Chapter 12 - The Second Dawn

Morning broke over the Verdant Wilds, its faint light filtering through the thick canopy. Eryon stirred from his makeshift bed, grimacing as he moved his wounded arm.

He took a moment to tend to his injuries, cleaning the wound with water from a nearby spring and binding it tightly with fresh strips torn from his spare clothing. It wasn't perfect, but it would hold.

After a brief meal of dried rations, he set out once again.

The second day had begun.

Eryon moved cautiously through the dense undergrowth, his senses sharper now. He continued to hunt, targeting weaker creatures—Horned Hares, Thorn-Tail Lizards, and the occasional Duskrender cub. With each successful kill, his pouch grew heavier with beast cores.

Yet something was different today.

The air was thicker.

The forest was quieter.

The easy prey had vanished.

Tension coiled in Eryon's chest as he advanced. The further he went, the more he noticed the unnatural stillness—until finally, faint sounds reached his ears.

The clash of battle.

Without hesitation, he moved toward the noise, weaving silently through the foliage.

Peering through the trees, he spotted her.

Alice Dawnmere.

She fought with a grace that was almost otherworldly, her movements sharp and fluid as beams of pure light erupted from her hands, searing the flesh of a massive beast—a Rank Two creature that resembled a wolf with obsidian-black fur and jagged spikes along its back.

Alice danced around it, striking with precision, but it was clear she was nearing her limit. Sweat matted her golden hair, and her breathing came in ragged gasps.

With one final burst of light, Alice drove a searing lance through the beast's chest. It howled, stumbled, and collapsed into the underbrush.

Alice staggered, lowering her guard for just a moment, exhaustion etched across her beautiful face.

And that's when the real danger struck.

From the shadows, a new figure emerged—a hulking creature twice the size of the wolf she had just slain. Its scales shimmered dark green, its jaws lined with serrated teeth. A Rank Three beast—far beyond anything a normal candidate could hope to defeat alone.

The creature pounced, its claws flashing in the morning light.

Without thinking, Eryon burst from cover, moving faster than he ever had before.

He threw himself between Alice and the beast, dagger drawn, heart pounding.

The Rank Three creature roared as Eryon met its assault head-on.

The battle for survival had truly begun.