"When was it? When did I last use 'Rage'?"  The thought rippled in 15's mind.

 

He could no longer remember as over the years, he rarely if ever used the skill. This was due to a deep hatred of it, to the point he felt it in his bones, in fact he would be happy if he never used it again.

 

Rage was the skill he obtained when he was an adventurer in days long past after a chance encounter with a wild skill dungeon.

 

Skill dungeons were one of the most revered and coveted of their kind as they allowed one to gain a powerful boon, a skill. These wondrous skills give unique abilities, attacks or in 15's case, a powerful strength increase.

 

Because 15 acquired one of the weaker tiered skills, it came with severe drawbacks. First one would lose a bit of their reason due to the immense rage, especially when it was first acquired. With more use, these effects would lessen, though the mental faculties would still be somewhat impacted.

 

Second, after 5 minutes, the skill would deactivate due to reaching the maximum stress threshold his body could endure, afterwards his body would be left severely weakened with fractured bones and torn muscles. In other words, he would be incapacitated. The best case scenario, he would be bedridden for several weeks, the worst case, he would be crippled.

 

These drawbacks could of course be negated through training the skill as it wasn't something static that couldn't be changed or strengthened. This was one of the amazing things about skills, no matter how bad it was, it could still be trained and it could even evolve into something stronger.

 

Though, because of his neglect, 15's skill 'Rage' had barely progressed since he obtained it. The only thing that had changed was that his mind was clear, like a pure still pond which was.. odd.

 

Every time he used the skill he could distinctively remember the torrents of rage which would flow through his mind, but it was different this time.

 

"Maybe this is due to the fate awaiting me once my skill ends, heh.. do I have time to be angry in the face of death?" 15 snorted inwardly.

 

As soon as he thought that, he seemed to recall something. A repulsive light flashed in his bloodshot eyes.

 

"First you take her and now me... you truly are a damned curse."

 

"Ahhhh!" A loud scream filled with pain resounded throughout the cave startling 15 from his thoughts.

 

"W-what was that?!" 21 asked nervously.

 

"That sounded like 17." 18 replied in a gloomy voice.

 

"He's gone.. " 15 grit his teeth. "Faster! We can't let those skeletons catch up."

 

With sheer power bursting through his muscles, 15 sped forward with great speed through the dark tunnel. Just ahead, he could hear the groans of the rotten undead that ripped 19 and 20 apart.

 

"Careful 15, I can hear those corpses again." 18 said warily.

 

"Fuck! Can you take them 15?" 21 asked. He had a cold sweat running down his back, the memory of 19 and 20 getting torn to pieces was fresh in his mind.

 

"Don't worry...I can handle them." 15's voice rumbled loudly.

 

Although he couldn't quite see them, with his eyes that had gradually adjusted to the darkness, 15 saw a few moving shapes in the darkness.

 

With eyes narrowed, 15 rushed ahead even faster with 21's shield firmly placed to his front. In the next instant he felt a powerful impact, the shield in his hand trembling as foul blood splashed against it.

 

The loud groans of the corpses echoed in his ears. Paying no heed, 15 fully focused his strength and continued to push forward through the darkness.

 

Suddenly he came to a startling halt, something had grabbed his shield tightly.

 

"Eeeaugh!" A loud groan resounded in 15's ears, the stench of decay thick in his nose.

 

"15!" 18 called out worriedly.

 

"Don't worry, I can handle this." 15 growled, the shield strapped to his arm beginning to buckle as several more pairs of hands gripped it causing it to splinter and crack under their combined might.

 

With the groans growing louder in his ears, 15 let out a stifled grunt as he pushed forward with all his strength, whatever was in front of him gave way as their feet left the cold stone.

 

"Augh!"

 

The sickening crunch of flesh and bone against hard rock resounded through the dark tunnel along with mindless groans.

 

"Quickly!" 15 shouted urgently as he picked up the pace. There were still some groaning sounds coming from up ahead but they were less in number than what they just encountered.

 

After a few more figures hidden by the darkness were battered to the side, the path opened up, the groans of corpses from behind becoming fainter.

 

"We got past them!" 21 cheered with an exhausted expression.

 

"Don't stop! We still haven't left the dungeon." 15 shouted.

 

The trio continued running for a few more minutes before reaching the dungeon exit.

 

21 breathed in the fresh air as he caught his breath. "We.. finally.. escaped that death trap."

 

"I need a second.. " 18 groaned in pain as she sat on the ground. She tore part of her cloak and wrapped it around the wound on her leg tightly.

 

"Hurry, I don't have much time left." 15 said seriously, his voice beginning to crack under the pressure of his skill. Looking at the wooden shield in his hand, it was broken in several places with several planks missing and large cracks throughout.

 

"It's useless now." 15 clicked his tongue as he tossed it aside.

 

While 18 was fixing up her leg as best she could, 21 ran over to the torches that 19 and 20 dropped.

 

When he neared the corpses of his deceased companions, he visibly grimaced. Their violent deaths left his body trembling.

 

The only thought running through 21's mind was. "Better them than me."

 

He and his group were no strangers to death and though it was rare, there were times when some of the crows died and were replaced so he wasn't saddened, especially with how fickle he was.

 

Another thought flashed in his mind from an old memory, the words of his trainer, an old bastard who was quite terrifying and rather blunt.

 

"Danger goes hand in hand with being a crow.. expect to die." The old man's gruff voice echoed in his mind.

 

"You old fucker...I'm not dying here." 21 thought with determination filling his eyes. He grabbed the torches and walked back to 15 and 18.

 

"I'm finished." 18 sighed, a little relief in her voice. She stood up, the wound on her leg not as painful as before now that it was wrapped tightly, it was quite severe as she was still feeling faint from the blood loss.

 

15 looked at the two before nodding. "Let's go."

 

With renewed vigor, the three ran towards the tree line. Escape was now their one and only mission, everything else they failed to accomplish could be dealt with when they were safe.

 

After entering the forest, the vague moonlight slowly disappeared with only the fire from their torches lighting the way. With fast steps, they made their way through the dark but familiar forest.

 

"Listen.. 15, you sure we can't carry you?" 18 asked, her tone of voice having a slight crack.

 

"Forget about it 18...I would only slow you down, you won't be able to outrun those skeletons." 15 replied emotionlessly.

 

"Yeah that's right, even I figured that out. Why are you asking a stupid question?" 21 asked mockingly.

 

18 snorted angrily. "Can't you have a little more tact 21?"

 

There was no reply, only silence.

 

Finding it odd, 18 also noticed that there was one less pair of steps following along. She gripped 15's arm tightly.

 

15 had also noticed something strange, he gaze was alarmingly alert.

 

"21?" 18 said as she smelled something sweet, sickeningly so.

 

Turning around she saw 21 a few meters away standing alone, there was an expression of fear on his face.

 

The cause of his terror was hanging from a nearby branch, gripping his neck tightly with it's lanky arms. The green creature's head was close to 21's neck, drool dripping from it's sharp fangs.

 

A long warty tongue filled with the stench of rot reached out from the creature's cracked lips and licked 21's cheek.

 

"No.. I.. I'm not dying!!" 21 forced out the words from his choked throat, fear and unwillingness tainting voice.

 

He took his sword and thrust it upwards stabbing the green creature in it's chest.

 

The creature gripped 21's hand tightly and then bit deep into 21's shoulder, it's powerful jaws clamped down like a vice and then ripped out a huge chunk of flesh.

 

"Ahh!" 21 screamed out in pain, he tried to struggle free but it was no use. Although the green creature looked thin and malnourished, it was by no means weak.

 

"Go.." 15 said coldly as he waved his hand at 18.

 

18 wanted to say something but she just grit her teeth audibly. She quickly took a breath and said. "Goodbye 15."

 

She turned around and ran deep into the forest, the light from her torch fading into the darkness.

 

15 returned his attention to 21 whose situation was in far worse condition. The green creature had bitten off his hand and taken a chunk of flesh from one of his legs.

 

15 frowned. "That thing could have easily finished off 21... it wants him alive?!" His bloodshot eyes glared at the creature.

 

Sensing danger the creature looked at 15 and screeched loudly. It sounded like the hiss of gas leaving the bloated belly of a decomposing corpse.

 

15 ran towards the creature with great speed startling it. The creature let go of 21 and disappeared into the thick of the tree's leaves.

 

Reaching the fallen 21, 15 kneeled beside him.

 

He was still screaming loudly in pain while his wounds had turned green with white pustules, a horrid stench of decay had already began wafting from them.

 

"21... "

 

21 managed to hold back his screams for a brief moment of clarity after hearing 15. His teary eyes looked at the hulking figure beside him.

 

"D-d-do it." The words were barely squeezed from his dry lips, almost turning into another scream of pain. The venom of the creature was already wrecking havoc on 21's body causing him extreme agony, it almost made him forget that his hand had been bitten off.

 

15 nodded his head solemnly, he reached towards 21's neck and gripped it. With a flick of his powerful wrist there was a loud snap. 21's head slumped to the side, his eyes closed and his expression relaxing as death took him.