The moment their boots crunched through the true wilderness of the forest, a shroud of tension encased the group. Conversation died on their lips, replaced with an acute awareness of potential danger. Fingers hovered over weapon hilts, and eyes became alert, scanning the dense undergrowth that lay ahead.

The forest now seemed drenched in a murkier palette. Echoes of the wilderness resonated with newfound animosity.

Osric swept his gaze around, soaking in the sensations.

“The forest is a bit too quiet,” his thoughts wandered. He inhaled deeply, his nostrils assaulted by the pungent decay of a carcass. The lingering smell suggesting something was killed sometime a week ago.

“That smell should not exist. No forest creature should leave its prey to rot. A healthy forest would ensure no animal remains go to waste. Something is afoot.”

The group commenced their voyage through the mire, maintaining a proper formation. At the vanguard, Cain led the march, flanked by Hilda. Glucia was in the center, and Preston was guarding the back.

They continued walking in silence, the muted crunch of foliage underfoot the only constant sound. They trudged along the line of trees, making their way toward their destination.

Glucia would periodically mark the trees on the trail. Putting a yellowish power on the tree trunks.

“What's that for?” Preston asked in a quiet tone, eager to break the silence of the group

Brandishing a pouch of the same powder, Glucia responded, “I am marking the trees so we don't lose our sense of direction. This,” she indicated the pouch’s contents, "is sapside powder. A blend of sapline lizard scales and certain plant sap. It creates an adhesive residue that stays on the tree bark. Allowing us to mark our trail.”

“Wouldn't paint be more practical?" he suggested.

“Animals and others smell it, giving away our current general location. Sapside powder is scentless and orderless, generally undetectable, and naturally peels off after a week. They naturally wear off after a week, preventing confusion with old markings," Cain clarified.

Nodding in understanding, Preston fell back into step.

Without warning, Osric’s grip tightened on his spear, his biceps coiling in anticipation. He issued a stern warning, “Brace yourselves. Something is coming,”

Bewildered glances flitted toward him.

A chorus of sudden rustling foliage echoed ominously in the forest. The crackling of branches and heavy grunting echoed through the trees, growing louder with each passing moment. They instinctively formed a defensive circle, their eyes scanning the surroundings for the source of the disturbance.

With a resolute voice, Cain called out, “Hold formation,” as he unsheathed his sword, the blade catching the dappled sunlight filtering through the forest canopy.

Preston unbuckled his axe. Glcua took out her slingshot. Hilda unsheathed her rapier.

Suddenly, a gargantuan boar came thundering through the brush, its monstrous tusks glinting ominously. The creature's eyes were filled with aggression, and it charged directly at the group, its massive bulk knocking aside anything in its path. The once calm and silent atmosphere was shattered as chaos ensued.

Cain looked at the daffodils buckled in his pocket while creating distance. They sat still, swaying gently as ever, only the slightest of the petal turning black. “A boar, tainted by corruption, but a boar nonetheless. Ready yourselves to engage,” he commanded

A sharp whoosh came upon the battlefield. Then a sickening thud as the spear embedded itself deep within the boar's shoulder, its flesh yielding to the cold steel.

The massive boar thundered forward in anger, its eyes glaring with fury as it redirected its charge toward the group.

Cain sprang to the side with a burst of agility, narrowly evading the deadly sweep of its menacing tusks. The muscles in his arms rippled with power as he brandished his double-edged sword, the blade gleaming with a lethal glint. With swift precision, he lunged towards the creature, his eyes fixed on its vulnerable underbelly.

The air sliced sharply as Cain's blade whistled through the forest. But to his surprise, the boar's reflexes proved astonishingly quick as it swiftly sidestepped the attack, its hulking form defying expectations. In a powerful display of brute force, the boar retaliated, its head swinging with tremendous force toward Cain.

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Meanwhile, Glucia's nimble fingers extracted a black pouch from her satchel, loading it onto her slingshot with practiced ease. With a determined focus, she pulled back the sling and released the pouch, sending it hurtling through the air toward the boar's face.

The pouch ruptured on impact, engulfing the boar's nose in a billowing cloud of yellow dust.

“That’s mollusk root power. It should slow it down,” she announced to the group.

“Mollusk root powder. It should slow it down," she informed

The boar’s fury seemed to intensify, redoubling its determination to crush its opponents instead. The boar's eyes glowed with a malevolent fire as it lowered its head, fixating its rage upon Glucia. Its intentions clear.

Yet, before it could barrel into her, Preston's muscular form intervened. His battle roar echoed through the trees as he swung his axe, his raw power making the air shudder. The axe slammed into the boar's side, its impact sending a shockwave through the forest.

For a fleeting moment, the colossal creature faltered, disoriented by the magnitude of the blow. Yet, in a surge of fury, the boar retaliated, its razor-sharp tusks lashing out with savage determination. Caught off guard by the boar's indomitable strength, Preston skidded across the ground, struggling to regain his balance. Despite his best efforts, he was unable to withstand the sheer force of the boar's assault. The air was knocked out of him, and his grip on the axe loosened momentarily, causing it to slip from his grasp.

However, this moment of pause allowed Glucia to swiftly dodge out of harm's way, narrowly escaping the beast's wrathful charge.

Amidst the chaotic battle, Hilda weaved around the boar with elegance. Her rapier glimmered with danger. With lightning speed and impeccable timing, she struck out, her aim fixed on the boar's powerful legs. Her blade grazed the creature's tough hide, drawing forth a thin line of crimson. However, the boar's indomitable resilience remained unshaken, its focus unbroken.

As the battle raged on, the boar moved with a mix of anger and agony. Every twist and turn sent jolts of searing pain radiating through its massive body, exacerbating the wound inflicted by the deeply lodged spear. Blood continued to flow from the injury, staining the boar's coarse hide a dark, glistening red.

With each passing moment, the injury inflicted by the spear and the mollusk root power began to take its toll. The boar's movements grew increasingly uncoordinated, its once powerful charges reduced to mere stumbling steps.

Cain seized the moment, "Continue the onslaught. Wear it down!"

The group engaged conservatively.

Preston got back to action and started to circle the boar, searching for an opening. With each agile dodge, his axe poised to strike. Finally, seizing the perfect opportunity, he lunged forward, his axe finding its mark and piercing deep into the boar's side.

A bellow of pain erupted from the wounded beast, its enraged eyes reflecting a mix of fury and agony. The boar thrashed and bucked, but its movements were even more rough and sluggish, weakened by the combined efforts of the group. They had managed to whittle away at the creature's strength, gradually wearing it down.

The steady stream of scarlet droplets served as a visual testament to the beast's mounting suffering and the diminishing strength that once fueled its thunderous charges.

In a final, desperate attempt, the boar lunged one last time. But its strength betrayed it, its body giving way under the relentless attacks. Its once threatening figure now lay lifeless, defeated by them.

The forest fell silent once more, the tension that had hung in the air dissipating like the mist. The group stood amidst the aftermath of the battle, their weapons still poised, chests heaving with exertion.

"Let us," Glucia managed to speak between her ragged breaths, her voice filled with a mix of determination and weariness. "Harvest what we can and move swiftly before more creatures are drawn to this place."

With silent nods of agreement, the group set to work, skillfully skinning the fallen boar and carefully extracting its prized tusks—the most valuable spoils of their hard-fought victory.

The sun had reached its peak, the brutal midday heat bearing down on them like an anvil.

Cain, his gaze surveying the sweat-glazed group, swung a clenched fist in a sweeping circle. "We need to rest, find some shade," he clarified.

The group fanned out in search of a suitable resting spot amidst the sprawling green. "Over here!" Hilda's call rang out like a beacon. She had found a quiet clearing.

They stowed their packs in a hollowed-out tree and embraced the rest. Drinking water from their storage and resting on the provided shade to restore their stamina. They attended to their scrapes and cuts.

“I thought I cracked a rib. I am glad that was not the case,” Preston suddenly started to laugh. “Hahaha. That was fun.”

“Completely different from our training, yes,” Hilda agreed, lying down on the shade.

Osric, cleaning his spear, warned the group. “We need to be aware. The boar suddenly attacked our group for no reason. We should only get into confrontation if we encroached on their territory or provoked them. We did neither.”

Cain nodded. He looked at Glucia, “How far until we reach our next checkpoint?” he asked.

Glucia unrolled a worn map. "Another half a day at our current pace. We can make camp there,” she said, pointing to a place on the map. “The Milling Fallen Logs should be within reach in about three or four hours."

***

A lone figure emerged from the forest’s shadowy embrace. He surveyed the slain boar, his eyes gleaming with a hint of amusement. "Those kids have spirit," he mused. He flicked open a small flask.

"Here you go," he murmured.

From the flask, a wispy hand emerged, engulfing the boar's carcass. In a moment, the carcass was gone, leaving the clearing untouched as if the boar had never been there.

The figure cast a wary glance toward the looming mountains. "The forest is getting more dangerous. Even this far from the outer layer of the forest, this is the only beast I could find and release their way to train them. The rest were way too strong.," he murmured.

“The beasts are moving down the forest for some reason,” he spoke, his voice barely above a whisper, before vanishing back into the forest.