The forest had changed since the last time Ragna's squad had entered its depths. It no longer felt merely alive; it felt aware. Each branch, each twisted root seemed to pulse with some hidden menace, whispering warnings through the damp, heavy air. The scent of earth was mixed now with something far more visceral—iron, copper, the unmistakable tang of blood. It hung thickly, almost clinging to their skin and armor, filling their nostrils, turning every breath into a grim reminder that survival here came at a price.
Kaen's Shadow Stalker moved nervously beneath him, muscles tensing with each step. Its amber eye flicked constantly, reflecting the scant light that filtered through the thick canopy. Darren's colossal hammer dug into the mossy soil, sending tiny tremors through the ground, while Riku's spear traced the undergrowth like a delicate but deadly probe, checking every shadow for signs of movement. Even the air seemed heavy with apprehension, as if the forest itself were waiting to exhale some terrible horror.
Then it came—a voice. Faint, cracking, human. Shivering against the oppressive silence, it drifted through the trees, almost swallowed by the damp murmur of leaves.
"Help… someone… please…"
The squad froze instantly. Every eye scanned the shadows. Every muscle tensed. Ragna's voice broke the tension, cold, calm, and commanding.
"Identify yourself. Who are you?"
A figure emerged from behind a fallen tree. Dirt streaked his face, his uniform torn and bloodied. His hands shook violently, gripping a jagged blade as if it could protect him from the forest itself. Each step he took was unsteady, yet he forced himself forward, driven by some raw, desperate will to survive.
Kaelen's hand twitched toward his bow. "Is he… friendly?" he asked, though his voice betrayed the tension that curled tight around his chest.
Ragna's voice cut through the forest like steel. "Approach slowly. Everyone else, maintain formation. No sudden moves."
The man fell to his knees. His chest heaved as sobs wracked his body. His eyes, wide and hollow, reflected the sheer horror of what he had endured.
"I… I was with Captain Ryn. We—we were sent to clear this forest…" His voice broke into a strangled gasp. "We thought… we thought it would be routine. But…"
Kaelen's eyes darted between the trees. "Where… where is the rest of your squad?"
The man's hands flew to his face, shaking violently. His voice became a raw whisper.
"They… they didn't make it. I—I saw them… the dinosaurs… they…"
His words trailed off into shivering sobs, each syllable trembling with guilt and fear. The survivors' silence was nearly unbearable, filled with the tense anticipation of what might leap from the shadows at any moment.
Riku stepped closer, lowering his spear. "Tell us," he said gently but firmly. "Tell us what happened."
The man's lips quivered. Finally, he forced words past the lump of grief lodged in his throat.
"We went in… days ago. Captain Ryn led us. We thought it would be easy. Routine. The forest… it seemed empty at first. No dinosaurs. Nothing. We scouted… checked the clearing… and then…"
A roar shattered the dense air above them, echoing like thunder rolling through the trees. Shadows surged from behind fallen trunks and twisted roots, massive forms of muscle and scale. Four Titan Chargers and at least a dozen Raptor Scythes emerged, their claws digging into the soft soil, teeth bared, eyes gleaming with hunger.
The man's breath hitched. "They… they came from nowhere! Surrounded us! Some of my friends… died instantly…" His voice faltered. "Captain Ryn… he stayed… to let the rest escape. I… I ran… I didn't stop…"
Darren's massive frame shifted, hammer raised instinctively. Kaori's arrow rested on her bowstring, eyes scanning the upper canopy, muscles coiled and ready. Riku's spear tip moved through the undergrowth like a predator, testing the air for vibrations.
The man's voice was quieter now, reverent, almost hushed. "I saw him… my captain… stay behind. I saw him fight… alone… so we could survive. I… I was too late to save him…"
Kaen felt a chill crawl down his spine. Even he, accustomed to the horrors of this forest, felt the weight of the story settle in his chest. This was no ordinary loss. This was a sacrifice written in blood.
Ragna stepped forward. His presence, calm and unyielding, cut through the despair. "And you survived because of him," he said quietly.
"Yes… yes! I ran… hid… every step… I thought I'd die too…" The man's knees buckled, and he fell forward, pressing his hands to the earth. "But he stayed. He saved us all…"
Ragna's eyes swept the clearing. The forest seemed to listen, the wind pausing as if in respect. "This forest isn't merely a challenge of strength. It is a crucible. Survival demands strategy, sacrifice, and unwavering attention. Remember what you've seen here… and honor those who gave everything so that you might continue."
The survivor's head lifted slowly. The raw, trembling fear in his eyes was now tempered by a faint spark of resolve. "Y-You… you have to move forward," he whispered. "The forest… it's alive. Watching…"
Kaelen nodded silently, his bow ready. Darren's hammer remained steady, the ground beneath him trembling faintly with the sheer weight of his presence. Riku's eyes darted through the undergrowth, alert to the slightest movement, while Kaori shifted, an arrow already knocked in case of aerial threat.
Kaen gripped the reins of the Shadow Stalker, his fingers firm and careful this time. His chest was tight, his mind replaying the failure he had faced in the last battle. But he had learned. He would not let panic drive him again. He had a purpose now, one that did not require heroics, only vigilance.
Ragna spoke again, quiet but sharp. "Move carefully. Every sound, every shadow… respect it, but do not fear it. Ryn's sacrifice gives us the chance to continue. We will not squander it."
The survivor stumbled to his feet, leaning heavily on a broken branch for support. His eyes darted nervously at the shadows, but there was a hint of determination now, a fragile steel threaded through fear. He followed the squad as they pressed deeper, the thick canopy swallowing them in darkness.
The forest around them seemed to react. Shadows shifted unnaturally, branches curling like fingers. A sudden crash echoed to their left—a fallen tree or something larger? Kaen's Shadow Stalker growled softly, muscles tensing, ears flicking. Every step forward demanded caution, patience, and unflinching resolve.
Ragna's presence remained steady, the spear in his hand a symbol of calm amid chaos. He scanned the trees, calculating, always calculating. Even in the aftermath of loss, his mind parsed the dangers, searching for patterns, weaknesses, and opportunities. He knew that the forest could not be conquered by brute force alone—it required intellect, timing, and respect for the terrain.
Minutes stretched like hours. The squad moved in silence, the only sounds the soft thud of hooves on soil, the scrape of spear tips against undergrowth, and the occasional whispered instructions. Kaen led the reconnaissance sweep, flanking slightly to scout for ambushes, using the Shadow Stalker's speed to navigate the densest thickets.
Suddenly, a low rumble shook the forest floor. Leaves trembled, birds scattered in a flurry of panicked wings. The survivor froze, and even Darren's grip on his hammer tightened. Ragna's eyes narrowed. "Positions. Now," he ordered.
From the shadows, a pair of massive Raptor Scythes emerged, moving with terrifying coordination, their claws digging deep, teeth gleaming in the dim light. Kaori raised her bow, a specially poisoned arrow nocked, ready to strike with surgical precision.
Jin's echoing footsteps appeared almost simultaneously as he sprinted toward the approaching beasts, two silver blades drawn, energy rippling along their edges. In a blink, he moved, cutting through the advancing predators with precision that made the forest itself seem to bend time around him.
Aya's explosive bolts lit the undergrowth, shattering the earth around a group of charging Spikebacks, forcing their attention away from the squad and into a carefully orchestrated trap. Boran planted himself like a mountain, hammer poised to halt the charge of a Titan Charger, his sheer mass acting as a living wall against destruction.
Kaen's pulse raced. He stayed on the flanks, watching, learning, warning, guiding the survivor, and herding smaller threats into zones where the elites could neutralize them efficiently. The kid had found his niche—not as a hero in the center of chaos, but as a guardian and scout, an essential piece of the tactical puzzle.
The fight surged and ebbed like a storm. Steel, claws, and blood filled the forest. The roar of creatures, the clang of weapons, and the occasional panicked cry of the survivor created a symphony of chaos. Yet through it all, the squad moved with precision, each member an instrument in Ragna's deadly orchestra.
Hours—or what felt like hours—passed. Slowly, systematically, the special unit reclaimed the clearing. The ground was littered with the bodies of their enemies, and the air reeked of blood, ozone, and charred foliage.
Ragna scanned the squad. Jin wiped his blades clean, Aya checked her crossbow, Boran assisted with clearing debris, Kaori descended from a high perch in the trees, and Kaen, for his part, kept watch atop the Shadow Stalker, alert and steady.
Ragna's voice cut through the haze of adrenaline and exhaustion. "This is a temporary victory. We've beaten the first wave, but deeper in, the forest will not be so predictable. Stay alert. Trust your mounts. Trust your squad. We press on."
The survivor nodded, a faint spark of hope shining through his exhaustion. He had witnessed the sacrifice of Ryn, and now, the unyielding determination of Ragna's squad. He would survive, not through luck, but through vigilance, courage, and the guidance of those who would not leave anyone behind.
And with that, the squad moved forward into the unknown, each step measured, each breath cautious, carrying the echoes of the lost and the weight of survival.