Soul's Eye

Chapter 9: Wandering

The first rays of dawn were just beginning to pierce the dark sky.

I had been walking for at least an hour along a road that was almost invisible at this time of day.

Only the ghostly glow of the stars filtered through the foliage, casting silver reflections on the deserted road.

Six days had now passed since the fall of Arhen.

My legs were heavy and my back was tense. Fatigue was seeping into my bones, but I refused to stop.

With every step, I was venturing deeper into an area of the map labelled 'Dhalem Wood', an unpacified zone said to be home to dangerous beasts and animals. Some even said it was haunted, inhabited by hungry beasts and deranged spirits.

I'd always thought these were just stories designed to stop children from venturing in, but the place was truly oppressive.

I could hear howling, cackling and moaning.

It wasn't coming from a wolf. Or a dog.

There was something all too human in that heart-rending wail.

I placed a hand on the hilt of my sword and put all my senses on alert. The campfire was already far behind me, abandoned and half-burnt in a clearing. Perhaps a mistake.

But I wanted to move on. Besides, I couldn't sleep anyway.

A branch snapped to my left. Then another, closer.

I stopped dead in my tracks.

Something — or someone — was following me.

I took a step backwards, my heel striking a stone. The noise seemed to echo forever.

Suddenly, I heard a growl. Low and guttural. Two eyes shone in the dim light.

I barely had time to draw my weapon.

The thing leapt.

I rolled to the ground reflexively, feeling its claws graze my shoulder. The stench of rotting flesh assaulted my nostrils.

I leapt to my feet, blade in hand.

There it was, standing on all fours, but it was too big to be a normal wolf. Its silhouette was distorted, as if composed of mismatched pieces. Its half-open mouth dripped black slime.

This was no animal.

It was...

Something else.

And it wasn't alone.

Silhouettes emerged from the thicket. Three or four other creatures. They were all deformed. Some had horns and others had overly long limbs.

I found myself surrounded.

My breath quickened.

My heart was pounding.

There was no point in screaming; I wouldn't get any help.

I was alone.

Just me and my blade.

I attacked the first person to approach me. A sharp, horizontal blow. I could feel the flesh splitting under the blade, but the creature didn't scream. It collapsed in silence, like an untethered puppet.

The others hesitated for a moment. I took advantage of the opening.

I took a step aside and delivered another blow. The metal sliced through the air and struck a bony flank.

But one of them jumped on me.

We rolled to the ground. I could feel his putrid breath on my face as his claws dug into my breastplate.

I screamed and struggled. My sword fell into the mud.

I focused my essence in my hand, which was covered by a layer of frost that formed a dagger around my fingers. A bolt of lightning. A blade thrust into a throat.

The creature collapsed.

I caught my breath. My cloak was torn. My arm was bleeding slightly. But I was alive.

The other creatures retreated and growled, then disappeared into the woods.

I stood there for a moment, panting and holding my trembling weapon.

What were those things? Beasts? Failed experiments? Curses?

I had no idea. But they weren't natural. And they weren't there by chance.

I had a feeling it wasn't just Arhen who had fallen.

The world itself was shaking.

I caught my breath and hurried to pick up my sword.

A light layer of frost covered my wounds to stop the bleeding. I was still a little shocked, but I had to keep going.

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The sky had finally cleared.

I'd been walking almost non-stop since the attack. Sleeping or even resting in the woods now seemed out of the question. Every rustle and crack of a branch reminded me that danger could arise at any moment — that there was no rest for those who sought the truth.

I was driving along an old stone road that was half swallowed up by vegetation. It wound its way through an oak and black pine forest, reminiscent of a forgotten world.

The cold seeped into my bones and my wounds ached with every step, but I kept going.

At the edge of a crossroads, a dilapidated cart blocked the way. Two dead horses, their flanks pierced, hung in the ditches beside the road. The smell was unbearable.

Traces of struggle. Footsteps, slips, blood.

But there were no bodies.

I observed the scene from a distance. The scene was still fresh. The assailant could be nearby.

Then I heard a noise.

A faint scraping. A moan.

I froze.

There, behind the trolley, a figure was struggling to its feet. A man. He was unshaven and dressed in a tattered travelling coat. His arms trembled and he had an open wound on his thigh.

I slowly drew my sword reflexively.

But the man raised both hands.

"Wait... please... I'm not a threat, just a merchant..."

I approached cautiously, my weapon still in hand.

"Who attacked you?"

He grimaced as he tried to sit up properly against the broken wheel.

"Some brigands. They were fast and armed."

He coughed and spat out some blackened blood. My gaze hardened.

"Were you carrying anything?"

"I just had some goods to deliver to Combenil."

"In Combenil?" I paused for a moment before asking, 'Where did those bandits go? Did they have horses?"

He nodded slowly in a certain direction before speaking.

"They had a horse-drawn cart."

I smiled. It was unlikely that these bandits had kidnapped the young master, but they might be connected to the case, or at least they could help me get to town more quickly.

"Could you accompany me to the city? I'll bring back your goods."

He looked shocked for a moment before nodding again.

"Of course."

And so, I had taken the first step in my quest.