Far to the north of the battleground where Freya, Grand Marshal Angius, and their battalion were sealing demon souls, lay a vast, brooding forest—so dense that most outsiders shunned it as a death trap. To the people of Ocenis, this swath of dark foliage was a place they dared not venture. The reason was simple: it was inhabited by a savage Monster that had caused the death of anyone foolish enough to get near the forest.
These creatures bore a passing resemblance to polar bears, but any comparison to ordinary beasts ended there. These Monsters were larger, leaner, and tainted by a ferocity that seemed almost rabid. Their most distinguishing feature was their vicious claws—tools of pure horror that they used not only to kill but also to flay their victims alive, peeling skin off to feast on later. Locals had named them "Flayers" precisely because of this gory practice.
