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The original was posted on /r/hfy by /u/Hot-West9928 on 2024-09-15 19:55:02+00:00.
At Drop’s go, Mor threw a bolt of lightning that made a whip crack of displaced air, but because he didn’t have a clear target and only a general idea of where the monstrosity had hunkered down, it missed. It was a close one, but a miss nonetheless. Still, it was close enough. The surprise and the pain of the strafing heat made the monstrosity lose control over its chameleon ability for a second, which Mor used for a second lightning strike, making the first second of the fight a display of light and a double thundercrack.
Jorgen charged after Mor’s opening, just as Elly loosened her first enhanced arrow, providing a hopefully permanent marker that would make the invisibility of the monstrosity less effective. The veteran hunter team reacted a bit differently. Drop followed Jorgen but kept an eye out for the assumed second target, while the other three in their temporary castle flinched when Mor’s opening strike struck. Cutter and Silence were just about to nod off and go to sleep while Fortress listened for any sound the monstrosity might make.
The big guardian decided to take another look, and this impossible scene stunned him for a split second. Mor had used the surprise of the monstrosity to close up, noticing the natural weapons of it. With the human’s support, the Soul-kin swung his metal rod, which quickly grew an ax-head made of ice, a part of the magic flowing into the formerly inert shaft, which was a pleasant surprise for the mage. Just as the ax collided with the side of the monstrosity and bit deep, Jorgen had finished enhancing his blade, following up with a vertical strike at the tail of the monstrosity. However, after the first shock, the raptor flinched back with a pained cry, and the boy missed.
Still, this loud shriek made two things happen. First, it made Gorn’s training kick in and charge from his cover to support the two young hunters, and second, another similar cry was echoed from somewhere close. After this opening surprise attack, the monstrosity started to fight back. It simultaneously tried to bite down on Mor while its tail whipped out to Jorgen, who dodged with a faster-than-normally possible jump. Seeing the beast up close was scary. It was head to toe three meters tall, but if you would measure from front to tail, it would measure five meters. Its long maw had a triple row of saw teeth, perfect to rip and tear prey apart. The claws Drop had mentioned were more like bone daggers, 30 centimeters in length, and it had those on its arms and legs.
The strange part is that it didn’t try to hide itself anymore, as if the shock and pain of the young hunter’s opening attacks had removed this ability. However, it was not out of tricks, as Mor felt an entity worming itself into his mind, flooding his body with a calm and peaceful feeling and almost sapping his will to fight. Still, the culprit had made the calculation without the human, who forced a roar of anger out of Mor’s throat and dispelled the illusory attack just in time for Mor to sidestep the bite attack and use the backside of his weapon to drive the blunt end into the lower jaw of the monstrosity with enhanced strength.
As a reaction, the raptor struck out with its claws, and the human dropped Mor’s body to the ground in a desperate evasion. The monstrosity followed the strikes with a bladed stomp at the prone target. However, it was disrupted by Jorgens blade inflicting two quick slashes at the standing leg, giving Mor enough time to roll out of danger.
Gorn was almost close enough to help when the second monstrosity joined the fight, and the veteran had to make his decision, which he did in a split second. Drop had already turned to engage the new threat, but he wavered because he wasn’t used to engaging his targets directly. The scout looked into the red glowing eyes of the second monster and froze in fear, but just before the beast’s claws skewered him, a hard impact to his side made him stumble to the ground. Fortress had tackled his friend and interposed himself in front of the danger, his shield already vibrating with power. The claw attack was deflected with a grunt of effort, but the guardian couldn’t help but smile.
Seeing her father, Elly shot another arrow to give him some cover and Drop enough time to get back into the fight, which the scout did after shaking his head for a second. Finally, after the fight was heating up, Cutter and Silence came out of their hole, the former supporting the other striker. Silence nodded to his leader, handing over his ax to Cutter, drawing two daggers instead. He couldn’t wield the heavy weapon with his hurt foot, and with Cutter’s sword busted, this was the best solution for their predicament.
In silent agreement, the two men split up, Cutter going in to support the less experienced hunters, while Silence grimaced every step but still built up momentum, going for a quick strike against the fresh target.
Mor steadily raised the power in his weapon, which grew in pitch and drew the monster’s attention like a magnet. After that, only a row of desperate evasions and dodges kept Mor alive, as the now-cornered beast just went berserk on him. He hadn’t even enough time between the bites, slashed, and tail swipes to drop his physical enhancement for an offensive spell, needing every ounce of power to keep ahead of the monstrosity’s attacks. Jorgen also had no opening in the attacking frenzy and could only wait for an opportune moment, leaving Elly, but the girl hadn’t shot an arrow in a hot second. Unbeknownst to the boys, the girl was under the influence of an illusory attack and fast asleep on the branches of her tree.
The monstrosity lashed out against Mor and slashed up his upper arm, making the boy flinch back in pain. But, before it could capitalize on this opening, Jorgen threw in his attack. The boy cut deep into the already wounded leg and made the monstrosity hobble aside a step. However, the boy’s unfamiliarity with actual combat struck now, as he had used too much power and strength, forcing his blade right down to the bone of the monstrosity and getting stuck. His sword was ripped out from his hands, leaving the boy weaponless, just in time for Cutter to hit the body like a battering ram, trying to destroy the beast’s balance. The monstrosity stumbled and fell down, giving the veteran enough time to set up a decapitation strike. Still, the raptor wasn’t, and it kicked out with its leg claws while scrambling to get back up. Mor, in turn, had used the chance to free Jorgens blade and scramble out of the danger zone, leaving the monstrosity between himself and the two other hunters.
The monstrosity fixated on the one who had hurt it last with its glare, and in Cutter’s pants, a damp spot grew while his legs began to shake. However, this, in turn, was followed up by a yelp and a crash as Elly was freed from the influence and fell out of the tree when she jumped awake. The monstrosity loomed over the stunned Cutter, raising his arm for a deathly attack of its own, leaving Mor as the only armed combatant with no choice. He overcharged and hurled JorgeJorgen’sd in the same move, making the big blade tumble through the air. It was a desperate attack for a desperate moment, but it did save the veteran’s life as the monstrosity dodged, overbalanced on its hurt leg, and stumbled, looking at the Soul-kin in pure hate.
Jorgen, in turn, had dexterously caught his sword, using the momentum of the thrown weapon and adding his own in a horizontal slash, just as Elly’s arrow pierced the eye of the monstrosity, stunting its reactions. The overcharged two-handed strike hit the monstrosity in the back of its spine, severing the nerves and making it crumble down to the ground in a pained cry. Its death spasms almost killed Jorgen, who had let his guard down at the surprise of this successful attack, if not for Cutter, who deflected the foot claw with his weapon.
The young hunters let out a collective sigh of relief before remembering the second monstrosity, which redoubled its efforts to maim the second hunter team twice over after having seen its pack mate die. Everyone quickly got their shit together, not noticing the multitude of little cuts and dried blood splatters. Only Mor took a second more to rudimentarily close the bleeding wound on his arm, knowing that this would leave a deep scar, before charging after everyone.
He and the human had been constantly communicating about the level of the magic reservoir and the fight overall. Because of that, both knew this fight took a lot more energy than they had expected, leaving them with about a quarter left. Still, knowing where their power level was right now was a good experience.