I woke up abruptly to the sound of Sacril’s sharp bark.

My instincts kicked in immediately, and my hand shot to my side, ready to cast a spell at whatever had startled him.

My vision adjusted quickly to the dim morning light, and that’s when I saw it.

A monster stood in front of me.

Not just any monster something unnatural. Something wrong.

Its form was twisted, resembling an ancient tree that had been given life in the most horrific way possible. Its bark was cracked and blackened, and its limbs stretched unnaturally, resembling skeletal fingers grasping at the air. Its hollow eye sockets glowed with a faint, eerie green light, and as it moved, the sound of creaking wood filled the air.

I inspected it carefully, my mind racing.

"A Deadtree Walker…" I muttered under my breath.

The realization sent a chill down my spine.

I had read about these creatures before, but seeing one in person was different.

They were remnants of once-thriving trees, corrupted by lingering magic, twisted into creatures of pure malice.

The fact that one had appeared here meant only one thing this wasn’t just any part of the forest.

I glanced around, taking in the dark, gnarled trees that surrounded me.

Their bark was gray, their leaves long gone, leaving only skeletal branches reaching toward the sky. The air felt thick, damp, and unnaturally cold.

"Dead Forest," I whispered.

I had unknowingly entered one of the small but dangerous magical zones scattered throughout the land.

Dead Forest wasn’t as infamous as some of the larger danger zones, but it was still a place most travelers avoided. It wasn’t its size that made it dangerous—it was the creatures within.

Monsters like the Deadtree Walker.

Sacril growled lowly beside me, his body tense, his eyes locked onto the creature.

He was ready to strike, but I placed a hand on his back, keeping him steady.

"Easy," I muttered.

I wasn’t worried about this one.

A single Deadtree Walker wasn’t an issue. I could handle it.

But that wasn’t the problem.

The problem was that they rarely traveled alone.

If there was one, there would be more.

I shook my head, cursing under my breath.

"Seems like while I was escaping, I ended up in an even worse place."

I took a slow breath, gathering my magical energy.

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My body was still sore from the previous day’s battle, but I couldn’t afford to be sluggish now.

If more of these things were lurking nearby, I needed to finish this quickly and move before I was completely surrounded.

The moment stretched between us, a tense silence hanging in the air as I locked eyes with the Deadtree Walker. Its glowing green sockets flickered with a sickly light, its body creaking ominously with every small movement.

My instincts screamed at me to act, but I held my ground, watching, waiting.

Then, in an instant, it moved.

Faster than any tree-like creature had any right to be.

Its massive form surged forward with unnatural speed, the ground trembling beneath its weight. At the same time, thick vines erupted from the earth, twisting and writhing like living snakes, all lunging toward me and Sacril.

"Stay back! This one’s mine!"

I shouted at Sacril, my voice sharp with urgency.

Sacril let out a low growl, hesitating for a moment before obeying my command, darting back to a safe distance.

I didn’t want him getting tangled in those vines he was fast, but even he would struggle to escape if they managed to wrap around him.

I leaped backward, avoiding the first wave of vines, and immediately raised my hand.

Energy gathered in my palm, crackling violently as I formed a powerful Energy Bolt and fired.

The glowing projectile shot forward, slamming into the creature’s chest with a thunderous impact. Bark and vines exploded outward from the force, but when the dust settled, I realized something was wrong.

It was still standing.

The Deadtree Walker barely reacted, its body absorbing the attack with surprising resistance.

The vines that had been severed by the impact quickly regrew, slithering forward once more.

I clenched my jaw, frustration bubbling inside me.

"Damn it."

I spat on the ground, watching as the monster continued its relentless advance.

My mind raced, analyzing my options. Energy Bolt was a pure force attack good for breaking physical defenses but not as effective against creatures with regenerative abilities like this one.

Fire.

That was what I needed.

I cursed my lack of a proper fire-type spell.

A creature like this, made of wood and vines, would be vulnerable to flames.

If I had just one fire spell, this fight would be much easier.

I needed to change my approach.

If I couldn’t burn it, I had to overwhelm it.

I adjusted my stance, focusing more energy into my next attack.

This time, instead of a single bolt, I rapidly formed three Energy Darts and fired them in succession.

The glowing projectiles sliced through the air, striking the creature’s limbs and torso with pinpoint accuracy.

It staggered slightly, bark and vines shredding under the repeated impacts.

But again, its body regenerated, the vines writhing back into place.

Before I could react, a thick vine lashed out like a whip.

I barely had time to twist my body, avoiding a direct hit to my torso. Instead, it slammed into my left shoulder with brutal force.

I heard the sickening crunch before I even felt the pain.

A sharp, white-hot agony exploded through my arm, and I gritted my teeth, barely stopping myself from screaming.

My vision blurred for a moment as I stumbled backward, my left arm hanging limply at my side.

"Shit…"

My breath came in ragged gasps as I forced myself to stay on my feet.

My shoulder—no, my entire left arm was useless now. If that vine had hit me any harder, it might have taken the arm clean off.

This wasn’t good.

I glanced at Sacril.

He was still in the distance, watching intently, waiting for my command.

His eyes burned with an urge to fight, but I shook my head.

No, I had to handle this alone.

I wasn’t going to let some overgrown tree bring me down.

I tightened my grip with my right hand, channeling as much magical energy as I could without overloading myself. I had one shot at this one final push before my body gave out.

I exhaled slowly, narrowing my eyes at the Deadtree Walker.

If brute force wasn’t enough, then I’d just have to crush it