[Mana corruption]
The realization hit him hard. He had seen it before—an insidious force that twisted the minds of beasts and creatures, turning them into mindless, savage monsters. Ordinary animals couldn't withstand such corruption; it overwhelmed them, driving them to senseless violence.
His jaw tightened. "This is no ordinary hunt," he muttered, rising to his feet. "We're dealing with mana corruption." He looked back at the children, his eyes grim. "Stay alert. These woods are more dangerous than we thought."
Poll's heart raced.
[Mana corruption is when mana, the energy that fuels magic, becomes tainted or unstable. Prolonged exposure to corrupted mana affects both the environment and living beings, turning creatures into monsters or causing physical and mental deterioration in people. This corruption spreads like a disease, warping everything it touches, and is often difficult to purify without powerful magic or special purification artifacts.]
[In easy words this is advance virus and curses kind of something, that spreads by touch]
Elowen's expression hardened, her usual calm replaced by fierce determination. This is my calling, she thought. One day, I'll cleanse this corruption. Though she wasn't ready yet, the fire inside her burned brighter.
"I'll face this someday," Elowen said quietly, her eyes steady. "But for now, we need to be careful."
Eryndor's eyes scanned the treeline, his mind racing. He instinctively reached for his guild badge, but then paused, remembering how far they were from any signal. They were too deep in the forest to communicate with the guild.
I can't reach them from here, he thought, frustration tightening his chest. If I could inform the guild, they'd send reinforcements, but we're on our own.
I have to end this today, Eryndor resolved, his jaw clenched. If the mana corruption spreads any further, this entire forest could be doomed. The creatures will become uncontrollable, and the land itself may suffer. His eyes hardened .
He turned to the group, his voice steady but urgent. "We can't wait for help. If this corruption spreads, it could destroy the entire forest—and everything in it. We have to deal with this now."
Eryndor turned to the children, his expression serious. "Kaida, Lira, Elowen—take Poll and go inform the guild. Use this communication badge." He handed it to Kaida.
Poll's heart raced. "But Father, this is too dangerous! I can't just leave you here alone!"
Eryndor knelt down. "Don't worry, Poll. I've faced worse."
Suddenly, a low growl rumbled from the shadows. Within seconds, a pack of corrupted nightwolves emerged from the dense trees, their glowing, bloodshot eyes fixed on them. The air grew thick with malice.
Poll's eyes widened in shock. "How are they working together? I thought they were mindless creatures…!''
Eryndor's face darkened. "You're dame right. This isn't normal."
'Ohhh….!! This is such a pain now I have to fight with my full strength… Watch me closely poll
"Kaida, Lira, Elowen!" Eryndor barked. "Get on guard!"''
Before he could say more, the nightwolves lunged.
In an instant, Kaida and Eryndor leapt into action, their swords flashing in the dim light as they sliced through the oncoming wolves. Kaida cut a wolf with a single strike, while Eryndor slashed one clean in half. They moved swiftly, coordinated each other like they are know what they are doing, each strike powerful and precise.
Elowen quickly raised her hands, summoning a glowing shield around Poll. "I'll protect you!" she said as the nightwolves crashed into the barrier, unable to break through.
Lira, gripping her staff, stepped forward. She planted it firmly into the ground, eyes blazing with determination. "You picked the wrong fight, beasts," she declared. With a swift motion, her staff glowed with energy. "Let's see how you handle a little fire!"
With a wave of her hand, she sent a surge of flames crashing into the wolves, engulfing them in burning mana. The air filled with the scent of scorched fur as the wolves recoiled.
Seeing the corruption spreading from the bodies, Lira raised her staff again. "I'll burn away the corruption before it spreads any further!" She focused her magic, releasing a fiery inferno that cleansed the land.
Just as the group began to move, a massive figure emerged from the shadows behind Poll. The nightwolf pack leader, larger and more menacing than the others, appeared almost out of thin air. Its glowing red eyes locked onto Poll as it lunged forward.
Eryndor's heart skipped a beat. His eyes widened in shock. "Shadow movement?! They shouldn't be intelligent enough for that!" he muttered, the realization hitting him.
"Someone must be controlling it!"
Before anyone could react, the pack leader snarled and swiftly grabbed Poll in its massive claws, lifting him off the ground as if he were a mere doll. The wolf growled low, its jagged teeth gleaming in the dim light, threatening Eryndor with a silent message. Poll dangled helplessly in its grip, the terror in his eyes clear.
Eryndor gripped his sword tightly, his knuckles white. "Poll!" he shouted, his voice laced with desperation. The sight of his son in the creature's grasp filled him with dread, but also rage. He knew he couldn't make a rash move—one wrong step, and the wolf might harm Poll.
Kaida, Lira, and Elowen stood frozen for a moment, the shock of the sudden attack hitting them. But Lira's grip on her staff tightened her mind racing. If they're being controlled, we need to stop the source… but how?
Elowen's protective barrier shimmered around her and Kaida, but Poll was beyond its reach. "What do we do?" Elowen asked, her voice shaking but steady.
Time seemed to slow down for Poll as he dangled helplessly in the grip of the nightwolf pack leader. The world around him faded into a blur, the sounds of growls, shouts, and the wind all becoming distant echoes. His heart pounded in his chest as panic flooded his mind.
What did I do wrong?
Why am I here? Fear gripped him, suffocating his thoughts.
I don't want to die.
…!
Soo this is end…!!
Flashes of his past life suddenly burst into his mind. Glitching, fragmented memories of past life—happy, sad, family, job, science, theory papers of nuclear reactor and formulas, elemental theories, mana, magic—flickered through his thoughts, overwhelming him. It was as though the knowledge from a lifetime he couldn't fully recall was trying to resurface, blurry but powerful.
In that moment, something clicked.
His breathing slowed, his fear shifting into something else—a deep, instinctual understanding. Words he had never spoken before echoed in his mind, rising to his lips almost on their own.
"Quantum explosion... atomic dismantle," he whispered, raising his trembling hand toward the wolf.
In an instant, raw mana surged from his body. It poured from his hand like a tidal wave, crackling with an overwhelming force. The nightwolf leader was hurled into the sky as if struck by an invisible hammer. The force continued to build, and then—boom!
A massive explosion erupted in the air, lighting up the darkened sky with fiery brilliance. The nightwolf disintegrated into nothing, obliterated by the sheer power of Poll's spell.
The battlefield fell silent, stunned by the magnitude of what had just happened. Poll stood frozen, his arm still raised, his eyes wide and unseeing. Then, without a word or reaction, he collapsed to the ground, fainting as the energy drained from him completely.
….!!
.....!!
Where am I…?