the big bad wolfs (3)

The orange eyed werewolf rushed forward again towards riven but this time riven was ready—he blocked her attack with one arm then lifted the relativly large wolf up and uppercut her into the air. From above, Nico slashed at the beast's back. She avoided using her flames cause even tho its another world, her fire might still cause a forest fire.

Riven activated the armor's activable affect—he wasn't even sure what it did when he bought it, just thought it was cool cause it had the same name as his gauntlets.

[Thorned of Toxicity – This affect has 100% chance to poison.]

Thorns bursted all around Riven's armor. As the wolf came down, Riven punched her mid-air. The system notifed him: the poison had took affect. Blood started pouring out the wolf's body as she fell to her knees. Riven was about to hit her again—until she ran.

"She ran?" Nico said landing beside him.

"Yea." Riven replied, already dashing after her. He activated the Weightless skill to keep up—even poisoned she was fast. Nico took to the air, following from above, using flame propulsion to stay with him.

⸻

With the small squad of 5 from Team A, they was facing the red eyed wolf.

"A violent effort," the wolf said smirking, "but it dosen't matter. The boy will still die after your death."

Mud formed around the wolf like quicksand. But the beast used his arms like wings and launched himself up with just strength. Up in the air already was two teachers—one shot out air, the other water, blasting from thier hands. The wolf blocked both with his arms but then—CLANG—an iron pillar jutted out from the ground and slammed into his back.

It's guard broke, the attacks hit. The pillar shattered. Dust everywhere.

The team reformed into a battle stance as the wolf stood up again, blood leaking—but in front of their eyes, it started healing.

"Good attack," he said cracking his neck, "now it's my turn."

⸻

Meanwhile, with Team D…

"Is that… blood?" a student asked.

"Yeah, and it's all over it's mouth. Did it eat another beast?" another replied.

"Now," the yellow-eyed beast spoke, "please inform me where your Teleporter is… and I'll make your death quick, yeah?"

"What do you want with our teleporter?" Ox asked, stepping foward.

"Funny, that's what the others asked too—right before I killed them," the creature said with twisted glee. Everyone froze.

"Wait… is he talkin about the other team or… or…?" a student said, tears forming.

"I'm talkin bout the group you split from. I watched it all. When the others split off, I knew I had time to interrogate 'em… then kill 'em. They didn't talk. Some maybe didn't know. But now I've caught up to you. So? Where's the Teleporter?"

But he was met by a huge fist to the face.

"You killed our friends and you think we'll talk?" Mr. Knox growled, with his arm transformed into a giant form.

The wolf didn't even move. He grabbed Knox's arm and sliced him up, then bit down on Knox's upper body It fell to the floor and Students screamed.

Ox gritted his teeth. "Knox, you fool…"

"Everyone, get ready for battle!" Ox yelled. The teachers unsheathed their weapons.

The yellow-eyed wolf charged first. Ox met him mid-air, clashing sword vs claws. Another teacher sent a shockwave through the wolf's body, forcing it back—but it lunged forward again, slashing a female teacher through the side. Her body flung like a ragdoll, She was dead.

Another strike—but an Ink Beast intercepted. It looked like one of thoes beast bulls, summoned by Jordan. While the beast was distracted, Jordan ran behind it and sliced its Achilles.

The wolf kicked back, launching Jordan. He skidded across the ground, but luckily h making an Ink Shield lessened the blow.

The wolf growled—fur bristling—about to charge at Jordan again, when CRACK! A bolt of lightning struck its back.

"Take that, you ass!" Wren yelled, hands glowing.

"CHARGE WHILE IT'S STUNNED!!" Ox roared.

Teachers and students rushed in—water, flame, mud, ice, sound, air—all bombarded the wolf. Teachers followed with physical attacks—swords slashing, brass knuckles striking.

The wolf stood tall, anger flaring in its eyes.

"ENOUGH OF THIS!!!" it bellowed, growing even larger.

⸻

Meanwhile with Team B…

Leo and Skye rested on some trees with their squad.

"That ability Riven gave you is pretty good," Tessa said to Leo. "Kinda been anticlimactic though. I thought we'd see more action."

Mr. Sable stood up suddenly, tense. "Did you hear that?"

All eyes turned toward the bushes. Out burst the orange-eyed wolf—being chased by Riven, and Nico riding on his back.

"RIVEN!!" Leo yelled.

Thanks to his stat upgrades and new armor, Riven was able to keep up with a beast that should've taken a day to reach team B—he made it in 3 hours.

"What are they doing chasin that thing?" Tessa asked.

"I don't know, but we gotta help," Leo said. He pulled metal from his pocket, launching it into the wolf's legs, locking them in place. The beast fell.

Riven didn't hesitate. He jumped on her, Nico hopping off his back.

"Now TALK, what are you really?" Riven shouted. "And what would you have done if you got out?!"

"Riven? Nico?" came a familiar voice—Mr. Sable, was approaching. He looked at the wolf-like creature, confused. "What… in the world is that?"

⸻

Back with Team A…

Joey was on Harkel's back as they ran—Harkel using his Gale Force skill, an activable wind ability that tripled his wind abilities.

They didn't know it yet, but they were racing in the same direction as Team B—not quite as fast as Riven, but still moving at breakneck speed.

"You sure you know where you're going?" Joey asked.

"Nope," Harkel replied with a big smile.

"HOW can you smile and joke right now?" Joey asked in confusion

Harkel's voice softened. "My mother… She told me once, 'When everybody's in the dark, be the one that shines a little light.'"

Joey blinked. Harkel had never talked about his mom—not even when everyone else shared stories. Only ever his dad or brother. It made Joey wonder what happened to her.

"She sounds like someone who lit up the room," Joey said. "And you're really her son."

But just then—

"I'm glad you're enjoyin the moment… cause it's will be your last."

Both of them snapped their heads toward the voice.

A werewolf—eyes pitch black, claws drenched in blood, mouth dripping red—stood behind them.

It didn't speak again.

It didn't have to.

They already knew.

All the teachers who were with them were dead.

Back with Team D

"It grew…" everyone thought.

Jordan was able to rejoin the group while the beast was going through its transformation. The wolf was originally 6'7" like the rest of the werewolves, but now it stood at 8'8". This change alone made almost all the students drop to their knees. Jordan and Wren wanted to fall too, but they persisted.

"The pressure is great—too great," Wren said, gritting her teeth.

"Tell me about it… I feel like I'm about to fall over," Skye added, being one of the only three students still standing.

The teachers charged in to fight the beast, but with a single swipe, they were knocked back like rag dolls. The wolf then dashed forward—its speed had increased drastically. It moved with terrifying precision. Two teachers who were ahead of the group became its target.

The beast felt itself being pulled back by something—yet nothing was there. Ignoring the sensation, it slashed forward with its claws, tearing through the two teachers. Their bodies fell to the ground in pieces, and the wolf continued its rampage.

That's when Ox realized: the beast was too powerful. They weren't going to win.

He had only one thought in mind.

"Everyone split up! It doesn't matter where you go or who you run into. Just make sure you survive to live another day!" Ox yelled—and without hesitation, he was the first to vanish into the forest, leaving teachers and students behind.

Skye was about to run too but noticed many students were still frozen in shock. She dove into the bushes, slammed her hands on the ground, and vibrating it —shaking the students out of their daze. As they came to, panic took over and they all ran—some following teachers, others just running wherever instinct took them.

Jordan ran into the bushes as well.

"Where do you think you're going?" the beast yelled, looking like it was about to chase after Ox.

But it stopped. Its ears perked up.

It heard something.

A howl.

Not like the one from when all this began—but a howl of fear. Of desperation.

The yellow-eyed wolf's body shrunk back down—and without a word, it turned and sprinted in the direction of the sound.

"Okay… looks like we might be safe for now," Jordan said, breathing heavily.

But something felt wrong.

It felt like he was being pulled.

Then Jordan looked down—and his eyes widened.

His feet were stuck—connected to something.

The wolf's shadow.

"Huh?" was the only word he could get out before his body began sliding forward, being pulled against his will.

Luckily, he was still in the forest and out of the beast's sight. Before he was pulled out of cover, Wren grabbed his arm—and Skye grabbed the other but both being dragged as well but they were atleast still in the bushes.

Skye was about to yell, but Wren quickly covered her mouth.

"Do you want us to be found?!" she whispered urgently. "If it hears us—or sees us—that thing will kill us on the spot. We have no choice. We'll have to go wherever this thing is going…"

"Or Jordan can just deactivate whatever ability he's using," Skye whispered back through gritted teeth.

"That's the thing… I don't know what I'm doing!" Jordan whispered as the three of them were dragged slowly through the forest—bodies bumping along the ground—tied to the shadow of a monster.