The Cursed Forest (2)

-One was already a problem, now there are four..." Kael muttered as he tried to find a way out of that situation. It seemed that the Beasts still retained a minimum of intelligence, since after seeing the state of their "comrade" they did not pounce on him. 

-(I'm not completely surrounded, if I back away slowly and look for an opening, I have a chance to escape). Knife in hand, Kael began to retreat slowly, very slowly, without losing sight of the Beasts, which emitted an unpleasant growl.

-Before he could finish his sentence, Kael heard a sound, as if a sharp object was cutting something. *ZAAP* Before he could know what that sound was, a terrible pain started to spread all over his back.

- "ARGHH" When Kael turned around, he saw the Beast he had "killed", now standing, licking the blood that had been left in its claws.

-(An attack caught up with me. The pain in my back is unbearable. I was careless. It hurts. It hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts so much, it hurts---) Kael's thoughts were interrupted when he felt one of the Beasts attack him. 

-Urkk" He dodged the attack by only a few millimeters, moving away from the Beast. However, he had no time to recover, immediately after the first Beast, came the second.

It opened its mouth, wanting to devour him. With no time to dodge, Kael crouched slightly, waiting for the Beast to come closer. When the Beast was close enough *Thud* drove the knife into its upper jaw. Taking advantage of the Beast's surprised state, Kael put strength into his arms and legs, knocking the Beast to the side. He pulled out the knife, and stabbed it into its left cheek, plunging half of the knife in and then began to rip it open. He ripped open the entire side of its body, from where he plunged the knife all the way into the Beast's hind legs.

A foul stench filled the air. A foul, pungent odor rose like a dense cloud, invading the space with its pestilence. It was a bittersweet mixture of putrefaction and decay that stuck in the throat, causing the stomach to twist. The aroma, thick and rancid, seemed to have come from the very depths of hell. 

Kael didn't have time to verify if he finished off the Beast correctly, as the third one approached without a sound.

- "¡¡!!" *CRUNCH* He couldn't react, he simply couldn't, between the exhaustion of the previous fights and the poison slowly taking effect on him, there was no way to notice. However, and to Kael's misfortune, he could still feel pain. 

- "AAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!" He felt immense pain in his left hand---or rather, where it used to be. All he could see was a fountain of blood, and the Beast that attacked him devouring the hand he tore off. 

- "NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO--- DAMN IT, MY HAND, YOU ATE MY FUCKING HAND!!!" 

Fear, confusion, anger, resentment. A whole bunch of emotions began to well up inside Kael. 

- "AAAAAAAAHHH!!!" Screaming like a madman, he lunged at the Beast, stabbing it. One, two, three, four--- He continued to do so until the Beast was completely immobile.

He fell to his knees on the ground, tired and full of sweat, blood and dirt. Still, his situation was far from good. "ROOAAAR!" 

Three Beasts were still alive.