Bloody hell! Marcus cried out internally, dashing away from the Cursed Juggernaut's fists. I should have known this was a horrible idea. Lin, I swear, if we survive this, I'm gonna punch you and then myself. Just to make sure we both remember this.

  Everything had been going so well ever sihe sed Cataclysm ended. Despite the Tainted Wastend ing and wiping out most of Stonehamp, he and his friends still mao survive and thrive. Hell, their levels and evolved forms spoke for themselves. He would bet there weren't many survivors out there who could match them.

  If only we didn't get so cocky. He hissed, rolling out of the way of another swipe. The Juggernaut just wouldn't give him a break. Shit! Shit! Shit! Why did I want to be the fastest again? I bloody hate this!

  Until yesterday, the most Marcus had to deal with was a Brute or a feers. He would eairo beasts while the rest of his team killed the stragglers and then focused orue targets. It had been a good tactic, even a perfee for them. So when Lin proposed a fight against a Juggernaut like it was nothing, they should have disagreed or at least protested a bit.

  Yet, they didn't.

  Too much success, a bit of boredom, and a desire to perhaps weaken the Wastend by killing its stro warriors made them overfident. Even he, who was usually the voice of reason in the group, stayed silent, listening to Lin's pn with a bit too much eagerness.

  Baiting a Juggernaut around won't be much harder than a Brute, she said. Marcus scowled, pushing more and more Esseo Reinfort. Like hell, it isn't! ime, you try this yourself, cuz ain't no way I'm doing this again.

  However, even though he wao shout those words in Lin's fad then hug her, he khat might never happen. They had attracted way too many Voidlings along with the Juggernaut. His Essence was already over halfway gone, and he didn't even want to think how bad it had to be for the others.

  At least we'll die together. He wao ugh and cry as the panicked shouts of his friends reached his ears. From the beginning till the end. I guess we had a good run. Our luck had to run out sooner or ter. A pity. We should have gotten out here a long time ago.

  Even as the fmes of hope in his heart slowly flickered out, Marcus didn't give up. He still led the giant Voidling on a wild goose chase, sometimes eveing a ce to score a hit on other unsuspeg monsters here and there. This was the most he could do to help his team. Any more, and he would end as a bloody paste on the ground.

  e on, guys! We're better than this. Please! He begged as his vision blurred a bit, the first tears finally ing out. He shook them out and slid along the ice just as the Juggernaut stomped on his previous location. Please!

  Only there was no ohere to hear his prayers, and instead, their luuch worse as multiple roars filled the air. Marcus turned his head, a pit f in his stomach when he spotted tree Brutes approag from the distance.

  Yeah. He choked back a ugh. We are fucked.

  They had to run, somehow escape this hell. But where to, and how? The Tainted Voidlings would follow even if they left the Wastend; they had already tested as much. Yet, taking that ce was still much better than dying while fighting a losing battle.

  We o split up. I will lead this bastard into the woods. Maybe I lose it there... And if that doesn't work, Lin and the others will at least have a ce. That's enough for me.

  That was how he justified his suicide pn, a way for his friends to live. But just before he could open his mouth, another roar ed the area. The powerful, almost demonic sound straight out of horrors drowned every other noise, freezing more than one Voidling in pce.

  Those died a momeo the bdes and Essence of his group, but Marcus barely paid any attention to that. No, his eyes almost immediately so the source of the noise, never expeg it to be a demon on the back of the Juggernaut, who suddenly stopped following him.

  Prime Night Hunter | LVL: 27

  What!? B-but that's a Voidling. W-why is it showing... His thoughts were cut short as someone bumped into his body, pushing him out of the way of a Reaper that almost cut his head off.

  "Wake up, idiot!" Lin shouted, battling the Voidling away, her golden hair swishing with each move. "This is our ce! It's now or never."

  Still half in shock, Marcus somehow stood up, his Blistering Dagger falling into his hand. "But what about them?! You have seen it tht?" He shouted, slipping through the Reaper's defense and jabbing the bde right into its eye.

  "Doesn't matter," Lin growled, a wave of green Essence esg her sword. "We just o fight our way out of this shit! They kill each other for all I care."

  But if that's a survivor... No, impossible. He shook his head, quickly cutting down another Cursed Human. There's no way for ao have already turned into something like that. There must be another reason.

  And so, with that thought in mind, Marcus put most of his focus otle ahead. The rest of his group joined him and Liing into a formation they had used many times before. Support, defense, offehey all kheir roles.

  Even as they passed the Wastend's border, he sometimes mao take a quice at the fight they left behind. s of fire registered in his vision first, followed by masses of shadows g against the ice giant. The Night Hunter ran circles around the rger beast, cutting and sshing whe could.

  stant howls of pain escaped the Juggernaut's mouth, but it never backed off and just tinued swinging. Wherever it hit, ice exploded, raining sharp shards upotlefield. Those always killed a random Voidling or two, but he Hunter.

  The dark demon was just too fast, too slippery. And with the fire upon its s appearing stronger each time Marcus looked, he kneould be the wihere.

  We have to hurry. This thing will sughter us.

  With renewed fire burning bright in his chest, he took the charge. Harden enveloped his fist as he crashed it against a Runner, its head popping like a balloon. His dagger followed right after, catg another Voidling off guard.

  The beasts kept ing, still trying to chase them even outside the Wastend. However, their numbers dwindled as quite a few Voidlings went for the Hunter instead. Not that the demon minded. It just sughtered the annoyances as if they were ants.

  Only a bit mor-

  Time seemed to stop as a final howl pierced the heavens, followed by a loud thud that shook the ground. Marcus, his friends, and hell, even Voidlings, turo withe Juggernaut's final moment as fmes ed its body.

  And then, within a blink of a all disappeared. The s, the fire, and even the giant's corpse. Only the Hunter and a pile of dust remained, of which the former was looking straight at them.

  Fuck.

  The Voidlings were first to react, abandoning their chase and running away as fast as they could. They didn't even care about going back to the Wastend as long as it got them out of the Hunter's sight.

  "Guys. Run!"

  At ohey all broke into a mad dash toward the forest. Marcus, despite being the fastest, stayed at the back of the pack. He wouldn't leave anyone behind.

  e on! e on! Don't follow us!

  Once more, his prayers were left unanswered when a dark form sped past them. They tried to swerve to the side, but a surge of shadows cut off that path too, surrounding them in a circle.

  "For fuck's sake, stop and listen!" A low, but powerful growl came from the demon blog their escape. "I mean you no harm, you bunch of idiots. Just got a piece of advice. That's all."

  Despite the obvious human response and aobody even dared to move or speak out. Not even Lin, who never had a problem with voig her thoughts.

  We are dead. Marcus gulped, heart thrumming in his chest. Please let it be fast.

  Only no attack came. The demon just sighed while muttering something nobody could hear.

  "Whatever," it shook its head. "Whether you ig or not, I don't care, but if you people are looking for a pce to rest, go to Wolford aer from the north. You will find a Safe Zohere."

  With that said, the shadow walls colpsed, but once more, no one moved.

  The beast rolled its eyes. "What are you all waiting fo. I won't follow."

  Quietly, Marcus shared a look with everyone in the group before eg his eyes with Lin. She appeared just as scared as him but still mao nod, showing three fingers behind her bad starting the tdown.

  "Now!" She screamed, and everyone dashed toward the forest.

  Leo snorted, watg the human group disappear betweerees. They sure could run if given the right iive.

  'Do you think they will listen?' Nyx asked, ing to a stop beside him. 'It sure didn't seem like it.'

  He shrugged. "No idea. It's not my problem anyway. I did what I could." He g the feline, raising an eyebrow. "Had fun?"

  She huffed, lig the remaining blood off her muzzle. 'I wish. You?'

  "Learned something useful, but apart from that?" Leo sighed, his shoulders dropping. "Not really..."

  Chaos65