Chương 18: Hell
It's been four months since Tristan and Viper left. Four months of near-constant hell. Without Tristan, dungeon runs have gone from harrowing to downright suicidal. He always had this uncanny ability to turn chaos into opportunity, to push us through the impossible. Now it's just me and the twins—Korin and Kirelle—left to fend for ourselves, and this A-rank dungeon is proving to be one hell of a challenge.
I press my back against a jagged rock, my breath coming in ragged gasps. A sharp pain lances through my waist where an orc's axe caught me earlier. Blood seeps through my fingers as I clutch the wound, my vision swimming. The sound of explosions thunders behind me, mingling with guttural roars and the twang of Korin's bow.
"This is bad," I mutter under my breath. The coppery tang of blood fills my mouth, and I spit it out, cursing the betrayal that brought us here.
This was supposed to be a joint raid. Two teams working together to clear this dungeon. Instead, those bastards left us to die, sealing us in with a horde of purple-skinned orcs. These aren't your average grunts. They're stronger, faster, and smarter, led by a cunning leader. Intelligent monsters are a bitch to deal with.
The twins are still fighting, their elemental magic lighting up the cavern. Korin's arrows whistle through the air, guided by his wind abilities, each one finding its mark with deadly precision. Kirelle stands beside him, her hands blazing with fire as she hurls fiery projectiles at the advancing orcs.
I rummage through my bag with trembling hands and pull out my last potion. The glass vial feels heavier than it should, the liquid inside sloshing ominously. "Here goes nothing."
I pop the cork and down the potion, wincing as the bitter liquid burns its way down my throat. A wave of heat spreads through my body, the pain in my waist dulling as the wound begins to close. The sensation is agonizing, but I grit my teeth and bear it.
The sound of Kirelle's shout snaps me out of it. "Daelan!"
I glance up to see her surrounded, her fiery blasts keeping the orcs at bay but barely. Korin is at her side, loosing arrow after arrow, but even he's beginning to falter.
Gripping my dagger, I push myself to my feet. The shadows around me stir, curling like living smoke in response to my rising adrenaline. My darkness ability has always been my edge in combat, and right now, it's all I've got.
I sprint toward the twins, my boots skidding on the blood-slicked ground. An orc lunges at me, its massive axe swinging in a deadly arc. I duck under the blow, rolling to the side and coming up with my dagger aimed at its exposed flank. The blade sinks in deep, and the creature lets out a guttural roar before collapsing.
"About time!" Korin snaps, loosing another arrow. His face is pale, a deep gash across his brow leaking blood into his eyes.
"Nice of you to join us," Kirelle adds, her flames flaring.
The three of us move as one, years of fighting together making our coordination seamless. Korin's arrows whistle past my ears, striking down orcs before they can get too close. Kirelle's fire surges around us, forming a protective barrier that burns anything that gets too close.
I dart between them, my dagger flashing in the dim light as I aim for weak points. The orcs are relentless, their hulking forms moving with surprising speed and coordination. My shadows lash out, tripping some and blinding others, giving us precious seconds to strike.
The cavern shakes as the orc leader steps into view. It's massive, easily twice the size of the others, its purple skin marked with glowing runes. Its eyes gleam with intelligence as it surveys the battlefield, a cruel grin spreading across its face.
"Shit," I mutter.
The leader lets out a deafening roar, and the remaining orcs rally around it. They charge us in a wave, their weapons gleaming in the flickering light.
"Korin, Kirelle, fall back!" I shout.
"No way!" Kirelle snaps, her flames intensifying.
"We can't take them head-on," Korin agrees, his voice tight. "We need a plan."
"Then let's make one on the run!"
We retreat, covering each other as we fall back deeper into the cavern. The orc leader watches us, its grin widening. It's toying with us, letting us exhaust ourselves before it moves in for the kill.
My heart pounds as I glance at the twins. We're outnumbered, outmatched, and running out of options. But I'll be damned if I let this be the end.
The leader roars again, and the horde surges forward.
Time to see if we've got what it takes to survive.
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