Reason and Markus analyzed a trail that led to dense bushes further ahead.
“Wolf tracks.” Said Markus.
“Yeah, looks like they’ve dragged things through here.”
“Well then, everybody be ready to encounter some wolves, cause we’re going in.”
With that Markus pulled out his longsword and crept forward, Reason followed suit with William and Mary sticking close behind the two. The party moved forward slowly, scanning through the canopy looking for any movement. Reason’s eyes were glued to the woods, acutely aware of his party members around him moving in pace with Markus.
As the minutes passed nothing out of the ordinary seemed to be in the trees, the trail at this point started to become faint. It seemed that they weren’t anywhere near the wolf’s hideout. After half an hour of searching the group reached another small clearing.
It would be a lot easier if one of us new how to track and hunt. Reason thought, still scanning the woods and began to feel silly for how on edge he was being. Turning his head from one direction to the other Reason suddenly found himself falling flat on his face.
“Gah?!”
Markus turned around in alarm looking at Reason. “What happened? Are you alright?” Mary and Willy looked stared at Reason in concern.
“Yeah, I’m fine, I just tripped.” Reason replied sitting up and brushing off the dirt on him before turning around to see what tripped him.
His eyes locked onto some protruding rock stuck in the ground.
“Guess you forgot to look where you were going.” Billy mused.
“Y-yeah.” Reason turned a slight shade of red, embarrassed that he had ruined all the tension. Mary seemingly reading his mind said, “Don’t worry, it’s not like you’ve ruined the element of surprise, it seems like there isn’t anything in this area.”
“Oh, uh yeah, I need to look where I’m going, what even tripped me?” Looking at the object that was stuck in the ground. Upon examining it further Reason realized that it wasn’t a random rock. The shape was peculiar, the texture seemed off, looking at it more, it wasn’t a rock or a stick. It did look familiar though he couldn’t quite say why.
“Is… is that a bone?” Markus suddenly spoke. Upon that the entire party had their attention on the object in the ground. Reason began to dig it out a bit, unearthing a bit more of the object it very clearly was a bone, a human bone. They stared at in silence for a couple minutes. It seemed that the reality of adventuring suddenly hit them all at once.
“Well… looks like wolves are here.” Billy finally said.
“I thought the villagers said they haven’t killed anybody.” Reason asked.
“It’s most likely the hunter. They said he disappeared.” Mary replied.
“Well, now we know what happened to him.” Billy whispered.
While the three discussed Markus began to quickly patrol around the perimeter, quickly scanning the trees for anything. The forest was still extremely quiet, no sound was heard except for the faint sound of a breeze brushing through the leaves.
Halfway through the perimeter patrol his foot bumped into something, upon impact a small metallic clack was emitted from the foreign object. Confused he looked down, noticing an object laying on the ground.
Kneeling to examine it further he realized that he had just stumbled upon a crossbow, a heavy crossbow. While the heavy crossbow was dirtied and scuffed due to the outside elements, it was still fully intact and seemed to be relatively new. All the parts seemed to have been well taken care of, with not enough weather damage to indicate that this weapon has been out here for more then a few days.
So, this guy really was the adventurer that came here before us. Markus thought, suddenly he understood why Reason was nervous about this quest. Markus quickly shook his head of any thoughts of fear.
He couldn’t be thinking like that, not when he has three party members with him, not when he was the party leader. He had to focus, he had to keep his head clear, if he wants to become a famous adventurer, he needs to complete this mission and to do so means that he can’t be showing fear. He nodded once to assure himself, coming up with the next step for the party, he stood up and turned to face the three still fixated by the discovered remains. But before he could say anything he noticed something.
At first, he thought his eyes were just playing tricks on him, that the gentle breeze was just causing the bushes to move. But then a pair of round amber eyes suddenly appeared from within the bushes. The eyes glared intently on the trio, whom all were still busy trying to piece together the next course of action. Before Markus could open his mouth to alert them, from the bushes leapt a massive brown and green furred creature with gleaming yellow eyes, fangs bared.
Reason, who was facing directly in front of Billy was the first to notice, eyes wide in shock and fear as a massive creature leapt through the air. It’s shadow looming over Billy, standing up as quickly as he could, Reason tried to warn Billy on the oncoming mass. Mary noticing the massive creature in her peripheral began to instinctively leap backwards, stumbling and falling onto the ground.
Billy noticed the fear on Reason’s face turned around just in time to notice a massive twelve foot long, snarling brown and green haired wolf launching itself onto him. He could only stare into the amber eyes that shined with fury before the unnaturally large creature engulfed him.
“GAH-” Billy’s scream was cut short as the wolf slammed him into the floor. The wind being knocked out of him. Stunned and unable to react as the wolf’s fangs bored onto his neck, with a sickening crunch the wolf clamped down.
All three could only stare in horror as the wolf raised its head back up and stared down the three. Growling as the blood dripped from the now stained jaw it bared its fangs and focused in on Reason.
There it stood, over twelve feet long and over 6 feet tall, it’s four canines unnaturally elongated. The wolf’s fur was unnatural in colour, a strange mix of dirt brown and a dull green. What’s more it seemed that parts of the wolf’s body began to blend in with the environment in an unnatural way. It looked as if the colours on the fur were shifting and changing to match its surrounding whenever the mutant wolf moved. Its amber eyes stared straight into Reason’s, it bared its fangs and began to growl and approach.
For a moment Reason’s body was washed with fear, his body telling him to turn and run, he almost did. But then his head told that if he did, he would only end up like Billy... Billy wasn’t moving. No focus. Reason couldn’t let his mind drift, not now, not when a wolf several times his size was looking to kill him and the rest of his party. He took a quick breath to steady himself and raised his blade towards the wolf.
They stared each other down for what felt like eons, though Reason new it was probably just a few seconds. Suddenly a small chant could be heard from the side.
“Drip through wood, seep through steel, burn through stone.”
A globe of sizzling green liquid flew through the air and slammed into the left side of the mutant wolf. The mutant wolf for its part managed to turn its head the other direction in time, allowing its shoulder and mane to absorb the brunt of the impact. Upon impact the perfect sphere of liquid splattered across its side and in reaction it howled in pain.
It began press it’s left side onto the ground, rolling around, desperately trying to get rid of acid that was now melting flesh and seeping through its fur. It’s eyes now focused on the caster; renewed hatred ignited within its eyes.
Mary, right hand raised and book in her left, stared at the mutant wolf, trying to keep her breathing steady. Head snapping towards Reason, “What are you waiting for? Get it!” she screamed.
With that Reason moved forward, swinging his sword down at the prone mutant wolf. Reacting just in time the mutant wolf pushed itself backwards, Reason’s blade only making a shallow cut across its muzzle.
The mutant wolf’s right shoulder now partially corroded, had ruined matted fur and a sickening red and purple colour to the flesh, yet it didn’t seem to back down at all. Tt reared back before rushing back in at alarming speeds, dodging a second strike, and aiming to clamp its jaw through Reason’s shoulder.
It proved too fast for Reason to avoid, but before the strike could land another sword embedded into the already wounded the shoulder of the mutant wolf. The blades tip sinking in, the mutant wolf once again leapt backwards howling in pain, retreating a few steps to look at the new foe.
Markus having finally made it over to the fight was now standing besides Reason, his sword’s tip now having recently pierced the mutant wolf. Markus and Reason exchanged a glanced, nodding to one another. With the two of them together staring down the mutant wolf and Mary to support them from the side, their confidence now soared.
Alright, alright, we can do this, we this wolf is nothing with the three of us. Reason assured himself, trying his best to ignore the body of Billy. Mary circled behind Reason and Markus, getting her distance from the mutant wolf.
The mutant wolf stared them all down growling as it did so. Haunching its shoulders it charged towards them once more fangs bared at Markus this time. Markus brought his blade up to cut the creature down, but faster then he expected, the mutant wolf turned its slightly to the side and intercepted the blade.
Firmly clasping its jaws around the blade, it began to yank and pull, the mutants massive strength causing Markus to be yanked of his feet. Having his right side slammed into the ground, pain shot through his entire side, knocking the wind out of him. Yet Markus refused to release his death grip on the hilt, in retaliation the mutant wolf attempted to drag him around the floor. But before it could move more then a step Reason attempted to strike its side. Forcing it to release the blade and leap away, Reason’s blade unable to reach the mutant wolfs flesh through the thick fur.
Reason then began to press his advance, quick thrusts, and small swings to keep the giant creature back. While none of the strikes landed, they were forcing the mutant wolf to retreat, allowing time for Markus to regain his bearings.
With the mutant wolf’s attention now completely focused on Reason, Mary saw her opportunity, and began to chant her spell once more, “Drip through wood, seep through steel, burn through stone.” Raising her right hand towards the mutant wolf, a ball of green tinted liquid began to form in front of her hand.
Then, right before she was going to release it, she heard rustling from behind. Quickly turning her head, she saw that from the thicket on the opposite side popped out four normal gray pelted wolves, charging towards her. In a panic she turned to face them and blindly fired out her spell.
The ball of acid launching towards the wolves and miraculously slammed into the one leading the charge as it leapt into the air. Slamming right into its chest, the wolf was sent hurtling back as the acid melted through it, the sound of sizzling could be heard.
But before Mary was able to do anything else the other three wolves pounced.
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