It was a quiet night in the wilderness. A gentle breeze blew playfully through the trees. Overhead hung the shattered celestial body of Lunae, emitting a dim blue glow, a mere shadow of its former glory. The trees and grass glowed with purple and pink bioluminescence and veins of green and blue arcanum hung in the air above, both helping to illuminate the night.
WRAR!
An ear piercing roar broke the stillness of the night. A moment later a young woman came flying out of the treeline. She tumbled on the dirt and rocks. Round and round her body spun until she managed to stop herself. In a swift motion the woman got up to her feet and wiped the blood out of her eyes.
Her brownish red skin made the blood almost blend in. Her thick jet black locks of hair tumbled around her red horns and half hid her bloodied face. Peeking from between the obsidian locks were two almond shaped eyes and two bright yellow irises.
The woman could feel the taste of metal in her mouth as she tried to stand back up. One of her knees began wobbling for a second but she soon managed to steady herself.
“Raven!” a kind and concerned voice called out from the treeline and a moment later another woman came running out into view.
Her skin was a light, grayish blue, her hair white and short. Her eyes big and round with blood red irises that would seem frightening if her face didn’t constantly seem concerned for your safety. Despite their strikingly different features the two women were both of the dvalish race, although of two different sub-species. Both had smooth skin, hair in all the same places and both had pointy ears. However, whereas she was short and portly Raven was of medium height and very muscular.
“Raven, are you okay?” said the woman as she ran to her friend and put her hands on their shoulders.
“I’m fine, Janette. Just a flesh wound.” said Raven who was still a little out of breath. “No need to heal...and you’re already healing me.”
Janette’s eyes began glowing bright with a warm green light and the palms of her hands began glowing as well. A blue light shun from inside Janette’s heavy coat which she usually wore to hide her physique. Raven knew well what this secondary glow was.
A moment later Raven could feel the deep gash on her forehead begin to close up. The healing energy that surged through her wasn’t enough to completely heal her wound but it was enough to stop the bleeding.
“Thanks.” said Raven as she wiped the blood out of her left eye. “You didn’t have to, but I appreciate it.”
“I know, but you can’t really fight while bleeding to death.” said Janette as she opened her coat and pulled out an empty metal canister.
“Did it finish your whole supply?!” asked Raven with a mixture of concern and guilt in her voice.
“No, I’ve got more.” said Janette as she opened her coat some more and showed Raven three more canisters hanging from her belt. Each one of them glowing with a faint blue glow.
There was another loud roar from the woods and the heavy sound of a tree being shattered.
“Good, ‘cause we’re definitely gonna need them.” said Raven.
A moment later someone else came flying out of the treeline. Raven darted forward, attempting to catch their friend but only succeeded in getting thrown back herself as the dark figure slammed into her.
“Oh man. Do I need to heal you again now?” asked Janette.
Raven lay breathless on the ground with a dark furred feline looking creature lying on top of her.
“Don’t worry, I’m fine. No need to waste healing on me.” said the sarcastic voice of Kurai.
Her animalistic features clearly differentiated her from the two dval who had entered the clearing before her. Kurai was a varg. Her entire body was covered in short black fur that grew longer at the back of her head. She had big cat-like ears, a tail and claws at the ends of her fingers and toes. Which was probably why she never wore shoes or gloves. Her mouth was filled with sharp fangs and her big yellow eyes encircled two beautiful green irises and slitted pupils.
While Janette wore her big purple coat and Raven wore a green jacket and minimal combat attire, Kurai wore much lighter clothes. She had a thin red shirt and industrial styled pants with lots and lots of pockets. Over her shirt, however, she wore a vest and a harness to carry all of her things. Raven liked to joke that Kurai carried so many gadgets that they made her weigh twice as much. And she was feeling the reality of that joke now.
“Get...off…” was all she managed to say.
“Really? You don’t find this romantic?” asked Kurai snarkily.
“I...will...murder...you…”
“Fine.”
Janette helped Kurai back to her feet and Raven gasped for air.
“Holy tork, Kurai! How much drim are you carrying?!” said Raven.
“Just a couple of things.” said Kurai with a smirk.
There were more roars and loud crashes coming from the woods.
“Guys, Arcaea’s bringing it to us. They’re getting closer.” said Janette.
“Get ready.” said Raven as she picked up her shortsword.
Janetted pulled out a tablet and began hastily scrolling through spells while Kurai pulled a few parts and pieces out of her backpack and the multitude of pockets she had and began assembling them into a turret.
The sounds of feral battle continued to get closer and closer until the fourth and final woman came flying out of the woods. Unlike her friends, though, she managed to land rather gracefully. Her two feet hit the ground and she slid almost all the way to her compatriots without ever losing her balance. Once she came to a stop she turned around to face her friends.
“I think I made it really angry.” said Arcaea in her usual calm demeanor.
She was easily the tallest of the bunch with long gangly limbs and a slender but sturdy frame. She had long black hair that hung straight but her skin was neither smooth nor covered in fur. Instead her skin was hard and scaled. The hardest portions were colored blue while the softer parts were a light teal color. Her nose was flat which gave her appearance an almost snake-like quality. Her eyes were completely orange apart from the two slitted pupils and her ears were long and almost horn like. She was of the dozku, or the dragon folk as they were often called. She wore heavy armor and carried a giant cleaver in her right hand.
None of them carried guns as they were all too poor to purchase such arcane weapons. So they had to resort to melee fighting and spells.
As all of them got ready there was a moment of silence. The quiet before the storm. It seemed to stretch out forever while the four of them stood there and waited for any sign of the beast. And then they heard it.
Snap.
The sound of a twig breaking. Followed by more snaps and then a low growl.
A dark lumbering behemoth emerged from the treeline. Its feet were too short to carry its weight so its upper body rested on two massive arms that looked like two gigantic greatclubs made of stone and spikes. The creature's eyes were white and its maw was filled with dozens upon dozens of long fangs that made it almost impossible for it to close its mouth. Its face looked like a ghastly skull that was attached to an oversized torso. The creature growled and drooled, its eyes fixed upon the four girls.
This was an urthog. A byproduct of dark magic and centuries of mutation and it also just so happened to be why the four of them were out here so late at night. Far away from civilization, far away from safety.
“Alright girls.” said Arcaea as she readied her cleaver. “Lets get paid.”
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