The search for Maximus continued.
Alexandra had travelled through forests, crossed dangerous lands, and faced powerful warriors. Yet she had not given up.
She wanted to find Maximus.
And when she finally found him, she intended to make him pay for everything he had done.
Dargan, the mini-giant warrior, followed a short distance behind her.
He had already learned that Alexandra was not someone who enjoyed answering questions.
But there was something he still wanted to understand.
"How long have you been searching for this Maximus?" he asked.
Alexandra did not look back.
"Long enough."
"And what exactly did he do to you?"
She stopped walking.
Dargan immediately regretted asking.
"That is none of your business."
He raised both hands.
"Fine. I was only asking."
Alexandra continued walking.
A few minutes later, they reached a wide open area surrounded by tall trees.
Then Alexandra suddenly stopped.
Someone was standing ahead of them.
A man.
His clothes were familiar, and his face was one she could never forget.
Alexandra's eyes widened.
"Maximus..."
The man slowly turned.
It was him.
Or at least, that was what Alexandra believed.
For several seconds, she stood completely still.
Then her expression changed.
Her hands tightened around her sword.
A cold smile appeared on her face.
"So you finally decided to show yourself."
The man said nothing.
Alexandra began walking toward him.
"Do you know how long I've been looking for you?"
The man remained silent.
She laughed.
"What's wrong? Have you forgotten how to speak?"
Dargan watched from behind.
Something about the man felt strange.
He could not explain it, but his instincts were telling him to be careful.
"Alexandra," he called.
She ignored him.
The man finally raised his head.
His face looked exactly like Maximus.
Alexandra pulled out her sword.
"Don't worry. I won't make this easy for you."
She rushed forward.
But just before her sword reached him, the man disappeared.
Alexandra's eyes widened.
"What?"
A terrible roar suddenly came from behind her.
ROOOOOAR!
The ground shook.
Dargan immediately turned.
His entire body became stiff.
Something enormous had appeared between the trees.
It was a wolf.
But calling it a wolf almost felt like an insult to the word.
Its entire body was completely black, with thick fur that seemed to swallow the little light around it.
Its teeth were enormous.
Its claws were longer than the fingers of an ordinary man.
But the most frightening thing was its eyes.
They were completely white, with no visible pupils.
Anyone who looked at the creature would understand immediately.
This was no ordinary animal.
It was a monster.
A very powerful one.
Alexandra slowly turned toward it.
Before she could move, the creature attacked.
It moved so fast that even Dargan barely saw it.
BOOM!
Its claws struck Alexandra across the body.
She was thrown through the air and crashed against a tree.
The tree broke.
Blood covered her clothes.
For a moment, she tried to stand.
But her legs failed her.
She fell to the ground.
"Alexandra!"
Dargan shouted.
He looked at the creature.
Then at Alexandra.
His heart was beating wildly.
He had fought many dangerous enemies, but this thing was different.
He knew that one wrong move could cost him his life.
Still, he could not simply abandon her.
He lifted his massive weapon.
"HEY!"
The black wolf slowly turned its head toward him.
Dargan swallowed.
"Your fight is with me now!"
The creature stared at him.
Then it rushed forward.
Dargan jumped aside.
BOOM!
The wolf's claws struck the ground where he had been standing.
A deep hole appeared.
Dargan landed several metres away.
His eyes widened.
*That attack would have killed me.*
He barely had time to think before the creature attacked again.
He dodged left.
Then right.
He swung his weapon, but the wolf moved out of reach.
For the next several minutes, Dargan did everything he could to survive.
He did not fight recklessly.
He watched its movements.
He avoided its claws.
He jumped away whenever its teeth came close.
He understood something very clearly.
Trying to fight this creature with everything he had would only get him killed.
He needed to survive.
That was all.
Five minutes passed.
Then seven.
Then ten.
Dargan was breathing heavily.
His arms were tired.
His legs were beginning to weaken.
The creature, however, did not appear tired at all.
It stood before him, watching.
Its white eyes seemed to examine him.
Dargan tightened his grip on his weapon.
"Come on..."
The wolf lowered its head.
A deep growl came from its throat.
Then it suddenly disappeared.
Dargan's eyes widened.
He looked left.
Nothing.
He looked right.
Nothing.
Then he felt something behind him.
He turned and raised his weapon.
CLAAANG!
The wolf's claws struck the weapon.
A powerful force travelled through Dargan's arms.
CRACK!
His weapon shattered into several pieces.
Dargan jumped backward as quickly as he could.
Pieces of his weapon fell around him.
He landed heavily on the ground.
His eyes were wide open.
He stared at the broken pieces.
His weapon had survived countless battles.
It had never been destroyed like this.
But this creature had broken it with one attack.
Dargan slowly raised his head.
The wolf was standing several metres away.
It was looking at him.
He could barely breathe.
*What kind of creature is this?*
He had no weapon left.
And he knew that if the creature attacked again, he might not survive.
But something strange happened.
The wolf suddenly turned its head.
Its ears moved.
It seemed to have heard something.
Then it looked toward the trees.
A low growl came from its throat.
Dargan watched carefully.
The creature suddenly ran.
Not toward him.
Not toward Alexandra.
It rushed deep into the forest at an unbelievable speed.
Within seconds, it had disappeared.
Dargan stood there, confused.
"What...?"
He slowly turned toward Alexandra.
She was still lying on the ground.
Blood covered part of her body.
He rushed toward her.
"Alexandra!"
But before he could reach her, something strange happened.
The air around her began to change.
A dark mist rose from the ground.
It moved toward her body and slowly covered her.
Dargan stopped.
"What is that?"
The mist became thicker.
It surrounded Alexandra like a living shadow.
Then her fingers moved.
Her eyes opened.
Dargan stared.
"Alexandra?"
She slowly pushed herself off the ground.
Her clothes were torn.
Blood still covered her body.
But something was different.
A strange negative energy surrounded her.
It was darker than anything Dargan had ever felt.
The air became heavy.
The trees began to shake.
Dargan took a step backward.
Alexandra slowly stood.
Her head was lowered.
Then she began to laugh.
At first, it was quiet.
Then it grew louder.
"Hahahaha..."
Dargan stared at her.
"Are you alright?"
Alexandra raised her head.
Her face carried a strange smile.
She looked almost crazy.
The dark energy moved around her shoulders and arms.
She looked toward the direction where the black wolf had disappeared.
Then she spoke.
"So that's how it is..."
Her smile widened.
"It wasn't Maximus."
She slowly raised her hand.
The strange energy gathered around her fingers.
Dargan looked at her in confusion.
"What are you talking about?"
Alexandra ignored him.
She took one step forward.
Then another.
Her eyes were fixed on the forest.
Finally, she spoke in a cold, excited voice.
"It is time I know where you are, you idiot."
She laughed again.
Dargan stared at her.
He had no idea what she meant.
But he understood one thing.
The creature that had nearly killed her was no longer her greatest concern.
Somehow, the attack had revealed something to Alexandra.
Something she had been searching for all along.
And deep inside the forest...
The black wolf suddenly stopped running.
Its white eyes turned toward the sky.
For the first time, the creature seemed uncertain.
Because somewhere far away, something had finally noticed it.
To be continued..