"Chi, use your speed to distract them," Rain instructed. "Chin, Chick, and Chill, aim for their legs and try to immobilize them. Avoid those quills at all costs!"
As the Quillwolves charged, Chi darted forward, her lithe form a blur as she moved to intercept the lead wolf. She deftly avoided its snapping jaws and lashing quills, drawing its attention away from the others.
Chin, Chick, and Chill attacked in unison, targeting the legs of the other two wolves with their wooden spikes. It would have made everything easy if they each have a weapon, a real weapon.
Their combined efforts slowed the beasts down, but the Quillwolves were relentless, their quills a constant threat.
Rain gripped his weapon tightly and joined in. Though he was scared, he was still the leader of the family. He couldn't be the one staying in the back and doing nothing. He was that guy with the sword, for heaven's sake!
"#4, you stay back and guard the statue!"
#4 was about to join the fray when it heard Rain's instruction. The latter didn't notice the hurt registered in its eyes before it went back inside, brooding over how useless it was because it hadn't evolved.
In the battle, Rain swung his sword in every direction. He was really clueless on how to fight this beast, and he guessed he had made things worse because he was struck by multiple sharp, needle-like stingers of the Quillwolf.
"Augh." Rain fell to the ground, grunting. The adrenaline was the only thing keeping him conscious.
One of the wolves went for his throat, but thankfully, Chi appeared before him, grabbed his sword, and fended off the wolf's attack. Their needle-like pelts wounded her arms and parts of her face. But there was no pain in Chi's expression and continued to fend off the wolf.
~Chi!~
Chi growled at the others, and Rain felt the healing spell work its wonders.
Chin, Chick, and Chill chirped at him, giving him a thumbs up.
'You can get injured anytime, my lord. Just leave the healing to us!'
As much as Rain was moved by their gesture, he didn't like the idea of being injured and healed in a repeated cycle. They had to think of a way to defeat these beasts, or things might get ugly.
Taking a deep breath, Rain pulled out the long needles from his body. The healing spell worked and stopped the blood from the wounds. They hurt and stung, but something clicked in his mind at the sight of them.
"Everyone, fall back to the shelter!" Rain shouted. "I have an idea!"
As his troops retreated, Rain grabbed a lot of those quills and brought them back with him to the shelter. The wolves were fast, but when the barricade came into sight, they could sense the traps and halted, eying Rain and the others warily.
"The quills which cover the bodies of Quillwolves serve several purposes, both offensive and defensive. Striking a Quillwolf from too close usually results in collateral damage to the attacker," Rain explained to the others.
"These wolves like to throw their spiked bodies against prey, running at full speed in hopes of delivering a quick killing blow. Quickly moving out of their reach or keeping them at a distance is the safest way to deal with them. Despite their speed, they have no defense or recourse against ranged assault. If a safe distance can be maintained, their threat is minimized."
Rain patted Chi's shoulder. "While they're still wary of the traps, this is our chance. Chi, you're a ranged unit. You can throw these wooden spikes and their long-needled quills back at them."
"It's fine if you can't kill them since they're fast. We just need them to give up pursuing us."
~Chi!~
Chi nodded with determination.
Chi grabbed some wooden spikes and placed them beside her. She took one, her eyes sparkling with focus.
Rain wanted to lessen the pressure on her. "Ah, you don't have to kill them–"
~Whoosh!~
Before Rain could finish his sentence, Chi had already thrown the wooden spike. It was so fast and powerful that the force sent shockwaves, almost toppling Rain and the others off their feet.
The spike flew through the air, cutting a sharp arc before striking a Quillwolf squarely. The beast yelped in surprise, its own quills reverberating with the impact. It was dead within seconds.
[Obtain, 5 mL Soul Elixir!]
[Obtain, 1000 EP!]
Rain didn't have the chance to rejoice at the large amount of Soul Elixir he acquired. He was still in shock at the sudden turn of events, his mouth agape, eyes wide, unable to utter a word at Chi's prowess.
Seizing the opportunity, Chi pressed her attacks. Her hands moved with lightning speed, throwing the spikes like javelins. The claws on her feet anchored her to the ground, and her momentum was unstoppable.
When the wooden spikes were depleted, she used the needle quills of the wolves next.
The wolves, stunned by the sudden ranged assault, hesitated. Chi's relentless barrage created a barrier they couldn't cross without suffering serious injuries. Their howls of frustration echoed through the desolate land.
Rain snapped out of his trance and he watched in awe as Chi expertly used the wolves' own weapons against them. "Keep it up, Chi! Everyone else, prepare to strike if they break through!"
Chi's attacks created enough of a deterrent, and the Quillwolves, recognizing the futility of their assault, began to retreat. The pack slowly slinked back into the shadows of the night, leaving Rain and his troops in a hard-won peace.
Rain exhaled deeply, his body finally relaxing. He turned to Chi, who gave him a triumphant grin and a thumbs-up.
"We did it," he said, a wide grin spreading across his face. "Great job, everyone."
Chi and the others chirped in triumph.
At that moment, Rain was determined to get Chi a bow and equip the others with swords.
After what happened, his confidence grew, and he felt like he could do it . . . He could really build something out of nothing here as long as they had each other.
Rain had never felt this excited in his entire life. At last, he had discovered something that made him feel truly alive.