Everyone's gaze flickered to Sezel, their eyes wide in shock. They all were thinking the same thing, why the hell is this fool courting death?
Rilli also stepped with him on his side, clutching her daggers hard, her frail figure trembling under the weight of the situation.
Sezel spared her a fleeting glance, his heart pounding hard, before locking his eyes on the beast. He'd expected the stone's target to charge, but what unfolded stunned them all.
The creatures turned their heads towards the stone, not one or two but all of them.
Arty rose from the leader, extending a helping hand in camaraderie, his sword gleaming anew. "We've no options left," he declared, his voice taut.
The leader clenched his jaw, but he swallowed his ego and clasped Arty's hand, rising. "How do we escape this mess?" he demanded.
Arty exhaled heavily, leveling his blade at Sezel. Sezel's eyes narrowed, his pulse surging, 'What is he on about?' he thought, dread coiling in his chest.
Arty looked down once as if to show remorse, but Sezel saw it briefly, the venomous smile laced on his lips said otherwise, Sezel instinctively took a step back.
One must sacrifice themselves so the rest can flee," Arty intoned, his voice fracturing with false sorrow.
"Huh," A gasp escaped Sezel, his breath ragged. He understood the barb's target. 'This bastard.' he seethed, teeth grinding.
"What madness is this, Arty?" the leader roared, eyes wide with disbelief.
Arty turned towards him, twisting his face to act as if he was sorry, "We will use sez as a bait and then run towards the other side of the forest." he proposed.
The words struck Sezel like a landslide, silence smothering the group. All eyes turned to him, heavy with judgment.
By then the creatures had abandoned their curiosity of the stone and now turned again towards the group.
"He's right," Beardy muttered, voice hollow. "Boss Arty's got the plan."
"No, stop! You can't do this!" Rilli's voice pierced the stillness, her defense of Sezel fierce despite her trembling frame.
Sezel stayed silent. He knew too well if he argued it will only worsen the case further, after all he was the weakest one among them.
"Rilli, get aside, Arty is right. He is useless anyways, if he can distract them for some time we will get the chance to run. He can save us all." The leader explained while advancing towards Sezel.
Sezel bit his tongue in anger and stepped aside, increasing the distance, "Your logic doesn't make sense." he shouted. All the creatures turned their gaze towards him. He didn't care and continued, "Why don't we leave one of your those two subordinates I am sure their big fleshy body is better to keep them distracted."
The leader's face twisted with rage. He charged at Sezel with desperate ferocity, while Sezel darted to evade him.
"Catch him damnit."
Beardy, the other giant, and Arty surged forward, cutting off Sezel's escape, trapping him in a tightening circle.
"I will make it quick, Don't resist." Arty spoke, his sword trembling in his hands as he slowly advanced forward from the group, menace cloaked in false mercy.
Suddenly Rilli's scream pierced the untangling silence, everyone's gaze fluttered towards her. She was on the ground, skidding backwards as the spirit beast moved closer, its tongue sticking out of its mouth in hungry veil.
The other ones in their desperate attempt to catch Sezel also forgot about the creatures, Beardy was the first victim, as soon as he turned the sound behind him, the spirit beast lunged over him sending him to the ground.
Even with the bulky body, his strength was no match for the Spirit beast's raw power. Everyone sprung in panic, the creatures had already closed the distance, their claws gleaming in the purple glow.
Arty dashed forward to Rilli's aid, while the other underling of the leader, snapped a branch from the tree and smashed in the head of the spirit beast which sprung over Beardy but the wood broke in two at the impact.
The leader, trying to flee was ensnared by two of the beasts, pinning him to a tree, tears streaming down like river, as he yelled for help.
Arty's blade slashed at the beast menacing Rilli, striking its neck, but the sword retracted with a greater force sending Arty tumbling backwards. It was failed attempt to kill the beast but successful in distracting it while Rilli runs.
Amidst the chaos, Sezel ran through taking note of the positions of the beasts and then deducing the best route to reach the bag that he had dropped, 'If not anything else, the tools inside can help me a bit.'
But against foes so overwhelming and numerous, it was a futile gamble, it was like playing a lost game, but Sezel didn't loose hope, if there was just even a tiny bit of hope he will seize it.
'Gambling everything on the chance i have is better than waiting for my doom, either death will knock at my door or i will knock at its door.'
With that thought he rushed to get his hands on the bag that contained the hope he was clinging to.
But the goddess of luck had never bothered looking at him from the moment he was born, the beast whom Sezel had stabbed in the eye attacked with its sharp claws, Sezel stopped a moment earlier and was saved from direct impact but it did grace his left arm and it was enough to send him sprawling on the ground like a doll.
He hit a tree before coming to a halt, his left hand bleeding, he tried to move it but it was dislocated, "Damn it all," he cursed, pain searing through him.
The monster was not giving up the pursuit of killing its prey and dashed towards him again, opening its terrifying maw to end him in an instant.