Nyxirath screeched again, their voices high-pitched and shrill, a primal sound that raked against her nerves... Their wings cut through the air, she felt the rush of winds as they flew overhead.
Halcyon didn't waste a second… Her fingers brushed a grey thread connected to a hidden crossbow under her sleeve.
"Click!"
As she glanced down to her hand, a sharp, silver wooden bolt, loaded into her arm attached hidden crossbow in a swift motion… then she peeked around the edge of the stone, the moonlight gleaming off the sharp edges of the Nyxirath's wings.
"Thwip."
Her first bolt silently, shot upward… slamming into the chest of the leading Nyxirath. It screeched in pain, the force of the bolt sending it spiraling down.
"Boom!"
But Halcyon had no time to watch its fall…another was already diving straight for her… She didn't hesitate, she rolled sideways, beside a shattered statue, narrowly avoiding the creature's claws like daggers slashed at her.
It's limbs are thin and bony, it's claws were perfectly curved, long, and capable of tearing through flesh and bone with ease.
She pushed off the tombstone with one hand, springing to her feet, her second bolt fired mid spin... This one struck the second Nyxirath into the joint of its wing, sending it tumbling to the ground.
The first two were down, but there were still two more. Halcyon eyes darted to the sky, her instincts screaming as the remaining Nyxirath circled above her, their screeches reverberating through the graveyard.
Waiting for me to act, I see. The other two are still alive, but a silver bolt won't finish them off.
Halcyon, took a deep breath her mind raced, for and attack so her fingers twitched as she prepared… before she pulled out a, small blue ball from her leather brown belt.
In that same moment, she tossed it overhead head into the air, she spun around and instantly shot the bolt… as it flew threw the air the Nyxirath was confused but wanted to attack but realized her strength.
"Pang!"
A explosion happened, and a blinding light of raw power appeared, ripped through the darkness... it was to later, her bolt connected and all Nyxirath shrieked, their glowing eyes flashed as they were momentarily blinded.
Halcyon wasted no time, she dashed forward, the world around her a blur as she closed the distance. Her hand was aimed for, her crowbar clicked at the ready, but she didn't need it for this fight.
So, while the first Nyxirath was still dazed, flapping its wings weakly as it tried to regain it's balance... She struck first, taking a out a small dagger that, was Lucian own in werewolf sam cave, the blade flashed in the moonlight.
She slashed across it's chest, cutting through feathers and rubber scales. The creature and it's skin hissed, but it didn't fall. With a roar, it lunged at her, its claws outstretched far.
The Nyxirath roared as it atttacked. "Normal silver won't do a thing. Haven't you heard of Cursed Silver, you pathetic human?"
Halcyon ignored, she sidestepped, her body flowing like water as she ducked under the creature's talons, coming up behind it. Her second blade was already in his hand, and with a brutal slash, she cut across its exposed throat. The creature let out a horrible, gurgling screech, its life draining away as it crumpled to the ground.
A fight like usually won't take this to end, she just didn't have the right equipment on her nor her true strength.
The second Nyxirath was already recovering, its wings snapping open, sending gusts of wind against her face. It dove at her, claws aiming for her chest. Halcyon spun, dropping low and rolling under it's attack. She used the momentum to spring back up, her foot planting on a gravestone to launch himself into the air.
As she reach high from her jump, her blade came down in a single, seamless motion, slicing through the creature's wings.
"How are you doing this? Why are you just standing there? Please, help me!" The Nyxirath staggered backward, screeching in pain.
The other two, Nyxirath she didn't kill just shivered taking a couple steps back, looking at each other. They didn't think, Halcyon was like this didn't know she had this kind of power.
They looked at, Halcyon who didn't hesitate. She was already on it, her feet hitting the ground with a heavy thud as she closed the distance.
With a final strike, she drove both blades into its chest, twisting them as the creature let out one final, ragged cry before it collapsed into the dirt, motionless.
Halcyon stood over the fallen Nyxirath, her chest rising and falling. She wiped a streak of sweat from her brow, her clothes torn, her gaze scanned over to see, the other two Nyxirath started flying away… She wasn't worried, her heart gripped of resentment.
"Videris."
Come to me. I can't have you warning the others, especially the leader. This sight spell should give me the perfect shot for the kill.
As she spoke, her right eye glowed blue, at the same moment a intricate circle diagram formed. She raised her, crossbow looking down the sight at the panicked flying Nyxirath.
They kept crashing into each other trying to escape, to find their leader.
When it was about seem she wasn't going to hit the shot, her bolt was released...
And, her hand dropped she saw two, shadow falling out the sky well she manged to hit both Nyxirath as they flew infront each other.
The moonlight bathed the graveyard in an eerie glow, and the silence felt heavy, oppressive. But there was no more sound of wings. No more screeching.
The Nyxirath were gone… For now.
Halcyon sheathed her blades and retrieved her crossbow bolt, her fingers brushing against the steel and wood.