Hope's breath was ragged, his arms heavy from exertion, his essence dangerously low—but his mind was sharp. He had an idea.
A slow grin spread across his face, the gleam of his teeth barely visible in the dim light.
They're fast… but they're not thinking.
The cave was too cramped. Fighting in such a restricted space put them at a disadvantage, limiting their movements while the Carapace Scavengers swarmed relentlessly. If they wanted to survive, they had to control the battlefield.
Hope took a deep breath and let himself fall.
Darkness swallowed him.
It wasn't like stepping into darkness—it was becoming the darkness, his form slipping into the abyssal void. The world around him shifted, and in the next moment, he reappeared just outside the cave, his tattered cloak billowing as he materialized under the shattered moonlight.
He turned back toward the cave, his voice sharp and taunting.
"You dumb-ass Veil creatures… come and fight me."
The scavengers jerked toward the sound, their sharp mandibles clicking in fury. Their glowing red eyes locked onto him, and in an instant, they charged.
Hope held his ground until the last possible second—then dissolved.
A blur of darkness, his form vanishing just as the first scavenger's claws slashed through empty air.
The creatures skidded to a halt, confused. Their elongated heads jerked left and right, searching for their prey.
Then Hope reappeared—right behind them.
His makeshift dagger plunged forward, stabbing deep into the nearest scavenger's exposed underbelly. The brittle claw cracked further, but he ignored it, wrenching the weapon free as the creature screeched in pain.
Before it could retaliate, he was already gone—melting into darkness once more.
Nefer and Massa emerged from the cave, eyes locking onto him as he reappeared next to them.
Massa's face was pale from exertion, her breaths uneven, but her focus remained sharp. Nefer's expression was unreadable, though her grip on her sword tightened slightly.
"I'll keep them off balance," Hope said quickly. "You take any openings you get."
Nefer nodded without hesitation, already moving.
The scavengers turned, their predatory instincts struggling to keep up with Hope's unnatural movements. He had their attention now. That was all he needed.
He vanished again.
The battle raged on....
Hope moved through the battlefield like a living shadow, appearing and disappearing in erratic patterns, striking whenever an opening presented itself. He was relentless—dagger flashing in quick, precise slashes, carving into the scavengers' weaker points.
But their armor was thick. Too thick.
Even when his makeshift dagger found flesh, the wounds were shallow, barely slowing them down. The creatures adapted fast, their movements becoming more aggressive, more unpredictable.
Nefer fought with ruthless precision, her sword cutting through gaps in their carapace, but even she was struggling. Every strike drained her stamina. Every maneuver burned through her limited reserves of essence.
Massa did her best to support, using her remaining essence to reinforce Nefer's strikes and send bursts of force at the scavengers. But she was nearing her limit.
Hope was, too.
His essence burned too quickly, each use of his ability taking more out of him than he had to spare. The darkness welcomed him, but it took something every time he stepped into it.
His movements became sluggish. His breathing ragged.
And the scavengers noticed.
One lunged—faster than he could react.
Hope tried to dissolve, but his body hesitated. The cost was too high.
The scavenger's claws tore into his side.
A sharp flash of pain.
His body hit the ground, rolling from the impact. Blood seeped through his cloak, staining the dirt beneath him.
He barely had time to recover before another scavenger rushed him.
Too fast—
Nefer intercepted, her sword slicing into the creature's limb, forcing it back before it could finish him.
Hope groaned, pushing himself upright. His head spun.
His essence was nearly gone.
And the scavengers were still standing.