"Kgh!"
The tendril of darkness that grazed through Cole's chest ripped him from his investigation of the mysterious symbol.
He stumbled back, clutching the wound as a wave of dizziness washed over him from the poison of the Boneweavers that had begun to act up since a few minutes ago.
He could see the shocked faces of his comrades, their expressions a mixture of concern and fear.
"Cole!"
Aeliana cried out, her expression drowned in worry.
"Are you alright?"
Cole gritted his teeth, trying to ignore the searing pain that radiated from his injury.
He looked up at the colossal creature that loomed over them, its form a grotesque mixture of shadows and bones. It pulsed with an evil power that threatened to consume everything in its path.
Or so, that's how it felt towards Cole.
"We need to get out of here!"
Cole gasped, his voice weak as he stared at the hand that was clutching his chest, all covered in blood.
Aeliana nodded, quickly snapping back to reality, her eyes hardening with determination.
"Brander, Thorne, create a diversion! Selene, cover us!"
The party members sprang into action, and Aeliana couldn't help but chastise herself mentally for her carelessness.
A whole town wouldn't be destroyed that easily simply because of a few Boneweavers, no. There had to be their leader, and that was the Herald of Darkness that had struck Cole with its own spell.
"Hmph!"
Brander unleashed a torrent of flames, while Thorne conjured earthen—drilling— spikes that erupted from the ground.
Selene formed a barrier of wind around the survivors, shielding them from the ensuing chaos as she urged them to get to moving already.
"I will stop any powerful attacks…"
Lyra trailed off, her voice barely heard by Cole as she stood next to him, helping Cole move.
'Fuck… I went and became a thing to pull them down! Well, sure, it's obvious I do since I lack the grace of mana. But aside from that part, why is the whole world weird…?'
Cole questioned within his mind, the wobbling world in his sight began to stretch out weirdly as if everything was constructed of slime to be played with.
The colossal creature roared, unleashing a wave of dark energy that almost slammed into the party members.
Brander and Thorne were thrown back, their attacks momentarily halted, albeit, their lives were saved by the minute and proper intervention of Lyra with a few icicles she had thrown towards the Herald of Darkness.
On the other hand, Selene's windy barrier faltered, cracks appearing on its solid surface.
Then, the world halted.
"Huh?"
Cole's colorful sight was all the same, alas, he clearly heard something.
"Time to get to work, boy, kiyagahaha!"
With a disturbing but joyful laugh, the chill-inducing voice disappeared as soon as it came to be heard about, and the next instant, Cole's own control of the body came to be nonexistent.
His body saw the opportunity.
With a swift but soft motion, he escaped from the hands of Lyra and Aeliana who were doing their most to assist in the battle while simultaneously moving Cole to safety.
Fwoop~
He lunged forward, his blade a blur of silver light.
"Gatchya Bitch!"
He struck at the creature's leg, aiming for a weak point he had glimpsed in its chaotic form.
The blade found its mark, sinking deep into the creature's flesh.
"Kirrgyaah!"
A guttural scream erupted from the monstrosity, shaking the very ground beneath their feet.
"It ain't over!"
Cole pushed his attack further, slashing at the monster's joints, and then—
"This blade is dogshit—"
Not even letting him finish his sentence, the Herald lashed out with a massive claw, sending Cole flying. He collided with the wall of a nearby building, crushing the air from his lungs and leaving him with a hollowness that echoed through his bones.
Thus, his world faded black.
***
"…"
When Cole came to, he found himself lying in a dimly lit room. The air was thick with the scent of herbs and bandages. He tried to sit up, but a sharp pain in his chest stopped him.
"Easy now," a stern voice said.
He turned to see a young woman with a stoic expression but soft hands tending to his wounds.
The tips of her hair strands were as white as snow, similar to his.
"Lyra?"
Cole asked, his voice weak but slightly filled with a shake of surprise.
"Correct," the woman replied.
"Don't ask any questions for now, just rest."
Cole looked around the room, noticing the other survivors huddled together in the corners.
Aeliana stood guard near the entrance, her face rather tense as she tried to resist the stinging burn of her wound from the Herald of Darkness.
'Is this a cottage or that bunker where the survivors were originally hiding in?'
Cole questioned within himself, wondering what happened after he first got struck by that monster, his memories rather unclear.
"How long have I been out?" Cole asked nonetheless, ignoring Lyra's words.
"Two days," Lyra replied. "You were badly injured, but you are strong. You will recover. We managed to administer healing magic, that's why."
Quickly shunning Cole's hope of his physique being supernatural, Lyra shook his head at the futile attempt of moving that Cole proceeded to do, only to end up with a thunderous chain of pain spikes that spread throughout his whole body.
"Sigh…"
Cole breathed out in frustration, tasting pure loss and backlash from a battle for the first time in his life.
He looked at Aeliana, whose eyes met his and quickly softened.
"The Herald of Darkness," Aeliana said, her voice low. "It retreated with deep wounds. Thorne, Brander, Selene, and Lilya are currently out searching for it— Speaking of the devil, huh…"
Without even ending her sentence properly, a washed-up in blood Brander appeared before the gate, holding the grotesque Bonehead of the Herald of the Darkness. Taking in a deep breath with closed eyes, he quickly raised the head in his clutch and shouted triumphantly.
"This fat fuck of a monster is dead!"