Demon tigers

The Demon tiger cave, as the name suggests, it was the place where their next enemies were situated. Having numerous numbers, unknown and uncounted by mere estimation. Their numbers were nothing to scoff at and each one was an effort to kill. Don't mind the effort, it can kill you easily. Especially with newbie recruits.

Disposing of the thought of the dreadful possibilities, Troan sat beside the fire. Others too huddled together with him. The fire was covered by long sticks that were made into a small tent to hinder its light to scatter into the wilderness. Not wanting to attract the demon tiger with its light. As they were, they loathed it as it could start a forest fire. Only the smoke to rise.

They laid the beef jerky, skewered in sticks and then put it near the fire. Having stuck it into the ground standing slightly tilted.

"Troan, what's the plan?" Mark asked.

Having heard his question, he was in deep thoughts. Though monster behaviors were all in his knowledge.

"We don't need to attack them on their turf, that is pure suicide. We should at least get near their hunting grounds and kill a few. We don't want to disturb the hornet's nest can we?" Troan explained.

"Yeah, makes sense," Mark replied.

"Damn, my back still hurts. I missed my bed on the barracks," Sendrick said.

"Yeah, we should hurry up and go home. I missed the bed too," Said Mikael.

They soon went to pack their things up. Troan put out the fire of their makeshift tent and then went on their ways. Being the pathfinder and navigator of the team, he guided them.

Travelling towards their destination, they saw litters of bones along the path. The original animals of the human world were all eaten by demonic creatures. Especially these parts where the monsters were seen rampantly.

The smell of decay wafted their noses as there were still halfheartedly eaten corpse and remains by those creatures. Maggots and flies feasted on them as well as several other crows flocked on them.

Mark was about to say something but he was shushed by Troan, not wanting to alert the monsters, they travelled round about the crows or alerting them might sound trouble.

Mark and Sendrick glazed one last time on the crows and then travelled forth forwards. They thought that it would be better to be extra cautious when you were in this kind of place.

Upon climbing several outgrown roots that were as tall as them, they immediately heard growls from afar. More bones littered the forest floor and they were alerted. Drawing their weapons in the process.

Mark held his two-handed sword with his hands and gripped the sword upright. Troan too held his sword ready for combat. Sendrick prepared his hammer and shield and Mikael his two-handed hammer.

Growling came from the east, then to the west, then to all directions. Their skins went goosebumps with their hairs stood erect. All were on edge about what would happen. One demon tiger appeared on their front and two on their backs. One on their right side with a total of four.

"Troan, can we handle four at once?" Sendrick asked.

"Nope, we might die,"

"Really?" he replied.

"Yep," Troan scoffed.

"Everyone! Battle formation!" Troan shouted.

They covered each other's backs and then assumed their role, which was to defend. The enemies came from one of the tops of the tilted tree and others on top of the branches. They landed on the ground with a thud and were growling. They have jet black color and stripes of ashen dark grey. Teeth were menacing and were ready to kill.

More growls were then heard resounding in the vicinity. The four of them were trying to intimidate Troan before killing them. Encompassing them while trying to taunt them and walking to the side while doing so.

Their steps were slow and steady while not forgetting to growl and show their fangs. Troan and the others can only hold their weapon tighter and tighter. Their feet were frozen and trembling. They haven't met such predators in the past. It was their first time seeing a demon tiger up close.

The enemies then soon growled and leapt towards their formation. Mark and Sendrick yelped and ducked while Mikael dived to the side.

Only Troan remained standing and then he crouched. Evading the bite and stabbed the heart in a flicker of moments. Still, the body fell over him and was stuck. Only to see the enemies pouncing at his teammates.

Mark held his sword and swung it at one of the tigers. They just bit his sword and didn't let go.

"Troan!" Mark bellowed.

Sendrick was attacked by its claws on his shield and was on leaning on a tree. Furiously clawing it and the shield was about to snap and break.

"Troan help!" Shouted Sendrick.

Swinging his hammer to it but it's casually evading it. Mikael was also swinging his hammer and it struck one, but it was not enough to kill it, only to make it further aggravated.

"Help them!" Mikael shouted.

His team were scared of the bones of their enemy. It affected their morale which soon crumbled their formation. Troan deemed this as a death flag and it might spell their doom. With this in his mind, he immediately made countermeasures.

Troan then saw that the demon tiger that fell on him was disintegrating. He grabbed the crystal and then went to help them.

While the demon tigers were busy, Troan jumped at it and stabbed the tiger on the forehead the one that was on Sendrick. Mark was still trying to pull his sword and Troan went to decapitate it. Head rolled and blood spurted out.

Mikael was swinging his hammer and was greatly exhausted. He was panting while he struggled to fend off the enemy. Troan dashed and then aimed his sword at the heart of the tiger.

Swish!

His sword made its way from the ribs towards its heart. Making it stumble and fall.

"Guys! Battle formation!" Troan once again yelled at them.

They soon heard him and they huddled together. Evading the monsters and then they readied to defend themselves. Troan then saw that they went to heed his command and then took command.

"We should not let this happen again. Divided we fall, together we are strong, pull yourself together and fight!" Troan shouted.

It was then, that more enemies came. They didn't think that their fighting would attract more of them. Troan then swings his sword to drain the blood and then went ready for another round of onslaught.

More enemies came and their mettle was tested. Sendrick blocked several attacks and Mikael assisted with a smash of his hammer on the head of the enemy. Making it stunned and its head shaken. Mark then dashed and slashed it with his sword. Cutting the neck. Killing it in the process.

Mark then was attacked on his back and Troan intercepted it with his sword. A claw against his metal sword. Blocking it with his sword horizontally. Troan then went on the offensive and didn't make wasteful movements. Only to crouch and stab its heart with a flicker of movement.

Troan focused on their safety and didn't let anything happen to them. His eyes were moving to and fro to see where he could defend and dashed in speed they were unable to cope up.

Another one attacked Mark on his back and Troan leapt, hurling the dirt and blocking its bite with his sword. Troan kicked the throat and it let go of its bite while yelping. Further flickering and stabbing the throat while it stepped back.

Their morale was bolstered in just a few moments. Others were also not a freeloader, they made their very own first kill and it affected the morale of the team. Mikael rotated his two-handed hammer and smashed it towards the enemy that leapt at him. Making the hammer collide with its head. Snapping the neck in the process.

Mark was slashing the enemy with his sword and killed it with a decapitation. Sendrick attacked with his hammer and tanked almost all damage. Bashing enemies and stunning them. Making the other teammates go for the kill.

Their teamwork was tested and their training was all put to play. Making them have a sense of accomplishment deep within their hearts.

They harvested 16 demon tiger crystals and it was worth the reaping. It shimmered in neon yellow light. Distributing 4 on each of them, they grabbed their share. After the fight that took like forever and all their strength, they immediately grabbed the crystals that gives them +1 Strength, +1 Dexterity, +1 Endurance, and +10 Health points. They grabbed the crystals and then immediately retreat. More will come if they will not go home to their base before sundown.

"Break the crystals guys. We need them now, just leave one for our mission task," Troan said to them.

"Yes, leader!" Mark said to him.

Troan easily earned +3 Strength, +3 Dexterity, +3 Endurance, and +30 Health points on a whim. Having killed 16 demon tigers made him improve drastically. Also, the danger that they faced was all worth it.

They broke them and immediately felt the improvement. Making them have renewed strength within them.