The March to the Forest

The march began. Alric walked at the front, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. The air was cold and heavy, the weight of his gamble pressing harder on him with each step.

Garik's men were seasoned, their faces hardened by years of fighting. They didn't ask questions, didn't joke or complain. They had been bought, and now they were waiting for their payment.

Alric felt their eyes on him. To them, he wasn't a leader, just a desperate man clinging to borrowed strength.

The sound of snapping twigs broke the silence. One of the mercenaries, a wiry man with a scar running across his temple, let out a low chuckle.

"Feels like we're walking into a trap," he muttered. "Fifty men? We're not exactly an army."

"Keep quiet, Bren," another snapped, his voice a harsh whisper. "You're scaring yourself."

Alric didn't turn, his focus on the path ahead. "If you're scared, leave now," he said evenly. "No one's forcing you to stay."

Bren bristled, his hand twitching toward his blade. "Careful, stranger. You've got a lot riding on us."

Alric stopped, turning to face him. His expression was calm, but his eyes were cold. "I know exactly what I've got riding on this. And if you think doubting me will make it easier, go ahead and try."

The tension hung heavy for a moment before Bren looked away, muttering under his breath. The group resumed its march, the unspoken challenge lingering.

As the sun dipped lower, the group reached the edge of a shallow ravine. Alric raised a hand, signaling for them to stop. He crouched low, scanning the terrain ahead.

The faint sound of voices reached his ears. He motioned for the others to stay back, creeping forward to get a better view.

Below, a small group of Lirian scouts moved through the ravine. There were six of them, their weapons drawn and their eyes scanning the trees.

Alric cursed under his breath. If they stumbled across the mercenaries' trail, the element of surprise would be lost.

Garik crouched beside him, his massive frame somehow silent in the brush. "Take them out?" he whispered, his tone more amused than concerned.

Alric hesitated. A fight here could draw attention, but letting them go would risk exposing the camp. He turned to Garik, his voice low. "Quietly. No mess."

Garik grinned, gesturing to two of his men. "You heard him. Make it quick."

The mercenaries moved with precision, slipping into the shadows. The first scout fell silently, his throat slit before he could make a sound. The second turned, his eyes widening in alarm, but a dagger found his chest before he could shout. The rest of the group followed in swift succession, their bodies crumpling to the ground without so much as a warning cry.

When it was over, the mercenaries dragged the bodies into the brush, their faces expressionless. Garik leaned against a tree. "Efficient, aren't they?"

Alric nodded, though his stomach churned. "We move faster now. Lirian will notice if these men don't report back."

Garik pushed off the tree, his grin widening. "Lead the way, then."

Far ahead, beyond the trees and the rising mist, Torik's camp waited, unaware of the storm closing in.

The camp was alive with tension. Bandits moved in hurried, disorganized clusters, packing supplies and sharpening weapons. The smell of smoke lingered in the air, a faint reminder of the campfire that had burned out hours ago.

Torik stood at the center of the clearing. "Get the wagons ready!" he snapped at a pair of bandits struggling to load crates. "If we're not moving by dawn, we're as good as dead!"

Kain watched from the edge of the clearing, his staff gripped tightly in one hand. The chaos around him felt suffocating, every hurried movement and muttered curse a reminder of the storm closing in.

The girl sat near the cages, her arms wrapped around her knees. She glanced at Kain, her voice barely above a whisper. "Do you think we'll make it?"

Kain didn't answer immediately. His gaze drifted to Torik, who was shouting at another bandit about their lack of discipline. The man moved like a force of nature, his confidence unshaken even as the odds stacked against them.

"We'll make it," Kain said finally, though the words felt hollow.

The scarred man in the cage chuckled darkly. "You don't believe that any more than we do."

Kain's grip on the staff tightened, his jaw clenching. "Keep your mouth shut."

The man's smirk widened, but he said nothing more.

As the sun dipped lower, Torik approached Kain, his smirk faint but sharp. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

Kain glanced at him, his expression guarded. "Just watching."

"Good," Torik said, his tone softening slightly. "Watch and learn. This is how you survive when the odds are against you."

Kain hesitated, then said, "And if they catch up to us?"

Torik's smirk vanished, replaced by a cold stare. "Then we fight. And we don't stop until they're dead, or we are."

The words hung in the air. Kain nodded, though his chest tightened at the thought.

Later that evening, Torik called for the prisoners to be brought out of the cages. The bandits dragged them into the clearing, their chains clinking as they stumbled forward.

Kain frowned, stepping closer. "What are you doing?"

"Insurance," Torik replied simply. He gestured to the prisoners, his smirk returning. "If Lirian catches up, these poor bastards will make great distractions."

The girl's eyes widened, her hands trembling as she clutched at the scarred man's arm. Kain stepped forward, his voice sharp. "They won't survive that."

Torik turned to him, his expression unreadable. "They're not supposed to."

Kain's chest tightened, but he forced himself to stay silent. The prisoners were tools to Torik, nothing more. And he wasn't in a position to argue.

Alric moved at the head of the mercenary column. Behind him, Garik's men marched in silence.

Alric's mind raced, the weight of the gamble pressing heavily on him. He had promised Garik the camp's spoils, supplies, weapons, everything, and thrown his own life into the bargain. If Torik didn't see the logic in the deal, if the bandits rebelled, or if the mercenaries turned... it would all fall apart.

No room for doubt, he told himself, though the thought felt hollow.

The column halted abruptly as one of the scouts returned, his face pale and his breathing labored. He gestured toward Alric, his voice low and urgent. "We've got company."

Alric's stomach dropped. "Lirian?"

The scout shook his head. "No. Something... else. Didn't see it clearly, but it's close. And it's big."

Garik's grin faltered, replaced by a faint scowl. "Big? What the hell does that mean?"

The scout hesitated, glancing nervously at the forest around them. "It's not human."

The group fell silent, the tension thickening. The mercenaries shifted uneasily, their hands moving to their weapons. Alric stepped forward, his eyes scanning the shadows.

"We keep moving," he said firmly. "Stay together, stay alert."

The group moved cautiously, their formation tightening as the forest closed in around them. The air felt heavier, the faint rustling of leaves now unnervingly loud.

Then it came.

A low, guttural growl rumbled through the trees, sending a shiver down Alric's spine. The mercenaries froze, their weapons raised, as a massive shadow shifted in the underbrush.

The creature emerged slowly, its hulking frame illuminated by the faint light of the moon. Its eyes glowed faintly, and its thick, matted fur bristled as it stepped forward. It looked like a wolf, but far larger, its shoulders hunched and its jaws lined with jagged teeth.

"Shit," Garik muttered, his axe swinging into position. "That's not natural."

The beast growled again, its gaze locking onto the group. For a moment, everything was still. Then it lunged.

The beast lunged into the group with terrifying force, its massive claws rending the first mercenary it reached. Blood sprayed across the clearing as the man's body crumpled to the ground, his scream abruptly silenced. The remaining mercenaries froze for a fraction of a second.

"Move!" Alric bellowed, his sword flashing as he darted to the side.

The mercenaries scattered, their weapons raised as they circled the creature. Garik stepped forward, his massive axe gleaming as he planted his feet. "Don't let it split us up!" he roared.

The beast snarled, its glowing eyes locking onto the nearest mercenary, a wiry woman with a spear. She thrust forward, the weapon piercing its flank. The beast barely flinched. With a sickening twist of its body, it lashed out, its claws ripping through her armor. She fell back, gasping as blood poured from her side.

Alric darted in, his sword slicing at the beast's hind leg. The blade struck true, drawing a line of dark, viscous blood. The creature howled in fury, its jaws snapping dangerously close to his arm as he retreated.

Garik charged, his axe raised high. He swung with all his strength, the blade burying itself in the beast's shoulder. It let out a guttural roar, twisting violently and throwing Garik off balance. The massive man stumbled but recovered quickly, yanking his axe free.

"Hit it where it's soft!" Garik shouted, pointing to the beast's underbelly. "Blades bounce off the rest!"

Two mercenaries took the opening, darting in from opposite sides. One slashed at its exposed belly while the other jabbed at its throat. The beast twisted, its jaws snapping onto the throat of the second mercenary. A sickening crunch echoed through the clearing as it flung the lifeless body into the trees.

The first mercenary hesitated, his face pale, but Garik's roar snapped him back to focus. "Keep moving, damn it!"

Alric circled the beast, his breathing heavy. The creature's movements were too fast. Every strike seemed to cost another life, and the group was running out of fighters.

He glanced at Garik, who was panting heavily, his axe slick with blood. The two locked eyes briefly, and Alric nodded. He darted forward, feinting a strike at the beast's flank. As it turned to face him, Garik charged in from the opposite side, his axe swinging low toward its legs.

The blade connected with a sickening crunch, and the beast let out a deafening roar as it collapsed onto one knee. Alric seized the moment, driving his sword into its exposed side. The creature bucked wildly, its claws raking the air as it fought to stand.

The remaining mercenaries rallied, their attacks more coordinated now. One threw a dagger that embedded itself in the beast's eye, blinding it on one side. Another struck at its hind leg, the blade slicing deep enough to sever tendons.

The beast's movements slowed, its roars turning into guttural growls. But even in its weakened state, it was deadly. It lashed out blindly, catching one mercenary in the chest and sending him flying. He hit a tree with a sickening thud, his body crumpling lifelessly to the ground.

Alric ducked under a swipe, his sword biting into the beast's throat. It reared back, its glowing eyes wide with fury, and let out one final roar.

"Move!" Garik bellowed, shoving Alric aside. The mercenary leader hefted his axe, his muscles straining as he brought it down in a powerful arc. The blade buried itself deep into the beast's neck, severing bone and muscle.

The creature collapsed with a heavy thud, its massive body shuddering once before falling still. The clearing fell silent, save for the breathing of the surviving mercenaries.

Garik leaned on his axe, his shoulders heaving. "Damn thing... almost made me work for it," he muttered.

Alric surveyed the scene, his sword still in hand. The ground was slick with blood, both human and beast. The survivors, only a dozen now, stood in grim silence, their faces pale and their eyes haunted.

Garik spat on the ground, wiping his axe with a piece of cloth. "You've got some explaining to do," he said, his tone sharp. "What the hell was that thing?"

Alric sheathed his sword, his expression hard. "I don't know. And right now, it doesn't matter. We've got bigger problems."

Garik snorted, shaking his head. "Bigger than that? I'll believe it when I see it."

Alric didn't respond. He turned to the remaining mercenaries, his voice steady despite the exhaustion in his body. "We move. Now."

Garik wiped his axe on his cloak, his expression grim. "You didn't tell me we'd be fighting demons."

"I didn't know," Alric said, his voice tight. "But it's dead now. And we're not stopping."

Garik shot him a look but said nothing. The group gathered their remaining strength and pressed on, the weight of their losses heavy on their shoulders.