The world seemed to hold its breath.
Alistar's pulse quickened as he felt the air shift. He had fought before, had felt the rush of adrenaline, the sharpness of danger closing in. But this—this was different. The growls from the forest had stopped, and an oppressive silence took over. He wasn't scared, but he could feel something coming. Something big.
The demi-beast across the cage was still as stone, its amber eyes fixed on the treeline, unblinking. There was no fear there. It wasn't shaking or anxious like the rest of them. It was alert, prepared. Alistar could feel its tension, the same feeling creeping into his own chest.
The guards were tense too, but they were trying to hide it. The young guard with the crossbow was wiping sweat from his brow, his eyes darting toward the trees. The older guards kept their postures rigid, their hands resting on their weapons, but there was a sense of unease about them, a readiness that wasn't typical for men who thought they controlled the situation.
The lead guard, with the scarred face, kept glancing back toward the treeline, his eyes flicking between it and the prisoners. Alistar could see the tightness in his jaw, the set of his shoulders. The man was ready—but he wasn't confident.
"Something's out there," the young guard muttered, more to himself than anyone else, his hand shaking slightly as he checked his crossbow.
"Stay focused," the lead guard snapped, but his voice had a tremor in it, betraying his calm demeanor. "We've got this."
But Alistar could see the cracks in the armor. The way the guards shifted their weight, the way their gazes flickered nervously at the trees. It was becoming clear—they were worried. And whatever was out there, it wasn't something they were prepared for.
A low growl echoed through the woods. Alistar's breath hitched. The creature wasn't hiding anymore. It was moving, and it was close.
The ground beneath them seemed to hum with the approaching threat, and Alistar's heartbeat quickened, his body instinctively preparing. He had no idea what was out there, but his instincts were telling him it was big. The guards were bracing themselves.
Suddenly, the creature appeared.
A massive Apex Boar, its tusks gleaming like jagged stone, its body a hulking mass of fur and muscle. Its eyes burned with an almost unnatural intelligence, and its movements were fast—too fast. The sheer size of it made the earth tremble as it charged toward them.
The young guard with the crossbow fired a bolt, but it barely scratched the boar. The creature didn't slow down—it plowed forward with a brutal charge, tusks aimed at them.
"Get out of the way!" the lead guard barked, his voice tightening as he swung his sword. But the boar was too fast. It struck him with its tusks, throwing him against the carriage with a sickening crash. The force of the blow sent the lead guard tumbling to the ground, and the impact left a deep gash in his side.
Alistar's breath caught in his throat. The lead guard struggled to get up, but the damage was evident. He was hurt—badly.
The woman guard at the back of the carriage sprang into action, her sword slicing through the air as she tried to meet the boar head-on. But the beast was relentless, its tusks knocking her back with bone-crushing force. She rolled with the impact, narrowly avoiding the next strike, but her breath was labored, her movements slower than before.
The young guard, still reeling from the boar's first charge, scrambled to reload his crossbow, but the creature was already on the attack again.
"Stay back!" the lead guard yelled, his voice rough. His sword was raised, but the boar was circling, looking for another opening.
"Apex Boar," the young guard muttered, his voice filled with dread. "This is an Apex Boar?"
The lead guard nodded, gritting his teeth against the pain. "If that thing decides we're not worth it, we're all dead."
The boar charged again, this time toward the woman guard, its tusks aimed at her. She barely managed to sidestep, but the boar's tusk scraped across her armor, leaving a deep gash in the metal and a bruise on her side.
The guards were not just facing an Apex Boar—they were facing death. It was stronger, faster, and far more relentless than anything they had encountered before. The air was thick with tension, and Alistar could feel the weight of the situation settling over everyone. They were fighting not just for control, but for their lives.
The lead guard managed to regain his footing, but he was bleeding heavily. His sword trembled in his grip. "Get the wagon ready!" he ordered, his voice hoarse. "This isn't going to end well if we don't finish it now."
But the boar wasn't finished either. With a growl that shook the trees around them, it charged once again.
It was only when the woman guard found an opening—barely able to stand—that she thrust her sword forward, landing a deep blow right into the boar's side. The creature let out an agonized scream before it collapsed, the life leaving its body in a final, shuddering breath.
For a moment, everything was still.
The boar lay dead at their feet, but the damage had been done. The lead guard was bleeding heavily, his armor torn, his breath ragged. The young guard was pale, shaking as he reloaded his crossbow. The woman guard was bruised and battered, but still standing, barely.
Alistar stood still, his pulse still racing. He hadn't been involved in the fight—he hadn't had a chance to act. But this moment was a turning point. The danger was real, and it wasn't over yet.
The lead guard took a slow breath and looked at the others. "We've only got a moment," he muttered. "We need to keep moving. There's no telling how many more of those things are out there."
The woman guard wiped her blade clean and kneeled beside the lead guard, pulling out a small vial. The liquid inside was faintly glowing, a low-tier healing potion. She uncorked it and gently poured it over his wound, watching the skin close, though the healing was slow and incomplete. It wasn't enough to completely heal the damage, but it was enough to keep him moving.
"You'll be fine," she said, her voice steady but not without concern. "Just don't push it."
The lead guard gritted his teeth, pushing himself upright with her help. "I'll manage. Let's move before this gets worse."
Alistar remained still, watching the guards. They weren't invincible. They were strong, capable, but even they were vulnerable. He had learned that much today.
The boar had been powerful, an Apex beast, but Alistar felt something else. It was more than just the danger; it was a signal. Whatever the Apex Boar was, it wasn't alone.
And he had to survive whatever came next.