Primordial Sage: Plight of Immortality

"Hunter, left!" roared Urchin and drew his bow as he hid behind the moose's body.

In this kind of speed, the accuracy was bad but it could at least help to intimidate those ambushers hidden in the crowns of the trees stalking them just as they stalked the moose.

Hunter tried to avoid them but some of them jumped from the tree right at the riding sled trying to fight Meelee. It was a man covered in a mask made of bones wearing weird ornaments made of teeth. The daggers he wielded were made from obsidian and aimed at Urchin.

But Stone, who was prepared, borrowed the momentum of the sled and body slammed the ambusher, whose body made crunchy noises, completely throwing him off. Stone's body shook as he almost fell but he managed to catch on the moose's fur and hold his own. He didn't know if Ambusher was alive or not but he definitively broke a bone or two and wouldn't be in a state able to fight now so Stone chose to ignore him.

He looked around and noticed that there were much more enemies than he expected. Hopping from tree to tree they were at a disadvantage.

So he came to the front of the sled and with one swing he separated the straps that connected Hunter to the sled.

"What are you doing ?!"

"We won't be able to lose them! We need to fight. If he is strapped to the sled he will definitively die!"

Urching looked at Stone and nodded then he aimed at the men around and started to shoot them. As the sled slowed down his accuracy got better and better until he managed to hurt some of the ambushers and even kill his first enemy. But as it wasn't in close combat it didn't have any impact on him. On the other hand, Stone chose to take the hunting spear which was secured on the sled for hunting big animals.

He already knew that close combat was inevitable. The gap between switching bow and spear could be fatal so it was better for only one having the bow right now.

While Urchin's arrows found their target, ambushers couldn't as most of the arrows hit the moose which the duo used as a shield.

Fortunately, Hunter also hasn't hurt as it changed the route every few seconds under Urching's command. Now that it wasn't tied to a sled it hid behind the trees and awaited another command.

Finally, the sled stopped moving and the closest ambushers jumped right at them. Stone took a step forward to take the fort until Urchin switched the weapons and defended against two of the closest attackers.

But that was obviously much harder done than said. The attackers were just normal people and their strength was much inferior to the Bakur members but that is compared only to other adults. Stone, while outstanding, is still in the growing phase and can only match and not surpass the individuals before it.

One of them also wielded the spear while the other was wielding a dagger in one hand and throwing knives in the other acting as support.

Stone deflected the first attacker's thrust and made a jab to counterattack. Unfortunately, he saw in his peripheral vision the thrown knife so he needed to retreat a few steps.

The knife flew around his face and lodged itself in the tree while Stone made a step forward and aimed at the spearman's neck. Two made few exchanges as Stone needed to circle around to avoid the throws. Fortunately, as the rest of the attackers came Urchin who already switched his weapons lunged right at the guy with throwing knives.

Of course, someone with knives can't fight head-on with a spearman so when he perceived the attack he planned to retreat. But before he could there was a spear hurled at him impalling his stomach. The high-pitched yell got out of him as he tried to take out the spear.

Unfortunately for him, Urchin who got closer by that time thrust his spear into his neck swiftly ending his life.

Stone who found the opportunity to kick his enemy threw away his spear to help Urchin get rid of that guy. Right now rest of the ambushers already come and started to surround them. In that situation, it would be hard to maneuver with the spear. So he took out both of his axes at this time and attacked the spearman before him.

The attacker once again thrust at him but he lowered his body and dodged by a hair's breadth with one axe locking with the spear and the other chopping the enemy's mask and face in half. When the mask slid off it showed the confused split face of a child similar age to Stone making him stiffen a little.

That was the first man that Stone personally killed but he didn't have time to think about it as he was attacked from several directions.
"Stone, those are from the Uhera tribe! Their weapons are poisoned!" he heard Urchin yelling not far away from him as he fought off two spearmen.

Those three had much better coordination and seemed to be more experienced than the two before making Urchin almost die in a few seconds and could only continuously retreat. Unfortunately Stone couldn't help as he was surrounded by three others showing that the enemies think of him as a higher threat.

Of course, Stone noticed that another two went after Hunter since the beasts are usually more dangerous than men, and letting them go could spell their doom. That means that there were still at least seven attackers alive.

If it were any other tribe they would be already doomed. But as men of the Bakur tribe, they had their own advantages. The weapons for example. While they had the spears made of baptized iron and wood the enemies used the fragile obsidian.

So at first opportunity Stone tried to break one of the spears thrusted at him. Unfortunately, the other two made it impossible. All of them were spearmen and continuously circled him to attack him from three sides making it almost impossible for Stone to defend let alone attack back.

The enemies were silent but the eyes behind the mask burned with desire making Stone feel as if he was watched by a predator.
"Agh! Damn it!" suddenly he heard Urchin cursing. He didn't have the time to even look at him but it was obvious what happened. He was wounded. It didn't sound as if he was heavily injured but a light one was enough. The weapons were poisoned after all.

Stone knew that the current situation was dire and if he didn't do anything Urchin and maybe even him would die. So he needed to think of a plan.

If Urchin didn't warn him of the poison he would use his body as a meat shield so he could then kill them swiftly. But now if he was poisoned even if it didn't kill him it would affect him in the battle which is unacceptable.

As he exchanged another few blows and even more evaded as if he danced he wondered what to do. But there was no time to hesitate so he chose the most straightforward way.

If he can't win with skill then he will use his brute strength!

"Ha!"

In one moment he was still tangled with them. In the other, he threw one of his axes at one enemy who managed to block the blow but his spear snapped in half.

Stone immediately rolled towards one of the enemy and while holding the axe with both ends he chopped at his leg.

"AAHg..!" the blow was so strong that the leg was smoothly severed and the man fell to the ground wriggling in pain. But before Stone could end him he turned around and hurled the bloodied axe at the third enemy who already made a move.

Because of that he couldn't block the axe perfectly and got a gash on his main hand.

Stone who saw this went to a one-legged tribesman and extricated the spear from his hands. But despite the pain, he didn't let go of the weapon. So Stone took out his butchering knife and decisively stabbed it into the heart. When the struggle stopped he managed to take the spear with difficulty.

Then he faced off with the enemy whose spear snapped off. He was switching the weapons during this time and took out his short blade. But against the spear, it wouldn't help him much.

Stone started attacking both of them aggressively as he gained an advantage over them.

Unfortunately, he didn't expect that at this time another enemy showed up behind with one of the axes he threw. Stone with his acute hearing noticed someone was behind one step slow and blocked the hit head-on.

But as said before there was a difference between the quality of the weapons of the Bakur tribe and the Uhera tribe. Spear snapped and the axe lodged in his right shoulder.

"Ugh!" Stone grunted in pain as he looked at his assailant. As expected it was a Uhera member but this one was heavy as he had claw gashes around his body bleeding and already lost his mask showing the face of a young adult.

'Is this the one who went after Hunter?' Stone wondered. But as he saw he was heavily injured he let go of the spear parts in his hands and grabbed the hands of the enemy.

The enemy who thought he dealt the fatal injury smiled a little but little did he expect that Stone would switch the place with him and use him as a shield against the other two!

This way he managed to stop the other's attack and then kicked the guy he held at one of them. Finally little breath Stone took the axe lodged in him and tried to take it out. It seemed to be stuck in his collarbone so it was even harder and more painful.

"Hah! Huff...Huff...Huff" After a strong yank he took it out with a heavy breath.

The roles once again reversed as Stone was again at a disadvantage and the other Uhera members had once dominance in the battle. Unfortunately for them, they didn't know that this newfound advantage was short-term as Stone's shoulder hidden by the broken leather armor visibly healed.

In just a few minutes he would be able to fight at his full force.

But that was too long for Stone who knew that time was of essence. The battle between Urchin and the other two enemies was almost at the end as one of them lay in the puddle of his blood while the other slowly cornered the weakened boy against the tree half-leaning.

*Growl*

But before they could clash again Hunter who disappeared for a while finally got back and lunged at the distracted enemy biting his head off.
The last two enemies were staggered so Stone who saw that acted and jumped towards the closest one chopping diagonally into his neck.

Then he turned to the last one who still wielded the spear and started to sprint to him. That one already knew that this battle was lost but showing the back to his enemy would just make him an easy target.

So trying to wound the enemy and then running was the best option!

Stone, seeing the thrust aiming at him, blocked it with his axe but didn't expect that the enemy would skillfully redirect his axe and then let go of his spear only to lung at Stone's right side aiming at the right hand holding the axe with his obsidian dagger.

Stone didn't have a different option and abandoned the axe. Instead, he caught the hand holding the dagger redirected the attacker's body, and tripped him on the ground. While still holding the armed hand Stone sat down at the man's body, stripped his mask, and started to punch the enemy in the face.

But this enemy was attacking back with punching, scratching and even biting to discourage Stone. Unfortunately, this won't stop him. Instead, he stopped punching and used his nails which while trimmed all the time were still sharp.

*Slash*

"AAAgh"

He pushed his thumb into the right eye of another young man below hearing him screaming. That young man tried to wriggle to push his hand away but with superiority in strength and the help of gravity Stone slowly pushed his thumb deeper and deeper until most of it disappeared in the cavity.

Then the screaming ended.

Both of the arms helplessly fell to the ground as their owner just died a horrible death.

Stone who was still sitting on him rolled over as he lay down next to him with heavy breath.

Soon the adrenaline pumping in his blood dissipated and the fatigue and pain got to him. When he turned his head around he felt a little nauseous and so just started into the sky. The carnage around him this time wasn't just the deed of others but something he personally did.

This time he was the one who created this kind of bloodshed but the nausea quickly receded and the only emotions he felt at the moment were...peace and quiet.