Stein rubbed his sweaty palms on his trousers and reached for his dagger. His right pocket was empty. The nerves were getting to him, and to think he might feel worse if not for Morgana's skill. Stein reached for his left pocket and found it also empty. He cursed under his breath.
He had somehow stupidly lost the only weapon he had. Not that a dagger would do much against these monstrosities, but he felt very awkward having nothing to defend himself with or contribute to the battle.
"You two, stay behind me." Morgana's eyes couldn't hide how troubled she was. "If the Tyrant breaches past us, you run and you get out of here."
Stein nodded. Yurim lifted her hat to get a better view. She was taking the whole thing far better than he expected.
"How are you so calm?" He asked, fascinated.
Yurim's eyes shifted to him for a moment before returning to the approaching Tyrants. "Any other emotion would be a burden to those around me." She whispered. "If one can't be of help, they should at least not be a burden to those who can.
Stein gaped at her. He wasn't expecting such a logical response. Even still, that didn't explain how she gained such composure.
As the Tyrants drew closer, the air grew thick and cold. The only sounds were Veteran fighting in the distance and the soft rustling of leaves in the wind.
"I'll attack first." Axe drew his twin swords. "Support me from here."
He stepped forward, closing the distance between himself and the approaching Tyrants—seven of them, each as disgusting as they come.
Axe suddenly spun to face them.
"Now!"
Three arrows wheezed through the forest, shooting past Axe before exploding with a flash and stunning the Tyrants.
Before Stein could blink, Axe was upon the closest Tyrant. He thrust both swords into its eyes, then he was gone with a flash reappearing behind it. The Tyrant waved its razor-sharp legs in the empty air where Axe had been before it stiffened, stretched, then collapsed dead.
Axe retrieved his swords from the dead Tyrant, lunging at the next one. This Tyrant was still uneasy on its feet and didn't seem to notice Axe leap onto its back or run along it, but it definitely felt it when he reached down and plunged his swords into its soft spot. It screeched and stumbled around helplessly.
Axe tumbled over the Tyrant's back, aligning himself in a straight line with his swords. Then the strangest thing happened: he spun with his blades still in the Tyrant. Blood and bits of gore shot through the air in every direction. When he stopped, the Tyrant took a few steps forward before toppling dead.
The other Tyrants seemed to have recovered. One of them, maddened with rage, lunged at Axe. Axe put his twin swords against each other, going for a block. Was he mad? The Tyrant would send him flying.
The Tyrant charged even faster, baring its fangs as it approached Axe. When it got to him, it simply threw its head at him. The Tyrant's armoured head struck Axe's crossed swords, producing a chime like metal on metal. Again, Axe vanished, reappearing at the monster's flank, right in front of its weak point. In a flurry of crimson, his twin swords merged once again as he cleaved at the Tyrant. The great sword sliced through it like butter, cutting both armoured and unarmoured parts. The air reeked of burnt, pungent flesh as the Tyrant split into two sizzling halves.
Stein couldn't help but grin, the Warmonger Path was looking more and more attractive.
He had barely let out a breath of relief when the remaining four Tyrants were upon Axe. Axe had to leap to the side, creating some distance between himself and them.
"Ludacra, now!" he screamed.
Arrows flashed past Stein once again, stunning the Tyrants. Only this time, one of them happened to beeline right for where Stein and the others were.
Ludacra cursed, and Morgana lifted her staff with a grim expression.
Axe caught sight of it and snapped into motion, reaching a speed even these eight-legged monsters couldn't match. He positioned himself between the Tyrant and them, crossing his swords to perform his technique once again. When the monster arrived, it bent its head forward and dug its fangs into Axe's shoulder.
Morgana screamed as Axe stumbled backwards, grasping his steaming shoulder, his eyes widened and unfocused. The Tyrant shook its head vigorously, dislodging the sword stuck in its mouth before returning its attention to Axe.
Morgana moved first, heading straight for Axe, but the Tyrant was faster. It leapt for Axe, thrusting a leg forward to end his life. A streak of white light flew into its mouth. Ludacra. The Tyrant twitched, missing Axe by mere inches as it landed. Morgana slid right under the Tyrant, knocking Axe to the ground.
The Tyrant spun to face them. The blood leaking from its mouth didn't seem to bother it as it raised two razor-sharp legs.
Morgana slammed her staff into the ground just as the Tyrant's legs descended. There was a bang as the Tyrant was knocked backwards. A sphere of white light, originating from the top of Morgana's staff, enveloped her and Axe.
The other Tyrants arrived just then, striking at the sphere to no avail. Morgana didn't seem bothered by them. She was bent over Axe's shoulder, which was quickly becoming a puddle, directing her palms to cast a white glow at it.
The Tyrants finally realised that they couldn't eat the meal closest to them, so they turned their attention to the next closest meal: Stein, Ludacra, and Yurim.
Ludacra drew her bow, spawning another arrow made of light. "Run now!" she said sternly.
Stein and Yurim exchnaged looks. Without saying a word, they both turned and ran. Stein couldn't help but glance back as he ran. Ludacra was running right up a tree, with two Tyrants climbing after her. One of the Tyrants had stayed behind to keep poking at Morgana's barrier, while the last one, with blood dripping out of its mouth, was coming for Stein and Yurim.