3. Fungal Cave

Korena darted back toward the barracks, her bow held tightly in one hand while the other retrieved another arrow from her quiver. The flickering torchlight of the orc barracks painted shadows across her determined face as she crossed the threshold and spun on her heel, quickly nocking the arrow to her bowstring.

She positioned herself further inside, using the frame of the doorway as cover. The tension in the bowstring increased as she pulled it taut, her sharp eyes focused on the corridor beyond. From her vantage point, she could see Brenda and Faramos standing against the advancing creatures, their weapons flashing as they fended off clawed strikes and fungal growths that lashed out in blind aggression.

Korena exhaled slowly, keeping her breathing steady. "Fall back when you’re ready! I’ve got your backs!" she called, her voice calm but edged with urgency. She tightened her grip on the bowstring, her muscles coiled like a spring. Soon, she would loose her arrow—aiming for the nearest creature that dared to step into the barracks.

Inside, Graknok stood with arms crossed, his eyes sharp and calculating as he watched the skirmish unfold.

"We’ll see what kind of hunters they truly are," he muttered under his breath, glancing at Thragg, who gave a noncommittal grunt in return.

The first creature lurched forward with a grotesque, jerking motion, its hollow, glowing eyes locking onto Faramos. Then, its jaw unhinged unnaturally wide, revealing a dark, cavernous maw streaked with fungal growth. A sickening, wet gurgle issued from deep within its throat as it exhaled a dense cloud of shimmering purple spores.

The cloud billowed outward, spreading rapidly and enveloping Faramos in an oppressive haze. It smelled faintly sweet, cloying, and thick enough to cling to the air like a suffocating blanket. Faramos instinctively raised his hand to shield his face, but the spores clung to his exposed skin, their strange, almost electric sensation prickling like the lightest of touches.

His eyes began to blur, and an unnatural heaviness crept into his limbs, as though an unseen weight was pressing down on him. A sluggish, insistent tug at the edges of his consciousness urged him to close his eyes, to give in to the overwhelming wave of drowsiness.The second creature lunged at Brenda with unnatural speed, its movements jerky but ferociously purposeful. Its fungus-riddled jaws snapped open, revealing teeth coated in blackened rot, aiming to clamp down on her shoulder. Brenda, quick on her feet and battle-hardened, raised her shield just in time.

With a grunt, Brenda pushed back, forcing the abomination to stumble a step, its malformed body twitching with frustration. The shield bore a smear of dark ichor from the creature's gaping maw, but Brenda remained steadfast, her resolve unshaken. "Not this time," she muttered through gritted teeth, bracing for her next move.

Korena keeps aiming, waiting for an enemy to enter the barracks, as the door is blocking her shot.

Graknok moves forward, closer to Faramos. "I think you need this, warrior." - he said, showing you some greenish liquid - "It's an antidote. Do you trust me?"

The first creature, lurched forward, following Faramos inside, into the barracks. The second creature followed closely behind, shambling with uneven, jerking movements. Its glowing gaze locked onto Nindia, trailing her every step as she retreated. It clawed at the ground as it moved, tearing through the damp earth with a sound like tearing fabric. The twisted fungal growths covering its form seemed to stretch and quiver, eager for more sustenance. It hesitated at the doorway for a moment, as though sensing the gathering of the living within, before surging inside, drawn by Nindia’s retreating figure.

Korena loosed an arrow from her bow, the string twanging sharply in the enclosed space of the barracks. The arrow whistled past the first creature, striking the stone wall behind it with a loud clatter. Korena grimaced, quickly advancing a step closer and reaching for another arrow, her expression tense and focused on the abominations.