Atheline immediately reached for his sword.
"What is it?"
The fox stared toward a patch of dense undergrowth several dozen meters ahead. The forest fell strangely quiet; even the birds seemed to pause.
Leaves rustled, then a blur of gray exploded from the bushes; another followed, then another. Within seconds, nearly a dozen enormous wolves burst into the clearing.
Each stood almost as tall as a horse. Dark gray fur covered bodies layered with dense needle-like fur across their shoulders and backs. Long metallic fangs protruded from powerful jaws, scraping against one another whenever they snarled. Their golden eyes locked onto the two travelers.
Atheline slowly drew his sword.
"Demon Wolves."
Lilith’s expression remained calm.
"A pack, a Large one at that."
The wolves spread out with practiced coordination; instead of charging immediately, they circled. Atheline could feel the dark Aether radiating from them, far stronger than ordinary forest predators.
A skilled adventuring party would likely struggle against even two or three. Yet what caught his attention wasn’t their strength; it was their behavior.
They never looked at the little fox or searched for an easier target. Their attention remained fixed solely on him and Lilith.
One wolf lowered its body, then lunged, and the others followed instantly.
Wind Aether surged through Atheline’s body. The familiar emerald currents wrapped around his blade before compressing into an almost invisible edge.
He stepped forward, and with one clean slash, the first wolf flew sideways as though struck by a hurricane, crashing through two enormous trees before disappearing into the undergrowth.
A second wolf leapt toward his shoulder. Without even turning, Atheline swung his free hand. A concentrated burst of wind erupted outward. The beast spun violently through the air before slamming into the forest floor.
Behind him, another pair attempted to attack simultaneously. Lightning flashed, purple Aether exploding around his sword.
The blade barely moved, yet arcs of lightning leapt from one wolf to the next, sending both collapsing into the dirt.
Meanwhile, Lilith had yet to take a single step. Dark Aether flowed silently from beneath her feet. Her shadow stretched unnaturally across the forest floor before separating into dozens of razor-thin tendrils.
The first wolf reached her; its claws were only inches away. The tendrils rose, and without sound or resistance, the beast was sliced into several clean pieces before collapsing around her.
Another wolf tried attacking from behind. Its body suddenly disappeared into its own shadow. A heartbeat later, it emerged several meters away, already lifeless. Black blades erupted from the ground beneath two more wolves before vanishing as quickly as they had appeared.
Not a single drop of blood reached Lilith’s clothing. She simply watched the remaining wolves calmly as though waiting for them to reconsider, which they didn’t.
Instead, they attacked even more aggressively.
Atheline frowned.
"That’s strange."
He sidestepped another lunging beast before driving an earth-enhanced punch into its ribs. The wolf crashed into the ground hard enough to leave a shallow crater.
"It should’ve retreated."
Lilith silently agreed.
Powerful beasts possessed instinct. When faced with an overwhelming opponent, they fled. Survival always came first.
These wolves didn’t; even after witnessing half their pack die within moments, the survivors continued attacking, one after another- until finally the last wolf collapsed.
Silence returned to the forest.
Atheline wiped his blade clean.
"They never hesitated; it’s baffling. "
Lilith crouched beside the nearest corpse. There was no corruption; its Aether flowed naturally, and its eyes remained clear.
"No external control." She examined another. "They’re healthy ealthy."
"So they weren’t corrupted."
"No."
Atheline looked around thoughtfully.
"Then why?"
The little fox cautiously approached one of the wolves before sniffing it. She immediately backed away with a confused whine, almost as though something about the beasts made no sense even to another animal.
Lilith stood.
"I don’t know, but..." She looked deeper into the forest. "...stay alert."
They resumed walking. Barely fifteen minutes later... The fox stopped again. This time she didn’t growl but barked sharply.
Atheline reacted instantly.
"Incoming!"
The earth beneath them exploded, and three enormous creatures burst from underground. They resembled wild boars covered entirely in overlapping plates of bark and stone. Thick vines wrapped around their tusks, each ending in wicked thorn-covered spikes.
"Barrowing Boars."
The lead beast lowered its head before charging with astonishing speed. Atheline stamped his foot. Earth Aether surged through the ground, and a stone wall erupted directly before the charging beast.
Rather than stopping, the boar smashed through it. Chunks of rock scattered in every direction.
"So much for that."
He smiled. Wind gathered around him and the world blurred. In a single instant, he appeared beside the charging beast, his sword sweeping downward. Compressed wind extended the blade’s reach several meters.
The Boar continued running for two more steps, then its body split cleanly in half. The remaining two changed direction immediately.
One lunged toward Lilith and the other targeted the fox. Lilith’s eyes narrowed. The surrounding shadows rose, and dozens of black spears materialized simultaneously. They shot forward.
The second boar disappeared beneath the barrage before ever reaching its destination. The third barely managed three more steps before its own shadow suddenly expanded. Darkness swallowed it completely when the shadow receded... Nothing remained.
The little fox blinked. Then happily resumed sniffing flowers nearby as though nothing had happened.
Atheline laughed.
"She adapts quickly."
Lilith smiled faintly.
"I envy that."
The forest grew quiet once more. For all of five minutes, then a deafening screech echoed overhead. Several massive birds dove through the canopy.
Their wings shimmered with translucent crystal feathers that reflected rainbow-colored light. Long talons glowed with condensed Aether while razor-sharp beaks sliced effortlessly through branches.
"Crystal Talons."
Atheline sighed.
"Again?"
The first bird folded its wings and plummeted directly toward him. He raised one hand. Fire Aether ignited. A blazing spear erupted skyward.
The bird attempted to evade, but it was too late. It exploded into countless glittering fragments before crashing through the trees.
A second bird attacked from behind. Lilith didn’t even look. Its shadow detached itself from the forest floor and climbed upward through empty air. Moments later, the creature’s own shadow wrapped around its body like chains.
The enormous bird froze, then fell lifelessly from the sky. The remaining creatures continued diving. Not surprising, none attempted retreat or circled cautiously. They simply attacked, relentlessly until the last one struck the forest floor.
Several more hours passed. The pattern never changed. Every twenty or thirty minutes, another species appeared. Even a herd of massive Moon Stags, creatures normally renowned for their peaceful nature, suddenly lowered their antlers and charged without warning.
Every battle ended the same way, yet none of the beasts showed the slightest fear. Atheline eventually stopped counting.
"I’ve never seen anything like this."
Lilith quietly dispersed another shadow blade.
"Neither have I."
She looked toward the countless corpses scattered behind them.
"Healthy beasts and different species with no signs of corruption, common territory or reason to cooperate. And yet..."
Another distant roar echoed through the trees; almost immediately, branches shook somewhere ahead. Something large was approaching.
Atheline slowly exhaled.
"They’re not hunting for food..."
Lilith’s gaze remained fixed on the dark forest ahead. The little fox had once again pressed herself against her leg, ears flattened as she stared into the trees.
For the first time since entering the forest, Lilith’s calm expression grew slightly more serious.
"They’re trying to stop us."
As if responding to her words, a chorus of roars erupted from every direction. The forest itself seemed to awaken, and from between the trees, countless glowing eyes slowly opened.