Unholy Encounters

"These are no ordinary foes," Amukelo growled, his eyes darting swiftly between the emerging skeletons.

The campfire flickered wildly as the undead advanced, casting erratic shadows that danced ominously across their faces. And in that moment, before they launched into battle, Amukelo and Eliss locked eyes – a silent agreement that they would face this terror together.

The skeletal figures advanced, their bones clacking ominously as they moved.

Amukelo wasted no time. Springing forward with his sword poised, he struck at the first skeleton, his blade slicing through brittle bones and sending the creature's skull flying into the shadows.

Beside him, Eliss chanted incantations, her voice clear and resonant. Azure flames ignited at the tip of her staff, and with a swift motion, she sent a stream of fire spiraling towards a group of advancing undead. The flames danced through their ranks, leaving trails of embers and charred bones in their wake.

However, the undead seemed relentless. For each one they destroyed, another seemed to take its place. They swarmed, attempting to encircle Amukelo and Eliss. The tension in the air grew thick as they tightened their circle, bones clacking and hollow eyes fixed on the living.

Amukelo moved with a dancer's grace, his blade a blur as he parried and struck. Each swing was precise, calculated— severing limbs, shattering ribcages. Despite his stoic demeanor, beads of sweat formed on his forehead, revealing the strain this battle was putting on him.

Eliss, meanwhile, transitioned between spells with fluidity. After her initial fiery assault, she conjured bolts of lightning that crackled through the air and struck the skeletons with explosive force. The smell of ozone mingled with the scent of burning wood as the bolts found their targets, fracturing bones and scattering the remains.

As the battle raged on, Amukelo found himself back-to-back with Eliss. He could feel her focused energy as she worked her magic, just as she could sense the controlled power in each of his sword strokes.

"Stay close!" Amukelo shouted over the cacophony, his voice steady but strained.

"I'm not going anywhere!" Eliss replied, her voice fierce despite the exhaustion that was beginning to creep into her limbs.

The skeletons seemed to sense this fatigue and pressed their attack more aggressively. Amukelo's sword moved in a deadly arc, cleaving through a skeleton that had gotten perilously close to Eliss.

The fight was intense and draining, but Amukelo and Eliss held their ground.

As the fight seemed to come to the end, suddenly, Eliss's foot caught on a root, sending her sprawling backward. As her staff went flying, her heart raced - not only from the fear of the encroaching undead but from the sheer embarrassment of the fall. A skeletal figure lunged at her with a jagged, rusted weapon. But before it could reach her, Amukelo was there, his sword cleaving through its spine.

As the last skeleton crumbled into a heap of bones, Amukelo spun around to check on Eliss, who was kneeling on the ground in a defeated pose. He walked over and extended a hand to help her up.

Eliss accepted his hand with gratitude, but she seem sad from this situation. "Thanks," she said as she was biting her lips from frustration.

Amukelo asked in a playful tone. "Are you really confiden in yourself?" he asked mockingly, but his tone was light and free of any genuine criticism.

Eliss was looking down. She quickly withdrew her hand from his. "I... I will try harder," she stammered, "It was just an... It won't happen again."

Amukelo could see her sadness. "Well, you are learning, just don't let this stop your growth." he said trying to make Elis's feel better. "I'm sure you will be a great help in my journey."

Eliss looked up at him then, her eyes lightened as if it was the first time someone believed in ger. "I will," she agreed, her eyes sparked with determination. She turned to retrieve her staff.

As they settled back down beside the campfire, which had miraculously remained undisturbed during the fight, they shared a moment of silence. In that moment Eliss felt really safe. A feeling she didn't feel in ages.

Amukelo broke the silence after a moment, "We need to be vigilant. I don't know what's raising the dead,"

. . .

The next morning as dawn broke, painting the sky in hues of gold and pink, Amukelo was already up, tending to the campfire that had kept them safe through the night. Eliss slowly stirred from her sleep, stretching and rubbing her eyes before joining him by the fire.

Seeing her awake, Amukelo offered a soft, "Morning."

"Good morning," Eliss replied, her voice still thick with sleep.

Today, they would leave the wilderness and its unexpected dangers behind. Today, they would make their way to the city, a place where stone walls and guards would afford them a degree of safety that the forest could not.

"We should head to town as soon as we're ready," Amukelo suggested, breaking down their camp. "It's best we put some distance between us and this place."

Eliss nodded in agreement, packing her stuff. As they prepared to leave, Amukelo handed Eliss a small vial of healing potion.

"For the road," he said, his tone gentle, "just I won't be able to help you in time."

She took it gratefully. Eliss felt her cheeks warm but quickly turned her attention back to her pack to hide her blush.

"Thank you," she said gratefully

With their camp packed and the fire extinguished, they set out, following the path that led from the wilderness and toward the promise of safety in the city. As they walked side by side, the trees gradually thinned until the stone walls and watchtowers of the town appeared on the horizon, growing larger with each step they took together.