CHAPTER 151: WAR ZONE 2

Darius knelt beside a shattered crate, its dune fragments was bearing Vark’s sigils, their jagged etchings was a testament to their greed, their pursuit of the zombie den’s necrotic essence was a threat to the villages’ survival.

The trio’s Veilbane Medals were shining around their neck with their resolve that is been fueled by the memories of their hometowns’ gratitude.

Valebreach’s miners are now rebuilding the their broken cities while Duskfall’s villagers are thriving and moving forward, Ironholt’s survivors endured and survived the challenges and the trio’s their beasts’ bonds was a radiant flame against the Plains’ darkness.

On day six, the Crest pressed deeper into the Plains, their path were guided by Master Mealin’s map, its markings of safe routes and cult outposts was a constant reminder of the dangers ahead, the zombie den’s threat was growing closer with every step.

A challenge came in the form of a pack of shade-wolves, beasts that are known for their spectral howls that could disorient even seasoned warriors.

The wolves slinked out of the darkness, their eyes glowing like pale embers. One by one, their howls rose, echoing inside the skulls of the three tamers, threatening to break their focus.

Kelvin tightened his grip and whispered to Xerion’s spirit while feeling the beast’s surge of strength flood his body. He lunged at the first wolf with steel flashing under the moonlight.

Lyra was steady even under the psychic pressure of the howls and loosed an arrow that pierced the skull of another, dropping it mid-leap. Darius roared defiantly and slammed his hammer into the earth, while sending a shockwave that scattered the remaining wolves into the shadows. By the time the echoes faded, the pack lay broken around them.

But their troubles had only just begun...

Deeper into the woods, a swamp spread across their path, which is foul with stagnant water. From its depths rose the Fen Serpents, long-bodied reptiles with scales that shimmered like oil under the faint light.

Their hiss carried malice, and their movements were swift as whips. The swamp threatened to drag the trio into its murky depths, but retreat was not an option.

Lyra fired arrow after arrow, but the serpents’ slick hides deflected the shots. "Aim for the eyes!" Kelvin shouted, cleaving through one serpent’s head while dodging the strike of another.

Darius moved in without hesitation, his hammer crashed down like thunder, breaking bones and splattering swamp water in all directions. Working in grim synchronization, they cut a path through the writhing reptiles until the swamp lay silent, its surface was rippling only with the blood of its guardians.

The trio’s were exhausted but yet unbroken, the three pressed on.

It wasn’t long before the forest itself seemed to rebel against their intrusion. Twisted trees were bent unnaturally with their roots clutching at boots and ankles.

From the shadows came the fluttering of wings that are not from birds, but Night Fiends, creatures with leathery skin and rows of jagged teeth that are usually drawn to the scent of living flesh. They swarmed like a storm of claws and shrieks.

Kelvin fought with Xerion’s spirit blazing through him, cutting down fiends with fluid strikes. Lyra loosed some arrows with deadly precision, each shaft pierced a screeching monster mid-flight.

Darius, swinging in wide arcs, crushed multiple foes at once with his hammer and left craters in the earth. Yet for every beast they felled, more seemed to rise, their shrieks threatened to be drown out of hope itself.

Only by setting a controlled blaze was Lyra’s flaming arrow ignited the underbrush which was used to finally drive the swarm back. The firelight painted their faces in grim shades of orange and red as silence once again descended upon the path they were moving on.

Breathing hard, Kelvin wiped the sweat from his brow and glanced ahead. Beyond the blackened trees, the ground was dipped into a valley that was shrouded in unnatural mist. Even from this distance, an aura of decay and corruption wafted toward them, chilling their bones.

The forest grew darker the farther they ventured, until even the moonlight could no longer pierce the tangled canopy above. The path were narrowed into a ravine, its walls were slick with moss, and the sound of rushing water echoed faintly ahead.

Kelvin raised his hand to signal a halt. "Something’s wrong," he whispered. The air had grown heavy, as if the forest itself was holding its breath.

A moment later, the ground trembled. Rocks tumbled from the ravine walls, and a massive shadow slithered across the cliffside.

From the darkness emerged the Abyssal Ravager a monstrous centipede-like beast, its armored segments glistened like an obsidian, its many legs were clawing into the rock. Its mandibles were clacked together with a sound that was almost metallic, and the stench of acid oozed from its gaping maw.

The creature lunged with terrifying speed, forcing the trio to scatter. Its mandibles crashed into the earth where Darius had stood and shattered stone like glass.

Lyra released a pulled of arrows, but the shafts bounced harmlessly off its thick carapace. "It is too heavily armored!" she cried, while moving to a higher ground.

Kelvin clenched his jaw, while calling on Xerion’s power. His blade burned with spirit energy, and he slashed across the Ravager’s flank, but even that left only a shallow mark.

The beast shrieked, whipping its segmented body around and striked him with enough force to fling him into the ravine wall. The impact rattled his bones, leaving his vision to be blurred.

"Kelvin!" Darius called out while charging to intercept. His hammer came down with earth-shaking force, but the Ravager caught it in its mandibles, sparks was flying as it ground against the steel. With a violent twist, it nearly wrenched the weapon from his hands.

The creature reared back, its body glowed faintly. Acid welled up in its throat, sizzling as it prepared to unleash a torrent.

Lyra’s eyes was widened. "It is going to melt the whole ravine!"

Desperation clawed at them, but Kelvin, staggered back to his feet and forced his voice to be steady. "The armor is too thick, try and aim for the joints!"

Summoning the last reserves of Xerion’s strength, he darted forward, targeting the gaps between the beast’s plated segments. His blade pierced deep into the softer flesh that was beneath, and the Ravager screeched while thrashing violently.

Lyra seized the chance and fired an arrow that tipped with a crackling enchantment that moved straight into the wound. The shock exploded inside the beast and sent its body into pieces.

Darius roared and swung his hammer upward with all his might and crushed the underside of its head. Bones were shattered, acid spilled, and the Ravager convulsed before collapsing into a lifeless heap that shook the ravine floor.

For a moment, none of them moved, their breaths ragged, their bodies were bruised and battered. The acrid stench of acid smoke burned their lungs, and the echo of the monster’s death cry lingered like for a while.

"That... nearly ended us," Lyra whispered, clutching her bow so tightly her knuckles whitened. Kelvin nodded his head with his chest heaving. "If the road to the Zombie Den is guarded by things like this... what waits inside will be worse."

Darius wiped blood from his lip and tightened his grip on his hammer. "Then we will face it the same way we faced this. Together."

The three exchanged a weary but resolute glance, then pressed onward, knowing the shadows ahead holds even greater horrors.

The forest trail eventually broke into a rocky clearing where jagged cliffs loomed on both sides. The ground was scattered with shattered boulders, as though giants had once battled here. The air felt heavy with every sound that muffled by an unnatural stillness.

Kelvin slowed his pace, eyes was narrowing. "Stay sharp... something is watching us."

A sudden crack echoed across the clearing. One of the boulders shifted, while rising to its feet with a grinding roar.

Dust shoved off its body while revealing a hulking monster, the Stone hide Goliath, was a creature of rock and flesh fused together by some ancient curse. Its hide was as thick as fortress walls, and its fists were like siege hammers.

With the earth-shaking steps, it moved forward with its gaze locked on the intruders. The first blow came fast, too fast for its size.

The ground split as the beast slammed its fist down, nearly crushing Darius where he stood. The shockwave flung him backward, his hammer fell across the rocks.

Lyra fired arrow after arrow, but they snapped harmlessly against its stone armor. "Nothing is piercing it!" she shouted, scrambling for higher ground.

Kelvin leapt forward as Xerion’s spirit blazed in his blade. He struck at the creature’s leg, but the steel only scraped sparks off its armor.

Immediately the beast swiped at him with its massive arm, sending him tumbling across the dirt, blood spraying from his lip.