Jacobs offered no immediate reply, his gaze sweeping back across the assembled team.
"Thoughts?"
Melly, a voice seldom raised, spoke with cautious deliberation. "He could still be inside, unaware of our presence."
Daniel shook his head, a decisive negation. "Highly improbable. A Rank 3's senses are too keen; for him to remain oblivious to our approach is beyond belief."
"The likelihood he's already outside is far greater. He sensed our approach and withdrew to avoid being cornered within the cave. After all, we outnumber him, and he couldn't ascertain our individual Ranks, making evasion the most prudent course" Sophia analyzed, her tone sharp.
Lumos, silent until this moment, finally broke his quiet observation. "Has it occurred to anyone that he might have exited the cave but not fled far? That he might still be lurking nearby, observing those who've come to investigate him?"
"So, is that why the Captain insisted on continuing the investigation and approaching his lair? You suspected he would try to evade us, didn't you?" Henry offered a wry smile, his gaze fixed on Jacobs.
"Hah ha, I merely wished to hear your own deductions. Don't inflate my abilities" Jacobs countered, his usual boisterous laughter echoing through the tense air.
"Then we proceed inside, but with precautions. Melly and Lumos, you remain at the cave entrance. Torsan, find a high vantage point for a wide overview. If anything untoward occurs outside, you will signal us within the cave immediately" Jacobs commanded, his voice brooking no argument.
The remaining four ventured deeper into the cavern's maw. The space was a suffocating tomb of darkness and dampness. Bloodstains coated the ground, forming viscous, black trails that slicked the uneven earth. The stench of rot and mildew intensified with each step, a nauseating assault on their senses.
As they penetrated the depths, a gruesome tableau unfolded before them. Wooden stakes, like butcher's racks, jutted from the sodden floor. Impaled upon each stake was a fragment of human remains, dangling like grotesque marionettes of flesh. Skin had been flayed away, revealing dark red muscle tissue still weeping blood, which mingled with the viscous, black fluid coating the cave floor. Decomposed corpses lay scattered, emitting a sickeningly sweet odor, crawling with maggots in obscene profusion. The scene was a visceral horror.
Henry and Daniel fought back the bile rising in their throats, clamping hands over their mouths and noses, the putrid air a physical assault on their senses.
Even Sophia, a seasoned soldier, couldn't withstand the onslaught. She retched violently where she stood. Jacobs, though hardened by more experience, still grimaced, his sharp eyes scanning every inch of the horrifying vista.
Suddenly, the piercing shriek of an alarm whistle tore through the cave entrance. The shrill sound ripped apart the oppressive silence, echoing through the cold forest air.
"Ghouls!" Lumos roared a warning.
Jacobs barked an immediate order to move. The team swiftly regrouped, weapons drawn and ready.
Before them, a dozen or more Ghouls had encircled the cave mouth, their dull yellow eyes glowing malevolently in the forest's dim light, sharp claws scraping against the earth in a chilling chorus. They were scavengers of the dead, moving in packs, their hunger for flesh a palpable thing. But more terrifying was the creature lurking behind the Ghoul pack - an Alghoul.
Significantly larger than its lesser kin, its muscles bulged with unnatural strength, its hide a patchwork of tough, scabrous scales. Its eyes burned with a coal-red malevolence. The Alghoul was not only stronger but possessed a formidable defense, a nightmarish engine of destruction. Confronting it was a gamble even for seasoned Rank 2 warriors.
"Don't let them overwhelm us!" Jacobs's command cut through the tension. "Melly, Torsan, provide ranged cover! Daniel, secure our rear! Sophia, support everyone!"
Instantly, Sophia unleashed a spell, a shimmering barrier of light enveloping each team member. Henry tightened his grip on his sword hilt, his gaze unwavering. The air crackled with the stench of death and a suffocating tension.
The Ghouls surged forward, their jaws gaping, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth. Henry swung his blade, the steel flashing in lethal arcs, severing a Ghoul's outstretched arm. Black blood splattered, but the others pressed their frenzied assault, undeterred.
Daniel retreated, chanting an incantation, a blazing sphere of fire erupting from his palm, sweeping across the grotesque horde, causing several to shriek in agony amidst the inferno.
Lumos, wielding the might of a heavy warrior, brought his warhammer crashing down upon the earth. The ground shuddered, sending three nearby Ghouls sprawling. Seizing the moment, he whirled and brought the hammer down on the nearest creature's skull, crushing it with brutal force.
Melly unleashed fiery arrows, Torsan his own flight of steel; their ranged assault helped to scatter the Ghouls' attention, lessening the intensity of their attack.
But the Alghoul remained still, observing like a seasoned predator. It waited, patient. Only when a Ghoul exploded in a burst of flame before it did it unleash a guttural roar, then lunged through the fire with terrifying speed. Its attack carried such force that the air around it vibrated. A claw, like a jagged thunderbolt, descended upon Daniel.
In a heartbeat, Jacobs swung his greatsword, intercepting the blow when the Alghoul's claw was a hair's breadth from Daniel's face. The force of the impact drove Jacobs to one knee.
"Careful! It's stronger than I anticipated!" Jacobs roared, quickly regaining his footing.
The hardened scales on the Alghoul's back formed a formidable defense. Weak attacks would be instantly negated. Melly shot a fiery arrow at its eye, but the Alghoul was too swift, merely tilting its head to avoid the strike. Torsan loosed a volley of arrows, all bouncing harmlessly off its hide.
Henry brought his sword down in a direct strike at the Alghoul's head, only to be swatted aside with contemptuous ease by a casual swing of its arm.
"Sophia!" Henry bellowed.
Sophia responded instantly, casting a spell: "Blinding Dawn" A searing golden light erupted in the Alghoul's eyes. For a fleeting moment, it staggered, disoriented.
"It's stunned!" Sophia yelled the information to the others.
Without hesitation, Jacobs charged, "Crimson Cleave!" His blade, wreathed in arcane light, carved a deep gash across the monster's head. The Alghoul roared in enraged agony, black blood gushing forth, but it remained standing.
It coiled its body, preparing a savage counterattack, but Henry was already upon it, "Piercing Fang!" A swift, spinning thrust of his sword plunged directly into the creature's throat. The blade pierced through, severing its vocal cords, silencing its furious bellow.
The Alghoul thrashed violently, but Lumos moved in for the kill, "Hammerfall!" A devastating swing of his warhammer shattered the tough scales on its back, the sheer force enough to end its struggle. Finally, it collapsed, its body twitching before falling completely still. Torsan, Melly, and Daniel swiftly dispatched the remaining Ghouls.
The battle ended, but no one dared to relax. A foul, black miasma slowly emanated from the Alghoul's corpse, further darkening the already oppressive atmosphere. Jacobs severed the Alghoul's head, wiping blood from his sword, his gaze sharp and assessing.
"We need to leave this place, now." he stated, his voice grim. "If there's one Alghoul, there could be more lurking nearby."
The team nodded, swiftly securing the immediate area before their hasty retreat. After the brutal encounter with the ghouls, upon reaching the forest's edge, Jacobs began to piece together the information they had gleaned.
The seven missing persons reported by Lykuzt had become twenty-five corpses within the cave, alongside the remains of wolves and bears. The victims, though slain in savage ways, all bore signs of ritualistic execution, or even sacrifice.
"Henry, your thoughts on that fight?" Jacobs began, his gaze direct.
"The perpetrator lured those Ghouls to attack us. He wanted to gauge our strength." Henry offered his grim assessment.
"Good. If he hasn't shown himself, it means he doesn't outmatch us. Sophia, your take on the cave?" Jacobs continued, addressing another member.
"This was the work of a dark cultist, likely preparing a ritual to ascend in Rank." Sophia analyzed, her voice cold.
"Excellent, despite the horror, you remained observant. High probability: our culprit is a Rank 3 currently in the process of ascending to Rank 4." Jacobs concluded, his expression grim.
A stunned silence gripped the team, the weight of their recent experience settling heavily. They knew that had they arrived later, when the perpetrator had reached Rank 4, their annihilation would have been swift and absolute. Henry could only think grimly, Should I thank the angels for their delayed blessing?
With the gathered intelligence, the team turned towards the town to deliver their report, their mission fulfilled. Upon exiting the forest, they reclaimed their horses and began their urgent ride back to Aerion. Dusk had fallen by the time they completed their task. Though only twelve hours had passed, the team had witnessed scenes of brutal horror and returned by a sliver of luck. A moment's carelessness, a twist of fate, and the cost of a low-rank reconnaissance mission could be their lives.
Jacobs offered a weary smile. "This mission was far more dangerous than predicted. The information we've gathered is substantial and useful, and the Alghoul's head is a nice bonus. Command will appreciate this. Twenty merit points for each of you, a five-crow bonus. I get fifteen. Tonight, the drinks are on me. What's your pleasure?"
A wave of relief and elation washed over the team. They decided on the familiar Dunlyre Tavern. A five-crow bonus for such a mission was generous. One hundred crow equated to a gold coin. Rank 1 soldiers earned a meager thirty to fifty crow a month, Rank 2 sixty to ninety, while a Rank 3 Captain could pull in one hundred to one hundred eighty.
Henry's current wage was seventy crow. This mission bonus would significantly ease his financial burden. He lived and ate within the barracks, his uniform provided, so logically, he could save his entire salary. But he had regular, unavoidable expenses.
Moments later, steaming dishes arrived: herb-roasted pork shank, bacon-wrapped chicken with roasted potatoes, dark grain bread with unsalted butter… After a long day on meager rations, the sight of such a feast was enough to break their restraint.
"Thanks be to the angels for watching over us." Jacobs said, raising his mug of ale, initiating their small victory feast. The men drank strong, amber ale, the women sweet, light fruit beer - a specialty only found in the capital region of Aerion.
The team fell upon the food. The pork shank was tender, melting in their mouths, saturated with herbs and spices. The dark bread, smeared with butter, became heavenly when dipped in the rich pork jus.
The bacon-wrapped chicken, roasted with potatoes, was succulent and juicy, the bacon locking in the moisture, intensifying the flavor. Combined with the roasted potatoes, it was a perfect harmony.
No one could suppress their joy as they devoured the meal. The bland fare of the barracks was an insult compared to this bounty.
The feast not only quelled their hunger but also eased the lingering darkness from the morning's horrors. As they ate, Jacobs spoke again, his tone lighter.
"That mission was a bit hairy, but thankfully, our deductions were spot-on, so things didn't escalate into utter chaos."
"Actually, you probably had those deductions much quicker than the rest of us" Daniel said, offering a rare compliment to Jacobs.
"Hahahaha, so what if I did? I can figure things out, but it's always better when everyone else arrives at the same conclusion, right? More certainty" Jacobs chuckled, genuinely pleased.
"We always trust your judgment, Captain" Melly said admiringly.
"Don't be so sure. If I let my ego get in the way and make a wrong call, the consequences could be unimaginable. Today was a close call, but it also showed how much everyone in the team has grown. Your reasoning, your situational analysis - all much sharper, much more thorough." Jacobs said, unable to hide his pride in his team's progress, his demeanor shifting to that of an older brother watching his siblings mature.