The Widowmaker III

'The beast bleds.... It could be hurt. It could be killed.'

Seeing this, Victor, at first gaze a dazed glance at Evan before averting his gaze to the ground. Releasing a short sigh, he finally gave a reply.

"Alright, what do you need me to do?"

"Get to its side," Evan instructed, his eyes never leaving the Widowmaker. It might have been paranoia, but, it was the smartest thing he could have done.

" You have a wider range of attack from there."

Victor hesitated, but only for a moment.

Obediently, he moved to the side, careful not to draw the creature's attention.

As he did, the Widowmaker's eyes followed him, its blood red pupils glaring at him with bloodlust. However, with a sudden shift, the creature's gaze returned to Evan.

Evan took a deep breath. It was time.

The battle began in an explosion of movement.

Evan darted forward, his boots crunching against the loose undergrowth. The knife in his hand gleamed briefly before plunging deep into the Widowmaker's wounded leg. It sank in with a wet, sickening sound, the force of the stab jarring his wrist.

The Widowmaker roared, a guttural sound that sent tremors through the forest floor. Its massive body reared back, the powerful muscles of its legs flexing as it struggled to stay upright.

Evan's chest heaved as he withdrew the blade, crimson blood dripping from its edge.

His eyes were locked on the beast's massive form, but his heart was hammering against his ribs, every instinct screaming at him to run. No, he told himself, gripping the knife tighter.

Not today. Not like this.

The Widowmaker's eyes glowed like embers in the gloom, its fury palpable. It growled low, the sound reverberating through Evan's bones as it lashed out with a swipe of its massive claws.

"Damn it!" Evan hissed, throwing himself to the side just in time.

He felt the wind of the swipe brush past his face, close enough to ruffle his white hair.

Too close.

He staggered as he landed, quickly regaining his footing. His sharp intake of breath turned into a curse as he realized a portion of his hair now lay scattered on the ground, severed by the Widowmaker's claws.

Victor's voice cut through the chaos. "Evan!"

Evan glanced sideways in time to see Victor, his figure a blur of movement.

In a seamless arc, Evan tossed the bloodied dagger to him. Victor caught it midair, pivoting smoothly toward the beast's side.

The Widowmaker snarled as Victor closed the distance, driving the knife into its flank.

The blade sank deep, eliciting another roar from the creature. Blood sprayed, painting Victor's forearm as he twisted the knife viciously.

Evan took the moment to regroup, his breath coming in ragged gasps. The Widowmaker wasn't slowing down, and neither could he.

The forest seemed to close in around them, the towering trees an audience to the life-and-death struggle playing out below. Their gnarled branches stretched like skeletal hands, casting twisted shadows over the scene.

The Widowmaker retaliated, swinging its massive claws in a wide arc. Both men darted back, narrowly avoiding the strike. The beast's movements were fast—unnaturally fast for its size—but the two of them together kept it off balance.

Victor tossed the knife back to Evan.

"Make it count!"

Evan caught the weapon, the hilt slick with blood. He tightened his grip, his knuckles whitening. The Widowmaker's glowing eyes fixated on him, its rage a tangible force.

'It's now or never.' Evan thought, his jaw clenching. He darted forward again, his movements precise, calculated. His heart raced as he closed the distance, the beast's immense form towering above him.

The beast threw a desperate slash, attempting to pound Evan to a pulp and with a guttural yell, he slid beneath the widowmaker- dodging the attack luckily, which sent a few debris all over the scenery- and drove the blade into the Widowmaker's upper torso down to its lower abdomen.

The steel bit deep, slicing through flesh and muscle. Evan didn't stop. He dragged the knife downward, carving a gruesome wound.

The Widowmaker howled in agony, its roar shaking the very ground beneath their feet. Blood poured from the gash in a torrent, staining the earth dark red.

Then, with a furious lurch, the beast reared onto its hind legs. The sudden motion sent Evan airborne, the force wrenching the knife from his grip.

"Evan!" Victor's voice was sharp with alarm.

With a painful groan, the widowmaker swung its hand, knocking the Victor- who was running to Evan's aid- flying into the neighbouring shrubs.

Evan crashed onto the creature's face, his body slamming into the rough, blood-slick fur.

He scrambled to find purchase, his hands clutching at whatever they could- which was its hide.

The Widowmaker roared again, its only good eye burning with hatred. Evan acted on instinct, his fingers finding the knife as it fell through the force of gravity from the height which Evan had been lifted. With a grunt, he gripped it with haste and stabbed it into the beast's only good eye.

The Widowmaker convulsed, its roar turning into a pained, guttural scream. Blood oozed from its ruined eye, thick and dark. Evan felt the creature buck beneath him, his grip slipping.

He fell, tumbling down the beast's massive back. Desperation clawed at him as he grabbed onto the arrows protruding from its hide—relics of past battles.

His focus was razor-sharp as he yanked the arrows free, using them as makeshift weapons. He drove them into the Widowmaker's back with every ounce of strength he had left.

The beast roared again, a deafening sound of pain and fury. Its massive paw lashed out, catching Evan in a brutal swipe.

Pain exploded in his side as he was thrown through the air, his body ricocheting off the ground before slamming into a tree.

Evan tried to move, but his limbs felt heavy, unresponsive. He tasted blood, warm and metallic, on his tongue. His vision swam, the edges darkening.

The Widowmaker turned toward his screams as it was already blinded and could only find Evan through sound, its jaws parting in a final, terrifying roar. It charged, its massive form barreling through the undergrowth.

Evan's breath hitched. He couldn't move. He couldn't escape. His body refused to obey him.

'Is this it?' he thought, his chest tightening with fear.

'Am I really going to die here?'

The beast loomed over him, its jaws opening wide. Evan squeezed his eyes shut, bracing for the end.

But the attack never came.

The ground shook as the Widowmaker collapsed, its massive body skidding to a halt mere feet from Evan. Dust and debris filled the air, the silence that followed deafening.

Evan opened his eyes, blinking against the haze. The Widowmaker lay still, its sides heaving with shallow breaths. Its remaining eye met his, filled with a strange, haunting awareness.

It let out one final, pained groan before its body went limp.

Evan stared, his chest rising and falling with ragged breaths.

'Is... is it dead?'

A chime sounded, soft and mechanical in his mind. And for the first in all his life, he was glad to hear the system's notification ring.

[System notification]

[Congratulations, player. Quest completed: Slay the Widowmaker. ]

[You have received a Reward]

[Rewards: 5 points.]

Evan let out a shaky breath, his body trembling. He didn't know whether to laugh, cry, or collapse. The Widowmaker was dead. Somehow, he had won.