Hunt monsters

The sun was just beginning to rise as I headed out from the castle, the air cool and crisp. I had picked up a mission to hunt some monsters that had been causing trouble in the nearby villages. Even without my magic, I knew I was more than capable of handling it. I just needed to get my mind off things, and this was the perfect distraction. 

As I moved through the dense forest, I felt a familiar sense of focus settle over me. The sounds of the waking woods surrounded me—the rustle of leaves, the distant call of birds. I felt at home here, away from the suffocating walls of the castle and the unbearable tension with Aeliana. Fuck, I needed this.

The first signs of the monsters' presence were obvious: claw marks on trees, the stench of death lingering in the air. I tightened my grip on my weapons, senses on high alert. My magic might have been suppressed, but my skills were honed from years of experience. I didn't need magic to take down these beasts.