Samuel and Helydia emerged from the cave, welcomed by the sunlight after a month of darkness. The dense forest stretched out before them, its towering trees creating a wall of greenery on the horizon. Samuel, his skin still pale after the absence of light, glanced at the surroundings before turning to Helydia.
Wrapped in the piece of infernal bear skin that Samuel had thrown to her, Helydia looked around with curiosity. She now had a more understated appearance, which was ideal for entering the neighboring village they had decided to visit. Samuel, always armed with his rusty sword and the carved piece of spider leg around his neck, headed towards the village that Helydia pointed out.
"How do you know the way?" Samuel asked, his gaze scanning the surroundings.
Helydia replied, with a hint of mischief in her voice: "Unlike you, I didn't wake up in that cave." I was visiting this village when I saw that they were offering a reward for anyone who could defeat the hellish bear that was killing their animals. "And then, I found myself, how can I put it, trapped inside and the beast wouldn't let me out, until I met you."
"I see," said Samuel, his mind already pondering the implications of this revelation. "And tell me a little about this village."
The woman added, "Nothing special, a farm, some houses, a blacksmith, a tavern, and even a guild of adventurers."
Samuel, surprised, replied: "A guild of adventurers?" "Indeed, it increasingly resembles a video game."
"What is a vadio gamme?" asked Helydia, clearly puzzled.
"Not important." "Let's keep walking."
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They took a winding path that twisted through the dense forest. The trees, with their thick trunks and deep green leaves, formed a natural canopy above their heads. The sunlight filtered through the branches, creating patterns of shadow and light on the moss-covered ground. The songs of the birds echoed in the air, mingled with the occasional sounds of leaves crunching under their feet.
Suddenly, Samuel stopped. He lifted his face to the sky, closed his eyes, and remained silent. Helydia, perplexed, looked at him waiting for an explanation. She was about to ask what was happening when Samuel, with a gesture of his finger, placed it against his lips, as if to signal her to be quiet and listen.
A few seconds passed in silence, the wind gently blowing through the trees. Then, without warning, Samuel activated his "Awakened Speed" skill. In an instant, he passed in front of Helydia, his movements almost imperceptible.
She instinctively closed her eyes, surprised by the speed. When she reopened them, she saw Samuel, with incredible precision, catch a small goblin mid-air that was about to attack her with a black dagger. The goblin writhed and screamed, waving his blade in all directions. Samuel, unyielding, crushed the monster between his fingers, letting a pool of blood flow from his hands. The goblin's screams suddenly stopped.
Helydia, still in shock, regained her composure. By removing Samuel's hand from in front of his face, she thought with concern, "Be careful, they never attack alone!" A feeling was telling him that this was only the beginning of the dangers that awaited them.