Escape

The thick forest wrapped itself tightly around the winding path, each creak of the carriage echoing through the oppressive silence as it ventured further into the shadowy woods. Two rough-looking men occupied the front, their hushed voices piercing the night's stillness.

"How far are we in?" the bulky thug grumbled, his eyes darting nervously. "Feels like we're lost."

"Nah, we're on track," the skinny one replied, his gaze flicking between the towering trees. "Just deep enough to keep the girl hidden. She won't be found."

A faint, desperate voice broke the stillness, "Help... please, someone help me..."

The bulky thug's brow furrowed. "What's happening with the girl?" he muttered, concern flickering in his eyes.

"I'll check on her," the skinny thug offered, a lewd smile creeping onto his face. His mind raced with twisted thoughts as he moved to the back of the carriage. "Might as well have some fun before we sell her," he thought, licking his lips in anticipation.

He flung open the carriage door, sneering, "What's the matter, sweet—"

His taunt was abruptly silenced by a sharp metal stabbing into his left neck, followed by a swift, brutal slash. Blood spurted out as his eyes widened in shock, his body collapsing to the ground.

* * *

The bulky thug shifted his weight, growing impatient.

"Hey, what's taking so long? You better not be damaging the product. Are you just checking?" he yelled, climbing down from the driver's seat.

He rounded the carriage, irritation boiling over. "If you—"

His words froze at the sight of his friend sprawled on the ground, lifeless, a pool of blood spreading beneath him.

Before he could react, Lyra sprang from the carriage roof, her form a blur as she landed on his back. She drove the sharp metal into his right shoulder, eliciting a roar of pain.

"Get off me, you little—" he bellowed, trying to shake her off. His elbow rammed into her ribs, sending a sharp pain shooting through her side.

Ignoring the pain, Lyra's grip only tightened. "Just shut up," she hissed, yanking the metal free and plunging it repeatedly into his neck. Blood sprayed in violent arcs as his massive form crashed to the ground.

Desperately, he fumbled for his blade, but another stab tore through his arm sapped his strength. His curses turned to choking gurgles, then ceased altogether.

"You should have drawn your weapon earlier, dumbass."

Lyra's breath came in ragged gasps as she collapsed beside the lifeless thugs, her body a symphony of throbbing pain. She closed her eyes for a moment, the trees around her swaying in her vision.

"This really took a toll on my body," she whispered, struggling to steady her breath.

'...'

'Ugh, I can't lay in here. Need to move somewhere safe.'

Exhausted, she pushed herself up with trembling limbs, scavenging through the thugs' corpses for anything useful. Her fingers closed around a dagger, a few coins, and a loose-fitting robe, leaving one thug stripped to his underwear.

The robe hung loosely on her slight frame, but it didn't matter—it was a welcome change from her filthy, tattered clothes. She pulled the hood over her head, hiding her hair.

As Lyra began to walk away, the ground trembled beneath her feet, and a low growl filled the air. The sound was menacing, sending a chill down her spine. Quickly, she ducked behind a large tree, peeking out cautiously.

A pack of large, wolf-like creatures bounded into view, tearing into the thugs' bodies with ferocious savagery. Lyra pressed a hand over her mouth to stifle a gasp, her breath hitching in shock.

'What—What are those creatures?' she wondered, her heart pounding in her chest. 'Maybe they were lured by the blood.'

In that terrifying moment, one of the creature's eyes met hers. Panic surged through her veins. 'It noticed me,' she realized, feeling the splatter blood on her body might have given her away.

Without a second thought, she bolted, branches lashing at her as she ran, each sting adding to her pain. She ran with all her strength until she reached the edge of a cliff, her heart pounding louder than the growls and snarls behind her.

She look down at the roaring waterfall below, its mist rising up to meet her. "Is this really how it ends? No way out... no more running. Fine. If I'm going down, I'm taking my fate into my own hands."

She took a deep breath, steeling herself for the leap. With one final glance back, she jumped from the cliff, shouting defiantly, "See you in hell!" and raising both middle fingers.

However, at the same time, she caught a glimpse of a figure standing under a shadowy tree behind the monsters before her body finally met the water, which had a very thunderous impact on her wounded body, and for a moment, everything went dark.

* * *

*Gasp*

Cold water enveloped her, the icy shock jolting Lyra awake. She swam to the surface, gasping for air, her body screaming in pain from the fall. She spotted a rocky shore and, fighting against the current, pulled herself onto the wet rocks.

Lying there, she breathed heavily, trying to regain her strength. 'Oh, wow, I'm still alive. For a second, I thought I was going to die again.'

The echoing growls approaching from behind made her realize she was still being hunted. Panic surged through her veins, and she struggled to her feet, scanning for any means of escape.

Amidst her panic, she heard a soft, ethereal voice. "Hide here."

Lyra whipped her head around, searching for the source of the voice. "Who's there?" she whispered, her heart pounding. The voice came again, more insistent this time. "Behind the waterfall."

She squinted through the mist and saw a faint, silvery light. Tiny, glowing butterflies, each radiating a soft, moonlit glow, fluttered around her. They seemed to beckon her, leading the way.

"Am I hallucinating?" she wondered aloud. But the growls behind her spurred her into action. She stumbled toward the waterfall, the butterflies guiding her path. With a final push, she slipped behind the cascading water, finding a hidden cave.

Lyra collapsed inside, her body trembling with exhaustion. "What are these things?" she murmured, watching the butterflies float around her, their glow comforting in the darkness.

"You're safe here," the voice whispered again, the sound soothing her frayed nerves. "Rest now."

Unable to fight the overwhelming fatigue, Lyra's eyes fluttered closed. The butterflies gathered around her, their light dimming as she fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.