Free Web NovelChapter 82: It’s Over
The stocky man looked at his own hands. Then at Kyle. Then at his friend, who was lying motionless on the ground.
"WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME?!"
His body shook. His muscles bulged further. His fingers thickened. His nails elongated into claws.
Not human hands anymore. It became bear paws.
Kyle’s blood ran cold. His split mind noticed the change.
`His class is about shifting?!`
The man’s face contorted—not into a bear’s, but into something rage-filled, animalistic. His eyes were yellow now. His breathing was deep and guttural.
"I’LL TEAR YOU APART!"
He charged at Kyle.
Kyle was already backing up, trying to avoid the archer hidden in the mist. He dove sideways. The man’s claws raked the tree behind him, tearing chunks out of the bark.
`He is much stronger... But looks like he lost his mind.`
Kyle retreated, using the trees as obstacles. The bear-man crashed through them, splintering trunks like twigs.
`I can’t fight him head-on.`
He looked around for the archer, the third enemy. But the mist was thick. He couldn’t see him.
`He is still out there... Waiting for a chance.`
The stocky man swung. Kyle ducked. But a claw grazed his back, tearing through his shirt and skin.
He didn’t feel it. But he knew it was bad.
Although holding back the pain is helpful for him, it hides from Kyle how bad the injury really is. He might suddenly die without knowing how serious his condition is right now!
He needed to end this fast. ƒreewebɳovel.com
He led the stocky man in a circle, keeping trees between them, wearing him down. The man’s charges were powerful but linear. He couldn’t turn quickly.
Kyle darted left, then right, then left again. The stocky man swung wildly, hitting nothing but air and trees.
But Kyle was slowing down too. His legs were heavy. His vision was blurry at the edges.
He heard a whistle.
Arrows. Two of them!
He twisted. The first arrow passed his side. The second, he moved his head just in time. It grazed his ear, cutting through the cartilage. Blood dripped down his neck.
The arrow embedded itself in the tree beside him.
Kyle looked at it. Then in the direction it came from.
High. In the trees!
`He’s up there!`
The stocky man charged again. Kyle rolled under his swing, then he kicked him hard, making him fall backwards. The hit wasn’t strong, but its purpose was to push him away.
He used the chance and ran toward the base of a large tree.
Then he climbed.
Not fast—his injured arms made every pull painful. But he climbed.
The arrows came at him immediately. The archer was, of course, terrified that his location had been revealed.
Kyle quickly jumped from one side to the other, dodging the arrows. He had climbed from a blind spot that the archer could not see clearly.
He reached a thick limb about thirty feet up. The mist was thinner here. He could see her.
A woman with a bow in her hands.
She was perched on a branch on another tree twenty feet away, already notching another arrow.
When their eyes met, she fired.
Kyle dropped from the branch. The arrow passed over him. He caught himself on a lower limb and swung toward her.
She scrambled back, trying to notch another arrow. But she was panicking.
Kyle landed on her branch. She raised her bow to block. He grabbed it and pulled.
She held on.
He headbutted her hard with Fear Blade handle. Her nose cracked, and she lost her grip.
Kyle threw the bow into the mist.
She stumbled backward, reaching for a knife at her belt.
Kyle didn’t give her time.
He lunged and sank Fear Blade into her chest deeply.
Her eyes went wide. Her mouth opened, but no words came.
Then she fell.
Kyle watched her body disappear into the mist.
He turned.
The stocky man was climbing the tree. Slowly, but climbing.
Kyle looked at his dagger. The blade was red with blood. His own blood, too.
`One more...`
He jumped.
Not at the stocky man. Past him. He grabbed a branch, swung, and landed on the ground.
The stocky man roared and dropped after him.
He landed hard, stumbling to his knees.
Kyle was already there.
He tried to stab at the man’s neck. But the stocky man caught his wrist and squeezed.
Kyle felt his bones grind. But he didn’t let go of the dagger.
They struggled. The stocky man’s claws dug into Kyle’s arm. Kyle’s strength was fading. His vision was darkening.
`I can’t... hold him...`
Then—a screech.
Nightmare.
The bird flew from its position, four wings spread wide. It landed on the stocky man’s back. Its claws dug into his shoulders.
The stocky man roared and let go of Kyle’s wrist. He reached back to grab the bird.
Nightmare opened its beak and screamed.
The sound hit the bear-man like a hammer. His body went rigid. His eyes went blank. For a moment, he was frozen.
Kyle didn’t hesitate.
He gathered the last bit of strength he had and drove Fear Blade into the man’s throat.
Deep. All the way.
The stocky man’s eyes cleared for a second. He looked at Kyle. Then, at the dagger in his neck.
He opened his mouth to speak, but blood flowed.
Then he collapsed.
Kyle pulled the dagger free.
He stood over the body, breathing hard. His arms were shaking. His whole body was shaking.
He looked around.
The swordsman was still lying against the tree, unconscious or dead. The archer was somewhere in the mist. The stocky man was at his feet.
Three bodies.
Kyle turned.
Virgo and Leo were still behind the tree. Virgo’s face was pale. Leo was crying silently.
Kyle limped toward the children.
"It’s... over," he said.
His voice was rough. Weak.
He sat down against a tree. His vision was fading at the edges. He closed his eyes.
The world spun.
Then everything went dark.
