The three wolves circled him slowly.
Leaves crunched beneath their paws as they moved through the clearing, their glowing red eyes fixed on Kael like hunters sizing up their prey. Their bodies were larger than normal wolves—thicker shoulders, longer limbs, and claws that dug deep into the soil with every step.
Kael stood calmly in the center.
His hand rested on the hilt of his sword, but he didn't draw it yet.
"So… you're the ones attacking travelers," he said quietly.
The wolf on his left lowered its body and growled. The sound rolled through the forest like distant thunder.
Kael studied them carefully.
*Three enemies. Coordinated movement. Not normal animals.*
His grip tightened slightly.
*But still manageable.*
The wolf on the right suddenly lunged.
It moved fast—faster than any normal wolf Kael had ever seen.
But Kael had already stepped aside before its claws reached him.
The beast's attack tore through empty air.
At the same moment, Kael drew his sword.
Steel flashed in the sunlight.
Slash!
The blade cut across the wolf's flank, opening a deep line of red fur and blood. The creature yelped and rolled across the ground.
But the other two wolves attacked instantly.
One jumped toward his back.
The other rushed directly for his throat.
Kael pivoted smoothly.
His sword moved like an extension of his arm.
Clang!
The blade struck the attacking wolf's claws, knocking the creature slightly off balance.
Kael followed with a sharp kick.
His boot slammed into the wolf's jaw with a dull thud.
The beast flew backward and crashed into a tree trunk.
Kael landed lightly and adjusted his stance.
"Come on," he said calmly.
"You can do better than that."
The wounded wolf slowly stood again. Blood dripped from its side, staining the leaves beneath it.
The three monsters circled him again.
But now they were cautious.
Their earlier confidence had vanished.
Kael rolled his shoulder slightly.
"Good," he murmured.
"That means you're learning."
The wolves attacked again.
This time they came together.
Two rushed from the front while the injured wolf attempted to flank him from behind.
Kael stepped forward.
Instead of retreating.
His sword swung in a sharp arc.
Slash!
The blade cut cleanly across the neck of the first wolf.
The creature collapsed instantly.
Before the body even touched the ground, Kael turned.
The second wolf lunged with its jaws wide open.
Kael ducked under the attack.
His sword thrust upward.
The blade pierced straight through the wolf's chest.
The monster let out a choking howl before collapsing beside its companion.
Only one wolf remained.
The injured one.
It stared at the bodies of the others.
Its glowing red eyes flickered with something close to hesitation.
Kael slowly pulled his sword free.
Blood dripped from the blade.
"You can run," he said calmly.
The wolf growled.
Instead of retreating, it charged.
Kael sighed softly.
"I gave you a chance."
The wolf leapt.
Kael stepped aside.
His sword flashed one final time.
Slash.
The wolf's body hit the ground and lay still.
Silence returned to the forest.
Kael stood there for a moment, listening to the wind rustling through the trees.
Then he exhaled.
"That was easier than expected."
He wiped the blood from his sword with a cloth and sheathed it.
The three wolves lay motionless around him.
Kael crouched beside one of the bodies and examined it carefully.
"These definitely aren't normal wolves."
Their muscles were denser, their claws sharper.
Their fur had a darker tone than natural wolves.
"Monster wolves maybe…"
He scratched his head.
"Lyria might know what these are."
He stood up again.
Technically, the quest was complete.
The wolves that had been attacking travelers were gone.
But something bothered him.
Kael looked deeper into the forest.
The tracks he had seen earlier came back to mind.
"They looked bigger."
He walked to the edge of the clearing and looked at the ground again.
There.
More tracks.
Larger than the others.
Kael crouched down.
"These… are different."
The footprints were deeper.
Much deeper.
Something heavy had walked here.
Kael followed the tracks slowly.
"If there's a bigger one," he murmured, "that would explain the behavior."
The forest grew quieter as he moved forward.
The trees were thicker here, blocking most of the sunlight. The air felt colder.
Even the birds were gone.
Kael's instincts sharpened.
Something was nearby.
Then he heard it.
A low growl.
Deep.
Powerful.
Kael slowly stood up.
"Well," he said quietly.
"That answers that."
The bushes ahead shook violently.
Branches snapped.
Then something stepped out.
Kael's eyes widened slightly.
The creature was enormous.
At least twice the size of the wolves he had just fought.
Its body was thick with muscle, its dark gray fur scarred from old battles. Long claws scraped against the ground as it moved forward.
Its red eyes glowed brighter than the others.
An alpha wolf.
The creature stared at Kael.
Then it let out a deafening roar.
The sound echoed through the forest.
Kael slowly drew his sword again.
"…Now this looks like a real fight."
The alpha wolf didn't hesitate.
It charged.
The ground shook under its weight.
Kael dashed to the side just as the beast slammed into the spot where he had been standing.
The impact cracked the earth.
"Fast," Kael muttered.
The wolf spun immediately and attacked again.
Its claws slashed through the air like blades.
Kael raised his sword.
Clang!
The force of the strike sent vibrations up his arm.
Kael slid back several steps across the ground.
"Strong too."
The wolf lunged again.
This time Kael countered.
He stepped forward instead of retreating.
His sword struck the wolf's shoulder.
Slash!
But the blade barely cut through the thick fur.
Kael frowned.
"Your hide is tougher than the others."
The wolf snapped its jaws inches from his face.
Kael jumped back.
The beast's teeth slammed shut with a loud crack.
"Alright," Kael said quietly.
"If that's how it is…"
He tightened his grip on the sword.
His stance lowered.
The wolf circled him slowly now.
More cautious.
It had realized that Kael wasn't easy prey.
Kael watched its movements carefully.
Every step.
Every twitch of its muscles.
*Wait for the opening.*
The wolf lunged again.
But this time Kael was ready.
He sidestepped at the last second and spun behind the creature.
His sword flashed.
Slash!
The blade cut deep across the wolf's back.
The monster howled in pain and whipped around wildly.
Its tail smashed into Kael's side, throwing him several meters back.
Kael rolled across the ground and quickly stood again.
"Okay," he muttered.
"That hurt."
The wolf charged again, enraged.
Kael didn't retreat this time.
He ran toward it.
At the last second he jumped.
The wolf's jaws snapped shut beneath him.
Kael landed on its back.
He drove his sword down with all his strength.
The blade plunged into the creature's shoulder.
The wolf roared violently, shaking its body.
Kael held on.
"Stay still!"
The wolf slammed itself into a tree.
The impact threw Kael off.
He hit the ground hard but rolled back to his feet.
The wolf staggered.
Blood poured from the wound in its shoulder.
But it was still standing.
Still fighting.
Kael smiled slightly.
"You're tough."
The wolf growled weakly and charged one final time.
Kael took a deep breath.
Then he moved.
His sword struck in one clean motion.
Slash.
The blade cut across the wolf's throat.
The massive beast stumbled.
Then collapsed.
The forest fell silent again.
Kael stood there breathing slowly.
After a few seconds, he sheathed his sword.
"…That one was worth the effort."
He looked down at the massive body of the alpha wolf.
"This should definitely complete the quest."
Kael stretched his sore shoulders.
"Lyria is going to panic when she hears about this."
He chuckled quietly.
Then he turned and began the long walk back toward the village, leaving the silent forest behind him.