A group of Alphas appear!
Hannah put down the rifle and backed away slowly in disbelief before running back to inform the rest. I just stood there wondering what was going on and why she went so pale before running off, So like any curious idiot I picked up the rifle and looked through the scope... Ah, I understand now.... I set the rifle down and I exited the barn as calmly as possible, but as soon as the outside air hit me so too did the immediate rumbling deep howls of the wolves and like a hurricane multiple slashes of wind were heard clashing against the fence.
I was already mentally a little broken after seeing 6 pairs of eyes looking right at me through the scope but to add the sound of the combined howls, then the attacks on the fence? To say I was close to relieving myself from the fear of what was going to happen wouldn't necessarily be out of the question. The fear of what was to come and what could happen to me was starting to take hold and my body ran cold and a shiver ran down my spine.
"JIMB--" Alex yelled at me as he started running towards me but my attention was cutoff and tuned in somewhere else by a low guttural growl coming from behind me. I turned slowly to see a pair of yellow eyes staring back at me as a grey fur covered body slinked from behind the barn to reveal itself. It came out into full view and started to circle around me. My body wanted to turn away and run but I knew that if I did that I was as good as dead, Plus I needed to face this creature head on and use this as a chance to get stronger. If I didn't how was I supposed to survive? I slowly reached my hand towards the hand axe that was strapped to my waist but stopped as the wolf growled again in order to threaten me.
"If you're going to try and kill me wolf, I'm going to do the same." I said in response as I continued reaching for the axe. What I said must have upset it because it stopped circling and lauched itself at me! I was barely able to pull the axe out and take a desperate swipe at it before it impacted me head on in the stomach and knocked me to the ground winded.
I layed there trying to gasp for air as my brain was screaming for me to get back up, but soon I saw Alex knelt down beside me with a worried look in his eyes. "Jimbo are you hurt!? I didn't expect to see that wolf, much less for it to appear from around the barn...." He had a worried tone in his voice but as he helped me up he nodded his head towards a now still and lifeless wolf corpse with an axe lodged in the side of its head, directly bisecting its left eye.
"Not the smoothest kill I've seen but at the end of the day? Haha all that matters is that you continue breathing." He patted me on the back before reaching down and with a swift pull followed by a the sound of the axe being freed from flesh, he handed it to me while it was still covered in the gore of the wolf with a smile.
"It's not a pretty job Jimbo, so my advice is get used to what this axe looks like now and prepare to get dirtier as the jobs get tougher."
"Oh gods Jimmy I'm so sorry! I was so shocked by the Alphas that I completely forgot about you!" Hannah came running up to me and gave me a hug that proceeded to force my face into a deep valley of oxygen depravation that I was.... well all too happy to be in.
"AHEM! Hannah? I think you're suffocating him." Claire said as everyone chuckled around us.
"You see that face? I don't think he really minds it." Jack said as they caught up to us and Hannah released me with a blush on her face. I wasn't really focused on women in that respect seeing as how my focus so far had always been getting to this side of the portals and then getting stronger, but now that it was quite literally shoved in my face I was taking a second look at Hannah.... And then immediately looking away as our eyes locked and I got embarassed.
"Hey guys? Are you not hearing the fence getting attacked? It was quite lovely seeing the little interaction of a potential love interest but can we get back to the fact that MY FARM IS UNDER ATTACK!" Alex yelled and pointed at the now 90 degree angle fence that soon had a few wolves jumping over it.
"OH Great! And now there are wolves!" He raised his hands in exasperation as he pulled out his own axe and charged at the creatures. Jack followed close behind while still chuckling but was serious enough to pull out a sword and through the tip I saw as he thrust his hand forward as if throwing something and in seconds I saw as a sliver of wood started to appear and get bigger and bigger before impaling one of the wolves like some kind of ragdoll in some game. I mean it didn't even have the time to yelp in pain before it was all over.
My mouth hung in amazement but Hannah pushed it up with a finger. "That was his wood control, he takes toothpicks or pieces of sharp wood and after throwing them he uses his control over wood to make them big like spears."
"You'll have to excuse Hannah, she has a fascination with magic since she only has the power to control technology." Claire said with a smile before she laid her hand on my shoulder and afterwards a rush of energy ran through my body and made the pain in my stomach fade away as a sense of renewed energy and confidence took its place. I looked at Claire confused since I knew she was a healer but where did this confidence come from?
"I figured since you were going to be apart of the fighting that you should get a little buff. It's nothing much since my focus is in healing but I do know a couple spells to boost a persons physical abilities."
I nodded with a smile as I tightened my grip on the handle of my axe and with a determined gleam in my eye I raced off towards Alex that was fighting against two wolves at once.
"HAAAAAAAAAA!" I yelled as I swung my axe over head at a wolf just before it lunged at Alex and I surprisingly caught it off guard with my strike as my axe sunk into it's back and causing it to yelp in pain before spinning around to snarl at me and try and take a chunk out of my leg. I moved back quickly out of its attack before moving in and swinging my axe yet again but this time horizontally towards its face in the hope for a replay of the last wolf.
Unfortunately I aimed a little too high and my attack soared over its head as it hunkered down to dodge it effortlessly and it lunged to pin me down on the ground.... Something about this was feeling way to familiar but this time I felt stronger and confident that I could kill it. It had me pinned by the shoulders and was about to snap its jaws around my face when I raised my feet and kicked it off me and rolled away in an awkward fashion, thankfully when I rose back up I saw as it was still slumped on the ground but as it was snarling at me I noticed the puddle of blood that was pooling under it. That was when I noticed the wound I gave it earlier that was now free flowing blood down its side. It was at the end of its life but still refused to give up the fight as it tried again and again to raise up onto its feet to fight me.
Seeing this my heart faltered for a moment as I saw the pain I inflicted on it.... But I shook my head and renewed my resolve, It tried to kill me and as the law of the jungle dictates since I was the stronger one I was the one owed its life. I walked up to it and dodged out of the poor attempt at a lunge before swinging my axe down and ending it's suffering... I still felt a little bad at seeing it like that but I knew this was what was required.
I looked up to see how Jack and Alex were doing but only saw as they were all looking at me and watching me dispatch the poor creature.
"Good job Jim, Even a hardened Veteran like myself couldn't stand by to see that thing suffer like that." Jack nodded approvingly and so did the others. I barely smiled but still felt a tang of guilt. But it soon faded as the threat of more attacks came rushing back now that the adrenaline had wore off.... But weird thing was that even in the fight, no other wolves joined in? Were we being tested for weaknesses and tired out?
It wasn't long before the sounds of sniper fire were heard as Hannah took up her post and started taking out some of the weaker ones. Jack told her to leave the big ones alone and only focus on the weaker ones in the hopes that it would cause the big ones to finally act.
"Why do we want to attract the big ones? Shouldn't Hannah just take em out right now so we don't have to deal with it?" I asked confused but Alex chuckled as he placed a hand on my shoulder.
"That's because if they are Rank C or above, even though it would be a bit of a tougher fight, they have a chance for loot drops. And I mean it exactly the way you think, Something otherworldly happens when a monster that had gained enough strength is killed by one of us. Besides the corpse sometimes spawns things if you're lucky, and that's not counting what the actual corpse has as materials that can be harvested."
What he said made me wide eyed! Was that really true? I seen weapons and armor back in the portal town but just chalked it up to some really inventive and amazing craftsmen.
"Ok, but that still doesn't answer why Hannah couldn't just take em out now and we go gather the drops after we're done?"
Claire was the one that answered that. "It's because whatever causes the loot to spawn also has a timer on it. It's like whatever energy was used to create the loot will just evaporate into the aether. That's why we have to make sure that if loot does spawn, we are nearby to collect it."
That was weird? I'd never heard of that but hey who can argue with LOOOOOT!!!!!
I just nodded with a loot of anticipation of what could drop but at the same time..... I was just a Rank D and about to face off against 6 potentially Rank C or higher Alpha monsters..... This wasn't going to be easy.