Raymond squinted into the distance, eyes narrowing at the grotesque sight before him; a heaving wave of mutant rats, hundreds of them, frenzied and wild, encircling an enormous, swollen rat with strange green eyes that seed to pulse in the dim light. The giant mutant rat was perched atop its swarm, seemingly the leader, steering the chaotic tide with an eerie sense of command.
Raymond could feel a chill run down his spine. "If that thing can control the others, we're in serious trouble," he muttered. But regardless of whether it was leading them by instinct or through so twisted intelligence, it didn't bode well. The swarm was gaining on them, faster than he and Sylph could ever hope to run.
His mind raced as he glanced back at Sylph, who was struggling to keep up. If they kept this pace, it was only a matter of ti before the rats would overtake them. But then, his eyes caught sothing; an opportunity. With the giant mutant rat perched on the backs of several others, at least half the swarm was clumped together around it, slowing them down just enough.
A wild idea sparked in his mind.
"Sylph!" Raymond shouted over his shoulder, his voice barely audible over the thunderous scrabble of claws on stone. "Look! The rats around the big one! Do you see it?"
Sylph cast a quick glance backward. The sight of hundreds of beady, glowing green eyes made her gasp, and she snapped her head forward, shaking in fright. "I see it, alright! But what's your plan, Raymond? They're getting closer!"
Raymond's jaw set. "I need you to hit that big one with your explosion magic. Can you do it from here?"
Sylph's eyes went wide. "Explosion magic? But I can't concentrate without stopping! If I stop, they'll be on us in seconds!"
Raymond clenched his fists, sizing up the distance; no more than thirty ters now. If Sylph couldn't cast the spell, they were as good as rat food. He stole another glance behind him, his brain working frantically. He had one chance to pull this off.
"Listen, Sylph," he said, his tone serious and unyielding. "If you don't do this…your going to die here. Maybe even both of us."
Sylph's face turned pale, her expression shifting between panic and defiance. "Wait, what about you? Aren't you going to die too?"
Raymond allowed himself a smirk, his voice as calm as if they weren't in mortal danger. "I'm faster than you. Maybe I'd have a chance."
Sylph glared at him, her cheeks flushing red. "You… you—!" She sputtered, montarily flustered by his blunt response. The thought that he might just leave her behind because of his speed stung, but as the shrieking rats closed in, there was no ti to argue.
She swallowed hard, her gaze focusing on the massive mutant rat, which was now terrifyingly close. "Fine, I can do it! But I need to stop to focus and gather the magic!"
Raymond's eyes darted to the rats, twenty ters now, if that. He thought quickly. There had to be a way to buy her the stillness she needed without getting them both torn apart.
"Alright, you just need to be still, right? No movent at all?"
Sylph nodded, confused but hopeful. "Y-yes! If I can stay still, I can cast the spell!"
A determined glint appeared in Raymond's eyes. Without a word, he sheathed his dagger, then turned toward Sylph, whose expression shifted from confusion to outright shock as he moved behind her and, without any warning, scooped her up in his arms.
"Raymond! What the—?!" she shrieked, flailing as he held her, her arms and legs kicking in surprise. "What are you doing?! Put down!"
Ignoring her protests, Raymond tightened his grip, securing her against him with both arms. "Stop squirming! Just focus on the spell!"
For a mont, Sylph stared at him, mouth open in surprise. Then it clicked, he was keeping her still by carrying her, letting her focus while he kept running. Her cheeks flushed, a mix of embarrassnt and gratitude, and she forced herself to calm down.
"Right… okay!" She took a steadying breath, closing her eyes to concentrate. She could feel the warmth of his arms holding her steady as she began to gather her magic, the words of the incantation forming on her lips.
Raymond pushed forward, his legs burning as he sprinted with Sylph in his arms. The swarm of rats was now less than fifteen ters away, snapping and screeching in fury. His heart pounded as he glanced down at her, silently urging her to hurry.
"Sylph! We're running out of ti!" he yelled, his voice taut with strain.
With Sylph held tightly in his arms, Raymond's pace had slowed, each step heavier as the swarm of mutant rats crept dangerously close. He could hear their snarls and the relentless scratching of claws against the sewer walls. The tension was suffocating.
Sylph felt his grip tighten, and she could sense the urgency pressing in on them from all sides. "I... I know, Raymond!" she said, her voice wavering but determined.
Taking a deep breath, Sylph steadied herself. She had never cast a spell in such a chaotic situation, let alone while being carried, but there was no other option. Her usual calm deanor gave way to fierce resolve as she gripped her wand, raising it high with a trembling but steadying hand. She began to chant, her voice low and rhythmic, as she fixed her gaze on the rats closing in behind them.
"Under the flowing flas, the red spirit, ignite... ignite and consu…"
With each word, the sapphire embedded in her wand began to glow, a fierce red light pulsing brighter with each syllable. A swirling red magic circle appeared at the tip of her wand, radiating heat that seed to fill the cold, damp sewer tunnel.
Raymond could feel the temperature rising, even without looking back. He could sense the power building in her spell and felt a strange wave ripple through the air as her incantation reached its climax.
"Explosive Fireball!" Sylph cried, her voice ringing out clear and commanding.
In an instant, a blazing fireball shot forth from the magic circle, hurling itself like a teor toward the pack of mutant rats. The fireball streaked through the air, heading straight for the giant mutant rat at the center of the swarm.
The rats' shrieks filled the tunnel as they saw the impending doom, their strange green eyes widening in terror. But there was no ti for escape.
Boom!
The fireball exploded in a brilliant burst of light and heat, the impact reverberating through the tunnel walls. For a mont, it was as if daylight had forced its way into the dark sewer. Flas danced across the stone walls, casting flickering shadows as the wave of heat washed over everything.
In the blink of an eye, a blinding explosion engulfed the giant rat, the blast echoing through the air as a fiery shockwave tore through the swarm. The mutant rats squealed in agony, many thrown aside by the force of the spell, their ranks broken as the smoke cleared. The giant mutant rat and a huge portion of its followers lay motionless, decimated by the blast.
Raymond glanced back just in ti to see the chaos unfold. The mutant rats were thrown into disarray, their ranks shattered. So were instantly incinerated, their forms turning to ash in the fiery blast. Others were hurled against the walls, their bodies crushed and broken. Blood and singed flesh splattered everywhere as the remnants of the swarm scattered in every direction, squealing in agony.
The giant mutant rat, the target of Sylph's spell, had been obliterated, leaving behind nothing but a smoldering pile of charred remains.
Chunks of burnt flesh and debris rained down around them, splatting against the ground, the walls, and even Raymond and Sylph themselves. There was nowhere to hide from the grueso fallout, but Raymond barely noticed. He was focused solely on survival.
As the rats' cries faded into silence, Raymond gently set Sylph down, his arms aching from carrying her through the chaos. She stumbled as her feet touched the ground, nearly collapsing from exhaustion. Raymond quickly reached out, steadying her.
"Hey, are you alright?" he asked, worry creasing his brow.
Sylph gave a weak nod, her face pale and drawn. "I… I used too much magic… I don't think I can move," she whispered, leaning heavily against him.
Raymond blinked in surprise. He hadn't realized magic could take such a toll. He'd always imagined it as sothing powerful and endless, not sothing that could drain its user to this extent. But looking at Sylph now, he could see the cost; she was utterly spent, barely able to keep her eyes open.
"Just rest for a mont," he said, keeping his voice gentle as he positioned himself to support her.
But before they could take another step, a wet, gurgling sound echoed through the tunnel. Raymond's muscles tensed as he turned his head. There, not far behind, was a mangled mutant rat dragging itself forward, its intestines spilling out, its eyes blazing with a furious defiance. Despite being on the brink of death, it was baring its jagged fangs, ready to strike one last ti.
Raymond's initial reaction wasn't fear, it was satisfaction. This was the tenth rat he needed.
"Perfect timing," he muttered under his breath, a grin creeping onto his face.
He gently eased Sylph to the ground, then turned to face the wounded rat, drawing his sword with a steady hand. The creature snarled, its body quivering, but it showed no sign of backing down.
"You're tough, I'll give you that," Raymond remarked, his tone almost respectful. "But this is the end for you."
The rat let out a guttural roar, mustering all its remaining strength as it lunged. But Raymond was faster. He sidestepped the creature's sluggish attack, gripping his sword with both hands, and drove the blade down in a single, decisive motion, piercing the rat's skull.
A brief, shuddering twitch, and then it went still.
As Raymond pulled his sword free, a blue panel materialized before his eyes, glowing with an otherworldly light.
"Congratulations! You have t the requirents for the [Warrior] awakening: Kill ten monsters using ordinary weapons."
"Class Awakening: Warrior!"
Raymond stared at the notification, his heart pounding with excitent and relief. All the struggle, all the fighting, it had led to this mont. He had awakened his Warrior class. He could feel the new power coursing through him, his body almost vibrating with newfound strength and resilience.
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