"Reema!" Sanik yelled as he raced into the forest after her. Recovering quickly from the shock, the rest of the group moved to follow.

  Edan felt his heart beating in his chest at the suddenness of it all. Fear for his mother burnt like acid in his stomach, and panic tempted to cloud his thoughts. Puffing out a breath, dodging around trees and under branches, Edan pushed it back.

  Reema wasn’t helpless.

  Tish slowed, not used to physical exercise. Tali slowed just enough to scoop her up before charging forward like a wrecking ball. She barreled through the thick undergrowth, her large frame barely hampered by the trees, vines, and thick bushes.

  Edan found it easier to follow in her wake, Regal holding onto his head for dear life. When the female cub began to fall behind, Edan took a page from Tali's book and picked her up. Sanik streaked ahead, occasionally using [Flutter Step] to appear on a branch before diving forward.

  Edan could still hear Reema ahead, shouting out loudly.

  The only thing keeping Edan from freaking out completely was the fact she sounded more angry than fearful.

  Gem hurdled a fallen tree trunk when something whipped out of the gloom and wrapped around her waist. She would have been pulled from the safety of the group if Tali hadn’t grabbed the chord and torn it free. Wooden splinters flew through the air.

  Not chord. Roots.

  They moved through the forest like snakes, striking from the shadows.

  Edan saw one flicker towards him from the corner of his eye. Jumping high to avoid it, Edan had to kick off a tree trunk to change his trajectory as the root turned to follow him.

  The ground became uneven as the mud became patched with stone and concrete. The surrounding foliage thinned. Even the trees became less dense, but each was twice as large as one found in the forest. Vines hung from branches and moss grew over their trunks.

  A root sprung up from between the stones and snagged Tali’s ankle. Edan didn't think Tali even noticed. She didn’t slow, and it was torn from the ground in a spray of soil and pebbles.

  Sanik, still in the lead, let out a triumphant shout and disappeared with another [Flutter Step].

  Edan, the last to break free from the confines of the forest, stumbled as he narrowly avoided running into a crumbled wall.

  They had stumbled across what must have once been a town, or city. The skeletal remains of civilization dotted the surrounding like old bones. Walls made of stone and support beams of metal marked out square shaped buildings. Grass and age had claimed their victims.

  A metal pole, rusted and bent under the weight of thick vines, leant over a gap between two crumbled walls. Edan imaged a road once ran through there.

  Reema was held aloft further down the road. Roots wrapped most of her lower body, their ends submerging into the ground. A few even wrapped around the corner of the building and out of sight.

  A fierce tug of war was taking place as black threads anchored in the deep shadows of the fallen buildings prevented Reema from being pulled further into the ruins.

  "Sanik! I'm stuck!" She called out angrily. Her face was a mask of fierce determination as she kept her skill active even in the midday sun.

  Sanik appeared next to her, his rapier flashing, as he used it like an axe to cut through the roots binding his wife. Tali ran forward, reaching down as she did so, and grabbed a stone axe as it grew from the ground.

  Taking a running leap, she arched through the air before slamming to the ground, weapon first. Severed roots dropped to the surrounding ground.

  Between Sanik and Tali, they managed to clear most of the roots off Reema when a screech echoed through the abandoned streets. Like snakes uncurling, the roots withdrew from Reema, letting her fall to the grass-covered road.

  As quickly as it had all happened, it ended. The roots slipped back into the ground without a trace, other than the ends Sanik and Tali had chopped off.

  Sanik helped Reema back to her feet as they retreated cautiously, Tali bringing up the rear.

  “That didn’t sound good,” Gem muttered. She had stayed back with Edan and Tish.

  There was another screech. This time, as it faded, Edan heard a distance rumbling, like thunder.

  The ground beneath their feet shook. The broken buildings around them groaned and swayed. The remains of a wall fall across the street with a muted thump. A small puff of dust kicked up into the air on impact.

  “That’s definitely not good,” Gem growled, looking around.

  Sanik and Reema had just made it back to the group when the ground beneath their feet bucked, then rippled, as if something moved through it.

  The screech sounded again, and this time it was answered by the cumulative roar of a hundred beasts.

  From down the street and around the corner of the buildings streamed a flood of wild animals. They surged forward like a wave towards the group, bumping into each other and the buildings hemming them in. There were large jungle cats, agile deers, and large creatures that threw themselves forward on oversized arms.

  It was more creatures than Edan had ever seen, and for a second he thought the Beast tide had arrived.

  There was one thing that each animal had in common. Plant growth. Vines and creepers wrapped around them, replacing missing limbs, or burrowing into flesh and muscle. Edan used [Identify] on the lead creature. A large feline with flowers growing from its eyes and roots wrapping around most of its skull. A leaf grew from the root, looking like a large, floppy green ear.

  [Moss trick Cougar - lvl 37]

  Gem threw out a green crystal that hit the ground and grew into a vine wall. It was a miniature version of the one surrounding Bondar village, but vibrant and green. And lacking thorns, Edan realized sadly.

  It looked pitiful in comparison to the mob bearing down on them.

  Tish dug something out of her pouch and ran forward, dodging Reema’s outstretched hand. Skidding to a stop at the base of the vines, Tish sprinkled powder on the base of the vine wall. As time sped up, the vines grew taller and thicker before twisting around each other in tight knots. The barrier still didn’t quite make it to the sides of the street, but the animals would need to come around either side if they wanted to get past. Hopefully, it would thin their numbers.

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  Removing Regal from his shoulders and letting the female cub down, Edan drew his daggers and moved to Tali’s side as Reema and Sanik joined Gem on the other. Tish stood in the middle, shaking.

  “Stay here and guard Tish,” Edan told the bears. They growled back, the thick fur on their shoulders standing on end.

  Snarls and howls joined together into a deafening cacophony as the wave of animals crashed into the wall. The vines shook. The ground around its base bucking as the roots were torn up with the strain.

  Edan had to hope it held, as he couldn't spare it another thought. The first animal came around the corner. It was all sharp teeth and hooked claws. The Moss Trick Cougar. Edan stepped forward to meet it, even as his heartbeat thundered like drums in his ears.

  Ducking under a paw, Edan used [Flurry], driving the Metal Fangs deep into the soft underbelly of the great cat. It growled and snapped at his face, but Edan was already moving, slipping to the side and drawing his blade along its throat.

  Be quick. Don't stop.

  A notification popped up at the corner of his vision as the Cougar fell lifeless beside him. Edan ignored it. Now wasn't the time to read it. Already two more animals were taking the cat's place.

  A squat, black-furred animal barrelled into Edan’s knee. Its sharp claws tore through the fabric of his pants as it tried to climb up his leg. Edan kicked it off, blocking a horn that threatened to impale his chest at the same time. The second animal looked like a stag. Its horns gleamed like metal. Edan stumbled back a step as it pushed him off balance. Both of its front limbs were made of wood.

  Tali stepped forward and booted the creature away from Edan. It sailed across the road and broke through an old wall. She grabbed a beast that looked like a cross between a cat and a snake, with scales along its muzzle and slitted pupils. Slapping it hard across the face, almost killing it, Tali threw it over her shoulder.

  The creature landed with a thud next to Tish who screamed. The bear cubs pounced on the creature and began tearing into it.

  Edan saw Tali throw another creature over her shoulder, this one missing its legs. The bear cubs once more moved in for the kill.

  She was taking the opportunity to power-level the cubs.

  Everything became a blur of teeth and claws. Instinct kept Edan moving more than conscious thought. He struggled to push the press of animals back. For every one he killed, another was there to take its place. It was relentless. Still, he fought on, going so far as to avoid using skills where he could for fear of exhausting himself.

  Edan caught movement out of the corner of his eye. [Slash] turned his dagger into a blur, and he severed the head of a snake. It had struck at his neck after climbing up the side of the barrier.

  Edan let its body sail past. Ignoring the kill notification, he stepped forward to meet the next attack.

  A glob of green goo flew towards his face, and Edan raised his dagger, blocking it the best he could with the flat of its blade. The goo hit it and splashed onto his shoulder and chest, where it began to sizzle.

  Edan went to brush it off but was forced to duck to avoid the swooping claws of an eagle, its tail was made of leaves.

  Pulling a dagger from his chest, [Imbued throw] activated, and the sparking dagger smashed into the bird's breast as it tried to fly away. The bird froze as it tumbled out of the air. Tali slapped it to the side before it reached the ground.

  Edan saw something large move out of the corner of his eye. Turning, he looked into a pair of beady eyes staring back at him from a bone-white face. Those eyes moved off Edan before landing on the shaking form of Tish. Thick lips pulled into a vicious smile, revealing yellowed canines.

  [Cadaver Gorilla - lvl 38]

  “Tali!” Edan yelled as he jumped towards the Titan.

  Tali was using the body of a stag to wallop a giant skunk when Edan called. Without missing a beat, she threw the stag aside, letting it knock over the closest creatures. Her large palm came up, faster than Edan thought possible, and pushed against the bottom of his feet. Like a piston, she launched Edan away from her.

  Edan let out a shout of excitement as he rocketed through the air. The Cadaver Gorilla looked over at the noise. Its eyes went wide with shock. The fur and skin on its face were bone white and shaped like a skull, contrasting strongly against the thick black fur covering the rest of its body.

  Edan drove both of his daggers into its eyes.

  The force of Tali’s throw gave Edan enough momentum to tear the gorilla from the wall, and Edan rode it to the ground. He used its body to cushion his fall.

  Half-crushing one of the skunk creatures with the gorilla, Edan used [Charge], to take advantage of its shock. Slamming into the skunk, Edan triggered [Flurry]. The skunk creature shrunk in on itself, snapping at Edan's hand as it twisted unnaturally around his dagger blades.

  Edan stepped back and grabbed the last dagger from the sheath on his chest. In one fluid motion, he drew, sighted, and released the knife. It arced through the air. Straight toward the blood-red feline that was trying to sneak up on him.

  Imbue didn’t activate, but the blade still made the feline creature twitch. Edan used [Charge] to shorten the distance to the skunk creature again. It tried to dodge, but the Metal Fangs tore into its throat. Edan used [Slash] while the blade was still in the creature, and the skill allowed him to pull the dagger up in a straight line, severing the creature's spine.

  The red feline landed on Edan’s back, making him stagger forward. Hot, wet breath washed over his cheek and Edan twisted. Teeth sunk into the meat of his shoulder, missing his neck by inches. Agony streaked down his arm. Edan gritted his teeth, fighting against the pain even as he stabbed upward. The blow was clumsy. The blade slipped off the side of the animal's skull, leaving behind a thin line of blood. The cat growled and shook its head from side to side, tearing at Edan.

  Edan was jerked to the side, almost falling to a knee. He caught himself just in time to take a horn to the ribs from a creature that looked like a mongoose. The horn tore through Edan’s right side, skipping off the edge of his rib, before punching out his back in a spray of blood.

  Growling in anger, Edan scissored his daggers across the mongoose's chest before tearing the creature from his side. More blood spilled from the wound.

  Edan knew he had a high constitution for his level. It was one of his bloated stats, after all. He needed it now more than ever!

  Stabbing awkwardly up at his head, Edan tried to get the feline to let go.

  Then Tali was there. Strong hands gripped the feline's jaw and, with casual ease, tore them apart. It twitched before flopping to the ground and growing still.

  Tali stomped on the ground and spears rose up, impaling several creatures and forcing them back.

  “Step back, Bwaka.” Tali cautioned Edan. “Check your health and assign your leveling points if needed.”

  Following her advice, Edan staggered further behind the barrier, trusting Tali to guard their side. Tish remained huddled in the middle. Sometime during the skirmish, the small woman had curled in on herself. Not that Edan blamed her. Now that he was away from the fighting and his adrenaline had begun to fade, the sounds coming from around them were terrifying.

  Slumping to the ground next to her, Edan looked to see how his parents were doing as he petted the cubs.

  He shouldn’t have bothered. Reema and Gem stood behind Sanik, talking casually as Sanik flickered from one creature to the next, his rapier moving in a blur of steel. Edan’s father didn’t even need to use his skills, just raw stats. Occasionally one would get past him and Reema or Gem would act, but otherwise, they didn’t seem bothered.

  Edan shook his head. He’d forgotten the level difference between them. Even Tali seemed bored more than anything. Her focus was on Edan and the cubs, making sure they got to contribute and get some much-needed experience and Vitalis. Edan wondered if they even received points for killing things so beneath their level.

  Which did beg the question, why were the animals attacking when they were so obviously outclassed?

  As if summoned by Edan’s thoughts, the ground near him heaved, bucking hard enough that Edan almost toppled backward. A crack appeared, before growing rapidly. Roots, dozens of them, spewed forth like worms. They slammed into Tish, curling around her. Before Edan could shout a warning, or Tish could utter a sound, they dragged her underground.

  Edan jumped to his feet, trying to avoid the questing tips of the roots as they turned towards him. The female cub bit one of the roots, trying to pull it away from Edan, but another one lashed out and knocked her back.

  Edan opened his mouth to alert the rest of the group. With a sudden burst of speed, one of the larger roots shot forward and wrapped around his shin with bone-crushing pressure. It pulled, slamming Edan into the ground. His shout was muffled as dirt filled his mouth.

  Spitting it out, Edan hacked blindly at the roots with his dagger. Another root shot forward and snapped closed over his wrist. Another burrowed up from the ground next to his head and wrapped around his neck. It squeezed, and Edan forgot about the one around his ankle as he tried to stop it from crushing his windpipe. He felt himself get dragged through the grass towards the crack.

  This is going to suck, Edan thought, a second before the rest of the roots wrapped around him and pulled him into darkness.