Chapter 5: Arachnis

The clang of metal against metal echoed through the dimly lit underground chamber, as Tobias' sword clashed against the Masked Figure's dagger. Sparks flew in every direction as the two combatants exchanged blows, each one more ferocious than the last. 

Sweating profusely beneath his dark red armor, Tobias gritted his teeth and lunged forward with a burst of speed, swinging his sword high above his head.

"Give up" he growled, his voice deep and commanding. "You're no match for me"

"Bold words" the Masked Figure retorted coldly, effortlessly blocking Tobias' relentless onslaught.

Unbeknownst to either of them, Vincent lay collapsed on the cold hard ground nearby, his face contorted in agony. His body writhing in pain and his breath, shallow gasps. The young hunter struggled to remain conscious, fighting against the darkness threatening to consume him.

His eyes blurred with tears of pain and frustration, Vincent could only helplessly as the battle raged on. He wished he could do something, anything to help the knight win the fight. But sadly his body had no interest in listening to his hopeful demands.

Meanwhile, Tobias's sword sliced through the dense air as he summoned his own mana, his blade wreathed in flames as he continued to drive the Masked Figure back. His movements were fluid and precise, a testament to his years of training and experience.

He could sense that the tide was turning in his favor, and he pressed his advantage mercilessly.

"Your time is running out" Tobias warned, his deep voice taking on a dangerous edge. "Surrender now, while you still can"

"Never!" the Masked Figure hissed, the cold detachment in their voice giving way to a hint of fury.

As the two adversaries continued to trade blows, Vincent's breathing became heavier, with every passing moment feeling like his body was ready to be torn apart from the inside. The dark blue liquid coursed through his veins while being pumped into his constantly constricting heart.

"must… live…" he gasped, his fingers clawing at the ground.

The air was thick with the scent of blood and charred flesh as Tobias leapt aside, narrowly avoiding the Masked Figure's blade.

The Masked Figure sneered, his face dripping with contempt. With a sudden, swift motion, they hurled the lifeless body of the young girl they had just experimented on toward Tobias.

Tobias instinctively dodged the corpse, only for it to explode in midair, showering him with a blinding cloud of dust and debris.

"Argh!" Tobias cried out, rubbing his eyes furiously as he struggled to regain his sight. He knew he was vulnerable, but there was nothing he could do. Internally, he screamed at himself for losing focus after taking the advantage during the battle.

Taking advantage of Tobias's momentary blindness, the Masked Figure appeared at his side, dagger poised for a lethal strike. "You should have paid more attention" he whispered coldly, their breath hot on Tobias's cheek.

But before the dagger could find its mark, the Masked Figure froze, their eyes widening in shock and horror. Protruding from their chest was a glistening lance made completely out of water mana, glistening even as it pierced through his body.

"Wh-what?!" he stammered, staring down at the weapon in disbelief. "How..?"

Turning his head in shock, the masked figure was met with a sight he never expected.

Vincent smirking.

Vincent's smirk, though weak and pained, cut through the battle's chaos like the sharpest sword. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, but his gaze was unwavering as it met the shocked eyes of the Masked Figure.

"Impossible" the figure growled, his body contorting in rage. "You more than another experiment, a disposable tool. How dare you attack me!"

Tobias stood up, his vision slowly clearing. His eyes only cleared in time to see the young man in the distance, kneeling on the ground and clutching his stomach in pain. Vincent had summoned the last of his strength to save Tobias, even as his own life hung by a thread.

"Time to end this!" Tobias declared, his voice filled with resolve. As the Masked Figure stared at the lance impaling them, their eyes filled with a mixture of rage and fear. They had underestimated their opponents.

With one final, desperate lunge, Tobias drove his flaming sword through the heart of the Masked Figure, ending his twisted stare forever. 

The battle was won.

Vincent felt a wave of darkness wash over him. His vision blurred, and he fought against the blackness that threatened to engulf him. As his body crumpled to the ground, he caught a glimpse of Tobias seizing the opportunity born from his attack.

Tobias wasted no time, sprinting to Vincent's side as the adrenaline coursed through his veins. Quickly coming to a halt, dropping down to one knee next to the young hunter. His fingers trembled as he checked for a pulse. A faint, steady rhythm met his touch, and Tobias let out a relieved sigh

"Thank god" he muttered, his voice tinged with relief.

With his biggest worry out of the way, Tobias knew that the underground lair wouldn't last much longer. After the hard battle, as well as the corpse exploding, He didn't wish to stick around long enough to check the stability of the place.

Tobias rose to his feet, casting a quick glance at Vincent before surveying the room. With purposeful strides, he began skimming through the rubble, searching for any clues that might reveal information on the masked Figure.

"Who were you working for?" Tobias muttered under his breath, frustration building as he found nothing but debris. Just as he was about to give up, his hand brushed against something small and hard. a dark leather notebook, half-buried beneath a pile of broken glass shards.

He carefully extracted it from its resting place, flipping it open to reveal pages filled with scrawled notes and crude sketches. An icy chill ran down his spine as his gaze fell upon the insignia stamped onto the first page – a black spider with blood-red eyes.

"Arachnis..." Tobias whispered in shock, his heart suddenly heavy with dread.

"wha... what happened?" Vincent's weak voice cut through the silence like a knife.

Relief surged through Tobias as he crossed the distance to the young man, concern etched on his face. "Good, you're awake. Take things slow"

Arriving once again next to Vincent, Tobias took a seat on the cold ground before asking "What happened here? How did you end up like this?" his hands still gripping the notebook tightly.

Vincent hesitated, his eyes flickering with an unreadable emotion. But he began recounting the events as they had transpired. From his morning hunt, being ambushed by the orc, all the way down to how he witnessed the bodies of his fellow captives collapsing one at a time during the figure's twisted experiments.

With Vincent's body shaking in frustration with every word, Tobias sat next to him silently, giving him the opportunity to get the fear and stress off his mind.

Vincent told him everything, Well almost everything. Out of fear of being killed or locked away, he withheld the fact he had successfully survived whatever was within the liquid orb.

As Vincent spoke, Tobias's expression grew darker, rage boiling beneath the surface. He clenched his fists, struggling to maintain control over his emotions. Finally, with Vincent's story over, Tobias gave him a moment of silence before standing up.

“I think It's about time we got you home, wouldn't want your mom worrying any longer right?” he declared while ruffling the young man's hair with his hand.

“My mom?” Vincent questioned, confusion evident on his face.