The clearing falls deathly silent as the ogre steps into view, its sheer size blotting out the faint light filtering through the trees. Momentarily stunned at the sight, I shake my head and get a grip on myself.

  Identify

  Ogre Warrior

  Level: 15

  Highly aggressive, Territorial

  Strengths: Strength, surprise ambush

  Weaknesses: Lazy, greedy

  Attacks: Club, axe

  Skill: Darkvision

  Lore: Ogres are a lazy, brutish, avaricious race with notoriously quick tempers. Their avaricious nature, often lead them to distrust one another and incite squabbling over treasure. They prefer to attack from ambush, inflicting massive damage in the first strike.

  My heart pounds, a primal part of me screaming to turn and run. But there’s no running now. Misty crouches low beside me, her hellcat form sleek and deadly, her amber eyes locked onto the hulking figure. Her tail lashes once, twice, and then she growls softly.

  ‘Well, Del,’ she says, her voice slipping into my mind with a mix of amusement and irritation, ‘I hope you have a plan. Because if you don’t, we’re about to be smashed into cat food and... whatever you’re made of.’

  “Working on it,” I mutter, gripping the hilt of my sword tighter. My palms are damp, and the weapon feels too light, too fragile against something that size. “You’re the one with claws and speed. You got any bright ideas?”

  Misty’s ears twitch. ‘Don’t die?’

  The ogre roars, cutting off any further banter. It hefts its jagged axe with both hands, the weapon’s crude iron head gleaming dully in the dim light. The ground trembles under its heavy steps as it closes the distance, the smell of sweat and decay rolling off it in waves.

  “Here we go,” I say through gritted teeth, stepping to the side as the first swing comes down. The axe whistles through the air, slamming into the earth with enough force to send a shockwave through the clearing. Dirt and splinters spray up, and I barely manage to keep my footing.

  Misty moves like lightning, darting forward and slashing at the ogre’s leg. Her claws rake across its leathery skin, leaving faint lines but no blood. The creature growls, swiping at her with its shield. She leaps back, avoiding the crude attack with inches to spare.

  ‘Tough bastard,’ she hisses, circling the ogre. ‘That hide’s thicker than a goblin’s skull.’

  “Great,” I mutter, darting in to slash at its exposed side. My blade bites into the flesh, but not deep enough. The ogre grunts, barely noticing the wound, and swings its axe in a wide arc. I throw myself backwards, landing hard on the ground as the blade whooshes past.

  ‘Focus, Del!’ Misty snaps, her tone sharp. ‘Unless you want to be split in half!’

  I scramble to my feet, adrenaline flooding my veins.

  “I have never been more focused in my fucking life!” I yell back.

  The ogre’s eyes lock onto me, glowing faintly with a sickly yellow light. It grins, revealing broken, jagged teeth, and steps forward, raising its axe high. The ground shakes with each step, the oppressive weight of its presence pressing down on me.

  “Come on, you big bastard,” I say, raising my sword. My voice wavers, betraying the fear knotting in my gut. “Let’s see what you’ve got.”

  The axe comes down again, and I sidestep, slashing at its wrist as it passes. This time, the blade draws blood—black and oozing like tar. The ogre roars, more in anger than pain, and swings its shield at me. I try to dodge, but the edge clips my shoulder, sending me sprawling.

  ‘Del!’ Misty’s voice cuts through the ringing in my ears. She lunges at the ogre, her claws flashing as she aims for its face. The creature raises an arm to block, and she sinks her teeth into its forearm. It howls, shaking her off, but not before she tears a chunk of flesh free.

  ‘Get up,’ I tell myself, pushing to my feet. My shoulder throbs, but I can still move it. ‘You’ve taken worse. Focus you dumb shit.’

  The ogre’s attention shifts back to Misty, its yellow eyes narrowing as it swings its axe low. She leaps over the blade, landing gracefully on its shoulder. Her claws dig in, and she rakes them down its back, leaving deeper gashes this time. The ogre roars, spinning in circles as it tries to shake her off.

  “Hold on!” I shout, charging forward. My sword plunges into the ogre’s side, sinking halfway to the hilt. The creature staggers, swinging its shield blindly. I duck under the blow, yanking my blade free as I retreat. Black blood spills onto the ground, steaming as it hits the dirt.

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  ‘That’s more like it,’ Misty says, leaping clear as the ogre slams its back into a tree. The trunk cracks under the force, but she’s already gone, circling back to my side. ‘You’re not completely useless, Del.’

  “Thanks,” I say, panting. “I think.”

  The ogre roars again, its breath coming in ragged bursts. Its eyes burn brighter, and it grips its axe tighter, raising it for another strike. But as it steps forward, its foot catches on a root, and it stumbles. For a moment, it’s off balance.

  ‘Now!’ Misty’s words yell loudly in my head, as she darts in. She slashes at its leg, aiming for the joint, while I rush to its side. My sword finds the wound I made earlier, driving deeper this time. The ogre bellows, swinging its shield in a wide arc. Misty and I both leap back, avoiding the blow by inches.

  The creature’s rage is palpable now, a physical force that makes the air feel thick and heavy. It throws its shield to the ground with a thunderous crash, gripping its axe with both hands. The blade gleams, even in the dim light, promising death with every swing.

  ‘Here comes the fun part,’ Misty says dryly, her tail flicking. ‘Any more brilliant ideas?’

  “Keep hitting it until it stops moving,” I reply, tightening my grip on my sword. “And try not to die.”

  The ogre lunges, faster than I expect for something its size. I barely manage to dodge, the axe carving a deep furrow into the ground where I’d stood a moment ago. Misty darts in from the side, her claws raking across its arm. It swings at her, missing by a hair as she ducks under its reach.

  I take the opportunity to strike again, aiming for the back of its knee. My blade cuts through tendons and muscle, and the ogre drops to one knee with a roar. But even kneeling, it’s still a towering figure, its axe swinging wildly as it tries to ward us off.

  “It’s weakening,” Misty says, her voice tinged with urgency. “Keep going!”

  “Yeah, no pressure,” I mutter, darting in for another strike. The ogre’s movements are slower now, but no less dangerous. Each swing of its axe sends tremors through the ground, and the air hums with the force of its strikes.

  As I slash at its arm, it roars again, releasing the axe and swinging its massive fist at me. I throw myself to the side, landing hard but avoiding the blow. The axe falls to the ground with a heavy thud, and the ogre snarls, reaching for a nearby tree. With a sickening crack, it rips a branch free, wielding it like a club.

  “Oh, great,” I say, pushing myself up. “Because that’s exactly what we needed.”

  ‘Less talking, more fighting,’ Misty snaps, her claws flashing as she lunges for the ogre again.

  The fight isn’t over yet, but we’ve got it on the ropes. Now we just have to survive long enough to finish it.

  The ogre staggers to its feet, slower now, its injured leg dragging as it moves. Black blood seeps from gashes along its side, but its determination remains unshaken. The branch it wields swings down in a wide arc, forcing me to dive to the side. The impact splinters the ground where I stood, sending shards of earth and wood flying.

  'Del, watch yourself!' Misty’s warning comes too late. The branch clips her mid-leap, hurling her across the clearing. She crashes into a tree with a sickening thud, sliding to the ground in a motionless heap. My stomach tightens as I see her prone form, her once-bright eyes dim.

  “Misty!” I shout, panic flooding my voice. The ogre roars, turning its attention back to me. Its grip on the branch tightens, and it takes another step forward, its gait unsteady but menacing.

  'Focus, Del,' my inner voice snarls. 'She’s tough. You need to buy her time.'

  Gritting my teeth, I charge the ogre, my sword a blur as I aim for its wounded leg. The blade bites deep, and the creature bellows in pain, dropping to one knee again. I dart back, avoiding its retaliatory swing, and circle to its side.

  The sound of movement behind me sets my nerves on edge. I whirl just in time to see one of the smaller figures from earlier, creeping toward me with a jagged blade raised. Before I can react, Misty reappears, her form a streak of black and gold as she pounces on the creature. Her claws sink into its neck, and with a feral snarl, she ends its threat.

  'Don’t think I’m done yet,' she growls, limping slightly but still fierce. 'Keep your head in the fight.'

  The ogre roars again, its voice shaking the very air. Before it can rise fully, a volley of arrows whistles through the clearing, embedding themselves in its chest and shoulders. The creature howls, swinging its branch wildly as it tries to locate the source of the attack.

  “Del!” Elara’s voice calls from the treeline. She steps into view, her bow already nocked with another arrow. Beside her, Naomi crouches low, her wide eyes fixed on the battle. “We’ve got this!”

  With renewed determination, I surge forward. Elara’s arrows pepper the ogre, each shot driving it further back. Misty circles to its blind side, her movements calculated despite her injuries. Together, we press the attack, wearing it down bit by bit.

  The ogre’s roars grow weaker, its movements sluggish as blood pours from its wounds. Finally, with a well-placed strike, my blade pierces its chest, sinking deep into its heart. The creature shudders, its massive frame swaying before it collapses to the ground with a final, earth-shaking thud.

  Silence falls over the clearing, broken only by the sound of laboured breathing. Misty limps to my side, her fur matted with blood but her eyes sharp. Elara lowers her bow, her hands trembling slightly as she surveys the scene.

  Naomi creeps closer, her gaze darting nervously between us and the fallen ogre. “Is... is it over?” she whispers.

  I nod, wiping the sweat from my brow. “Yeah. It’s over.”

  With a grimace, my body feeling suddenly drained and full of too many pains to count, I sit and gather my thoughts.

  [Congratulations you have killed 8 ashfangs; experience gained]

  [Congratulations you have killed 6 hob beastmasters; experience gained]

  [Congratulations you have killed ogre warrior; experience gained]

  [Congratulations you have advanced your Primary Cuvat; Points added]

  [Congratulations you have gained enough experience to level up; would you like to level up now?]