Narration
The city stretched out before them like a vast, skeletal corpse. Its once-proud structures stood battered and fractured, jagged edges clawing at the polluted sky.
Wandering around the city they find a crater in the center of it, a Grim nest, full of dark black pools of pure evil. They fled the area quickly, not prepared yet.
A heavy mist hung in the air, swirling with a faint black hue—evidence of the Grim's corruption. Kitsrir adjusted Akane Butterfly in his grip, the weapon clicking softly as he transformed it from a knife to a pistol and back again.
His normally playful energy was tempered by an uneasy silence. "This place feels wrong," Kitsrir muttered, his voice cutting through the stillness.
Amris walked ahead, his dagger—Way Finder—resting in his hand. His sharp gaze scanned every shadow, every movement, as if the Grim themselves would materialize from the corners of the ruins.
"It's not just the Grim," Amris said quietly, his tone clinical. "It's what they've left behind. The air here… it's heavy, like it's carrying their corruption." 'I didn't think they were this deadly, the show treated them like chumps.' Kitsrir thought as
Oshen brought up the rear, his great sword balanced across his shoulders. The veteran hunter's silence was both reassuring and unsettling.
His expression was unreadable as he took in the ruined city—the remnants of a once-great civilization reduced to ash and rubble. "Stay alert," Oshen said finally. "This place is alive, even if it seems dead. Keep moving."
The group began their search through the shattered city, weaving through streets littered with debris. Every step stirred dust that floated like ash, a grim reminder of the destruction that had consumed the area.
They moved with caution, weapons drawn, their senses tuned to the eerie silence that blanketed the ruins. Inside a crumbled armory, Kitsrir rummaged through piles of broken equipment, his frustration mounting.
"Nothing here worth using," he said, kicking at a shattered breastplate. "The Grim really know how to ruin everything."
Amris, more methodical, carefully inspected an ancient bow hanging on a wall. Its string was snapped, but the arrows in a nearby quiver seemed intact. "These might work," he said, sliding the quiver onto his back. "At least for emergencies."
Oshen sifted through the rubble with an experienced eye, his movements deliberate. Near the remnants of a market stall, he uncovered a dusty crate buried beneath splintered wood.
He pried it open with the blunt end of his halberd, revealing several sticks of dynamite wrapped in deteriorating cloth. "Explosives," he announced, his voice steady. "Not ideal, but they'll do."
As they regrouped in the shadow of a partially standing cathedral, Oshen spread out a map of the city on a chunk of stone. The map, weathered and stained, detailed the layout of the ruins, with the Grim nest marked in red at its center.
"The crater is here," Oshen said, pointing to the heart of the map. "If we can gather enough explosives and position them along these buildings here," he gestured to several semi-standing structures surrounding the crater, "we can collapse the rubble into the crater, sealing the Grim inside."
Kitsrir leaned over the map, his fiery energy rekindled. "Blow the whole thing to smithereens? Sounds like my kind of plan."
Amris frowned, his mind racing through the logistics. "The buildings are unstable. One wrong move, and we could trigger a collapse before we're ready."
"We'll proceed carefully," Oshen said firmly. "This isn't just about brute force—it's about precision. We place the charges, create controlled detonations, and let the rubble do the rest."
Kitsrir smirked. "Precision's your thing, Amris. You'll keep us on track, right?"
Amris rolled his eyes but didn't reply, focusing instead on the task ahead.
"We'll need more explosives," he said after a moment. "What we have won't be enough to seal the crater." "Then we keep searching," Oshen said, folding the map. "Every minute we waste gives the Grim more time to strengthen their hold. Move."
The group split up to comb through the surrounding ruins, always keeping within sight of one another. The buildings they explored were hollowed-out shells, their interiors gutted by fire and decay.
Broken furniture, shattered glass, and remnants of lives once lived littered the floors. The silence was oppressive, broken only by the occasional creak of unstable structures.
In what appeared to be a former blacksmith's workshop, Kitsrir found a cache of tools and began inspecting them. "A hammer, tongs… not exactly what I had in mind," he muttered.
"Check for anything dust related," Oshen called from the doorway. "Some of these old workshops used them in their crafts. If you find anything, bring it."
Amris emerged from another room, holding a rusted sword. "It's useless," he said, tossing it aside. "We need explosives, not weapons."
The search yielded little, though Amris used the tools to fix his newfound bow, repairing the damage inflicted to it, and the tension grew with every passing moment. The air seemed to thrum with an invisible energy, a warning of the danger that lay ahead.
As they approached the crater, the ground beneath them grew unstable, cracks webbing across the streets like veins. The oppressive weight of the Grim's corruption was palpable, pressing down on them with every step.
They set the explosives carefully, following Oshen's instructions to the letter. Kitsrir worked quickly but efficiently, placing charges along the base of a leaning tower. Amris focused on the placement of detonators, ensuring the timing would align perfectly.
But as Kitsrir placed the final charge, a guttural roar shook the air. The ground trembled violently, and from the crater emerged Grim creatures unlike any they had encountered.
These creatures, wolves, bears, and even bees were larger, faster, and more feral, their bodies twisted and oozing with blackened corruption.
"They've sensed us!" Oshen shouted, gripping his great sword tightly. "Fall back—now!" Before they could retreat, the explosives detonated prematurely, triggered by the shifting ground. The blast sent debris flying, collapsing several buildings around the crater.
But instead of sealing the Grim inside, the collapse created openings—pathways for the creatures to escape. The Grim poured out of the crater in a relentless wave, their glowing eyes locked onto the group.
Kitsrir fired his pistol wildly, the shots ringing out in rapid succession. "Guess we're skipping the retreat part!" he yelled, transforming Akane Butterfly back into a blade and charging forward.
Amris moved with calculated precision, his dagger cutting through the Grim with deadly efficiency.
"Kitsrir, hold them back! We need to regroup!" Oshen fought like a storm, his great sword cleaving through the Grim with practiced ease. "Stay together!" he barked. "Don't let them divide us!"
The streets became a battleground, the ruins echoing with the sounds of clashing steel and roaring Grim. Kitsrir fought with wild determination, switching between blade and pistol as he pushed back the advancing creatures.
Spinning around blasting through them in an almost dance like fighting style.
Amris used the environment to his advantage, funneling the Grim into narrow alleys where their numbers worked against them. Oshen's experience was their anchor, his every move a display of power and precision.
"Head for the bridge!" Oshen shouted, guiding them through the chaos. "If we destroy it, we can cut them off!" The group moved as one, fighting their way toward the edge of the city. Kitsrir's shots rang out, each one finding its mark.
Amris covered the rear, his dagger flashing in the dim light as he dispatched the Grim that pursued them. Oshen led the charge, his halberd slicing through the creatures like a beacon of hope.
By the time they reached the bridge, they were bloodied and exhausted but still standing.
The Grim were relentless, their pursuit forcing the group to act quickly. "Rig the explosives!" Oshen ordered, his voice steady despite the chaos.
With trembling hands, Kitsrir and Amris set the charges along the bridge's supports. The Grim were almost upon them when Oshen gave the signal.
The blast shattered the bridge, sending it and the pursuing creatures plunging into the chasm below.
The silence that followed was deafening. The group stood at the edge of the chasm, their weapons still drawn, their breathing heavy.
For now, the Grim were gone—but the nest remained.
"We're clear," Oshen said finally, his voice heavy with relief. "But this isn't over. The nest is still active, and it's stronger than we anticipated."
Kitsrir tightened his grip on Akane Butterfly, his fiery resolve unwavering. "Then we go back," he said. "We finish this."
Amris placed a steadying hand on his brother's shoulder, his voice soft but resolute. "When we're ready. We'll need more than just explosives to take it down." Oshen nodded; his gaze fixed on the ruined city. "This was only the beginning."
Kitsrir relaxes and then says, "Well for a first real mission we did decent, right?" Oshen just nods while looking back at the ruined city.
Sitting down Amris bandages his brother and father's wounds, "Ow! Can't you be a little bit gentler?" Kitsrir says as Amris tightens around his arm stopping the bleeding. "You two are more injured than I thought possible."
As the family recovers the Grim inside retreat back into the nest preparing for the next invasion...