The rain was relentless, a cold and unforgiving downpour that soaked them to the bone. They had found their way back to the main path they were following out of Demure, but the forest at night was a web of shadows and eerie noises–each step feeling like it could lead them deeper into danger. Vre could barely see the path ahead, her lamplight a weak beacon in the oppressive gloom.

"Keep moving," Jonah urged, despite the already steady pace they were keeping. "We'll find shelter soon. Keep your eyes peeled."

Xerith was silent, bringing up the rear. Even he seemed on edge, his golden eyes scanning the darkness for any sign of the unknown threat that stalked them.

The howl had grown louder, more insistent, as if whatever was out there was closing in. Vre's heart pounded in her chest, her breaths coming in shallow gasps. Whatever she had seen back there in the forest replayed in her mind. She forced herself to stay calm, to focus on putting one foot in front of the other.

Suddenly, Jonah halted. He raised his hand from the front and they all stopped, listening intently. The rain drummed around them, but beneath its steady rhythm, there was a new sound—a low, guttural growl that sent shivers down Vre's spine.

"What is that?" Drake whispered, his voice barely audible.

"Not a phantom," Xerith replied grimly. "It is something alive. I can hear it breathing."

They moved cautiously forward, every sense on high alert. The growl grew louder, more distinct, echoing through the trees. And then they saw it—a pair of glowing red eyes, peering at them from the darkness.

Vre's breath caught in her throat as the creature stepped into the dim light of their lamps. It was massive, its fur matted and slick with rain, muscles rippling beneath its dark hide. It snarled, baring sharp, glistening teeth.

“A wolf?” She asked, but it was so large that it couldn’t be a normal wolf. It was easier as large as a horse, and it’s jaws about twice the size of her head. She stared at its salivating mandible and its deep red eyes, knowing that it meant to hurt them.

Wordlessly, Xerith placed a hand on her shoulder and stepped protectively in front of the group. Jonah drew his weapon, readying himself for a fight while Drake fell back with his knife unsheathed to the back of the group. The creature seemed to study them, its eyes filled with intelligence. It took a step closer, its growl vibrating through the air.

Vre felt a surge of fear, but also a strange determination. She had come this far, faced so many dangers. She couldn't back down now. She pulled out her knife too, the one that Jonah had given her.

With a sudden, fluid movement, Xerith lunged at the beast, his form a blur of otherworldly motion. His body seemed to meld with the darkness, becoming a shadowy figure with only the fierce glow of his eyes cutting through the night. The creature roared, its massive claws swiping through the air with deadly force, but Xerith was quick, his movements a dance of dodging and striking unarmed with precision and grace.

"Go!" he shouted to the others, his voice carrying an urgency that held no room for argument.

Jonah and Drake didn't need to be told twice. Drake grabbed Vre's arm and pulled her along, sprinting through the forest as fast as they could. Vre's heart pounded in her chest as she glanced back, catching a glimpse of Xerith locked in a fierce battle with the monstrous creature. The wolf-like beast towered over him, its eyes burning with rage. Its snarls echoed through the trees, and she watched in horror as it lashed out with its claws, narrowly missing Xerith as he twisted and dodged through the shadows.

The ground shook as the creature's massive paws struck the earth, and she heard the splintering sound of a tree being shattered by the force of an impact. The noise reverberated through the forest. Xerith moved with a fluidity that seemed almost supernatural, his form weaving through the attacks with an agility that left Vre breathless.

Drake urged her forward, his grip firm on her arm as they followed behind Jonah. They raced through the rain-soaked forest, the sound of their footsteps muffled by the downpour. The darkness pressed in around them. Vre's mind was a whirlwind of fear and concern for Xerith, the image of his glowing eyes burned into her mind.

As they ran, the sounds of the battle grew fainter, but the eerie howls and snarls of the creature still echoed in her ears. They pushed forward with desperate urgency, the rain blurring their vision and making the path slippery. Her footing slipped several times, causing her to trip in the wet underbrush. The mud clung to their boots, making each step a struggle. Ahead, they spotted a rocky outcrop, a small overhang just visible in its shadow.

"In here!" Jonah called, leading them towards it. It wasn’t much—not a full cave by any means, just a divet in the rocky surface, but it was at least dry. The overhang provided a small respite from the relentless downpour, its rocky surface cool and solid against their backs as they huddled together beneath it.

Panting and soaked, they huddled together. The dampness clung to their clothes and skin, and their breaths came in visible puffs in the cool night air.

"What was that thing?" Drake asked, his voice shaky, his eyes wide with residual fear. His grip remained on Vre protectively, his thin fingers pushed into her arm.

“You can let go.” Vre said to him, panting. “Thank you, Drake.”

He met her eyes with a steely expression and released her.

"It was just a wolf," Jonah answered her, his face grim. "But it’s been twisted by the taint. It’s no longer just an animal anymore, but something wicked--something born of this corrupted land."

Vre shivered, pulling her jacket tighter around herself but it was useless. The chill seemed to seep into her bones despite her effort of just sprinting. "Do you think Xerith will be okay?"

Jonah met her gaze, his expression serious. "You know as much about him as anyone, but I for one am happy he was here. He seemed to be holdin’ his own... Believe in him. I’m sure that would make him happy. If he hadn't been here, it would have been you and me fightin’ that thing, Vre. And I dunno about you but I don’t think we were quite as well equipped for that."

They stood in tense silence, the rain continuing to pour outside. The rhythm of the rain seemed to echo the beating of her heart. This world was nothing but danger and darkness, she realized, a constant fight for survival. She'd just gotten used to Xerith being around. Now that he was gone, she felt terribly alone.

“You’re right. Sorry, I'll get it together. How much further do you think until the next town?” Vre asked, her voice a whisper in the heavy silence.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

“I thought we’d be getting close by now.” Drake sighed, frustration evident in his tone. “We’ll need to keep going. As soon as we catch our breath, we should go. We’re not going to be able to remake a camp with us all being soaked, and it isn’t wise to just stay still. Not unless we want hypothermia.”

Vre nodded in resignation. “I’m ready.”

By some mercy, the rain was starting to let up. The storm had left the air cooler and less humid than it had been, but also made the forest seem oppressive with how quiet it was now. They could no longer hear any sounds of fighting or anything else for that matter, besides the crunch of their footsteps as they walked back towards the path. Everything seemed rather still, the silence heavy and foreboding.

She kept hoping she’d see Xerith reappear. She’d seen him vanish and reappear before, and she found herself praying internally that he’d do that again.

Drake was scowling, grumbling as he dug through his pack. “It’s all soaked through…”

“What is?” Jonah asked, glancing over.

“My journals. Not going to be able to read anything in them. It’s fine, I’m sure I have them all memorized anyway, but I’d spent at least a year on this one. I had a map drawn of something a being had described for me a long time ago that showed the way to the Cathedral.”

“That would have been good to see!” Vre exclaimed, her frustration evident.

“Yeah, well. We might not be able to see it at all now.” Drake's voice was heavy with disappointment.

They walked on for quite some time. None of them seemed eager to talk--their ears were trained on listening to the sounds of the forest now, but everything seemed quiet. Occasionally they heard an owl or a rustle in the branches, but it never turned out to be anything more than a field mouse or a moth.

After what felt like hours, the sky started to lighten. The ability to see even a small bit was such a welcome reprieve to her anxiety. She knew the woods were still just as dangerous in the light, but she was happy to be able to see. Slowly, more and more light crept into the woods until they didn’t need their lamplights any longer and were able to put them away. As they walked, her wet clothes chafed the inside of her thighs and under her arms continuously, but she didn’t complain--it could be worse. She could be dead.

“Good news.” Jonah spoke up as he pointed on ahead. They could see a cluster of buildings grouped together--what looked like log cabins all huddled around a center square. “Regnum.”

“Regnum?”

“Name of the town.” Drake explained. “Neighbor village. It’s close to the Cathedral. We won’t have to spend any more nights in the woods.”

“Thank the heavens.” She breathed.

There was still no sign of Xerith.

As they approached, she saw a figure dressed in white dart between the upcoming houses. It looked like a woman, but it was hard to see her--it was like Vre's eyes couldn't focus on her face. A moment later, another woman followed after the woman in white, but this time wearing drab brown clothes with a mess of wavy hair trailing behind her.

“Anka!” The woman in brown called. She must have been calling out to the woman in white.

Jonah, leading the way, approached the woman first. She spun, looking alarmed to see anyone approaching.

“Who are you?!” She balked. Her face was lined with dirt and wrinkles, though she didn't look very old. Her eyes darted between the three of them approaching, looking wary but not afraid. “You comin' out of the woods so early in the morning. You from Demure?”

“Yes.” Jonah nodded, and gestured to the rest of the group. “I'm Jonah. This is Drake, and Vre. We just made it through the woods and are on our way to the Cathedral. Are you able to help us? We got caught in the rain, and I'm ‘fraid our supplies are soaked through. What's your name? Who was that woman you was just chasin'?”

“Ah, that's Anka.” The woman shook her head. “Angel that comes by these parts probably once a week. Tryin' to get that girl to sit still is like holdin' a candle underwater. Don't work too well.”

Jonah put on a good-natured smile, chuckling like he understood. “Angels are like that. I met a couple myself.”

Drake cleared his throat loudly. “Don't suppose you might have somewhere warm and dry for us to dry out our clothes before we continue? We won't get in your way, I promise.”

“Sorry, I didn't catch your name?” Vre asked, making eye contact with the woman who finally took notice of her.

“Isabel. Goodness, you look like you've seen better days.” She said, looking Vre over.

She wasn't wrong. She was sure she looked like hell right now.

“Follow me. I'll look for Anka later. We have a group house where travelers can stay. Human or otherwise. You'll be able to dry off yer clothes and regroup. Cathedral's not far. We got a lot of people tryin' to make their way there.”

Grateful, the three of them followed towards a large two-story log building that was located close to what Vre assumed was the center of the town. It was still early in the morning, but there were two other people in the building when they arrived--one was stoking a large fireplace in the middle of the great room and the other was sitting at a long, wooden table with eight chairs. Neither of them looked up when the crew entered. Isabel stood at the doorway, not overly eager to lead them all the way in.

“This building is just set up for travelers. There's some rooms upstairs, but nothing is really managed. Henry keeps the place clean--that's the old man you see there by the fire--but other than that you're on your own. You can stay as long as you like, but no one is going to feed you. You're on your own there.”

Jonah nodded, understanding. “Got it. Is there still the old store down the street? I brought some things to trade.”

“Yeah, you mean Mikey's? Sure is. You'll be fine then. I see you know what you're doing.”

“Thanks for the help, Isabel.”

The heat of the fire beckoned her. She caught the eye of her companions and took it as a silent understanding that they were on their own for a moment. She broke away from them and went to go stand by the fire, soaking in the heat. They hadn't made it to the Cathedral yet, but at least they'd found warmth and people. Nowhere was really safe, as she was sure Regnum had its own share of danger from the rain men, but it was at least better than the woods.

The warmth of the fire soothed her aching muscles and brought a semblance of comfort to her tired mind. She looked around the room, taking in the rustic charm of the log cabin. The walls were adorned with simple decorations, and the wooden floor creaked softly underfoot. She felt a pang of nostalgia for a simpler time, a time before the World Between.

Eventually, exhaustion caught up with her, and she decided to retire to one of the rooms upstairs. She climbed the creaky wooden staircase and found a small, modest room with a single bed and a wooden chair. The window overlooked the village square, where she could see a few villagers going about their morning routines.

She closed the door behind her and sank onto the bed, letting out a sigh of relief. Her body ached from the long trek through the forest, and her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and memories. As she lay there, the dim light filtering through the window cast long shadows across the room, creating a peaceful yet eerie ambiance.

Her thoughts drifted to Xerith. She couldn't shake the worry gnawing at her heart. Was he okay? Would he find them again? As she closed her eyes, she tried to remember the brief memories she had of him. His golden eyes, his gentle touch. His playful demeanor and the secrets he held. The memories that he said he had, of her. Was it real? She tried to recall her most distant memories. Of her being a child, playing in the tall grass catching grasshoppers. Of playing make-believe, talking to her imaginary friend, out on the playground of her old school. Her tall, bright eyed imaginary friend who was always with her to make her smile and play games alongside her.

Was that him? Was it all…true? As she lay in the relative darkness, she imagined his face. The shadows playing on the walls seemed to shift and move, creating shapes that resembled his grin and his eyes. She stared at them, her heart aching with a mixture of hope and despair.

Then, she realized she wasn't imagining it. The shadows coalesced into a familiar form, and his eyes glowed softly in the darkness.

“Xerith?” she whispered, her voice barely audible.

He stepped forward, his form becoming more solid, more real. She could hardly believe it. Half asleep but elated, she rushed over to embrace him without thinking about it, just elated he was alright. His arms wrapped around her, holding her close.

“You're safe,” she murmured against his chest, her voice trembling with emotion.

“Yes,” he replied softly. “And so are you.”