Ort scanned the surroundings, his eyes darting between shadows. "Where be Ret!?" he exclaimed.
The men around him shook their heads or murmured uncertainly. "He was just here," one replied.
Jack stepped forward, his brow furrowed. "When did you last see him?"
"Right before them wolves attacked," came the answer, accompanied by uneasy glances.
Jack frowned, thoughts racing. 'That lad vanished once before in dire times. Ain't a fool to wander off. What happened this time?'
"Forget 'bout him now. Focus on what's ahead," Jack commanded, a steely edge to his voice.
"Aye," Ort responded reluctantly, refocusing on the imminent threat.
The beast erupted from the darkness, a colossal form of fur and sinew, its movements swift and deadly. Massive claws slashed through the air, tearing through shields and sending men staggering.
Mary's arcs of electricity flickered, illuminating the chaos briefly. "It's fast," she muttered, voice tight with tension.
Jack reacted swiftly, rallying his men amidst the storm of violence. "Steady those shields! Hold fast!"
"And the rest o' ye, BANANA!" Jack's shout cut through the din, a coded signal for coordinated action.
As the beast retreated into darkness, civilians struggled to ignite Wolfor circles, hoping to ensnare their foe. Thunder crackled above, adding a surreal backdrop to the conflict.
"Why ain't it pressin' its advantage?" Jack mused aloud, eyes scanning the shifting shadows.
Above them, the storm intensified, thunder rolling ominously. Mary felt a surge of power coursing through her, arcs spreading wider, revealing the beast's hiding spot. "There! THROW!" she commanded.
The beast evaded with uncanny agility, leaving blurred afterimages in its wake. It moved like a phantom, dodging attacks effortlessly.
Then, it struck again, slashing through the defenders with brutal efficiency. Men fell, shields shattered, and fear gripped the survivors.
Mary unleashed a torrent of electricity, catching the beast off guard. It recoiled, momentarily stunned, opening a window for deadly spears coated in Wolfor poison to find their mark.
"Throw!" Jack commanded, as spears coated in deadly Wolfor poison found their mark, piercing the Beast's flesh.
As the creature howled in pain, Jack's voice rang out with admiration. "Mary, ye've done it!"
Turning to Ort, who was attending to fallen comrades, Jack's tone hardened. "Ort, focus up! We close ranks, now!"
Jack then scanned the battlefield with a hardened gaze, his mind racing through the next steps of their plan. "Keep those spears ready! We've weakened it, but it's not finished yet."
Mary's arcs of electricity continued to crackle, casting sporadic flashes of light across the tense faces of their group. "It won't stay down for long," she warned.
"Aye, we need that harpoon loaded and aimed," Jack growled, pointing towards the makeshift cannon being readied by Tor and the crew. "Mary, keep that beast distracted. Ort, shore up the perimeter with the Protectors. We can't be havin' it break through again."
As the beast circled, its eyes locked onto Mary's pulsating arcs, drawn to the source of its recent torment. With a guttural growl, it charged forward, claws slashing through the air towards her.
Mary's response was swift and instinctive. She redirected her electrical currents, creating a blinding barrier that momentarily halted the beast's advance. "Now, Jack!" she shouted, her voice cutting through the chaos.
Jack nodded grimly, manipulating the vines he had wrapped around the cannon earlier to swiftly adjust its aim. He signaled with his hand to fire the harpoon. With a thunderous roar, the cannon launched its deadly payload, the Wolfor-coated tip gleaming in the moonlight as it streaked towards its target.
The beast, caught off guard by the sudden assault, tried to evade, but the harpoon found its mark, embedding deep into the creature's hide. A chorus of triumphant cheers erupted from the defenders as the beast staggered, its movements slowing under the poison's potent effects.
"Now's our chance!" Jack shouted, rallying the fighters to press their advantage. Spears flew, finding vulnerable spots in the beast's now-weakened defenses. With each strike, the creature faltered, its roars of pain echoing through the night.
But the battle was far from over. The beast, though wounded, still possessed formidable strength. It thrashed and lashed out, forcing the defenders to break the formation and stay on the move, dodging its frenzied attacks.
Mary continued to channel her electrical powers, maintaining a constant barrage to keep the creature off balance.
As dawn approached, the battlefield became a chaotic dance of life and death. The beast, now visibly weakened but still dangerous, seemed to sense its impending defeat. With one final, desperate charge, it aimed straight for Jack, its massive form hurtling through the air with deadly intent.
As the beast lunged, he used his vines to shoot upwards, quickly scaling a nearby tree. Dodging the creature's attack, he leapt higher, his movements agile and swift. With precise aim, he drew his flintlock pistol in mid-air, firing a shot that struck the beast squarely in the head. The creature staggered, momentarily stunned by the unexpected attack.
As it faltered, Jack's hand transformed into sharp claws, the vines retracting from his other hand. He descended rapidly, landing on the beast's back.
With a primal roar, he clawed through its thick neck, causing blood to spray into the air, mixing with the falling rain. Jack continued slashing, struggling to maintain his balance atop the thrashing beast—it was like riding a bull.
[CLICK ME]
Finally, the creature collapsed onto its front, the wooden spear handles embedded in its body breaking as it fell.
Jack's face was covered in crimson, his once blue hair now stained red, and his clothes soaked through.
"AAAA!" he let out a fierce scream, standing triumphantly on the beast's back, fists clenched in the air. "THE BEAST BE NO MORE."
"WE'VE DONE IT!" Ort bellowed, and all the others let out triumphant cheers, Mary included.
One of Ort's men, overcome with joy, dashed toward the village, shouting, "The beast is down! The beast is down!"
Jack felt the creature beneath him stir, prompting him to leap away swiftly, wary that it might not be dead yet.
But then, the beast began to transform.