Nation of Valdyrion .South region
The Osric Veynar fleeing, lungs burning, magic exhausted, his body relying only on instinct and raw endurance. Behind him, the Duke's hounds of war howled, their pursuit relentless.
But in his desperation, he realized his mistake—he had entered the Dark Forest.
A forbidden land. A place where monsters spawned endlessly, where even the strongest warriors met their end.
Panting, wounded, and groaning, he hesitated only for a moment. Return and face execution at the Duke's hands—or venture deeper and gamble on survival.
With a bitter laugh, he chose the forest.
Suddenly, from the shadows, a figure appeared.
It was Aldric Fenmor, one of Duke Kaelvor Draven's elites, smirking arrogantly.
Aldric Fenmor: "So you'd rather mingle with beasts than face us? Pathetic."
Osric Veynar: panting, defiant "One day… you'll find yourself in my place too."
Aldric Fenmor: laughs "Still don't get it? Loyalty is meaningless without strength. Unlike you, commoner, I'll continue to rise. You? You're nothing but a tool the Duke discarded."
Steel clashed. Despite his wounds, Osric fought back fiercely, shocking Aldric when he revealed he wasn't just a mage—but also a swordsman.
But even so, Aldric Fenmor's strength overwhelmed him. Knocked to his knees, coughing blood, the Osric was at the brink of death as Aldric pressed his glowing blade radiating magic energy against his throat.
Rustle.Rustle
From the trees emerged hulking orcs, drawn by the battle's noise.
For a moment, hope flickered. But Aldric cut them down effortlessly, sneering, his attention still fixed on the wounded Osric.
The forest itself seemed to turn against them.
A deafening hiss echoed through the valley.
From the abyssal cliffs ahead, a colossal serpent-like monster rose, its scales glistening in the moonlight. Its eyes burned with primal fury, and when its jaws opened, a torrent of poison flames spewed forth.
Aldric cursed, spinning to defend himself. Osric , half-conscious, crawled backward—only to find himself at the cliff's edge.
The monster's flames roared past, engulfing Aldric. His scream was brief—his body incinerated instantly.
Osric slipped, falling into the abyss.
Ugh..
He plunged into icy waters far below. Gasping, he surfaced in a vast underground valley, the serpent's shadow writhing above. Terrified, he staggered toward a narrow cave entrance, his body shaking from wounds and exhaustion.
The serpent struck again. Poison flames filled the cavern, scorching the walls as the Osric forced himself into the narrow tunnel. The fire seared his back, and he screamed as the heat pushed him deeper, until he tumbled into darkness.
He landed in a hidden cavern.
A glimmering underground paradise stretched before him—stalactites sparkling like stars, a crystal-clear pond glowing faintly with ethereal light.
His body, blackened and burned, finally collapsed at the pond's edge. His vision blurred.
This is it…
Darkness claimed him
When he awoke the next day, his wounds were gone.
Not a single scar remained.
The cave was silent.
Only the faint shimmer of the pond reflected in his wide, disbelieving eyes.