The adventurers stood silently, stunned as their faces twisted in disbelief and horror.
Raine's body flew through the air, crashing onto the cold snow, blood staining the ground beside them. Lyra, her breath caught within her throat, forced her neck to turn.
As the sight that greeted her was an unbearable one: Raine laid lifeless on the ground, blood pooling around her body, painting the snow in crimson red, and her eyes wide open however empty.
Lyra's knees buckled, collapsing beneath her as she then let out a heart-wrenching scream that echoed across the mountain. Her tears streaming down her face as she muttered repeatedly, "No, no, no, no... NOOOOOOOOOOO!" The sound was raw as it filled with despair.
Both Thorne and Galen stood frozen, paralyzed by the overwhelming fear gripping their hearts.
They could not move, nor could they speak. For what they faced was unlike anything they had ever seen—with was a Nightmaw, a larger and more terrifying version of the Frostclaws. Its fur was jet-black, and its blood-red eyes glowed menacingly, exuding an ominous presence that threatened to crush their spirits.
The massive beast gazed down at them, as it radiated a dark power that sent icy shivers down their spines. It stood taller than the surrounding trees, its muscles rippling beneath its fur, and its claws looked sharp enough to rend steel.
Lyra's hands trembled uncontrollably, unable to move an inch. However, Galen although steering into the face of death, forced his neck to turn to Lyra, found his voice and called out to her, "Lyra, what are you doing? don't just lie there. GO AND HELP RAINE NOWWW!" He yelled. Goggin her back to her senses.
With that, she got back on her feet and quickly rushed to Raine side, as she desperately tried to cast a healing spell on her, but her voice cracked with panic. "No... No, No, why isn't it working? Please, please... work!" but the spell would not come.
Nevertheless, as she kept on insisting. She finally managed to cast the healing spell giving Raine a chance to live.
Thorne, consumed by the paralyzing fear, managed to let out a weak, nervous laugh. "So... this is how I go out, huh? Well... it could been worse, I guess." He said, the grip on his bow loosening as he accepted what he believed was his fate.
However, Galen was not ready to surrender just yet. Gritting his teeth, he tightened his grip on his sword and forced himself into a battle stance, as every muscle in his body screamed in protest.
"I REFUSE TO ACCEPT DEFEAT, BECAUSE I AM A WARRIOR, AND I SHALL NEVER YIELD!" He shouted, his voice ringing with defiance as he released a battle cry, ready to strike.
The Nightmaw, however, responded with a devastating roar of its own, a sound so powerful it seemed to shake the very mountain. The roar sent shockwaves through the adventurer's bodies, freezing them in place. Galen's eyes widened in disbelief.
He could not move. No matter how hard he tried, his body simple refused to respond. "W-Why... why can't I move?" he muttered, his voice laced with panic.
The others, too, were immobilized, trapped by an unseen force. It was then that they realized that the Nightmaw had cast a powerful spell—Grasp of the Abyss. The dark magic shackled their movements, leaving them helpless before the towering beast.
As Galen struggled to break free of its spell, the Nightmaw then raised one of its enormous paw into the air, prepared to deliver a killing blow. His mind raced, knowing this was the end. He gritted his teeth, and braced himself for impact.
However, in the far distance, a group of three figures covered in robes, observed from the shadows witnessing Glens and his party's entire battle from a rocky ledge.
One of them standing in front of the ledge was a boy holding a bow in his hands, watched intently as the scene unfolded.
His sister, standing beside him, sighed softly. "I must say, they're a well-balanced team to have lasted this long." She said, her face twisted with boredom.
"That is true," agreed the second figure, her older brother, his voice low and thoughtful.
The girl tilted her head, as her eyes narrowed in curiosity. "So, what do we do now, brother? Do we just watch, or…?"
The one with the bow, leading the group, answered calmly, "We came here to do our job. And that's exactly what we're going to do." He said, his tone firm, filled with a quiet determination.
His sister sighed again, shaking her head. "Honestly, brother, sometimes you can be a bit too nice. It's pretty annoying."
Her older brother chuckled softly. "You should know by now sis, that's just the way he is."
And without another word, the boy pulled back the bowstring with practiced ease. Moreover, that is when an arrow appeared on the bow. He took a deep breathe in, as his eyes focused on the Nightmaw, and as he exhaled, he released the arrow.
Traveling in high speed, it sliced through the air with blinding speed, striking the beast's raised paw with pinpoint accuracy. In one clean motion, the arrow severed the Nightmaw's paw from its body.
The monstrous creature then let out a howl of agony, recoiling in shock as its blood sprayed across the snow, and before the beast could recover, the boy moved.
In addition, within the blink of an eye, the figure stood right before Galen, his presence radiating a calm yet strong demeanor.
Galen, still stunned and unable to move, stared up at the boy in disbelief. "Who... who are you?" He managed to whisper.
The boy then turned his head, meeting Galen's gaze with fiery determination burning within his eyes. "I'm an adventurer," He simply said, his voice filled with an unshakeable resolve.
End of Chapter 4.