章 14: Cristalian wolves 2

Bright green eyes pierced through the dense fog, glowing ominously. The wolves had surrounded the camp, their silent, predatory advance concealed by the mist until now. Darius, his senses sharp despite the haze, felt the danger coming before it struck. A claw sliced through the air toward him. He dodged, countering with a swift slash, his sword severing the limb in one clean motion.

"I may not see clearly, but my instincts never fail me," he muttered, dashing deeper into the fog. The source of the mist was near, and he knew ending it would mean victory. These wolves were no ordinary pack; something stronger, something ancient, led them. He could feel it.

With that thought, he surged forward, confident his men could handle the rest. The Karta soldiers, elite warriors trained for combat, should have little trouble with mere wolves—so he thought.

Meanwhile, Garmond wasn't as confident. He had no illusions about his strength, but his instincts and skills were sharp. With only a small pocket knife in hand, he knew it was a poor weapon for what lay ahead, but it was all he had. He crouched low, scanning the fog for any sign of movement. Suddenly, a flash of claws sliced the air near his face. He barely dodged, the wind from the swipe rustling his hair.

"Stay sharp!" he shouted, rallying the terrified villagers around him. Their faces were pale, eyes wide with fear. They had been abandoned, left to fend for themselves.

"They wanted us dead from the start," a villager muttered, despair creeping into his voice.

Blonde, the young man with twin short blades, stood ready beside a large, burly figure. Garmond found comfort in their presence, knowing at least they had capable fighters among them. A massive wolf lunged from the fog, its yellow fangs glistening. Garmond met its charge head-on, his heart pounding. His first strike was weak, the blade barely penetrating its thick hide. The wolf's claws swiped at him, slicing through the air where his head had been moments before.

He countered, slashing the beast's wrist, drawing blood. His lungs burned as his stamina dwindled. Just when the wolf prepared to strike again, twin blades slashed across its hide, Blonde cutting the beast down before it could recover.

"You've got skill, Garmond. Could've been a fine hunter," Blonde remarked, admiration in his voice. But there was no time to bask in compliments.

Suddenly, the mist parted, revealing a towering figure emerging from the shadows. Garmond's breath caught in his throat. This was no ordinary wolf.

It was a monstrous hybrid, its massive frame standing taller than a mounted soldier. Deer-like antlers curled menacingly from its lupine skull, its thick, armored hide glistening in the dim light. The air around it seemed to shift, as if the mist itself obeyed its command.

"Am I the only one seeing this?" Blonde whispered, his voice filled with awe and dread.

Garmond's heart raced. He felt an inexplicable surge of fear and—something else. A voice echoed in his mind, soft and insistent. **"You can defeat it."**

Startled, he nearly dropped his knife. "Who are you?" he demanded, spinning around. There was no one near him.

**"With me, you can."** The voice rang in his head, and this time, Garmond felt a sudden, sharp pain as if something had pierced his skull. He collapsed, clutching his head in agony as memories flooded his mind—memories that were not his own. Faces, battles, strategies all flashed by in rapid succession, overwhelming him.

When the pain subsided, he gasped for air, his body trembling. Devine rushed to his side. "Garmond, are you alright?"

"Y-Yeah," he stammered, barely managing to stand. Something had changed. His eyes drifted to the knife in his hand, now humming with a faint energy. He could feel its power.

He straightened, the weight of new knowledge settling over him. Thousands of techniques flooded his mind, moves he had never practiced but now knew instinctively. The knife felt like an extension of his body.

"I've got this," Garmond muttered to himself, steeling his nerves. He knew he couldn't kill the creature, but he could stall it. Buy them time.

Without hesitation, Garmond darted forward, moving faster than he ever thought possible. The monstrous wolf barely had time to react before he leaped onto its back, using its thick fur to pull himself up. His knife gleamed as he slashed at its hide. The blade couldn't penetrate deeply, but it was enough to enrage the beast.

The creature howled in fury, thrashing wildly. Garmond clung to its back, narrowly avoiding the swipes of its claws. "Not so tough now, are you?" he taunted, earning another furious snarl.

The wolf bucked, trying to throw him off. Garmond swung forward, landing right on its snout. Its hot breath blasted against his face. Without hesitation, he drove the knife into its sensitive nose. The beast roared in agony, its eyes glowing brighter with rage. It swiped at its own snout in an attempt to dislodge him, but Garmond was quicker.

"Time to go!" he shouted, flipping off the creature just as it swung its massive claws toward him. As he fell, he hurled the knife with all his might. It spun through the air, embedding itself deep in the creature's eye.

The beast screamed, a sound that shook the earth itself. Garmond landed, breathless but triumphant. "That should buy us some time."

But the victory was short-lived. He glanced up just in time to see the creature's massive paw descending on him, casting a shadow that seemed to swallow him whole.

"Oh shit," Garmond muttered.