The sky was bright, an endless expanse of blue streaked with faint traces of white clouds. Golden grass stretched out for miles, swaying gently in the summer breeze. Butterflies fluttered lazily, oblivious to the intrusion into their serene world. It was hard to believe this was a "level."
I stood there, arms outstretched, letting the sunlight wash over me. The air was crisp and clean, untouched by the stench of decay and ash that had clung to the previous level. My lips curled into an involuntary smile—my first real moment of calm since... well, since I'd woken up in this mess.
"You're acting like a tourist," Garry muttered behind me.
I glanced over my shoulder. He was standing still, his eyes scanning the horizon with that perpetually grim expression on his face. His rune, Terrastone, pulsed faintly at his neck, still repairing the damage from our last fight. He was far from his full strength.
"You're too tense," I said, tilting my head toward him. "Enjoy the moment. You might like it."
"Enjoy the moment?" he scoffed, his voice low. "Open your damn eyes."
I frowned and turned my gaze back to the meadow. At first glance, everything seemed peaceful, but I could feel it now—a subtle shift in the air, a disturbance that didn't belong. The tall grass swayed unnaturally in several places, as though something large had brushed through it. I caught the faintest glimmer of movement in the distance, a shadow darting quickly before vanishing into the landscape.
"Four," Garry said flatly.
"Yeah, I know." I let out a slow breath, lowering my arms. The weight of the rune at my neck pulsed in tandem with my heartbeat, filling my body with a faint electric hum. My muscles tensed, ready.
"They've been here longer than us," he continued. "They've already sized us up and made their plan. You're smiling—why the hell are you smiling?"
"Because I've got you," I said, rolling my shoulders.
"You're insufferable," he muttered. "Listen, Terrastone isn't at full capacity. I can handle two at most, maybe three if they're weak, but—"
"You're counting already?" I cut him off, smirking.
"Pay attention for once," he growled, stepping forward to scan the tall grass. "They're splitting up, trying to box us in. Stay close to me—don't do anything stupid."
"Stupid?" I tilted my head. "Me?"
He shot me a sharp glare before crouching slightly, one hand pressing against the ground. The earth beneath him shifted subtly, responding to his touch. He was already preparing to defend, even in his weakened state.
I flexed my fingers, feeling the energy of my rune surge to life. Sparks danced faintly at my fingertips, barely visible in the bright daylight. It wasn't much yet, but it was enough to remind me of what I could do.
"They're closing in," Garry murmured. His eyes narrowed as he fixed his gaze on the tall grass ahead.
I didn't need to say anything. I could feel it now, the weight of their presence pressing against us like a coiled spring ready to snap. My body thrummed with anticipation, the air around me charged with faint static.
"Alright," I said, stepping closer to him. My voice was calm, almost casual. "Let's meet them, then."
The tall grass rustled again, this time louder, closer. Four distinct movements, each one deliberate and precise. The game was beginning, and they were already making their first move.
Garry straightened, his stance steady, his eyes sharp. "Stay on my left. Watch your footing."
I rolled my neck, the crack of lightning in my rune echoing faintly in my ears. My hands sparked to life, faint tendrils of energy curling in the air around my fingertips.
The meadow fell silent for a moment, the stillness broken only by the faint rustle of the grass.
And then the first figure stepped into view.
The first figure to step into view was a man, broad-shouldered and dripping menace. His skin was raw and pocked, with faint trails of vapor rising off him. A corrosive stench hit my nose before I even registered the rune at his neck, pulsing a sickly green. Acid. Great.
"Don't breathe in too deep," Garry muttered under his breath.
A second man emerged from the grass next, leaner but no less imposing. His arms gleamed unnaturally in the sunlight, metal creeping up from his rune like veins, coiling around his wrists and forming gauntlets.
The woman was next, stepping out with deliberate, steady movements. Her presence was disarming, almost calm. Her rune glowed faintly at her collarbone, emitting a gentle aura. She looked harmless at first glance—too harmless.
And then there was the girl. She didn't step out like the others. She appeared in a blur of motion, one second a shadow in the grass and the next, standing with a faint smirk, her short stature betraying the speed she clearly possessed. Her rune pulsed faintly, flickering like a candle struggling to stay lit.
They spread out in a loose formation, the acid guy taking point while the others flanked, forming a wide semicircle. A classic maneuver. Not bad.
"They're testing us," Garry said under his breath, his stance lowering. His rune pulsed, faint tremors rippling through the earth at his feet.
"Not very welcoming," I replied, sparks flickering at my fingertips. My tone was light, but my body was coiled, ready to react.
The acid user spoke first, his voice like gravel. "Two fresh players. Shouldn't have come here so soon."
"And yet, here we are," I shot back, grinning. "What's the plan? Jump us and divvy up the loot?"
The man's lips curled into a sneer. "Something like that."
Before the words were fully out of his mouth, he flicked his hand, and a glob of greenish liquid shot toward us, hissing as it cut through the air.
Garry was faster. His hand slammed into the ground, and a jagged wall of stone erupted between us and the acid, catching it mid-flight. The liquid sizzled and ate into the stone, but we were already moving.
"Right side," Garry barked, and I turned just in time to see the metal user charging, twin blades forming in his hands mid-sprint. He was fast, the steel of his weapons catching the sunlight as he lunged for me.
I ducked under his first swing, electricity crackling at my palms as I pivoted and aimed a strike at his side. He twisted, one of the blades dissolving into liquid and reforming as a shield to block my attack. The impact sent a jolt up my arm, and I barely avoided the follow-up strike as his second blade came sweeping toward my head.
"Focus!" Garry growled, his voice strained.
I spared a glance and saw him locked in combat with the acid user. The air around them was thick with vapor as Garry's stone walls rose and crumbled in rapid succession, each one corroded by the acid. Garry's movements were slower than usual, and I could tell he was still recovering.
The wind shifted suddenly, and I felt it before I saw her. The girl was fast, darting toward me with a dagger in hand, her movements erratic and unpredictable. She closed the distance in a blink, and I barely managed to twist out of the way as her blade grazed my arm.
"Annoying," I muttered, sending a crackling bolt of electricity toward her. She was gone before it landed, a gust of wind kicking up where she'd stood.
"Having fun yet?" Garry called out, his voice tight.
"Loads," I replied, dodging another swing from the metal user.
The woman hadn't moved much, staying back and watching with sharp, calculating eyes. Her hands glowed faintly, and I realized she was keeping the others in fighting shape, healing minor wounds almost as soon as they were inflicted.
Garry noticed too. His movements faltered for a split second, his eyes locking on her. I didn't understand why until I saw the look on his face—a flicker of something I hadn't seen before.
"Garry," I barked, snapping him out of it. "Focus."
He shook his head, his jaw tightening as he slammed another wall of stone into the acid user, sending him sprawling.
"She's got a healing rune," he muttered, more to himself than to me. His voice was quieter now, almost shaky.
"Yeah, I noticed. So what?"
He didn't answer, but his grip on the earth faltered slightly, just enough for the acid user to recover and press the attack.
The girl was back on me in an instant, her speed forcing me to stay on the defensive. The metal user wasn't far behind, his weapons shifting seamlessly between offense and defense, keeping me off balance.
"You're trapped," the acid user said, his voice cold and smug. "Give up now, and maybe we'll make it quick."
I glanced at Garry. His blade was extended, Terrastone straining as he held off the acid user and kept an eye on the healer. He looked tense, distracted, his usual composure slipping.
"You're a mess," I muttered, electricity flaring in my hands. "Time to clean up."
Garry's eyes met mine, and I saw the flicker of anger return. Good.
The net was tightening around us, but the real fight was about to begin.
The metal guy swung wide with both blades, his footwork clean, movements disciplined. He was trained—no amateur flailing here—but he didn't account for one thing.
Electricity loves metal.
I ducked under one swing, letting it pass over my head, and extended my hand toward the blade in his other hand. Sparks danced along my arm, and I released a jolt, watching as the electricity jumped eagerly to the sword. His weapon became a conduit, and the current surged straight into him.
The metal user's body seized, his arms twitching uncontrollably as his rune fought to suppress the damage. I pressed the advantage, stepping in with a crackling palm aimed for his chest. He stumbled back, his armor forming instinctively to absorb the impact, but he was slower now, his movements less precise.
"Not so tough when you're the lightning rod, huh?" I taunted, electricity surging in my fists.
The metal guy didn't respond. Instead, he barked a sharp command to the wind girl, who blurred past me, her dagger slicing toward my leg. I twisted away, but her speed forced me to break my rhythm. She darted between us, her movements erratic, creating just enough of a distraction for the metal user to regain his footing.
"She's annoying," I muttered.
Behind me, Garry was still locked with the acid user. I glanced over my shoulder to see Garry struggling to maintain his defenses as the corrosive attacks ate through his stone walls.
"I've got this one," I called out. "Trade me!"
Garry didn't hesitate. He slammed the ground with his fist, sending a shockwave that threw the acid user off balance, and dashed toward the metal guy. The two clashed immediately, Garry's jagged stone blade meeting the metallic sheen of the other man's weapons.
That left me with Mr. Acid.
He sneered, his rune glowing ominously as he flung another glob of green liquid at me. I dodged to the side, the acid splattering on the ground and hissing as it ate through the soil.
"You think you're quick, huh?" he growled. "Let's see how you handle this."
He swiped his hand across the air, and a spray of smaller acid droplets shot toward me in a wide arc. I rolled to the side, raising my hand and releasing a burst of electricity. The bolt struck his shoulder, and he grunted in pain, but it didn't slow him down.
"You're persistent," I muttered.
The wind girl zipped past again, her dagger slicing toward my side. I spun, catching her wrist and yanking her off balance. She stumbled, and I drove my knee into her stomach, sending her skidding back across the grass.
"No more interruptions," I growled, turning back to the acid guy.
His rune flared, and a wave of acid surged toward me, faster than before. I leaped back, my body twisting mid-air as I fired another bolt. This one hit him square in the chest, and he staggered, his skin sizzling where the electricity met his flesh.
"You're done," I said, stepping forward.
He raised his hand for another attack, but I was faster. Electricity surged through my body, and I drove my fist into his chest, the current exploding outward.
The acid guy hit the ground hard, convulsing as my electricity surged through him. His hands twitched, desperately clawing at the dirt as if he could pull himself back from the edge. I watched as his rune—once glowing and pulsating like a toxic green heart—began to destabilize. It flickered, dimmed, and finally popped like a bubble, releasing a faint hiss of noxious fumes into the air.
His body went limp, and the acrid smell of his acid lingered for a moment before the wind carried it away.
"One down," I muttered, turning my attention to the wind girl.
The wind girl screamed, her voice high and raw with panic.
She moved in a flash, faster than before, desperation driving her speed. Her dagger gleamed in the sunlight as she closed the distance between us. I raised my arm, catching her wrist mid-swing, and twisted it sharply. She yelped, her body spinning with the force of my motion, but she didn't go down easily. Her foot came up, catching me in the side, and I staggered back.
"Persistent little pest," I growled.
She darted toward me again, her rune glowing faintly, leaving a trail of disturbed air behind her. I anticipated her movement this time, stepping to the side as she lunged. My hand shot out, grabbing her by the back of her neck, and I slammed her into the ground. The impact left her dazed, her dagger slipping from her fingers.
I raised my hand, sparks crackling as I prepared to finish her off.
"Wait!" she cried, her voice high and panicked. "Please—"
I didn't hesitate. The jolt of electricity hit her square in the back, and her body went rigid. Her rune, a faint swirl of air on her shoulder, flared briefly before it began to unravel. The glowing lines fragmented and scattered into the wind, dissolving like wisps of smoke.
She slumped forward, her breathing shallow, but she wasn't dead. Not yet.
Behind me, the fight between Garry and the metal guy raged on. The clang of stone against metal echoed across the meadow as Garry's Terrastone blade clashed with the man's conjured weapons.
The metal user was faltering, his armor cracked in multiple places, his movements growing sluggish. Garry pressed the attack, his strikes heavier, more precise. He was going in for the kill.
And then the healer stepped in.
"Stop!" she shouted, her voice cutting through the chaos. Her hands glowed with a soft, green light as she positioned herself between Garry and the metal guy.
Garry froze. His blade hovered inches from her neck, his body rigid.
"What are you doing?" I called out, glaring at him.
The healer didn't flinch. Her gaze was steady, unwavering, as if she knew Garry wouldn't strike her.
"She's just buying time for him to run!" I shouted, pointing at the metal guy.
The metal user didn't waste the opportunity. He staggered back, his armor dissolving into thin air as he retreated into the tall grass. Within moments, he was gone.
"Damn it, Garry!" I snapped.
Garry lowered his blade, his eyes fixed on the healer. There was something there—recognition, maybe even regret.
"Harmonis," he murmured under his breath.
The healer tilted her head, confused. "What?"
I didn't give her the chance to process his words. Electricity surged through my body as I stepped forward, my hand crackling with power.
"Wait," Garry said, but it was too late.
I thrust my hand forward, the lightning striking the healer square in the chest. Her eyes widened in shock, her hands instinctively reaching for the wound as the green glow of her rune flared violently.
"Why?" she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Her rune began to disintegrate, the soft green light breaking apart into delicate fragments that floated upward before fading into nothingness. It was almost beautiful, the way it dissolved like dust caught in the wind.
Her body crumpled to the ground, lifeless.
Garry stared at her, his expression unreadable. His jaw tightened, his fists clenched, but he didn't say anything.
"We couldn't let her live," I said, my voice cold and matter-of-fact.
He didn't respond. Instead, he turned away, his shoulders stiff as he surveyed the battlefield.
The wind girl was still breathing, her body twitching weakly in the grass. The acid guy was gone, his rune nothing more than a faint scorch mark on the earth. The metal user had escaped, but his absence didn't feel like a victory.
"Let's go," I said, wiping the blood from my knuckles.
Garry didn't move at first, but eventually, he followed, his steps heavy and deliberate. The silence between us was suffocating, but for some reason I didn't care.
This was the game. Mercy had no place here.