Adventurer of Many Professions

Three mutant rats skittered into view, their green eyes glowing with eerie hunger. Bits of unidentifiable flesh clung to their mouths, mingled with thick, viscous mucus that dripped onto the sewer floor. In front of them lay the remains of some unfortunate creature, mangled beyond recognition, a macabre reminder of these creatures' savagery.

The rats stopped their feast, their attention fully focused on Raymond and Sylph, six beady eyes locked onto them with a predatory gaze. Being watched so intently by those sinister eyes sent a chill down Raymond's spine, but he steadied himself. He had taken one of these creatures down before; he could do it again, as long as he kept his wits about him.

"Raymond… should I use my Explosion Magic now?" Sylph's voice trembled, though it was hard to tell if it was from fear or sheer disgust. She clutched her magic wand tightly, her face contorted in distaste as she stared at the mutant rats.

Raymond's eyes never left the creatures. "Are you sure you can hit all three at once?"

Sylph nodded eagerly, her expression shifting to one of determination. "Yes! The range of Explosion Magic is big enough to take out all three of them since they're so close together. This could be my big moment!"

Raymond glanced at her, then shook his head. "Hold off for now."

"What?" Sylph blinked in surprise, then frowned, her voice rising in frustration. "Don't you trust my Explosion Magic? I can handle it!"

Raymond sighed, keeping his focus on the approaching rats. "It's not that I don't trust your magic. But you can only use it once, remember? We don't know how many of these things are lurking down here. If you use it now, the explosion might attract even more rats. And if a whole swarm comes at us, we won't be able to outrun them in these cramped tunnels. You saw how fast that last one was."

Sylph's defiance wavered, and she glanced nervously at the dark sewer passages branching around them. The interconnected tunnels could easily bring a flood of mutant rats from all directions, and the thought made her visibly shudder. She swallowed hard, nodding reluctantly. "Alright… I'll save it for when we really need it."

Raymond tightened his grip on his dagger, his eyes fixed on the rats. "Good. Now get back, here they come!"

The three mutant rats lunged forward, their long, naked tails slapping the sewer floor with a sickening sound. Their grotesque forms were even more terrifying up close; their sharp, jagged claws scraped against the stone, sending ear-piercing shrieks echoing through the tunnels.

Without hesitation, Raymond charged toward them. He couldn't afford to let these creatures get anywhere near Sylph; her skills were best suited for magic, not close combat. The first mutant rat lunged straight at him, letting out a shrill cry as it leaped, claws extended, aiming for his chest.

But Raymond was ready. He swung his gloved fist in a powerful arc, striking the creature directly on its flattened head. The impact sent chunks of flesh and gore flying in all directions, splattering across the sewer walls and splashing toward his face. The smell was putrid, nearly overpowering, and he instinctively flinched, turning his head and squinting his eyes to shield himself.

In that split second of distraction, he felt a sharp, brutal impact slam into his abdomen. Another rat had barreled into him, nearly knocking the wind out of him. He stumbled backward, struggling to regain his balance, his stomach throbbing with pain.

Out of the corner of his eye, Raymond saw the third mutant rat slip past him, heading straight for Sylph, who stood wide-eyed and frozen in its path.

"Sylph, look out!" he shouted, desperation flooding his voice as he fought to steady himself.

Sylph's head snapped up, and her eyes widened in terror as the mutant rat closed in. But then, a glint of determination sparked in her gaze. She raised her wand, her hand trembling, but her grip firm.

"Stay back!" she cried, and with a surge of resolve, she muttered a quick incantation, channeling her remaining energy.

A ball of fire erupted from the tip of her wand, a smaller but potent spell. The flames shot toward the rat, striking it mid-pounce. The creature squealed as it was engulfed in flames, thrashing wildly as the fire seared its flesh. The smell of burning fur and flesh filled the air, acrid and suffocating, but Sylph held her ground, watching as the mutant rat collapsed in a smoldering heap.

Raymond finally steadied himself and turned, just in time to see Sylph breathing heavily, her face flushed with adrenaline but victorious.

"That… that was incredible," he managed, feeling a surge of admiration for her quick thinking.

Sylph tried to brush off the praise, though her cheeks tinged with a faint blush. "It was… just a small spell. Nothing compared to Explosion Magic."

The last remaining mutant rat, the one that had rammed into Raymond, snarled, wounded but not yet defeated. Raymond clenched his fists, the pain in his stomach a harsh reminder of the force these creatures could wield.

"Let's finish this together," he said, stepping forward. Sylph nodded, stepping up beside him, her wand at the ready.

The rat charged, but this time, Raymond and Sylph were prepared. Raymond dodged to the side, creating an opening, while Sylph launched another smaller burst of fire, hitting the creature in the flank. The rat screeched, its movements growing sluggish as the flames licked at its fur.

With a final, forceful kick, Raymond sent the creature crashing into the sewer wall, where it slumped down, finally still.

They both stood there, panting, the silence of the sewer filling the space between them. Raymond wiped his brow, grimacing at the remnants of rat gore on his gloves.

Sylph looked at him, her eyes gleaming with a mixture of excitement and relief. "We actually… did it."

Raymond nodded, a smile breaking through his usual stoic expression. "Yeah… we did. Guess we make a better team than I thought."

As they caught their breath, the dark, foreboding silence of the sewer returned, and they knew that more challenges likely awaited them. But for now, they shared a moment of triumph in the depths of the sewer, side by side, ready for whatever came next.

"Gu!" Raymond grunted as the mutant rat, undeterred by his previous strike, lunged at him again. But his reflexes kicked in; sharpened after his awakening. With a swift movement, he adjusted his balance and delivered a powerful whip kick, sending the creature hurtling away, its body skidding across the filthy sewer floor.

Without pausing to confirm the rat's condition, he spun around, eyes darting to Sylph. She was in immediate danger; the third mutant rat had closed in on her, its jaws snapping dangerously close.

"Get away from me!" Sylph shouted, her voice filled with a sudden surge of confidence. Tightening her grip on her metal magic wand, she swung it with all her might, bringing it crashing down on the rat's head.

'Guka!'

The sound of impact was sickening. The mutant rat's skull caved in from the blow, and it collapsed to the ground, letting out a distorted, high-pitched squeal. Its limbs and tail thrashed uncontrollably, twitching in a grotesque display of its tenacity, but the severe head injury left it disoriented and unable to get back on its feet.

Sylph took a step back, staring at the struggling creature with a mix of disgust and uncertainty, unsure of how to finish it off. Raymond, however, didn't hesitate. He rushed forward, grimacing slightly at the sight but knowing what had to be done. With one decisive stomp, he pinned the creature down to stop its writhing, then pulled out his dagger. In a single, practiced motion, he plunged it into the rat's head at the base of the neck, twisting to ensure it reached the brain. The rat's movements ceased instantly, its body going limp.

Sylph exhaled, relief mingling with a hint of pride. She lifted her chin, a smug smile playing on her lips. "So… you really thought that just because I'm a mage, I wouldn't know how to handle myself up close?"

Raymond glanced at her, a bit surprised but impressed. He chuckled, nodding. "You've got more fight in you than I expected, Sylph. I'm actually relieved to see it."

He cast a thoughtful look at her wand, the very weapon she'd used to crush the rat's skull. There was something intriguing about it. For Raymond, smashing through a mutant rat's skull made sense, his strength had increased significantly since awakening as a fighter, and his gloves were reinforced with fine steel. But Sylph? Even with a metal wand, that kind of strength was unusual for a mage. There was no doubt that her wand held more power than it appeared.

Still, it wasn't his area of expertise, so he let it go. He turned his attention to the other rats he'd dispatched.

The rat he'd hit with a punch lay motionless, its skull shattered and flesh torn, clearly dead. But the third rat, which he hadn't hit as hard in his rush to reach Sylph, was shakily getting back on its feet. It snarled at Raymond, baring its jagged teeth and lifting its claws in a show of aggression.

Raymond glanced down at his leather armor, noting three white scratches left by the rat's claws earlier. The scratches hadn't pierced the leather; a testament to the quality of the armor, crafted by a skilled craftsman. He felt a surge of gratitude. 'You really can't put a price on life-saving equipment,' he thought. Without this armor, those claws, sharp as a dagger, would've torn through easily, and a scratch from these rats would've meant more than just pain. Given the infection and disease they carried, he'd probably have to visit the apothecary for an antidote, an expense he'd prefer to avoid, especially when even a basic antidote cost five silver coins.

But he didn't have time to dwell on it. The mutant rat was coming at him again, growling as it prepared to strike. This time, however, Raymond didn't wait for it to attack. As soon as the creature leapt toward him, he acted swiftly, delivering a powerful kick that sent it crashing into the sewer wall with a final, resounding thud.

The creature slumped to the ground, utterly motionless.

Sylph let out a breath she'd been holding, lowering her wand. "I think that's… all of them. For now, anyway."

Raymond nodded, wiping his dagger on a scrap of cloth. "Looks like it. But stay alert. If there are more, we'll have to be ready."

Sylph gave him a small smile, a flicker of admiration in her eyes. "You're pretty impressive, you know that? You didn't flinch once."

Raymond shrugged, giving her a lopsided grin. "Neither did you. Seems like we're both tougher than we thought."

Together, they took a moment to catch their breath, the tension of the fight slowly ebbing away. But as they stood in the dim sewer, they knew this was only the beginning.