The silence shattered like glass. From the twisted shadows of the trees, the shadowfangs burst forth—sleek, savage monsters with eyes burning like coals in the dying light. Their snarls split the cold air, sharp and hungry, sending a ripple of terror through the guard's ranks.
Kael's breath hitched. His heart hammered against his ribs like a trapped bird. He clenched his fists tightly, leaving only the faint pulse of cyan light trembling in his palm, a fragile spark struggling to hold against the creeping fear.
They are uglier than I thought.
"Get ready, men," Kael shouted.
The shadowfangs were as large as bears, but far deadlier. Their sleek, jet-black forms melted into the shadows, moving with eerie silence. Razor-sharp claws glinted faintly in the dying light, promising swift and brutal death.
But they were easier to kill than bears, not as resilient, or so, as Lucas had told him.
Guess we'll see.
Just as the first shadowfang lunged, a sharp whoosh cut through the air. An arrow slammed into its leg with a sickening thunk, and the monster crumpled like a ragdoll, stirring a cloud of dust from the ground. A wet, guttural growl escaped its throat, filled with rage and pain. It was still alive and deadly, just a little less mobile.
After the first fell, four more surged from the shadows behind the trees, muscles rippling beneath their sleek, jet-black fur. Two were smaller than the rest, but that offered little comfort.
Their eyes burned with cold fury, and their low snarls echoed through the forest like distant thunder.
Five of them, one is injured and four look brand new, fuck. Gotta think this through. I can cast four, maybe even five spells before I'm out. So we need to take four of them before that. This is a pain...
"Rio, target the injured one, try to take it out." He screamed at the archer.
If he manages to take that one out of the equation, it could be easier. If we pin two on the spears as we did with the wolves, that would be guaranteed kills. If the spearmen can hold their ground long enough, we might just make it through this.
The shadowfangs were only a few meters away now, closing in fast.
"Brace," he yelled, his hand moving towards the monsters.
Focusing his mana, Kael reached out to the thin water vapor hanging in the frigid air, pulling it silently toward the charging shadowfangs.
This is going to be hard.
He focused on their legs, how they ran, barely touching the ground. Anticipating each step, he conjured thin layers of ice on the spots where their paws would land next.
Two shadowfangs' paws hit the ice and slipped, sliding uncontrollably toward the spearmen with a sharp scrape of claws. The other two twisted swiftly to the sides, barely breaking their stride, and charged straight at Kael's group without hesitation.
The cold bit deep into Kael's skin, and he could taste the icy chill mixed with the metallic tang of blood thickening the air.
Shit
The ones that slipped were impaled by the spears, their snarls echoing as they thrashed helplessly. The two that dodged spun in fluid motion, closing the distance fast, just moments from striking.
Kael's mind raced, seconds stretching into agonizing beats as adrenaline hammered through his veins. He needed a plan, and fast.
If I can create a defensive barrier on the guard facing them ... it won't work, I don't have enough mana to make a barrier that will help. FUCK.
His palm flared once more. A sharp spike formed above the earth, thrusting upward like a braced spear. Positioned just right, they aimed to pierce the charging beasts, turning their own momentum against them.
The spike slammed through the first creature's skull, shattering with a crack that echoed through the forest. The creature collapsed instantly, lifeless.
The last shadowfang swiped its claws in a brutal arc toward the guard's neck. The spearman, bracing his spear, was too slow to dodge or escape—the claws found their mark. The thin layer of snow beneath was stained crimson.
Before it could retaliate, an arrow flew true, piercing the shadowfang's eye, followed by a wet gurgle before it crumpled.
"Kill them!" Kael shouted, yanking the sword free from his hip.
He charged at the fallen beasts, still thrashing and snapping.
"Pin its claws!" he barked, two spears drove into the creature's hands with a wet crunch of bone, pinning it down.
Kael closed the distance and swung the blade at its neck, but the angle was off—only a shallow scratch. His fury didn't falter; he struck again and again, relentlessly.
An arrow whistled through the air, hitting the first creature struggling on the ground, with five arrows riddling it. It gasped its last breath.
The final shadowfang lay pierced from dozens of spear tips, twitching weakly before stillness claimed it.
...
The battle ended, and Kael was sitting down, his back against a tree. His sword rested on his blood-slicked lap, its cold steel dulled by the crimson streaks smeared along the blade.
Kael's chest rose and fell in ragged gasps, muscles trembling beneath the weight of adrenaline and fatigue.
The metallic scent of blood hung heavy in the air, mixing with the sharp bite of cold winter.
His eyes fixed on the fallen guard, blood pooling beneath him, the jagged claw marks across his throat stark and cruel.
There was no reason for him to die. I killed him. All because I'm too stubborn. If u could have passed the first segment of the stupid Oath... I could have saved him. Maybe...
The guard who lost his life was one of the volunteers, a young boy, maybe a year younger than him.
The snow kept falling, silently drifting down to paint the world in white and crimson.
The guards rotated through their shifts, alternating between vigilant watchfulness and brief, tense respites. Grim lines etched their faces, shadows of exhaustion and silent dread lingering in their eyes.
The sounds of battle from the right flank had fallen eerily silent. Either they'd won, or they'd all been wiped out. Knowing Lucas, if he was even half as competent as he seemed, Kael dared to hope they were still alive.
But how many of them lost their lives?
That was a thought he didn't want to entertain. He still had work to do. Dwelling on dark possibilities had never helped him before.
He clenched the sword's hilt tighter, forcing himself back to the moment.
Some truths, he knew, were harder to face than any shadow fangs.
No, I'm not ready for that, not yet.
He continued staring at the body, his eyes never leaving its sight.
They stayed in the spot for the next six hours or so, the cold seeping into their bones as they kept watch. Finally, a horseman came riding through the thinning trees, signaling that the operation was finished.
They had managed to gather enough wood to begin the repairs the village desperately needed.
As they started to relax, a sudden rustle broke the fragile calm, and a lone shadowfang emerged from the underbrush, sleek and snarling. But this time, it was only one.
The guards sprang into action, and the fight was brief, brutal, and efficient. The shadowfang fell swiftly, its snarls fading into the cold air.
Kael stood slowly, his legs stiff and aching from hours of tension. The forest was eerily quiet again, the only sound the soft whisper of snow settling on broken branches and blood-stained earth. His breath rose in thin clouds, mingling with the cold air that tasted faintly of iron.
Around him, the guards moved quietly, faces pale and drawn, the weight of survival etched deep into their features. The young volunteer who had fallen lay still now, a stark reminder of the cost they all bore. Kael swallowed hard, pushing down the gnawing guilt that threatened to overwhelm him.
Kael's chest tightened as he watched the procession draw near. The weight of failure and grief settled heavily on his shoulders, the sting of loss sharper than any wound. Around him, the remaining guards moved with exhausted solemnity, faces pale and etched with weariness.
The cold air hung heavy around them as they worked in silence. The fallen guard's body was carefully lifted and laid across the saddle of a horse, the weight of loss settling deep in Kael's chest.
"Let's get back," he finally said, voice rough but steady. "We need to prepare for whatever comes next."
As they made their way back to the village, the flickering torchlight painted long shadows that danced like ghosts. The icy wind carried distant howls, a chilling reminder that the shadowfangs were never truly gone.
Kael's mind replayed the fight, the cold sting of failure mixed with the sharp taste of resolve.
He clenched the sword's hilt tighter, the cold bite grounding him in the present.
He was not ready to fail again.
The snow fell without pause, a quiet curtain draping the world in white.