Dance of Shadows (Part 2)

Galen stood beside Ethan, his sword raised, the dark blood of their enemies still dripping from its blade. The mercenary's eyes darted between Ethan and the advancing creatures, his jaw clenched in frustration.

"I hope you've got more tricks up your sleeve," Galen muttered, readying himself for the next onslaught.

Ethan gripped his sword tighter, his mind a whirlwind of thoughts. They were both exhausted. The odds were against them, but he couldn't let fear take root.

"We can't fight all of them," Ethan said, his voice strained. "We need to retreat, regroup, and figure out how to get ahead of this thing."

Galen gave a bitter laugh, sidestepping as a creature lunged at him, his sword flashing in the dim light. "Retreat? You mean run for our lives."

"Call it what you want," Ethan replied, slicing through a snarling beast that came too close. "But if we stay here, we're dead."

The creatures were closing in faster now, their twisted forms moving with a hunger that made Ethan's skin crawl.