Disaster

From the forest came a massive boar with horns, thick hide, and six legs carrying its weight at the speed of an ATV. At more than ten feet tall, it came barreling from the forest and into the field. The celebration from the team fell apart as Aiden was ragdolled aside by the force of the boar.

Aiden's barrier was shattered, and he went tumbling, but the force was enough to flinch the boar. Aiden caught himself and bounced back to his feet, shaking off the impact. "Katarina, fall back! Darius, use your axe to take out its legs! Howl!"

Again, energy surged from Aiden and enraged the boar. Katarina fell back to Vicky to have her wounds healed, and Darius charged into the fray. Darius swung his axe without using his blessings. The blade cut into the boar's flesh only enough to draw blood. The boar reared up and cried out. The blood that oozed from its various wounds suddenly burst into flames.

Darius swung his axe while using another blessing to cleave the boar's legs. He missed and delt a deep wound to the boar's side instead, drawing more blood. This time, the blood ignited and detonated immediately. Caught in the blast, Darius was blown away.

Zale sighed. "Didn't they learn to deal with Blood Boars quickly?" he asked Daren.

Daren only shrugged. "I taught them. Like I said, they are rough. "

Zale watched the team quickly fall to pieces. His own first fights hadn't been amazing, but neither did they go poorly. He'd quickly taken on a leader's role in his teams as he recognized information was crucial. Even against a stronger foe, he found strategy and knowledge had saved his teams more than once.

"Should we step in?" Zale asked while watching Aiden scramble back to his feet again.

In his panic, Abel volleyed off fire attacks with no effect before realizing the boar wouldn't succumb to fire. Simultaneously, the Razor Teeth that didn't die began to stir from their stunned state. Vicky sprinted over to Darius and healed him, abandoning formation.

Razor Teeth slowly closed in on Katarina and Abel in the back. The boar, alight with fire and micro-explosions, whipped around to bare down on Darius and Vicky. Aiden, torn between which allies to help, couldn't make it to both groups in time.

He gritted his teeth. "Howl!"

Suddenly, all enemies whirled on him, bling to anything else. "Barrier of the Colossus! Iron Fortress! Unmovable Steel Palace!"

Though immobile, he had a powerful defense. He stood his ground, hoping to stop all his foes in their tracks with his triple-layered barriers—a last-ditch effort to save his allies.

The boar charged, blood welling in its mouth as it prepared to blow Aiden away. Alongside it, the Razor Teeth darted forward, teeth and spines looking to kill. Aiden starred them down, shield ready as his last line of defense.