SICARII

Luca stood in the clearing, bloodied but defiant. His sword hung in his grasp, slick with the blood of the beasts he had cut down. Around him, the remaining four circled, their snarls vibrating through the humid air. Each was larger than the last, their humanoid shapes twisted and grotesque—bulging muscles, elongated claws, and eyes that gleamed with predatory hunger.

"Come on!" Luca roared, his voice raw with fury and pain. His chest heaved, each breath like fire in his lungs. "You're not getting past me!"

The first beast lunged, a hybrid of man and wolf, its hulking frame cutting through the undergrowth like a battering ram. Luca pivoted, narrowly avoiding its claws, and swung his sword in a vicious arc. The blade bit deep into the creature's side, and it howled, staggering back as black ichor spilled onto the forest floor.

Another attacked from the left—a feline beast with sleek, striped fur and razor-sharp fangs. Luca barely managed to raise his weapon in time, the claws raking across the steel with a screech. He twisted his wrist, shoving the blade upward, but the beast was too fast, darting away before he could land a fatal blow.

Behind him, he heard a snarl too late. A third beast—a reptilian monstrosity with scaled arms and a jaw full of needle-like teeth—barreled into him. The impact sent him sprawling, his sword flying from his grasp. Luca rolled quickly, gasping for air, but the reptile was already on him, claws sinking into his shoulders.

Gritting his teeth, he grabbed a fallen branch, thick and gnarled, and swung it with all his strength. The makeshift weapon cracked against the beast's head, forcing it to release him with a guttural snarl. But the others were closing in.

Luca's breathing grew labored. His limbs felt heavy, his vision blurred, but he forced himself to rise, staggering to his feet. "Not yet," he muttered, gripping the branch like a lifeline. He swung it wildly, managing to keep the beasts at bay for a moment longer.

Then they pounced.

The wolf hybrid crashed into his side, knocking him off balance, while the feline slashed at his legs, dragging him down. Luca screamed, the sound ripped from his throat as claws tore through flesh and bone. The reptilian beast clamped its jaws around his shoulder, shaking him like a rag doll before tossing him into the dirt.

He landed hard, coughing up blood, his body broken but his spirit defiant. He tried to crawl, reaching for his sword just a few feet away, but a heavy clawed foot slammed down on his back, pinning him to the ground.

"Run…" he whispered, blood dripping from his lips. His last thought was of the squad—their faces, their determination. He had done his job.

Far ahead, Zak, Lara, and Luna sprinted through the dense forest, the distant sounds of the battle fading behind them. They didn't dare look back; every second wasted could mean death.

"We've lost them," Luna gasped, her voice ragged as she leapt over a fallen log. "The beasts… they're not following us anymore."

Zak slowed slightly, his sharp eyes scanning the jungle for any sign of pursuit. The sounds of claws tearing into flesh had ceased minutes ago, but he couldn't let himself relax. "We've put some distance between us," he admitted, his tone grim. "But that doesn't mean we're safe. Keep moving."

Lara stumbled, her legs shaking as exhaustion threatened to overtake her. She grabbed a low-hanging branch for support, panting heavily. "Luca… he…" Her voice cracked, and she couldn't finish.

Luna stopped beside her, gripping her shoulders. "He bought us time," she said firmly, though her own voice wavered. "We can't waste it, Lara. Fekka needs to know what happened."

Zak turned back to face them, his expression cold but his eyes full of unspoken pain. "We don't know what happened to him. But if we stay here, we'll find out the hard way—and none of us are in any shape to fight." He gestured for them to keep moving.

Lara nodded reluctantly, wiping her face before slinging her crossbow over her shoulder. She fell in behind Zak, her steps unsteady but determined.

As they pressed on, the forest seemed to close in around them. The shadows grew darker, the air heavier. Every rustle of leaves, every distant cry of a bird, set their nerves on edge.

"Do you think they'll follow us all the way to Fekka?" Luna asked, her voice low.

Zak shook his head. "I don't know. But we're not stopping to find out."

They moved in silence after that, their breaths the only sound as they navigated the treacherous terrain. The weight of Luca's sacrifice hung heavy over them, unspoken but felt in every step.

Hours passed, and the jungle seemed endless. But the faint glow of dawn began to filter through the canopy, casting pale light over the bloodstained and exhausted trio.

"Fekka's close," Zak said finally, his voice barely audible. "We just have to hold out a little longer."

Luna glanced back once, her jaguar eyes scanning the dense foliage behind them. There was no sign of the beasts. But the silence felt ominous, and she couldn't shake the feeling that something—or someone—was still watching.

The gates of Fekka loomed in the distance, the sight both a relief and a bitter reminder of the sacrifice it had taken to reach safety. As the squad trudged into the fortified city, their battered forms drew the concerned stares of guards and townsfolk alike. Luna stumbled to a halt, but it was Zak and Lara whose composure finally cracked.

Zak dropped to his knees, his hands digging into the dirt as he let out a guttural sound of anguish. Lara sank beside him, her crossbow clattering to the ground as she buried her face in her hands.

"He was always there," Zak muttered, his voice trembling with grief. "Since we were kids. Always watching my back. And now…" He trailed off, his fists clenching so tightly his knuckles turned white.

Lara wiped tears from her face, her voice raw. "Luca didn't just die to save us. He died so we could finish this mission, Zak. We can't let his death be in vain."

Zak nodded, though his shoulders still shook. "We'll make sure of it. Whatever's happening out there… Luca wouldn't want us to stop. He'd want us to fight back."

Luna, standing silently beside them, finally spoke. "He gave us a chance to warn everyone. To stop this from becoming worse. We owe him that much."

Zak took a deep breath, forcing himself to his feet. "You're right. Both of you." He glanced at Lara, then Luna. "Let's do this for Luca."

Once they reached a safe house near the Fekka barracks, Zak wasted no time contacting Otto. He activated the communicator crystal, its surface shimmering as Otto's rugged face appeared, shadowed by the flickering light of a nearby torch.

"Zak," Otto barked, his expression darkening as he took in the squad's condition. "What the hell happened out there?"

Zak's jaw tightened. "It was an ambush, Otto. Delria's beasts attacked us in the jungle. The Nordic representative is dead, and…" He paused, swallowing hard. "We lost Luca."

Otto's face twisted with anger. "Damn it! This is bad—worse than bad." He slammed his fist onto the surface of his desk, the sound reverberating through the crystal. "You know what this means, don't you? If Delria's violating safe-passage agreements, it's not just a skirmish. This could mean full-blown war!"

Zak met Otto's furious gaze, his own expression unyielding. "We know. That's why we pushed through to get back here. Whatever's going on, it's bigger than just us. They didn't just attack us—they were hunting us."

Otto's lips thinned into a grim line. "Stay where you are. Fekka has a stationed unit of Beserkers. I'll send them to you along with the medics. Do not—" he emphasized the words—"leave that safe house until reinforcements arrive."

Zak nodded. "Understood."

Before ending the transmission, Otto's gaze softened slightly, his voice lowering. "And Zak… I'm sorry about Luca. He was one of the best."

Zak clenched his jaw, nodding again. "He was more than that. He was family."

The crystal dimmed, leaving the room in heavy silence.

Lara leaned against the wall, her face pale and streaked with dried blood. "This isn't just Delria breaking their agreements," she said quietly. "It feels like they're sending a message."

Zak sat down heavily, wiping a hand over his face. "Then it's our job to make sure that message doesn't go unanswered."

Luna, sitting cross-legged on the floor, stared at the ground. "We have to figure out why this is happening. If we don't… more people are going to die."

Lara's voice wavered as she spoke again. "Luca gave his life for this. We can't fail now."

The three sat in silence for a moment, each lost in their own thoughts, the weight of the past few hours pressing down on them. But as the sounds of approaching boots echoed outside—the reinforcements Otto had promised—they knew they had no choice but to push forward.