The forest stretched before us, dense and dark, its towering trees reaching towards the sky like silent giants. A fine mist weaved through the trunks, giving the place an eerie, mystical aura. The rustling of leaves beneath our feet was the only sound breaking the oppressive silence, and something in the air felt different. A subtle tension was building, palpable.
I could feel it. This forest was not welcoming us.
Kimpa Vita moved ahead of me, her silhouette gliding gracefully through the trees. Behind us, Luther kept his bow at the ready, while Kael, always the quietest of the group, glanced nervously around, as if expecting something to jump out at any moment. He was exhausted after our last encounter in the cursed village, but his vigilance remained unbroken.
"Something's wrong," I said, my instincts as a Sylvan Knight flaring up. The subtle vibrations of the earth, the vegetation—they were speaking to me. Presence. Movements. Too coordinated to be mere animals.
Kimpa turned toward me, her eyes glowing faintly with a strange light. "I feel it too. We're being watched."
Luther grunted, adjusting his bow. "An ambush, you think?"
I nodded. "Maybe. Stay alert."
We moved cautiously, every sense on edge. Then, the silence shattered with a sharp whistle. An arrow shot out from the underbrush, embedding itself in the ground just ahead of us.
"On guard!" Luther shouted, raising his bow.
In one swift motion, I drew my sword and stepped back. Kimpa Vita leapt to the side, already preparing to summon her magic. Kael, caught by surprise, crouched behind a tree, readying a protective spell.
Half a dozen figures emerged from the shadows of the forest, their faces hidden beneath hoods and masks. Bounty hunters. They were tall, well-armed, and their formation spoke of military discipline.
"Alaric!" one of them called out, a woman with piercing eyes. "You're wanted. Dead or alive, doesn't matter. But I prefer alive—it pays better."
I clenched my teeth. These hunters had likely been sent because of my recent actions—perhaps by factions or powerful individuals disturbed by our quest or our success. The life of a Sylvan Knight on a mission was never simple, but lately, trouble seemed to follow me relentlessly.
"You'll have to get through us first," Kimpa Vita said calmly, though there was a sharp edge to her voice.
The woman laughed, a cold, mocking sound. "So be it."
Before I could react, three bounty hunters surged forward, fast as wolves. They had scattered around us, trying to encircle the group. I stepped back, raising my sword to block the first attack.
Steel clashed with steel in a loud metallic ring. One of the hunters was fast, but I was faster. I dodged a swing aimed at my torso, then countered with a swift strike. My sword whistled through the air, but my opponent parried with surprising skill.
Kimpa Vita moved with grace, her hands dancing through the air as she cast Celestial Strike Flash — divine light burst from her staff, striking one of the hunters dead-on. He collapsed instantly, felled by her sacred magic.
But there were too many of them, and they were highly trained.
I called upon my Sylvan Knight abilities, summoning the forces of nature to aid me. The roots of the trees twisted and coiled beneath my feet, surging up from the earth to entangle the bounty hunters. One of them tried to flank me, but a root shot up, tripping him and sending him sprawling to the ground.
"Don't underestimate them!" one of the hunters shouted, realizing we were not easy targets.
Kael, still weak, raised his trembling hand and muttered an incantation. Magical Shield flickered around him, a faint blue barrier that deflected arrows whizzing from the foliage. But he was struggling to maintain his focus, exhaustion threatening to break him.
Another mercenary came at me, daggers in both hands, his movements precise and calculated. He attacked with expert speed, aiming for the gaps in my defense. But I couldn't afford to slow down. I channeled my Magical Equilibrium, feeling the power of light and darkness flow through me. The magic of the Ancients resonated within, giving me a brief but vital surge.
I struck, my blows heavier and more forceful now. His blades shattered under the pressure of my assault, and with a swift cut, I brought him to the ground.
Kimpa Vita, ever efficient, demonstrated her deadly precision. She unleashed Divine Ray Double Strike — two beams of sacred light shot from her staff, striking two bounty hunters simultaneously. Both fell under the sheer force of her magic.
But there were still more. One of them, larger and more imposing than the rest, stepped forward. His muscles rippled under his armor, and he carried a massive sword that reflected his battle-hardened experience.
"You're the one causing all this chaos?" he growled, his eyes locking onto me. "Show me what you've got."
I readied myself, knowing this fight wouldn't be easy. Our swords collided with a violent crash, sparks flying from the impact. The force of the blow pushed me back a few steps, but I quickly regained my footing, gripping my sword tightly.
Our strikes came fast and brutal, each one calculated. I tried to manipulate the roots again to create a temporary barrier, but this man cut through them like they were nothing. He was much stronger than the others, and I could feel my strength waning.
"You think you can escape those who want you dead?" he spat. "You're marked for death, Alaric."
I didn't respond, my focus entirely on the fight. Each swing of his sword tested my limits. My muscles screamed in protest, and my injuries, still fresh from the previous battles with the entity and Gobinot, slowed me down.
Seeing that I was faltering, Kimpa Vita turned to me. With a swift motion, she summoned another attack: Sacred Storm. She spun gracefully, creating a swirling vortex of light around her that swept through the nearby enemies. The giant mercenary was briefly disoriented, and I seized the moment to disarm him with a precise strike.
He dropped to his knees, hatred burning in his eyes, but it was over. I raised my sword, prepared to finish him, but something within me hesitated.
"We'll meet again..." he muttered before collapsing, unconscious.
The forest gradually returned to silence as the last of the bounty hunters either lay dead or unconscious. Kael, still shielded by his protective barrier, approached cautiously, his breath ragged.
"Alaric… are you alright?" he asked weakly.
I didn't answer right away, the weight of the recent battles settling heavily on my shoulders. Fatigue washed over me, but I knew we couldn't rest yet. Kimpa Vita cast one last glance at the bodies scattered across the ground before coming to stand beside me.
"They'll come again," she said calmly. "Others will be sent."
I nodded, fully aware that this battle was just one of many to come.
We left the battlefield behind, the bodies of the mercenaries fading into the misty shadows of the forest. The path ahead of us was still long, and we knew the challenges would only grow from here. But for now, we were alive.