The Blood-Stained Forest, kilometers upon kilometers of deadly woodland, or so it is said. Over the past 400 years, many townsfolk would speak of the putrid smells that grow stronger the deeper you venture. The forest is located in the northern region of the land of Rovkre, just south of the great mountains that border Rovkre and Minrow. Towns near the forest forbid any attempts to cross or enter it, unless you are an adventurer or someone strong. Many children who disobeyed or anyone who wandered in went missing. Many townspeople believe there is a beast that hunts anyone who enters the forest. If you follow the forest west, you would reach the Bay of Vilfum. The forest is mostly at its thickest in the northwest of Rovkre, but it also stretches across the mountains that form the border between the two countries. Although it may appear substantial on a map, it is shaped like a sideways teardrop, with the narrow part representing the long border with the mountains.
The small city of Morid is known for being located directly on the Bay of Vilfum. Just outside the city, a few kilometers away, lies the village of Gamur. Everyone who lives in the village is a dedicated farm worker or laborer who works for Corgac Xarlug Gorgo Porgarag the Intellect. He was the noble of those lands and ruled them under the emperor of the Orcish Empire. His estate sat atop a small hill, a kilometer or less away from the small village, and on the opposite side was The Blood-Stained Forest. That once seemingly small village is now in ruins.
In the forest, a boy ran through it with heavy gasps and a sluggish, intense pace. He was exhausted from running for hours. He took a short break and leaned against an oak tree, then sat down. He hugged his knees and looked up at the sky; the night was over, and the sun seemed to be on its way up. It was still fairly dark, but it was definitely early in the morning.
"I think I heard him go this way."
"Are you sure we should be in here? He's probably already dead! You know what they say about this forest. Besides, we've been running for hours; do you really think a mere boy would get this far?"
"You both shut it! If we return to Azuk empty-handed, he would have our heads."
"Three men by the sounds of it," Hanz thought, but more importantly, he was panicking. He had no idea what to do. If he ran, he would certainly be heard, and if he just sat there, he would get found eventually. Time was running out for him now that the footsteps were getting closer. Hanz stilled his breathing and held his breath, closing his eyes and praying that he wouldn't be found. One footstep after the other, Hanz could feel the cold sweat dripping down his neck. Fear began to course through his body, and his heart began to beat in a fast rhythm that he had never felt before.
"This is it, they are just behind this tree," he thought.
In the distance, they heard a bustle of footsteps.
"Huh? What was that?"
"You think it's the boy?"
"You idiots, quit standing around; let's go."
"On it!" They both said in unison, replying to the other man who sounded like their superior. Hanz sneaked a peek and watched them head in another direction. As soon as he deemed it safe to start moving, he did. He ran as fast as he could, making sure to take advantage of their misdirection.
—
After a few more hours of running, Hanz found himself excruciatingly more tired than before. It was already midday, and Hanz could feel himself draining his last bit of stamina. It was only a matter of time before he collapsed from exhaustion. He couldn't stop because this time he was being followed by something else. What exactly? He wasn't sure, but he could hear it chasing him. It was most likely a beast of some sort because no man moved in such a pattern. Hanz's noble clothing was now all torn up and dirty.
"No, I can't slow down or stop now! I'm going to die if I do! Go away! I've done nothing to disturb you!" Hanz screamed.
Hanz turned his head to try to get a glimpse of what could possibly be chasing him. Hanz saw a giant wolf chasing him. The wolf was gigantic, had brown fur, and was far taller than Hanz could ever grow to be. The wolf wasn't even on a full sprint; it was lightly making its way towards him, as if toying with him. The sight of the beast scared Hanz.
"How could such a wolf exist! This must be the beast of the forest that hunts down anyone who enters."
After Hanz finished his sentence, he managed to trip on a tree's root on the ground. This caused him to fall to the ground and fearfully look into the beast's eyes. He didn't want to accept his fate of being eaten by a giant wolf. He had heard of these beasts before from stories but assumed they weren't as big as they were made out to be. Now, that overwhelming predator slowly approached Hanz.
With two legs, the wolf pushed off the ground and jumped to attack Hanz with a wide mouth full of sharp teeth on display. All Hanz could do was squeal in fear. Before the wolf could reach Hanz, a spear made of wood with a stone rock sharpened to be the blade pierced the wolf in its huge neck. The force of the spear sent the wolf flying. The spear made contact with a tree and pierced through the tree and out the other side. The spear stopped, having pierced not only the wolf but the tree as well, still holding the body of the wolf suspended. Blood could be seen dripping from the wolf, and Hanz watched it bleed in a state of panic.
"Hey, that's my food!" screamed a man.
Hanz felt a new sudden fear. "What could possibly kill such a beast?" he thought. Hanz looked around the forest, turning left, then right, and finally behind him, but there was nothing. It was clear, maybe he had died and must be dreaming. That thought suddenly faded after he still felt his massive exhaustion. At the thought of being out of harm's way, Hanz passed out. He deemed it harmless, but he still felt scared as to who killed the wolf, but he decided to let his exhaustion conquer his body.
The man that threw the spear made his way over to the tree, and since the spear had pierced at a reachable height, he grabbed the spear and with one strong pull, he managed to pull it out of both the tree and the wolf.
"Next time, go find your own meal," the man hissed at the dead wolf.
The man made his way to Hanz and got on his knees.
"Aw, man, it's just a boy… wait a second… a boy?"