“Arrrghhhhhhhh”

A palm-sized razor spine finds its way past our interlocking shields and strikes at the neck of a fellow Kroctar. Upon seeing this the boss immediately shouts, “Shield walls! Keep ya heads down! Hold the line with ya spears, crossbows get behin’ and start losin’ those arrows. Someone grab him out of da way and fal’ back behind da barricade. Shin, go and cover their retreat! Move move move!”

Shit. Fuck. Shit. Fuck.

With my left shield raising high to block any incoming volleys, I obey the command and slowly retreat backwards to provide overhead cover to the injured Kroctar with his battle buddy, who is trying to take out the lodged black spine and stem the bleeding.

Picking up a discarded shield, I use both Fire elemental shields with two hands to further maximize the areas of protection while standing over the two crouched Kroctars.

“How much longer do you need before we can move him?” I yell at the medic Kroctar named Crikka while shaking my left arm in pain as another volley of two or three spines have pierced halfway through the shields. “We need to start running now before they start firing at us again!”

“Hold on...almost done...and there! Give me a minute to wrap this up and then we can move,” Crikka responds as he throws away the bloody spine, its obsidian black coating gleams in the early afternoon sun rays before softly landing atop the yellow sands.

If that shit has hit anywhere on my body it would’ve punctured through skins and bones. Not to mention that the spines are Wind infused to speed up their trajectory even faster. Fucking nature mumbo jumbo magic! I’m still trying to wrap my head around the hasty facts given by the boss and the others before the chaos of fightings. Wind, Lightning, Earth, Fire and Water are the other elemental threats on top of other sharp pointy things trying to murder me. I should’ve known better to think everything will come back and make sense in time, now I’m right back at square one in terms of common knowledge.

Putting that aside, apparently beside the physical protection, our Fire elemental shields also mitigate any incoming Wind damage. Depending on the different nature elements thrown against us, the shields can change their properties to counteract the magical threats.

Well say no more because I’m going to try and turtle up behind these things and leave the fightings to better suited individuals. Monsters versus monsters. Reptiles versus beasts. How fitting.

At a short distance away, battle cries mixed with monster howls break out as the boss and our seven-person vanguards are engaging in tight quartered melee fightings against yet another wave of incoming ‘manticore’.

Desert dwelling four-legged beasts that are as large as the boss, the manticores sport yellow-furred pelts, long canine fangs and jacked-up feline features. Muscular front legs with sharp claws and longer carapaced hind limbs bent at the ready to pounce at their victims, these are not the only standout features of the saliva-hissing aggressive beasts. Oh no no no, they all need to also have Wind element spine-throwing, poisonous, curved, hairy stingers as tails on top of all that. Favored by Mother Nature much?

Resisting the urge to just run away, I hold my ground while clenching my teeth maintaining both shields up high. Damned things weigh like a third of my body weight or maybe I’m just too fucking weak?

“I’m ready to go. Let’s get out of the open so I can concentrate on getting the toxins out of his body.” With his tower shield straps over his back, Crikka wraps the comatosed Kroctar’s left arm around his neck and begins dragging towards the safety of our cliffside cavern.

The boss and seven others are still locked in combat defending a small rocky choke point below a labyrinthine Earth canyon conjured by magic amidst the center of the arena. The strategy to block the narrowed pathway leading out into the open space seems to be working so far with our limited numbers against the creature’s overwhelming attack waves.

Somehow while bolting away ahead of everybody in sheer panic against the a horde of murderous manticores, I manage to stumble upon the cavern as well as identifying the choke point at the front. Deciding that this is the best location to mount our defense, I convince the boss that the best way to survive is to put a small team of defenders at the exit in and keep rotating out as necessary, with no fucking idea if the plan is feasible or not while hoping that it would work.

How else am I going explain to everyone the fact that I’ve aimlessly run toward a place with no ways out while trapping us in altogether?

“SHIN LOOK OUT!”

Snapping my head back at the sound of my name, my body screams in alarm at the two manticores that have somehow broken through the armoured defenders and are sprinting headlong at my direction. Realizing that a physical confrontation is inevitable and no time to escape, I throw away both the spines-riddled shields and unsheath my blade for the first time today. “GAAAAAAAAAAAAA!” My flight or fight instinct kicks in as I scream on top of my lungs and charge at the incoming beasts with blade holds high, my mind drowns out all other thoughts in a moment of sheer lunacy.

A surge of cooling energy travels out of my body and slams itself against the leading manticore as I realize the similarities in appearance and sounds of the elemental nature that is being unleashed.

Fucking Wind magic.

Upon impact, the Wind attack that originates from my voice stumbles the charging manticore head first into the ground as its body pushes itself forward because of the running momentum. Without thinking clearly, my mind is honed in on the unguarded underbelly of the creature’s body as I continue rushing and positing my blade to strike.

Before my blade can connect with its target in an overhead slice however the second manticore jumps out into my peripheral vision and claws at the weapon, sending it flying away and out of reach. Still reeling from the collision, I fail to notice that I am clawed a second time and now my body is tumbling away with a bleeding chest wound.

Gasping in pain and clutching onto my stomach to put some pressure on the bleeding, I open my eyes to see Crikka locked in combat against the previously downed manticore while my latest attacker is once again charging straight at me, aiming to finish its prey off once and for all.

Weaponless and immobilized from the pain, I struggle to maintain my consciousness but my strength is withering away. Time seems to have slowed down all around me and there is a loud buzzing noise vibrating inside my head.

A voice.

“...Release us Wielder...and we will annihilate your enemies.”

Without a second thought I reach out to bask in its illuminating essence, my consciousness drifts away into the void as I feel a rush of warmth spreading across my body and soul.

----------------------------------------------------------

*Cough* *cough*

“Ah I see you have regained consciousness.”

“Who are you? I don’t recognize your voice. Am I...dead?”

“Take it easy now, no need to be afraid. My name is Kiara and no, you are not dead. We are talking aren’t we?”

“...If I’m not dead then where is this place? Why can’t I move my body at all?”

“All in good time, all in good time. You are heavily injured and must save your strength solely for healings, don’t try to do anything strenuous from now on until I say otherwise do you understand?”

*Cough* *cough*

“Let me give you another change in bandages. Here, have some of this herbal tonic drink, it will help to stabilize your energy and hasten your recovery. It is a little bitter but the drink also helps to make you sleep and its effect will come shortly.”

“You are called Kiara?”

“Yes?”

“Can you tell me more about where I am? I hear voices talking outside.”

“Why yes sorry about that they are my grandchildren being rowdy as usual. As soon as I finish here I will let them know to quiet down so you can sleep. Don’t worry about a thing, you are safe here in my home. I’ll show you around in a few days okay? After you have a bit more strength. The sceneries are quite peaceful around here. Also, the kids are all curious to meet you.”

“Yes, that would be nice.”

*Cough* *cough*

“Easy now, easy now.”

“Wow...you weren’t kidding about the taste.”

“Haha. Just put up with it for a week and we’ll get you something else a lot sweeter. The ingredients in this medicine are actually quite difficult to find around here so be good and don’t waste any drops okay?”

“Yes I understand. Kiara, were you the one who saved me?”

“No. Someone brought you to me a few days ago.”

“I see. How bad are my...injuries? Can they be healed? Please be honest.”

…

“Your body was in a precarious condition and I had thought that it would’ve taken you another few weeks to regain consciousness, let alone it’s happening today. Your speedy recovery is nothing short of a miracle and by my estimation you should be able to get out of bed on your own in a few months. Your internal energy has suffered a bit of a setback and only time will tell whether or not it can be fully recovered.”

“And what about...this?”

“Oh that...I’m afraid it is out of my megre level of skill. The blood vessels are ruptured and I’m not sure they will heal with time. I will try my best to ask around for help the next time I visit town for resupplies. Don’t lose hope yet my child, a miracle for you like today might happen again.”

“Clara...My name is Clara and thank you for helping me Kiara.”

“You have a very beautiful name Clara and thank you for trusting me. I will leave you to rest now.”

As soon as Kiara closed the door behind her, Clara began to whimper with grief in total darkness. She could feel her eyes were blinking away the tears yet her sight was gone. Instead of dying on a field of battle with dignity and honor, here she was shamelessly clinging on to life as a blind and bedridden cripple.

What happens to her from now on? How would she continue to have the will to live? Clara thought as she continued to sob, her body lying uselessly as the physical pains started to fade away with the medicine taking its effect. Everything that made Clara who she was had been stripped away from her. The greatest healers that Clara knew would not be able to do heal her injuries completely let alone Kiara. Her life as a warrior was now forfeit, Clara felt that she had truly died that day in the forest as sleep took over her body.