12.| The Daemon's Wood Awakens

"What the hell do you mean we are under attack?" Bryard's voice came from further ahead, and soon enough his face was lit up by the lantern another guard held up. "And what the hell happened to our front left foot soldier?"

I swallowed, finding myself searching the canopies woven overhead with him. But all I could see was the moon weaving behind dark gray clouds. It wasn't a blood moon, so what the hell was snatching people up that wasn't a Daemon?

The guard that had been standing beside the other who'd been snatched up, saluted Bryard and stood straighter. "Sir, I don't know. He was there one minute, then gone the next."

"Do you get paid not to see things?!" Bryard took one menacing step toward the man, and I felt pity for him as someone who'd been on the receiving end of his anger before. 

The guard shook his head. "No sir!"

"Now get your sorry ass out there and see what happened to him." Bryard didn't even bother looking at the guard as if he were beneath him. 

Well he was. Guards handled Punisher's light work, dreaming of one day becoming the ones barking orders instead of taking them.

The lowly guard scurried off to do as Bryard commanded, and Bryard stood there still searching the overbrush for a long moment before making sure the thralls were still in the wagon. I guessed he'd given up after nothing came slithering or crawling. 

"Go back the sleep," he told me once he noticed me staring, his hand threateningly dropping to his whip. "You'll need that rest when you make my coins in the hollows."

 I immediately laid down. He was such a dick. Now laying on my side, I'm still able to see what's going on, though the view wasn't as great as the last.

Bryard was about to say something to another guard when a bloody arm came whooshing through the air and landed on the ground. Deep gashes, spikes sticking from exposed bones.

What the hell was that? I felt sick to my stomach. This wasn't funny. I wanted out of this game. 

"What the hell," Bryard muttered, then a deep growl echoed through the forest.

My blood ran cold as I pressed my eye to the gaps in the wagons wooden boards. The lantern's light caught something the size of a bear emerging from the treelines that led to the road we were on. It had rows of sharp teeth, needle-like fur, a long tongue ending in a spiked ball, and holes for eyes.

I wanted nothing more than to leap over the wagons edge, but the fear of being caught by one of those things rooted me to the spot. Dyon—who sat next to me—sprung up, wide awake from the ruckus around us, all in the trees.

"You! Fasten that wheel back on! The rest of you, stand on guard and prepare for an attack." 

Here's the passage with the system notification filled in based on the information provided:

Despite Bryard's earlier orders, I remained on my side, eyes fixed on the world beyond the wagon's cracked boards. My heart thundered in my chest as the night air seemed to thicken, setting my nerves on edge.

Suddenly, a translucent blue box materialized in my vision, its text glowing right before my eyes.

[New Quest: Find Wheel Pieces]

[Objective: Collect 4 wheel fragments (0/4)]

[Reward: Level Up + Escape route unlocked]

I barely suppressed a snort. "Wow, thanks system for helping me by being vague," I muttered under my breath. "I was starting to think my father was an asshole for the way he set up this stupid game, but now I'm certain."

Turning to Dyon, I found him sitting upright, his honey-colored eyes wide with confusion that likely mirrored my own. I gestured towards the line of guards standing apart, their swords and axes raised against the encroaching darkness. 

The wolf-like creatures that had been prowling at the edge of my vision moments ago had vanished, as if swallowed by the shadows themselves. Even the guards, hardened men used to facing danger, seemed lost and bewildered.

Bryard shouldered his way past one of his men, positioning himself a few paces ahead of the front line. His face was a mask of barely contained fury as he hissed through clenched teeth, "A goddamn sword isn't what I asked for. We need archers, and we need them fast."

[Danger Sense activated!]

[Agility check: Success (Roll: 18/20)]

[Reaction Time: +15% boost]

A primal instinct surged through me, every nerve screaming danger. Without hesitation, I vaulted over the wagon's splintered side, my hand closing around Dyon's arm in an iron grip. The moment our feet hit the packed earth, the air above us changed.

[Environmental Hazard: Crystalline Spike Rain]

[Damage potential: Severe (75-100 HP per hit)]

[Evasion recommended]

[Current cover: 25%]

The night sky erupted in a deadly shower. Razor-sharp crystalline spikes, each as long as a man's forearm, rained down. They slammed into Bryard's front line of guards, their armor offering little protection against the otherworldly barrage. Stray projectiles found softer targets among the thralls. Their agonized screams cut through the chaoss.

"We need those wheel pieces," I hissed to Dyon, my eyes scanning frantically. "Without them, we're dead. No way we outrun this nightmare on foot."

Dyon nodded, his face pale in the eerie light. I forced my eyes to focus, willing them to pierce the thick shadows. Suddenly, a faint golden glow caught my attention, shimmering like a beacon.

[Enhanced Perception activated]

[Item Detected: Wheel Fragment]

[Location: 53.2m northeast]

[Difficulty to reach: High]

"It could be anywhere in this hellscape," Dyon muttered, frustration and fear evident in his voice.

I shook my head, pointing beyond the chaos. "There, and another across from it. We just need a distraction to reach them."

Dyon pressed his back against the wagon, eyes squeezed shut in silent prayer. "You think All-Mother would protect a lowly thrall like me?" His chest heaved with rapid breaths.

Before I could process his words, Dyon bolted towards the second wheel piece, his form quickly swallowed by the darkness and chaos..

[Ally Action: Dyon - Sacrificial Distraction]

[Risk level: Extreme]

[Potential Outcome: Death (87% probability)]

[Loyalty increased: +50]

"Shield wall! Form up, you dogs!" Bryard's commanding roar cut through the din. The remaining guards rushed forward, interlocking their shields just as another volley of spikes descended.

My momentary relief shattered as I saw Dyon stumble, a crystalline spike protruding from his calf. He collapsed, a pained cry escaping his lips. My heart hammered against my ribs, time seeming to slow.

I needed to get the hell out of here. Logic screamed at me to stay put, but my body had other ideas. Adrenaline flooded my system as I made my choice. 

"Damn it all," I growled, launching myself into the fray. As I raced towards Dyon's fallen form, I silently prayed that this insane gambit wouldn't be our last.