Chương 17: Pool Friends pt.2
More skeletal figures slithered from the shadowy pool, their rotting flesh barely clinging to brittle frames. Hunger burned in their hollow eye sockets as they clawed their way into the flickering light. Kyrntar gripped his sword tighter, feeling the chill of the temple seep into his bones. He knew he couldn't slow down now. Even as his body begged him for rest. These creatures were an old evil, the air around them pulsed with malevolence, their very presence a stain on the world.
Kyrntar steadied his breath, the chill of the temple sinking into his skin. His fingers curled tighter around the hilt of his greatsword, the weight of the blade a familiar comfort in his hands. Focus. Strike first. End them quickly. He tried to focus on a calculative plan.
Kyrntar's blade cut through the first abomination with a sharp crack, but he didn't stop. A creature lashed out, its claws slicing through the air. Kyrntar shifted his weight, ducking beneath the strike and driving his blade upward in a swift counter, bone snapping with a sharp crack that echoed through the chamber. The creature staggered, its bones rattling as it struggled to stay upright. But it didn't fall. The dark energy animating it seemed to hold the pieces together, defying the force of Kyrntar's strike.
Frustration gnawed at him. He adjusted his stance, raising his sword high for a crushing blow. His muscles burned as he shifted his stance, his heart pounding with the thrill of battle. The second strike came harder, faster, and this time, the skeletal figure collapsed into a heap of bones and decay, its rotten form splashing into the dark pool with a heavy crash.
But there was no time to relish the victory. The skeletal horde crept closer, their jaws clattering in eerie silence as they stalked forward, hunger gleaming in those hollow eyes. Kyrntar's own eyes flickered from one to the next, calculating their movements, anticipating their attacks. They circled him, their glowing eyes locked on him, but he was ready.
With a roar, Kyrntar spun on his heel, his greatsword cleaving through the air in a wide arc. The blade caught the next skeletal creature mid-lunge, slicing through its skull and sending shards of bone flying. The impact echoed through the chamber, but Kyrntar didn't stop. His sword was already moving, cutting down another as it reached for him, its claws scraping uselessly against his armor.
Adrenaline coursed through his veins, but exhaustion followed close behind, creeping into his muscles. His swing didn't bite as deep this time. Kyrntar's arm shook as he pulled his blade free, his grip loosening for a heartbeat too long. He braced himself, forcing his body to move faster, but the strain gnawed at his focus.The sword that had once been an extension of his will now dragged at his arms, its weight more noticeable with each swing. His breath came faster, the air in the temple thick and suffocating as he cut down another abomination. Keep moving. Keep fighting.
Yet the effort to stay ahead of the onslaught was becoming more taxing. He could feel the fatigue creeping into his limbs, his strikes lacking the sharpness they had moments ago. His armor, once a shield of strength, now felt like an anchor pulling him down. Every step felt heavier, his muscles burning under the strain. The temple's oppressive energy pressed against him, like the weight of a thousand eyes watching, waiting for him to falter.
Kyrntar gritted his teeth, forcing himself to push through the exhaustion. Another swing, another strike—but this time, his sword didn't bite as deep. The skeletal figure before him recoiled, but it didn't shatter. It lunged again, and Kyrntar barely had time to raise his weapon in defense. The impact sent a jolt of pain up his arm, and for the first time, his footing faltered.
This isn't good, he thought, his breath coming in ragged gasps. His heart pounded against his chest, his legs feeling like they were made of lead. Sensing his weakness, the skeletal fiends closed in, their movements quicker, their hollow eyes gleaming with a predatory hunger.
Kyrntar steadied himself, but the fatigue was undeniable. The once effortless movements now took everything he had. I'm stronger than this. He grit his teeth. Focus. The temple's energy dragged at him, but he wouldn't yield.
Another abomination lunged, its claws raking across his armor. Kyrntar stumbled back, his sword slipping in his grip. He could feel his body growing sluggish, his reactions slowing. Not yet… just a little longer. But the truth gnawed at him—his strikes weren't enough, and he was running out of time.
Mustering his last reserves of strength, Kyrntar heaved his sword in a final arc, the swing lacking the force it once held. The skeleton staggered, but didn't fall. Kyrntar's arms trembled, the weight of his sword nearly unbearable now. He could feel the darkness closing in, the abominations circling like vultures waiting for their prey to collapse.
As the skeletal abominations continued their relentless assault on Kyrntar, the oppressive darkness thickened around him. His arms trembled from the weight of his sword, his breath ragged. As Kyrntar's arms faltered, the ground beneath him shook. A massive form charged through the skeletal horde, armor gleaming, warhammer swinging. The creatures shattered beneath his blows as he plowed forward.
Covered in gleaming golden armor, the loxodon was a towering figure of strength and power. His tusks gleamed beneath his helmet, and his trunk curled in anticipation of the battle ahead. His shield was raised high, and his fists clenched around the hilt of a massive warhammer that shone with an otherworldly light. He let out a low, guttural sound, more like a rumble than a roar, before charging forward with the force of an avalanche.
With the weight of a mountain, the beastman slammed into the nearest skeletal figure. Bones splintered beneath his warhammer as he tore through the horde, shattering them with raw force. The dark energy that once held the creature together dissipating in an instant. His massive frame plowed through the skeletal warriors like they were nothing more than brittle branches, sending debris and fragments flying across the chamber. His warhammer came down again with a sickening crunch, reducing the abomination beneath it to a pile of dust and ruin.
For a moment, Kyrntar felt something shift in the shadows, a flicker of movement just beyond his sight. Then, from his very shadow, a lithe figure emerged, moving with silent precision. She materialized from his shadow, her lithe form barely visible in the dim light, her movements as fluid and precise as a whisper of death. Kyrntar's mind raced as he tried to make sense of it. How... how did she...?
But there was no time for answers. The shadow, a sleek and deadly kenku, moved with the grace of a predator stalking its prey. Her feathers, a dark, inky black, seemed to blend with the very shadows around her, and her piercing eyes gleamed with cold focus. She moved in silence, her twin daggers flashing in the faint light as she darted between the remaining skeletal figures with deadly precision.
With a swift, almost invisible movement, she struck. Her daggers plunged into the brittle spine of one of the skeletal abominations, and in a heartbeat, she was gone, slipping into the shadows once more. The skeleton collapsed before it even realized what had hit it, its bones clattering to the ground in a lifeless heap.
Kyrntar, still grappling with the strange and sudden arrival of his companions, felt a wave of relief wash over him. The loxodon massive figure was already wreaking havoc among the skeletal forces, his armor glinting in the dim light, while the raven woman moved like a phantom, her every strike deadly and precise. Yet, as he watched, a strange unease crept into Kyrntar's thoughts. How had she emerged from his shadow? What kind of power allowed her to move like that?
But there was no time to dwell on it. The skeletal figures, though relentless, were no match for the combined might of the strangers. With a final, bone-shattering blow, the elephant man swung his warhammer into the last abomination, the force of the strike reverberating through the chamber like a thunderclap. Bones flew in every direction, scattering across the stone floor as the dark energy that had animated the creature evaporated into the air.
The raven, her daggers still gleaming with a faint shimmer, slid back into the shadows, her movements impossibly quiet. Kyrntar glanced at her, his mind swirling with questions, but he knew now wasn't the time. The temple still pulsed with malevolence, and though the immediate threat had been reduced to nothing but debris, the real danger lay deeper within.
The behemoth warrior turned to Kyrntar, his golden armor still gleaming despite the dust and debris clinging to it. His breath came steady and calm, though his eyes betrayed a sharp awareness of the battle yet to come. Kyrntar, on the other hand, could feel the weight of his fatigue. His armor, though lighter than the strangers, felt unbearably heavy. His arms ached, his legs trembling under the strain of battle.
I have to push through, Kyrntar thought, forcing himself to stand straighter. But the reality was sinking in—he was slowing down. His strikes no longer carried the same power, his movements less precise. He felt the fatigue creeping through his body, like the very air in the temple was draining his strength.
As the dust settled, Kyrntar's breath came in ragged gasps, his limbs heavy, his mind swirling. He glanced at the two new arrivals—saviors, yes, but strangers too. What secrets did they hide in the shadows? His hand tightened on his sword.
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