As the dust cleared a visible image began emerging from it. Their presence carried a sense of aura. Sharp claws, sharp fangs. Heads the shape of a ghost. Some the shape of an animal. Others had double heads, while some had four arms. The creatures that stood before them were not ordinary.
Among them, in the middle stood a 7-foot humanoid monster. An abomination of fur, steel, and shadow. Its body was wrapped in tattered cloth and matted wolf pelts, armor clinging to its frame like remnants of old battles.
Long clawed hands flexed restlessly, sheathed in dark iron. Its legs were powerful and horse-like, digitigrade and wrapped in rough fur and scaled plating, ending in taloned feet that cracked the earth beneath them.
A thick bristling tail swayed behind it, tipped with dark charms that whispered with movement. Long pointy ears crowned its head, and a mane of wild silver hair framed a face twisted in calm menace.
Twin blackened swords hung at its sides, silent and waiting. It wasn't just a monster, it was a harbinger of ruin, born from the marrow of nightmares.
Everyone who thought they had awakened the power to fight a monster, gazed. Their eyes were trembling. Minding racing, not only did it look like a monster, but it had an aura that the others didn't have. One wrong move and their heads could fly off their heads.
The once confidence that played on their faces, had now been swept away. Just by the appearance of the terrifying monster.
Although, even though they were all scared, to the point they could wet themselves, a voice exclaimed.
"We can take him!"
Everyone turned to the person that spoke. Even D'lean who was a bit far from them, heard the voice and stared as well.
"I said we can take them!" the voice proclaimed again.
Looking at him, it was a boy with brown spiky hair wearing a blaze jacket. He had a bow on his hand but no arrow whatsoever. Although, it wasn't just any bow. It was a bow that didn't need an arrow. Once the user was about to make it shot, it would emerge. Making it a bow with endless arrows. From his weapon, it was deemed that he was awakened.
Everyone stared at him like he was crazy. Even Uvenna and Phillip whom were the first claimers, were now quiet as they watched the boy. They knew that they wouldn't dare face something that was beyond them. They weren't that stupid to die early.
"Oi, do you know what you are saying?" another voice called out. Gaining everyone's attention. It was another boy with blue hair and white eyes. He had a headset on his head, showing is game-like figure. On his hand was what seemed to be a hammer. It wasn't big but had an ancient design. He carried it with pride as though it was a weapon of mass destruction
"What?!"
"Can't you see the monster before you? It's not like the others. For all we know it might not even be a human-turned monster."
The boy with an arrow smiled. A smirk, that is. He looked unfazed, as though the words that were just spoken were nothing. A mere sentence to frighten him.
"Come on!" he began, as he walked up the boy holding a hammer. "You and I know that's not true. You play video games so you should understand more. This kind of monster appears with such an intimating appearance as though he can conquer the game, but in reality they are just weak."
Reaching him, he placed his hands on the hammer boy shoulder. A smile played on his face, like a hero about to go and save the world.
"Don't worry. Just watch and see. With these powers that have been bestowed im us, I'm sure it would be nothing."
After saying this, he double tapped off the other boy's shoulder, and left. He walked past the other, and then Uvenna and Phillip. He moved forward, a bit far from the others, but not near enough to the monster, since he needed a distance to shoot his arrow.
Everyone watched as he was the only one to make a move. D'lean at a distance from them saw the idiot kid.
'He thinks he's a hero.'
Both Uvenna and Phillip didn't utter a word. Their body wouldn't react after all. It was almost as though the boy was the only one immuned to the monster aura.
"-"
At this point, the boy raised his left hand which had the bow in it. Then he placed his right of hand on the bow, and immediately an arrow emerged in his hand, ready to fire. The boy then turned back to make mouth.
"You see, what did I tell you? I h-"
SWOOSH!
In a flash, his head left his body. Falling.
"Huh?"
It was in slow motion.
BAM!
It landed on the floor.
Blood splashed out from his headless body, before then falling to the ground lifeless. There was silence. Nobody blinked, yet they didn't see when it happened. In a flash, his head was cut off from his body.
All eyes were on his lifeless body, and then suddenly shifted to the humanoid monster. There was no reaction. No sudden movement.
"W-What just happened?"
The students were bewildered. They couldn't tell what had happened. Their eyes gazed from the lifeless body to the humanoid monster. It was the only explanation, yet they wouldn't prove it.
Uvenna's eyes were sharp at the monster, as she thought in her head:
'How did it happen? I never took my eyes off that monster for a second. Not even blinking. So how did that happen. No other monster here could have made such a move. It was him. It was him.'
Her eyes were trembling, not knowing what to do. However, in D'lean's thought:
'I saw it. I saw it moved. It was motionless. Yet it moved. Like a dance to a rhythm. Movement that could only be made if one was one with the wind.'
"Impossible."
"That's not possible!!!"
A voice screamed from behind the students.
"I will not accept it."
The boy with a hammer and a headset, ran to the monster while shouting. He couldn't comprehend when it had happened, and was driven by madness to go and attack. Maybe it thought it was the right thing to do. Yet it was futile.
Again, in a flash, his head was chopped from his body, and fell to the ground. Blood splashed everywhere. Although this time it was seen.
On one hand, the humanoid monster held a sword, its edges dripping with fresh blood. It didn't raise it to attack, just held it out, calm and cold, like it was showing them a fact they couldn't deny. They were nothing.
Inferior.
The way it looked at them, silent, unbothered, worse than a roar. It didn't see enemies. It saw prey.
Then it raises its sword, pointing towards them. No words were spoken. Yet a message was passed. Suddenly, all the monsters both behind and forward began charging towards the students.
Their goal… kill.
At this point, everyone knew they were to attack if they needed to live, it was a risky gamble, yet they played it.
D'lean tried to shout so he could prevent them from attaching, however it didn't work. The injury on his hand stung in a very painful way, it made him fall to the ground.
'Tsk why now. Why now of all time!'
Before him, he saw how a horde of monsters ran in madness as they were after their prey. It was a disaster, chaos. However, just as they were about to clash a golden barrier appeared.
"Huh?… What is this?"
Phillip uttered.
The barrier held, stopping the monsters from getting through. Everyone including the monsters were confused. Suddenly, bodies started flying, monsters shredded, ripped apart by something unseen. Black blood splashed across the ground as they were being slaughtered. It wasn't the students. None of them had moved. They just stood there, stunned, eyes wide, trying to figure out what was happening. Whether to feel safe or scared.
Then, out of nowhere, a figure appeared in front of the students. Their armor shone bright, almost blinding. In their hand was a sword that looked too perfect for this world. They looked human, but something was off. Not wrong, just…different. The air around them felt strange, but not threatening. Warm, steady.
Then they turned slowly, their face calm and clear, eyes landing on Uvenna. Then spoke:
"Are you hurt?"