Chapter 49: Shadows in the Forest
The campfire crackled softly, its light casting flickering shadows across the clearing. Kazuki leaned against a tree, his gaze fixed on the darkened forest beyond. Elara sat beside him, her head resting on his shoulder, while Tara kept watch nearby, sharpening her dagger with slow, deliberate strokes.
"You still thinking about it?" Elara asked, her voice a soft murmur.
Kazuki's jaw clenched. "I can still feel it. The Grizzly's presence... It's like it's waiting for me to slip up."
Elara's fingers curled around his hand, squeezing gently. "You beat it once. You can do it again."
Kazuki swallowed, the memory of the Grizzly's dark eyes flashing through his mind. "But at what cost?"
Before Elara could respond, Tara's ears perked up. "Shh."
Kazuki tensed, his hand moving instinctively to the hilt of his sword. "What is it?"
Tara's eyes narrowed, scanning the darkness. "Something's out there."
A low, guttural growl echoed through the trees, sending a chill down Kazuki's spine. Elara shot to her feet, her staff glowing faintly with magical energy.
"Stay close," Kazuki said, drawing his blade.
The growl grew louder, and from the shadows, a pair of yellow eyes appeared. The creature stepped into the light — a hulking, wolf-like beast with fur as black as midnight and fangs dripping with venom.
"Dire Wolf," Tara muttered, eyes narrowed. "And it's not alone."
More eyes appeared in the darkness, each pair belonging to another Dire Wolf. They moved in a circle, surrounding the trio, their growls rumbling like a chorus of thunder.
Kazuki's heart pounded, his grip tightening around his sword. "We can't let them box us in."
Tara bared her teeth, brandishing her dagger. "Then let's give them a fight."
The battle was brutal and chaotic. The Dire Wolves lunged at them from all sides, fangs snapping, claws slashing. Tara moved like a whirlwind, her dagger flashing as she struck down one beast after another.
Elara's staff crackled with magic, bolts of fire shooting forth to scorch the wolves. But for every wolf they felled, two more seemed to take its place.
Kazuki swung his blade, cleaving through a Dire Wolf's neck. Blood sprayed across the ground, but before he could catch his breath, another wolf leaped at him from behind.
[System Alert: Warning! HP dropping rapidly. Remaining HP: 67%.]
Kazuki grit his teeth, spinning around to block the attack. The wolf's jaws clamped down on his sword, its yellow eyes burning with feral rage.
"Get off!" Kazuki roared, kicking the wolf in the chest. The beast yelped, releasing its grip, but before Kazuki could recover, another wolf lunged at his legs, dragging him down.
"Kazuki!" Elara screamed, sending a blast of fire toward the wolf. The beast howled as flames engulfed it, but the other wolves pressed closer, their eyes gleaming hungrily.
Tara leaped forward, slashing through another wolf with a fierce battle cry. "There's too many of them!"
Kazuki's vision swam as the wolf on top of him snapped its jaws mere inches from his face. The Grizzly's voice echoed in his mind, dark and taunting.
"You're weak. Helpless. Let me out, Kazuki. Let me take over."
Kazuki clenched his jaw, his eyes flashing crimson. "No."
"You can't save them without me," the Grizzly purred. "You can't even save yourself."
Kazuki's muscles trembled, his grip on the sword slipping. The wolf's jaws closed in, its hot breath washing over his face. And in that moment, Kazuki's resolve wavered.
[System Alert: Grizzly's Influence Level rising to 24%. Mental stability at risk.]
Kazuki gasped, his eyes blazing as the crimson aura flared around him. The wolf on top of him yelped, its body disintegrating into ash as Kazuki's power surged forth.
"Kazuki?" Elara whispered, eyes wide as the crimson light enveloped him.
Kazuki rose to his feet, his gaze locked onto the remaining wolves. They snarled, but he merely raised his hand, the air vibrating with dark energy.
"Get. Out."
The wolves whimpered, their eyes wide with terror. And then, as if compelled by some unseen force, they fled into the forest, their howls echoing through the night.
Kazuki's chest heaved, his breaths ragged as the crimson light flickered and dimmed. The Grizzly's laughter echoed in his mind, soft and sinister.
"That's right, Kazuki," it purred. "You can't fight me forever."
Kazuki's fists clenched, his body trembling. Elara stepped forward, reaching for him, but he pulled away, his eyes dark and haunted.
"Stay back," he muttered, voice laced with pain. "I... I can't control it."
Tara sheathed her dagger, her expression hard. "Then we need to figure out how. Fast."
Kazuki's gaze fell to the ground, his jaw clenched so tightly it hurt. The Grizzly was growing stronger. And every time he used its power, he felt himself slipping further into the abyss.