The forest seed to close in around them, its tall trees standing over them like giant sentinels with long shadows that capered in the fading light. Zephyx and Sylvia had been traveling deeper into the forest slowly, pursuing every creature they found.
The sound of leaves crunching underfoot and the occasional growl of a hidden creature broke the eerie silence.
/BOOM/
A deafening explosion echoed through the woods.
In front of him, three lizard-like monsters detonated in a crimson sar, their carcasses splattering the forest floor. Sylvia had employed her Blood Bloom skill with lethal accuracy.
She faced Zephyx, her gray eyes shining with enthusiasm, and ran over like a child boasting a prized accomplishnt. "Zephyx, did you see that? This ti I blasted all three monsters!"
Zephyx nodded, genuinely impressed. "Nice, you're improving," he said, his tone calm but approving.
Despite his words, Sylvia pouted, her gaze still fixed on him with an expectant look that he knew all too well by now.
He sighed, relenting to her silent plea. Stepping closer, he raised a hand and patted her head. She imdiately leaned into his touch, her face lighting up with bliss.
Throughout the trip from Ravenmoon to Tywnpier, she had made it a routine to ask for head pats as a reward every ti she had gotten better. Zephyx hadn't quite gotten why she would ask for sothing so plain at first, but it was much simpler to give pats to her than it would be to vow costly weapons or armor.
Once they had paused for a bit, they went back to hunting. Sylvia worked on beasts tier-1 through tier-2, taking them down quickly with her improving skillset. Zephyx managed the higher-level creatures so she wouldn't push herself too hard.
An hour later, they stood in front of a dark cave. An eerie atmosphere emanated from its entrance, making the air around them cold.
Zephyx halted, gazing into the cave's darkness. Sothing was hazardous in there—he could sense it.
Just as he took a step forward, the system's voice rang in his head, and a glowing panel materialized before him.
[Ding!]
[Quest Generated
Objective: Eliminate the Tier-5 beast residing in the cave—the one that killed Zephyx's mother.
Reward: ???]
Zephyx gazed at the ssage, his heart racing in his chest. A flood of emotions washed over him, taking over his logical mind.
Anger. Unadulterated, raging anger.
The emotions of Zephyx that he had suppressed until now crawled back to the forefront, searing him from within. His fists were tightly clenched, and his breathing beca labored as the flas of revenge engulfed him.
"Zephyx...?" Sylvia's soft voice broke through the haze. She looked at him, concern etched across her face.
He didn't respond imdiately, his eyes still fixed on the dark entrance of the cave. Finally, he spoke, his voice low and cold.
"Sylvia, stay out of this. This is my fight."
She hesitated but nodded, sensing the gravity of the mont.
-------
Inside the dark cave, the atmosphere was peaceful for the mont. A large, majestic wolf, covered in silvery fur with streaks of black, watched her cubs play near her paws. They tumbled and nipped at each other with youthful energy, their small growls and barks filling the cavern.
In the corner of the cave, her mate reclined indolently, his head on his paws. His eyes indolently followed the frolicking cubs, but his lack of interest in anything outside the comfort of the cave was evident. The mother wolf smiled to herself. He was no match for her power—she was the real guardian of their little family.
After a mont, the mother wolf stretched, shook her massive fra, and padded toward the cave entrance. It was ti to hunt.
Outside the cave, the woods were teeming with life and noise. She stalked the thick trees, her keen senses heightened to catch the slightest disturbance. She found a few animals on her travels—none proved a match for her power. Each of them fell quickly at her claws and teeth, and she brought enough at back with her to feed her family
A half hour had elapsed before she at last returned to the cave with her spoils. But when she ca close, her nose flared
Blood
The tallic odor struck her like a wave, intensifying with each step she took. Her senses scread warning that sothing was amiss. Abandoning the carcasses she had carried, she took off in a run.
When she reached the cave's entrance, the overwhelming stench of blood made her hesitate for a brief mont. Fear clawed at her heart, but she forced herself to step inside.
The vision that t her paralyzed her.
Her cubs. Her mate.
Dead.
The cave was a bloody shambles. One of her cubs was skinned, its small body exposed and horrific. Another was charred beyond recognition, its body little more than a blackened husk. Her mate was in a puddle of his own blood, his eyes ripped out and his head hacked from his body.
A wave of seething rage erupted within her. She threw her head back and released a mournful, furious howl that shook the cavern walls.
/HOOOOOOWLLL/
Her plaintive wail was cut short by a cold, gurgling laugh that shook the cave.
"hehehehehe...."
The wolf's howl hung suspended, her ears perked in the direction of the entrance. Her shimring golden eyes clung to the form of a boy standing at the entrance. His white hair glowed in the bad light, and his blue eyes sparkled with a hard, unnatural amusent.
How does it feel," he asked, speaking in malice-laced voice, "when your family gets brutally murdered? Although not before you"
Since she was a Tier-5 monster, she was sufficiently intelligent to perceive his statent. The ssage doused itself deeper into her belly, fueling her anger even more.
She sprang into action imdiately, a flash of silver fur as she launched herself at him with lightning speed. Zephyx attempted to get out of the way, but she was too quick. Her jaws snapped shut around his left arm, ripping it off completely.
Blood splattered the walls of the cave as Zephyx fell back. But to her shock, his lips drew into a smile as his amputated arm reassembled itself, flesh and bone reforming themselves in a matter of monts.
"hehehehe," he laughed again, his voice eerily calm despite the attack. "This is going to be fun."
Reviews
All reviews (0)