Trapped In Elysium: A Virtual Reality Nightmare-Chapter 29: We need a plan

Sophia took a deep breath and nocked another arrow. Her fingers were sore, her arms aching, but she wasn’t about to let up now. She loosed the arrow, and it whizzed through the air, piercing one of the lesser beasts straight through the eye. The creature screeched in agony before plummeting lifelessly to the ground.

"Nice shot," Jason muttered, adjusting his glasses as he swung his axe to meet another incoming beast. His strike was clean, cutting deep into the creature’s torso. It let out a weak cry before collapsing in a heap.

Liam sidestepped a diving beast, feeling the rush of air as its talons barely missed his shoulder. With a quick twist of his wrist, he brought his sword upward, slicing clean through its wing. The creature screeched, flapping wildly as it spiraled to the ground. Eleanor was there to finish it off, driving one of her daggers into its neck before flicking the black blood off her blade.

Marcus grunted as another beast lunged at him. "Oh, you want a piece of me? Fine, take this!" He swung his sword, but the beast twisted mid-air, evading his attack. It raked its claws across his arm, leaving a shallow cut. "Son of a—" Marcus stumbled back, clutching his arm before kicking the creature hard in the gut, sending it crashing into a wooden fence. He finished it with a downward stab, breathing heavily. "Damn things move like the wind."

Eleanor scoffed. "Maybe if you fought with some strategy instead of pure brute force, you wouldn’t get scratched up so much."

Marcus shot her an annoyed look. "Yeah? Well, maybe if you weren’t so damn—"

"Focus," Liam interrupted. "We’re not done yet."

As if on cue, the leader let out a deafening screech that sent shivers down their spines. It had watched its pack fall one by one, and now, standing alone, its fury was unmistakable. The beast’s talons dug deep into the ground, its glowing yellow eyes locked onto the group with a murderous glare. Its dark, iron-like feathers bristled, the wounds it had taken barely making a difference.

Sophia exhaled sharply. "That thing is pissed."

Jason pushed up his glasses. "No kidding."

Marcus groaned, rolling his shoulders. "Great. Just what we needed. A flying death machine holding a grudge."

Liam tightened his grip on his sword. "Everyone stay sharp. This isn’t over."

The beast spread its wings wide, casting a large shadow over them. Its piercing gaze settled on Liam, its chest heaving with every breath. Then, in an instant, it let out another screech and took to the air, circling above like a vulture preparing to strike.

The group stood their ground, weapons at the ready. They had taken down its pack, but now they had to face the real monster.

And it wasn’t going to be easy.

Liam’s grip on his sword tightened as he circled the beast, his breaths coming out in steady but controlled exhales. The others stood behind him, their weapons ready, but exhaustion was evident in their posture. The air was tense, thick with anticipation, and the distant bleating of the frightened sheep only added to the sense of urgency.

Sophia nocked another arrow, aiming for the beast’s glowing red eyes. She let it loose, but the arrow merely bounced off its reinforced feathers, snapping in half midair. She clicked her tongue in frustration. "Damn it! Nothing’s working!"

Marcus, standing beside Jason, wiped the sweat off his forehead with his free hand. "This bastard’s built like a damn fortress! What the hell are we supposed to do?!"

Jason adjusted his glasses, trying to analyze the situation logically despite his own fatigue. "There has to be a weak point. Nothing is completely indestructible."

Eleanor twirled her daggers, her eyes darting over the beast’s body. "Its wings take the brunt of attacks, but what about its underbelly?"

Before Liam could respond, the beast let out a deafening screech, its talons gleaming as it lunged at him with lightning speed. Liam barely managed to dodge, moving back just in time to avoid a direct hit, but he wasn’t completely unscathed. The creature’s sharp talons grazed the side of his neck, slicing through his skin and drawing blood.

Sophia gasped, her bow trembling in her hands. "Liam!"

Liam gritted his teeth, pressing his palm against the wound. The pain burned, but he refused to show weakness. "I’m fine!" he snapped, forcing himself to remain focused. "Stay sharp!"

The beast flapped its wings violently, sending gusts of wind that made it difficult for them to move forward. Marcus shielded his face. "Oh, screw this! I say we run and let the damn farm deal with its own problems!"

The farmer, still watching from the window with his daughters, clenched his fists. He had doubted the group before, but seeing them fight so desperately for his farm made his chest tighten with guilt. His daughters clung to him, their faces full of fear.

Eleanor ignored Marcus’s complaints. "We’re not leaving. We’ve come too far for that."

Jason exhaled sharply. "We need a plan, and fast."

Liam wiped the blood from his neck and took a deep breath. His mind raced. The beast wasn’t invincible, but brute force alone wouldn’t work. They needed a strategy.

The beast landed again, its talons digging into the ground, and let out another bloodcurdling screech. Its red eyes glowed with malice as it glared at Liam, recognizing him as the biggest threat. It wasn’t just attacking mindlessly anymore—it was thinking, analyzing, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

Sophia’s hands trembled as she reached for another arrow. Jason tightened his grip on his axe. Marcus scowled, his fingers twitching with frustration. Eleanor shifted her stance, preparing for the next move.

Liam’s breathing was steady, but his muscles ached, his stamina running low. He couldn’t afford to show it. If he faltered, they’d all be in trouble.

Then, without warning, the beast lunged again.

This time, the beast lunged straight for Jason, its talons extended with deadly precision. Jason gritted his teeth and swung his axe at its neck, aiming to take it down in one powerful strike. But the moment the blade connected, it was like hitting solid steel. The impact sent a jolt of pain through his arm, numbing it instantly. Before he could react, the beast crashed into him with full force, sending him flying backward into the wooden fence. The structure cracked under the impact, and Jason let out a pained groan, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

Eleanor’s eyes widened. "Jason!" She broke formation and rushed toward him without a second thought, kneeling beside him to help him up.

Liam’s voice rang out sharply, firm and unyielding. "Never turn your back to help a mate or we’ll all die! We have to eliminate the threat first!" His gaze never left the beast, but his tone carried authority.

Jason coughed, pushing himself up on one elbow. "I’m fine... just winded." He wiped the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand, wincing as he did. "Damn thing hits like a damn war hammer."

"This beast will be the end of us," Sophia muttered under her breath, her grip on the bow tightening. Her breathing was uneven, and sweat trickled down her temple. She wasn’t sure how much longer she could keep up.

Marcus, who had barely done much but grunt and curse, muttered again, "Screw this. We should just leave—"

"Shut up, Marcus!" Sophia snapped at him, her voice sharp as a blade. "We finish what we started! Stop talking about running every damn time things get tough!"

Marcus scowled, crossing his arms but said nothing more.

The beast, now perched on a fence just a few meters away, watched them intently, its glowing eyes filled with eerie intelligence. It was no mindless monster; it was calculating its next move, waiting for the perfect moment to strike again.

Liam took a slow, measured breath, his hand tightening around his sword. His mind raced, analyzing everything he had seen so far. This thing was stronger than them, faster, and its damn feathers were like iron plates. Their weapons weren’t cutting it.

But everything had a weakness.

He just had to find it before it killed them all.