The bandit camp was exactly what Yuki expected, crude wooden structures, ragged tents, and the stench of piss everywhere.
Smoke rose from several campfires, and rough-looking men lounged around, sharpening weapons or playing dice.
"Fifty, maybe sixty bandits" Lyra whispered from their hiding spot. "Nothing we can't handle."
Isaac nodded. "Oak, you and I will draw their attention. Felicity, Lucien, support from range. Lyra and Yuki, Eliminate priority targets."
"Easy money" Oak grinned, lifting his massive warhammer. "I'll be done in time for lunch."
They moved into position.
Isaac charged first, his shield raised. [Shield Bash] activated, and he slammed into the nearest bandit, sending the man flying. Oak followed, his warhammer crushing skulls brutally.
Felicity's arrows flew through the air, each one finding a throat or an eye.
Lucien cast [Speed Boost] on Isaac and Oak, then followed with [Mana Shield] around Felicity. His staff glowed as he coordinated buffs across the team.
Lyra moved like a shadow, her twin daggers flashing whenever she swung it. [Shadow Step] let her teleport between targets, and every strile she made was critical.
Yuki activated [Beast Sync], copying Owen's [Fireball]. Flames erupted from her palms, scattering bandits and setting tents ablaze.
"This is almost too easy!" Oak laughed, pulverizing another bandit.
But then, a voice echoed through the camp.
"Foolish hunters"
From the largest tent emerged a figure in dark robes, his face hidden beneath a hood. Symbols glowed across his clothing.
"Looks like, a dark mage?" Isaac's eyes widened.
The robed figure raised both hands. Dark energy poured from his fingertips, spreading across the entire camp like a suffocating blanket.
[Domain of Nullification]
The air turned heavy.
Yuki tried to activate [Fireball], but nothing happened. Her mana wouldn't respond. It felt like there was a restriction on it.
"What?!" Lucien gasped as his staff's light went dark.
Felicity's arrows lost their enchantment. Isaac's barrier skill flickered and died. Lyra's shadow-step failed mid-cast, and she stumbled into the ground.
"A mana restriction field" Lyra hissed. "We can't use skills!"
"Owen!" Yuki called telepathically. "We need you!"
"I can't!" Owen's voice was strained. "I've tried, The Beast Space is connected to your mana. I can't materialize without it!"
The dark mage laughed. "Without your precious skills, you're nothing but meat for the slaughter."
From behind him, a massive figure stepped forward. The bandit leader. He was seven feet tall, built like a mountain, covered in scars and filthy leather armor. In his hands, he gripped a massive greatsword.
Dark energy swirled around him, the same magic as the mage. His eyes glowed purple as his muscles bulged unnaturally.
"Kill them, nobody comes in the way of the ritual" the dark mage commanded.
The bandit leader roared and charged.
Isaac raised his shield, but without his skills, the only protection between him and the incoming attack was metal and wood.
The greatsword crashed down.
CRACK!
The shield splintered. Isaac was thrown backward, blood spraying from a cut across his chest.
"Isaac!" Lyra screamed.
Oak roared and swung his warhammer at the bandit leader's head. The blow connected, but barely staggered the massive man. The dark magic made him nearly invulnerable.
The bandit leader backhanded Oak, sending him crashing into a tent.
Felicity shot an arrow, aiming for the dark mage. But it was easily stopped. Without the enhancements, it was just ordinary wood.
The bandit leader turned toward her.
Swinging his great sword downward towards her.
Felicity froze.
"NO!" Oak screamed.
He threw himself between Felicity and the blade.
SCHLICK.
The greatsword pierced through Oak's torso, erupting from his back in a spray of blood.
"Oak!" Felicity shrieked, catching him as he collapsed.
Blood poured from the wound. Too much blood. His face was pale, his breathing becoming shallower.
"Oak, no, no, no..." Felicity's hands pressed against the wound, but it was useless. The damage was too severe.
Oak's eyes found hers. He smiled weakly, blood staining his teeth.
"Hey..."
"Don't talk! Just, just hold on! Lucien can heal you once we break the spell, just..."
"You gotta... do the mukbang content... without me, okay?" His voice was fading. "Eat... something good... for me..."
His hand reached up, touching her face one last time.
Then it fell.
His eyes went pale.
"NOOOO!" Felicity's scream tore through the battlefield.
The bandit leader ripped his sword free from Oak's corpse and advanced on the rest of them.
Isaac struggled to his feet, blood pouring from his chest wound. Lyra's daggers were useless without skills. Yuki couldn't even summon Owen.
They were going to die here.
"No" Lucien's voice was quiet. Trembling.
He stood in the center of the camp, gripping his staff with white-knuckled hands.
"No. Not again. I won't... I won't let anyone else die!"
"Huh? Wait! Lucien, don't!" Lyra started.
But Lucien wasn't listening.
He slammed his staff into the ground. His entire body began to glow, instead of mana, he was siphoning his life force in place of it.
"I won't let anyone else die! I WON'T!"
He glowed brighter.
"Lucien, STOP!" Yuki screamed.
But it was too late.
Light exploded from Lucien's body, expanded across the camp.
The mana restriction field shattered like glass.
Yuki felt her mana flood back instantly. Isaac's skills reignited. Felicity's arrows glowed again.
But Lucien,
He collapsed to his knees, gasping. Blood poured from his nose, his ears, his eyes. His skin turned gray. His hands trembled.
"Lucien!" Yuki ran toward him.
The dark mage's eyes widened behind his hood. "Impossible. He broke a Domain-class spell with pure life force?!"
Then the mage's expression twisted into fury.
"Die for your insolence!"
He raised his hand. Dark energy formed into a spear of shadow.
Lucien looked up, too weak to move, too weak to defend himself.
The spear shot forward.
"LUCIEN!" Yuki screamed, activating [Beast Shift] mid-sprint.
But she was too far and too late, the dark spear pierced through Lucien's chest.
He gasped. Blood bubbled from his lips as his staff fell from his hands.
"E...Emma..." he whispered. "I'm... sorry..."