Well… let's see what this place is like.
Even with curiosity building inside me, I decided to do what anyone would in a situation like this: check my own appearance. After taking a few steps, I noticed a nearby stream. A crystal-clear river cut through the landscape, so I thought it would be the perfect place to look at myself.
As I approached, I was struck by the clarity of the water. At the bottom, huge fish moved calmly, surrounded by a living, vibrant ecosystem that made the place truly beautiful.
I leaned slightly toward the surface.
The reflection returned my image.
Well… it has to be said: I'm not exactly attractive.
At least not in the way most people would imagine.
My hair was blue, somewhat messy, falling over my eyes. My skin had a pale tone, as if I'd spent far too long without seeing the sun.
As for my height, it seemed fairly average; I estimated around 1.80 meters. My clothes were simple, though different from what I would have expected in a place like this. I wore a dark fabric outfit: blue shorts and a shirt of the same color. My shoes were black, with golden laces that stood out slightly.
After fixing my hair and standing up—having knelt to wash my face and hands—several questions began forming in my mind.
Alright… I've checked the river. Now the real question is: where should I go?
I looked around more carefully. About fifty meters away stood a sign covered in symbols I couldn't recognize. In front of it, the road split into three different paths.
Depending on which one I chose, my destination could change.
Although, if I followed a bit of logic… the most likely scenario was that somewhere near that crossing, there would be a village.
And so I started walking, not really knowing if that supposed village even existed.
However, the path showed clear signs that someone had passed through recently. Deep wheel marks were pressed into the damp soil, probably from a cart.
Not only were they visible; they also looked fresh. The edges of the tracks were still sharply defined, with no signs of erosion from wind or water. The soil around them remained slightly loose, as if the weight had pressed it only moments ago. Even some blades of grass were bent in the direction of the trail.
Everything pointed to the same conclusion: someone had traveled this path only minutes ago.
Maybe I was wrong… but honestly, I didn't have many other options.
I didn't know where I was or exactly what I was supposed to do. So the most logical choice was to follow the same path that cart had taken. If someone had traveled this way, there had to be somewhere they were going.
With that in mind, I began running along the road. It didn't take long to find the source of the tracks.
In the distance, I could see a cart stopped along the path. Several people were gathered around it, surrounded by a small group of creatures. At first, I thought they were just wolves, though something about their size and posture seemed off.
Several individuals emerged from the cart, dressed in unusual clothing. Some carried swords and immediately attacked the animals without hesitation.
But, to be honest, what they were doing seemed like a mistake.
I observed the situation more closely. The predators surrounding them were only three. At first glance, that might seem like an advantage for the humans, but something didn't add up.
Wolves—or any predator with similar behavior—rarely attack alone or in such small groups. They are social animals that hunt in packs, coordinating their movements to corner prey. In nature, a group usually numbers more than ten individuals, sometimes many more.
That meant there were two possibilities.
The first: those three were scouts, sent to force their prey to react.
The second… that the rest of the pack was already surrounding the area, waiting for the right moment to strike.
If that hypothesis was correct, then those people were fighting the wrong enemy. The real danger probably hadn't appeared yet.
Even so, I didn't like acting without thinking first about the possible outcome.
I paused for a moment to observe my surroundings. Something felt off. The wind in that area moved irregularly, as if currents were constantly shifting between the trees. That kind of variation usually happens when hidden obstacles disturb airflow.
In an open forest, the breeze usually moves smoothly. But when a large object—or creature—is hidden among the trees, the air splits around it and creates small turbulences. These differences are nearly imperceptible, but if you pay attention, you notice them.
Then there was the smell.
Up until that moment, the air carried the clean scent of the forest: fresh grass, damp soil, nearby water. But when a stronger gust passed through the trees, the smell changed completely. Suddenly, a heavier, more unpleasant odor reached me, like a wild animal that hadn't cleaned itself in a long time.
That could only mean one thing: something else was hiding nearby.
I looked again at the wolves fighting the travelers. Their movements weren't normal either. They weren't trying to kill immediately; they attacked and then retreated, forcing the humans to expend energy.
It looked more like a tactic of attrition.
I even noticed something else: every time they struck, their eyes briefly flicked toward the nearby trees, as if waiting for a signal.
At that moment, I understood.
Those three were not the real threat. They were only a distraction.
I picked up a stone from the ground and weighed it for a moment in my hand. Then I threw it with all the force I could toward the tree where the wind moved strangely and from where the foul smell came.
The stone disappeared among the branches.
For a second, nothing happened.
And then… an explosion shook the place.
With my objective clear, I picked up several stones from the ground and began advancing calmly toward the fight. The distance wasn't too far, maybe about five hundred meters.
As I walked, I spun one of the rocks in the palm of my hand, calculating its weight and shape. At first glance, it might seem like an insignificant object, but in reality, a well-thrown stone can be far more dangerous than many imagine.
The key isn't just strength.
Speed matters too.
When a small object moves at high velocity, the energy it transfers upon impact increases considerably. If it's also thrown with the wind, air resistance drops, and the momentum carries further. In other words, the wind can act as an extra push, letting the projectile hit faster.
You don't need to be especially strong to pull it off.
The skull of many creatures—whether a wolf or any being with a skeletal structure—can withstand some blows, but it's not designed to take concentrated impacts at high speed. If a rock hits a vulnerable point, like the temple or back of the head, it can cause serious concussion, fractures, or even instant death.
It's simple, but effective.
A weapon may look more impressive, but even a common stone can end a fight in seconds.