The road stretched ahead, winding through forests and mountains, across plains and rivers. Alex, Artemia, and Saeko moved as one, their steps synchronized, their hearts aligned. They had traveled for weeks, taking mission after mission, their reputation growing with each victory.
Their first challenge came in the form of a Varghoul—a massive, wolf-like beast with obsidian fur and eyes like burning coals. It had been terrorizing a trading route, picking off caravans one by one. The guild had marked it as a high-level threat.
They found it in a moonlit clearing, its massive form hunched over the remains of a wagon. It turned as they approached, its lips peeling back to reveal rows of serrated teeth.
