“Gama, with me, now!” Dev hooked a thumb to his chest as he closed in on his toad companion.

The amphibian turned mid-leap, eyes bulging. For once, the uppity toad didn’t utter a word of defiance or question. He reversed his tracks and jumped toward Dev to meet him.

The slayer didn’t slow his pace as he bent to scoop up the toad. A quick look over his shoulder showed Dev that the tree had turned an ashen gray. The bed of moss bleached before him, the effect rippling out as if pushed along by an unseen wave. Everything in the cavern turned to grayscale behind him.

“A little faster, Devrim. It might surprise you to know this, but my coloring is most attractive to the women of my kind. I’d hate to lose it and become a pale toad because of your ineptitude—brrp.”

“Keep talking and that’ll happen to you.” Dev grimaced as he saw the way ahead mimicked the rest of the cave—a dead end. “William, you’re a tracker. Find us a way out.”

The young man shot him a look that was the equivalent of a shrug.

Great. Dev skidded to a halt, ignoring Gama’s pleas to continue. “That thing, whatever it was, had a way out of here. It pointed a piece of that tree at the cave and it opened up. Maybe there’s a way to trigger the walls or vines that brought us through.” He hoped his vocalization would prompt the toad or William to offer some helpful insight.

“Brrp.”

He should have known better. Dev rubbed his head, glancing at the wall ahead.

Lengths of ivy grew over the stone, rustling as if in distress.

Dev recalled Gama’s earlier warnings and decided it was time to ignore them. “Might want to hold on, buddy. Things are about to get rough.” He drowned out the toad’s protests and tore off toward the ivy, readying Thirst. Dev activated Fleet-footed again, picking up speed until he was within range to activate Skewer. The combination of skillshots propelled him like a rocket into the stone, severing several vines in a single blow.

The plants reacted instantly, thrashing and snaking out to ensnare him.

Here’s hoping I was right about this.

“Whoa, no—uh-huh. Stay away from my squishy bits, please!” William stomped around, smashing the heel of a boot against a vine that had tried to lash his ankle. He batted a hand against some ivy that had inched too close to his nether regions, trying to peel the length of it away. “Or at least buy me a drink first!”

Dev gave him a weak smile as an apology as the vines pulled him against the stone with enough force to cause an ache to build in his ribs. Maybe I was wrong. The pressure increased, threatening to crack several bones supporting his torso.

William kept up his futile spastic defense, flailing against the living bindings. “I knew I should’ve gone with Keeley or Mira. But no, I had to sign up with you for some action and adventure. Dude, I’ve seen these kind of videos. I know what happens to guys grabbed by planty tentacles. That’s my ass! A vine just slipped up my pants and… Oh. Never mind.”

Dev didn’t want to know, shutting his eyes as the pain within his body grew. The pressure ceased as soon as he thought he couldn’t bear it any longer. His torso sank into the stone before him. Dev permitted himself to smile a bit before clamping his mouth shut to avoid swallowing fistfuls of softened earth.

“Oh, great. Now I’m being sucked into the ground, again. This’ll be our tomb. I love it…” William’s tone could have scalded Dev’s skin.

Jeez. Did I ever complain that much? He didn’t finish the line of thought as his body jerked hard to one side. The vines dragged him through what felt like an endless expanse of stone and soil. He waited for the inevitable slowing, but it didn’t come.

His body hurtled forward faster than before, almost matching his speed under Fleet-footed. Oh, this is going to suck bad. He was proved right seconds later when the earth moved out of his way to spit him into the air. Dev sailed skyward, tumbling once before able to orient himself. He spotted a dark clearing, surrounded by trees, and noticeably absent of a soft bed of moss. His eyes snapped shut as he braced himself for the impact.

Roots burst from the ground, coiling around his arms and shoulders to catch him mid-air. The sudden restraints did little to manage his weight and forced his joints to nearly reach their limit as his body snapped to a stop.

He winced, grinding his teeth and swallowed a curse. “That hurt.”

“I’m fine—brrp. Then again, warriors of my hardy disposition and build always are—brrp.”

Dev shut his eyes in something that had nothing to do with the pain.

“I can’t fly!” William’s voice cut short as he broke into a scream. “Ooof, never mind. I’m being fondled by more plants now. I hate this place.”

Devrim sighed and opened his eyes to find the tracker suspended much like himself. “I think I pissed off the forest a bit too much.”

“Not at all, Slayer.” The voice couldn’t have come from a single set of lungs. It boomed through the forest from every direction like hundreds of speakers had spoken in unison. A current carried through every sound that penetrated Devrim’s body down to the marrow.

“Please tell me you were talking to yourself, man.” William shot him a pleading look.

Dev shook his head.

The ground stirred and more roots spilled forth, piling over themselves and knotting together. Vegetation sprouted between them to coalesce with the growing mass. Within seconds, a tree, several dozen times wider than any in the forest, stood before them. Bark shifted before Devrim at eye-level until he could see the vague semblance of a face forming within the wood.

Its eyes were much like that of the spriggan’s, a fluttering mass of minute flecks all glowing an iridescent green. A wide, crooked gash appeared below a protrusion of wood that could have served as a nose. The opening twisted into something akin to a snarl.

“I’m going to be eaten by a tree. I cannot be…leaf this.” William released a crazed cackle.

Dev glared at him.

“I am more than one life—one tree; I am all tree-kind. What perished down below was heart and soul, but I remain: the forest’s mind. Two hunters entered in pursuit of enchanted gifts to save personkind. But now, besieged by wolves in the dark, we find our interests aligned.” The tree’s voice boomed like it had before, echoing through the forest like it came from every bit of plant life at once rather than the sole source before them.

“Dev, uh, the face-tree spoke…in rhyme.” William blinked several times as he struggled to process what was happening. “Um, noble plant dude, hi. I don’t know if you can tell this, but we’re sort of lost on what’s going on. And if you can break it down for us, it’d be really nice, not to mention save us a lot of thyme. Get it, thyme?”

Dev sighed, wanting to voice a hint of displeasure toward his friend. But he knew William only made the puns as a way to cope with the deteriorating situation. And Dev couldn’t blame him for that.

The tree shifted its eyes to take in William, regarding him for a long moment before settling its gaze on Devrim. “This one before me is of stone and steel, and has a heart of fire.” The tree glanced back at William. “This one is of wit and wile, but has his mind affixed to a world prior.” A low, shaking rumble came from the tree’s mouth, kicking up loose bits of dust and debris through the forest floor.

Dev rose slightly as the roots holding him pulled his body farther from the ground. A second later, the tangle of earthy mass hauled him closer to the tree.

“You are of hunter’s spirit and slayer’s blood, with a mind determined. Tend to your fellow, his courage he must muster, if this world you are to defend.”

Dev licked his lips, unsure of what the tree was getting at. He felt wiser to let the being speak uninterrupted. When it became clear the tree had stopped in hopes of him saying something, Dev obliged the living obelisk of wood. “I don’t understand. What’s going on? Why are you doing this?” He nodded to their restraints.

“To inform hunters unaware. To warn you of the danger to come, and to tread with greatest care. For new hunters come—Lorian born. Nursing hatred of those foreign, their hearts filled with scorn. With a new threat shall you be confronted. Be wary, Slayer, for the old hunters are about to become the hunted!

“A new breed rises, working with one heart and mind—a pack. Came to this forest with ill intent, to harm and attack. With tooth and claw did they my heart take, a hunger most foul do they seek to slake.”

Dev tried to process all of what the tree, the forest’s mind, told him. Most of it ended up lost within its rhyming manner of speech. “What do you want us to do? I still don’t understand.”

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

The tree’s eyes seemed to look through him, to something lingering behind that Dev couldn’t see. “Out of time, we are. Now you must run—prepare for a journey that will lead you wide and far. Do not falter; do not tarry. Now, hunter, is time to be most wary. The wolves come. It is time to run.”

The roots shuddered before collapsing on themselves as if made from dust and mud. The ground around the tree tremored, a hole appearing to swallow the being whole.

Dev and William hit the ground hard. Dev grunted, his knees absorbing most of the impact. He gave thanks the landing didn’t whittle away any of his health. If the tree’s warnings were correct, he’d need every bit of it, and soon.

William brushed himself off. “That was both cryptic and creepy. He didn’t even end with a rhyme.” He shook his head in disdain.

“Maybe what’s coming scared it out of him? I’d have a hard time too with that rhyming stuff if something had stolen my heart.” Dev gave the hunter a knowing look.

“Think he was being literal?”

Dev finally noticed what the tree had been gazing at.

Countless eyes of burnished gold glimmered in the darkness of the forest. They watched with the stillness and intensity only a predator could display, something caught in the patient act of waiting to spring on prey.

Dev swallowed, recalling where he’d seen a pair of eyes like that. “What are the odds those are more of whatever we saw back in that cave?”

“What are the odds if I close my eyes that they’ll go away?” William tested out his theory, shutting his eyes tight as if he could will the problem away.

The ring of yellow eyes drew closer in unison as if guided by a single will. Dev licked his lips, strengthening his grip on Thirst. “Bad, Will. I think the odds are damn bad.” He glanced to Gama. “Don’t suppose you’re feeling up to helping us out this fight?”

“Brrp—it’s a wiser decision for me to watch and relay most-crucial information to you. It could very well save your life, Devrim.” The toad bobbed in place. “Besides, my fighting would only serve to thoroughly embarrass you and point out just how severely lacking you are in that field by comparison. I couldn’t do that, no-no.”

Dev buried his growls in his throat, knowing it was pointless to get worked up over the irritating toad.

The eyes moved in until Dev could make out the faint outlines of the bodies they belonged to. It would have been easy to lump each form in with the next as exactly the same, but it wasn’t the case. The wolf-hybrids varied in a startling number of ways: ear shapes and sizes, their snouts, coloring, the subtle tints to their eyes that came into clarity the closer they got. They possessed a level of diversity Devrim had only ever noted in people.

What are these things? Holding his gaze steady on one of the creatures finally elicited a response from his bestiary.

Loup-garou: Commonly known as werewolves. These creatures are the product of where man has meddled where he should not have and suffered a dark curse. The werewolves of Lorian are permanently stuck in a state of hybrid existence, hovering between man and wolf as hulking abominations embodying one of the world’s most perfect hunters. Savage, terrifyingly cunning, and in full possession of the mind of man and wolf, these monsters are among the top predators to rule the wilds. Working in packs, there’s little they can’t bring down to feast on.

Note: The loup-garou of Lorian are spread out over thousands of packs, some forming larger tribes and even fiefdoms. What one pack wants doesn’t reflect the rest. Created through dark magic, werewolves also carry an innate resistance to the supernatural forces and some of the physical. Possessing a near-legendary healing status as well as being able to take a horrifying amount of damage, they are the close to the perfect incarnation of speed, ruthlessness, and power.

Subnote: The werewolves of Lorian are susceptible to silver in any form. Use it for extra damage and to nullify some of their magical abilities. Warning: Avoid these creatures at all costs if an option.

Yeah, I don’t think that’s going to be one. Shit. Dev recalled he’d learned about the creatures through his years of studying lore and faerie tales. The monsters had been portrayed numerous ways in novels and the media long before old Earth had become uninhabitable. Most of those displays had failed to properly showcase just how effective these creatures were as predators—more to the point, as monsters. And he had a feeling he was going to get a rather personal demonstration.

Dev sucked in a breath, taking a single step back as he narrowed his profile. The wolves had surrounded them. It left him little options for engagement, but he still had a few tricks to buy them time enough to figure out a way to escape.

One wolf broke ahead of the pack, coming clearer into view. It was the color of brushed charcoal. The beast’s eyes seemed to burn brighter given the contrast between their shade and the monster’s fur. Its lips peeled back in a snarl that revealed its canine teeth. The expression made one thing clear: they were hungry and intended to get their fill.

Dev regretted not allocating the skill points he’d earned after killing the Goblin King, deciding it best to keep them in case a new threat emerged. Guess I waited too long. But I can wait a bit longer to play this right. He bided his time until the wolves crept closer, noting that they were holding back for some signal to pounce as one unit. “Will, you got anything to slow or trip them up?”

The black wolf’s ears twitched visibly.

Dev grimaced.

“Yeah.” William’s voice had gone up a few octaves. “I’ve got something… You got a plan?”

He didn’t, but felt it better not to inform that tracker of that. “Yes. When I say so, give it your all. Hold nothing back.”

William gulped audibly and nodded.

Dev focused on one of his skillshots that had served him well against numerous foes. Activate Slayer’s Shadow. Waves of darkness enshrouded his body before casting themselves off to form a shadowy apparition looking much like him.

The clone held its ground, surveying the incoming monsters stoically.

“Wait for them to close in. Chain your Reverberating Strikes to stun as many as you can. Fleet-footed, then tear out. Got it?” Dev gave the apparition a knowing nod, aware that the clone understood his commands.

The wolves now stood within six feet from them in a perfect ring. Their fur bristled under gentle strokes of wind rolling between the trees. Silence fell over the guttural burbles forming in every throat.

It was the soundless moment before a storm of fur and fang would break over them, washing them over in claws and coiled muscles.

Not if we break the storm first. Dev gritted his teeth, holding his composure as the silence stretched out to the point of straining his patience.

The darkest of the wolves released a ground-shaking bark and the pack exploded into action.

“Now!” Dev activated the first skillshot he’d ever attainted, Reverberating Strike. The ability hurled him forward as if pitched by a giant’s hand. He reversed the katana in his grip, bashing its base against the creature’s forehead. Dev didn’t pause as the first of the beasts fell into a momentary stupor. He pivoted, using the second shot he had with the skill to knock another of the wolves into a lull.

The shadow followed suit and mimicked his chain of attacks to stupefy another pair of wolves. His apparition took things farther, attacking both beasts in a quick succession of jabs, piercing the thick meat of their shoulders.

Dev tracked the damage to their health, wincing as he saw the meters barely blip.

The creatures lived up to their legendary status and description as their health instantly restored the small amount that’d been whittled down.

Will’s scream cut through Dev’s thoughts and drowned out everything else.

Dev whirled about to see his friend fall under a pair of werewolves. He activated his Fleet-footed ability prematurely and rushed to the tracker’s aid. His feet pounded against the ground at a speed that made it look like he was gliding over the earth rather than running. Dev cut around the two beasts, angling himself to deliver the perfect blow. Activate skillshot, Skewer.

His body snapped forward, becoming a human dart as he drove the katana through the neck of one creature with enough force to barrel it, and his blade, into the second. The collision brought the three crashing to the ground. Dev pulled himself free instantly, falling to William’s side as he took in the damage he’d dealt.

Both creatures’ bars lost close to an eighth of their maximum health. The combination blow he struck with should have knocked away far more than that. It didn’t bode well for an extended fight.

A few gashes lined William’s legs. Nothing fatal, but clearly enough to whittle the new hunter’s health down to half.

They barely had a second to hurt him, and they did that much damage? He slipped under one of Will’s arms and strained his body to help heave the hunter to his feet. “If you’ve got something that’ll startle or stun them, now’s the time.” Dev moved as best he could under his friend’s weight. Fleet-footed gave him a modicum of advantage in getting away from the stunned and momentarily injured group of werewolves.

He spotted a close grouping of trees that would allow him to slip through and hopefully present a troublesome path to the wolf pack. Dev eased his way under a curving tree that forced him to duck and bear more of William’s weight. Twigs broke underfoot and the earth sunk like he walked over a wet sponge. None of it helped his progress.

Dev gritted his teeth as Fleet-footed faded, leaving him without the added bonus of speed. Shit. Come on, gimme a break.

His surroundings responded in kind, almost as if galvanized by his thoughts. The forest moaned. Trees rustled, shifting as if made of liquid. They pulled away from Dev as he passed through and rearranged themselves to form tangled masses of threading branches to bar the way behind him.

Wolves howled a dozen feet behind him. Snarls carried through the forest as the sound of limbs hacking through brush filled his ears.

The forest doubled its efforts, pulling the earth below him forward as it simultaneously pushed the world behind him away.

Dev struggled to keep his balance and support William while sliding onward through a maze of trees that melted away from his presence. This world is getting weirder by the second. I need to avoid quests in magical forests from now on.

The din of the wolves grew distant as Dev crossed farther into the forest. He allowed himself to slump just enough to find some relief, but held firm to William to keep the wounded hunter from tumbling to the ground. “I’m guessing that you’re responsible for this, mind of the forest?”

“It is I, indeed. I have coaxed the forest to bend and twist, to flow and grow and grant you speed. The world has grown more dangerous; be careful where you roam. The time has come to leave, Slayer—make haste and travel home.” The disembodied voice echoed several times through the forest like the mind had spoken over itself, repeating the same words in delay.

Devrim shut his eyes, the words rocking him hard like buffeting wind. “How?”

A branch sprouted from the ground. Limbs grew out from the top, shaping themselves to appear like a decrepit hand of wood. A slender twig, green as the moss had been in the cavern, hung within the branch’s grip. The fingers unfurled as if presenting it to him.

Dev didn’t hesitate in snatching the twig and moving forward into the forest. He stowed the piece of wood into the folds of his robes, navigating through another set of intertwined trees. Something the forest’s mind had said echoed through his thoughts. It had implored him to go home. We’re in combat, but the ground shifted earlier and pushed me way ahead of the wolves. Maybe…

He paused and summoned his menu. A quick series of gestures took him through the display until a map appeared. Dev pointed at New Haven, eliciting a prompt asking him if he would like to return to the hamlet. He reasoned that he might have made it far enough to be considered safe owing to the fact he couldn’t see any of the werewolves. Dev clicked and waited to see if the game-world of Lorian would permit him the action.

It did.

His vision blurred as blackness crept in from the edges.

Twin orbs of yellow broke through the darkness, sending his heart into a frenzied beat.

Come on. Don’t let this cancel the fast travel.

The wolf jumped as a curtain of impenetrable black fell over Dev’s world.