The Metabus flipped violently, its massive frame groaning as it tumbled forward in a sickening arc. The force of the impact sent scavengers flying some crashing through the shattered roof, others crushed beneath collapsing metal. Limbs snapped against jagged rocks; screams were cut short as the corrupted wolves descended, their guttural snarls filling the air.
Naran woke with a gasp, his vision swimming. The world was upside down or was he? Blood trickled down his temple, sticky and warm. Next to him, Micah lay motionless, his chest rising faintly.
He grabbed Micah's shoulder, shaking him. "Micah! Wake up!"
A distant scream one of their own was abruptly silenced. Then, the unmistakable sound of teeth tearing flesh.
Naran froze.
They're here.
A whimper cut through the silence. Small. Weak.
Naran's head snapped toward the sound.
There, half-buried under debris, was the boy the one they'd picked up before everything went to hell. His dark hair was matted with blood, his tiny fingers trembling as he tried to push himself up.
"M-Mummy…" he sobbed, voice barely audible.
Naran's gut twisted. The kid shouldn't have been here. None of them should have.
Another roar closer this time. The wolves had caught their scent.
Naran moved his hand toward the side of his mouth, signaling for the little boy to stop. "Quiet," Naran hissed, but the boy's cries had already drawn attention. A corrupted wolf, its eyes gleaming with malice, charged furiously toward them, jaws wide ready to tear into the child's flesh.
Horror gripped Naran as the beast lunged until a deafening BOOM shattered the air. The wolf exploded into gore, obliterated by a single arrow.
Coroules emerged, swiftly scooping up the boy before striding toward Naran. "Are you alright?" he asked.
"Yeah, just some pain, but I'll survive" Naran replied, wincing.
"Mummy!" the boy wailed, tears streaming down his face. Before he could scream again, Coroules struck the back of his neck with a precise hit, knocking him unconscious. "He'll be out for a while. Hold him," Coroules ordered, passing the boy to Naran.
"Where are the others?" Naran asked.
Coroules' face darkened, heavy with guilt. "After the Metabus flipped... the corrupted wolves picked us off one by one. Most of the group... didn't make it."
"So... everyone's dead?" croaked a weak voice.
Micah stirred, a fresh jagged scar stretching from his neck down to his back. His breaths were shallow, ragged.
Coroules glanced at him. "No. Bonnds and a few of his unit are still alive. They went to find the Lansing it was lost during the explosions."
Naran's grip on the little boy tightened. His eyes scanned the crumbling ruins, shadows shifting with each flicker of lightning.
"So what do we do now?" he asked, worry thick in his voice.
"You two need to get the Metabus running. Prepare for a move."
"What if the wolves come for us?"
Coroules shook his head. "They won't. It's like... they're not really after us anymore."
Micah grunted, struggling to sit up. "What does that mean?"
Coroules narrowed his eyes. "They're hunting the Lansing."
"But why?" Naran asked, confused.
Before Coroules could respond, a scream tore through the silence sharp, terrified, and far too close.
Then came the growls wet, guttural, and approaching fast.
Coroules snapped into motion, notching an arrow to his bow. "Stay here," he ordered, disappearing into the darkness.
Mana backlash is a significant consequence of overwhelming one's body with excessive mana usage. The effects vary dramatically depending on the individual and the situation: some experience paralysis and lose their ability to wield mana permanently, others perish on the spot, while some may even explode. The most grave outcome occurs when someone suffers mana backlash in an environment saturated with corrupted mana and corrupted wirens, leading to their potential fall into corruption.
Coroules understood he had enough mana for only four more shots of mana-infused arrows, and he needed to use them wisely. He was keenly aware of the importance of conserving his resources until the mutated lycan lunged at him, disrupting his train of thought. In a split-second decision, he slid to the side, narrowly avoiding the beast. He realized he couldn't confront both the lycan and the corrupted wolves simultaneously his mana reserves were insufficient.
As the lycan closed in, Coroules instinctively fired an arrow at a nearby pile of rocks, causing them to cascade down and crush several of the corrupted wolves. However, the mutated lycan was relentless, leaping forward in an attempt to take Coroules's head. Just when it seemed all hope was lost, Coroules let loose a shot aimed at the beast's neck.
But as he regained his footing, he was suddenly overwhelmed by the corrupted wolves that had escaped the rockfall. In the chaos, he dropped his bow, but in a desperate measure, he infused mana into an arrow, using it as a makeshift weapon against the encroaching corrupted wolves. Blood splattered everywhere as he fought valiantly, but the toll was heavy. Until SPLASH blood gushed out from the now severed arm of coroules , the mutated lycan had seized Coroules's arm and, with a swift motion, bit it off, the arm now Dangling in the mouth of the beast before it swallowed it whole
Now down to one arm, Coroules was still determined to continue the fight. However, the mutated beast did not relent and hit him across the face, flinging him violently into the very pile of rocks he had created to crush the corrupted foes. Dazed but not defeated, Coroules struggled to rise, his thoughts lingering on the safety of his unit and their mission to reach the metabus.
He hoped fervently that Bonnds and the others were making their way to the metabus without incident. Suddenly, an axe flew through the air, landing right in front of him with a thud. It was Bonnds, leading the charge with his unit as the metabus barreled down the path, crashing ruthlessly through the ranks of corrupted wolves.
After arriving where the Metabus was, micah and Naran regrouped with Bonnds and his unit. "Where's coroules." Naran asked
"His..... We're gonna save him," Bonnds declared as his team quickly boarded the Metabus they kept the Lansing in place and began repairs. Within moments, the vehicle was operational again, and they sped toward Coroules' last known location.
As they reached the site, the group leaped out of the Metabus and charged toward the horde of corrupted wolves, creating a diversion. Naran seized the opportunity to reach Coroules, pulling him free from the chaos. "We have to go now!" Naran urged, signaling for Bonnds and the others to fall back.
But Bonnds refused. "We'll hold them off!" he shouted, his voice firm despite the danger. His unit stood their ground, weapons raised against the snarling beasts.
"No!" Coroules yelled, desperation clawing at him as Micah revved the Metabus's engine, preparing to leave. Bonnds turned one last time, his voice carrying over the growls of the corrupted lycan.
"Just promise me you'll keep leading them well," he called out. Then, without hesitation, Bonnds charged toward the largest of the mutated lycan, buying them the time they needed to escape.
The Metabus roared to life, speeding away as the sounds of battle faded behind them. Coroules clenched his fists, grief and resolve burning in his chest. They had survived but the cost weighed heavily on his soul.