Chapter 12 - First Kill

The trail was fresh.

I kept my gaze low, following the heavy imprints in the dirt and the multitude of deep gouges left behind by the owner of these particularly massive, clawed feet. Some of the tracks showed signs of movement on all fours; others were visibly upright. Their owners were clearly fast, determined by the distance between the imprints. They would surely be faster than any of us... and that realization sent an involuntary shiver up my spine, though I kept his expression neutral. Still, just as some animals would trump us humans... this had to be just as valid to these beast folk.

Yet the others seemed unbothered. So I didn't ask.

Keeping our pace up, the forest closed in around us more the deeper we went, the last hints of the open road fading behind us, no longer visible between the thick wall of trees. The dirt beneath my boots softened, damp with moisture, and the canopy above us thickened and blocked much of the sunlight, throwing dark shadows across our path. We were in uncharted territory. It wasn't a road anymore, not even a proper trail—just disturbed earth and snapped twigs marking the way they cut through the forest.

Cravik moved ahead of me with a clear purpose. Watching him from behind, his posture looked relaxed, but his eyes were sharp, scanning every detail of their surroundings. Flanking us, Jared and Dren followed at a more cautious pace, their hands never straying far from their weapons, same as me. Without talking about tactics, it became evident that I was the one who brought up the rear, becoming the guard, watching their backs.

Surprisingly, it seemed to be a familiar arrangement for my body.

Without conscious effort, I knew how to get there. It wasn't my old instincts, that is for sure, as my past life would have had me stumbling through the underbrush like a lost, blind idiot. But this body, this version of the younger Auriel, had spent years learning how to navigate the wild. Thanks... me. The knowledge came to me naturally after the realization. I knew how to place my steps, how to distribute my weight over uneven terrain, and how to avoid stepping on loose foliage that might make a sound. It just felt... right.

It was a strange sensation, as if two versions of myself were finally beginning to sync up.

My rebirthed self, who had walked only on paved streets and concrete sidewalks though whished, was back in civilization, though. The sheer untamed nature of the forest and the fact we were hunting bandits, beast-like ones at that, was not something that gave me much peace.

Relax. You know this. Trust your instincts.

At least, that is what I was repeating in my head. I can't lose my nerves, not right now, or I could die. I don't think I would be lucky enough to get a third chance at life. And I wasn't about to find out.

We moved forward in near silence, stopping only when Cravik raised a hand, signaling us to slow down. Whenever that happened, my breathing steadied as I adjusted to the movement of the others, keeping it fluid, controlled, and without unnecessary noise. The more I followed my instincts ingrained in this body, the more natural it became, no longer needing to even think about it. It was then I noticed it...

A flicker of movement ahead.

Cravik dropped low just then, motioning for the rest of us to do the same. Of course, I followed suit, pressing myself against the rough bark of a nearby tree, leaning over cautiously, my eyes scanning the trees ahead of us. The tracks led further into the thicket, but now there was something new, a kind of fresh disturbance followed by a rustling sound. It was faint but unmistakable if you knew what to listen for.

"..." Jared tensed close by, mouthing without making a noise. "Scouts."

I saw them a second later.

Two figures moved between the trees, crouched low, sniffing the air. Luckily, Cravik had to be paying attention to it, because we were facing the direction of the wind... Our scent was being blown in the other direction, missing their noses. Their forms were inhuman but eerily similar nonetheless. It was a mix of bestial and humanoid features. The first was wolf-like, standing on two, its fur dark and matted, only covering his clawed feet and arm; the remaining of his body was human alright. A bit taller and more muscular than normal humans... with a larger head, its animalistic ears flicking toward every small noise. The second was serpentine, its elongated body partially covered in sleek, dark scales. She had no legs to speak of, but her torso was also like a human woman's. Yet, her head was not. It was that of a snake, just like her lower body. Its slit-pupil eyes scanned the area around them, making me quickly pull back to the tree before it caught me somehow.

Beast-folk... now I understood the name and its indication.

"We can't let them report back," Cravik whispered. "Quick and quiet."

Quick... and quiet? I wanted to ask, but there was no chance I could, so I simply swallowed once and nodded, my heart pounding in my throat. This was it, my first real fight. I could only hope to rely on my younger version's training instincts, the memories where he sparred and learned from proper instructors. Just keep an eye out for being knocked out again...

The moment I thought about that, the younger Auriel's instincts surged to the surface, guiding my movements as if protesting against the blunder. The modern part of me, though, screamed at the absurdity of it all—I have never fought for my life before; how can I even think about this?—but it was too late to hesitate. Cravik gave the signal while I was thinking, and I watched as they all downed a flask of red potion the size of a tiny vial. 

Dren moved first, stepping on a branch deliberately and snapping it with enough force to echo far and wide.

Of course, the wolf-folk's head jerked toward the sound in an instant—just in time for Jared to launch his dagger straight into its throat. His move was lightning fast, faster than any human should be able to move. I couldn't really follow him with my eyes. The potion... now it made sense...

The creature let out a strangled snarl but barely had time to react before Dren rushed forward, swinging his axe in a brutal arc. When his weapon's edge cut into the flesh, I expected it to bounce back or something... But no. The wolf's head barely stayed on its shoulders, blood spraying the underbrush, making the forest echo from the butchering, wet sound that accompanied it, right as the body collapsed. Dead. It was dead already.

The serpent-folk hissed in surprise, twisting her body away from the attack, moving faster than any of us anticipated. Even with the potions reinforcing us, it was still quicker. I watched as it lunged toward Cravik, its mouth opening grotesquely, its jaw being unhinged, its poisoned teeth flashing—

My body was already moving, an empty vial falling at the same spot I was behind a moment ago. I felt incredible in that moment. I was light, I was filled with vitality, with unbridled energy... I was... I felt like I could take on the world. No wonder people get hooked on potions!

My sword was drawn before I even realized my movement. I watched myself in detached awe as the potion took over, and I moved totally on instinct. My feet were then planted firmly, my balance perfect—right when I met the serpent's attack head-on.

The creature struck fast, teeth slicing through the air toward Cravik's throat. But with me there, it couldn't sink them into his skin. I barely felt the hit, withstanding the inhuman force behind it as I deflected her with my blade, twisting my body just enough to avoid the follow-up swipe of its tail. The movement was flawless, like second nature.

The serpent, switching her aim from Cravik to me, came again, hissing, its fangs bared at me. Yet, I just stepped into the attack instead of retreating. My sword found flesh, carving through her abdomen and muscle in one smooth stroke, where there was no hardened scale covering it. The serpent's eyes widened in shock as its body faltered, probably not expecting that I would be so quick. If I could, I would have mocked it a little... because I didn't expect it either. But there was no time for that; this was a death battle, and I didn't let it recover. With a quick, clean motion, I slashed once again, this time aiming higher, severing her throat in one decisive stroke.

I felt my sword reach its target, cutting through its windpipe as blood squirted onto the dirt. The moment my blade cut into it, I felt it—her body seizing up, the way her muscles twitched as the light drained from her eyes. It was over in seconds, but I felt every moment of it. I killed someone. It was a realization that was hard to put anywhere… so I just pushed it down. This was what it meant to fight; I can't freeze up right now! So, burying the thought, I managed to step to the side at the last moment, or I would have been drenched in its blood, something I wasn't keen on doing right now. As the serpent-woman crumpled, its body twitching before falling still, I just stood there, my breathing even, not even feeling tired... or feeling anything besides a sudden wave of exhilaration.

The fight was over in seconds.

Yet, even when the two were dead, I just stood there, sword still held in my grip, finally starting to recover as my breathing became hard all of a sudden. Then I started feeling it... My heart pounded so fast I was afraid I would get a heart attack. Its drumming was echoing in my ears, adrenaline flooding every vein in my body, from my toes to the tip of my hair. We had fought. We had won.

"Nice save!" Cravik clapped me on the back, chuckling. "Not bad, kid. I was wondering if you'd freeze up; luckily for me, you did not!"

"That was too close..." I slowly exhaled, lowering the blade in my hand, realizing how sweaty I was. "But now I also get why potions are so expensive."

"What we use now is just low-level trash. Wait until you get some long-lasting variant, oh boy, those are the good stuff!" Jared said while he nudged the wolf-folk's corpse with his boot. "Still, for scraps like these bastards, it is enough. They're dead, and that's what matters. But running into scouts means we're close to their main camp."

"Yeah, and we need to move because they will realize that these two are not reporting back." Cravik nodded, already glancing toward the trees ahead of us. "So, let's not waste more time. We move fast before the wind changes and carries the smell of their blood back to their pack."

Seeing the logic, I nodded while I wiped the blood off my blade, sheathing it with practiced ease. The others followed suit, making sure we didn't carry their scent with us. I felt that I was still shaken, but deep down, something in me felt right. This was normal. This was something that I would get used to...

Well... I hope so. Because after this, I wasn't just a survivor anymore. I was a fighter.

Okay... I am a fighter who used speed and strength-enhancing drugs, so I may be disqualified, but... Fuck it. As I see it, this is pretty normal in this world. Now, I couldn't help but think about what else these potions could do... Maybe after we are back, I ought to look more into them. Maybe ask Lira, as questioning her would be easier than getting information out of the gang. Also, less suspicious. I wonder... how hard could it be to make them?