I Received System to Become Dragonborn

Kaela's blades flashed like silver arcs in the air as she weaved between the grotesque limbs, her body moving with fluid grace. Each of her slashes and stabs found its mark, severing veins of fused flesh, slashing into knotty muscle where faces twisted in silent agony.

For a moment, she felt the rhythm of the fight flow with her. She flashed out a green while keep weaving and slashing.

But in a battle like this, it takes only a single misstep to make everything fall into chaos.

She dodged left to avoid a thick tendril of muscle but her foot landed on a patch of slick ichor that hissed on the stone floor.

Her balance shifted and the smallest slip happened.

And that was enough to broke all her rhythm.

A massive limb that made of grotesque fused with three arms and a partial torso lashed out like a pendulum toward her.

It slammed into her body with terrifying force and lifting her off her feet then slamming her against the corridor wall.

"Kaela!" Mark shouted.

A grunt tore from her lungs as she hit the stone, her body curling with the impact. She certain that at least one ir not more of her ribs are straight up broken.

She crumpled to the ground, gasping, one of her daggers skidding out of reach. Her other hand trembled as she tried to push herself up.

Thorne was the first to react. "Hold on!"

He stepped forward, ready to charge through and grab her but before he could take more than two steps, another massive arm swung from the abomination's torso.

Thorne barely had time to raise his blade.

CLANG!

Steel rang as the blow collided with his sword, nearly knocking him off his feet.

He was forced back, gritting his teeth as the creature pressed him, forcing him to block rather than advance.

"Damn it!" Thorne growled while still locked in place.

Mark's knuckles turned white around his hilt. Jan's next arrow burned brighter in his grip, but the shot he needed was too late.

Hund snarled, his body tense to pounce but the creature's massive bulk stood between them and Kaela like a living wall of screaming mouths and flailing limbs.

"She's trapped…" Jan hissed.

"She needs help now!" Mark yelled.

But they couldn't get through.

Kaela's breaths grew heavier and more ragged. Blood trickled from her mouth where the impact had cracked a rib or maybe more.

She tried to crawl—just to get back on her feet and run away from the abominations for now—but her legs weren't responding right. Pain gripped her like iron chains.

Still, she didn't scream.

Her fingers reached for her dagger again and she dragging herself inch by inch.

The abomination's attention shifted. Several of its eyes locked onto her, recognizing weakness like wolves scenting blood.

One bloated limb lifted above her like a club, ready to crush her body.

Kaela looked up, her eyes narrowed, panting through gritted teeth.

She didn't cry for help. She tightened her grip on her remaining dagger, ready to strike whatever came close. But she didn't planning on dying here.

The grotesque limb came crashing down with a sound like cracking stone and tearing flesh but Kaela wasn't there.

At the very last second, she gritted her teeth and forced her body to move. She pushed the pain away. It was not healed ye but buried deep behind sheer will to survive and keep fighting.

She rolled to the side with a gasp, the massive limb slamming into the ground where she'd just been, sending shards of broken stone flying.

Kaela stumbled to her feet, one hand still clutching her dagger. The other arm pressed against her ribs, trying to dull the fire lancing through her chest.

Her breathing was uneven, her stance shaky but she stood.

"I'm fine!" she called, her voice sharp but cracked. "I can still move!"

But the others saw the truth in her face—the way her jaw clenched through every breath, the slight hitch in her movements, and the grimace she tried to hide. Kaela was far from fine.

She was wounded badly. And if she stayed on her own much longer, the creature would finish what it started and actually killed her.

Mark met Jan's eyes. No words were needed. They knew what they must do. Right now whene they don't havee Annette to heal wounds quickly they can't afford to be careless.

They moved together. Jan slung his bow to his shoulder.

The abomination let out a howl like a dozen mismatched voices screaming through torn throats. Its flesh pulsed with twitching motion, and its rage exploded.

It then flailed wildly.

Limbs made of arms, legs, twisted torsos, and faces lashed out in all directions like a storm of flesh. The walls cracked under the force, stone dust and blood flying with every impact.

"Spread out!" Thorne shouted, still holding back one of the flailing limbs. "Don't bunch up!"

The adventurers dove in different directions, barely staying ahead of the sweeping carnage.

Jan rolled to one side and loosed a dagger filled with black liquid at the limbs. The smaall dagger punched through a meaty shoulder mass, causing the creature to stagger slightly by its effect but it only roared louder.

Hund ducked low and hacked through a leg-like protrusion that had grown sideways from the creature's hip. Ichor sprayed in a hiss, and Hund snarled, backpedaling from the acidic droplets.

Kaela was still moving—barely. She limped out of range of another swinging limb, her blade cutting across one that reached too close.

Her movements were slower now, but still precise, her every dodge filed with pain.

She was surviving and even giving out retaliation. But it wouldn't last.

Mark charged forward suddenly, cutting through a jutting limb that nearly struck Hund.

"Jan cover me!"

Jan already had his bow up again. "Go!"

Mark sprinted low with his sword in both hands, weaving through the chaos. He could see Kaela now who were still standing and still fighting with grimace of pain.

He wasn't going to let her die here!

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