Ryu's back was against the gnarled bark of a black tree, his breath ragged and shallow. Blood poured from the jagged stump of his shoulder where his arm had been just moments ago. His head throbbed violently from the strain of the illusion he had cast. Every heartbeat sent waves of pain crashing through his body.
In front of him, chaos reigned.
Kolasis, the beast, had taken massive damage. Its movements were sluggish, its grotesque form scorched and torn. Yet its wounds were already sealing, sinew knitting over shattered bone with unnatural speed. The knights surrounded it, steel flashing in the gloom, but their blades barely pierced its thick hide.
Ryu's thoughts spun. There has to be a way I can help.
Then he saw it—Commander Arnold, his blade arcing through the air, landing a heavy slash across the monster's back. A flicker of hope sparked in Ryu's chest.
Until Kolasis let out a shriek.
It echoed like a death knell through the forest—and the forest answered.
Crunching wood. Shaking leaves. The trees themselves seemed to spit out smaller, twisted versions of the creature. The Hatchlings were back. They scuttled from the shadows in response to their mother's call.
Terror gripped the knights' faces, but the commander's next strike rang out like a rallying cry. Steeled by their leader, the knights let out a war cry of their own and charged toward the hatchlings.
"Shit! Shit! Shit!" Ryu ground his teeth together, overwhelmed by helplessness. He couldn't sit here and bleed while others fought and died.
He forced himself to scan the area—and then he heard it. Faint, melodic whispers carried through the din of battle. Avalin's Tears.
Ryu turned his head. A few meters away,was a supply cart. And in it—a single barrel glowing faintly with its mystical water.
Gritting his teeth, Ryu began to crawl. Using his one remaining arm, dragging his body across the dirt. Stones sliced into his skin, but it was nothing compared to the phantom pain searing through his severed shoulder.
The world blurred. Swords clanged. Monsters shrieked. But all Ryu could hear was the promise of life in that water's call.
He was nearly there when a sharp, piercing cry rang out—close. Too close.
No. Please, no.
Heat radiated behind him. A hatchling. He didn't need to look to know it was almost on him.
Then pain. Blinding. White-hot.
Claws tore into his leg, and Ryu screamed. His body slumped, crashing into the side of the barrel. It tipped, and Avalin's Tears spilled onto the cracked ground, the silvery water soaking into the dark soil.
Where the Tears touched, the earth bloomed. Glowing flowers sprang up, as if the forest itself were gasping back to life.
Ryu didn't hesitate. He plunged his face into the pool and drank deeply. As the liquid touched his tongue and wounds, a cool sensation spread through his body. His leg sealed shut. The agony dulled.
Then—he felt it.
Tissue stirred. Muscle knit. Blood surged.
Before his eyes, his arm grew back.
"A fabled item really is no joke," he muttered, staring in awe. But awe could wait.
The hatchling shrieked again and lunged, claws aimed at his face. Ryu dodged just in time, rolling to the side. He shoved the beast away with a growl and staggered to his feet, ignoring the sharp pain still pulsing in his leg.
There was no time for hesitation.
He drew his rapier from his hip.
The hatchling came again. This time, Ryu was ready. He sidestepped, parried, and drove the blade straight through the creature's chest. It screeched and thrashed. Ryu leapt back, not willing to assume anything anymore.
The hatchling convulsed—and collapsed.
Chime.
The system message appeared:
> [You have killed Kolasis's Hatchling]
[Rank: Ordinary]
Another chime followed. A second screen blinked open:
> [Warning: You drank too much of Avalin's Tears. In 2 minutes and 13 seconds, you will experience excruciating pain for 10 minutes, followed by full-body paralysis. It is recommended you find a safe area.]
Ryu stared. "Seriously? Now of all times?" he muttered, rage flaring in his chest. "If Kolasis is still alive and I freeze up—I'm dead."
He glanced at the countdown. Twelve minutes. That was all he had before he became helpless.
He had to end it. Now.
Gritting his teeth, Ryu sprinted back toward the battlefield. As he neared the clearing, he followed the trail of his own blood, dried crimson on cracked earth.
And then—he stopped, breath catching.
The hatchlings were dead. The knights—alive. Bruised, bloodied, but standing.
Kolasis was still on his feet too. Of course he was.
The gaping hole left by the explosion had done nothing permanent. His body had regenerated once more. The monster stood, towering and terrible, eyes glowing with fury.
Some knights were helping the Commander face Kolasis. Others were dealing with the final hatchlings. But they all looked drained. Weary.
Ryu didn't hesitate.
He charged.
His rapier gleamed as he aimed for the creature's leg—but as the blade met its skin, a loud clang rang out. The weapon bounced off, barely leaving a scratch.
Too tough, he realized grimly. No wonder they haven't been able to kill him.
But Ryu didn't back down.
He only had eleven minutes left.