Arion, Leora, and Kalin slipped deeper into the forest, leaving behind the fading sunlight at the village's edge. The dense trees soon swallowed them whole, and the familiar sounds of village life vanished into the hush of the woods. Here, the air was heavier—damp, fresh, and thick with the scent of soil and fallen leaves. But something else lurked deep within these trees—something Arion had never felt before.
Arion walked in front, hand gripping the hilt of his steel sword, eyes scanning every shifting shadow. Leora clutched Kalin's small hand, their wide eyes darting between the dark shapes, glinting with fear and curiosity. They spoke little, only following Arion's steps in silence.
With each step, the crunch of dry leaves beneath their feet seemed unnaturally loud. Arion's ears began to pick up faint noises—unexplained rustling, distant branches snapping, whispers that seemed to drift between the trees. He tried to activate Danger Sense, but his mana was still completely drained.
"Damn it! I'm blind and deaf in this place!" Arion muttered under his breath.
The daylight quickly surrendered to dusk, replaced by the heavy cloak of nightfall. Soon, Arion could barely distinguish tree trunks from the shadows. They had to stop.
"We'll sleep here tonight," Arion said quietly, trying to hide the tension in his voice. "Leora, gather some dry branches for me. Kalin, stay close to your sister."
Arion managed to light a small fire, struggling with what dry wood they had and his Medium Fire Spark skill. The flames flickered to life, casting dancing shadows across their tired faces—making the vast, dark forest feel even more endless and alone.
They chewed on bits of dry bread, but the air was thick with unspoken worry. Leora curled up beside the fire, her eyes watching the darkness. Kalin was already asleep, his small head resting on Leora's shoulder.
"Are you afraid, brother?" Leora asked softly, her voice barely above a whisper.
Arion exhaled. "No, I'm not afraid. But the forest is dangerous at night. We have to stay alert."
---
Past midnight, Arion jolted awake to an unfamiliar sound—a soft hiss, like a whisper or a faint trickle of water. He slowly lifted his head, scanning the darkness beyond the fire's glow.
Suddenly, the shadows moved. They weren't just the usual dance of branches. There were shapes—large, black, gliding silently among the trees.
"Damn it!" Arion hissed, drawing his sword. "Monsters!"
He realized at once these weren't hedgehogs or rabbits. These things moved with a chilling stillness, and the only thing visible in the dark were pairs of red, glinting eyes.
Ding~
[Target Information: Shadow Hunter]
Type: Predatory Beast (Mysterious)
Level: 7
HP: 400 / 400
Skills:
Shadow Sneak: Moves in total silence, extremely hard to detect.
Night Bite: Powerful bite attack that causes bleeding.
Shadow Terror: Instills mild fear in weaker prey.
Weakness: Very bright light, light magic attacks.
"Shadow Hunters?!" Arion whispered. "And there's two of them!"
Two Shadow Hunters crept steadily toward their camp. Arion's eyes darted to Leora and Kalin, still sleeping. A cold chill swept through him—this wasn't the chill of the forest, but the raw chill of fear.
"I can't win this outright—not with no mana and the kids here!" Arion's mind raced.
He reached to quietly shake Leora awake, careful not to make a sound. His hand brushed her shoulder.
Crack!
A twig snapped beneath one of the Shadow Hunters. The beast turned instantly, its red eyes locking onto Arion.
"You filth!" Arion snarled, lunging forward to keep it away from the children.
The Shadow Hunter charged, disturbingly fast, jaws snapping for Arion.
[HP: 187 / 200]
Arion swung his sword to block, but the beast was agile—its fangs found his arm.
[30 Damage dealt to Arion!]
[HP: 157 / 200]
[Minor Bleed applied to Arion!]
Arion grunted in pain, his mind flashing to Body Memory.
[Body Memory activated on right arm!]
[Effect: Reduces future damage of the same type on this area.]
"At least that's something," Arion thought grimly. "But I need a way to deal with these things!"
While Arion battled the first Shadow Hunter, the second crept closer to the fire—toward Leora and Kalin.
"No!" Arion roared.
He tried to fire Medium Fire Spark at the first, then swung toward the second, desperate to push them back.
Fshoo! Fshoo!
[5 Damage dealt to Shadow Hunter 1!]
[HP: 395 / 400]
[5 Damage dealt to Shadow Hunter 2!]
[HP: 395 / 400]
Arion's mana was draining fast. He had no chance of using Flame Pit Trap.
Leora stirred at the sounds, her eyes flying open to see the huge black beast looming over her and Kalin.
"Brother!" she screamed, terror in her voice.
Kalin woke with a sob at her cry, staring wide-eyed at the monster.
"Stay away from them, you bastards!" Arion roared.
He threw himself between the children and the monsters, his sword flashing as he swung wildly, launching sparks whenever he could squeeze out a drop of mana.
[HP: 91 / 200] (-66 from repeated bites and bleeding)
His vision blurred as the blood loss took its toll. He saw the children trembling behind him.
"Don't be afraid, my little ones!" Arion shouted, deflecting another slash. "I'll protect you!"
He knew he couldn't win a straight fight against two beasts of this level—especially with no mana and his siblings here. A desperate idea flashed through his mind.
"Fire!" His eyes lit up. "Fire is their weakness. If I can't burn them directly... I'll burn the whole forest!"
It was reckless—but his only chance.
"Leora! Kalin! Listen to me!" Arion yelled as he fended off the monsters. "Run! As fast as you can! Straight ahead! Don't look back! I'm right behind you!"
"But... brother!" Leora cried.
"NOW!" Arion roared. "RUN!"
They had no choice. They fled into the night, eyes wide with tears and terror.
Once Arion was sure they were a bit ahead, he set his plan in motion. He gathered as many dry branches and leaves as he could, then with every last shred of mana, he unleashed Medium Fire Spark.
Fshoo! Fshoo! Fshoo!
He struck three points around him—sparks catching dry grass and dead trees.
Flames roared to life, crackling as they spread. The Shadow Hunters shrieked faintly—they hated fire.
"Burn in hell, you monsters!" Arion spat.
The fire spread fast, devouring the forest floor. Arion ran at full speed after the children, the blaze at his back.
[HP: 71 / 200] (-20 from light burns)
Nothing else mattered to Arion now but survival—getting to Leora and Kalin through this burning hell. He heard the Shadow Hunters' shrieks swallowed by the roar of the flames.
He ran, ignoring the pain and exhaustion, heart pounding, driven only by his fear for the children.
At last—after what felt like eternity—a faint glow appeared ahead. It wasn't dawn. It was a soft, distant light—coming from somewhere beyond the trees.
Arion pushed his body harder. Above, the stars emerged as the smoke parted, and the night sky grew clear.
Then, suddenly, the trees opened. Ahead of him stood Leora and Kalin at the forest's edge, crying, staring back into the darkness.
"Brother!" Leora screamed as they ran to him.
Arion caught them in a fierce embrace, gasping for breath. Relief washed over him—he'd done it.
When Arion lifted his eyes, he saw what glowed on the horizon: massive stone walls, rising high into the dark, glinting with faint light from within—guard towers standing tall and watchful.
"The city," Arion murmured, eyes shining with a fragile hope.
They'd made it. They were standing on the edge of a new city—a place that might be a sanctuary, or another nightmare. But in this moment, it was hope.
The walls loomed before them, a fortress promising safety after a nightmarish escape through burning woods. Arion forced himself forward, Leora and Kalin clinging to him. The lights from within the city looked like a beacon in the pitch-black night.
They drew closer and closer. Arion could see the stone detail now, the guard towers rising above. He was ready to shout—ready to pound on the gates for help—
But a wave of dizziness hit him like a hammer. His battered body, stretched beyond its limit, finally gave in. His steps faltered, he stumbled—then collapsed face-down on the dirt right before the gates, unconscious. His steel sword slipped from his hand with a dull thud.
"Brother!" Leora screamed in terror.
Kalin froze, his wide eyes filling with fear. "Arion?"
They were alone—Arion lay motionless, the shadows swallowing the last light of dusk around them. And the massive gate before them stood silent and unyielding—like it might not open at all.