The echoing clatter of bones hitting stone filled the dark chamber, mingling with the faint hiss of Cain's Quen shield. For a brief moment, all was still but Cain knew better than to let himself relax. Skeletons, especially those infused with dark energy, never stayed still for long.
As his eyes adjusted to the darkness he noticed his surroundings details more. He was in a large stone room. The lack of light and the smell of dirt and stone, and corpses could mean this was a underground crypt. The skeletons could be seen were coming from a large open door way.
This is great. I am in their base, and they have the home field advantage.
Cain surveyed his surroundings, noting the way each broken skeleton lay in jagged heaps. The crimson ruins on Black Brother blade were one of the only few sources of lights. Then Cain through himself into battle dodging and and slashing through the skeletons. Using slashes and parry's to keep off the more series attacks became harder and harder. As Cain found himself constantly getting surrounded by the skeletons. No matter how many times Cain struck them down or destroyed their bodies. As long as enough was left the skeletons would get back up and keep fighting.
Thanks to this Cain's Quen barrier was broken before he even knew it. In that same instance he was stabbed and cut in the same instance. Sending pain surging through his body.
"Ahh...Shit." Cain said slashing the skeletons away and pulling the weapons out of his body. Regeneration healing his torn body back to normal.
Cain's arms ached from the relentless slashing, his hands slick with sweat and thin layers of dried blood. His clothes were torn in multiple places. Without a blunt weapon, he thought grimly, this is a pain in the ass. Without light or holy magic I don't know what's gonna give up first my healing skill and my stamina or these skeletons. Not to mention I still have the boss to deal with.
Cain then looked at the quest objective to see how many he actually killed.
[System Notification]: "The Berserker"
Monsters Slain: [10/100]
Boss: [0/1]
Cain's eyes narrowed as he caught his breath. Damn at this point I'm not gonna get anywhere, then he heard a faint sound from deeper in the darkness. It was almost imperceptible at first: the scrape of metal, the grunt of exertion, sickly crunch of bones and the faint smell of sweat and blood.
Cain's instincts flared. Someone was here, fighting to. The sound was distant but precise. There was a rhythm to it, a pulse of violence and control that only someone trained could maintain. The smell of blood could mean this person was dangerous or wounded.
Cain gritted his teeth. If this person could handle themselves, maybe they could be a ally. Cain then steadied himself, adjusting Black Brother in his grip, and unleashed a concentrated Aard. A sharp gust of telekinetic force blasted forward, scattering the remaining skeletons like leaves in a storm. Bones clattered, weapons flew, and several skeletons smashed against the walls with cracks that echoed through the chamber.
Cain activated his Minds Eye skill. In that instant the barely visible skeletons were filled with bright red lines over there bodies. The lines resembled cracks like in glass. And now Cain had a better line of sight for his enemies, and he new where to strike to save time and energy.
Minutes passed in brutal, relentless combat. Cain's movements became more controlled and fluid. Blocking, and spinning to keep his blind spot from being attacked. While striking fiercely and precisely with little to no wasted movement.
His reaction time slowly increased to the point the skeletons didn't catch him by surprise. The skeletons were still difficult due to having large numbers, unafraid, and unrelenting, but he chipped away at their numbers with precision. Every strike counted; two skeletons often rose to take the place of the one he felled. Sweat stung his eyes, muscles screamed in protest, and every deep breath was tinged exhaustion.
It was time to escalate. Cain reached into his hidden inventory and pulled out a vial of undead oil, he didn't know if it would work on the skeletons but it didn't hurt to try. He poured it over Black Brother, he then ignited the oil using Igni, and the blade roared to life with flame.
Oddly, the flame seemed to respond to the runes carved into the ebony metal, the orange flame became blood red almost as if the sword itself enhanced the flame. It burned hotter.
"Now this is new. Let's see how you fuckers hold up against this."
The skeletons rushed him again, a tide of bone and weaponry, but Cain's strikes were stronger and more deadly. Black Brother cut through them effortlessly, the flaming blade cleaving bones as if they were butter. The air around him shimmered with heat and mana, and every swing of the sword was precise, clean, perfect arcs that avoided overextension. Still, the relentless assault wore on him.
More and more Skeletons poured into the room. He casted another Quen shield to absorbed blow after blow. But even with Minds Eye, The red flame on black brother, and his regeneration skill, his fatigue stilled gnawed at him like a persistent predator. He could still be overwhelmed if not given a chance to breathe, even with his Witcher mutations. Not to mention his healing skills has to draw power from somewhere, so its draining his stamina the more and more he get's wounded.
Cain shook his head sharply, gritting his teeth. "I should have invested in making bombs. They would have be great for crowd control... Oh well next time". He dodged a cleaver-like weapon swing, stepping aside just in time to avoid a crushing strike to the shoulder. Sweat dripped from his forehead, blinding him momentarily, but the pain and rhythm of combat kept his mind sharp.
"Well I guess now's the best time to test my new skill. Who knows it might just save my ass."
Cain then breathed in deeply and exhaled. "Mana Burst." The world seemed to slow, as his senses sharpened. Then as a dense gold mana with a black hue like aura radiated outward, and curled around his body like liquid shadow. Every nerve thrummed with raw energy, and he felt strength and power he hadn't realized he still possessed.
Cain then noticed the blood red flame around Black Brother, the sword gained a black hue to its blood red flame as well. Cain then smirked at the discovery then as he readied his sword. "Let's rock," Cain muttered, teeth gritted.
Cain unleashed another Aard, stronger this time, sending a explosive telekinetic blast that slammed skeletons into the walls smashing them into bones shards. And smashing them into each other, toppling them like rag dolls with shattered bones all over the floor. The sound of bones cracking reverberated through the dark chamber.
Cain dashed forward with incredible speed. His sword swinging in wide, powerful arcs. Each cut tore through multiple skeletons at once, flames licking the edges of Black Brother, staining the blade with black and red fire.
The effect was devastating. Skeleton after skeleton fell, their empty eyes reflecting the infernal glow of his sword. Cain pivoted constantly, ensuring he wouldn't be surrounded, letting the momentum of Mana Burst carry him through the tide of waves. Every strike was precise, calculated, not a single blow wasted.
Finally, as the last skeleton fell, Cain staggered to one knee. His chest heaved, muscles screamed, arms and legs trembling, sweat streaking across his face. He placed a hand over his heart, inhaling shakily, tasting blood and iron in his mouth. "If it weren't for Quen and my regeneration, I would have been dead long ago. But this feels like this is gonna kill me anyway."
[System Notification]: Rare Void Quest: "The Berserker"
Monsters Slain: [57/100]
Boss: [0/1]
Cain's eyes narrowed. Fifty-seven skeleton soldiers killed. Not bad for half but the boss is still around and there are more to kill. His body still thrummed with lingering adrenaline. That and his discipline were the only things pushing him to keep going. But Cain knew that things were only going to get more difficult. The thought of the boss, a creature likely far stronger than these minions, made his pulse quicken.
"I'm probably dealing with a necromancer. And if this is a tomb I'm fucked."
A distant sound broke through his thoughts: the metallic swing , followed by the crunch of bones. Cain froze, focusing his ears. There it was again, a rhythmic, precise assault, cutting through the undead with terrifying efficiency. His eyes flicked down the corridor, towards the source. He saw a very faint light in the long distance.
Hopefully they're friendly, he thought, cautiously, adrenaline still coiling in his veins. He moved quickly, feet silent on the stone floor, Black Brother raised as it's flame lighting the way. The stone corridors opened into a vast chamber, and Cain's eyes widened as he took in the scene.
A fire-lit room revealed a lone figure amidst the hoard skeletal soldiers. A Tall, broad shouldered man, and clad in black segmented plate armor that engulfed his body that gleamed even in the flickering light of the dim flames. The figure swung an impossibly massive sword with ease. Bones shattered with each strike, skeletons collapsing in heaps beneath blows that would have crushed a normal man.
Cain's breath caught. The armor was jagged, brutal in design almost demonic. The neck guard shaped like a jawbone, gave Cain the impression that the armor was consuming him. The wearer had a ruggedly handsome but weathered face. Short spiky black hair with a white patch of hair. He seemed so familiar but Cain couldn't place why.
But Cain could tell the black swordsmen stance, the sheer force, the fluidity of his movements. It all spoke of a warrior who had faced death countless times and emerged unbroken. A veteran among veterans
Cain hesitated. Why does he look familiar? The movements, the ferocity, his sheer presence, it tugged at something deep in Cain's memory, something just out of reach.
The stranger swung again, carving through a skeleton as if it were nothing, the sound of splintering bone echoing like a drumbeat in the chamber. Cain's fingers tightened around Black Brother, and he stepped closer, muscles coiled, eyes narrowing.
The battle was far from over, and the real challenge, the boss, was still waiting. But now, there was a new variable in play, and Cain's instincts told him that who ever this man was, don't make him your enemy.
The flames of Black Brother licked higher, and Cain steadied himself. Alright, he thought, setting his jaw. Time to see just how far this quest wants to push me.
And with that, he took a cautious step forward, the echo of the stranger's swings ringing in his ears, marking the beginning of a fight that would test every ounce of his skill, strategy, and endurance.