'Why did I do that?! I'm so stupid....'

Necro slowly walked through the forest. Despite the tension, the scenery was very soothing. The large trees were spaced enough one could walk with no problem, she could hear the sound of squirrels and other small animals. Fungi grew on the base of trees and fallen trunks.

'I should've gone with him...'

She was deeply troubled... On one hand, she regretted not heading to the capital with her brother. On the other, she knew it was against her parents' will and would probably make them suffer. Wandering through the forest was very dangerous but not nearly as much as facing the church... Especially after they stated they wanted her head as well.

'No... Everything's gonna me fine! They'll be alright. Me being there would just be a bother... I was a necromancer, there's little I can do without previous preparation.'

Her soliloquy dragged for quite some time. Her arguments joggling her opinion back and forth between running away or going back to fight with them.

Without her even realizing, she'd gone very deep into the forest, deviating from the direction she was supposed to go.

The greenery slowly started withering around her as she ventured further and further south.

When the forest was completely devoid of life, was when she realized her mistake.

'Fuck! I wasn't supposed to be here.'

South of the central road was a barren land known as the Death Valley. A part of the forest where all living things died from the intense miasma. Its source remained unknown, but occasionally, the thick fog from the region would slowly move across the mountains, reaching villages and towns.

Now, the fog wasn't that intense, making her not realize her mistake. However, its extension was massive. Necro realized it as she looked up to try to navigate using the sun's position. A thick grey veil hid the sky, there was no way for her to grasp the direction.

Noticing this, she turned around to the path she'd come through, only to find something blocking her path.

An enormous wolf.

The monstrosity was around her height, its body surrounded by thick grey fog. Blood dripped from its exposed fangs as it growled at her, slowly lowering its body.

Necro was entranced by its slitted yellow eyes. Necro had never seen a demonic beast in this life. Her last experience with one dated more than a decade ago, while harvesting the materials for the reincarnation spell. But this monster was far larger than the ones she used to encounter back then. Lester would only hunt weak monsters, anything else he'd buy the products themselves either from the guilds or the black market.

Being face to face with such an ominous creature was a first.

Necro felt her heart beating hard in her chest, her arms felt cold while she started shivering, her legs tingling. She had to run.

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

She knew she had to run. But something was stopping her, she felt strangely attracted to the eyes of the monster, her eyes shining in a deeper shade of red than usual.

The monster stepped backwards a couple times, before dashing.

'FUCK!'

She thought, as the massive creature opened its jaws, flying towards her in a single motion.

She rolled sideways on the ground, the monster barely missing his target, as it's gaping mouth passed an inch above her thigh.

'How?'

She knew she was not supposed to be that agile...

'Maybe... '

She glanced at her Mother's ring, the only accessory she did not know the effect yet.

It had just saved her life.

She kissed it as she dashed away from the giant wolf.

The sound of dead branches breaking under her feet was dampened by her ragged breathing and heartbeat.

She ran through the dead trees, trying to pass through the narrowest spaces possible.

The sound of something sliding across the ground further increased her nervousness every time she made a sharp turn.

She kept running for a while, making a turn every time she felt the warmth of the creature's breath.

She realized running was a bad idea... She was already getting tired while the monster showed no signs of slowing down at all.

She was already back at the regular forest. Leaving the dead one far behind.

Necro looked behind, trying to grasp the monster's location.

To find its face inches away from hers.

The shock made her lose track of her feet, tripping and falling to the ground.

A dull pain told her she had bruised her knees...

She turned around, still on the ground, to see the monster sniffing her...

Her expression froze in fear as she slowly tried to crawl backwards.

The monster walking towards her in small steps, almost as if savoring her fear and despair.

Her back hit something hard, she looked up to see she'd just hit a tree.

There was nowhere to run.

The monster was almost on top of her. Its fangs no longer dripping blood like when she first found it.

She mustered all her courage and started concentrating mana on her hands for a desperate spell.

She closed her eyes as the monster leaped for her throat, noticing the casting.

*Clang*

'Am I dead...? No... What was that metallic sound?'

She opened her eyes. There was a person in front of her in plate armor. It didn't look to be a soldier... Probably an adventurer.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"Yes..."

"Why the hell is one of these around here?!"

"The hell do we know!"

"Calm down people! Instead use your mouths for something useful!"

Necro heard a couple of women's voices from behind her as well as another man's.

After a second, a woman in medium armor and a large shield passed running, hitting the monster with a mace.

The monster growled, throwing the swordsmen away and turning to the paladin.

The man managed to regain his balance without falling and hacked at the monster.

As the giant wolf struggled to bite the paladin protected by her massive shield, the sword embedded itself into its neck, making it howl in pain.