Twilight crept down, transforming the Dark Forest into a terrifying labyrinth of shadows. The scent of firewood and simple cooking from Eldoria Village didn't reach here; there was only the smell of damp earth, decaying leaves, and the sharp aroma of pine. The remaining sunlight barely pierced the dense trees, making Kaelen feel like he was at the bottom of a dark well. For him, twilight wasn't just a sign of nightfall, but also the increasing danger in this forest.
At the age of 24, Kaelen had grown into a handsome man in a rugged and natural way. His facial lines were firm, sculpted by the wind and sun. His blue eyes, as sharp as a summer sky, could read the forest easily, searching for deer tracks or signs of lurking danger. His jet-black hair was often disheveled by the wind, and his hands were rough from holding a bow and axe. As the best hunter in Eldoria, he carried a heavy responsibility on his shoulders: providing meat for his family and some of the villagers, which meant he had to venture deep into the Dark Forest, where other hunters were reluctant to approach.
However, this afternoon was different. The forest felt quieter than usual, as if all living things were holding their breath. Even the insects had stopped buzzing, leaving an eerie silence. Kaelen felt a bone-chilling cold, even though winter was still months away. His instincts screamed, telling him that danger was lurking, something more than just hungry wolves or angry bears.
"Strange," Kaelen muttered, stopping at the edge of a small, calmly flowing river. He observed the clear water, looking for signs of life. However, even the fish seemed to have disappeared, leaving the river empty and silent. "The air feels heavy. Like before a big storm."
The doe he was hunting suddenly stopped in front of him, its ears erect and its nose twitching, smelling the air. The animal stared towards the heart of the Dark Forest, towards a place that even Kaelen rarely visited, with eyes that radiated pure fear, then turned and fled as fast as lightning, leaving Kaelen alone in the increasingly dark forest.
Kaelen frowned, feeling a stronger sense of foreboding. He followed the doe's gaze and saw something moving between the shadows of the trees. At first, he thought it was just an optical illusion due to the deceptive twilight light, or perhaps just a bear looking for food. However, the longer he stared, the clearer it became that something was wrong, something far more terrifying than just a wild animal.
A pitch-black shadow floated among the trees, too dark to be merely the absence of light. The shadow moved strangely, writhing like a giant snake hunting prey, or like black ink seeping into white cloth. Kaelen felt his heart pounding, pumping adrenaline throughout his body. He had never seen or felt anything like this before, not even in his worst nightmares.
With trembling hands, Kaelen raised his bow made of strong yew wood. An arrow was already nocked, its feathers rustling softly in the breeze. He drew back the bowstring, feeling his muscles tense. He knew that whatever was in front of him was not an ordinary creature, and he had to be ready to fight for his life.
"Who's there?" Kaelen called out, his voice trembling even though he tried to remain calm and control his fear. He tried to sound firm, but he knew that his voice only echoed emptily in the silent forest.
The shadow stopped moving. Slowly, very slowly, it turned to face Kaelen. Although there was no visible face, no eyes, no nose, no mouth, Kaelen could feel a cold and evil gaze piercing his soul, burning every inch of courage left within him. A fear he had never felt before gripped him, making it difficult to breathe and think clearly.
Suddenly, without warning, the shadow darted forward with impossible speed, exceeding the capabilities of any human or animal. Kaelen had no time to dodge, no time to react. The shadow struck him with incredible force, like a sledgehammer hitting a wooden shield. He felt his bones crack, his breath catch, and his consciousness begin to fade.
Kaelen was thrown backwards and hit the ground hard, his back slamming against a hard tree root. He felt excruciating pain throughout his body, as if every nerve was on fire. When he opened his eyes, with great effort, he saw the shadow standing over him, towering and menacing like a nightmare come to life. True darkness radiated from the creature, threatening to swallow the entire world, starting with him.
Kaelen knew that he couldn't fight the creature in this condition. His instincts screamed for him to flee, to seek shelter and devise a plan. With the last of his strength, he rolled away from the shadow and tried to get up. Excruciating pain shot through his body, making it difficult to move.
However, he didn't give up. He forced himself to stand, even though his legs felt weak and his vision was blurred. He grabbed his bow lying on the ground, gripping it tightly as if holding onto a last thread of hope. Without looking back, he ran as fast as he could, not towards the distant Eldoria Village, but deeper into the forest, hoping to lose the creature among the trees and ravines.
Leaves and twigs whipped his face as he crashed through the increasingly dark forest. His heart pounded, pumping adrenaline throughout his body. He could feel the shadow chasing him, moving with terrifying speed among the trees. The sound of rustling wind and breaking branches behind him made him even more panicked.
Kaelen knew he couldn't run forever. The creature was too fast, too strong. He had to find a way to hinder it, at least for a while. He stopped for a moment behind a large tree, trying to catch his breath and think clearly.
He drew his dagger from its sheath and cut his bowstring. Quickly, he made a simple trap using the string and some tree branches. He hoped the trap would slow the creature down, giving him time to escape.
After finishing the trap, he continued his flight. However, he didn't realize that the shadow was already too close. Suddenly, he felt a cold grip on his ankle. He stumbled and fell to the ground, his bow slipping from his hand.
He looked back and saw the shadow standing over him, its invisible eyes radiating a terrifying glee. He tried to struggle, but the creature's grip was too strong. He felt like he was bound by invisible chains of ice.
"Let me go!" Kaelen shouted, his voice hoarse and desperate.
The shadow did not answer. It simply lifted Kaelen off the ground with one hand, as if he were just a light rag doll. Kaelen writhed and screamed, but no one could hear him in the silent forest.
The shadow carried Kaelen away, deeper and deeper into the Dark Forest. Eldoria Village was now just a distant memory, a meaningless point of light in the distance. He knew that he would not be able to return, that he had failed to protect the people he loved.
As his consciousness began to fade, Kaelen could only hope that someone would come to save him, that someone would stop the coming darkness. However, deep down, he knew that hope was just an illusion.
[Chapter 1 ends with Kaelen being carried away by the shadow, deeper into the Dark Forest, leaving Eldoria Village in inevitable danger.]