Slayer Extermination (4)

{EFFIE POV}

Taking a step back, I narrowly dodged one of the monsters swiping towards me with its claws.

Holding my spear with both hands, I turned and struck the mangled jaw of the creature with the bottom of the weapon.

Sending it crashing into a wall, its jaw hung loosely, supported only by tendons. Its purple blood dripped to the floor, making the ground sizzle.

The creature reached for its jaw, its eyes quivering with fear. Not wasting a moment, I thrust my spear forward, painting the wall with the creature's brain matter and blood.

[You have slain an Awakened Monster, Cavernous Stalker.]

[Your soul emanates Resilience.]

Retracting my spear in an instant, I turned in a wide arc and cut off the head of an approaching abomination.

To my side, another came rushing with unrestrained fury. Pivoting, I let go of the spear momentarily, retracted my left hand, and grabbed the bottom of the weapon, pushing it forward and striking the creature's abdomen.

Taking a step closer, I raised the spear and cut upwards, slicing the creature's head in two.

Huffing, I watched as another of those same abominations began rushing towards me. It was intercepted by an arrow going through its head.

Giving the charmer a smile, I threw a side kick against the creature's head, driving the arrow out the other side.

Planting my foot on the ground, I ducked to evade an oncoming slash. Turning, I blew the other creature's head open with the back of my spear.

Standing upright, I threw a punch at the head of an approaching monster. However, the tail of the creature gave it leeway, allowing it to dodge. Its clawed hands grabbed onto my forearm, piercing it with its claws.

"Ugh" I groaned, dropping the spear to the ground. I balled my fist and threw a punch, finally landing it square on its face.

Its head reeled back, but the creature didn't let go. Instead, it leaned forward and bit into my forearm.

Pain shot through my arm as the creature's jagged teeth sank into my flesh, its foul breath hot against my skin.

I gritted my teeth, refusing to cry out.

My free hand clenched into a tight fist, and with all the force I could muster, I brought it crashing down onto the side of its skull.

The creature's head snapped sideways with a sickening crack, but its grip didn't loosen. Purple blood dripped from its mouth, mingling with my own, and its many eyes glimmered with sadistic glee.

Rage boiled within me. I twisted my body and stomped on its tail, pinning it to the ground.

Using the leverage, I yanked my arm free, feeling the claws tear through my flesh. Blood flowed freely from the wounds, but there was no time to assess the damage.

The monster lunged again, and I caught it by the throat, my fingers tightening around the sinewy, pulsating flesh.

Its claws flailed wildly, trying to reach me, but I drove it backward with sheer force until its back slammed into the cavern wall.

"You want a bite?" I hissed through clenched teeth. "Here's one for you."

With a roar, I pulled back my head and slammed my forehead into the creature's grotesque face.

Bone and cartilage crunched beneath the force of the blow, and its head lolled to the side, dazed but not yet defeated.

I reached down, retrieving my spear from the ground in a swift motion, and plunged it into its stomach. The creature screeched, a grating sound that reverberated through the cavern along with the chaos, but I didn't stop.

I shoved the spear upward with brutal precision, splitting its chest open and impaling it against the wall.

Its body twitched violently before finally going still, the purple ichor spilling from its wounds pooling at my feet and sizzling against the stone.

[You have slain an Awakened Monster, Cavernous Stalker.]

[Your soul emanates Resilience.]

I staggered back, panting, and glanced down at my bloodied arm. The wounds throbbed, but I pushed the pain aside.

Looking behind me, I saw Cassie clutching her wooden staff tightly, her face twisted in a worried grimace.

Allowing a groan to escape my mouth, I took a peek at the wound on my forearm, watching the violet ichor sizzle as it ate away at my flesh.

Ignoring the pain, I surveyed the scene and finally saw that no abominations were laser-focused on me.

Turning, I noticed Nephis holding off four of the monsters alone, while above her, Kai was preoccupied with others slithering across the walls, attempting sneak attacks.

Falling involuntarily to the ground to catch my breath, I was chilled to the bone when I heard rumbling—rumbling that could only be made by a dozen stomping nightmare creatures.

Swallowing hard, I looked at the source and saw Regis fending off three monsters, with two already dead and burning in those strange amethyst flames.

Focusing my attention on Doofus, I saw only the back of his head. His gaze was locked on the tunnel from which the rumbling originated.

Using my spear as support, I prepared to help him protect the rear, but with my injury and all the small battles raging on, it was nearly impossible.

There was no need, however. A small, chilly wind circled around both of his hands. With a simple motion, the chilly mist spread forward and filled the tunnel.

As the stomping grew louder, the chill turned to ice that coated the rocks. Then, from farther inside the tunnel, a wall of dark blue ice erupted forth.

Another followed, then another, and another.

The walls stopped just in front of him, and from the roof, spikes jutted out and hurtled onto the three monsters confronting Regis.

It was too late for them to dodge as the spikes impaled them, bursting through their bodies like rotisserie chickens on skewers.

I gripped my spear tighter, feeling the weight of exhaustion pressing down on me. But the sight before me forced strength back into my limbs.

Doofus stood firm, unleashing a torrent of frost that turned the narrow tunnel into a jagged, frozen death trap.

The sheer efficiency of his… whatever that was sent shivers down my spine—it wasn't just destructive; it was calculated, almost elegant in its brutality.

The monstrous rumbling from the depths faltered momentarily, the ice wall giving even the most frenzied abominations pause. But I knew better than to let my guard down.

"Nice one!" I called out, though my voice was hoarse.

Doofus didn't turn. His rugged posture was shrouded in the strange, chilly mist. "It'll hold them off for now. Don't make me regret it by dying before they break through."

A wry smile tugged at my lips despite the situation.

I turned my attention to the others. Nephis continued battling fiercely, her white-hot flames flickering like a halo of wrath as her sword cleaved through another abomination.

She moved with surgical precision, her focus unshakable even as two of the creatures lunged at her simultaneously.

Above her, Kai was a blur of motion. His arrows pinned nightmare creatures to the walls or sent them tumbling into Nephis's flames. He floated nimbly from one spot to another, avoiding snapping jaws and slashing claws with an almost unnatural ease.

"Cassie!" I called, twisting my head to glance at her. She stood frozen, clutching her staff so tightly her knuckles had turned white.

Her wide eyes darted all around the battelfield.

Her lips parted, but before she could respond, a sharp screech pierced the air. Another wave of abominations poured in from an adjoining tunnel, their grotesque forms writhing as they scrambled over one another to reach us.

I gritted my teeth, forcing myself to stand despite the sharp pain radiating from my wounded arm.

The sizzling ichor had eaten away a good portion of the skin, leaving the flesh raw and exposed, but the adrenaline coursing through me dulled the worst of it.

"Cassie!" I barked again as an abomination lunged at her from behind. Before I could intervene, a spear of ice erupted through the monster, silencing its shrill screech as its body slowly became encased in frost.

"Good save!" I yelled, rushing to cover Cassie. Standing protectively in front of her, I watched as all the abominations froze in place, their grotesque forms swiveling towards the massive tunnel from which most of them had emerged.

A low growl emanated from the darkness, a guttural sound that reverberated through the cavern. It was as if the very air shivered in response.

The abominations shifted, standing side by side as their shriveled, grotesque bodies began to change.

Their skeletal frames thickened, muscles bulging beneath their pale flesh. What were once shriveled corpses now appeared muscular and far more foreboding.

Then, from the shadows of the massive tunnel, came the slow, deliberate thuds of something enormous.

The ground beneath us trembled with each step, dust raining down from the cavern ceiling. The faint light glinting off the purple ichor pooled on the ground illuminated a hulking silhouette. It was still veiled in darkness, but the size alone sent a jolt of dread through me.

"Cassie, stay close" I muttered, gripping my spear tightly.

"W-what is that?" she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I don't know" I admitted, my voice low.

Doofus's icy mist thickened as he stepped forward, positioning himself between the tunnel and the rest of us. Regis flanked him, his amethyst flames casting an eerie glow across his determined expression.

Then, the massive creature emerged, and it's eyes set on the his small frame.

Next Chapter: Slayer Extermination (5)