SICARII

The squad pressed deeper into the forest, moving at a brisk pace, every rustle of leaves and snap of twigs keeping them on edge. The air was dense with tension, and the oppressive canopy above made the shadows seem alive.

"We shouldn't be surprised," Lara muttered, her voice low but sharp enough to carry over the sound of their footsteps. She adjusted the strap of her quiver as her eyes swept the path ahead. "The old man's story made it clear. No one in Delria actually wants peace. A united region doesn't benefit them."

Luna, walking beside her, nodded, though her focus never wavered from scanning their surroundings. "Makes sense. A place like Delria thrives on its isolation, its independence. It doesn't want outsiders meddling in its affairs. Still, this feels… personal." She tightened her grip on her daggers, their metallic sheen catching flickers of the scant light filtering through the treetops.

"It does," Luca chimed in from behind, his voice steady but carrying a tinge of unease. "But Delria is known for its rigid structure, its discipline. Safe passage was agreed upon. These ambushes aren't just unusual; they're a breach of the accord. Something's off."

The others grunted their agreement, but there was little time for further discussion. Every second spent talking was another second they were vulnerable.

Suddenly, Luna's voice cut through the quiet like a whip. "Zak, watch out!" she screamed as an enormous eagle-like beast swooped down from above, its talons gleaming like sharpened steel.

Zak twisted mid-step, dodging with acrobatic precision. His twin axes flashed in the air, slicing through the wind with enough force to send rippling gusts toward the beast. The eagle beast screeched, its wings battering the air, but it pressed its assault. With terrifying speed, it dove again, talons slashing toward Zak's chest.

Sparks erupted as the talons clashed against Zak's axes. Each strike sent shockwaves through the clearing, the collision of beast and steel creating bursts of wind and light that danced violently around them. Zak gritted his teeth, his muscles straining as he parried the relentless attacks.

Luca darted in, his blade flashing as he joined Zak. The eagle beast was a blur of motion, circling high before diving with deadly intent. Luca slashed upward as the creature lunged, but its agility was unmatched—it twisted midair, claws slashing inches from Luca's face.

"She's targeting our weak spots!" Zak shouted as he spun to counter an incoming attack. Luca surged forward, his sword a deadly arc of light, forcing the beast to veer away, but not before its talons scraped Zak's shoulder, drawing a shallow but painful cut.

While Zak and Luca battled the eagle beast, a piercing cry from above signaled another threat. Three more creatures emerged, each a terrifying hybrid of bird and human. Their feathers shimmered with iridescent hues, but their twisted, humanoid forms gave them an uncanny, predatory edge.

"On it," Lara muttered, already raising her crossbow. Her dark energy arrows ignited with a sinister hum, the bolts crackling with malevolent force. With a deafening roar, the first arrow streaked through the air, splitting the silence as it tore through the first beast's skull. The creature plummeted to the forest floor, its body lifeless.

Lara barely paused, her movements fluid as she fired again. The second and third beasts met the same fate, her precision deadly. Each shot rang out like a thunderclap, and the dark energy left trails of searing light in its wake.

Luna glanced at her, impressed. "That thing's incredible. What's it called?" she asked between breaths.

"Shadow Piercer," Lara said, her tone flat, as if the weapon's lethality was a given.

Before Luna could respond, Lara's attention snapped back to the battle as Zak and Luca were still locked in combat.

The momentary reprieve was short-lived. From the depths of the jungle, four more beasts emerged. These were larger, more grotesque hybrids: one bore the muscular build of a gorilla but with jaguar-like claws; another was reptilian, its scaled body bristling with spines. The remaining two were feline, their sleek forms rippling with muscle and their elongated fangs glinting ominously.

Luna tensed, her instincts screaming at her. "These aren't pushovers," she muttered, already transforming into her half-jaguar beast form. Her muscles rippled, her frame becoming leaner and more powerful. Her dual daggers crackled to life, wreathed in arcs of purple lightning that hissed and spat with raw energy.

The beasts lunged almost in unison. Luna dodged the jaguar hybrid's sweeping claws by a hair's breadth, her lightning-infused daggers flashing as she slashed upward. The blow connected, sending arcs of purple energy cascading across the creature's chest. It roared in pain but retaliated with frightening speed, forcing Luna to roll out of the way as it struck back.

Lara, meanwhile, was a whirlwind of motion. Despite Shadow Piercer being a long-range weapon, she handled it with near-impossible agility, firing rapid shots at close range. Each bolt blasted into their attackers with the force of a cannon, leaving scorch marks and shattered flesh in its wake. One of the feline beasts lunged at her, claws outstretched, but Lara sidestepped and fired point-blank, the impact sending the creature sprawling lifeless to the ground.

Still, the sheer number of enemies was overwhelming. Luna's lightning daggers whirled as she deflected a reptilian beast's razor-sharp claws, the clash of metal and scale echoing in the forest. She struck out, slashing deep into its flank, but another beast was already closing in.

"Lara, behind you!" Luna shouted. Lara twisted just in time, planting a bolt into the jaguar hybrid's eye as it lunged. The force knocked her backward, but she recovered instantly, landing in a crouch and reloading in one fluid motion.

"We're outnumbered!" Lara growled, her voice tight. She fired another shot, but one of the beasts closed the distance, its claws grazing her arm.

"Not for long," Luna replied, her voice a feral snarl. She surged forward, her lightning daggers flashing in a deadly dance. The two of them fought back-to-back, each strike and shot a testament to their skill and grit, but the odds were wearing on them. Blood and sparks flew in equal measure as the beasts circled tighter, their predatory howls echoing through the jungle.