Both Lupus and Gary trailed behind Kai as he confidently marched forward. Out of the three of them, Kai seed to rember Caram’s instructions the best, or at least he gave the impression he did. For that reason alone, they trusted him to lead. Yet as they pressed deeper into unfamiliar terrain, cracks in that confidence began to show.
The further they traveled, the more they realized the directions they had been given might not have been as clear as they had first thought.
For example, Caram had ntioned that when they entered the forest, they would eventually co across a tree bent at a sharp right angle. They were to follow the direction of that bent tree until they reached a swamp. That sounded simple enough when explained inside a quiet village, but in practice it was another story entirely.
Because here in the forest, there weren’t just one or two oddly bent trees. There were dozens. So had been struck by storms, others had toppled and grown sideways, and still more had snapped and rested against one another. To Kai’s eyes, they all seed like they could have been the one Caram described. And so, they tried one path, following one tree. Then they turned back when it led nowhere. They tried again with another, then another. More than once they found themselves circling the sa area without realizing it until Lupus pointed out a claw mark he had left on a trunk the last ti they passed through.
“Great instructions,” Kai muttered under his breath, clearly annoyed. “What’s next, follow the sound of the wind? Maybe count how many squirrels are on the branches?”
Gary didn’t laugh. His mind was too busy working through another problem: beasts.
The deeper they went into the forest, the stronger the scents beca. The sll of damp earth, musk, and blood mixed together in a way Gary recognized all too well. They weren’t alone. And soon enough, the proof arrived.
From the shadows of the trees, shapes erged, wolf-like beasts larger than any normal wolf they had ever encountered. Their jaws were thick with fangs, their bodies rippling with muscle, and their fingers ended in sharp claws that looked almost human.
A pack.
They closed in from all sides, growls echoing through the forest. The circle tightened until there was nowhere left to run.
“Hey, hey, co on now. You don’t have to attack us!” Gary raised his hands, trying to sound as friendly as possible. “We’re like family, right? Look!”
In an attempt to prove his point, Gary let his body shift. His muscles swelled, fur rippling across his skin as his form changed into that of a Werewolf. He had hoped the sight would make the pack recognize them as kin or at least hesitate.
Instead, it only made things worse.
The mont they saw his transformation, the pack snarled even louder, lunging at them with ferocity. It seed Gary’s display had only provoked them further.
“Nice going,” Kai muttered, already drawing on his own strength.
The three fought back without hesitation. Compared to the strange bull-like creature they had faced before, these beasts were weaker. Dangerous, yes, but manageable. Together they tore through the pack of eleven, claws and fangs ripping through hide, until at last the forest fell silent again.
Hardley breaking a sweat, Lupus crouched beside one of the fallen beasts. Without hesitation, he sank his teeth into the flesh, tearing into the muscle. The grueso sight made Gary grimace.
“Seriously? You’re just going to eat it here?” Gary asked.
Lupus ignored him for a mont, crunching through bone until he pulled free the beast’s crystal. He popped it into his mouth, chewing before swallowing with a satisfied grunt.
“You know,” Gary said carefully, “if you’re trying to get stronger, maybe eating the crystal is enough. You don’t need to devour the whole body like so kind of, ”
“I tested it,” Lupus interrupted, licking blood from his claws. “The crystals don’t do anything for us. Not a single ounce of strength regained. It’s useless. But the flesh, at least, fills the hunger. That much works.”
Gary sighed, shaking his head. He had suspected as much.
Kai crouched, picking up another crystal. “Then we shouldn’t just leave these behind. Even if they don’t help us, they might help the others later. Maybe they don’t strengthen Lupus because he’s already too strong, or maybe it’s because we’re being suppressed here. Either way, we’ll keep them. Worst case, they’re worthless. Best case, they’re valuable.”
He slipped the crystals into the empty sack they had once used for food. The rough sack bulged slightly.
With that decided, they continued forward. The day wore on as they followed one false lead after another, turning down the wrong path, circling back, and fighting more beasts that crossed their way. With each fight ca more crystals, and though it felt like progress, it was slow and exhausting.
By the ti night began to fall, frustration weighed on them heavily. The forest stretched endlessly around them, and the landmarks Caram had described seed less and less reliable.
At last, Gary lifted his head and sniffed the air. His nose twitched, and his eyes narrowed.
“Do you sll that?” he asked.
Both Kai and Lupus paused, sniffing as well. It wasn’t the musk of beasts or the rot of the swamp. It was smoke, firewood, and faint traces of cooked food. The scent of people.
“Civilization,” Kai said with relief. “I don’t think were anywhere near the Redwing Kingdom but maybe we can ask for so new directions.”
Following the trail, they pushed through the last of the trees until the forest broke apart. Ahead, in the distance, small lights flickered like stars on the ground, fires, torches, lanterns.
As they drew closer, the outline of a town ca into view. It wasn’t large enough to be called a kingdom, but it was far bigger than Caram’s village. Rows of houses stood close together, streets lined with people moving about their evening routines. The air buzzed with life, with the sound of chatter and footsteps.
Gary estimated there were at least a thousand people here. Maybe more. It was bustling, alive, and dangerous in its own way.
What caught their eyes most were the ard individuals. Dozens of them walked openly with swords, spears, and bows. Many of them entered and exited one building in particular, a place larger than the rest, its windows glowing with warm light.
Unaware of the significance, the three of them stood staring at it. They didn’t yet realize that they were looking at a guild house.
“Looks like that place might be where we should go” Kai said, adjusting the sack of crystals on his shoulder. “Let’s go in, ask around, and see how close we are to this Redwing Kingdom. If anyone knows, it’ll be the ones carrying weapons. What Caram called Adventurers, probably.”
*****
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