Chapter 221: Ambush
Sorrin jumped to his feet the moment I cried out, but it was too late. Upon realizing its discovery, the monster shrieked and lunged forward, its scythe-like claws extended. The Wolfkin’s sword was only halfway out of its sheath as the claws descended toward him, ears twitching in surprise and fear.
"Aegis!"
Gold light sprung up about him, narrowly deflecting the attack. Sorrin staggered back, finally freeing his sword and staring at the barrier in wonder. But before he could so much as thank me, the monster struck again, setting the Aegis trembling.
I frowned, carefully observing its attack patterns. This monster was the same as the others, a hulking mass of muscle, tooth, and claw, yet its attacks were far more concentrated. Instead of releasing its power in wild, erratic attacks, it attacked with purpose, intentionally targeting the same spot on the Aegis. It was far from perfect, still wasting the majority of its strength, but the difference in skills was obvious.
The Aegis held for a few more seconds, just enough time for Sorrin to gather his bearings. The Wolfkin snarled and threw himself forward, sword cleaving through the air. The monster screeched as the blade buried itself in its shoulder, biting to the bone. Shadowy blood spurted from the wound and the monster fell back, clutching its arm.
In our battle before, Fable was at the peak of fourth level, capable of slaughtering them with ease. On paper, Sorrin was the same, save he was at the beginning stages of fourth level. Even so, the level difference between him and the monster was clear, and he pressed the advantage, giving it no time to retreat.
The monster flailed its claws about, but Sorrin’s sword came down on the same spot on its shoulder, this time succeeding in severing its arm. The twitching limb hit the ground with a heavy thud, claws scraping deep gouges into the grassy earth. Within a few seconds, it had begun to steam, gradually evaporating into shadows.
Awakened by the commotion, it didn’t take long for the others to join the fight. Rasce’s bowstring hummed, and the monster sprouted several arrows from its chest. As it stumbled back, a stream of sparks leaped from Tana’s hand, chasing after the arrows and striking its chest.
I jumped as Dyson appeared beside me, moving as quietly as a whisper. "It’s alright," he soothed, "I’ll protect you."
"Thanks?" I whispered, blushing a bit. "It’s just a monster though."
His brave facade faltered, and he gave me a sideways glance. Was my courage really so surprising? I took a glance behind me to ensure my tail was as calm as I felt. The monster didn’t seem keen on summoning its friends, and Sorrin easily suppressed it now, so why would I be afraid? There was a moment or two when it first appeared I panicked, but now the situation was well under control.