Chapter 26: Clash in the Chasm

The oppressive mist seemed to thicken as they pushed further into the Chasm, curling around their legs like it was trying to pull them down. The path narrowed, forcing them to move in single file, with Karis leading the way and Lucas at the rear, his shield raised as he scanned the darkness behind them. The faint glow of the runes on the walls was the only light they had, casting eerie shadows that flickered and danced in the corners of their vision.

Ethan gripped his glowing pipe tightly, his knuckles white. He hadn't said much since the mist had played its cruel trick on him. The echo of his mother's hollow voice still lingered in his mind, and every so often, he'd glance over his shoulder as if expecting to see her standing there. Naomi was similarly quiet, her usual sharp wit dulled by whatever vision the Forge had thrown at her. Even Lucas, who always seemed to find the bright side, was uncharacteristically silent.

Karis broke the quiet first, her voice low and sharp. "We're being followed."

Ethan froze, his heart skipping a beat. "Followed? By what?"

"I don't know," Karis replied, her knife glinting faintly in the dim light. "But it's been keeping pace with us for the last five minutes. Stay alert."

Lucas tightened his grip on his shield, shifting his weight as he scanned the path behind them. "Could be more of those shadow things from the bridge."

"Or something worse," Naomi said, her bow already in her hands.

"Great," Ethan muttered, shifting his grip on his pipe. "I was just starting to miss the horrifying monsters."

The group moved cautiously, their steps slow and deliberate. The mist coiled thicker around them, muting the sounds of their footsteps and making the faint whispers from before seem louder. The tension was suffocating, every shadow a potential threat, every sound a possible ambush.

The attack came without warning.

A figure burst from the mist ahead, its shape distorted and wrong, but undeniably humanoid. It moved with an unnatural speed, its limbs jerking awkwardly as it lunged at Karis. She reacted instantly, ducking under its wild swing and driving her knife into its side. The figure let out a guttural snarl, its body convulsing as it staggered back into the mist.

"Contact!" Karis shouted, her voice sharp and commanding. "We're not alone!"

The mist seemed to come alive as more figures emerged, their shapes shifting and blending into the shadows. There were at least half a dozen of them, their glowing eyes locked onto the group with predatory intent.

Ethan swung his pipe reflexively as one of the creatures lunged at him, the glowing weapon connecting with its shoulder. The impact sent a pulse of energy rippling through the creature's body, but it didn't slow down. It snarled, clawing at him with hands that were more like talons, forcing him to backpedal.

"Why are they always so angry?" Ethan shouted, ducking under another swing.

"Less talking, more fighting!" Karis barked, slicing through another attacker with ruthless precision. Her movements were fluid and calculated, each strike finding its mark with lethal efficiency.

Naomi loosed an arrow that buried itself in the chest of one of the creatures. It let out a shriek, its form dissolving into mist as it fell. She was already drawing another arrow before the first had fully dissipated, her movements smooth and practiced.

"They're flanking us!" Lucas shouted, slamming his shield into an oncoming attacker. The impact sent the creature sprawling, but it recovered unnaturally fast, scrambling back to its feet with a snarl. Lucas gritted his teeth and bashed it again, this time following up with a heavy swing of his sword.

Ethan barely had time to register Lucas's shout before another creature lunged at him, its glowing eyes burning with malice. He activated Shadowstep, phasing through its attack and reappearing behind it. His pipe swung down in a wide arc, connecting with the back of its head. The creature staggered, its form flickering as if it were struggling to hold itself together.

"Anyone else feel like these things are tougher than usual?" Ethan called out, dodging another swipe.

"They're not just tougher," Naomi said, firing another arrow. "They're coordinated."

As if to prove her point, two of the creatures broke off from the main group and charged Lucas at the same time. He braced himself, his shield raised to absorb the impact, but the sheer force of their combined attack drove him back several steps.

"Little help here!" Lucas shouted, struggling to hold his ground.

Karis was already moving, her blade flashing as she struck one of the creatures from behind. It let out a pained snarl, collapsing into the mist, but the other one turned on her instantly, its claws slashing through the air. She ducked under its attack, rolling to the side and coming up with her knife ready.

"Keep your formation tight!" Karis ordered, her voice cutting through the chaos. "Don't let them split us up!"

Ethan moved to Lucas's side, swinging his pipe at one of the creatures trying to flank him. The glowing weapon connected with its side, sending it staggering, and Lucas took the opening to finish it off with a powerful blow from his sword.

"Thanks," Lucas said, breathing heavily.

"Don't mention it," Ethan replied, turning just in time to block another attack. "Seriously, don't mention it. I think my ribs are broken."

Naomi fired an arrow past Ethan's shoulder, the projectile finding its mark in one of the creature's glowing eyes. It let out a shriek and collapsed into mist. "You're fine," she said, her tone dry. "Stop whining."

"Whining is how I cope," Ethan shot back, stepping forward to engage another attacker. The creature was fast, its claws slashing through the air in a blur, but he managed to stay one step ahead, his pipe deflecting its strikes.

The fight dragged on, the group slowly thinning the ranks of their attackers. But for every creature they defeated, it seemed like another emerged from the mist to take its place. The oppressive weight of the Chasm pressed harder with each passing moment, sapping their strength and fraying their focus.

Karis finally spotted an opening. "There!" she shouted, pointing to a narrow passage that seemed to lead deeper into the cavern. "Fall back! We can bottleneck them!"

The group began to retreat, moving cautiously but quickly toward the passage. Lucas held the rear, his shield absorbing the brunt of the creatures' attacks as they pressed forward. Naomi fired arrows with deadly accuracy, each shot buying them a few precious seconds.

As they reached the passage, Karis and Ethan took up positions at the entrance, their weapons raised to hold off the remaining creatures. The narrow space forced the attackers to come at them one at a time, giving the group a much-needed advantage.

"Come on, you ugly bastards!" Ethan shouted, swinging his pipe with renewed energy. "Let's see what you've got!"

The creatures lunged, their glowing eyes burning with rage, but the group held their ground. One by one, the attackers fell, their forms dissolving into mist until none remained.

The silence that followed was deafening.

Ethan leaned against the wall, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath. "Is it over?"

"For now," Karis said, her knife still in her hand. Her eyes scanned the mist, sharp and unrelenting. "But don't get comfortable. This was just a skirmish."

Lucas sank to one knee, his shield resting on the ground beside him. "That... was more than a skirmish."

Naomi wiped the sweat from her brow, her bow still at the ready. "They're not just throwing monsters at us anymore. They're testing us. Seeing how we handle pressure."

Ethan nodded slowly, his grip on his pipe tightening. "Well, I hope they're enjoying the show. Because I'm not."

Karis turned to face the group, her expression hard. "We can't afford to let our guard down. The Forge isn't done with us yet."

They nodded, their exhaustion replaced by a grim determination. The Chasm was testing them, pushing them to their limits. But as long as they stood together, they would keep fighting.