Hidden Pathways (BOOK 1)

Covert Expedition - Chapter 71

The liquid form of the man then split once more, multiplying into an army of identical copies, surrounding them with an eerie and ominous presence. Before they could fully comprehend the situation, they found themselves encircled by thirty identical adversaries.

"Stay focused, everyone! We can handle this!" Qarek shouted, his voice resonating with determination as he swung his war axe in a wide arc, cleaving through nine of the copies with a single powerful blow.

"Got it, Qarek! Let's take them down!" Leeani responded, her crossbow already aimed and firing with deadly precision, each bolt finding its mark as it pierced the heads of five of the copies, swiftly neutralizing them.

Andhur moved swiftly, his glaive flashing in the dim light as he dispatched another five copies with precise slashes. "They won't last long against us!" he declared confidently.

Zach's claymore danced through the air, cutting down two copies that attempted to flank him and Ruby'ck. "We've faced worse odds than this," he called out, his voice filled with conviction.

Gargeal's greatsword cleaved through the copies with practiced ease, his movements fluid and precise. "Stay vigilant. Don't let them overwhelm us," he cautioned, his eyes scanning the battlefield for any sign of weakness.

Jiighual, ever the stalwart defender, launched himself forward with his pavise shield raised, sending several copies hurtling off the wooden ship and into the depths below. "AGGHHHHH! Keep pushing! We've got this!" he encouraged, his voice steady despite the chaos around them.

Jiighual's attention was drawn by a chilling cry echoing from the men he had thrown into the ocean.

"What's happening? Did you hear that?!" Jiighual exclaimed, his voice tinged with both anxiety and curiosity.

"It screamed when it hit the water?!" he continued, hope flickering in his eyes.

"Perhaps water is their weakness," Leeani suggested, her words matching the sudden shift in the particles from liquid to solid, multiplying their numbers to fifty.

"We're about to test that theory," Qarek declared resolutely, launching himself towards three of the copies and sending them flying from the wooden ship into the water.

As the copies hit the ocean, they emitted agonizing screams of pain, confirming Leeani's speculation.

"Let's use it to our advantage," Gargeal instructed calmly yet firmly, his voice cutting through the chaos as he pushed ten of the copies off the ship with his greatsword.

"Understood, Master Gargeal!" Andhur responded, his strength evident as he forcefully expelled five more copies into the ocean, each one met with the same anguished cry.

Zach joined the fray, methodically pushing twenty copies overboard one by one, his actions swift and decisive.

Leeani contributed with precision, targeting the legs of the remaining copies with her arrows, making them easier for the others to shove off the ship.

With a final, defiant roar, Jiighual exerted all his strength to push the last remaining copy into the ocean, its piercing scream echoing across the waters before fading into silence.

"We're done here!" Jiighual's voice rang out with a mix of exhaustion and triumph.

"Hmm, it seems they've caught on, sister," the woman remarked, her eyes fixed on the scene as their pawns were vanquished.

"What's our next move?" she inquired, turning to her companion with a hint of curiosity.

"For now, nothing. They've proven themselves worthy. They're the first to overcome the trial and survive," the woman replied, her tone carrying a sense of finality.