"Wolves!"
"Defense formation! Protect the women!"
Xin's and Bern's reactions came almost simultaneously.
Bern and the dwarf swiftly grabbed the women, pushing them towards the nearby tree, while positioning themselves at its opposite side, a few steps ahead of them, weapons drawn.
The half-elf took a similar defensive position on the side of the tree facing the clearing, to the women's left, creating an encirclement. An incomplete one – a spot near the right flank, a few meters behind Bern, was empty.
At the same time, I was already back on my feet, my hands gripping the hilt of my sword once again.
The gears in my head, still reeling from the earlier shock, were only now starting to reluctantly turn once again, with my actions so far driven by pure instinct.
Amelia in front of me still hadn't made any moves, either, beside drawing a short, clean dagger from under her robes – one that was either cleaned very thoroughly, or hasn't seen any actual combat so far. Her expression was hesitant, shifting her gaze between the incomplete encirclement and me.
"Grrrr-"
Throughout all this time, no howls, or sudden burst of movement came from beyond the clearing. Only a few low growls, and the still-faint sound of movement – slowly spreading, farther encircling the clearing.
For now, the group was still located between us and the beasts, but this situation would not last for long.
At that moment, Bern finally threw a quick glance back at us – his eyes were still calculating, but his expression didn't show the faint hostility from before, replaced by a sense of urgency.
"You two waiting for an invitation?"
I wasn't sure if my previous reaction was misunderstood due to the sudden appearance of the beasts, or perhaps set aside due to the imminent danger, but it was clear from his tone that any suspicions would be set aside for now.
Given the current predicament, it didn't take me longer than a second to make my decision.
Grabbing my backpack with one hand, sword in the other, I swiftly walked towards the formation's open spot, careful not to step on one of the torches which were still planted in the ground.
Amelia also moved, arriving to stand between the two women, one hand still holding the dagger, while the other was gripping her medallion, her lips moving in a silent prayer.
The half-elf to my left threw a quick glance in my direction, but his eyes didn't linger, quickly shifting back in the direction of the ominous darkness.
"Six.. no, at least seven of them. Maybe one or two more."
"You think it's the same pack? Any sign of the big one?"
"Not that I could see. But the numbers match. If the leader is an alpha wolf, it could be waiting in the back."
Xin swiftly relayed his observations to Bern in a hush, tense voice.
"Bloody curs! Couldn't find a worse damn timing."
The dwarf's aggressive tone was met with a few more growls, but the wolves didn't make any new moves, still biding their time.
"Oi, boss, what's the plan? Do we have to stand here until morning?"
"Don't think so. Our torches would run out before dawn, but even the wolves here aren't smart enough to figure it out. Still, when an alpha leads the pack, their tactics improve, and so does their morale. If they had the resolve to hunt a group our size, they wouldn't just run away. Not unless something much worse finds its way nearby, at least. They will keep tightening this encirclement, until either of us makes a move."
"Bern's right. They attacked us even after taking the goblins – this pack is quite a ferocious one. Perhaps they are searching for more food for their cubs – mating season ended a few months back. If that's the case, I don't think they will back down, either."
The thick tension in the air was smothering. From my position, I could already see some of the shifting figures at the edges of the clearing, surrounding us in a half-circle.
"Damn it! I think Hilda still has the concoctions.. we could really bloody use an Alchemist's Fire right about now!.."
"Grrrrr-"
With a low growl, one of the wolves, having circled more than half the clearing, decided to slowly make its way out of the bushes, stopping not far from the torch I planted earlier.
Its size was larger than any dog I've seen in my life, reaching as high as my stomach. Its light-gray fur, now visible at its full magnificence, couldn't fully conceal the shifting movement of muscles beneath, distinctly visible with each step.
The saliva dripping from its mouth would occasionally reflect a stray ray of moonlight, and its eyes, shining like topaz, were locked in on mine.
Two of its companions made their way onto the clearing as well, slowly stepping into the clearing from opposite sides, now less than a dozen steps away from me. From the faint rustling sounds on the side, I could guess the rest of the pack was closing in from the other side as well.
"Gharrufff -"
A deeper, more ominous growl came from behind me. I couldn't afford to look back, my eyes still on the wolves in front of me, who lowered their posture threateningly.
My hands gripped my sword even tighter, my posture tensing up even more, preparing for what would inevitably come at any moment.
"Arrwoooo"
Finally, a bone chilling howl pierced the air, echoing through the dark woods, and the pack finally lunged at its prey.
One of the three wolves moved farther towards my left, where the half elf was still standing in the same battle stance. Two of them, apparently judging the man with the bigger sword was a bigger threat, charged towards me.
I raised my sword and prepared, reaching a conclusion in a fraction of a moment.
Unlike the previous (and only) fight I had, not only were the enemies faster, but much more deadly. I couldn't afford to take any chances, or hold anything back, as the price of every mistake could end up being grave.
The two wolves momentarily stopped in front of me, at the edges of my vision, right out of the sword's reach.
One of them lowered its posture again, preparing to leap. However, with my enhanced senses, I noticed its movement was less wild, and more deliberate than its previous ones. Could this be a feint? I held my sword, but refrained from swinging.
The other wolf, seeing me read the first one's bluff, lowered itself as well. And this time, the tension of its muscles, the subtle differences in its pace, and the cold, focused gleam of its eyes told me – this was the real thing.
A swift arc of dark-gray metal gleamed under the dim, flickering torchlight, meeting the large furry figure mid air.
[Arc Slash]!
The power of the strike, much stronger than the few regular swings I practiced before, drove the sword straight through the beast's skull.
Crack!
With the sound of cracking bones and iron cutting through flesh, a burst of blood and gray brain fluids sprayed into the air, as the fresh carcass was sent flying to the side.
However, the remaining momentum of the strike was stronger than the recoil, pulling my sword farther along the trajectory of the swing. The other wolf did not waste this opportunity, leaping before I could regain my footing.
Letting go of the sword with my right hand, I had just enough time to raise my arm, and bring my left foot farther back, bracing for impact.
Sharp pain pierced my arm, as the razor-sharp fangs subverted the iron bracer, piercing through my flesh all the way to the bone.
The beast's claws pushed and slashed against my chest piece, leaving deep marks, but failing to penetrate deeper.
The beast was heavy, and the impact of its leap nearly made me stumble backwards, but I managed to hold my ground, at least for the moment.
The wolf's head thrashed and jerked, each movement sending new waves of pain, its teeth still locked around my arm.
Releasing the grip on the sword, I gathered every bit of strength in my left arm, and punched the beast's head as hard as I could.
The impact momentarily stunned it, pausing its movements, but the grip of its teeth only tightened.
Suddenly, from the corner of my vision, I saw a flash of metal – a short, pristine dagger, firmly gripped in the thin, delicate fingers, made its way straight into the wolf's left eye.
This time, the wolf released its grip, desperately leaping backwards with a whimper.
I threw a quick glance to my right, noticing Amelia, her body subtly trembling, but her expression burning with resolve.
A few steps farther, I saw Xin, the half-elf, a long but shallow scratch stretching from his left cheek down to his chin, crouching above the convulsing body of the third wolf, a dagger deeply pierced into its neck.
Everything so far, starting with the howl, happened within the span of a dozen seconds or so.
Briefly glancing in our direction, Xin pulled his dagger and charged towards the dwarf behind him. From my position I couldn't see the latter, but by the sound of it, the fighting on that front was still going on.
Turning my head to look back at where the wolf retreated, all I saw was a trail of blood, and a furry silhouette disappearing in the bushes on the other side of the clearing.
I quickly crouched and picked up my sword once again – the pain in my right arm had shifted to a more muffled sensation, and my grip became lighter and less responsive, but I couldn't afford to pay attention to it right now.
Turning around, I looked towards the direction where Bern stood before.
He still stood near the same spot, his claymore now held high, its base near his right shoulder, in some form of battle stance.
On the ground before him were two wolf corpses, one missing its front leg, the other simply laying on its stomach with a large pool of blood gathering underneath it.
Not far ahead of him, I could see the outline of another wolf, even larger than the ones before.
Its majestic black fur, darker than the surrounding forest, felt as if it was absorbing light itself. Its head, nearly as high as my chest, was twisted in a vicious snarl. Its shining eyes were burning with hatred.
Looking at its low, tense posture, I almost felt as if I could see the air around it vibrating.
Focusing on Bern, I could faintly feel a similar aura.
The sequence of events happened in the span of a few moments, and had my senses been the same as before, it would only appear as a brief blur.
In a display of agility that something of its size had no right to show, the wolf leapt into the air, its massive, razor-like fangs aimed straight at Bern's head.
At that moment, it felt as if the chill night air became still, and the large sword came down in an elegant, swirling motion – one that shouldn't have held nearly as much speed, let alone strength.
swoosh.. THUD!
With a swing of Bern's sword, he sidestepped the massive body of the beast, which collided with the pine tree, shaking its trunk and causing some needles and acorns to fall to the ground.
The body was missing its head, which was still flying through the air in an arc, spraying the surroundings with a fountain of blood.
A chill went down my spine, thinking back to my earlier encounter with this group. I now had a feeling that if they really decided to fully commit and break through back then, my own (or, Sebastian's) head would end up flying in a similar fashion.
crack
From behind the tree, the muffled sound of steel crushing through flesh and bone signified the end of this short but deadly battle.
"H-hold still! Let me help you. Give me your hand."
Amelia's voice brought me out of my daze. With the adrenaline receding, the pain was becoming sharper and sharper, and only now had I noticed the moist feeling of blood, dripping down onto the ground.
Without much thought, I released the grip on my sword, which was becoming heavier by the second, letting it fall to the blood-soaked ground, and extended my arm.
"Oh lady of light, let me deliver..."
Amelia's faint prayer became a whisper beyond my ability to make out, but after a few seconds, her lips stopped moving.
Her hand, letting go of the medallion on her chest, shimmered with bright yellow light, brighter than the surrounding torches, and reached for the bite marks on my arm.
Immediately, the pain began to recede. The bone, just now peeking through the ripped flesh, was already hidden behind the muscle fibers and blood vessels, visibly reteaching themselves back together.
After no longer than a couple of seconds, all that remained of the deep wound were a couple of spots of pristine, newly grown skin, only the tears and blood stains on the sleeve's cotton fabric remaining as evidence of its former existence.
"Huff.. You.. huff... have lost a lot of blood. Please rest well and eat a lot of food once we return to town."
Amelia's exhausted smile suddenly froze, replaced by an expression of realization.
"If you don't have a place to stay, please come by the Sun Shrine! We provide temporary shelter to the ailing, so if... Ah! Excuse me!"
Remembering the battle that just transpired, she turned her head, flashing a reassuring smile to the two women still cowering on the ground, then quickly made her way towards the other side of the tree.
I followed her, not even bothering to pick my sword off the ground. I realized by now that if the adventurers suddenly decided to attack me, it wouldn't make much of a difference.
"What rotten luck. To attract the attention of those damn beasts right after a mission, and a rescue, no less!"
"Relax, you ore brain. Nobody died, and even your scrap didn't suffer any serious damage. Actually, with most of their pelts intact, you should think of it as a bonus."
"Bonus my arse! No serious damage? This ringmail aint some cheap heap of patched animal hides!"
The dwarf sighed.
"I hope my share can cover the repairs, at least."
As we appeared before the three adventurers, their conversation was already underway.
From the looks of it, beside the shallow scratch on the half-elf's face (which had already stopped bleeding), a few deep claw marks on the dwarf's armor (that failed to penetrate deep enough to reach his skin), and the wolf blood staining much of their clothes and equipment, the three didn't suffer any losses.
Scattered on the ground at their feet lay the corpses of four more wolves, including the two Bern had slain earlier, and the head of the bigger wolf, which landed nearby.
The moment we came into their view, the conversation halted, their heads turning in our direction.
"Does anyone require healing?"
Amelia, wearing a serious expression, asked proactively, after failing to notice any visible wounds on anyone beside the half elf.
Xin just shook his head, his eyes still locked on me, same as his other companions. However, unlike before, there was less coldness in his gaze, the previous hostility replaced by neutral contemplation. The silence lasted only a few seconds.
The dwarf stepped towards me.. and suddenly punched my left shoulder. Not hard enough to leave a bruise, but definitely hard enough to stun me for a moment, especially considering my brain was barely functioning as it was.
"Bush lover over here said you handled two of those furry bastards. Nice work, kid."
"I.. it was nothing."
The dwarf's hearty laugh came in reply to my wobbled response, followed by Bern's even voice.
"You still helped us with this mission. Our main goal here is to rescue those women. If any wolf got through to them, not to mention one of the only two people capable of divine healing in this town, this mission would be finished."
The dwarf just nodded, and Xin sighed and shot a short glance at Amelia, who quietly lowered her eyes.
"Sorry..."
"...it's fine. I saw you helping him with that wolf, and without your healing, we might not have gotten rid of all those green pests in time. It all worked out in the end, so it's good you came."
"T-hanks!"
The half elf relented, and Amelia's face lit up in a bright smile. Meanwhile, Bern turned his head towards the scattered corpses.
"Alright! Xin, Ornor, let's get to it! We have half an hour, at most. Just focus on the pelts with the small ones. Xin, you handle the alpha. You... Sebastian. Have you ever skinned a wolf before?"
After a moment of silence, I slowly shook my head.
Skinning? Wolves? The most I ever did was chop some chicken breast or pork. That one time I tried to clean a freshly caught trout, on a fishing trip with my friends many years ago, was the closest I've ever come to butchering something, and even that attempt ended horribly.
Maybe this body had some relevant memories stashed away, but feeling utterly drained (mentally and, looking at the bloodstains on my sleeve, quite literally), I couldn't muster the will to search for them.
"Alright. Just stay at the clearing and keep watch. Don't worry, you'll get your share tomorrow."
"My… share?"
The fog in my mind momentarily receded at the word, though only slightly.
"Ah."
Bern's eyes shone with the look of understanding.
"You're probably not an adventurer, are you?"
I just shook my head once again. There was no point trying to hide it – I was clearly lacking many of the basic skills those men had, and regardless, I didn't feel like I had the ability to make up any stories at this moment.
"That's alright. Just... how about you meet me at the Blue Mushroom Inn tomorrow evening, once we sort everything out. We'll have sold those pelts by then, too."
I just weakly nodded. The only thing that occupied my mind right now was a nice, soft bed. I didn't know where I could find this bed, or how I could even afford one right now, but decided not to think that far – had to get to town, first.
Seemingly satisfied with my silent answer, Bern turned around and joined the dwarf, who was already busy with one of the corpses.
Wrestling with the urge to close my eyes, even just for a moment, I made my way back to the clearing.