The situation was about as bad as situations could get. The strange white ant was clashing repeatedly with Anderson, and while he wasn’t killed nearly as quickly as the green hooded scout, it was clear he was outmatched.

Austin stood near the door, next to their two remaining casters. The girl in the red hood had an awestruck look on her face while she watched the mismatched combatants.

“I can’t cast any fire magic, or I’ll hit Anderson…” she stammered.

Smith started to rush forward to where the two were fighting, “I’ll help you boss, it can’t take two of us at the same time!” He shouted as he rushed forward.

“No!” Anderson shouted back, still keeping his attention on his overwhelming opponent. “Protect the kid and the casters, it’ll kill you if you get close!”

All traces of the jovial smile Anderson was always sporting had been wiped away. He was locked in combat with a far superior opponent, and every time they exchanged blows, he got a little closer to death.

Smith turned to the crippled caster on the ground. The man had a shocked glaze over his eyes, as if he couldn’t believe what was happening to them.

“Help him you moron!” Smith roared as he shook him.

“R-right!” the immobilized man stammered out.

He began to cast a support spell to aid Anderson in his fight, but as soon as the mana began to coalesce around him in the telltale golden aura, the creature once again shrieked out in that piercing voice.

“Do not interfere in my fun, pitiful human!”

With those words, the creature fighting Anderson disappeared. The four remaining party members had a stunned expression on their faces.

“Di-did we win?” Anderson said, confused.

Before any of them had the chance to begin the premature celebrations, a sickening thud was heard. It was the sound of the crippled mage’s corpse hitting the ground after being dropped from the grasp of the creature.

“It’s been a long time since a human could entertain me so. I could not let this whelp interfere.” The shrieking voice once again pierced their ears.

“You son of a bitch!” The red hooded caster yelled, as she began to gather a fireball in her hands. But those flames died before they were fully kindled.

In a matter of seconds, the party had gone from four combatants to two, and Austin stood, dumbstruck by what had taken place.

“God damn it, what are you?” Smith shouted, running towards where the creature stood.

“Boring. You are quite boring human.” The creature said, as it vivisected Smith effortlessly.

Anderson roared, and once again charged the ant creature, trying to at least keep it away from his last remaining charge, Austin.

Their fight continued as before, however tinged with an aura of hopelessness. From its actions with his comrades, it was clear to Anderson and Austin both that the ant was toying with him, and could dispose of him at any time.

Suddenly, the ant was no longer in front of Anderson, “You are beginning to bore me as well, large human.”

Anderson stood, soaked in sweat and covered in wounds from the attacks he failed to block.

Through gritted teeth he spat, “Then get over here and let me entertain you like you did my friends.”

“That will not be necessary, weakling.” The creature said, suddenly behind the large man.

“Wha-” His words were cut short as he collapsed to the floor, limp as a scarecrow without a frame.

Austin was the last one. The Crawlers that he had entered with had each seemed a mountain of power compared to him, and yet each one was killed, well, like a human stepping on an ant.

“Aren’t you going to kill me too?” Austin shouted, shaking with some strange mix of rage and fear. It was mostly fear.

He raised the dagger that Smith had given him at the start of all this, determined to at least die with a weapon in hand.

“You are not even worth my time, you are below even those weaklings lying next to you. My children will take care of you when they arrive for this feast.”

Austin stared, dejected.

‘I guess it’s right, I’m not even worth the effort to kill, I pose no threat to it.’

Just then, dust started to fall from the large, vaulted ceiling of the boss chamber, and the ground beneath Austin’s feat began to rumble.

A large hole opened in the ceiling above them, and a man, clad in shining white armor fell from above to stand in front of Austin.

“Shit, I was too late to save them. I’m sorry.”

The man was handsome, with stark silver hair flowing behind him as he fell. Everything but his face was clad in incandescent armor, radiating power.

Austin stood, momentarily forgetting the position he was in,

“Who are you?” He asked, breathlessly.

“Hmmm. I guess you could call me Savior.” The man said, chuckling at the joke that only he understood.

“You bastard. You dare to repeat the sin that so many died for?” The inhuman shriek once again pierced their ears, but it was different this time. Now it was tinged with a hint of fear at this new combatant.

“Shut it, bug. You’re obviously the one who killed these people, and now you're gonna pay for your own sins, not mine.”

Austin was staring at the ant creature, and as it disappeared from his sight, like it had before each kill.

They appeared once again near the center of the room, the ant struggling against Savior’s iron grip on its claws.

Those claws that had taken so much from him were now powerless against this man.

“Just what is he?” Austin muttered aloud.

“Your time is up.” Savior said, his voice booming through the large chamber. “For your transgressions against humanity, servant of darkness, I condemn you to death.”

“Pathetic human, unhand me no-” The shriek was cut short, just as the ant was.

A glowing sword, matching the rest of the luminous armor, seemed to materialize itself in the stranger’s hand. Faster than Austin could see, the ant lost its head.

“Are you alright, young man?” The stranger’s baritone voice rang out from across the room, as he leisurely strolled to where Austin stood.

He hadn’t moved from where he began this whole ordeal, and as the glowing stranger approached him, he had to shield his eyes from the radiance of the man’s armor.

“Ah, sorry,” he chuckled to himself, “Avatar of the Champion, I release you!” he called out.

As the last word left his lips, the sound of a chain breaking could be heard, and the glowing armor vanished from the man, leaving him wearing a simple brown robe.

“Th-thank you.” Austin stammered out.

“Ah, yeah, the armor can get a bit blinding, but it’s good for distracting enemies, ha ha!” The man said, laughing at his own joke once more.

“No, thank you for saving me…” Austin said.

The man’s expression grew grim. “You shouldn’t thank me for that, I arrived too late to do anything for your friends.”

“I only just met them, but they were so nice to me...” Austin said solemly.

Suddenly the man hunched over in pain,

“Ack- my time is almost up.” he grunted out, doubled over in pain.

“What’s happening to you?” Austin said.

“Heh, it’s a side effect of this power. My body never really was compatible with it.” he said through gritted teeth. “Austin McKenna, listen to me.”

“How do you know my na-” he began, but the stranger cut him off with a look.

“I don’t have much time left, just listen.” he said, through labored breath. “It’s not a coincidence that I arrived here to save you. You have been deemed fit to wield the power of the Savior. Your compatibility is much higher than mine, so with time, you will become the torch that can lead humanity through the coming darkness, as I never could.”

“Wh-what?!” Austin stammered again, but was once more cut off.

“Come, I don’t have much time left before my physical body gives out.” He said as he beckoned Austin over to him.

Once Austin was before the stranger, the man stood once again.

“Young man, I grant you the power to stand before any enemy that may threaten humanity. You will not suffer as I have, and you will be even greater than I. May you always serve as a beacon to guide mankind.”

With these words, Austin once again stood dumbstruck. Not knowing what to do, he stayed motionless as a golden light gathered itself in this “Savior’s” hands. Once the light grew in size to an orb the size of a basketball, the tall, silver haired man smiled.

“Good luck, kid.” he said, as he tossed the ball towards Austin.

When it neared him, it was suddenly sucked into his chest, and Austin felt a rush of warmth spread through his veins.

“Wait, why me? I’m just a nobody weakling. That ant said it himself!” Austin was now practically shouting in his confusion.

“Sorry, kid. My time is up. You’ll get it eventually.”

The stranger had a peaceful look on his face, the gentle smile not once vanishing. As he closed his eyes for what seemed to be the final time, he was rather serene.

At first just his hands turned transparent, but then his legs, torso, and eventually head followed suit. It continued to spread until the once radiant man looked like a spectre.

Eventually, he faded out, the words, “Good luck, kid” once again reverberating through the air.

Now that all the excitement was over, Austin was given pause to inspect his condition. He was covered in wounds gained from their skirmishes with the smaller ants from head to toe, and at this point it was only his sheer will to survive that had kept him going.

“Damn…” He muttered aloud, as the world went dark.