Chapter 108: The Monster Unleashed (2) (1/2)

The guards charged at the wolf-human hybrid with all the strength and speed they managed to muster up. Their loud battle cry echoed to all directions in the hallway disrupting the weeping of the slaves.

The call to arms reached further back, eventually reaching an open-space carved out area serving as a makeshift guard room. There, currently off duty, a group of 5 guards was playing some sort of card game around a round table. Copper and Silver coins, donning multiple insignias were piled up in front of each one in various sizes.

The guy with the biggest stack in front of him raised his head as the muffled shout echoed through the halls eventually reaching their ears.

”Huh?” He exclaimed as he immediately became alert, jumping off from his chair. Looking at the direction of the sound.

”Did you guys hear that?” He asked, keeping his gaze at the dark hallway. The rest of the group stopped their current game and looked at the direction their leader was looking at.

”What is it, Igor? Did you get so scared of losing your cheating money, that you had to find an excuse?!” One with a moderately sized stack of bronze coins resting in front of him spoke up with a smug look on his face.

”Shut up idiot, can't you hear it?!” Igor, their leader reprimanded. Walking closer to the entrance, he pricked his ears listening to the muffled noises carried by the thick walls.

Soon, another set of sounds reached his ears, causing him to nervously jump, straightening his back. Looking back, he agitatedly shouted as he ran towards his bunk to grab his armor and weapon.

”Quickly! Armor up! There are sounds of battle up ahead! We are attacked!”

However, by this point all 4 of them were standing and rushing towards their own bunks; they all heard the sound of battle and the bloody gurgle accompanied by a sinister howl...

***Back to the source of the sounds, just a few moments ago…

As the two guards closed in on the monstrous creature in front of them, they both swung from a right arch with their swords at the same time. The one on the left swung at a little above the waist area, hoping to slash into the creature's abdomen and rip some of its intestines.

Meanwhile, the guard on the right seemed to be the one with more combat experience, as he intuitively swung from the left aimed at the wolf-like humanoid creature's neck.

While both swings were pretty fast, to Aiden they felt like if it was in slow motion. His heightened senses, the huge difference in attributes made both threats negligible. Raising both of his hands, he parried both swings simultaneously.

The sound of steel colliding with something even sturdier resonated around them. Deciding to use this opportunity to vent some of his accumulated frustrations more, Aiden decided to toy with his prey more.

Expecting a retaliation as both blades bounced off the black claws of the furred creature, they were quickly pulled in front of their owners in a nervous shaking defensive stance while they also jumped back.

However, contrary to their battle-hardened experience, the expected counter-attack never came. The creature lowered his arms to the same tensed state as it was before their attack. Looking at the duo, Aiden snickered contemptuously.

”Come on, do your worst! This is pathetic! Is this all the might warriors such as yourselves have?!”

Ashamed and humiliated as he trampled on their pride, both guards flew into a rage and rushed in for a second attempt.

Charging for the second time, the left guard decided to thrust his sword this time, aiming at the creature's stomach once again. His partner next to him decided to try swinging his blade against the creature's neck one more time, using the same left-to-right arc.

Aiden's eyes flashed momentarily as he watched both incoming attacks with excitement. He felt euphoric, his blood was boiling with passion. He wanted more, he NEEDED more!

As his excitement reached new heights, his rationality started to be clouded with hazy fog, letting his thirst come to the forefront of his mind.

The eye sockets of his mask were no longer flashed for brief moments but remained a constant source of the ominous golden light. His zeal, his thirst took control of his sanity, he howled while raising both of his hands, effortlessly parrying the swing, while also grabbing hold of the tip of the lunged blade towards his abdomen.