Chapter 791: Findir’s Mission (4)
With a terrifying roar, the monsters—now mid-flight—shifted their attention from the fleeing panther to Findir. The boar-like creature let out an ear-piercing squeal, its tusks gleaming as it charged toward him. The bear followed, its immense wings sending gusts of wind as it barreled straight at the tree where Findir had been perched. Even the serpent, with its glowing eyes, fixated on Findir, its body twisting unnaturally as it homed in on him.
The mist had done its work. Now, the monsters saw Findir as their target.
"Dammit," Findir muttered under his breath, his mind racing once more as he assessed his quickly deteriorating situation. The beasts were coming for him—and fast.
There was no more time to plan. His earlier calm and calculated demeanor had to give way to swift action, but as the ground-shaking roars of the creatures echoed through the forest, his unsettling grin returned.
This was exactly what he needed.
As the first monster— the boar-like creature with massive wings— hurtled toward him, Findir remained unnervingly calm, his mind honed on survival. The wind around him stirred at his command, whispering through the leaves like a trusted ally. His eyes flicked between the three approaching creatures, calculating the timing and angles, honing in on the weakest link.
The boar charged first, its tusks gleaming in the moonlight as it plowed through the underbrush, wings flapping with terrifying ferocity. The bear and serpent circled in the air behind it, ready to strike if Findir made the wrong move. But Findir knew the forest; he understood its rhythm, the way the trees swayed, and how the branches could provide both cover and obstacles.
With a sharp intake of breath, Findir leaped from his position on the tree, dodging the boar’s initial charge by mere inches. The wind carried him gracefully through the dense forest, but the boar was relentless, turning sharply and crashing through the underbrush after him.
As he sprinted, his hands glowed faintly, summoning twin daggers made from wind. The weapons shimmered, barely visible in the dim light. With one smooth motion, he whirled around, using his momentum to hurl one of the wind blades directly at the boar. The dagger sliced through the air, embedding itself in the boar’s hide with a sickening thud.
The creature let out an enraged bellow, blood splattering from the wound, but it didn’t slow. Its fury only grew, its tusks carving deep trenches in the ground as it charged again, this time with even more ferocity.
Findir’s heart pounded, but he didn’t lose focus. He had to finish this before the other two monsters closed in. Dodging left and right, he led the boar into a narrow grove of trees, limiting its ability to maneuver. He ducked behind a large trunk just as the boar slammed into it, shaking the tree violently but missing its target.
Now.
Findir emerged from behind the tree with a swift step, the second wind dagger forming in his hand. He struck again, this time aiming for the back of the creature’s leg. The blade sliced through muscle, causing the boar to stumble. It screeched in pain, wings flapping wildly as it tried to regain its balance, but Findir was already moving, using the confusion to his advantage.
He darted in close, a gust of wind propelling him faster than the creature could react. With a quick slash, he targeted its throat, the wind dagger carving through thick skin, releasing a spurt of blood. The boar buckled, its enraged roars growing weaker as it collapsed, but it wasn’t over yet.
Just as Findir thought he had gained the upper hand, the boar lashed out with its tusk, catching him in the side. He gasped as pain shot through his body, the impact sending him flying into the base of a nearby tree. For a moment, the world spun, and he struggled to catch his breath.
But he couldn’t stop now. Not yet.
Pushing through the pain, Findir rose to his feet, clutching his side where blood seeped through his tunic. He summoned another wind blade, staggering forward and plunging it into the boar’s heart with all the strength he could muster. The creature convulsed, its body jerking violently as it let out one final, guttural cry before falling still.
Panting heavily, Findir stood over the boar’s lifeless form. His body screamed in agony from the hits he’d taken, but there was no time to rest. The other monsters were closing in, their roars growing louder, wings beating against the night sky.
The first one was down, but the fight was far from over.
Findir’s breath was ragged, his chest heaving as he wiped the blood from his lips. The boar’s corpse lay motionless behind him, but there was no time to relish the victory. His eyes darted upward as the bear-like creature descended from the sky, its massive wings casting a dark shadow over the forest floor. The beast landed with a thundering crash, shaking the ground beneath his feet. Its glowing red eyes locked onto Findir, and with a guttural roar, it charged forward, claws outstretched and ready to tear him apart.
"Stay calm, focus," Findir thought, his mind racing.
His body screamed in protest from the earlier hit, but he couldn’t afford to stop. The wind swirled around him again, like an old friend lending him strength. Using the same strategy as before, he leapt to the side, dodging the bear’s initial strike. The creature’s claws gouged deep furrows into the earth where he had been standing just moments before.
Findir darted between the trees, using the thick trunks as barriers to slow the beast down. The bear followed, its massive bulk crashing through the forest, tearing trees from their roots in its relentless pursuit. Findir summoned his wind daggers again, the ethereal blades flickering in his hands as he circled around the beast, looking for an opening.
He had to wear it down—just like the boar. Keep his distance, make the creature chase him, and strike when it was vulnerable.
The bear swung its claws wildly, cutting through the air with deadly force. Findir ducked under one swipe, the wind propelling him forward as he delivered a quick slash to the beast’s flank. The wind dagger left a deep gash, and the bear let out a furious roar, its wings flapping as it swung around to face him again.
This time, the bear was smarter. It reared back on its hind legs and swiped both claws at once, forcing Findir to leap backward. His foot caught on a root, and he stumbled for a brief moment—just long enough for the creature to close the distance.
The bear’s paw slammed into his side, sending him crashing into the underbrush. A sharp pain shot through his body, but Findir grit his teeth and forced himself back onto his feet. Blood dripped from his wounds, but he couldn’t stop now. Not when the beast was still coming for him.
The bear lunged again, but Findir had anticipated it this time. He used the momentum of the wind to dodge the attack, his body twisting through the air like a leaf in a storm. As he landed, he spun around and hurled one of his wind daggers, aiming for the beast’s neck. The blade struck true, embedding itself deep into the bear’s throat.
The creature staggered, coughing up thick streams of blood as it tried to roar. But Findir wasn’t done. He couldn’t afford to let it recover. Summoning another wind blade, he dashed forward, dodging the bear’s final desperate swipes. With a swift motion, he slashed across its chest, the wind cutting deep into muscle and bone.
The bear let out one last, guttural cry before collapsing to the ground. Its wings twitched for a moment before falling still, and the forest was silent once more.
Findir stood over the fallen creature, his body trembling from the exertion and the pain of his injuries. He had taken another hefty hit during the fight, but he had minimized the damage as much as he could. His side burned where the bear’s claws had raked him, but he was still standing.
Two monsters down. One more to go.
Findir wiped the sweat from his brow, his eyes narrowing as the final beast lumbered into view. This one was different—more cautious, more deliberate in its movements. Its hulking form was covered in thick, stone-like scales, and it moved with a cold, calculated purpose that the previous two monsters lacked. Its beady eyes, glowing a faint orange, followed his every movement as it stalked closer.
The monster resembled a gargantuan lizard, its massive claws scraping against the ground with each step. But the most unnerving part was the ridged spikes running down its spine, shimmering with an eerie light, as if they were imbued with some kind of magic.
This one’s smarter... stronger, too, Findir noted, his heart racing as he analyzed its every move. He could sense its raw power radiating off of it—this wasn’t a fight he could afford to make a mistake in.
