Eagan gripped his sword tightly, considering his options. He could try to slip past them, but the seekers' heightened senses made that risky. Engaging them head-on was dangerous, but it might also be the quickest way to eliminate the threat.
"Arianna," he whispered, "how strong are they?"
"Stronger than the apex chimera," she replied. "But not invincible. If you use the terrain to your advantage, you might stand a chance."
Eagan smirked. "Good. Let's make this quick."
"You are not opposed to eliminating them?" Arianna asked, her voice hesitant but curious.
"It's either me or them," Eagan replied. "I'm not naive enough to think everything can be settled with words. Especially when interest is at stake."
"Alright. Then I would not have to worry about your psychological reactions in the future." She mumbled.
Eagan moved silently to higher ground, scaling a crumbling building to get a better vantage point. From above, he could see the seekers clearly as they scanned the area, their weapons at the ready.
With a deep breath, Eagan leapt from the rooftop, his sword gleaming as it arced toward the tallest seeker. The element of surprise worked in his favour—the blade struck true, forcing the seeker to block hastily with their spear. The impact sent them staggering backward.
The other two seekers reacted instantly, the crossbow wielder firing a barrage of glowing bolts while the staff wielder chanted a spell that filled the air with crackling electricity.
Eagan rolled to the side, dodging the bolts and charging at the staff wielder. His sword clashed against their staff, sparks flying as the two weapons locked.
"You're bold," the staff wielder hissed, their voice laced with disdain. "But foolish."
Eagan smirked. "You haven't seen foolish yet."
He kicked off the ground, using the momentum to swing his blade upward. The staff wielder barely managed to deflect the strike, but the force sent them stumbling.
Meanwhile, the crossbow wielder took aim again, their bolts glowing brighter with each shot. Eagan ducked behind an overturned car, the bolts exploding on impact and sending shards of metal flying.
The tallest seeker had recovered by now, their serrated spear spinning menacingly as they approached Eagan's cover.
"You're cornered," they growled. "Surrender the quest and walk away, or we'll make sure you don't walk at all."
Eagan chuckled darkly, his voice dripping with confidence. "You think I'd come all this way just to give up? You don't know me very well."
With a sudden burst of speed, he vaulted over the car, his sword aimed directly at the tallest seeker. Their spear met his blade mid-air, the clash echoing across the desolate highway.
The battle continued, each strike more intense than the last. But Eagan's determination and adaptability gave him an edge. With a well-timed feint, he disarmed the tallest seeker, their spear clattering to the ground.
The staff wielder and crossbow wielder hesitated, realising they were outmatched.
"Last chance," Eagan said, his voice cold. "Walk away now, or you'll regret it."
The two remaining seekers exchanged nervous glances before retreating into the shadows.
Eagan turned back to the tallest seeker, who was on their knees, clutching a wounded arm. "You chose the wrong opponent," he said, lowering his blade. "Stay out of my way."
Without another word, Eagan vanished into the darkness, leaving the seeker behind.
Arianna's voice broke the silence. "That was risky, but effective. Are you all right?"
"Never better," Eagan replied, a grin tugging at his lips. "Now, let's get to the city before anyone else tried their luck."
He adjusted his gear and continued his journey into the city, the ruins looming ever closer.
The outskirts of the First Destroyed City were eerily silent, the kind of silence that carried the weight of countless forgotten stories.
Eagan's boots crunched against the brittle ground as he advanced cautiously, his eyes scanning every shadow and movement.
He remembered the last time he was forced to come to this part of the country after he started his hunting profession in his past life.
It was due to a sudden increase in the monster population around the destroyed cities. They were not only suddenly multiplying in number; they were also stronger with every visit they made.
At the time, the association thought it was a new gate that had appeared, but looking back now, Eagan could tell it wasn't caused by gates.
Arianna's voice guided him. "The Tear of Umbralis should be located in the heart of the city. The energy signature is faint but unmistakable."
"If it's so easy to locate, how come no one has completed that mission yet?" Eagan asked curiously.
"It's not easy to locate," Arianna replied."Did you sense the energy from the artefact?"
Eagan concentrated his senses, trying to locate the artefact's energy but getting nothing. "I can't feel it."
"Yes, I'm only able to feel it because I'm a divine being. For other humans, hunters or not, they can't feel the energy, so it will take them longer to find the artefact's exact location even though they know the general location."
"And don't forget the threats too," she added.
Eagan frowned. "What can I expect once I get there? More chimaeras? More seekers?"
"Both," she replied. "But I'm also detecting residual traces of ancient magic. It's possible that the Tear is guarded by something far older—and far more dangerous."
Eagan tightened his grip on his sword. "Nothing worth having comes easy."
The city's ruins were more twisted than he had imagined. Towering skyscrapers jutted out at impossible angles, their windows shattered like jagged teeth. Roads split apart, exposing tunnels and pipes that hissed with strange gases.
He paused at a crumbled plaza, his instincts prickling. The air here felt heavier, charged with an unnatural energy.
"Stop," Arianna said abruptly. "I'm detecting multiple lifeforms hiding in the area. Their energy patterns are erratic, like the apex chimaera's."
Eagan knelt behind the remains of a stone pillar, his eyes scanning the shadows. A faint growl echoed through the ruins, followed by the scraping of claws against concrete.
From the darkness emerged a pack of shadowhounds—sleek, predatory creatures with obsidian-like fur that absorbed light. Their glowing yellow eyes locked onto Eagan, and they began to circle him like wolves cornering prey.
Arianna's voice was urgent. "They're fast, and their bites can drain your stamina. Don't let them surround you."
Eagan rose to his feet, his sword at the ready. "Noted."
The first hound lunged, its claws aimed for his throat. Eagan sidestepped and slashed downward, his blade cutting through the creature's neck. It dissolved into a cloud of black mist, but two more hounds replaced it, snarling as they attacked in unison.
Eagan spun, his sword a blur as he parried one and struck the other. He was fast, but the hounds were relentless, their movements fluid and unpredictable.
As he fought, Arianna's voice broke through. "Eagan, behind you!"
He turned just in time to see a larger shadowhound—its body twice the size of the others—charging at him. Its jaws snapped shut inches from his face as he raised his sword, blocking the attack. The force of the impact sent him skidding backward.
"An alpha," Arianna said grimly. "This one won't go down easily."
Eagan gritted his teeth, focusing on the alpha as it growled low and circled him. He could feel the weight of its presence, its sheer aggression bearing down on him.
The alpha lunged again, its claws aiming for his chest. Eagan rolled to the side and countered with a powerful upward slash. The blade struck true, leaving a deep gash in the creature's side, but it didn't falter.
Instead, the alpha howled, and the remaining shadowhounds began to move in unison, their attacks coordinated.
"They're pack-hunting now," Arianna warned. "If you don't take out the alpha quickly, you'll be overwhelmed."
Eagan narrowed his eyes, his mind racing. The alpha was the key—without it, the pack would lose its coordination.
As the hounds closed in, he leapt onto a fallen slab of concrete, using the high ground to gain a better vantage point. The alpha followed, its powerful limbs propelling it upward with ease.
Eagan waited until the last moment, then jumped down, twisting mid-air to strike at the alpha's exposed underbelly. The sword sank deep, and the creature howled in pain, collapsing onto the ground.
The other hounds hesitated, their movements disjointed now that their leader had fallen. One by one, they dissolved into mist, leaving Eagan standing alone amidst the ruins.
"Experience Gained: Ten thousand XP," Arianna announced. "You're getting better at this."
Eagan smirked, wiping the sweat from his brow. "Good to know all this effort isn't for nothing."
He sheathed his sword and looked ahead. The ruins of a massive cathedral stood at the centre of the city, its spires broken and its doors hanging ajar.
"That's it," Arianna said. "The Tear of Umbralis is inside."