Later that evening, far away from where they originally were, the unsettling roar still echoed in everyone's ears. It had come from somewhere deep in the forest, a sound so fierce and terrifying that it froze the Thorn mercenaries in their tracks. They may have been seasoned fighters, but the unknown was a different kind of enemy.
"Whatever made that sound… it's strong," Valerie whispered, her playful attitude replaced by concern. Her bow was already drawn, an arrow nocked and ready. She glanced at Emmett, whose grip on his twin swords tightened. His face was drawn into a serious expression, the humor he usually carried vanishing as the weight of the situation set in.
"Level 12 of Body Forging," Mirabelle murmured, her eyes narrowed as she scanned the surrounding darkness in the forest as the sun was only about an hour away from sunset. "That roar… it has to be a boss."
The mercenaries, scattered among the trees, looked toward their leader for direction. The fear was palpable. Though they couldn't die permanently in the virtual world, the trauma of being slain by a powerful creature was something that stayed with a player long after they respawned. No one wanted to face that kind of fear again. Especially being eaten alive, slowly being ripped apart limb by limb, or at times just chewed on without a care from the monster.
"Everyone, stay close," Mirabelle ordered, her tone sharp. "We need to find it before it finds us. We attack it on our terms."
The group moved cautiously, advancing through the dense trees as quietly as possible. The forest was eerily silent, the usual nocturnal sounds of rustling leaves and animal calls swallowed by an ominous stillness. Even the wind seemed to avoid the area. The ground was uneven, covered in thick underbrush, and every snap of a twig or rustle of a leaf made their hearts race faster.
As they moved further in, scouting ahead, the trees began to thin. A clearing opened up before them, bathed in pale moonlight. And there, in the middle of the carnage, stood their target.
It was a donkey.
A small, unassuming donkey that stood no taller than a man's waist, its coat dark and matted with blood. At first glance, it seemed laughable—a creature so harmless-looking couldn't possibly have caused the devastation around it. But the sight that greeted them told a different story. The clearing was littered with the remains of other creatures—monsters that had once roamed the forest. Limbs, heads, and torsos were scattered across the ground in a grotesque display of violence, their blood soaking into the earth. And the donkey—this Level 12 Body Forging Boss—was gnawing on the remnants of a particularly large beast, tearing at it with sharp, unnatural teeth.
Valerie's breath hitched as she stared at the horrifying scene. "That thing did all this?" she whispered, her disbelief barely contained.
"Don't let its size fool you," Mirabelle replied, her voice low but firm. "It's powerful. We've seen creatures that look ridiculous but have enough strength to wipe out entire groups. This is no different."
Emmett eyed the donkey warily, his swords already drawn. His gut told him this was going to be one of the hardest fights they'd face yet. "What's the plan, Mir?" he asked, glancing at their leader.
Mirabelle scanned the clearing, her mind racing as she assessed the situation. The donkey was dangerous, yes, but they had the element of surprise. "We're going to lure it to the tree line," she said. "We've got archers ready, and this time we'll have the black flames infused in the arrows. That will do the initial damage."
The group nodded in silent agreement. The strategy was clear: they would strike first and strike hard.
"Valerie, take your archers and position yourselves high up in the trees. Emmett, Larissa, you're with me in the first wave to draw its attention. We hit it with everything we have, then pull back toward the trees. After the archers fire, the rest of the warriors will move in with swords and axes. We can't let it break through."
The group quickly got into position, their hearts pounding as they prepared for the fight of their lives. Up in the trees, Valerie and the other archers carefully infused their arrows with the black flames, the dark fire licking at the tips of the arrows but not consuming them. At their level, this took time and as such was not used in combat, but it was perfect for an ambush. The eerie glow of the black flame reflected in their eyes, and they readied themselves for the signal.
Emmett crouched low, his muscles tensed as he prepared to charge. Beside him, Larissa adjusted her grip on her throwing knives, her face set with determination. Though she had been nervous before, now there was only focus in her eyes.
"Ready?" Mirabelle asked, her gaze flicking between her men.
Emmett nodded, his pulse thrumming in his ears. Larissa gave a curt nod as well, her knuckles white around her weapons.
"On my mark… go!"
With a shout, the first wave of mercenaries, led by Emmett, Mirabelle, and Larissa, burst into the clearing, charging toward the donkey. The donkey's ears perked up at the sound, and its eyes—glowing with an unnatural red light—swung toward them. A low growl escaped its throat, and it braced itself for the incoming attack.
"Now!" Mirabelle shouted.
Emmett's twin swords flashed in the moonlight as he launched himself at the creature, his Qi surging through his legs and arms, giving him extra speed and strength. Larissa was right behind him, her throwing knives flying through the air, aimed directly at the donkey's head.
The donkey moved faster than any of them expected. It dodged to the side, avoiding the knives, and retaliated with a powerful kick that sent one of the mercenaries flying across the clearing, slamming into a tree with a sickening crunch.
"Watch out!" Emmett yelled, sidestepping another of the donkey's attacks. The creature was a blur of speed and violence, its small body capable of delivering devastating blows.
As the mercenaries fought to draw the donkey toward the trees, Valerie gave the signal. From above, a barrage of black flame-infused arrows rained down on the creature, each one crackling with dark energy. The donkey screeched as the flames burned into its flesh, leaving deep, smoldering wounds. It thrashed wildly, tearing up the ground beneath it as it tried to shake off the burning arrows.
"Keep pushing it back!" Mirabelle ordered, her long sword flashing as she slashed at the donkey's side. The black flames continued to sear the creature, but it wasn't going down without a fight.
The donkey reared up, its hooves slamming into the ground with enough force to send shockwaves through the earth. Thick vines erupted from the soil, writhing and twisting as they lashed out at the guild members. One vine wrapped around Emmett's leg, pulling him to the ground.
"Damn it!" he cursed, slashing at the vine with his sword, his Qi surging into his limbs as he struggled to break free. "It's using the vegetation against us!"
Larissa, seeing Emmett in trouble, hurled a knife at the vine, severing it with a clean strike. "You okay?" she asked, offering him a hand.
"Yeah, thanks," Emmett grunted, pulling himself to his feet.
As the donkey staggered toward the treeline, blood oozing from its wounds, the second wave of warriors charged in. Swords, axes, and hammers rained down on the creature, each strike aimed to wear it down further. Emmett and Larissa fought side by side, dodging the donkey's savage kicks and retaliating with swift, powerful strikes.
The donkey, despite its size, fought with the ferocity of a true boss-level monster. Its body was covered in deep gashes and burns, yet it continued to attack with relentless aggression. The clearing had become a chaotic battleground, with mercenaries dodging vines and launching Qi-enhanced strikes at the beast.
Mirabelle, her eyes glowing with determination, leaped high into the air, her sword blazing with Qi as she brought it down in a powerful overhead strike. The blade connected with the donkey's back, and for the first time, the creature let out a pained screech, stumbling as blood gushed from the wound.
The fight continued for what felt like an eternity. The mercenaries attacked in waves, taking turns to help each other and deal damage, but the donkey refused to fall. Its red eyes blazed with fury, and with each attack, it became more desperate, more dangerous.
Emmett found himself next to Valerie, who was forced to jump down from the tree she was in due to the donkey crashing into it. The two of them worked in tandem as they slashed at the creature's legs, trying to bring it down. "How is this thing still alive?" Valerie panted, losing another arrow as she dodged a flailing vine.
"It's a level 12 boss," Emmett replied, his breathing labored. "It's going to take everything we've got."
Finally, after what felt like hours, the donkey faltered. Its movements slowed, its body covered in wounds and burns. Mirabelle saw her chance.
"Now!" she shouted.
With one final surge of Qi, Mirabelle launched herself forward, her sword blazing with dark flames. She drove the blade into the donkey's neck, the black flames spreading through its body in an instant. The creature let out one last, pitiful screech before collapsing to the ground, its body disintegrating into ash.
The guild members stood in the clearing, their bodies battered and bruised but victorious. They had done it. The forest fell into an eerie silence, broken only by the sound of labored breathing from the surviving guild members. The adrenaline that had fueled them moments before was quickly fading, leaving in its wake a deep, bone-tired exhaustion. The grotesque sight of the once-powerful donkey boss disintegrating into ash was oddly anticlimactic, especially after the hours of tense combat.
Mirabelle stood over the pile of smoldering ashes, her sword still crackling with the remnants of the black flames. She wiped a strand of damp hair from her face, her chest rising and falling rapidly with each breath. Her gaze was hard and focused, but the glint of relief was undeniable.
"Good work, everyone," she said, her voice steady, though her body showed signs of fatigue. "We took it down, and nobody died." She glanced around, making sure every member was accounted for.
Emmett, leaning heavily on one of his swords, offered a weary grin. "You sure that was a donkey? Because it fought like a demon."
Valerie, panting but smiling, gave him a playful nudge. "Maybe it's a demon in disguise. Either way, we're still alive, so stop complaining."
The rest of the group began to gather around, some nursing injuries but no one fatally wounded. They had taken precautions this time, carefully planning the ambush, and it had paid off.
"Seriously though," Larissa chimed in as she made her way over to Emmett, her face flushed from both the exertion and the battle high, "you were amazing back there. I don't know how you managed to dodge half of those vines."
Emmett shrugged, wiping sweat from his brow. "Pure talent," he joked, though there was a glint of pride in his eyes. "And maybe a little luck."
Larissa smiled warmly, holding out a waterskin for him. "Here. You've earned it."
He accepted it gratefully, taking a long drink before wiping his mouth. "Thanks." Taking back the waterskin Larissa also took a sip, and couldn't help but think to herself, does this count as their first kiss?
As the group slowly started to regroup and tend to their wounds, the clearing took on a somber mood. The victory had been hard-earned, and though no one had died, the sight of the carnage left behind was unsettling. The remains of the other monsters the donkey had devoured were still scattered around, a gruesome reminder of what they had just faced.
A few mercenaries began sifting through the battlefield, collecting whatever spoils they could find from the bodies of fallen monsters. Silver coins, discarded weapons, and even a few pieces of armor were scavenged from the area, the usual aftermath of any large battle. Some items would be sold for profit, while others would be kept as trophies.
"Looks like we'll be well-stocked for the rest of the journey," one of the mercenaries remarked, pocketing a few rare items.
Emmett took a deep breath, glancing over at Larissa, who was still hovering close by. She seemed to hesitate for a moment before finally speaking.
"Do you think we'll make it to Mist City in two days?" she asked, her voice softer than usual, tinged with the slightest hint of worry. Her brown eyes looked up at him, searching for reassurance.
Emmett met her gaze, his playful demeanor faltering for a moment. He didn't have an answer for her, at least not one that was certain. The forest had been far more dangerous than they had anticipated, and the further north they traveled, the stronger the monsters would become. He could see the concern in her eyes, and though he wanted to tell her they would reach the city without any problems, he knew better than to make empty promises.
"I…" he started, but the words caught in his throat. His confidence wavered.
Before he could respond, Valerie strolled up beside them, her usual teasing grin plastered on her face. "Oh, Emmett's at a loss for words. What a surprise." She winked at Larissa. "But don't worry, Larissa, if anyone can guide us to Mist City, it's our dear Em."
Emmett shot her a glare, but Valerie's teasing seemed to do the trick. Larissa's tension eased, and a soft smile tugged at the corner of her lips.
"I hope so," Larissa said, her tone lightening slightly. "I guess we'll just have to trust you, Em."
Emmett sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "No pressure, right?" he muttered, but there was a smile creeping back onto his face. He could feel the weight of the battle lifting as the group shared in their victory, their spirits slowly recovering from the tense moments before.
Mirabelle, standing just beyond them, watched the interaction quietly. Her eyes, ever sharp, flicked between Emmett and Larissa, though she remained silent. The expression on her face was unreadable, but something lingered in her gaze—a thought or feeling she kept hidden behind her calm exterior.
With the last of the loot collected and the dead monsters cleared away, the group gathered their things and prepared to move out again. The forest around them seemed even more oppressive now, the mist thicker and the air colder. Though they had defeated the donkey boss, the lingering sense of danger hadn't left them.
"We'll set up camp soon," Mirabelle said as they resumed their march. "But let's put some distance between us and this place first. We don't know what else is out here."
The group, though weary, fell into formation once more, their steps a little heavier but their resolve still strong. They had survived the night and the boss monster, but the road to Mist City was far from over.
The clearing behind them was soon swallowed by the mist, the evidence of their battle disappearing into the dense, haunted woods. And though they moved forward, the sound of that roar echoed faintly in their minds, a reminder of what lurked in the unknown.
Emmett glanced at Larissa as they walked, her earlier question still lingering in his thoughts. Would they make it to Mist City in two days? He didn't know for sure, but he had a feeling the journey would only get more dangerous from here.
He didn't have an answer for her, but one thing was certain—they had to try.