Chapter 52: First Victory

"These ones are smarter," she grunts, wrenching her blade free as she sidesteps a strike from another guard. "They're waiting for us to make a mistake."

"Then don't give them one," Kov replies, his voice tense but steady as he pivots, blocking a claw swipe with his spear and slamming the butt of his weapon down into the Grimcrawler's eye.

The air is thick with the sounds of battle, shouts, and the furious hissing of the Grimcrawlers. The younger warriors, now locked in combat with the worker Grimcrawlers, fight with renewed resolve, their courage spurred on by watching their chief and the veterans hold their ground against the guards.

To Kov's left, a young recruit, battles a worker Grimcrawler, his movements growing more confident with each strike. "I can't believe I'm fighting a worker Grimcrawlers on my own!" he thought, narrowly dodging a claw swipe.