Chapter 52:
Raul Nord was not a hero. He was an adventurer that had gotten an unbelievable number of lucky breaks. He knew it, the executives knew it, and Aki probably knew it too. Whatever they thought they saw in him, Raul knew that it was something nonexistent. It might have been selfish of him to lie and cheat his way forward, but every time he saw his friends working so hard, and every time he saw HER doing everything she could to care for everyone else, he felt like he had to keep fighting. So, when the giant Silverback came marching through the trees, tossing adventurers left and right, Raul Nord stood his ground.
"S-s-stay back!" He stammered, holding his sword upright. "You need to leave everyone alone!"
The Silverback, Horra, paused its march before squatting down. It sniffed at Raul, examining him with its beady red eyes. It was probably looking at how Raul's legs shook, his knees knocking together. Or it noticed how much he was sweating from the monster's intense pressure.
"You are a funny little man," replied Horra, finishing its examination. "Now die."
The monster's great big paw came swinging down, and Raul was only just able to jump out of the way. He tried to swing his sword and leave a gash as he dodged, but the big monkey was just so powerful that there was nothing he could do. His blade bounced off its thick, steel-like fur. He could probably leave a cut if it was a direct strike, where he was putting his full level five strength into it. However, a glancing blow was not going to do anything.
So, Raul continued to dodge instead. He was the only one with a high enough status to reliably get out of the way, and it gave everyone else the time they needed to retreat.
"Everyone," shouted Raul. "Fall back to the second position! We gotta do it just like the Dauntless told us!"
As his subordinates fell back, the High Novice stood his ground and covered the rearguard. Then, to try and buy some time, he implemented one of the covering traps that Lilliruka Arde had made them set up. He cut a rope, causing a bunch of hardened spikes to pop out of the ground. The big one, Horra, would be able to get through them easily, but the rest of the monsters would hopefully be stuck for at least a couple minutes. It would be just enough time to regroup and get new instructions from their commander.
In Her Dreams:
Otohime sat up in a field of mist. She looked around, trying to remember what had happened. She had been fighting back-to-back with her Ura, the two of them covering for each other while their enemies fell around them. But then, a dark shadow descended upon their party, a bipedal dragon that had used its claws and overwhelming force to tear into them. Otohime had stood before the beast, but it swung its hand and sent her flying back into a tree.
"As usual, you fail, dear sister."
Otohime felt her body freeze. Slowly, mechanically, she tried turning her head. She looked out into the sea of smoke, searching for her would-be tormentor. Niko seemed to drift out of the mist, tendrils of grey curling around him. He wore the robes of nobility and stood ramrod straight, looking down his nose at her.
"As always, your pathetic display of bravado has almost gotten you killed." He stopped to examine a manicured hand. "You should give up and come home. Run back through the Dungeon and the city until you get home. Just like the weak little girl you are."
Otohime wanted to deny him, say that he was wrong. She wanted to say that she had gotten stronger and wasn't afraid of him anymore. But the words would not come. They sat in her throat, dead and cold. In the face of her tormentor, she knew that he was right. She ran from everything. She had run from home. She had done everything she could to avoid her cursed magic. And any time she thought she had been courageous, deep down, she knew that it was false. Everything she was, was an illusion. She was a weak little monster that deserved to be put down like one.
"Except, you know that's not true."
If her throat was closed, she would have laughed. Even in her dreams, he was here to try and comfort her. The only thing she could ever seem to do was depend on him.
"As always, you give yourself too little credit," replied Urashima crouching down behind her. "You cannot see yourself and all the things you do for others. You do not see how much stronger you inspire me and the others to be." His arms, which were flesh and blood in her dreams, encircled her. "You do not know how much your kindness has done."
Otohime could not relax in his grip. "You are just a dream; what you say is not reality."
"Ask the real me then, watch as how he says the exact same thing," replied Dream Ura. "Now, wake up. Stand up and do what you do best. Stand up and fight; show them who you are and what you can do."
In the Past:
Just after Bell had left Orario, Raul Nord was left with little to do. He had been forced to stand by and watch as someone he respected, someone he wanted to call a friend, had been chased out of the city. Those Xenos that had helped save his Familia had died, and he had stood by and watched. He felt weak and hopeless.
Even winning that silly tournament had changed anything, not really. So, what if he was a level five now? Freya Familia were all level six. And the King of Orario was seven. If Raul tried to fight them, he would die.
All these evil thoughts continued to circulate as I lay in bed. Aki was purring quietly beside him, thankfully still asleep. She had been quite forward after Bell Cranel's departure, and it was the one bright spot in Raul's life. He had to remind himself every day that she was choosing to be with him, that she wasn't doing it out of pity. He didn't want to stand in the way of his happiness. But it didn't stop the worry. The fear that something would happen to her, that he would lose the most important thing in his life.
On a whim, he left his room that early morning and took a walk down the hall. He knew who to see and what they had to talk about. There was something he wanted to try and do, to stop being his current weak self.
Which was why he ended up at the door of Loki Familia's vice-captain, Riveria Ljos Alf. He stood there awkwardly, wondering if what he was doing was right. His decision was taken from him by the swinging door. The high elf Vice-Captain was facing him in her morning wear, eyebrow raised.
"I heard someone approaching, but I didn't think it was going to be you," she said, sighing. "I was hoping that foolish girl had finally gotten out of her room."
Ever since Bell had left, Ais had sat in her room. Meals were brought to her, but she did not respond. Riveria had gained bags under her eyes from all the worrying she was doing. Lefiya had paced ditches into the floor outside the Sword Princess's room. The other executives didn't know what to do, with Finn often lost in thought. The rest of Loki Familia was still trying to understand what was happening in the city and what Freya had done. The city's greatest Familia was lost and confused.
"I'm sorry…I just…I want to get stronger," said Raul. "I want to be good at something, good enough to protect the people I care about."
Riveria wiped at her face. When her hand dropped, she had a smile.
"Well, alright then. I guess it's time for us to get up off the floor."
The two adventurers walked into the Loki Familia courtyard. Riveria was dressed in her robes, and Raul had his training clothes. On his shoulder was his bow.
"Why did you grab your bow?" asked Riveria in the courtyard.
"Because I'm never going to catch up to the rest of you," replied Raul. "I'll never be able to stand in the same place as you or Finn. But I want to have a way to help." He shifted the bow. "This will let me get to the front with the rest of you."
Riveria smiled. "And that's why you asked me?"
Raul nodded. "You once said that you had to learn how to shoot because of your upbringing in the Elven Forest. Will you help me?"
"But of course! We must do something while we wait," the high elf responded.
With the Commander:
Lili watched the battle descend into chaos. The biggest problem was the giant dragon monster decimating her rear guard. Otohime had been slapped into the trees, and the Dauntless had had to shout Urashima down to keep him in place. Elwin had joined him, and the two were dancing around and taunting the bipedal dragon monster. They were only alive because other adventurers had joined them.
"Haruhime needs to use her magic now!" shouted Lili at a messenger. "The level fives, and the level fours, as many as she can, starting with the ones from Hestia and Loki Familia."
The messenger ran off. Just as he vanished, the trees shook. Lili waited for an onslaught but was met with adventurers in full retreat.
"Tell the middle and left flanks to pull back," she ordered. "Get Aisha Belka and Anakitty Autumn here."
The last level five, Raul Nord, soon came sprinting after his compatriots. He turned to fight off a couple monsters that had broken through the defences before his unit reformed their defensive line. The High Novice looked up at where Lili was standing. He seemed to raise his hand, and Lili responded in kind. The adventurer ran up to join her. His level five speed made the journey quick and short. And when he got there, Aisha and Aki soon followed.
The three first-tier adventurers were all bearing minor injuries of a kind, from scratches and scrapes to dark bruises the size of apples. Lili took in their appearance before turning towards the rear.
"We need to send two of you to fight Nastro, the dragon, and one of you will go fight the big gorilla, Horra," said Lili. "You will get a level boost, but do not rely on it. Most of our strongest adventurers will be facing Nastro, as he has the potential of a level seven monster."
Aisha clicked her teeth. "That makes things complicated. No promises that we can win that fight."
Lili nodded. "Well, you win, or we all die, so do your best."
Aisha's eyes narrowed, but her lips twitched.
"Cheeky brat."
"I ran into Horra," said Raul. "He's probably a level six. I'll go and fight him." He looked at Aki and Aisha. "You two need to be the ones to fight Nastro. You're both stronger than me." He turned to Lili. "I'll have to fight him alone, I'm guessing? So that we can still maintain our three fronts."
Lili blinked. "Yes, that is true. Can you do this?"
The pallum watched this adventurer summon his courage. His legs still shook, and his lips trembled, but she saw the conviction in his gaze. She nodded once.
"Good luck then; please come back to us; we're going to need you," she said.
Raul nodded in return and turned to Aki. He opened his mouth to say something before she grabbed him. They kissed, and then she pulled away. Her tail wrapped around his hand, and she held his face.
"I love you, so come back to me, and I'll come back to you," said Anakitty.
Raul nodded one more time. Then, he turned and began running back to the forest.
"You know, if you weren't around, I might just steal him for myself," said Aisha.
"Don't you fucking dare," replied Aki. "All that is mine."
The two turned towards the sounds of battle coming from behind.
"Good luck, Dauntless," said Aisha. "Try to keep this battle going as long as you can."
Lili nodded, eyes back on the battlefield. She called for the Dea Saint, told Welf and the smiths to move up, and had the mage squadron get to work. Their heavy hitters were about to get very busy, so her strategy was the only thing holding them together. Just like Alexander the Great had told her, she had to breathe deep, put her head down, and then put one foot in front of the other. That was how she'd win.
With the Lovers:
Meanwhile, Haruhime was putting all her energy into her magic. She tried to summon as many tails as possible and could feel herself sweating. Black spots danced in her vision. Due to the nature of her magic, she could not afford to try and move or try concurrent chanting. She was a sitting duck. And that problem was made even worse because all of her magical energy was a kind of lure for a horde of monsters. Her fellow supporters were trying to protect her, but they were supporters. There was only so much they could do.
"Lady Haruhime," shouted a supporter. "You must leave! Do the spell from a safe location!"
'But what location is safe on a battlefield?' thought Haruhime. 'They all need me.'
She continued chanting, focusing her mind on a singular purpose.
"Lady Haruhime! Monsters!"
Haruhime opened her eyes and found a crowd of monsters that had snuck up on her. She felt her fear paralyze her; her feet stuck to the ground. But as always, she held faith. Because she knew that she was never alone.
She smiled as the monsters exploded into dust and ash. The other adventurers gasped as the attacking monsters seemed to just disappear. Landing on the ground in front of the Golden Renard was her Black Crow. Magical wings dissipating, Mikoto knelt on the floor. She slid her katana back into its sheath.
"Please continue," she said. "I will protect you."
Haruhime felt herself start to cry. Of course, she would be here. Her great guardian, the wings at her back, and the love of her life. The Enchantenko smiled and finished casting. Pushing herself to her absolute limit, she summoned the greatest number of tails she could, eighteen. Golden, pulsating constructs of light swayed in the air before dispersing and flying through the Dungeon. Haruhime's magic circle disappeared, and she could feel her body crumple. Before she hit the ground, Mikoto was there, catching her.
"My hero."
Haruhime passed out as her partner looked down, a golden halo around her. She smiled because she knew that she would be safe.
In the Past:
Over a year ago, Raul continued to train with the bow. His skills had been average before, but that was Raul's skill level with any weapon. He wanted to train himself so that his bowman ship was on a level that went beyond the norm. He wanted to have something he was known for besides being a coward.
As he trained with Riveria, he saw other people flocking to the courtyard. Loki Familia members were finally starting to come outside the house. Some of them were getting back into a routine. Even Tiona and Tione had started sparring again.
Raul Nord took all this in while he was on a break. His eyes were trained on the target in front of him, studying his environment. His aim had been progressing, and now he was working on a type of speed shooting. Loki Familia was full of fighters known for their speed and ferocity. If Raul tried to keep up with them, he had to shoot fast and well.
Someone plopped down beside him, dropping their head onto his shoulder. He looked over to find Aki sitting on the grass. Her tail swayed contentedly behind her. Raul reached up with a free hand to scratch behind her ears. The cat-girl let out a long purr. When Raul finally stopped, she lifted her head.
"How's the bow training going?" asked Aki.
Raul looked away. "It's going ok. I feel self-conscious now, though, with everyone watching. Why did all these people show up? And what are you doing here?"
Anakitty snorted. "We're here because you're here. You inspired the rest of us to pick ourselves off the dirt." She nudged him with her shoulder. "After all, if you can pick yourself up, so can the rest of us."
Raul sighed. "Not exactly what I want to be known for."
Aki nodded. "Maybe so, but sometimes the only thing you can do is the best of what you got." She stood up and brushed the dirt off her skirt. "Now, I just came to make sure you were ok. I gotta leave and meet with Finn now."
Raul frowned. "Meet with Finn?"
The cat girl nodded, bending down to kiss the human on the forehead.
"I'm gonna try and work on my leadership and strategy skills. It seems to me that I keep getting into situations where I have to take charge."
Raul smiled. "So, gonna do the best with what you got?"
Aki smiled in response. "Got it in one, mister." She started walking away, waving as she did. "I'll see you later!"
Raul watched her go before picking himself up off the dirt. He walked back to where Riveria was standing and picked up his bow. He pulled back, sighting down the field, and started letting arrows fly.
With the Heroes:
Down in the depths of the Dungeon, on the fifty-eighth floor, the first-class adventuring party had been bogged down in their progress. Valgang dragons had swarmed them as they made their way to the fifty-ninth floor. The monsters had attacked from all sides and were indeed no pushovers. They had all the strength and power of a beast from the deepest floors, coupled with the intelligence and skill of the Xenos. Finn had called a stop, with the rest of the party circling around him. The level five members of Ganesha Familia sat in the middle, with the rest of the party on the outside. In the very middle were Lefiya and Tsubaki. The mage was chanting, trying to keep her concentration, while Tsubaki was managing equipment. She used magic swords for covering fire while also tossing out new weapons if the others broke.
"How long are we supposed to do this for, Finn!" shouted Bete.
The were wolf's leg snapped around, clubbing into a dragon's skull. The monster fell back, only to be replaced by another. While that happened, Ryuu's eyes darted around the area. She had been doing her best to keep track of the monsters and their whereabouts. And something was not adding up.
"We haven't killed any of them," said the elf.
Bell, who was at her side, glanced over. "Ryuu…what are you talking about? Maybe they haven't turned to dust, but there's definitely less of them. I mean, none of them have the injuries from before."
Ryuu frowned. "They might have a way to heal themselves then…we just don't know what it is."
An explosion rocked the tunnel, emanating from where the part had just come. The earth cracked and shook as rocks seemed to fly into the dragons. As that happened, a large roar echoed off the walls. Almost the entire party looked down the tunnel in terror. Everyone was scared except for a prum, who smiled at the tunnel. He shook his head and muttered something about 'having to make a dramatic entrance.'
There was a rushing sound as something blasted through the wall of monsters. It held a large shield in one hand, with a body on its back. Its short stature and extreme velocity made it seem like a battering ram as it blew monsters aside. It slowed down as it got closer to the adventurers, who braced for impact. The more they saw it, the more they saw that it was not a monster like they feared. Instead, it was a huffing and puffing Gareth. The dwarf was carrying an exhausted-looking Riveria on his back.
"Make some goddamned space, you young bastards!" shouted Gareth over the din of battle.
The adventurers quickly parted, allowing the dwarf in. They all cast a wary look at Riveria as she passed. As soon as she passed, the monsters started attacking again, and they had to shift their focus. As they worked, the trio of Loki Executives gathered to talk.
"I'm surprised these dragons aren't dead yet," said Gareth.
Riveria, who was barely conscious, shook her head. "Saw…a mermaid…in a bowl. They're healing themselves…off of her."
Bell, who had fallen back to grab more potions, listened in on their conversation. His mind raced, and he realized that someone had been missing when his Xenos friends reached the surface. He had assumed that she had hidden in the Great Falls and kept her distance, but he seemed wrong. The boy joined the executives.
"Her name is Marie," said Bell Cranel. "She's a mermaid, Xenos. They probably captured her and brought her down here."
Finn frowned. "These dragons get to heal off her blood while we tire ourselves out. They aren't fighting to kill, but to waste time."
"And what if we just killed the dragons and burst through the circle?" asked Gareth. "After all, we aren't pushovers."
"Something big is waiting for us," said Finn. "The Sun Seekers have a lot of powerful monsters. There's another general around here, not to mention that Filvis's ghost told us that they have the Cadmus Dragon under their control."
"So what? We retreat?" asked Gareth.
"No…have to…keep fighting," said Riveria, still panting. "If we retreat, they'll attack the others. And then we'll never finish this."
Finn nodded along. "She's right; we have to keep going. Those big brutish monsters aren't going to wait for us to regroup. Not to mention how the city will react. We have to finish this now." The Braver looked at the group's fourth member. "I'm going to send you and Ais on ahead. My intuition is telling me that you'll make it." He gave a sardonic smile. "Something tells me he'll want you for himself, so I say let's give you to him. And Ais will follow because…well, I don't think she'd stay behind, even if I ordered her to."
Bell nodded. "I'll leave as long as you promise not to kill Marie. And I'm telling Ryuu that her safety is a top priority."
Finn nodded. "You're thinking like a Captain; I like it." He waved his hand. "Go tell her and Ais, and then get going. The faster this is done, the better."
Bell ducked back into the melee, tracking down his Vice-Captain. He whispered his information and new orders to her. She looked like she was going to argue but fought down the urge. She gave Bell a single nod before pulling him close.
"Do not die on me, Bell Cranel," said Ryuu.
The elf and human touched heads before splitting. The two of them returned to the battle. Ryuu kept an eye out for any signs of the mermaid while Bell Cranel went to find his partner in this grand adventure. When he told Ais the plan, the Sword Princess had nodded once and joined him. The two rejoined Finn and the others. Riveria was on her feet and appeared steadier than she had before.
"Bell Cranel, I thought you should know," said Riveria. "That disgusting piece of moss doesn't exist anymore. Now please, keep my daughter safe."
"I will."
He turned to his companion, whose face was set in grim determination. She made clear she was ready, so the two of them took off through the throng of monsters, down even further into the Dungeon. Like Finn predicted, the monsters let them pass with only token resistance. When they left, Finn doubled down on his efforts to protect his people.
With the Average Man:
Raul looked at the people he was leading. These adventurers had put their faith in him, and he had to do his best to respond in kind. He thought of everything Riveria had taught him and cursed that it was now essentially useless. There were no bows in sight, and if he was really going to distract this thing, he would have to get up close and personal with it. He had the sword Aki had bought him, but not much else. Thankfully, many adventurers had dropped or lost their weapons in the fighting.
"Big…gorilla…guy," began Raul. "I'm here to fight you!"
As Raul stood amongst the trees of the Dungeon, he could hear the leaves rustling. Following that was laughter. It shook the area around him. As his eyes drifted around the room, he saw a shadow emerging from the trees. The Silverback towered in front of him. It had no weapons of its own and was totally bare of any armour or accessories. But the most terrifying part was its beady red eyes. They were the eyes of the cunning monster, an apex predator searching for its prey. Its lips parted into a gothic smile; its teeth red with adventurers' blood.
"Another adventurer come to test your mettle," said Horra, its voice a low growl. "Here to prove the arrogance of your race then?"
Raul shook his head, trying to maintain his ground. "No, I'm just trying to stop you and protect the people I love."
Horra laughed. "Oh, you'll be a fun one!"
The two started fighting, Horra with great big strikes of his gorilla paws and Raul with nimble and quick blade swipes. They danced like that for what felt like hours. Finally, though, Horra got lucky. His big paw latched onto Raul's blade. It yanked the sword from his grip and tossed it aside. It looked down on Raul, and its smile grew.
"Now, how will you fight without a weapon?" he asked.
A golden glow began to envelop Raul's body as if in answer. The great sparks made him shine like a hero of old. For just a fleeting second, Raul felt himself become strong. He felt like he could do whatever he dreamed. And right now, that dream was to beat this monster and protect his beloved. Raul ducked down, grabbing one of the many swords scattered on the forest floor. He began his dance again, this time invigorated.
Horra swiped down, and Raul dodged to the side. He brought his sword up, stabbing into the monster's hand. His enhanced status helped him bite into the gorilla's steel-like fur and finally drew blood. Unfortunately, the sword caught in its flesh, and he had to let it go. He dipped to grab a spear off the ground and start again. Horra continued to discard or destroy Raul's weapons, but he didn't care. He just grabbed another one. Every time Horra knocked him down, he stood back up.
He was Raul Nord. His will was not a blazing fire like Tiona and Tione. It was not an unstoppable gale like that of Ais or Bete. It wasn't even an immovable rock like Riveria, Gareth, or Finn. Raul had the resolve of a willow tree. Storms would batter him, but his roots, the things he cared about, would hold him steady. The forces could bend him, sending him into fits of fear and despair, but the level five adventurer would not break. Raul Nord was not a hero; he was just a man trying to do what he knew to be good and just.
With the Fighters:
On the other side of the battlefield, the fight against Nastro was not going well. Anyone could tell that the bipedal dragon monster outclassed everyone, even with a level boost. He fought at the level of a level seven beast, outclassing most monster rexs.
"Shit," said Aisha, jumping out of its reach. "We need to think of a better strategy because this isn't working!"
The boosted Aisha and Aki had taken the brunt of the work in this battle. Boosted, they were comparable to level six adventurers, meaning they did their best to avoid the creatures' attacks. However, they knew that their boost would only last so long. Watching them was a half-elf who had his own method of surviving the dragon's formidable onslaught.
"Left," said Filvis.
Elwin listened.
"Go low and right," she ordered.
Elwin complied.
The two had agreed that Filvis would make the decision this time around. She would process everything that was happening and then give orders. Elwin's only job was to listen and do as commanded. It proved to be one of the benefits of his lack of fear. There was no hesitation in his decision-making. Filvis could speak, and he would listen. This was the power of two people working in sync.
'You knew this guy better than the rest of us,' thought Elwin during a lull in the battle. 'Any weaknesses we can exploit?'
Filvis grunted. "Unfortunately, not. In terms of power, he ranks up there with Typhon. He's that disgusting creature's ace in the hole, meant to wipe the rest of us out."
Elwin dodged another attack with Filvis's help.
"If that dragon girl decides to wake up and unleash the beast, it might help," added Filvis. "After all, it could do to send a monster to fight a monster." Filvis was quiet. "She has the Dragon Slayer ability, right? Add that, her dragon form, and a level boost? We might just stand a fighting chance."
"Hopefully, that pain in the ass Princess wakes up soon then," replied Elwin.
With the Rivals:
Horra was getting frustrated. He had been trying to kill this stubborn adventurer for an hour. The Silverback thought it was going to be simple. Adventurers all fell into the same pit, after all. They liked their preferred weapon. It gave them a false sense of comfort in the uncomfortable Dungeon. So, Horra had thought he could rip this monster's weapon away and then the fight would be over. But the human just kept picking up weapons! It was as if he had no preference whatsoever. Spears, short swords, daggers, and great swords flew into his hands from the ground.
"You are a persistent one; I'll give you that," rumbled Horra.
For all the human's talent, though, it had taken damage. It had a large gash above its brow, and one leg limped. The same could be said for Horra, though. One of its arms dangled uselessly at its side, while it could feel the sting on its back where a spear was jutting out.
Their fight had taken them from the forest into the main combat area. Adventurers and monsters alike chose to duck out of their way, avoiding the deadly dance in front of them. The two left signs of total carnage. And out the corner of his eye, Raul saw that the battle was not going well. The Sun Seekers that remained were obviously some of the best. They were strong, and they were fierce. The monsters themselves weren't the issue, disorganized as they were, but having to fight powerful Xenos on top of that was too much.
"We will destroy you pathetic adventurers, and then we will destroy your city and the Gods that live there!" shouted Horra. "That pathetic deity named Freya signed her death warrant, giving you to us on a silver platter! King Typhon will crush her and everyone else!"
With the Hero:
Raul watched the giant monster gloat and shout. He had heard of this before. It was in all the stories he had read growing up. The beast was monologuing, which was giving Raul the opportunity he needed. The High Novice was the pupil of Finn Deimne, the Braver, Orario's greatest tactician. He could never dream of being as smart as his idol, but he had learnt enough to think with his head. In this spot was the one thing he was looking for, what he had trained with this whole time.
Raul Nord jumped to where he had taken up a command position. His Noble Bow, his gift from Riveria, was lying nearby. And jammed into the ground were a couple of arrows that he had prepared. He grabbed one and drew back the string. It flew and bit into Horra's skin. The Silverback looked over, growling.
"You mongrel! You think your toothpicks will do me harm!"
The monster beat its chest before jumping at Raul. The adventurer barely dodged out of the way. His level boost was fading fast, and pretty soon, he would be at a significant disadvantage. He needed to act quickly. He studied his enemy, looking for weak spots. A lesson from Riveria uncovered itself in his brain.
"There is a reason it's called a bulls-eye."
Raul jumped, trying to get himself to an elevated position while dodging Horra's strikes. He jumped on rocks and broken trees. All around him, adventurers took heart from the sight of him. Raul Nord was standing there, still fighting against all odds. From him, they drew courage and began to rally. And up on a cliff top, a pallum strategist finally understood.
Raul fired another arrow, leaving him with one. It sailed harmlessly by Horra's head. The Silverback grinned because he knew that he had him. He was going to beat this measly little adventurer into a pulp and ruin any chances of hope they had.
At that moment, Raul knew what he had to do. He closed his eyes, and he breathed. With the first breath, he thought of Bell Cranel, who he would not abandon this time. With the second, he thought of Loki Familia, the people who were his home. And with his third, he thought of Aki, who was the reason he stood at all. And then, Raul Nord took a leap of faith.
He launched himself into the air, and in a single fluid motion, he drew back his bow. He pulled it taut against his skin, the fletching tickling his ear. He could hear his heart thrumming in his skull as time seemed to slow. He could feel the world narrow around him, down to this singular moment. He could only focus on the beady little eye staring back at him. It was filled with hatred that scared him, but he didn't stop. He had one moment. And Raul Nord let go.
The arrow zipped through the air and slammed right into Horra's eye. Its journey continued until nothing, but the feathers on the arrow's end remained outside the monster's skull. It had pierced right through the brain of the Silverback, causing the whole monster to stop and shudder. It stood there, spasming. Then, it flopped forward.
Raul landed on top of it in a heap. As he rolled off into the dirt, the High Novice heard a cheer taken up by the people around him.
"Raul! Raul! Raul!"
He closed his eyes.
In the Dungeon:
At this exact moment, two things were making their way through the Dungeon. They came from opposite directions but were working toward each other. One was a mass of fur and fangs, hoping it wasn't too late. The other was an aimless spirit, a ghost left without purpose, seeking its destiny.
