Ardu Hills - 2 Dasha 30471, 29:28.
Night crept colder and quieter into the heart of the Ardu Hills. Inside a shallow cave, Mera and Miya lay asleep, curled together in an embrace to fight off the cold. However, neither Hugo not his Borgull could be seen anywhere near where the two girls rested.
Amid the darkness, illuminated only by the faint glow of moonlight behind thin clouds, several silhouettes of large wolf-like legs could be seen walking upright on two feet. The creatures moved slowly and stealthily, approaching Mera and Miya, who were still lost in the peace of their sleep.
The shadows of sharp claws began to fall across Mera's face as the clouds covering the moon slowly parted.
BRUGHH ~ SRINGGG!
Hugo suddenly leapt down from the top of a hill, followed by Borgull diving sharply out of the darkness. With a precise swing of his axe, Hugo struck down one of the creatures at the exact moment its figure was revealed under the full moonlight.
The creature stood three meters tall, with dense muscle fibers packed tightly beneath its skin. Its entire body was covered in thick black and dark gray fur. Its head resembled that of a wolf, filled with sharp fangs, along with pointed claws ready to tear apart anything in its path.
Mera and Miya jolted awake. With trained instinct, they immediately grabbed their weapons, helping their father face the horde of terrifying creatures they had never seen before, beings that made their bodies tremble.
BRUGHH ~ KRCHH!
Hugo moved swiftly among the rocks, swinging his axe downward to split open the chest of a creature whose muscles were as hard as iron plates. Without leaving any opening, Hugo pushed toward the rest of the pack with a barrage of strikes that descended as fast as light and as strong as steel.
Tap… Tap… SLICHHH ~ KRAKKK!
Mera ran up the steep cliff wall, then dove down in a rapid spin before landing behind one of the enemies. Her sword pierced deep, carving a long gash across the creature's back. With agile and lightweight movements, she launched herself again toward other members of the pack.
Wushhh ~ JLEBBB!
Miya took advantage of the distance. She released thirty arrows in rapid succession, each one striking the necks and heads of the creatures with deadly accuracy, disabling them from afar.
SKREEEEEEEEE-E-E-E-NGGHHHH!!!
Borgull dove sharply through the gaps between the steep cliffs, snatching and devouring the bodies of the creatures that Hugo hurled into the air. It was a demonstration of physical strength impossible for an ordinary human, throwing five hundred kilograms with effortless ease.
"Mera, Miya, pack your things! We are leaving before the rest of the werewolf pack arrives. NOW!" Hugo commanded firmly as he extinguished the campfire and grabbed their equipment as quickly as possible.
Without protest, Mera and Miya immediately followed their father's orders. Their hearts were still pounding violently after witnessing the savagery of werewolves for the first time. The three of them quickly left the place, charging into the darkness of midnight among the steep cliffs.
***
Not long after they departed, an uncountable number of werewolves arrived at the location. Among them stood an Alpha Werewolf with a body four meters tall, covered in pitch-black fur, with massive muscles that looked as if they had been carved from stone.
GRAAAOOOOWWW ~ AWWWWOOOO!
Seeing the remains of his slaughtered pack, the Alpha howled in fury. The sharp and heavy howl echoed throughout the Ardu Hills beneath the full moon. The rest of the pack immediately responded, following the cry of their leader.
Far ahead, Hugo, Mera, and Miya could hear the howl clearly. Sensing the danger carried within the Alpha's ferocity, Hugo whistled from above, signaling his daughters to move faster.
***
Meanwhile, far behind them, at the exit of Dream Valley.
Xasu's and his group stopped when they heard the Alpha Werewolf's howl coming from the direction of the Ardu Hills.
"Xasir…" Xasu's spoke softly, as if he already knew the exact location of his prey. He gave a nod of command to the male hunter with burn scars across his neck.
SKREEEEEEEEE-E-E-E-NGGHHHH!
With a single instruction from his leader, Xasir blew his whistle. Instantly, the two remaining Borgulls shot high into the sky toward the source of the werewolf's howl.
***
At Hugo's former resting place, the Alpha Werewolf began running, following the scent trail of Hugo and his two daughters, immediately followed by several members of his pack.
They climbed and ran across the steep hills with remarkable ease. Their sharp claws closed the distance quickly, chasing Mera and Miya, who were beginning to struggle to control their horses along the steep path under the dim moonlight.
Seeing the distance shrinking rapidly, Hugo decided to turn back to buy time. Mera and Miya were forced to continue riding alone, following the map's route without their father's direct guidance.
"M… Mera… I am scared," Miya whispered while urging her horse behind Mera. Her body trembled violently, and the fear was clearly visible in her eyes.
"Miya… calm down. We are crossing a very steep cliff. Your horse can feel your fear," Mera replied, trying to soothe her sister. "We have to focus. Stay calm. After a few more hills, we will reach the forest area with an open road. There is a bridge at the end," Mera finished, forcing her voice to remain steady so Miya would not sense the anxiety she herself felt.
The sky grew darker as thick clouds swallowed the full moonlight. Lightning began flashing in the distance, accompanied by the increasingly sharp scent of rain.
***
Behind them, the Alpha and his pack climbed the cliffs with growing ferocity. They seemed able to smell the fear of the prey ahead, even as rain began to fall upon the earth.
SKREEEEEEEEE-E-E-E-NGGHHHH!
Borgull appeared from behind a hill. Its powerful claws shattered the hilltop, sending massive chunks of rock falling like meteors onto the werewolf pack below.
KYAAA-AA-AA-NGGGHK!
Borgull's piercing cry deafened the werewolves' sharp hearing. Some of them were forced to release their grip on the wet cliff and fell into the deep ravine below.
Several werewolves leapt toward Borgull, attempting to seize the winged creature. This caused Borgull to lose balance and sway violently in the air, but Hugo moved swiftly, cutting down every werewolf that tried to grasp his Borgull's scales.
KREEE ~ BRUAKKK!
Hugo's blade tore through the bodies of the werewolves as Borgull's body crashed into several peaks of the Ardu Hills. Seeing the pack growing larger around him and the Alpha beginning to close in on his daughters, Hugo knew Mera and Miya would struggle to cross the slippery cliffs under the increasingly heavy rain.
"Aqux Aqux Goqumm!" Hugo shouted magic spell while raising one hand toward the sky.
KRAKKKK ~ BOOOMM!
Instantly, lightning struck Hugo's hand, absorbed as if he were a magnet. Hugo immediately swung the lightning like a blazing whip, its thunderous sound roaring through the rain.
KRA-TA-KKK ~ CTAAKKKK!
Hugo lashed the lightning across the pack surrounding him. The lightning whip split the werewolves' skin with ease, like a hot knife cutting through butter.
***
Far ahead, Mera and Miya were trapped on the final hill. The heavy rain made the steep path dangerously slippery. Several times their horses nearly lost footing at the edge of the cliff.
"Heksss… Mera…" Miya began to sob. The increasingly desperate situation and the shadow of the Alpha Werewolf below shattered her composure. She could no longer hold back her fear and tears.
"Miya… shhh… look at me! Just one more hill. We will reach the end of the road and cross the bridge!" Mera shouted, trying to push courage back into her sister.
With the remaining courage she had, Miya urged her horse closer to Mera again. They crossed the final hill and immediately rode as fast as possible toward the open road among the trees, heading for the bridge according to the map.
However, the Alpha and his pack were still closing in. With massive speed, the creature leapt between the trees. The Alpha made a high jump, directing its sharp claws toward Mera's back, trying to seize the girl who was now only two meters away from its reach.