The Eastern Forest. Morning.
Ben had not fought alongside anyone in years.
Not like this. Not with people who watched his back, who expected him to watch theirs. In the old worlds, before Vorlag's hunters found them, he had been part of a team. After the hunters came, after the running started, he had learned to fight alone. Tina had her lightning. Davin had his teleportation. Ben had his sword.
And his blessing.
Grog had not seen it in their fight. The berserker had been too strong, too fast, too relentless. Ben had barely managed to defend himself. He had not had time to attack.
Today would be different.
---
The party moved through the forest in silence.
Grog led, his sword in his hand, his eyes on the shadows. Lira followed, her bow drawn, an arrow nocked. Ken brought up the rear, silent as smoke. Ben walked between them, his hand on his sword, his eyes scanning.
They had been tracking a pack of creatures for hours. The kills were getting closer to the capital. The guild wanted them culled.
Lira raised her hand. The party stopped.
"There," she whispered.
A clearing. The creatures were there—gray-skinned, red-eyed, their limbs too long, their teeth too sharp. Seven of them. Feeding on a deer.
Grog counted. "We hit them fast. Hard. No mercy."
Ben drew his sword. The blade was plain, unadorned, but it hummed in his hand. His blessing woke when he fought. His senses sharpened. His reflexes quickened. The world slowed. Energy coiled along the edge of his blade, visible as a faint shimmer.
He was ready.
---
The attack was swift.
Grog moved first, his sword carving into the nearest creature. It fell, dark blood spraying. Lira's arrows split—one became five, five became ten—raining down on the pack. Ken appeared from the shadows, his knives flashing.
Ben moved.
His blessing surged. The world slowed to a crawl. He saw the creatures' movements before they made them—the twitch of a claw, the flex of a muscle, the opening of a jaw. He stepped into the gaps, his blade finding throats, chests, eyes.
Three creatures fell before they knew he was there.
The fourth lunged. Ben sidestepped, then swung his sword in a wide arc. A crescent of energy launched from the blade, sizzling through the air. It caught the creature across the chest, carving a deep gash. The creature stumbled, and Ben finished it with a thrust.
The fifth tried to flee. Ben threw his knife. It struck the creature's spine. It collapsed.
The sixth and seventh fell to Grog and Lira, but not before Ben sent another energy slash into the seventh's flank, slowing it just enough for Grog's blade to finish it.
The clearing was silent.
---
Grog stood over the bodies, his chest heaving. He looked at Ben.
"You held back. In the forest."
Ben wiped his blade on a creature's hide. "I didn't have a choice."
Grog studied him. "Your blessing. The energy slashes."
"It's not flashy. It doesn't summon lightning or teleport through shadows." Ben met his eyes. "But it extends my reach. Makes me dangerous at a distance."
Grog nodded slowly. "I noticed."
Lira moved to stand beside them. "You killed four of them. Almost five."
Ben shrugged. "They were slow."
Lira raised an eyebrow. "They weren't slow. You were fast."
Ken appeared from the trees. "The trail goes deeper. There are more."
Grog looked at Ben. "Can you keep up?"
Ben sheathed his sword. "Try me."
---
They tracked the remaining creatures to a cave.
The entrance was narrow, dark, hidden. Lira lit a torch. The flames cast flickering shadows on the walls.
Grog moved to the entrance. Listened.
"Three," he whispered. "Maybe four."
Ben drew his sword. Energy shimmered along the blade. "I'll take point."
Grog frowned. "This isn't your world."
"This isn't my first cave." Ben met his eyes. "I've been doing this longer than you."
Grog held his gaze for a moment. Then he nodded. "Go."
---
Ben moved into the darkness.
His blessing sharpened his senses. He could hear the creatures breathing, smell their rotting flesh, feel the heat of their bodies. The world slowed. The torchlight flickered.
The first creature lunged. Ben sidestepped, drove his sword through its throat. It fell.
The second came from his left. He spun, blocked, counterattacked. His blade found its chest.
The third tried to flee. Ben sent an energy slash after it, the crescent of light catching its leg. It stumbled. Ben was on it before it could rise.
The fourth—a cub, smaller than the others—cowered in the corner.
Ben lowered his sword. The energy faded.
"It's young," he said.
Grog moved to stand beside him. "It'll grow."
"It's scared."
"It's a monster."
Ben looked at the cub. Its red eyes were wide, its body trembling. "So were we."
Grog was silent for a moment. Then he raised his sword.
Ben grabbed his wrist. "No."
Grog stared at him. "It will kill again."
"It's alone. It's wounded. It won't survive the winter."
"That's not our problem."
Ben met his eyes. "It could be."
---
They left the cub in the cave.
Lira thought it was a mistake. Ken said nothing. Grog watched Ben as they walked back to the capital.
"You've done that before," Grog said. "Spared a creature."
Ben shook his head. "Not a creature. A child."
"It wasn't a child."
"It was young. It was scared. It didn't choose to be what it is."
Grog was quiet for a moment. "You're not in your world anymore."
Ben met his eyes. "No. I'm not."
---
They reached the capital as the sun began to set.
The gates were open, the guards watchful. Ben walked through the streets, his sword at his hip, his eyes on the city.
Grog walked beside him.
"The creatures," Ben said. "They're not from this world."
Grog nodded. "They came through the portal."
"They'll keep coming."
"No. The portal is closed."
Ben stopped. Turned to face him. "The portal is closed. But the creatures are still here. They're breeding. They're spreading." He paused. "I've seen this before. In other worlds. Before Vorlag found them."
Grog's jaw tightened. "This world isn't like those worlds."
"They're all the same." Ben's voice was quiet. "People think they're safe. They think the danger has passed. They think they have time."
Grog held his gaze. "We do have time."
Ben shook his head. "You have less than you think."
---
They stood in silence.
The street was empty. The torches flickered. The city was quiet.
"I've seen worlds fall," Ben said. "I've watched Vorlag's hunters consume them. I've watched the people who thought they were safe become the people who ran."
Grog said nothing.
"Your world isn't safe," Ben said. "Not yet. Maybe not ever."
Grog met his eyes. "Then we prepare."
Ben nodded slowly. "Yes. You do."
He turned and walked toward the guild hall.
Grog watched him go.