As the Tyrant died, Stein couldn't help but marvel at the might and speed of the Warmonger Path.
Axe turned to them as he sheathed his sword. "And that's number sixty-three," he flashed a thumbs-up. "It's alright, you are safe now."
Yurim frowned. "There's no way we can do that," she glanced at Stein and Veteran.
Veteran sighed "No one is asking you to. For now just learning about the weaknesses of a Tyrant is okay,"
Stein turned to see Morgana trying to comfort the injured girl, who was still shaking and weeping.
"It's dead now," Morgana placed a hand on her shoulder. "Take us to where your party was ambushed. We'll help you bury their remains."
"No, get us out of here," the girl whimpered. "Something is wrong. They wouldn't have died that easily."
Veteran shook his head. "The oasis is full of deadly creatures. Parties without experienced adventurers find that out the hard way."
"She doesn't need to hear that now," Morgana frowned at Veteran. "Come." She pulled the girl to her feet. "It's best to keep moving. A lot of dangerous creatures follow the smell of blood."
The girl quickly got to her feet upon hearing that, sniffing and wiping her eyes. Stein's fist tightened. She was just a year or two older than him. A child. Ludacra and Axe moved to help the boy up. His complexion was much better than before, and he seemed to be faintly aware of what was happening around him.
"You are safe now," Ludacra whispered as she helped him up.
Axe nodded excitedly. "Don't worry, bud. That Tyrant wouldn't be hurting anyone else."
The boy's face suddenly grew white. "Tyrant?" he gasped.
"It's dead," Axe said, a little louder, as if he thought the boy might not have heard him.
"How many did you kill?" the boy asked urgently. Stein's chest went cold.
"One," Axe replied, frowning.
"Veteran!" Ludacra started forward just as the boy's companion began making a rockus.
"This isn't it," She said, backing away from Veteran and Morgana, her face horrified as though she couldn't believe what she was seeing. "This isn't the Tyrant I saw."
"We are all dead," a whisper came from the injured boy's lips as he stared up with resignation.
Stein slowly lifted his head upwards, his heart pounding rapidly. The first thing he saw was a rope of some strange, transparent goop hanging inches away from his face. He jumped back just as it fell. The grass it landed on instantly turned black and withered. The soil began to hiss, releasing steam.
The one-legged adventure wasn't as quick as Stein and the others. His face and scalp were already melting away and the rest of his body was quickly turning black.
Stein stumbled away from the sight, his ears ringing as a scream was let lose from behind him. He forced himself to look up.
Around the party were many more strands of colourless, thick liquid like the one he had just seen, and above them, hidden in the dark of the trees, something large shifted.
Stein gasped.
Tyrants.
At least a dozen of them.
They're up in the trees!" he yelled.
"Remain calm," Veteran ordered. "If we startle the lot, we'll end up as their breakfast."
But his instructions were already broken before he finished giving them. The panicked girl had already taken off away from the party.
The sound of rustling leaves and snapped branches filled the forest before a large mass landed right on her. Before they could process what had happened, the Tyrant was already vigorously tearing at her with its razor-sharp legs. Her screams were cut short instantly. Stein watched the whole thing, unable to tear his eyes away, yet repulsed by it.
"Oh, God." Morgana clenched her chest as Axe winced.
There was a thud as a dark mass fell from the treetops. Another Tyrant. Soon, thuds were heard from all around them. Fourteen Tyrants in total surrounded them, each as disgusting and hungry as the first. Their black, beady eyes watched from every direction, but they did not attack.
Veteran turned from what was left of the dead girl, quickly finding Stein and Yurim, with a grim expression on his face. "Stay calm," he instructed. "We'll try to lure the active ones away from you."
Veteran turned to Morgana. "It's time."
Morgana nodded, trying to compose herself before lifting her staff. "I call upon the Goddess Sitera." A hum filled the air.
"I call upon her hands, strong and still in the chaos of battle."
A pulse of energy hit Stein, and his raging chest instantly calmed. His mind and thoughts became clear. A system notification followed:
*Sitera's Fortitude: +20% Pain resistance, -50% Fear*
"I call upon the Goddess Sitera," Morgana began again.
"I call upon the strength she granted her underlings."
Stein's chest once again vibrated with a pulse of energy.
*Sitera's Aura: All Stats +10%* Veteran offered a tight smile to Morgana before nodding and turning to leave.
"Hans," Morgana called after him, "be careful."
Veteran shook his head. "I'm not the one you should be worried about." His eyes swept over Stein and Yurim. A sigh escaped his lips before he turned away.
Veteran retrieved his shield, passing his left arm through the straps before drawing his sword. The Tyrants began creeping closer.
Veteran lifted his shield to his chest and charged. The Tyrants bared their fangs at him.
Someone whistled from beside Stein. Ludacra. Veteran lifted his shield to his face just as an arrow flew past him, striking the path before the Tyrants. A blinding flash of light enveloped the spiders as a loud bang reverberated through the forest.
The Tyrants staggered about, crashing into each other and nearby trees. Veteran soared through the air, sword drawn back as a silvery glow enveloped it, giving the illusion of a javelin.
He thrust his sword, and the glow shot forward like a spear piercing a Tyrant's eye and burying itself in the brain.
Veteran landed on the beast, forcing it to its knees before leaping high above the next one. He drew his shield to his body as he lurched downwards. Veteran slammed into the Tyrant's back a it's legs gave way as it was squashed. The ground buckled beneath it, cracks racing outwards.
The other two nearby spiders seemed to have recovered from the flash attack as they lunged for Veteran.
A strange loud clicking sound drew Stein back to his immediate surrounding."Shit." He cursed out loud. The Tyrants on his side were making a move.