Jacob shoved himself off the creature’s arm and stumbled forward, down the sand dune. His energy felt like it was being drained by the second as more blood poured out of his wound. Jacob took off his shirt, using all the cloth he had remaining, and tied it around his body to slow the bleeding as best he could. He pulled out his sword made of bone and held a firm stance against his dreadful adversary.

The creature looked down at Jacob and flew towards him, holding out its sharpened arm, ready to strike once more. Jacob flung his sword to meet him halfway. The bone and skin clashed together with a loud ring. Neither of them moved, but the sand around them seemed to be pushed back from the momentum.

Jacob threw the arm to the side and sliced at the creature’s torso. It parried the attack with its other arm and flew a counterattack aimed at his head. Jacob ducked under it and shot his sword forward. The creature dodged to the left of his strike, reading his movements perfectly. However, it didn’t realize that this was a feint. Jacob curved his blade and sliced downward, completely severing the creatures leg off.

’It knows swordsmanship. How the hell does it know how to fight so well?!’

Before Jacob could send another strike, the creature flew itself backward using its one leg. However, something strange seemed to happen with its missing leg. It completely grew itself back to its original state in a matter of moments. Not only that...

"... no way. This can’t be fair."

The leg that was severed grew its own body. The creature had completely multiplied itself after a single cut. Now, Jacob had to face two elders at once with nothing but a sword made of hardened bone. Even so, he never once faltered. Jacob planted his feet in the ground and grit his teeth.

"Come and get me, you bastards."

The creatures jumped at Jacob with deafening speed. Jacob was getting pushed further into the ground after every block. His legs started to shake underneath the immense pressure, his bones groaned from each impact, and his heart was put into overdrive. One of the creature’s arms was able to slice up his legs, making them bleed. It felt like he was facing two of his father’s greatest swordsman at the same time. However, Jacob noticed something strange with the way they fought.

Everytime Jacob would dodge, it would seem like the other creature would be careless and get injured from the strike. In other words, these two elders didn’t know how to fight together. Jacob’s only chance was to use this to his advantage before they figured it out. Otherwise, he was done for.

He created some space to get his breath back before charging back in with all his might. He sent a sword flying, aiming to behead the creature on his right. However, right before his sword connected, he ducked under the incoming blade of its friend, trying to protect it. It was too late for the elder. The creature on the left completely beheaded its comrade, leaving it to bleed out on the sand. There was another thing Jacob noticed.

’It isn’t regenerating. I just have to cut off its head!’

The elder beast wasted no time in continuing his assault, as if the death of its friend was nothing to scoff at. Jacob was prepared for it. He managed to block every strike with perfect precision. Jacob could feel something turn more and more in his brain. It felt like he was consuming information at an alarming rate. He instantly memorized his opponents grotesque fighting style, the way it blocked, the way it dodged, every single way it moved. To Jacob, there was nothing else in the world except him and his opponent. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

The creature slashed both its arms at Jacob, aiming to break through his defenses. However, Jacob didn’t dodge. He allowed one of the blades to cut part of his shoulder off, and using the opportunity, thrusted his sword right towards the creature’s neck. The elder beast threw an arm in between the blade and his neck in a last-minute attempt to save itself. However, it was much too late.

Both its arm and its neck were completely sliced through with ease, leaving the body to go completely still before collapsing to the ground. Jacob’s hair was a complete mess over his face. Both his and the creatures blood painted his skin dark. His breathing was ragged and hoarse. He had gone completely mad. In his crazed state, there was only one thing on his mind: avarice. He pounced on the beheaded creature and plunged his teeth into its thick flesh, tearing off more and more pieces before swallowing them whole.

After he had his fill, he ripped off the arm of the creature and started repeatedly stabbing its dead body over and over, defiling it beyond recognition. His eyes glowed more with anger as each strike hit. He screamed at the top of his lungs. After three moments, he saw his reflection in a large pool of blood. He could hardly recognize himself from the person he was.

His body was beyond recognizable. Multiple pieces of him were missing, scars littered his body, but he seemed much larger than before. Running his hand through his hair, he slowly walked back towards his group at the top of the sand dune and wrapped the ropes around his shoulders.

"Not yet. I’m still not finished yet. Nothing’s going to stop me from reaching my goal."

Jacob walked all the way to the dark forest and finally dropped his friends against a tree. He studied the surrounding area to make sure they weren’t in any danger. He had finally found a place where everyone, including himself, could rest easily. He limped his way over to his comrades and untied them.

He slowly laid down on the ground and looked up into the sky in awe. The stars seemed to be as bright as they always were. For the first time in what felt like weeks, he was finally at peace. As he continued staring upward laying in the grass, his consciousness slowly faded. Eventually, he drifted into a deep slumber.

’I made it.’