Arc 1 - New allies

The battle was chaotic, the sounds of snarls, screams, and clashing metal echoing off the walls. But slowly, we began to turn the tide. The creatures were vicious, but they were no match for our coordinated efforts.

As the last of the smaller creatures fell, the larger ones charged with renewed fury. These beasts were nightmarish amalgamations of limbs and teeth, their slick, black bodies undulating as they moved. Their lack of eyes did nothing to hinder them; they seemed to sense their prey through some malevolent force, honing in on our group with terrifying precision.

Orsus, with his bulky frame, met the first of these monstrosities head-on. He braced himself as the creature lunged, its massive jaws snapping shut inches from his face. With a roar, Orsus drove his shoulder into the beast, knocking it off balance, and sank his teeth into its neck, his powerful jaws tearing through the slick hide. The creature screeched in pain, thrashing wildly, but Orsus held firm, his strength overpowering the creature as he tore it apart.

Meanwhile, Orish darted through the battlefield with his usual speed and agility. He danced around the creatures, his sharp claws slashing at their exposed limbs as he moved. He leaped onto the back of one of the larger beasts, raking his claws down its spine before jumping clear as it bucked and writhed in pain. His movements were a blur, too fast for the creatures to catch, and he took full advantage of his speed to outmaneuver them.

Zephyr soared above the fray, his wings beating furiously as he summoned a powerful gust of wind. The wind whipped through the chamber, slamming into the creatures with enough force to send them crashing into the walls. As they struggled to regain their footing, Zephyr swooped down, his talons raking across their backs, leaving deep, bloody gashes in his wake.

Lorelin stayed close to me, her healing magic ready to mend any wounds we might sustain. But when one of the creatures lunged at us, she didn't hesitate to defend herself. She released a blast of green energy from her mouth, striking the creature in the face and causing it to recoil in pain. Her usually gentle eyes were filled with determination, and I could see the fierce protectiveness she felt for all of us. It surprised me nonetheless as I managed to quickly check what she just did.

[Activating skill: Eyeglass]

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Verdant Pulse

Description: Harnessing their innate healing magic, the caster can release a concentrated blast of life energy. While primarily a defensive technique, it can deal significant damage to enemies, particularly those with corrupt or unnatural forms. This ability is a manifestation of one's protective instincts, turning their healing magic into a force for offence when their team is threatened.

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As for me, I used my Tactical Thinking to direct our efforts, calling out commands and guiding my siblings' attacks. I focused on the largest of the creatures, a towering brute with razor-sharp claws and a mouth filled with rows of jagged teeth. I waited for the right moment, then launched myself at its exposed flank, sinking my teeth into its flesh. The creature roared in pain, thrashing wildly as it tried to shake me off, but I held on, my claws digging into its hide as I tore at its flesh.

Together, we fought with everything we had, using our strengths to complement each other and keep the creatures at bay. The battle was brutal, the air thick with the scent of blood and the sounds of snarls and screams. But slowly, we began to gain the upper hand, our relentless assault overwhelming the monsters.

Finally, with one last, desperate strike, I tore out the throat of the largest creature, its lifeblood gushing over my muzzle as it collapsed to the ground with a final, pitiful whimper. The remaining creatures, sensing their defeat, turned and fled into the shadows, leaving us standing victorious amidst the carnage.

[Skill Level Up: Tactical Thinking level up 2 -> 3]

Nice even if it's hard for me to think about this skill... I mean it's more like I gain more and more experience and just know what to do and when.

I finally turned my attention to the adventurers. They were battered and bloodied, their faces etched with exhaustion and fear. But they were still standing, and their leader—the young fae with striking green eyes and hair that seemed to shimmer like leaves in the sunlight—was holding his ground.

He looked at us with a mix of relief and confusion, clearly trying to make sense of the fact that a group of wolves, a griffin and a strange wingless dragonish creature - yup that's me - had just come to his rescue. The Fae's eyes met mine, and I could see the wheels turning in his mind, trying to communicate with us.

"We're the ones who just saved your tails if we wanted to eat you up, we wouldn't risk our lives," I said, knowing full well he wouldn't understand my words. But there was no harm in trying. My voice carried a tone that I hoped conveyed the message: You're welcome, but who the heck are you?

The fae-druid hesitated, clearly not understanding my words but sensing the meaning behind them. He placed a hand on his chest and bowed slightly, a gesture of gratitude. His gaze flickered between us as if trying to gauge our intentions.

Zephyr, stepped forward, his eyes locking onto the fae's. The two seemed to share a silent understanding, one that transcended words. Zephyr's presence seemed to calm the fae, who nodded as if to acknowledge something unseen.

I glanced at Zephyr, raising an eyebrow. "You getting anything from him?"

Zephyr ruffled his feathers slightly, a sign that he was thinking. "It's… hard to explain. I can't understand his words, but I can feel his emotions, his intentions. He doesn't mean us any harm. He's scared, but he's grateful too. I think he wants to help."

The fae druid, sensing the shift in our demeanour, pointed to himself and then to the few remaining members of his group. They were in rough shape, barely standing after the brutal fight. The fae made a gesture that looked like an invitation as if asking us to join him.

"He wants us to work together," I said, more to myself than to anyone else. The idea was both intriguing and risky. We had no reason to trust him, but then again, he had no reason to trust us either.

Orish, ever the sceptic, stepped forward and sniffed the air around the fae, his nose wrinkling slightly. "We could use the help," he said, his tone grudging. "But we keep our guard up. We don't know what these guys were after, and I don't want any surprises. Besides... they are humanoids."

"Agreed," I said, meeting the fae's gaze once more. "We stick together, but we stay alert."

The fae seemed to understand the gist of our exchange, nodding as if in agreement. He gestured towards the depths of the chamber, indicating that there was more to explore. More dangers to face. But also, perhaps, more secrets to uncover.

I took a deep breath, feeling the weight of our situation settling on my shoulders. We had no idea what lay ahead, but there was no turning back now. We were in this together, for better or worse.

"Alright, let's move," I said, signalling for the group to follow. "And let's hope this fae knows what he's doing."

"Should I heal them?" Lorelin asked me.

"No... don't show your skills yet... we don't know them. Right now they are weaker than us, but with full capabilities, who knows if they'd decide they need our help. Not to mention that we should never fully trust a humanoid," I explain and she nods her head.

With that, we continued deeper into the ruins, the fae-druid and his remaining companions walking alongside us. It was an uneasy alliance, built on necessity rather than trust, but it was a start.

And as we ventured further into the darkness, I couldn't shake the feeling that this was only the beginning of something much bigger. The Dungeon was waking up, its secrets slowly being revealed. And whatever lay ahead, I knew we would face it together—even if we didn't fully understand each other just yet.