The first beast lunged again, claws scraping stone as it scrambled onto the bridge. Its jaw split unnaturally wide, dripping black ichor that hissed when it struck the ground.
Kael met it head-on, his blade flashing. Steel bit into corrupted flesh, but instead of blood, smoke poured from the wound. The beast shrieked, stumbling back—yet it did not fall.
"Damn thing won't die easy," Kael growled, bracing himself.
Another shape leapt from the mist. Mira's arrow whistled past Rihan's shoulder, pinning the creature through its throat before it landed. The impact sent it tumbling into the ravine, its body dissolving before it hit the depths.
But more were coming. Dozens of glowing eyes blinked to life in the fog below, climbing the ravine walls like spiders.
"They'll overwhelm us!" Elira cried, channeling light into her staff. A radiant pulse burst outward, slowing the creatures, but her body trembled with the effort.
Rihan's chest burned as the Soul Link surged. He stepped forward, blade humming faintly with borrowed strength. "Then we hold until they break."
The System's voice chimed:
[Group Buff: Soul Link Surge Activated]
[Strength +15% | Focus +10%]
The bridge shook under the beasts' assault. Two lunged together—Rihan slashed through the first, pivoted, and kicked the second back into the mist. His movements felt sharper, stronger, the bond pushing him beyond his limits.
Still, the tide was endless.
Kael's sword carved arcs of steel, Mira fired arrow after arrow, and Elira's light shield flickered under the pressure of claw and fang.
Then the mist parted.
From the depths rose something far larger—its body hunched, armored in chitinous plates, six legs scraping the stone. A corrupted alpha, towering twice a man's height. Its maw opened with a guttural roar that shook the bridge itself.
[Alpha Corrupted Beast Detected]
Threat Level: C+
The smaller beasts retreated slightly, as though making way for their leader.
"Of course there's a bigger one," Mira hissed, drawing another arrow.
The alpha charged. The bridge cracked under its weight, stone crumbling at the edges. Kael braced himself, but the force of the impact hurled him back. His sword barely kept the beast's claws from tearing him open.
"Kael!" Elira screamed, rushing forward with healing light already glowing at her fingertips.
Rihan's blood roared in his ears. He sprinted, striking the alpha's flank with all his might. His blade cut deep, sparks and smoke flying, but the monster didn't falter. Instead, its tail whipped around like a spear, smashing into Rihan's side and nearly throwing him over the edge.
Only the Soul Link's reinforcement kept his ribs from breaking.
"Stay on your feet!" Kael shouted, forcing the beast back a step.
Mira loosed three arrows in quick succession, each glowing faintly with Elira's blessing. The shots pierced the alpha's eyes, blinding it momentarily. The beast shrieked, thrashing wildly.
"Now, Rihan!" Mira cried.
The Soul Link pulsed again. Time slowed, his companions' voices echoing faintly in his mind. Strength and resolve from each of them poured into him.
He lunged, blade glowing faintly blue as the Link sharpened. The strike found the alpha's chest, piercing through its armor. The monster convulsed, shadows spilling from the wound before its entire body shattered into smoke.
The lesser beasts shrieked in unison—and scattered, dissolving back into the mist as if retreating from some unseen command.
Silence fell. The bridge groaned under their feet, several stones cracked and broken.
Rihan stood panting, his blade trembling in his grip. The Soul Link faded, leaving behind only exhaustion and aching muscles.
Elira knelt by Kael, pouring light into his battered arm. Mira scanned the mist with narrowed eyes, bow still ready.
"They weren't hunting," she said softly. "They were testing us."
Rihan swallowed hard, a chill crawling down his spine. The Mistress' words echoed in his mind. "My roots run through every kingdom, every soul."
If even this broken bridge was a battleground… then nowhere was safe.