The sun forced Seryn to open her eyes and looking around, she seemed stumped on where she was. 'What happened?!' She wondered clutching her head as a wince of pain ran through her scalp. Trying to recall the past few days seemed like an incredulous feat for her, her memories nothing more than a blur.
It was then that she took greater detail of where she was, the trees swaying lightly in the wind, the fluttering of ember leaves before a distinct noise echoed through her ears.
*Roar*
A wolf emerged from the foliage, it's obsidian eyes locking onto her figure and yet her sense of urgency seemed to be muddied with a fog in her mind. It was then that she realized the dagger in her palm.
*Whoosh*
The wolf went for a leap, sinking it's teeth into her neck. Strangely enough the pain she had expected was lacking, only the rough motion of the beast as it tore into her arteries.
*Thud*
With a swift motion she drove her dagger into the beast's neck eliciting a whimper before a mountain of blood gushed from the wolf. Still, this fail to faze her as she noted at the staggering amount of blood she lost. Her own blood glistened in her hands and yet it seemed casual to her, as if she had done it a million times prior.
She had expected to collapse and die from the blood-loss and yet, like an unwanted guest her consciousness remained firm as she lay back onto the earth. "Why can't I die?" She faintly murmured, forcing herself back on her feet trying to adjust to her surroundings.
Her eyes once filled with emotions were now blank, her breathes slow as she began her walk. The trees towered her bleeding figure as she kept on crashing on trees for support and yet she never once fainted much to her expectations. "Am I? Is this the next world?" Given that she hadn't died, she couldn't help but wonder.
[{Host's body is severely injured}]
A mechanical voice echoed in her head which seemed to cause a spark behind her vacant eyes. "The game!" It clicked all at once, the game that she was forced to play however nothing else seemed to pop up. "Blergh!" Coughing up a mouthful of blood, she knew that it would be impossible to make any distance with a wounded body.
Making her way to a small cliff, she saw a river at the bottom however with the excessive bleeding, her body gave way making her to crash hard onto the jagged and protruding rocks which riddled her skin with scars and marks.
*Splash*
She fell into the stream, her blood now diluting with the water as she was slowly being carried away from the bank. Facing up, she could only witness the fall of leaves on her body, the slurred sounds of creatures cooing in the woods with the water in her ears.
[{Excessive damage has been caused to the body}]
[{Automatic repair has been commenced}]
And yet with the notification, she didn't bother with an emotion of relief on her face. 'Jarren, just let me die already.' She sighed as her eyes began to draw shut, her body bobbing in the crimson water.
*Roar*
Another beast roared through the woods, this time the cry far more abnormal forcing her to open her eyes. The abomination had long wooden legs that blended well with the flock of trees, it's body above the canopy.
*Whoosh*
Her body was picked out of the water and taken above the carpet of leaves making her come face to face with the beast. Tendrils of vines held her body which was drenched in water and blood, her face however still as indifferent as before.
It was then that she caught a good glimpse of the beast. Its body was small in comparison to it's legs, it had multiple eyes that bobbed out of it's skull and inspected her body. It had a physique akin to an arachnid before letting out a shriek that damaged her ear drums.
Still, she remained apathetic as the grip on her skull tightened.
*Pop*
Brain matter and blood coated the vines as her figure crashed back onto the ground.
*Thud*
Her corpse making the abomination lose interest in her and moving elsewhere.
...
Seryn's eyelids twitched once more, this time she wasn't in the forest but rather a barn, the sounds of the animals fading in the background as she saw a pair of eyes locked onto her figure. Not those of hostility but rather intrigue of what she truly was.
Her groan back to consciousness seemed to startle them as they vanished, childish voices coming from the other side. Rising to her feet, she realized that her dagger was missing, something that didn't seem to bother her as with a thought, it flashed back into her hands.
Making her way to the exit, she was met with a pitch fork aimed at her head, the wielder with a look of scrutiny at her figure. "Step away from my family!" The man shouted as his eyes began to glow giving an aura that made the temperature of the barn fall. The noisy animals went quiet, his gaze turning into that of hostility.
*Thud*
The edge of his weapon fell to the ground taking the man by surprise before fear began to creep up. Guarding what she could assume was his wife and kids, he warned Seryn to keep her distance however the woman seemed oblivious to this piece of information as she looked around.
The farm yard, the stretches of land planted with crops and the forest she was in not that far yonder and a path that trailed there. "Where am I?" Her question taking the man by surprise and reading her gestures, it was evident that she wasn't hostile. "You can talk?!"
She didn't respond, the air turning dense before the lady spoke. "Near the border of Caerthalas." Her gaze tightened hearing this as she tried to recall her purpose there. 'I just can't seem to remember.' She mused faintly before her gaze drifted back to the man. "Do you have a horse that I could borrow?"
The man's face stiffened, his tone turning into that of wariness. "I can't just lend you a horse so casually, after all I have a-" Halted in between his words with a screech from the woods, he turned back to face his family. "Get into the bunker!" He warned before something sharp pressed his back. "It would be foolish of you to turn your back on me.'
Her tone turning serious as she pressed her dagger further into the man's back but not to the point of blood, just enough to make him freeze. "Silas!" The wife shouted however Silas seemed complacent. "Just make it to the bunker, I'll handle this." He urged, his back now drenched in sweat.
The roars grew louder forcing the three to leave the scene. "You can take any horse you wish." The shift in tone pleased her before the pair's gaze drifted to the monster for the cause of the noise. A deer emerged from the thicket, it's horns growing all over it's body serving as a form of armor for the beast. It's hollow white eyes focused on the two as it began it's dash.
It's legs thin which contrasted with the speed it moved, a mere glance would make one think that it had been drawn from a nightmare. "Damn it!" Silas cursed as he saw the charging beast. Seryn however let out a tired sigh before lowering her dagger on Silas. Opening it's maw, the deer revealed chunks of flesh instigating it's carnivorous nature.
*Whoosh*
Right before the abomination could lay it's hands on the two, it was reduced to a pool of blood and strips of meat by Seryn, her actions faster than the man could process. "What?! Huh?!" Ignoring the man's bewildered comments, Seryn made her way back to the barns before pausing and looking back at Silas.
Her gaze narrowed before making his way back to him. "Do you have anything else that I could wear?" Silas who was still recovering from her feat could barely muster a word to leave his lips. "I- I - clothes!" His words accompanied with gestures of him pointing at his house. "Get them."
Seryn's tone sharp as she too began to make her way to the house. Silas's body tensed seeing this, sure that she would kill her and his family after getting what she wanted. Stepping in, what greeted the two was a cozy room, antic decorations all over and freshly made meals steaming filling the house with a scrumptious aroma.
She didn't bother asking as she made herself comfortable with the food. 'It's better than her killing all of us.' Silas sighed as he made his way to his room.
...
"Are you sure that dad will be okay?" A distressed voice from the little girl asked. "Of course he'll be okay." The mother replied, her tone laced with uncertainty that the two failed to notice. "He's been able to keep up safe for this long, this shouldn't be any different." Her words brought to a halt as she heard the creaking of boards above.
Covering the mouths of her children, the three could only hope that the person above wouldn't be able to find them. Their bodies flinched realizing the door wiggling however a sigh of relief escaped their lips realizing that it was Silas. "Dad!" The two mused with happiness as Quelira, the wife followed suit.
"You're okay!" The boy spoke beaming a smile at Silas. "How could you think so little of your father?!" Quelira narrowing her eyes could see through the smile and tell the fear with her husband. The clothes as well confirmed her suspicion. "She wants clothes as well?" Silas gave a low nod as the four of them made their way to the kitchen.
Seryn by now was nearly done with her meal as she took a cup of water down before realizing the four looking at her. "You can pack them, I won't stay here long." Her words leaving no room for negotiation, Silas usually a stubborn man to Quelira executed her orders faithfully.
'I guess that she took care of the abomination. It's clear that she's not weak however how could she end up in such a pitiful state?' It was the two children that had found her in an unconscious state near the river. At the time, she was torn with her kids who wanted to help her recuperate, Silas agreed as well much to her dismay.
'It would seem that's so had judged her to harshly.' She grit her teeth, she pulled her children closer to her watching Seryn make for the exit. "What's your name?" Her son asked making the stranger halt. She paused wondering whether to divulge before coming to her conclusion. "Seryn."
And with that she took her leave making her way back to the barn where her horse was prepped up. A few questions of the place and she knew where to go. "I hope you don't mind me asking but where exactly do you plan on going? With the world going crazy with the birth of these damned beasts, it won't be safer out there than it is here."
She knew that he was asking her to stay, with her display of power, it was to be expected. "Regardless of where I am, I'll never be free from his grasp." Her tone helpless as she hopped onto the horse. "I'm headed to Redfall." And with a whip of her reins, the horse galloped out of the barn and darted into the forest.
'Redfall?' Even he, a man who had chosen to live a quiet life had heard snippets of the kingdom that plagued the world of Arcania thanks to his trips to markets. 'What use would she have with a place of monsters?' She wondered placing his hands to his chin. "Is she gone?" His wife quizzed jolting him back to the situation.
"Yes, said she was heading to Redfall." Quelira's face darkened hearing this. "It would seem that the game this time should fetch for a good price." Her words shifting the subject to the deer Seryn had freshly killed. It's means of death gut wrenching to look at however her execution had purpose.
Its hide was intact, parts like the skull and flesh stripped into ribbons and the rest a crimson sludge. "A fair trade." Silas chuckled.