Ethan groaned and sat up, his muscles protesting each movement. Sleeping on the straw mat at the Adventurer's Hub wasn't much softer than the cave floor, at least it was dry and relatively safe. He saw Kael already up, sharpening her hunting knife near the window.
"You're up early," he said, rubbing his eyes.
Kael just looked at him. "Habit. Don't like to be unprepared."
Ethan stretched out, his joints popping. "Well, I think we're doing all right so far. Quest accomplished, a bit of coin in our pockets-what's next? More flower picking?"
Kael smirked. "Funny. I was thinking we could take on something a little more challenging."
Ethan raised an eyebrow. "Define 'challenging'."
Kael tossed a rolled parchment at him. Ethan caught it and unrolled it, scanning the contents.
---
Kael stopped trying to write and regarded the contents of the paper with a thoughtful expression.
F-Rank Quest: Missing Livestock
Objective: Go to the farm near the village and investigate some missing livestock that have been missing over the past several days.
Recommended Party Size: 2-4
Reward: 50 Silver, 100 XP.
---
"Missing livestock?" Ethan furrowed his brow. "Sounds like wolves again."
"Or perhaps something worse," Kael said, unsheathing her knife. "Either way, it's an opportunity worth taking. Fifty silver isn't all that terrible."
Ethan let out a heavy sigh. "Fine. Let's do it. But if it's another damned boar with glowing eyes in its head, I'm letting you fix the situation."
Kael grinned back. "Deal.
It was an hour's walk, roughly, from Graymere, set back in a small clearing at the edge of the forest. The farm homestead was easy: it was a wooden house with a slanted roof, a little barn, and a pen that stood at nothing worse than half-ruin.
A middle-aged man with a worn face and hands calloused from years of work stood near the barn, speaking in hushed tones to a boy about his son's age, so Ethan guessed. As Ethan and Kael walked up, the man straightened, his face full of wariness.
"You the adventurers?" he asked roughly.
"That's us," Kael said, flashing her badge. "We're here about the missing livestock."
The man nodded, his shoulders sagging with relief. "Name's Edric. This here's my son, Tom. We've lost three goats this week, and last night, I found their pen torn open."
"Any signs of what took them?" Ethan asked, looking at the damaged pen.
Edric shook his head. "Just tracks. Big ones. Too big for wolves. Tom swears he saw something in the woods, but I didn't catch sight of it myself."
A boy of about ten stepped forward. "It had glowing eyes!" he blurted. "I saw it! Red like fire!"
Ethan and Kael exchanged a look.
"Sounds familiar," Kael said, her hand resting on her bow.
"Where did you see it?" Ethan asked the boy.
Tom pointed toward the forest. "Near the stream, just before sundown.".
Edric reached out, placing a hand on the shoulder of his son. "Be careful out there," he said. "If you can find whatever's doing this and put an end to it, I'll make it worth your while."
"We'll take care of it," Kael said, nodding.
---
This time around, the forest felt differentit was darker, quieter-as if the trees themselves were holding their breath. Ethan stayed on his toes, his eyes scouring the underbrush for any sign of movement.
"Tracks," Kael said, crouching beside a disturbed patch of earth.
Ethan leaned in. The prints were big, clawed, and deeply embedded in the soil. "Those are definitely not wolf tracks.".
Kael frowned. "Whatever it is, it's big. And heavy." She stood, her bow in hand. "Let's follow them."
The path took them deeper into the woods, the trees thickening and the light growing dimmer with each step. After about twenty minutes, they came upon a small clearing near a trickling stream.
He stood motionless. Something had been slaughtered and lay on the riverbank, the remnants of a goat strewn about the edge of the water. Its body was torn and mutilated, with blood smeared across the earth. The metallic tang of death hung heavy in the air.
"Mmm, lovely," he whispered to himself and gripped the spear tighter.
Kael knelt near the carcass, her face grim. "The kill is fresh. Whatever did this might still be nearby.".
Just as he was thinking to himself, a low growl rumbled through the air. Ethan spun around, his heart pounding.
From the shadows emerged a hulking creature unlike anything he'd ever seen. It stood on four muscular legs and was covered in coarse black fur. Its eyes glowed a deep, fiery red, and jagged teeth gleamed as it snarled.
"Back up," Kael said, drawing an arrow and nocking it in one smooth motion.
The Shadow Hound launched itself forward almost too fast to believe given its size. Kael released her arrow, striking the beast in the shoulder. It let out a scream of pain, but it did not even slow. Its sights were set on Ethan as it charged him full-on.
"Get back!"
The creature's claws raked the earth where Ethan had been standing, but he dived sideways in time. He sprang to his feet, thrusting his spear at the beast. The point only glimmered off the hound's thick hide, barely scratching it.
"That's great," Ethan growled. "And now?"
"Keep it distracted!" Kael yelled, circling the clearing. She loosed another arrow, this one striking the hound's flank.
The beast snarled, focusing on Kael. Ethan took advantage of this, sprinting forward and thrusting his spear into the side of the creature. It howled angrily and twisted back and forth, snapping its jaws at him.
---
Shadow Hound - HP: 110/150
---
"Not so tough now, are you?" Ethan said, jerking his spear free.
The hound swiped with clawed paw. Ethan felt the wind there and then he lunged back, the air rattled from his chest as burning began through his ribs.
___
Status: Minor Injure
Health: 70/100
___
"Ethan!" Kael's voice was sharp with concern.
"I'm fine," he grunted, tightening grip on spear. "Just get this thing!"
Kael shot again, the arrow slicing across the hound's neck. The creature reeled, blood spilling out of its wounds as it desperately refused to fall.
Its fur stood on end and, with a mad growl, it leapt at Kael.
"No, you don't!" Ethan yelled and hurled himself at the animal. His spear surged through the side into its vitals, and that time the creature hit the ground with a last, tortured growl.
The clearing was silent now, except for the ragged breathing of Ethan and Kael.
---
Victory!
Gained 100 XP.
Loot: Shadow Essence, x2 Beast Hides.
---
Forcing himself a little, Ethan freed his spear, which rattled as he did. "That. wasn't an F-rank quest," he panted.
Kael smirked, though her face was pale. "You handled yourself well."
"Yeah, well, remind me to never take another missing livestock quest again," Ethan said, wincing as he touched the claw marks on his chest.
Kael came closer, examining his wound. "It's not deep. You'll be fine."
"Thanks, doc," Ethan muttered, shooting her a wry grin.
Kael glanced over to the Shadow Hound's corpse, which was dissolving into faint light already. "We'd better go. Edric will want to know it's clear."
Ethan nodded, his legs feeling like jelly. "Let's get out of here before something bigger shows up."
---
The trudge back to the farm was dull and a little plodding, adrenaline slowly seeping out of them. Upon reaching Edric's homestead, a wave of relief passed across his face.
"Did it?" he asked.
"We did it," Kael said. "Your animals are safe-at least for now."
Edric pressed a pouch full of silver coins into their hands. "Thanks. Really. Anything else you ever want, just ask for it,"
Both Ethan and Kael nodded, their faces etched with deep lines of weariness.
He turned to Kael as they headed back to Graymere. "Next time, you get to choose the quest."
Kael smiled quietly. "Deal."