We fought against the tide of Bestials, but from what I can see, we are losing this fight. We have been fighting for more than ten minutes, and ten of these beasts have fallen under my blade. Yet even with these numbers, the situation didn't look good.
My blade clashed against the claws of a Bestial, its furred hand gripping my sword's blade as it opened its canine maw and aimed for my head. I quickly drew my dagger from my sheath and jabbed at its throat. The beast cried in pain as it grabbed its bleeding throat and staggered back, the knife still lodged in its throat. But I wouldn't allow it to get a chance to rest as I quickly cut its chest with my sword. The beast stood there for a moment before falling to the ground, dead.
I took heavy breaths, but quickly forced myself to focus. I turned around and charged at another Bestial that was ready to strike a comrade from behind. I jammed my sword through its back and through its chest. The creature lurched forward as its eyes widened, then went foggy.
I quickly kicked the creature off my blade as I helped my comrade, who was facing another Bestial, his balance knocked down from blocking one of its strikes with his pike. Their skinny fur covered was appalling to see, and their four crazed eyes with their red slit pupils only made it worse. But we still had to fight, or else we die.
I rushed forward and blocked a strike from the beast, allowing my comrade to go in and stab the beast with his pike. With all of his strength, he lifted the creature high into the air before slamming it back down onto the ground. The blood splattered from the creature as my comrade quickly pulled his pike out of its body.
He nodded at me before rushing to another part of the battlefield. I also ran the other way to help my other comrades thin the numbers. As I ran, I could feel my body going numb from the pain of my wounds, though they were minor, they still hurt.
I once again slashed my blade towards another Bestial, the blade cutting through its neck as its head fell onto the ground and bounced for a bit. It stood tall for a split second before it also fell to the ground, bleeding a small red pool.
I ran again, and as I ran, I could see the bodies littering the ground. Beast and man, though we are different, our red blood mixes in the soil of this world. What made us so different? Species?
I grabbed my spare dagger and threw it at a Bestial, who had my comrade pinned under it, and watched as the dagger plunged into the beast's back. It lurched back, giving my comrade enough time to draw their own dagger and stab into the beast's chest. Once, twice, thrice, and finally a fourth time before the creature finally died. Blood sprayed across her face before she pushed it off.
Is it because we are different species that we fight each other?
A beast let out its guttural roar, a mix between chittering and bestial laughter, as it ran towards me on all four. I skidded to a halt as I prepared to face the beast head-on, a suicidal attempt on my part.
Whatever the case was, it does not change the present.
The beast quickly stood on its two legs before it swiped me with its claw. I blocked it, the force making me take a step back. It followed with a bite from its maw. I tried to dodge, but the beast clamped down hard on my shoulder. If not for my armor, I am sure it would have gone through. I clamped my hand shut as I swung it at the beast's face, my fist slamming into two of its four eyes. It yelped as it let go of my shoulder and staggered a bit.
It staggered a couple of seconds before glaring at me, showing its fangs as it growled low. Its gray hair in its dark brown fur only made it look more intimidating. I could feel my heart beating faster and faster, a smile growing on my face.
This one is older than the others. It has faced people like me and knows how to kill us. This is not a winning fight, but I doubt this beast will let my comrades and me leave. Not after its losses, and the same goes for us.
Its two fixed eyes glared at me while the other two bloody eyes hung loose. It roared out as it expanded its body. Its skinny form seemed more muscular, and its own body seemed far bigger than before. But I know it's nothing more than an intimidation tactic that animals do when they face something more dangerous than themselves.
"So you see me as a threat," I say, pointing my blade at it, its roar making my ears go a bit deaf. All other sounds around me slowly melted away as I glared at the beast. Soon, my eyes narrowed on this beast, as though it were the only thing I could see. It seemed like only I and this beast were the only living things in the world.
"Nothing but us," I thought as I smiled and gripped my blade tight.
The beast walked to its left and I walked to my right. We walked in a circle, waiting for the other to make a move. All we needed was a single action to ignite. A droplet or even the sound of a roar was all we needed. Something to tell us to fight.
"But I also see you as a threat, so I must ask. Who among us is a greater threat? A beast who can't think or a human who can."
With those words parted, I dashed at it, my metal boots clinging to the bloody ground. Blade in my right hand aimed forward, ready to strike and bleed the beast.
The beast didn't wait as well, as its own hind legs cracked the dirt below as it lunged at me. Maw open and arms out, letting its claws tear through the air, ready to devour me. Its massive form looming over me like a giant.
We clashed at the center of our circle, a spark flying as its claw met my blade. We stood there for a second before the beast clamped its maw down onto my arm, severing it. My hand holding the blade was torn off and the pain was fierce like fire.
But I would not die today and if I were to die, then I would not go alone!
I used my remaining arm and struck at the beast's throat. My hand clamped hard around its throat, allowing me to feel the pulses hiding under its fur. Each breath it took through its nose and mouth. What I felt from this beast's throat was surprise, its pulse quickening for a single shot as my grip tightened.
It slammed its claw against my helmet, knocking it off my head. My brown hair fell forward as my brown eyes glared at the beast, its eyes widening only told me my eyes were far fiercer than its own. I lunged at its throat and bit down with all my might. The taste of iron dripped into my throat, but I ignored it.
It roared in pain as it scratched at my armor covered back. Its claws were tearing away the metal inch by inch before it finally reached my skin. The pain of my flesh being clawed out was unbearable, but it only made me clamp down more. The pain old made me want to bite down more and more. The beast knew this as it clawed at my back like a maniac.
In a final act, the beast tried to rip my head off my shoulders as it stopped scratching at my back and instead grabbed my head with both of its hands. I allowed it to and even helped it, as I yanked my head backwards. I ripped my own maw from the beast's throat as a fountain of blood gushed out. It gagged in pain as it let go of my head, its body staggering back as it gripped its throat.
I spat its chunk from my mouth, the taste of metal and fur remaining on my tongue. It cried and tried to roar, but all that came out was a pained wheeze. I stared at my torn arm before reaching and grabbing my blade. From the sword's metal blade, I could see my reflection. My face was covered in blood that wasn't my own, and a smile was plastered on my face.
"That was fun," I thought out.
"What are you?"
A question rang through my head. But I could not focus on it as I saw the creature fall to the ground. Its thud brought me back to reality. My eyes finally showed me the world around me, and I was reminded that we were not the only two creatures in this world.
I was surrounded on all sides. Bestials were watching our clash and did not step forward, they did not interrupt our clash.
Out of honor? No.
Out of fear? No
Out of instinct? Yes.
They did not step into our clash out of pure instinct. Their body told them not to step forward, or else they would face the maws of two powerful beasts. Their crimson eyes could only watch us battle it out, not daring to step forward. Even after our battle ended in my favor, they didn't step forward because their instincts told them not to.
I took deep breaths, my lungs burning. The pain was slowly leaving me, and I knew that was a bad thing. Even in this battered state, I knew feeling nothing was a sign of death.
I stared at my comrades who were far from me, facing the maws and claws of these Bestials. I could see Sir Marius bleeding as he severed three of them all at once. But I was sadly not blind, I could tell that was not the real Marius. His body was flickering every so often.
"He must have left an illusion and run off," I thought as I stared at the group, "the dead Bestials were probably a part of his illusion."
Behind the fake stood my comrades, who were all clinging to life if only barely. Only a handful remained. We were not making it out alive. That was a truth I did not want learn right now. But this world is such a cruel place.
I took a deep breath out, "well if we are going to die, I might as well let that guy go."
I walked towards the cart. As I walked, the beasts moved aside as they tried to avoid my path. One tried to lash at me, but was only met with a steel blade against its chest. Blood and guts gushed out as it clutched its belly. But I kept moving forward, not even knowing if it fell down or died on its knees.
I kept walking and walking to the cart. I only stopped once I reached the front of the cart. I pulled out a pair of keys that we were all given. In case we lost members in an accident or lost the key. It was quite amusing if I am honest, since many of my companions complained about them, since losing them meant having your pay docked.
I unlocked the door and pushed it open. A cold air flowed out, and what I saw was not a man. But a young boy whose face seemed to have been crying for hours and had stopped only an hour or so ago. Such a horrible fate, but it was his choice that brought him to be chained like an animal. I stared at his form, then at the spear that lay before him. The weapon he used to kill and the weapon he asked to be kept with him.
"Boy, you are going to die. But not at the fort, but in this forest with no one even knowing. A sad destiny, but I give you a choice. Die by my hand or die by the Bestials just beyond this doorway. I cannot promise you anything other than death doing your duty," was all I said before I collapsed onto the ground.
"What are you?"