The forest stood still Aragorn narrowed his eyes slightly. A presence… moving through the bushes. Fast but not hostile.
He did not draw his weapon. Instead, he shifted his stance, alert but calm. His senses stretched outward, reading the intent behind the movement.
Then a figure burst out, "Aragorn!"
Jessy…..
Before he could react, she rushed forward and threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly. Her grip was firm, almost desperate.
"I'm so glad you're okay!" she said, her voice trembling,"I felt something was wrong… the air… it was heavy. I thought...."
She stopped mid sentence, her breath uneven. For a moment, Aragorn froze.
This… feeling...
Warmth….Concern….Someone genuinely worried for him. It was unfamiliar.
Strange....
His hands hesitated for a brief second before slowly rising… and then he returned the hug.
"I'm alright," he said softly
"Don't worry "
Jessy tightened her grip for a moment before pulling back slightly, still close, her face flushed but relieved.
"They won't take me down that easily," Aragorn added with a faint smile.
Jessy let out a small laugh, though her eyes still carried worry.
"You say that like it's nothing…"
They stood there for a second longer before finally stepping apart.
Jessy straightened herself, "We need to go back. I saved Kai ,he was running toward the village. He should have reached by now."
Aragorn nodded, "So you dealt with the one that slipped past me."
Jessy gave a small nod,"Yeah… though it wasn't easy."
"That means Kai is safe," Aragorn said calmly.
Just then a deep, heavy sound echoed through the forest.
DONG…!
The bell...
Aragorn looked slightly confused. "What is that?"
Jessy turned serious,
"That's the warning bell. Near the Wolfden borders, villages have towers like this. If something dangerous happens, they ring it. It alerts the kingdom."
Another ring followed.
DONG…!
"That means…" Jessy continued, "the situation is serious. The kingdom will send help."
Aragorn exhaled slowly, "Good, then the village has a chance."
But before the moment could settle the ground trembled.
A low rumble spread through the forest.
Aragorn's eyes sharpened instantly.
"…Jessy."
She followed his gaze. From between the trees.
Shapes emerged...
One… two… five…
Then more....
A group of ten to twelve buffalo beasts, each holding heavy axes, their massive bodies crushing branches underfoot as they moved forward. Jessy gripped her sword. Aragorn stepped slightly ahead of her.
"Get ready," he said calmly
"…We've got company "
The sun stood high in the sky.
Its light fell harshly over Grimfang Village, casting sharp shadows across the ground. The air felt dry, heavy, almost suffocating. Something was wrong. Everyone felt it.
Villagers gathered near the center, close to the bell tower. Their faces were tense. Conversations were low, filled with worry. The chief stood at the front, silent but firm. Kai was beside him.
His body still trembled. His mind… still replaying what he had seen.
Blood...
Death....
Power beyond understanding.
Suddenly, a voice rang out from above.
"Movement! I see movement in the forest!"
The guard at the bell tower shouted.
Kai's head snapped up.
Without wasting a second, he rushed toward the tower, climbing up quickly.
When he reached the top,
He froze...…
His breath caught in his throat.
From the forest…
A massive wave of creatures was approaching. Dust rose into the air.
Trees shook as something large moved through them. And then he saw them clearly.
Buffalo beasts....
Wolf monsters....
Serpents slithering between them…..
Dozens…..
At least fifty...
All moving together Kai's hands began to shake.
"This… this isn't normal…"
Then at the center…
Something else…..
A presence,
Still…..
Watching…..
Commanding...
Kai couldn't see it clearly. But he felt it.
A cold weight pressed against his chest.
"…They're… being led…"
His voice trembled. Fear consumed him.
Kai rushed back down, stumbling as he reached the ground.
"Grandfather!" he shouted, his voice filled with panic, "We're under attack!"
Everyone turned.
"There are… more than fifty monsters! Buffalo beasts, serpents, wolves,they're all coming together!"
Gasps spread through the crowd.
"We're doomed… we're all going to die!" Kai's voice broke.
The villagers began to panic.
Some cried...
Some froze…..
Some held onto their families tightly.
But the chief he stood firm.
Even though his eyes showed concern… his voice remained steady.
"Everyone, listen to me!"
The noise slowly quieted.
"We don't have time to panic," he continued, "We act now "
He turned sharply
"Gather everything valuable. Food, supplies only what you need to survive. Prepare the carts. Ready the horses."
The villagers hesitated for a second,
"We leave immediately," the chief said firmly.
"They will take time to reach us in this heat. We have… maybe thirty minutes."
That was enough. The village burst into action. People ran in all directions.
Some packed food...
Some brought water...
Others prepared wagons...
Children were gathered...
Elders were helped...
The entire village moved under pressure. Kai stood still for a moment, breathing heavily.
Then suddenly, "Aragorn…" he muttered
"And Jessy…"
He looked at the chief
"They're still in the forest."
A brief silence followed. Then Kai clenched his fists.
"…We leave them."
The words came out harsh
"They're strong. They can survive. But we… we can't. If we stay, we all die."
The villagers looked uncertain.
The chief closed his eyes for a moment.
Then opened them.
"…The bell has been rung," he said quietly, "Wolfden should be on their way."
He looked toward the forest
"…We can only hope they make it in time."
The preparations were complete.
Carts were loaded…..
Horses were ready....
Families gathered together...
The village stood at the edge, Ready to leave. The escape route lay ahead.
A narrow path leading toward the Wolfden checkpoint. The chief raised his hand,
"Move..."
But then they stopped.....
Someone gasped
At the front of the path, Figures stood.
Ten… maybe fifteen...
Wolf monsters….
Their eyes glowed faintly. Their bodies blocked the entire route. Silence fell over the villagers.
No one moved....
No one spoke...
The only sound was the distant rumble of the approaching horde.
And just like that hope… began to fade....