Chapter Thirty-five — The Resumption
The next morning, after the sun had carved a pale path across the sky, everyone set out again, combing the sands for their new quarry: the Black-Horned. Those beasts—masters of burrowed ambush—were far more dangerous than they looked at first glance. While everyone scoured the dunes, Lucas spotted the marks of six horns in the sand: three buried monsters waiting for the moment to strike.
Daniel drew close, his eyes sharp on the tracks, and said in a measured tone, "What do you think if Lucas, Niral and I go by ourselves this time?"
One sentence was enough to send a ripple of surprise across every face, as if a bolt had struck. A short silence, then Malik's annoyed voice: "Why?"
Daniel smiled calmly and answered with quiet confidence, "For training, of course. If we keep relying on you for every fight, our personal progress will be too slow. One must take bolder steps to advance quickly and get used to fighting alone."
He turned toward Azrian, who was about to object, and added with a sterner edge, "The risk this time is small. If things go wrong you can finish us off with your lightning strike, can't you? And don't forget we carry an antitoxin—there's no real danger."
Azrian sighed, lowered his gaze in thought, then said, "So… what do you propose?"
Lucas and Niral answered in unison without hesitation: "Of course — we agree."
Even Niral, usually more reserved, thought to himself while watching Daniel out of the corner of his eye: (Exactly this—this is how I trained to get stronger. Facing beasts stronger than me while minimizing the danger with a powerful ally nearby… Daniel knows how to use what's around him. He's clever… not cowardly.)
The three moved toward the horned site with calculated stealth. Each knew that a group fight would make the beasts more ferocious; given the condition of the group, coordinated combat would be riskier. So they decided each would take a single beast alone. They positioned themselves around the embedded horns, each watching the target he would attack, while Azrian stood behind Lucas, Malik behind Daniel, and Risha behind Niral—ready to intervene if needed.
They exchanged glances full of tension and eager nerves. Suddenly Daniel picked up a small wooden splinter and tossed it toward the horn nearest him. The creature exploded from the sand, shattering the wood with its scythe-like teeth. It fixed its gaze on Daniel as if recognizing an opponent, and lunged; the two other beasts surged toward Lucas and Niral—the nearest humans.
The monster rushed at Daniel, flinging poisonous needles in an attempt to strike him, but Daniel parried the needle with his iron shield and recoiled a little under the impact. He countered with a double thrust of his spear aimed for the creature's face, but both blows failed against the toughness of its chitinous hide.
The beast closed in, and there was no time to think. In a moment of fatal tension, Daniel gripped his sword and dropped his shield, sliding aside to evade the attack in a move he had seen Malik and Azrian use before. He charged toward the monster's rear legs and struck hard, severing one leg; the other the beast protected quickly because Daniel's second strike had been a touch slow. The wound threw the beast into a wild spin. Daniel seized the opening and moved toward its tail, keeping to a safe zone beyond the reach of its needles and forearms.
He drew breath and watched the beast with care. When it began to turn toward him, Daniel moved with it in a half-circle. Then, seizing a brief lapse in its awareness, he darted under its belly. The sword plunged into its viscera. The creature sat down in agony to relieve the pain but felt it deepen as the blade sank in; it bellowed from the wound.
Daniel stood behind it, silent, watching its last ragged breaths. Despite the victory he felt an inner sting. (I made mistakes—deadly mistakes… If two had attacked me together, I would be dead.)
First: he had abandoned his shield in the evasive moment because the beast had closed more quickly than he'd expected, leaving him vulnerable to a sudden strike. Second: he had tried to cut both of the beast's legs but failed to sever the second because his blow was slow; he had then had to go beneath the creature and attack its belly.
He raised his eyes at Lucas and Niral. Lucas had fought in a similar manner and had killed his beast successfully. Niral, however, was clutching his arm in pain—an insectile needle had lodged in it. Risha was beside him, fighting fiercely; she fell the creature moments later.
Everyone gathered quickly around Niral, concern written across their faces.
Lucas approached, concern in his voice, "Are you okay?"
Niral waved a light smile with his free hand, reassuring, "Yes, yes. Don't worry. Just a small wound—nothing to fear… I'll use the antitoxin now."
Risha, looking at him with a mix of exasperation and worry, snapped, "Why did you drop your shield mid-fight?"
Niral answered calmly, as if stating the obvious, "I thought I could dodge every attack—there was only one beast…"
Risha retorted sharply, folding her arms, "Idiot…"
Niral grinned and replied with a teasing tone, "And unfortunately we don't have healing potions?"
Malik interjected, frustrated and gesturing as if the answer were well known, "They can't be sold to the common folk even if you could afford them. Only noble families buy them, because there are too few expert alchemists in the kingdom."
Azrian shook his head slowly and continued, "Yes… that's the reality. The important thing now, Niral—are you still capable of fighting?"
Niral rose to his feet confidently, "I'm fine. I'll be okay. I haven't used my skills yet; I'll use them in the next fights."
A month had passed since the mission began. Over those weeks the group had faced dozens of tests and different situations. One day, while they crossed a barren stretch of dunes, Malik caught a glint beneath the sand.
He leaned forward, eyes focused: "Look… two small black horns sticking out of the sand. Definitely a hidden beast."
He turned to the others and added, "Let's kill this one first and head back. Finding other monsters now would waste time."
Everyone agreed immediately; it had been their thought as well, unspoken.
Daniel stepped forward alone and waved them back with a confident hand: "Let me handle this one."