V1-Chapter 26 : Unknown Hooded Skeleton

The trio gathered together, relief and triumph washed over them, and they exchanged smiles and congratulatory nods on their hard-earned victory. However, their celebration was short-lived as Elina suddenly froze, her gaze fixed on something in the distance.

"Look! What's that? Over there!" Elina's voice quivered with a mixture of fear and curiosity as she pointed towards a dark figure draped in a cloak, hovering above Rosie's fallen form. Serena and Raina turned to follow Elina's gaze, their hearts pounding once again as they beheld the mysterious figure. The sight sent a chill down their spines, and they instinctively moved closer together, their hands tightening around their bows.

The figure remained silent, its hood obscuring its features as it hovered ominously above Rosie's massive body. Despite the dim light of the cave, the trio could sense an aura of power emanating from the cloaked figure, sending shivers down their spines.

Peering behind the black cloak hood, their hearts sank at the sight before them. Instead of a living being, they saw a skeletal figure, its bones gleaming faintly in the dim light of the cave. Its eyes glowed with a mysterious green light, casting an eerie glow across its hollow sockets.

The skeleton held a staff made of rotten wood, its gnarled surface emanating an aura of ancient power. The trio could only stare in fear and awe, feeling the weight of a stronger, more ominous presence emanating from this unknown hooded skeleton.

As the trio watched in fear, the hooded skeleton suddenly turned its head toward them, its hollow eye sockets seeming to fixate on Serena, Elina, and Raina. The eerie clicking sound emanating from its jaw sent shivers down their spines, filling the cavern with an unsettling sense of foreboding.

Before they could react, the hooded skeleton raised its staff, aiming it directly at the trio. A spark ignited from the tip of the staff, quickly growing into a massive fireball that hurtled toward them with alarming speed.

"Oh no! Move! Dodge!" Serena's voice rang out, urgency lacing her words as she shouted a warning to her companions. Reacting swiftly, the trio leaped to the side, narrowly avoiding the searing heat of the fireball as it exploded against the cavern wall behind them.

Serena struggled to get up from ground, her limbs trembling with exertion and fear, she felt a chilling presence looming behind her. Instinctively, she reached for her knife, her heart pounding in her chest as she turned around to confront whatever it was that awaited her.

Before she could fully comprehend what was happening, a sudden force struck her with alarming speed, knocking her off her feet and sending her flying across the cave. Pain shot through her body as she collided with the rough cavern floor, her breath knocked out of her lungs as she gasped for air.

Dazed and disoriented, Serena struggled to regain her bearings, her head spinning from the impact. With trembling hands, she pushed herself up, her eyes wide with shock and fear as she surveyed her surroundings. The hooded skeleton loomed before her, its skeletal form emanating a sinister aura as it brandished its rotten staff with lethal intent.

Gritting her teeth against the pain coursing through her body, Serena forced herself to focus, her mind racing as she assessed the situation. She knew she couldn't afford to falter now.

As the hooded skeleton prepared to strike Serena with its staff, an arrow flew through the air with remarkable speed, aimed directly at the mysterious figure. However, before it could make contact, the arrow was repelled by an unseen barrier.

Serena's heart skipped a beat as she watched the futile attempt to intervene, her gaze shifting to Raina, who stood behind the hooded skeleton. Despite the fear etched on Raina's face, Serena could see a glimmer of courage shining through her eyes as she bravely stood her ground.

Without a moment's hesitation, the hooded skeleton, still fixated on Serena, suddenly vanished from its position beside her and reappeared behind Raina. With a swift and powerful swing of its staff, the hooded skeleton struck Raina with devastating force, sending her flying through the air before she landed with a painful thud, unconscious and injured.

Serena's heart sank as she watched her friend being hurled across the cave, her mind racing with fear and desperation. She knew they were facing a formidable foe unlike any they had encountered before, and the sight of Raina lying motionless on the ground only increased her despair.

Serena's eyes scanned the cavern, her heart pounding with fear and desperation, a sudden shout pierced the air. Looking up, she saw Elina, tears streaming down her face, her knife gripped tightly in her hand as she leaped toward the hooded skeleton with unbridled fury.

Serena's instinct was to intervene, to stop Elina from facing the same fate as Raina, but before she could even take a step, she watched in horror as Elina launched herself at the skeletal figure with all her might. Elina's attack was fueled by the anger and determination of seeing Raina struck down by the hooded skeleton. With a primal scream, she aimed her knife at the creature, her movements swift and fierce as she sought to avenge her fallen friend.

But her efforts were in vain.

With a mere flick of its staff, the hooded skeleton effortlessly deflected Elina's assault, the gentle swipe of its rotting wood sending her hurtling across the cave. Elina crashed into the cavern wall with a sickening thud, her body crumpling to the ground as she coughed up blood, unconscious and heavily injured.

Serena's heart clenched with anguish as she watched her friend fall, her mind reeling with shock and despair. The sight of both Raina and Elina lying motionless on the ground filled her with a deep sense of helplessness.

As Serena lay there, her friends unconscious and injured around her, she watched with a sense of dread as the hooded skeleton turned its attention toward her. Its hollow eye sockets seemed to bore into her soul, and Serena felt a chill run down her spine as its jaws clicked ominously.

Desperation clawed at Serena's chest as she attempted to push herself up, but her body refused to cooperate. Exhausted and injured, she could do nothing but watch helplessly as the hooded skeleton began to approach her, its skeletal form moving with an eerie grace.

Each step the hooded skeleton took sent a wave of terror coursing through Serena's veins. She knew that she was defenseless, her strength depleted and her will faltering. As the hooded figure drew nearer, its jaws clicking with an unsettling rhythm, Serena's mind raced with fear and uncertainty.

But amidst the overwhelming sense of despair, a flicker of memory emerged. She recalled the day when a mysterious man had appeared out of nowhere, saving them from the Gobleens. Despite his peculiar appearance, he had shown them kindness and strength, guiding them through countless dangers with unwavering determination.

Serena's heart ached as she thought of the man they had once called odd, his presence a beacon of hope in their darkest moments. She longed for the safety and comfort of his companionship, wishing she could feel his reassuring presence beside her once more.

With tears streaming down her cheeks, Serena gazed up at the hooded skeleton with a mixture of resignation and acceptance. She knew that her time was running out, but instead of succumbing to fear, she found solace in the memories of the life she had lived.

As the hooded skeleton loomed over her, Serena closed her eyes and whispered a silent prayer. She wished for the chance to be reunited with her friends and Rylan who had once saved them, wherever their journey may lead them in the next life. With a faint smile on her lips, Serena surrendered herself to the darkness, her heart filled with hope for the future, even in the face of death.

The hooded skeleton raised its staff, ready to unleash another deadly attack upon Serena, a sudden flicker of movement caught its attention. But before it could fully comprehend what was happening, a figure materialized behind it, unseen and unnoticed.

The hooded skeleton remained oblivious as the figure, shrouded in mystery, raised a shield with eyes glowing red, filled with a simmering rage. With a steaming breath, the unknown guardian uttered a sentence that echoed through the cavern, filled with uncensored rage.

"Hey, who told you that you can lay your hand on my women?"

With a swift and powerful motion, the figure brought down the shield, striking the hooded skeleton's head with a resounding slap. The force of the blow sent the skeletal creature hurtling through the air, its form tumbling and crashing against the cavern walls.