General Rowan's retreat was swift, his men battered and fewer in number than when they had marched to face the enemy. As they stumbled back into camp, the soldiers who had remained behind looked on in confusion and concern. Whispers spread like wildfire as the once-proud General, now with fear in his eyes, dismounted from his horse.
Rowan called for his Lieutenants to gather in his tent. The air was thick with tension as they assembled, waiting for an explanation. His love interest, [Name], stood at the forefront, her eyes narrowing as she took in the sight of Rowan's pale face.
"The enemy was not what we expected," Rowan began, his voice trembling slightly. "A dragon-like beast, and... a human, if you can even call him that. He wielded powers I've never seen. He tore through our forces like they were nothing. We had no choice but to retreat."
The tent fell silent as the Lieutenants exchanged glances, disbelief and disgust evident on their faces. Ella stepped forward, her voice cold. "We were supposed to be victorious, General. You promised me glory, and instead, you return with tales of monsters and defeat."
Rowan looked at her, shame written across his features. "I had to think of the lives of our men. Charging forward would have been suicide."
Ella shook her head, her expression hardening. "A true leader fights to the last, no matter the odds. You've shown fear, Rowan, and fear is something I cannot respect."
She turned and walked out of the tent, leaving Rowan standing alone, the weight of his failure crushing him even further. The other Lieutenants followed her, their faith in their General shaken, and their minds filled with doubt about the battles yet to come.
Rowan spun around at the sound of slow, mocking claps behind him. Emerging from the shadows was none other than the telekinetic foot soldier, the one-man army who had decimated Rowan's forces. His eyes glinted with amusement as he watched the defeated General.
"Well, well," the mutant began, his voice dripping with contempt, "such a pitiful display. And here I thought generals were supposed to be made of sterner stuff."
Rowan's hand flew to the hilt of his sword, yanking it from its sheath in one swift motion. But before he could even think to strike, his arm froze mid-air, held in place by an unseen force. The mutant's smirk widened as he casually strolled closer, completely unfazed.
"Such a failure, you are, General," the mutant taunted, his voice a low chuckle that sent shivers down Rowan's spine.
With a flick of his wrist, the mutant sent Rowan flying out of the tent, crashing into the hard ground outside. The impact knocked the wind out of him, leaving him gasping as he struggled to rise. The guards stationed nearby, alarmed by the commotion, rushed to investigate. They found Rowan sprawled on the ground, but before they could react, they too were lifted off their feet by the same invisible force.
The mutant didn't even glance in their direction as he sent them hurtling upward into the sky, their terrified screams fading as they disappeared into the night. Rowan, still struggling to regain his breath, could do nothing but watch in horror as the telekinetic soldier slowly approached him again, each step deliberate and menacing.
---
As the mutant emerged from the tent, Ella and the other lieutenants saw Rowan lying lifeless on the ground. A strange figure, shrouded in shadows, approached with a slow, deliberate pace. The tension was palpable, and before they could react, a piercing screech from above filled the air. A dragon-like wyvern, with scales as black as night, circled ominously above the camp, its fiery breath lighting up the sky.
Rowan, barely conscious, managed to lift his head and scream, "Run!" But his warning was cut short as the mutant made a subtle gesture with his hand. With a sickening crack, Rowan's neck twisted unnaturally, and his body fell limp.
Ella's heart pounded in her chest as she watched the man she once admired reduced to nothing. Fury and despair welled up within her. "You'll pay for this!" she cried, drawing her sword alongside the other lieutenants. But before they could take a step, the mutant flicked his wrist, and they were all lifted into the air, suspended like puppets by an invisible force.
The wyvern, sensing the command, dove from the sky, its massive jaws opening wide. Flames erupted from its maw, engulfing the camp in a torrent of fire. The soldiers screamed as they were consumed by the inferno, their forms reduced to ash in moments.
Ella struggled against the invisible grip, her eyes burning from the heat and the tears of helplessness. The mutant smiled cruelly, relishing in their torment. "This is only the beginning," he whispered, his voice carrying over the crackling flames. "Azathoth sends his regards."
With a final, dismissive wave, he sent Ella and her fellow lieutenants crashing into the ground. The last thing she saw before darkness claimed her was the mutant walking away, the wyvern roaring triumphantly above the charred remains of their once-proud camp.
The wyvern landed with a heavy thud, shaking the ground as its massive wings folded to its sides. The mutant, now perched on its back, looked down with cold, unfeeling eyes, as the remains of Rowan's camp smoldered beneath him. Just as he was about to signal the wyvern to take off, a sharp pain jolted through his back. He turned his head slowly to see a glowing arrow lodged between his shoulder blades. But instead of reacting with pain, a wicked smile spread across his face.
From the shadows of the trees, four figures emerged. Their eyes were locked on the mutant, and their postures radiated determination. These were no ordinary warriors; they were members of a powerful guild, each wielding weapons infused with magic.
The archer, a tall, agile woman with keen eyes, notched another arrow. "You won't leave here alive, monster," she said, her voice calm but laced with steel.
Beside her, the mage—a man draped in dark robes, his hands crackling with arcane energy—began chanting a spell. As he did, enormous black chains burst from the ground, wrapping around the wyvern's limbs and wings. The creature roared in anger, struggling against its bindings, but the chains held firm, each link glowing with the power of the spell.
The warrior, a broad-shouldered man clad in heavy armor, charged forward with a massive sword that gleamed with an otherworldly light. "For the fallen!" he bellowed, his voice echoing through the forest as he closed the distance between him and the mutant.
The healer, a serene woman with a staff adorned with crystals, stood slightly behind the others, her eyes glowing with a soft light. She was ready to mend any wounds her comrades might suffer, her magic weaving a protective aura around them.
The mutant sneered, raising his hand as the warrior approached. With a flick of his wrist, an invisible force slammed into the warrior, sending him flying backward into the trunk of a massive tree. The impact left a deep dent in the bark, but the warrior, undeterred, rose to his feet with a grunt and charged again.
The archer released another arrow, this one enchanted with flames. It streaked through the air like a comet, aimed directly at the mutant's head. The mutant casually raised his hand and the arrow halted mid-flight, then spun around to face the archer. She cursed under her breath as the arrow reversed its path, forcing her to dive out of the way.
Seeing his comrades in danger, the mage intensified his spell. The chains around the wyvern tightened, glowing brighter with each word he uttered. The creature thrashed wildly, but could not break free. "Now!" the mage shouted to the warrior.
The warrior saw his opening and swung his sword in a wide arc. The blade, imbued with holy energy, sliced through the air with a sharp hum. The mutant was forced to levitate higher to avoid the strike, and in doing so, he lost his balance momentarily.
Seizing the opportunity, the healer raised her staff. A beam of pure white light shot from its tip, striking the mutant in the chest. For the first time, he grunted in pain, his form flickering as if the light was tearing at the darkness within him. The healer poured more energy into the spell, her face set in grim determination.
But the mutant's eyes blazed with fury. With a roar, he unleashed a powerful telekinetic shockwave that blasted the mage, warrior, and healer backward. The chains binding the wyvern shattered into fragments of dark energy, freeing the beast. The archer, now positioned behind a tree, loosed three arrows in rapid succession, each targeting a vital point on the mutant's body.
He blocked the first with a telekinetic barrier, dodged the second, but the third found its mark, embedding itself deep into his shoulder. The mutant winced, feeling the arrowhead sizzle against his flesh. His eyes snapped to the archer, who was already drawing another arrow.
With a snarl, the mutant lifted the archer into the air with his mind, tightening his grip as she struggled against the invisible force. But before he could crush her, the warrior charged once more, his sword wreathed in flames now, cleaving the space between them. The mutant was forced to release the archer to defend himself, forming a telekinetic shield that barely deflected the warrior's strike.
The mage, having recovered, unleashed a torrent of fire from his staff. The flames swirled around the mutant, who now found himself under attack from multiple directions. He growled in frustration, struggling to maintain his defenses. The healer took advantage of the chaos, sending beams of light to bolster her comrades' strength and heal their wounds.
The mutant realized he was being overwhelmed. With a furious shout, he released another shockwave, stronger than the first. The warrior's sword was shattered, the archer's bow snapped in half, and the mage's spell was disrupted. The healer cried out as the shockwave sent her crashing into the ground, her staff clattering away.
The mutant, breathing heavily, floated above the battered group, his eyes glowing with malevolent energy. He extended his hands, and the forest around them began to tremble. Trees were uprooted and hurled aside as if they were mere twigs. The earth split open, forming deep chasms that threatened to swallow the guild members whole.
But the warrior, though weaponless, wasn't done yet. With a roar, he leaped at the mutant, his fists glowing with the remnants of the healer's magic. He struck the mutant square in the chest, sending him reeling. The archer, despite her broken bow, threw a dagger that embedded itself in the mutant's side. The mage, gathering the last of his strength, cast a spell that sent a bolt of lightning straight at the mutant's head.
The mutant screamed as the lightning coursed through him, his form flickering wildly. He could feel his control slipping. Desperate, he reached out with his mind, intending to crush them all in one final telekinetic blast. But as he began to gather his power, the healer, struggling to her feet, chanted a spell of her own.