Time and time again I wondered how I was still alive. Before I awakened my Gift I was weakest in my age group. Slowest and smallest too. That didn't changed after becoming a Gifted. I was always first one to tap out while running. First one to get bruises during sparring. That's why I always worked my ass off. I ran even after everyone stopped. I kept punching the heavybag until my skin broke. I kept practiced even after my calluses tore from my skin. Maybe that's why I was still alive. Still in one piece. But looking at the creature in front of me, I realized that that won't stay like that anymore.
"Get in formation! Protect healers!"
I screamed as I pulled my bow. I fired 3 arrows back to back.
"What?"
I felt my back getting wet with cold sweat. It caught the arrows. Two with claws, one with its mouth. If it dodged it I wouldn't be suprised. But catching them? It snapped arrows it held and threw it to ground.
"Sharpshooters! Overwhelm him! Fire!"
I ordered. My voice snapped others awake and they aimed towards the creature. But before any of us could fire, it was just beside us.
"Fast!"
I heard someone scream. More followed as creature slammed its claws to rookies. It gutted one and lifted above its head. Poor rookie screamed and coughed blood.
"You son of bitch! Pick someone on your size!"
I screamed as I lunged forward it. I was thrown away with a kick. I managed to block it with my bow. But it snapped like a twig and air escaped from my lungs.
"And you are my size?"
I felt blood in my veins froze. It spoke?
"Burak!"
Leyla and Doğukan's bodies filled my vision. They came to support me. I gritted my teeth.
"Rookies, escape! Ran towards dungeon entrance!"
I said with the first breath I took. We can't defeat this thing. Our best hope was to hang on until a higher ranked hunter came. While I said that I turned to Volkan.
"We need to hold it! Magic suppor…!"
Son of a bitch.
Goddamn son of a bitch! I said as I looked back to him. His back turned, arms flailing. He didn't even looked back at us while running away. He was supposed to be our leader. He was highest ranking here! As I cursed him I saw Leyla's body fly in air. I broke her fall and held her.
"You okay?"
"Still alive!"
She got up quickly. There was blood in her clothes.
"We are going to hold it until rookies escape. Then we retreat."
I said. Most of rookies already ran far away already.
"Sir, I can help!"
Ayla's voice came.
"You dumb rookie! Go bac-"
"I can use Mana Blade!"
My eyes widened. Mana Blade? High ranking active skill?
"Leyla! Doğukan! We are opening the way for her! Ayla you have one shot!"
Since my bow was broken, I pulled throwing knifes from my belt.
"Yes!"
"Let's go!"
I threw five knives. They curved in air before reaching it. It causally dodged it. But my attack wasn't meant to hurt it. It was just to create opening for melee fighters. I saw Doğukan and Leyla closing on him from both sides. He was off-balance due dodging my attacks. A spear on left and sword on the right swung down on it.
"Argh!"
"Shit!"
Both of them were deflected. I saw Ayla's sword shine with blue light. Mana blade! It was an attack skill with desctructive capabilities! I saw her move with an incredible speed. But something was wrong. I looked at the creature. Its eyes!
"Son of a!"
I ran. With the adrenaline boost, I ran faster than I ever did. I got between Ayla and monster.
"Grrr!"
Its claws broke through my wristguard and pierced my forearm. I could see its claws poking through it. If I couldn't get between them, this attack would have pierced Ayla's chest. I saw another claw flashing towards me. I jumped back while throwing my knive. It pierced its right eye. It howled with in pain.
"We are even asshole!"
I yelled at him. My arm bleed like crazy. I couldn't close or open my fist. It just hang there, uselessly. Probably it fucked my tendons or something.
"What?"
4 of us gasped as my knife just fell from its eye. I watched as it eye healed in real time.
"High-speed regeneration."
I said. How did a monster like this came here? How?
"Ayla, we need to cut its head. How many times?"
An active skill like that had serious mana consumption.
"2- no 1 more."
Shit.
"Make it count!"
One arm is enough for throwing knives. I pulled my combat knife. I started running towards it with Leyla and Doğukan behind me. It lunged towards me. Good, that was the plan. I backed away as I throw more knives. While it dodged them Leyla and Doğukan surrounded it. I also got close. Both of them were thrown away just in a second. I couldn't even tell if they were seriously wounded. I blocked its claws as I screamed.
"Finish it!"
"Argh!"
Ayla roared. Blue light cut its neck in one smooth motion. Its head fell to ground with a loud noise and rolled for some distance. Due Ayla throwing her entire weight to strike she fell down but I held her.
"You good?"
"Yes, sir!"
"Good job, Now we…"
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!"
A laughing filled my ears. It wasn't a humans laughing. It was something more like barking or howling. Most similar noise I ever heard was hyenas noise. I looked in terror as its headless body just stood up and got its head.
"What the fuck?"
All 4 of us said in an unison. I placed its head to its shoulder. The cut healed completely in a blink of an eye.
"Shit."
My voice was suprisingly calm. It was similar to feeling of calmness when you know you are about to fail. That's what I felt right know.
"Ayla, go."
That was best I can do.