EPISODE 8

EPISODE 8

ANGELICCA SEVERIA

The moment Commander Sival's words echoed through the air, everything around me seemed to come to a sudden halt.

A sharp ringing sound filled my ears. It drowned out every other noise around me, leaving me frozen where I stood. For several long seconds, I could do nothing but stare blankly ahead, unable to process what I had just heard.

The world around me became distant and muffled.

I no longer heard the desperate shouts of the warriors who had been left outside the sealed silver gates. 

Their voices, filled with panic and fear, faded into the background as though they were miles away from me. 

Even the terrifying growls of the werewolves, which were drawing closer and closer to our position with every passing second, seemed to disappear beneath the overwhelming ringing inside my head.

My chest tightened painfully.

I couldn't even force my body to move.

Commander Sival's words kept repeating inside my mind.

Then I blinked.

As my vision slowly cleared, my eyes instinctively lifted toward the tower.

That was when I saw him.

Commander Sival had already turned his back on us.

Without a single glance behind him, he walked away from the edge of the tower. Several other warriors followed behind him, their footsteps disappearing into the distance as they left with him.

I stared at their retreating figures in disbelief.

My heart sank heavily inside my chest.

“OPEN THIS GATE! ARE YOU TRYING TO GET US KILLED IN HERE?! YOU BASTARDS! HAVE YOU NO MERCY?!” one of the warriors shouted at the top of his lungs. 

His voice echoed through the area as he violently rattled the thick silver bars of the gate, desperately trying to tear them apart with his bare hands. Several of his companions quickly joined him, pounding their fists against it and pulling at it with all the strength they had left.

Panic and desperation radiated from every one of them.

The sound of their furious yelling finally snapped me back to reality.

It felt as though I had been frozen in place, trapped in a daze while everything around me spiraled into chaos. My mind had gone blank for a moment, overwhelmed by the terror unfolding before us. But the warriors’ desperate cries shattered that numbness and forced me to focus.

I stared at them for a few seconds, watching them struggle against the unyielding silver gate. No matter how hard they pushed, pulled, or struck it, the massive barrier refused to budge.

A knot tightened painfully in my stomach.

Slowly, I turned my head.

The moment my eyes landed on what was behind us, my blood ran cold.

The werewolves were almost upon us.

Only a few meters separated us from the charging pack. Their massive bodies surged forward with speed, kicking up clouds of dust beneath their powerful paws. Their snarls filled the air, savage and bloodthirsty, while their glowing eyes remained locked on us.

That's when my eyebrows slammed together in a deep frown as I clenched my jaw. The chaos unfolding before me ignited a surge of fury and desperation inside my chest. Without hesitation, I grabbed a massive machine gun from the ground. My hands moved quickly as I attached a long belt of ammunition to the weapon, securing it in place before raising the barrel toward the advancing enemy.

The moment my finger squeezed the trigger, a deafening roar erupted from the gun.

Round after round burst from the muzzle in rapid succession. I unleashed a relentless storm of bullets, spraying the battlefield without mercy. They dropped one after another as the bullets tore through them. But before I could gain any sense of advantage, another rain of arrows descended from the towers above.

The sky seemed to darken beneath the countless projectiles.

The battlefield had become a nightmare.

We managed to bring down many of them, but no matter how many enemies fell, more seemed to appear. It was as if their numbers were endless. For every werewolf that hit the ground, another took its place, charging forward with savage determination.

Still, I refused to stop firing.

I kept my finger firmly on the trigger, my arms trembling from the weapon's recoil as I continued mowing down anything that came within range. The smell of gunpowder filled the air, mixing with the metallic scent of blood.

Then suddenly...

The gun fell silent.

I had run out of ammunition.

Without wasting a second, I threw the machine gun aside. 

It crashed onto the blood-soaked earth as I sprinted forward at full speed. My eyes quickly locked onto a sword embedded in the ground. I reached it in seconds, wrapped my hand around the hilt, and yanked it free from the dirt.

I charged straight into the enemy ranks without a second thought, even as a relentless storm of arrows continued to rain down from above. The sharp projectiles struck against my full armor with metallic clangs, some glancing off my shoulders and chest, others skidding harmlessly across the steel. 

None of them could pierce through.

My jaw was clenched so tightly that I thought my teeth might crack from the pressure. Rage, desperation, and determination twisted together inside my chest, fueling every movement I made.

With savage intensity, I drove my sword into one werewolf after another.

I stabbed.

I slashed.

I carved my way through their ranks.

The werewolves surrounding me were far different from the ones I had fought earlier. These creatures were significantly larger, their massive bodies towering over me like monsters pulled straight from a nightmare. Thick muscles rippled beneath their dark fur, and their claws looked capable of tearing through solid steel.

Their speed was terrifying as well.

Despite their enormous size, they moved with frightening agility, dodging and lunging with deadly precision.

These aren't ordinary werewolves, I realized.

Their strength, size, and reflexes could only mean one thing, they possessed much higher ranks than the enemies I had encountered.

But by that point, my emotions had become a chaotic storm.

Every feeling crashed violently against the others until my entire body seemed to enter a heightened state of awareness.

My senses sharpened beyond anything I had ever experienced.

I could hear the pounding of feet against the blood-soaked ground.

I could smell the metallic scent of blood mixing with wet earth.

I could feel every shift in the air whenever a claw swung toward me.

Time itself seemed to slow.

Every movement became clearer.

Every threat became visible.

And because of that, not a single werewolf escaped the reach of my blade.

Each one who dared come near me tasted the cold steel of my sword.

"HELP!"

The desperate cry cut through the chaos of the battlefield, instantly drawing my attention.

I turned toward the source of the scream and felt my stomach tighten at the sight before me.

One of our warriors had already been pinned to the ground by a grayish werewolf. The beast was tearing into him mercilessly, its powerful jaws ripping through flesh as blood splattered across the muddy ground. The warrior's screams had become weak and broken, drowned beneath the creature's savage growls.

Without hesitation, I yanked my sword free from the neck of the werewolf I had just slain.

The blade slid out with a wet sound, sending a spray of dark blood.

Then I sprinted toward the fallen warrior as fast as I could.

As I closed the distance, the beast suddenly stopped feeding.

Its head snapped toward me.

For a brief moment, our eyes met.

Fresh blood coated its elongated snout, dripping from its jaws in thick red streams. Pieces of flesh were still caught between its razor-sharp teeth, making the sight even more horrifying. Its yellow eyes gleamed with savage hunger as a low growl rumbled deep within its chest.

The creature abandoned its prey and turned its full attention toward me.

Then it charged.

Its massive body surged forward with frightening speed before launching itself into the air, claws extended and jaws wide open, ready to tear me apart.

Everything seemed to slow down.

I could see every detail

The droplets of blood flying from its fur.

The intent burning within its eyes.

At the very last second, I dropped to my knees and slid across the muddy ground.

At the same time, I raised my sword upward with all the strength I could muster.

The sharpened blade sliced straight through the werewolf's abdomen.

A horrible tearing sound echoed through the air.

The beast let out a deafening howl of agony as its body flew over me.

I twisted around immediately.

The moment I looked back, the werewolf crashed heavily onto the ground behind me.

Blood poured from the deep wound in its stomach like a river, quickly spreading across the earth.

The creature twitched violently for a few moments before its movements finally ceased.

My gaze immediately shifted toward the warrior, and what I saw made my stomach twist.

His body was still standing for a brief moment, but his insides had already spilled out from his torn abdomen.

I quickly tore my eyes away, forcing myself not to dwell on it. 

I turned my attention to another part of the battlefield, preparing to search for another enemy to kill. The chaos around me was relentless, and there were still countless opponents threatening our defenses.

But before I could focus on anything else, a deafening roar suddenly echoed across the entire area.

The sound was so powerful that it seemed to shake the very ground beneath my feet.

My head snapped toward the direction from which it had come.

The moment my eyes found its source, they widened in disbelief.

Charging straight toward me was a much larger werewolf.

Its fur was as black as the darkest night, making it appear like a living shadow tearing through the battlefield. It was closing the distance between us in mere seconds. Its massive frame towered over every other werewolf around it, and for a moment, I felt as though I was staring at the largest werewolf I had ever seen in my entire life.

I caught sight of its blazing crimson eyes, glowing intensely as they locked onto me with murderous intent. Those blood-red eyes never left my figure, and the moment our gazes met, a chill ran down my spine. 

The werewolf moved with terrifying agility, its speed almost impossible to follow. 

Every movement was swift and precise, and the furious growls rumbling from its throat sounded as if it were consumed by pure rage.

I was determined to bring down the massive beast.

Tightening my grip on my sword, I forced myself to stay focused. I believed that somehow, despite the overwhelming difference in our abilities, I could still match its speed long enough to find an opening. 

If I could spot even the smallest weakness, I might be able to land a decisive strike.

But I had severely underestimated it.

Its movements were far faster than I had anticipated. Before I could even react, it seemed to read every one of my actions as though it knew exactly what I was planning. The moment I shifted my stance and prepared to attack, the werewolf moved first.

A powerful blow slammed directly into me.

The impact was devastating.

I was hurled through the air, completely helpless against the sheer force behind the attack. The world spun violently around me as I flew several meters away. My body crashed into a massive boulder with such force that it felt as though I would be embedded into the solid rock itself.

A split second later, I bounced off the stone and collapsed heavily onto the ground. Dust rose around me as I landed face down. 

Beneath my armor, I could feel my bones rattling from the impact, and the metal plating seemed to cave inward under the pressure, crushing painfully against my flesh. It felt as though my armor was being slowly flattened around me.

I immediately rolled onto my back, instinctively trying to recover. But before I could even push myself up from the ground, a heavy presence suddenly landed nearby with enough force to make the earth tremble beneath me.

The moment I looked up, my breath caught in my throat.

Standing directly in front of me was the same pitch-black werewolf.

Its crimson-red eyes were glowing with fury.

Through the narrow gap of my armored helmet, I was able to see its towering figure looming over me.

Its massive, muscular body resembled that of a man, yet every inch of it was covered in thick black fur. Long, razor-sharp claws extended from its hands, while rows of deadly fangs protruded from its snarling mouth. Saliva dripped from its teeth as it growled viciously.

I could feel the intensity of its hatred.

Its blood-red eyes remained locked onto mine, and every deep, rumbling growl that escaped its throat vibrated through my entire body.

The beast looked as though it wanted nothing more than to tear me apart.

Fear and adrenaline surged through me.

I squeezed my eyes shut just as the werewolf suddenly lunged.

Before I could react, I felt its massive hand clamp around my right leg.

The beast lifted me effortlessly into the air and repeatedly slammed my body against the ground. 

Then, the werewolf swung me with even greater force.

My head crashed directly into the trunk of a massive tree.

A sickening crack echoed through the forest.

Pain exploded throughout my skull, and my vision instantly darkened around the edges.

The beast didn't stop.

It continued smashing me against the tree over and over again.

With every impact, the enormous trunk shook violently. Splinters flew into the air as deep cracks spread across the wood, threatening to split the entire tree apart.

My hearing disappeared.

One moment, I was being relentlessly pummeled by the beast, and the next, the assault suddenly stopped. 

At first, I thought that this was it, that it had finally decided to end my life. 

I braced myself for the final blow, expecting unbearable pain or the crushing force that would take my last breath.

But it never came.

Instead, I realized that the beast was simply holding my battered body in its enormous hand. 

Then suddenly, it threw back its head and unleashed a deafening roar.

The sound exploded across the battlefield like a shockwave, so powerful that it felt as if my eardrums were about to burst. 

The roar echoed through the air, shaking everything around us and drowning out every other sound. My ears rang violently until I could hear nothing else.

My eyelids kept drooping. Darkness threatened to pull me under, but I forced my eyes open, desperate to catch one last glimpse of what was happening around me.

What I saw sent a jolt through my fading consciousness.

The sky was raining fire once again.

Flaming arrows streaked through the darkness, blazing like falling stars as they descended upon the battlefield. Their fiery trails illuminated the chaos below. In the distance, I saw the werewolves retreating, abandoning the fight as they sprinted away from the battlefield.

And, the beast holding me suddenly moved.

With astonishing speed for something so massive, it turned and began running as well, carrying me effortlessly in its grasp.

Everything around me blurred. 

The burning arrows, the retreating werewolves, the blood-soaked battlefield, all of it became a haze before my eyes.

Those were the last things I saw.

The darkness finally swallowed me whole, and I lost consciousness.

At that moment, I had already accepted my fate.

I no longer believed I would survive.

I had given up any hope of seeing another sunrise.

I no longer knew if I was dead.

But if I truly were dead, then why, even in my state of unconsciousness, could I still see everything so vividly inside my mind? 

Every horrifying moment replayed itself with brutal clarity, the way each recruit had been slaughtered one by one.

The warriors I had once considered my comrades.

No... they were more than comrades.

Somewhere along the way, I had started seeing them as my friends.

A sharp pain seemed to pierce my chest as I relived the moment Camden was impaled by the claws of a werewolf. I could still see the savage creature driving its razor-sharp claws straight through his body without mercy.

Then there was Marti.

I watched helplessly as his body was torn apart, split cleanly into two pieces as if he were nothing more than a sheet of paper. The memory was so gruesome that I wanted to look away, yet I couldn't.

Linox met an equally horrifying fate.

His head was severed from his body in a single merciless strike.

Kaiser never even stood a chance. Several beasts descended upon him at once, crushing and mangling his body until there was almost nothing left.

And Jace...

The monsters surrounded him, tearing into him from every direction. They feasted on him like starving predators until his body was ripped apart into bloody shreds.