As valdo dashed in, the monster noticed them again and hurled what remained of the corpse it had been chewing on towards valdo, as it charged towards him in answer. This time it was visibly slower.
Valdo slid beneath the mangled corpse, came up on his feet and dodged it's first attack. The monster had grown sluggish, each strike cut the air close enough to stir Valdo's white hair as it passed. He understood, looking at the monster, that this was their only real chance. There was no walking from this fight undecided, either they'd kill the monster here, or become the very fuel it needed to advance.
Doran switched in when he reached the monster. He was heavier and stronger than Valdo, but had none of his speed or technique. He caught the monster's next blow on the large shield he'd scavanged on the way here, buying Valdo enough time to fall back.
He understood his mistake almost as soon as he'd made it. The impact went straight through the shield and into him — his arms went numb, his legs buckled and he nearly went down. Before the monster could follow up, Doran hurled the shield at it and threw himslef backward, rolling clear towards Niall.
"Switch with me, Niall! Don't block it's attacks just dodge them!"
Valdo covered his retreat buying him enough time to throw himself clear and shut his eyes.
Niall and Valdo settled into a rhythm after that — dodging, covering for each other, talking constantly to keep the others oriented in the dark. Valdo switched with Rem, leaving Niall to hold the line alone.
Rem opened his eyes, already drawing breath to call out the handoff, when he saw what the monster had become. The dark blue luster had spread even further across its body. The dirty white cloth that had covered its eyes was gone, in its place a slick, thin, blue membrane had grown and covered its eye sockets, rippling and shifting like fabric caught in the wind every time the monster moved.
Rem passed by the shield Doran had thrown, now laying on the ground sliced clean through by the monster's claws. He swallowed hard, let go of his longsword, and as he sprinted in, drew one of the swords at his side instead.
By the time Rem reached Niall, he was gasping, each breath ragged and uneven. Rem covered for him as Niall called for Cathan.
That's when things started going south.
Niall had shut his eyes a moment too late, and Cathan opened them as soon as he heard his name — and for one second the two of them saw each other's faces clearly.
And so could the abomination.
As Cathan sprinted forward he came to a sudden stop, mid stride. He stared ahead, towards the retreating figure of Niall and the monster that Rem had been holding off — frozen, lips sealed, unable to look away or even shut his eyes again.
The monster lunged past Rem before he could do anything to stop it, it was far to big and too strong for him to stop. It dashed madly towards Niall as its claws came down onto Niall, who was already too spent and tired.
He caught the shdow falling over him and threw himself forward at the last moment. It wasn't enough. The claws caught at his left side and tore it open, leaving a ragged, gaping wound in the shape of the monster's claws. Blood poured out of him in sheets,and shortly after something darker than blood followed — Parts of him that were never meant to see open air started trailing loose.
Valdo and Doran had their eyes shut, trusting the plan, but when they heared Rem's scream and Niall's choked cry that tore through the dark, both opened their eyes at once, and both froze at what they saw.
Niall collapsed, the shock of it dropping him before the pain even caught up. He clawed at the ground, trying to drag himself away from the monster while gritting his teeth, and then its hand came down again, crushing everything above his chest into the ground beneath it.
Doran rushed at the monster with a scream, having lost all reason.
Valdo wanted to stop him but quickly realised that this was the only option left they had and moved behind him instead.
Cathan was still frozen in place, unable to move or even close his mouth. A single tear welled up in his eyes and slid down his face.
Eventually, Doran's size cost him. He mistimed a strike, and the monster's foot caught him square in the stomach. The blow sent him flying, and he landed hard on the ground, unconscious, never to open his eyes ever again.
Only Rem and Valdo were left standing. Rem was only managing to dodge the monster's attacks thanks to his Attribute, that screamed at him with every attack the monster made.
No matter how hard they slashed at the monster it's thick skin had grown far too strong, their blades only slid off. The dark blue luster had spread even further throughout the fight, reaching its neck and ankles.
When both of them were out of breath, they were certain this was the end. They'd lost control of the fight completely. Doran and Niall, two capable fighters were dead, and Cathan was in no state to help.
The monster turned towards Rem as it dashed towards him with it's mouth wide open ready to bite his head clean off.
[Faint instinct] screamed at him to get away. That was when the monster suddenly stopped, and both Rem and Valdo understood exactly what had happened.
They screamed at the same moment.
"NOW!"
Despite his Attribute's continued warnings, Rem ran straight for its open mouth and lept. The explosion from deep underground went off, and just as he jumped off the blast of compressed air carried him the rest of the way.
Valdo was already on top of the monster, having buried his hidden daggers deep into its sternum.
Rem drove his short sword deep into its open mouth, angling the blade up towards its skill.
But before he could pull his hand free, the mouth snapped shut, tearing his arm clean off at the point where it had vanished inside. A raw, wordless scream tore out of him.
Valdo's eyes drifted to Rem's shoulder where his arm used to be, and something in him broke loose. He drove his daggers faster and harder into the monster's neck and skull.
Even as Rem fell, his remaining hand was already moving for his second blade. He drew it in one smooth motion and plunged it deep into the monster's head, where its ears should've been.
He staggered back, clutching his svered arm and valdo had already moved to stand between him and the monster.
"Close your eyes, Roeselle, and run! I will follow after you."
Rem was kneeling, his forehead touched the ground as he clutched his torn arm and spoke.
"It's dead…already."
The monster's body collapsed to the ground the instant he finished speaking.