The Hungerborn descended toward Aiden, its body roaring with flames. Instead of waiting for the monster to land, Aiden ran to the side to avoid the impact.
It crashed to the ground, sending a shockwave of flames in every direction. Aiden was still running as he studied the monster and looked for weaknesses.
The last time Aiden fought a Hungerborn, he had Jack to help him. This time, he was alone — and the monster was a hundred times stronger.
As the Hungerborn released another howl, flames erupted from the ground. It was the same power that Borin had — the one he used to ignite Aiden's campfire.
Aiden had to run behind the giant altar, hiding from the flames. He tried to catch his breath and formulate a plan, but the searing heat told him that he had no time.
The Hungerborn came rushing from behind the stairs, reaching a hand of flames toward Aiden. This time, Aiden did not run, but struck back. His gauntlets struck the creature's chest, sending him staggering backward.
Aiden pushed forward — one punch followed by many.
He had no intention to give the monster a chance to counterattack.
But it did.
A flaming pillar exploded from the monster's chest.
Aiden had no time to dodge — but something rammed into him.
One of the direwolves had pushed him away from the attack's trajectory, and the two of them rolled on the ground.
Aiden was shocked as he looked at the monster, and then even more shocked as he heard the Hungerborn howl.
His army had not fled — but retreated before striking once more. Each Direwolf had a skill to create wind blades, and they used it to push the Hungerborn back.
It was far from enough to kill him.
But it became distracted.
"You will die," Aiden said in a low voice. "Retreat now!" he commanded the monsters.
None of them did.
The Hungerborn screamed and flames erupted in every direction. The direwolves tried to run, but most of them were caught in the fire. Their whimpers echoed throughout the clearing.
"You goddamn morons," Aiden said through gritted teeth before bolting toward the Hungerborn. It was summoning another pillar of flames to kill the direwolves. Aiden arrived behind him.
Another flurry of punches rained on the monster's back, sending him staggering face down into the ground. Aiden summoned his sword and jumped, stabbing the monster's back.
The sword melted and dropped.
Aiden retreated away, as a storm of fire exploded from the monster. He looked at the direwolves, and some of them had perished.
"Retreat!" Aiden shouted, but the remaining direwolves gathered around him. "You damn animals, run! You will die!"
None of the direwolves listened — or simply they could not understand. Aiden looked at them with confusion before one of them pulled on his sleeve.
Aiden turned toward the Direwolf, who bolted up the stairs toward the statue. It was leading Aiden somewhere, but the Hungerborn returned.
The monsters rushed at him, buying Aiden the time. As he stood torn between helping them and following the Direwolf, Aiden heard a howl from above and began climbing the stairs.
Flames erupted from the battlefield.
Aiden didn't look back — no matter how many howls he heard.
He reached the top of the altar, and found the statue of Aevur standing with an outstretched hand that carried the star. The Direwolf stood in front of the statue, awaiting Aiden.
"What did you bring me here for?" Aiden questioned as he approached the statue. "This damn thing is what started this mess."
Aiden looked at the statue, which had been covered with moss and dirt over time. He raised his head to look at the outstretched hand and realized a crucial fact. The statue never touched the star.
"This entire trial is about using desires, but never touching them," Aiden muttered with a frown. "We were never meant to reach the statue. Is this some sick game to them?"
Aiden wanted to believe that it was — but something within said otherwise. He had a feeling that this trial was not meant to torture them, but to test them.
"Your goal was… to defeat the Hungerborn," Aiden muttered as he looked at the statue. "This trial is the same, isn't it?"
The statue did not respond.
Aiden looked down.
And then, he smiled.
"Bingo," Aiden muttered.
He reached toward the statue, and seized what it held in its other hand — hidden from sight and in the darkness of the night.
A sword black enough to be missed.
Aiden looked at his own reflection within it.
It was heavy, but nothing he could not handle.
It was sharp enough to cut through anything.
Aiden looked at the Direwolf, "You are one clever boy."
The wolf wagged its tail.
"Leave the rest to me," Aiden muttered as he placed his gauntlets in the Inventory and walked back toward the edge of the staircase. He looked down and raised the black sword. "Borin Earthhand!"
The Hungerborn stopped.
And turned.
"I see that you still recognize the name," Aiden said with a grin. "Let me be the one to release you from the prison of desire, you goddamn idiot."
The Hungerborn howled and rushed up the stairs. Flames erupted from every side. Aiden jumped down with the black sword in hand. He brought it down as the monster struck.
The two collided.
The black sword cut through the monster's flames and flesh.
It severed everything in its path.
Aiden felt the flames burn through his skin, but he did not flinch. Instead, he pushed forward — letting the black sword eradicate the Hungerborn.
Borin screamed as the sword absorbed the flames. It devoured all desire within him, leaving what was left of flesh and bones. The two of them crashed down the stairs, rolling.
Aiden was thrown away until he was stopped by one of the remaining direwolves.
He rose from the ground.
The sword was still half-stuck in Borin's torso. It devoured the desire within him — returning him to nothing but a corpse. The flames began disappearing from the clearing.
★ [You have released the twisted wish!] ★
★ [You have received the reward: Starflame!] ★