The forest exploded into motion.
There was no warning.
No time to think.
The wolves burst from the shadows like living arrows.
The first scream came from behind.
— RUN!
Bale Torvath's heart nearly tore out of his chest as he sprinted between gigantic roots. Branches lashed at his face, tearing his skin. The ground felt alive beneath his feet, unstable, as if it were trying to drag him down with every step.
Behind them, the sound.
Heavy footsteps.
Animal breathing.
The snap of teeth.
— THEY'RE HERE! — Korvel Idranik shouted.
One of the wolves leapt sideways, slicing through the air where Bale had been only seconds earlier. Another emerged from behind a tree, forcing them to change direction at the last possible moment.
— DON'T STOP! — Korvel yelled.
A third boy fell.
The scream was short.
Too short.
The sound of bones breaking echoed through the forest.
Bale tripped and rolled across the ground. Something warm ran down his arm. Before he could react, Korvel grabbed him and yanked him up with brutal force.
— GET UP!
They ran without direction. The forest closed in on them, trunks and shadows pressing from every side, herding them straight into its open mouth.
Then they saw a silhouette ahead.
A boy standing still.
Alone.
— DON'T GO THAT WAY! — Korvel screamed. — THERE'S—
The boy turned.
It was Angelo.
— This way! — he shouted, already moving.
A wolf lunged from the right.
Angelo dodged at the last second and kicked the creature's snout hard enough to send it rolling across the ground.
— KEEP RUNNING!
Bale could barely breathe.
Another wolf appeared ahead, blocking the path.
Angelo charged without hesitation.
His hands glowed with cold.
A sphere of ice formed instantly and was hurled forward with violent force. The impact made the wolf stagger back, howling — but it didn't fall.
— IT DIDN'T GO DOWN! — Bale screamed in panic.
— IT DOESN'T HAVE TO! — Angelo shouted back. — IT JUST NEEDS TO CLEAR THE WAY!
They pushed through.
But the forest did not forgive.
More wolves emerged.
More shadows moved.
The hunt was organized.
— WE'RE BEING SURROUNDED! — Korvel yelled.
Angelo realized it too late.
They had run too far.
Far too far from the camp.
A wolf leapt over them and landed behind, cutting off their retreat. Another came from the left. Another from the right.
— Damn it… — Angelo muttered.
He stepped in front of the two brothers.
— Stay behind me.
The wolf attacked.
Angelo dodged and countered with a punch coated in ice. The creature recoiled — but only grew more aggressive.
Another wolf jumped at the same time.
Angelo was struck across the shoulder and dropped to his knees.
— What the hell—?! — Bale shouted.
The wolf lunged, jaws wide open.
This was it.
The end.
Then—
The ground shook.
Something metallic sliced through the air.
A fragment of iron pierced the side of the wolf's head, pinning it to a tree.
— STEP AWAY FROM HIM.
The voice came from above.
Tocre.
Metallic branches ripped themselves from the ground as if pulled by invisible hands. One slammed another wolf into the earth with crushing force.
— I told you not to leave the tree, — Tocre said as he descended with cold precision. — But it seems I always arrive just a little too late.
More wolves attacked.
Tocre raised his hands.
Metal fragments began to levitate around him, spinning like blades.
— Run. Now.
— AND YOU?! — Angelo shouted.
— I'LL HOLD THEM.
A wolf jumped.
Tocre clenched his fist.
The metal shot forward.
The wolf fell before it ever touched the ground.
— NOW, ANGELO!
They ran.
They ran like never before.
Behind them, Tocre moved like a force of destruction — shattering, delaying, driving the wolves back, carving paths where none should have existed.
When they finally reached the right tree, Angelo climbed first. He pulled Bale up. Then Korvel.
Tocre was last.
A wolf leapt.
Midair, Tocre turned and crushed the creature against the trunk before vanishing through the opening.
Silence.
The forest retreated.
For now.
Inside the tree, they all panted, gasping for air.
— We… almost died, — Korvel whispered.
Tocre stared at Angelo, expression hard.
— Almost?
— No.
— You were going to die.
Angelo took a deep breath.
— I know.
Tocre sighed.
— Next time… think before you act.
Lana appeared, pale, eyes filled with tears.
— I thought you were dead…
Angelo said nothing.
Outside, the forest still moved.
And that had been only—
the first night.
FLASHBACK — BEFORE THE HUNT
The argument was still echoing when the first screams tore through the dawn.
At first, no one moved.
They were distant.
Muffled.
But packed with pure terror.
Lana slowly approached the opening of the tree.
The screams came from the forest.
Screams of raw fear.
She covered her mouth. Her eyes filled. Tears fell without restraint.
— They're being attacked… — she whispered.
Angelo saw her.
Without a word, he stepped closer and wrapped his arms around her.
Lana pressed her face against his chest, trembling.
Tocre watched in silence, listening carefully to the sounds.
— Well… — he finally said. — Looks like things are far worse for some people out here.
Angelo tightened the embrace.
— I think we should do something.
Tocre turned instantly.
— No.
— We don't know how big this is.
— We don't know how many there are, or what's attacking.
Lana kept crying, powerless.
Angelo looked at her.
He saw the fear.
The desperation.
Raw empathy.
— No, — he said firmly. — I'm not staying here doing nothing.
— Angelo… — Tocre insisted. — You can't just go out like that. We need to think. Plan.
But Angelo was already walking away.
He reached the opening of the tree.
Stopped for a moment.
— Watch me from up there, — he said, without looking back.
And jumped.
He fell dozens of meters, landing on his knees. The impact rippled through his body.
He stood.
Listened more carefully.
The screams came from the left.
And he ran.
From above, Tocre watched everything, irritated.
— Ah… such an impulsive kid… — he muttered.
He looked at Lana.
Sighed.
— It always has to be me cleaning things up.
And jumped as well.
When it was over, they were alive.
Five.
— Thank you so much… — Korvel said. — You saved our lives.
— We were six… — Bale said quietly. — The wolves came out of nowhere. I think you already know the rest.
Silence.
— Honestly, — he continued, — you're the group with the best chance of surviving.
Tocre nodded slowly.
— I already suspected that.
— But there's another group… — Bale added. — A kid from the Earth Kingdom. He builds walls. Solid structures.
Tocre raised an eyebrow.
— Interesting.
— Now we're five, — Lana said. — If we don't unite… we won't last.
Tocre crossed his arms.
— Don't worry.
— We won't refuse help.
Angelo nodded.
— We need to get stronger.
— Protect more people.
He took a deep breath.
— Maybe that's the real purpose of Orb Valley.
The sun began to rise.
And so began—
the third day in Orb Valley.