The village wall shook with the force of the snarl.
Alaric gripped his staff so tightly his knuckles turned white. His snow-white hair stuck up in messy spikes, his golden eyes wide as the shadows at the treeline shifted again.
The beast's growl rolled low and deep, vibrating through the dirt under his feet.
Ryn stood beside him, wooden sword raised. His green eyes flickered between fear and stubborn resolve. His lips pressed tight, no words this time.
Ashen was already at the front, blade gleaming pale under the moonlight. His tall figure radiated a cold, calm strength, as though the monster's roar hadn't even reached him.
Kael's voice cut through the night like a blade. "Hold the line!"
Hunters formed a rough half-circle at the gate, spears and torches raised. Mothers rushed their children back inside. The elder's sharp commands carried faintly from the center of the village, trying to keep panic from spreading.
Alaric's chest heaved. He wanted to say something—anything—but the words stuck in his throat.
Then the forest broke.
A massive shape lunged out from the treeline, snapping branches like twigs. Its body was covered in dark fur, thick and bristling, its shoulders broader than three men. Its head lowered, fangs flashing in the torchlight, golden eyes burning with hunger.
The hunters shouted as one. Spears jabbed forward.
The beast crashed into them with a sound like thunder.
Alaric stumbled back, staff raised uselessly. The force of the impact shook his bones, dust flying as men were thrown aside like dolls. One hunter's spear shattered on contact. Another barely rolled aside before claws dug deep into the dirt where he'd stood.
Ryn shouted, charging forward. His wooden sword struck the beast's leg—useless, bouncing off the thick hide.
"Ryn, you idiot!" Alaric cried, legs moving before his brain could catch up. He swung his staff, smacking the beast's flank with all the strength his small body had.
The sound it made was pathetic.
Whack.
"…Ow," Alaric muttered as the vibration rattled up his arms. "Bad idea. Terrible idea."
The beast turned its massive head, golden eyes locking on him.
His breath caught.
"Oh… nope nope nope!" He scrambled back, tripping over his own feet, nearly falling before Ryn grabbed his arm and yanked him upright.
"Focus, stupid!" Ryn shouted, shoving him aside just as the beast's claws tore through the space they'd occupied. Dirt exploded.
Ashen appeared in an instant. His blade slashed across the beast's shoulder, pale steel gleaming under the moon. The cut left a shallow line, dark blood spraying. The beast roared in pain and rage, staggering back for a heartbeat.
The hunters took that chance, spears jabbing again, torches thrust at its face.
Alaric's chest heaved. His heart slammed against his ribs. His hands shook around the staff, but his golden eyes narrowed.
"…Alright. No running this time."
He planted his feet, forcing his breath steady. Mana pulsed faintly at his fingertips, threads of warmth and chill both answering his call.
Ryn shot him a look, sweat running down his brow. "You'd better not mess this up."
Alaric smirked weakly. "Mess up? Me? That's my specialty."
Still, he raised the staff higher, the glow of life and death mana starting to pulse faintly at its tip.
The beast snarled, lowering its head again.
The next charge was coming.
And this time, Alaric was ready to stand his ground.
The beast's second charge tore straight through the hunters' line. Spears snapped like twigs, torches scattered into the dirt, flames licking low against the grass.
"Fall back!" Kael roared, his voice booming over the chaos.
But Alaric didn't move. His boots dug stubbornly into the dirt. His small frame shook, but his staff stayed raised, mana pulsing at its tip. Threads of warmth and chill danced around him, weaving together in clumsy, frantic rhythm.
The beast's fangs gleamed, jaws opening wide as it lunged for the smallest figure in sight—him.
Alaric gritted his teeth. No running. Not this time.
The glow at his staff flared. Life and death mana clashed, then fused, a swirl of green-gold and shadowy black spiraling upward. The air thickened, humming, pulling at the beast as though the cavern's whispering power had followed him here.
"Don't fail, don't fail, don't fail—!" Alaric hissed through his teeth.
He swung the staff downward.
The spell burst out—not a clean beam, not a sharp strike, but a wave. The ground beneath the beast twisted as roots shot up unnaturally fast, pulsing with bright life, while the soil around them rotted into blackened sludge.
The beast roared as its paw sank into the rot, muscles straining against the sudden growth that snared its legs.
For a moment, it slowed.
Hunters gaped. Ryn's jaw dropped.
Alaric himself nearly toppled backward from the backlash, chest heaving, sweat dripping down his pale forehead. His snow-white hair stuck to his face, golden eyes burning but unfocused.
"…It… worked?" His lips curved weakly into a grin. "Hah. I'm a genius."
The beast tore free with a savage twist, snapping vines and scattering dirt. The spell hadn't held it for long.
But it was enough.
Ashen was already there, pale blade slicing in from the side. This time, the cut drove deep into the beast's flank, blood spraying hot across the grass. The monster staggered, snarling in pain.
Kael and the hunters surged forward again, renewed by the sudden opening. Spears jabbed into the wound, pushing it back step by step.
Alaric swayed on his feet, staff trembling in his grip. His whole body ached. His vision swam.
Ryn caught his arm, steadying him. "You idiot… you actually did it."
Alaric chuckled weakly, trying to lean more on him than he probably should. "Told you. Totally had it under control."
"Liar."
"Yeah."
Another roar split the air. The beast wasn't done yet.
Its golden eyes burned brighter, fury rising as it pulled itself free of the spears and vines. Blood soaked its fur, but it still stood tall, shoulders heaving.
Alaric's smirk faded. His legs shook harder. He had nothing left for a second spell—he knew it.
Ryn tightened his grip on his wooden sword, glaring forward. Kael's orders barked sharp in the distance, the hunters readying themselves again. Ashen stood between the beast and them all, calm as ever, though his suit was splattered dark with blood.
The air grew heavy, every breath sharp.
Alaric swallowed hard, golden eyes narrowing even as his knees threatened to buckle.
This wasn't over.
Not yet.
The beast roared again, louder than before, the sound shaking the trees and rattling Alaric's bones. The hunters hesitated, their torches flickering in the night wind.
Kael's jaw tightened. "Steady!" His spear was set firm, though his eyes flicked once to Alaric, sharp with questions he didn't voice.
Alaric's chest heaved, sweat dripping down his pale face. His snow-white hair clung in messy strands, golden eyes dim but still burning. He tightened his grip on the staff, though his arms shook. I can't do it again… my mana's drained.
Beside him, Ryn shifted his stance. His wooden sword was raised, but his hands trembled. Still, he didn't move back.
Ashen stepped forward. His butler-like suit was torn, spattered with blood, but he carried himself like nothing had touched him. The pale blade in his hand gleamed cold, his silver-gray eyes narrowing as he faced the beast head-on.
The monster lunged.
Ashen met it with a single slash, his movement smooth, perfect. The blade carved into its chest, deeper this time, tearing through hide and muscle. Blood sprayed across the dirt, hot and thick, but Ashen didn't flinch. His other hand pressed against the flat of the blade, pushing it deeper with inhuman strength.
The beast thrashed, claws striking, but Ashen twisted aside with effortless grace, the sword dragging down its side in a long, vicious arc.
"Now!" Kael bellowed.
The hunters surged in. Spears jabbed into the gaping wound Ashen had left. Torches slammed against its fur, fire catching on the blood and bristles. The monster roared in agony, staggering back under the combined assault.
Alaric watched, chest tight, vision blurred. Finish it… please, just finish it.
The beast reared, ready to strike again—
Ashen's blade flashed once more, a clean, precise cut across its throat.
The sound it made was strangled, choked. It stumbled, legs faltering, golden eyes dimming as blood poured down its chest. With one last roar, it collapsed into the dirt, shaking the ground.
Silence fell.
Only the crackle of torches and the ragged breathing of the hunters remained.
Alaric let out a long, shaky sigh and promptly fell onto his backside. "…I… totally helped."
Ryn snorted, dropping beside him. "Yeah, you almost got eaten. Real helpful."
"Details, details…" Alaric muttered, his staff slipping from his grasp as he slumped against Ryn's shoulder. His eyelids drooped, exhaustion swallowing him whole.
Ashen wiped his blade clean with eerie calm, sliding it back into place. His silver eyes flicked once toward Alaric, lingering for a long, quiet moment. The weight of that gaze wasn't cold—it was steady, grounding.
Kael lowered his spear, his brow furrowed as he glanced between the dead beast and the pale-haired boy slumped in the dirt. His voice was low, unreadable. "…We'll talk about this tomorrow."
But tomorrow felt far away to Alaric. His world had already gone heavy and quiet, his breath slowing as he leaned fully against Ryn.
I didn't run this time. His last thought was faint, proud. Not bad… for me.
Darkness claimed him, soft and complete.