Both Galen and Thorne let out sighs of relief as the boy emerged unscathed from the dust and snow.
"He's alright, thank goodness," Galen muttered, exhaling.
"That was intense. For a second there, I thought he was done for," Thorne replied, his heart still racing.
The Nightmaw, howling in agony, grew even more and more enraged. In a desperate final attempt, the beast lunged itself at the boy, baring its fangs and claws at him, preparing itself to make the final move.
"Oh no, LOOK OUT!" Thorne yelled voice thick with worry.
However, the boy, undeterred, put away his bow and drew his dagger. In addition, without any hesitation, he sprinted forward, straight towards the oncoming beast.
"Hey what are you doing?" Thorne gasped, hardly believing what he was seeing.
The Nightmaw almost upon him, towering above him with its teeth and claws poised to kill. However, the boy, fearless and focused, tightened his grip on the dagger, bent his legs, and leaped into the air.
Both adversaries found themselves in mid-air, each preparing to deliver the final blow. Moreover, within seconds they each exchanged a deadly of blow.
Moments later, the boy landed softly on his feet, while the beast crashed to the ground, its massive body shaking the earth beneath them. The silence that followed was heavy, as Galen and Thorne could only stare in disbelief.
"W-what... just happened?" Thorne finally managed to say.
Galen's gaze remained fixed on the boy said. "I think… he won."
"Are you serious? You're telling me, that kid beat a beast like that?" Thorne's voice was a mix of shock and awe.
As they whispered, the boy approached the fallen Nightmaw's body. He knelt beside it gazing into its lifeless eyes. "You were a worthy opponent," he murmured. "So be proud and rest."
He said, taking his dagger, drove it into the creature's throat one final time.
Galen, still trying to process what he just witnessed, asked, "Did you just…?"
The boy stood up straight, wiping the dagger clean, said. "Just making sure it's over. Can't be too careful."
Their eyes met, and in that moment, Galen could see it clearly—this boy was entirely different. An adventurer unlike none he had encountered.
The boy then turned around, and called out to his younger brother. "Kael! You done on your end?" Kael, grinning, replied, "Yeah, I'm done. Looks like you're all wrapped up too."
"I guess so," the boy replied.
Kael added, "That was amazing. I've never seen a frostclaw this huge before."
"Yeah, neither have I," the boy admitted. "Wonder where it came from… Anyway, let's get to harvesting."
"Right!" Kael haply replied.
However, before they could start, Thorne came up to the both of them, still bristling with questions, asked. "Hold on a second."
The brothers looked up at him, both raising an eyebrow. "Hmph? What is it?"
Thorne crossed his arms, eyes narrowing. "You still haven't answered any of our question, just who the hell are you people."
The boy and Kael both exchanged glances, then shrugged their shoulders, "Like I said before, we're just a group of adventurers passing through." The boy said, a small smile crossed across his face.
Thorne not convinced, let out a frustrated sigh. "Huhhh… and just what the hell is that supposed to mean?"
End of Chapter 8.