“So, what will we eat for supper?”

A young lady grinned while talking to a tall and imposing half-orc. She has a rugged monk’s garb and a fighter’s leggings. Her well-toned arms and abdominals are proudly exposed,. Years of of hard work shaped her youthful physique. Her tied, long brown hair kept on bobbing every time she playfully strides sideways. The half-orc meanwhile, was sporting a long and tattered, orcish military outfit. It consisted of a coat, loosely cut pants and boots. He has a well-kept shortened, gray hair which makes him look old for his tender age. The young lady kept meandering behind him as he stiffly marched through the woods.

“The same, bush critter stew and leftovers.”

“That’s very stale! We got to eat something fresh, maybe some fruits or wheat.”

“On the battlefield, you eat anything.”

“But we’re not in a battle or something! We could forage something nice and tastier in this forest.”

The half-orc grumbled as the young lady nagged him insistently.

They have been walking for hours in the cool and fertile forest. Feathered avians chirp harmoniously and small critters rustle on the grass playfully. A few old passersby greeted the two strangers by waving his hands. The young lady glanced, brimming with a youthful smile, while the half-orc minded his own way.

“Hey, why not trying greeting fellow travelers?”

The half-orc glanced away at his insistent companion.

The Florescent Woods is one of the most vast forests in the world of Aeon Frigg. Home of high-spirited creatures, whether immense or minute. The trees almost tower over everything beneath them. The rows of trees resemble a bustling city but without the noise and pollution. Few settlements have inhabited the quaint forest.

The man-made roads remained tattered and dusty. Magical lamp posts are erected at every corner. When the sky goes dark, they glow in darkness. Trades commenced every day as neighboring towns exchange goods from time to time. Merchants sold fungi, berries, critter meat and wood, in exchange for goods from civilization. The inhabitants deeply revered the forest spirits. They only foraged enough food and hunt down a few critters. Setting vast farmlands is frowned upon by them.

“This long walk is getting way too dull. Why won’t we spar again, Corbin?”

“Enough Milas, we’ve done that again and again.”

“Still bitter that I’ve beaten you bare-handed?”

“That only happened once. You’re flighty for a fighter.”

“I don’t want to get chopped by your massive sword!.”

“Then dodge.”

Milas smirked while Corbin sighed in annoyance.

The sun is almost setting down, and the pair is still looking for a quiet place to stay. The residents of the forest commonly allowed strangers to dwell in their cozy abode for one night. But the two adventurers decided to camp out in a dry clearing. The forest clearing, slightly farther from the residence, is full of fallen leaves and pebbles. Milas began dusting them off for the campsite. Corbin procured branches and rocks to set up a campfire.

“I got some nuts and herbs on our way. That would make the stew tastier.”

Milas pulled out everything she foraged from the bushes. Corbin erected a small cauldron. He later pulled out a freshly-skinned bush critter from his food sack. He rubbed salt and fat into the meat, then dipped it into a small cauldron. The smell of the stew permeated in the camp as the Milas poured liquids, nuts and herbs. After the meal was ready through thorough steering, the two ate their hearty stew. Milas sipped the broth gleefully from her own bowl. Corbin slowly chewed the tender meat on his bowl. Everything seemed to be normal and placid as the sun sets down.

“Hey Corbin, do you wonder what’s that white streak across the sky?”

“It’s always been that way.”

“You always answered directly, try to lose up!”

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

Everytime the night comes, a crack in the sky becomes visible. A hundred years ago, the sky began to show heavenly crags. Pieces of the sky fell and disappeared. Daring adventurers tried to find the sky’s fragments, but to no avail. Fear mongers announced the coming end of times. Some scholars speculated a new celestial body is forming. Others believe that the gods are so furious, they sent waves of catastrophe across Aeon Frigg. It’s been centuries since Aeon Frigg experienced wars, famines, and pestilences.

Hours pass as the stars slowly crossed the sky. The forest suddenly fell silent after dusk came. A dreadful aura filled in the forest air. The nearby residents frantically slammed their doors shut. The magical lamp posts on the craggy road dimmed down.

“Corbin, have you felt that presence?”

Milas peeked from side to side. She hastily wrapped her wrists with tattered cloth to make a makeshift gauntlet. Standing from the campfire, Corbin drawed a massive sword cradled from his back.

“Get ready. Something is going on.”

The once dark-blue sky began to burn bright-red. Disturbing sounds of crackling, hissing and cackling echoed throughout the forest clearing. The two felt malicious and murderous intent around them. A strange creature leaped from the bushes towards the two.

Milas prepares herself in a fighting pose. She shifted her weight to her fists and delivered a powerful blow to the creature’s gut. The creature immediately fell down and shriveled in pain. Corbin swinged the flat of his sword to another pouncing creature. They can’t discern what kind of creatures were attacking them. It’s neither a rabid lupus or a wild ursus. The creatures were shrouded in mysterious shadows, possessing a blurred appearance. Their only discernible features are lanky arms, flimsy legs, bulging stomach, sharp appendages and a pair of glowing eyes.

The two managed to fend off themselves as numerous creatures surround them. Each furious tackle by the creatures are punished with blunt and heavy force. Every time a creature falls down, another one would fruitlessly jump into them.

“An after meal workout? This is getting interesting!”

“Don’t get too cocky. Something’s amiss.”

The two decided to sprint away from the campsite. The residents’ safety matters first. Afar from them were the forest residents cowering in fear. The hellish red sky illuminated the once peaceful forest. A larger creature attempted to claw Corbin but he shrugs it off. He successfully parried the creature’s claw with his large sword. Another large creature thrusts its claws at Corbin, only for him to shield it instinctively.

Milas punched the smaller creatures with her fists. Her nimbleness allowed her to weave through waves of abominable creatures. An unaware creature got their waist grasped from behind by Milas and carried them backwards to the ground.

As the battle progressed, the two became exhausted. Sweat drips from Milas while Corbin experienced fatigue from the wounds he got. They felt the pressure from the malignant atmosphere. One slight mistake and it could be the end of them. Out of nowhere, a tiny creature stabbed Corbin on his side. A small wound spurted, and he felt a very sharp pang. His eyes began to dilate and turned bloody red.

“YOU LITTLE RUNT!!!”

Corbin furiously grabbed the tiny creature and bashed its head with his. He flung its unconscious body to the larger creature.

“YOU’RE MINE!”

He managed to catch the large creature’s attention. The creature was at first confused but got agitated by what he did.

“Woah, slow down Corbin! You’re not planning to die here, aren’t you?”

Milas slowly shifted away from Corbin as his orcish nature arises. Bloodlust rushed through his gouging veins. His furious roar caught the attention of the remaining creatures. Corbin recklessly chargeed towards one of the largest creatures. He leaped towards the towering figure and smacked his sword down. It was a clean hit and the larger creature got a gaping wound. Black liquid fizzled from the creature’s wound as it cried in excruciation. Along with the violent strike, a tremor rippled the ground. This caused the surrounding creatures to lose balance. Milas took the opportunity to sweep down the creatures with her legs. She performed a small hop and swung her leg to rotate and hit multiple creatures. She also lifted her heels and bashed one of the creature’s heads like a nail into a plank. Corbin grabbed the other large creature’s neck and began choking it, then slammed it to the ground. The wounded large creature began to disintegrate. The other one lost consciousness after several smack downs from the half-orc. Some of the creatures trembled in fear as the half-orc grinned in madness.

“WHO’S NEXT?!”

“Okay you won, soldier. Just calm down…”

Corbin plants down his sword and howls like a feral lupus. Coming from a raging stupor, he slowly breathed and lower his head. He slouched down in exhaustion and rested his arms on his lap. Milas has seen yet a fraction of a half-orc’s tenacity.

“I hate this rage. It burns inside me.”

“Don’t sweat it off, Corbin. You did quite better this time. Just remember what I said before, deep breathing, clear your mind and be still.”.

“My head is killing me.”

“At least we survived today. It’s gonna be either us or them.” Milas gently patted Corbin’s shoulders.

The other large creature woke up from its defeat. It whimpered and trembled, then ran away towards the east of the forest. The once proud beast disappeared to the horizon of the forest.

“Where could those things come from?” Milas wondered.

“They’re heading east. Probably to their nest.” Corbin seemingly regained his rationale.

“Maybe it’s a bad idea to follow them. It’s also late at night now.” Milas stoped herself from getting too excited to fight.

“Let’s return to camp.”

The two traversed back to their camp tired. They never expected creatures of the night becoming too violent. The sky is still painted in red. Restlessness is still felt despite the creatures dispersed away from the inhabitants. The two remained awake from their tents until they slowly dozed off. Their exhaustion for the whole night has overwhelmed their bodies.