Capítulo 15: It's Over
As the gremlins continued their relentless assault, the situation became increasingly desperate. Harry's arms were burning from exertion, and his grip on the makeshift weapon had grown slick with sweat and blood.
The forest echoed with the screams and grunts of both the students and the gremlins. The monsters seemed to sense their prey's weakening resolve and surged forward, their eyes glowing with malevolent glee.
The defenders were gradually pushed back toward the clearing, where the underground monsters lay in wait, their gaping maws ready to snap up any unfortunate soul who strayed too close.
It felt like they were being herded into a trap, a last stand against an overwhelming force. The ground was a treacherous mix of mud and blood, making every step a struggle.
A quick glance around told Harry everything he needed to know. The once sturdy line of defense had crumbled. Mr. Avery was down, clutching a gash on his arm as blood seeped through his fingers.
The stronger boys, who had fought bravely, were now on the ground, either too injured or too exhausted to continue. Even Mr. Greene, who had retreated earlier, was nowhere to be seen, having made it to the relative safety of the base.
Harry's heart sank as he realized they were truly surrounded. The gremlins had managed to encircle them, their numbers so great that they did not fear the underground monsters. The circle was closing in, and Harry felt a rising panic in his chest. His breaths were shallow and rapid, the weight of their situation pressing down on him like a vise.
"Keep fighting!" Mr. Thompson's voice cut through the chaos, but even he was showing signs of fatigue. He swung his branch with less force, his movements slowing. Yet, he still stood tall, defiance written on his face as he struck down another gremlin. He was a pillar of strength in the madness, but even pillars can crack.
A sharp pain exploded in Harry's side as a gremlin's claws raked across his ribs. He cried out, staggering back as his HP dropped from 9 to 7. His vision blurred momentarily from the pain, but he gritted his teeth, fighting through it. He couldn't afford to stop. Not now. Not when they were so close to being overwhelmed.
Another gremlin lunged at him, and Harry swung his branch with all the strength he had left, knocking the creature back. But the effort cost him; his stamina was rapidly depleting, dropping from 5 to 2. His muscles burned, and his limbs felt like lead. Every breath was a struggle, every movement an act of sheer willpower.
Harry's HP plummeted further as a gremlin's claws found purchase in his thigh, dropping his health from 7 to 5. Blood streamed down his leg, pooling in his boot, but he pushed through the pain. He had to keep moving. He had to keep fighting. He couldn't let it end like this.
The gremlins pressed harder, sensing the defenders' weakening state. Harry could see Mr. Thompson was barely holding on, his swings slower and less precise. He himself was feeling light-headed, his vision narrowing to a tunnel. The world around him seemed to slow, sounds becoming muffled as if he were underwater.
The situation was dire. His mind screamed at him to run, to find some way out of this mess, but there was nowhere to go. They were surrounded, trapped between the monstrous maws below and the unending wave of gremlins above. Despair clawed at his heart, and he felt a crushing weight settle on his chest.
For a brief moment, Harry considered giving up.
'G-give up... end...'
Letting it end here.
'It's... over... Sorry... Mom... Dad....'
'...'
'...'
'Damn it! I have... yet to say... goodbye to them!'
Something deep within him, something primal and yet fading started to spark.
'I'll... survive... this shit!'
'No... matter what.'
A burning desire to survive, to see more of this incredible, terrifying world. A world that, despite its dangers, was full of wonders he had never imagined.
With a guttural roar, Harry swung his branch with every ounce of strength he had left. The gremlins recoiled, momentarily taken aback by his sudden ferocity. He felt his muscles strain and his breath come in ragged gasps, but he didn't care.
He would fight until he had nothing left.
"Come on! You think you can take me?!" Harry shouted, his voice raw with rage and desperation. The frustration, fear, and stress that had been building inside him erupted in a furious cry.
He didn't care anymore.
He would fight them all, even if it meant his end.
[...]
Suddenly, he felt a strange warmth envelop him, and his vision flickered. Messages appeared in front of his eyes, but he could barely make them out through the haze of exhaustion and pain.
[You have reached your limit.]
[You have a strong will to survive.]
[You are trying to break your limits...]
[You are trying to do something foolish...]
[Strong resonance detected with a paradoxical essence of the Echelon of Essences.]
[...]
[...]
The words barely registered in his mind. He was too tired to care.
His eyes grew heavy, his body weak. He felt his consciousness slipping, the world around him fading to black.
But just as he was about to collapse, he saw something that made his heart skip a beat. Gremlins were flying through the air, their bodies slamming into trees with sickening thuds. One after another, they were sent hurtling away as if struck by an invisible force.
Harry blinked, trying to focus. His confusion turned to shock as a figure emerged from the chaos, moving with inhuman speed and precision. The figure was covered in blood, but it was unmistakable.
"M-Max?" Harry muttered, his voice barely a whisper as he recognized the figure.
Relief and disbelief washed over him in equal measure. He didn't know how Max had found them or why he was here, but at that moment, he didn't care.
Max, the hidden protagonist of his theories was here, and that meant they had a chance.
"Hey, you! Don't-!"
Harry's legs gave out, and he fell backward, but he never hit the ground. Someone caught him, and he felt a strange sense of peace wash over him.
The pain faded, the sounds of battle grew distant, and the world went dark.
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