The cave trembled, dust and small rocks shaking loose from the ceiling as the creatures rammed against the protective barrier. The translucent shield flickered under the relentless assault, and Massa's breath came in sharp, ragged gasps as she poured more of her essence into maintaining it. Beads of sweat rolled down her pale face, her arms trembling under the strain.
Nefer stood a few feet away, her slender sword glinting under the fractured moonlight filtering in through the cave entrance. Her armor, though light, still offered some protection—unlike Hope, who stood barefoot on the cold ground, clad in nothing but his tattered cloak. His makeshift dagger felt like a splinter in his grip, cracks running along its brittle surface.
This isn't good…
Another impact sent a violent shudder through the cave, and Massa let out a strangled gasp. The shield flickered dangerously, its once-strong glow dimming.
"They're breaking through!" she hissed, her voice taut with exhaustion.
Hope gritted his teeth. If they waited any longer, Massa would collapse, and they'd be defenseless.
"Drop the shield!" he barked.
Massa hesitated for only a second before nodding. She released her grip, and the protective barrier shattered in an instant, vanishing like mist in the wind.
A piercing screech split the air as the Veil creatures rushed in.
Four Carapace Scavengers.
Their exoskeletons glistened, reflecting the light in eerie, jagged patterns. Their elongated, insect-like limbs propelled them forward with unnatural speed, their sharp mandibles clacking together in anticipation of the kill.
Hope didn't wait.
He surged forward, narrowly twisting past the first creature's vicious swipe. Its clawed limb carved through the air where his head had been a moment earlier, missing by a hair's breadth. The sheer force of the attack sent dust and pebbles scattering from the cave floor.
Too fast.
Hope retaliated instantly, driving his dagger toward the creature's vulnerable underside—but the scavenger twisted, landing on its back with an unnatural grace. The dagger struck only hardened carapace, the impact sending a sharp jolt through Hope's already sore hand.
Damn it!
Before he could recover, another fiend lunged from his right. He barely had time to react. His instincts screamed at him, and he threw himself backward, dodging just as the scavenger's serrated limb slashed past his stomach.
The force of the dodge sent him rolling across the uneven ground. He came up fast, dagger raised, only to see the first fiend already closing in again.
No time to think—
Hope planted his foot and lashed out with a kick. His heel connected with the scavenger's front limb, knocking it slightly off balance. It wasn't much, but it gave him just enough time to reposition.
A sharp crack echoed through the cave.
Hope's eyes darted downward.
His dagger.
The cracks had spread. A hairline fracture now ran along the center of the blade.
It wasn't going to last.
His grip tightened as his gaze flicked toward Nefer. She was faring better than him, but not by much.
Her sword danced through the air, precise and deadly, each strike cutting deep into the creatures. But there were too many of them. For every wound she inflicted, another scavenger pressed in, forcing her back. Her armor protected her from glancing blows, but it wouldn't hold forever.
She wasn't winning.
None of them were.
Hope could feel his essence burning away too quickly. Every movement, every dodge, every attack siphoned away his strength. His soul was still recovering from the previous battles, and now he was being forced to expend what little he had left.
His breathing grew heavier.
His muscles screamed in protest.
The scavengers weren't letting up.
And at this rate…
They weren't going to last much longer.