The four winter wolves were easily dispatched by the party, and Lynn gained a clearer understanding of their combat prowess. Matty's spellcasting was more formidable than he had anticipated, while Gonda and Finn displayed competent skills. However, Howard's combat effectiveness was somewhat lacking, and Imory's excessively ruthless demeanor, preferring to strike from the shadows, made it difficult to count on her for frontline combat.
Yet, knowing these details sufficed; their collective strength was still commendable and could prove quite useful. However, their personalities presented challenges. Immediately after the skirmish, Gonda, still seething from nearly being caught in Matty's fireball, strode over, glaring silently at the sorcerer. Although Matty had been the standout performer in dispatching the two winter wolves, he now shrank under the barbarian's fierce gaze.
It was truly lamentable that a fourth-circle sorcerer would cower before a barbarian.
"This type of battle may not be fatal, but if we encounter many more, our resources will deplete significantly. Perhaps we should regroup with the main party—they have already amassed over twenty members, which would reduce the risk considerably."
The discord between the barbarian and the sorcerer was of little concern to the others. However, Imory assessed the situation and offered her perspective. Both Lynn and Matty had expended spell slots, and Gonda had already invoked his rage—such abilities were limited and could not withstand repeated use. Thus, Imory expressed her thoughts.
"Perhaps it is best not to. We risk being spotted." Finn hesitated briefly before dismissing her suggestion. "Unless we eliminate everyone to silence them, anyone who sees us in action could spread word of our involvement, making it impossible to recruit brigands. Yet, we lack the strength to kill in silence, so it is wiser to avoid them altogether."
"Moreover," Lynn interjected, disregarding Finn's insinuation that sufficient power could justify murder, "why do you assume that regrouping with the main party guarantees greater safety? Have you not noticed? The winter wolves and the adventurer parties are engaging in guerrilla tactics to force the adventurers to consolidate. Once these adventurers band together, the vampires will likely launch a renewed offensive against them."
The vampires might have intricately linked tactics—something Imory had not considered. However, it was not surprising that trouble would arise in the vampires' lair. Realizing this, they opted against merging with the larger party, instead choosing a position nearby, following the map while avoiding the potential fallouts from the main group's magical assaults.
As they progressed, they encountered a new dilemma: the gorge lay beneath the desolate mountains. Although the peaks were not particularly high, they were steep and treacherous. When they were still on the outskirts of the gorge, this terrain posed little concern, but as they ventured deeper, the paths narrowed further, shrouded in the mountains' shadows, exposed to direct sunlight only for brief intervals each day.
Such a locale was indeed fitting for a vampire's stronghold, perfectly conducive to their activities. Particularly after midday, the paths were engulfed in darkness, allowing the vampires to roam freely.
Sure enough, shortly after noon, the larger group rounded a bend and found themselves on a straight path. Lynn and his companions had yet to catch up when they heard the chilling roars of animals, unmistakably indicating an encounter with foes.
As the scout, Imory was the first to dart around the corner to investigate. Upon glancing swiftly, she exclaimed in surprise, "Brown bears?"
Lynn and the others rushed to ascertain the situation.
At the end of the narrow path, the larger group faced an unexpected threat: they were not assaulted by humans, but by a pack of seven or eight formidable brown bears. The bears charged from the path's terminus, leaving the adventurers with no option but to confront them head-on. The tremendous strength of these beasts quickly shattered their formation, allowing the bears to invade their ranks.
Naturally, twenty adventurers could not be bested by a mere handful of brown bears. Although they initially suffered due to the terrain, incurring two or three injuries, they soon regained their footing.
What puzzled them was the nature of their adversaries.
While their opponents were vampires, it was well known that vampires typically summoned creatures such as bats and wolves. However, the emergence of brown bears was indeed peculiar.
"Those must be savage vampires," Lynn discerned the issue, possessing a deeper understanding of the undead, "but something seems amiss."
Just as Lynn's words left his lips, the problem revealed itself. A throng of brown bears appeared to be chaotically clashing, yet amidst the turmoil, two bears suddenly altered their focus mid-battle. They stealthily circumvented the warriors in their path, lunging viciously toward the strongest spellcaster in the rear.
The narrow passage had already become congested, and in the confusion, the mage found himself merely hiding behind the fighters, unable to retreat far. Assuming he was merely contending with a pack of beasts, he underestimated the danger posed by these cunning creatures.
There was no time for evasion as the two bears closed in, their massive paws descending swiftly, almost instantaneously claiming his life.
"That's a druid!" Imory shouted, but Lynn merely shook his head.
These were still savage vampires: as a variant of vampires, they possessed the ability to summon a broader spectrum of animals and had the capacity for wild shape. They exploited their enemies' ignorance, blending into the ranks of the brown bears, lying in wait to strike down the most powerful mage in the party.
With this attack, they also revealed their identities, and the adventurers closed in, intent on apprehending them. However, the two bears quickly shrunk in place, transforming rapidly into mice, scurrying between the adventurers' feet.
This sudden transformation caught the adventurers off guard; in their moment of surprise, the mice vanished from sight. With the gorge's intricate terrain and the bears still present, even the most powerful adventurers found it challenging to catch the rodents.
The two vampires slipped away unscathed, leaving the adventurers to eliminate the immediate threat of the brown bears. Yet, as one bear succumbed, it did not collapse but instead melted down, becoming a puddle of viscous sludge that splattered across the area.
"Faithful servant..." Lynn recognized this spell; the fallen bear had evidently been a sacrifice. With its demise, the spell now enveloped the adventurers.
At that moment, a noxious cloud descended, shrouding the adventurers in the narrow passage. Immediately following, a searing fireball hurtled toward them.
Flames erupted skyward, engulfing the adventurers within the path.