beast territory

As Duncan and Erie ventured deeper into beast territory, an eerie stillness settled over the forest. Erie's pendant, hanging beneath his shirt, began to glow brighter with each step they took. The further they went, the pendant's light intensified until, suddenly, a shimmering barrier of golden light formed in front of them.

Duncan immediately tensed, his sharp instincts kicking in. He grabbed Erie and pulled him close, his eyes scanning their surroundings. "Is somebody trying to attack us?" he muttered, his tone low and wary.

Drawing his short blade, Duncan infused it with condensed wind, the air swirling visibly around the weapon. The blade hummed with power, and Erie's eyes widened in awe.

"Wow… I want to be able to do that one day," Erie thought, his gaze fixed on the mesmerizing weapon.

"Stay close to me, Erie," Duncan commanded, his voice firm. He crouched slightly, readying his stance as the surrounding wind grew stronger. The grass beneath their feet began to swirl, and Duncan's clothes flapped from the concentrated gusts of air. "Who's there?!" he shouted into the dense trees.

Silence.

The barrier remained in place, glowing faintly in the dim light of the forest. Duncan's grip on his blade tightened as his eyes darted around, his every sense on high alert. "Hello!" he called out again, but there was no response.

He adjusted his stance, holding the short blade across his chest, prepared for anything. "I'm ready when you are!" he yelled, his voice echoing through the stillness.

But no one came.

Minutes passed, the tension thick in the air. Duncan's eyes flickered to the glowing pendant around Erie's neck. "Maybe this isn't an attack," he thought aloud, his tone cautious. "Maybe… they're just trying to keep us from going deeper."

Erie tilted his head, confused. "Who's twying to stop us?" he asked.

Duncan didn't answer immediately, his gaze fixed on the barrier. The light shimmered faintly, almost like a warning. After a long pause, he exhaled and sheathed his blade. "Erie, I'm cutting this trip short. I'm not taking any chances—not for a few lousy coins."

Erie frowned. "But I was doing so good!"

"I know, kid," Duncan said, ruffling Erie's hair. "But this? This isn't normal. Something—or someone—doesn't want us going any further. And I'm not about to test my luck."

Reluctantly, Erie nodded. Together, they turned and began retracing their steps, the glow of Erie's pendant slowly dimming as they moved away from the barrier.

Duncan's eyes darted through the shadows of the forest as they finally stepped into the open fields. He exhaled sharply, his hand steady on the hilt of his blade. For a moment, it felt safe—until Erie's pendant started to glow again.

A faint, velvet aura shimmered around Erie, thickening into a protective golden barrier that pulsed with energy. Duncan's heart sank.

"That pendant again…" he thought grimly, his jaw tightening.

Before he could dwell on it, a low, mournful howl echoed across the field, the sound slicing through the quiet like a blade.

"Aawwooooooo!"

Duncan stiffened, his muscles coiling like a spring. His gaze locked on the treeline. "No… not now," he muttered under his breath.

The howl came again, louder this time.

"Aawwooooooo!"

The hair on the back of his neck stood on end. Duncan gripped his short blade tighter, the familiar weight comforting but not reassuring. His voice was calm, but his words carried urgency. "Erie, stay behind me. Don't move."

Erie obeyed, clutching his pendant tightly as his wide eyes scanned the woods.

From the shadows emerged five wolves, their fur gleaming white under the light. They spread out, circling like sharks sensing blood. The largest of the pack—a hulking alpha wolf with glowing yellow eyes—stepped forward, its snarl cutting through the tension like a growl of thunder. Its gaze locked on Erie, unblinking, and full of intent.

Duncan stepped protectively in front of Erie, his blade raised. "You'll have to get through me first," he growled, summoning the wind with a flick of his wrist. The air around him swirled violently, kicking up loose dirt and grass.

"Air Slash!" he roared, sending a wave of compressed air hurtling toward the pack. The wind cut clean through one wolf's neck, its lifeless body collapsing into the dirt.

But the rest didn't flinch. The alpha wolf stepped over the fallen one, its lips curling back to reveal razor-sharp teeth. It threw its head back and unleashed a thunderous howl.

Duncan froze. The sound reverberated through his body, locking his muscles in place like chains. His mind screamed at him to move, but his limbs refused to obey.

"A paralyzing howl…" Duncan thought, panic rising as the alpha lunged.

The wolf's jaws clamped down on Duncan's arm with brutal force. Pain exploded up his shoulder as blood soaked through his sleeve.

"Damn it!" Duncan gritted his teeth, trying to free himself, but the howl's effects still lingered, keeping him sluggish.

"Mistew Duncan!" Erie's terrified voice cut through the haze like a lifeline.

Fueled by sheer determination, Duncan forced his body to move. With a guttural yell, he drove his knee into the wolf's side, knocking it off balance. As the alpha staggered, Duncan brought his blade down with a decisive strike to its neck.

"Air Cutter!" The wind howled as the blade's edge sliced clean through the wolf, splitting its body in two. The alpha fell with a heavy thud, lifeless.

Duncan staggered back, blood dripping from his arm as he raised his blade again. "The alpha's down! Back off!" he shouted at the remaining wolves, his voice a commanding roar.

The wolves hesitated, snarling, their eyes darting between Duncan and Erie. One of them, bolder than the rest, turned its focus to the boy. Its body coiled as it prepared to lunge.

"Oh no, you don't." Duncan slashed the air, sending a warning shot of compressed wind that struck the ground in front of the wolf. The beast growled but slowly backed away, joining the others as they retreated into the shadows of the forest.

Duncan let out a shaky breath, his blade lowering. "Good grief… White wolves? Here?" He glanced toward the distant mountains, his expression darkening as he spotted a column of smoke rising into the sky. "Aren't they supposed to be up there?"

Something wasn't right.

Turning his attention back to Erie, Duncan saw the boy pressed against the shimmering barrier, his small hands and face smudged with dirt as he stared out, trembling. His muffled cries pierced Duncan's heart.

Clutching his injured arm, Duncan moved closer to Erie, pressing his hand against the golden barrier. It rippled at his touch, then allowed him through. As soon as he lifted Erie into his arms, the barrier dissolved, leaving only the faint velvet aura that wrapped protectively around them both.

Duncan's brows furrowed as he felt warmth spreading through his body. His wound, still bleeding moments ago, began to close, the pain fading. He glanced at Erie, then at the pendant. "That's some object you've got there, kid…" he muttered under his breath.

By the time they reached the village gates, Erie was fast asleep in Duncan's arms. The guards, familiar with Duncan's routine, handed him a knife without question, though their expressions were grim.

The streets were empty. Stalls were closed, shutters drawn, and not a single soul roamed the pathways. Even the old man Duncan usually exchanged greetings with was missing.

Duncan's stomach churned. Something was wrong.

He made his way to the town square, where a large crowd had gathered near the podium. At its center stood the mayor, flanked by two Sun Warrior knights, their armor gleaming under the afternoon sun. The air was thick with tension as Duncan approached, dread creeping up his spine.

"What's going on?" he muttered, gripping Erie tighter.

He had a bad feeling about this.