Chapter #9: Heading Back to the Forbidden Forest Part 2

(Author’s Note I’m trying out a new way to do Dialogue since a few different readers have said it’s a little clunky as it is. Let me know what you think of this change in the comments.)

(Phil’s POV)

We continued walking until we had reached the border of the Forbidden Forest close to where I had originally met Amina, Ahben, and Jarold. Once we had had entered the Forbidden Forest the mood of our group drastically shifted.

We had been talking about different things as we trekked across the meandering plains but once we got near the forest the atmosphere of the group completely changed. Everyone got tense and prepared for our first task, Hunting the High Orc King. I figured this would be a good chance to test out my current strength and level up but I still felt and gnawing sensation in the pit of my stomach.

I could not place where or why this feeling had come about, even Sun and Moon looked around uncomfortably as we proceeded to enter the forest. As we continued to walk through the forest the sparse trees began to thicken enclosing around us limiting our view of our surroundings and causing the unspoken tension to only rise.

I thought to myself that this wasn’t good, in any way shape or form. To go into a fight with so much on our minds would only hinder us, so I decided to try to alleviate some of this tension from the group by stopping and resting for a while.

I said to the group “Why don’t you guys stop for a while, I know it’s early but rather than walk into a trap as we are we should rest up and clear our heads. I know that Sun and Moon need to get some more food so they will go out and scout the way while trying to find something for them to eat. If we find any Orcs will come back and get you if we don’t find anything within an hour or so will come back to get you guys. Does sound ok to you guys?”

Jarold replied “I don’t have any problems with that, you seemed to be doing fine before we encountered you in this forest just be careful. What about you Amina, Ahben?”

Amina said, “I agree we're all on edge and taking a break might help clear our heads, so you won’t get any complaints from me.”

Ahben said “I don’t like the idea of splitting up, but I agree we’re all on edge so if you want to scout ahead do so. I don’t know what it is, but the forest seems different than when we were here yesterday…”

Albert the reptilian Animal-Kin said nothing but stared daggers into me while dropping his gear and taking a seat on the ground.

Cinta said “I agree with you Ahben the forest is different than usual, but we should press on regardless of this fact. We need to finish this excursion sooner rather than later we need to get back to our posts.”

Helia rebutted “Your right Cinta, but we can’t complete our mission efficiently if were on edge plain and simple. Also, I’d like to go with you, Phillip. I think that it would be best if we stay in groups. I know you have your Dire wolves Phillip, but they cannot communicate with us if something happens to you. The forest also has verity Magic tainted monsters within it. You may believe you're capable of handling yourself, but you’re still a whelp who is only level 4 Phillip. Granted you have some strange class and race but that won’t help you when you come face to face with a high-level creature or magically tainted monster.”

Cinta looked at Helia, then nodded while shrugging her shoulders in an exasperated motion. She then proceeded to walk over and plop down next to Albert while taking her backpack off.

I looked at Helia while saying “If you want to tag along with me you are more than welcome too, just don’t blame me if you can’t keep up if we find some prey.” I started taking my pants off and dropped my bow and quiver.

Helia, Cinta, and Albert all looked at me as I stripped. I looked over at Jarold and said, “you didn’t tell them, did you?”

Jarold replied while not looking in my direction “Nope, your business is your own Phillip. haha,” he snickered while Ahben and Amina joined in.

I looked at Cinta’s group, sighed and just said: “It’ll be easier if you all just watch and wait to ask your questions after I’m done.”

I looked at the group and just let out a deep breath. I felt my body start to slowly change, my claws began to their full length which was now pitch black, my blackened fangs extended from my mouth and began to grow longer as well. I soon felt my skin become tight around my body, as it grew in height and girth. My skin then began to rip at its seams. I felt my face elongate and my nose starts to become wet.

I soon felt the urge to rip my skin off from my body as I did I felt the stares from the group. They looked horrified yet enthralled as my body shifted and changed.

After ripping the skin off my fur began to grow out from every orifice on my body. One thing I immediately noticed was that the brownish parts of my fur hand now become jet black. This fact made me look over my body inquisitively.

I unconsciously said, “why is my fur black?”

Jarold responded “It happened when we were at Lord Elbucks Phillip. Your hair changed Color the same time your eyes got that black tinge and that weird chain wrapped around your throat. You didn’t notice?”

I replied, “I noticed the chain and my eyes changed but not that my hair color did as well…”

Helia said, “I thought we were the ones who were supposed to be asking questions, haha.” This caused all of us to laugh a little bit while loosening the mood.

I said, “your right, go ahead and ask your questions.”

Albert stood up and continued to stare daggers at me and just said “What the fuck are you? My family has explored Aredeaia and I’ve never heard of any race from my family that matches your description.”

“I’m a Homo-Sapien, to sum it up quickly my race evolved from apes, I’m not human. The reason I can turn into a wolf is because of my class. My answer probably only leaves you with more questions but I’m not going to go into further details at the moment about where I’m from so just leave that topic alone for now.” I replied.

Albert continued to stare at me and asked “How can you transform? You said it has something to do with your class I’ve never heard of such a class that allows someone to change their species, has anybody else?” he said while looking around

Cinta nodded her head in agreement with Albert yet again and stared at me. Jarold and Ahben just watched while smiling at me. While Amina and Helia looked questioningly at me. No one spoke to answer Albert's question though.

I looked up at the sky in my werewolf form and just sighed. “Look, Albert from my limited understanding of classes there are some classes that have yet to be given out by Class Stones am I right?”

Albert nodded

“The class I got probably falls into that category, I’m willing to bet that none of you can read what my class is correct?”

Albert muttered “Yes”

“My class is called Shape-Shifter. It allows me to adopt the forms of other beings that I understand. I know Canines better than my own race, so I’m willing to bet that’s why I take on the form of a Wolf rather than something else.” I replied.

“How do we know you’re not lying?” Albert questioned me.

“You don’t. Trust is earned not given so I’m not going to ask you or your group to just outright trust me or believe me, that would be stupid because you won’t. What I will ask is Rather than judge me based on your what you think I am, judge me based on my actions if you still believe I’m lying to you after that so be it, nothing I can do about it, but ask yourself this what do I gain by lying to the only race of people helping me in Aredeaia?” I stated

Albert just continued to look at me but sat back down and thought about what I said. Helia looked at me and asked, “why are you more familiar with Canines than your own race?”

“because my family abandoned me, rather than try to open myself up to my own race I got a dog. My dog didn’t lie, he didn’t judge, and wasn’t greedy that’s why I’m more familiar with canine’s than my own race.” I growled through my teeth.

Helia took a step back and realized she had touched a sore spot before she could speak I just said “look I’m not upset or mad. I just don’t like thinking about what my family did to me because I wasn’t willing to believe what they did. I apologize if I scared you, but I can’t really control how talking about my family makes me feel, it just brings up a lot of old emotions I’d rather not deal with.”

“… I’m sorry that happened to you, and no need to apologize I just figured you needed space.” She said

“Don’t be sorry, that happening made me who I am today. I may hate my parents and brothers, but I do thank them for what they taught me.”

The group just stared at me inquisitively “I learned from my family that you should only give your trust to those than earn it, and that everyone deserves the benefit of the doubt until they give you a reason to doubt them.”

Albert nodded and looked at me. Ahben, Amina, and Jarold smiled at me and I smiled back. Cinta and Helia just looked at me with what I guessed to be more questions.

Cinta stood up and walked over to me and pointed her finger at the chain around my neck, “why do you have a marking of a chain around your neck, why are the Whites of your eyes black and why did you not know your own hair color?”

I just started laughing as I answered her, “haha, nothing gets passed you does it. Look I my appearance changed when I met the being who will collect my soul. I got several titles one of which is [Deaths Hound]. I’m guessing my body changed because of the titled or because Death did something to me. I don’t know which is the case but that’s why I didn’t know my own hair color.”

Cinta looked at me like I was stupid, “Death? Necrosis is Death, so did you meet him?”

“Death, Death isn’t a god, It’s a universal law. Necrosis is using that law to his benefit without its owner’s consent. That law applies to everything that is alive and that Law lives in the form of Death. It may not make a whole lot of sense but just ask Jarold, Ahben, Or Amina they got so see Death and I’m sure they will never get what it looks like.”

Cinta looked at me then turned around and looked at Ahben, “is he lying Ahben?”

Ahben shook his head, “No that thing was horrifying, and it hurt a god….”

“It hurt a god?! Which one!?” she questioned as her mouth hung agape.

I replied, “The Tavern Wench.”

Jarold, Ahben, and Amina started laughing.

“You have some guts calling a goddess a tavern wench, which god?!” Cinta pressed with a hint of rage in her voice.

“ILLENGARD, THE FILTHY TAVERN WENCH!” I shouted to the sky

Cinta’s rage left her face but she was still surprised, she couldn’t believe I was saying such a thing out loud.

Sun and Moon restlessly pulled my fur telling me they were hungry.

“Look a lot of shit happened that your group doesn’t know about rather than recap my adventures let’s just move on. If you don’t have any other pressing question I’m going to scout and get food for my pack.”

The group stayed silent and I took that as my cue to head out. I looked at Helia, who stood up dropped her pack and grabbed her unique looking longbow and we set off to scout and hunt.

As we set off into the thick trees within the forest, I asked Helia, “Why don’t you carry in arrows for your Long Bow?”

As we continued walking she replied, “I make them from magic. My class is called Magic Archer, it allows me to make different arrows from magic and shoot them from a magic bow. My longbow is such a bow and does not require the need for physical arrows.”

Helia pointed to the several veins that ran across her bow all of which came to center around the handgrip.

She stated “This is Magic Iron Ore, it is what makes this bow a magic bow. Ore allows for my own magic to be condensed and made into different types of arrows. The arrows shot depending on what type of magic I use can vary from Electric to Fire and a verity of other types.”

We continued to walk as the thick trees passed us, I replied “That’s awesome! Are there a lot of people with your class or is a unique one?”

“It’s a unique class, not many Animal-Kin have it, and I haven’t heard of another race besides Elves and Some Animal-Kin having it.” Helia said.

“Their are elves in Aredeaia?!” I blurted out.

“Yes… How don’t you know that?” Helia questioned me.

“Uhh, being honest I don’t really know what races are here in Aredeaia. I’ve met humans, Animal-Kin, and I know Demons and Dwarves are here but had not heard anything about Elves.” I stated.

Helia just looked at me questioningly without saying anything. I ended up not speaking either and silence overtook us as we continued to walk amongst the tall conifer trees and thick underbrush.

We continued walking like this until we were about two miles away from where everyone had stopped, at that moment I began to smell something coming from our right. I pointed in that direction and lifted my finger to my lips indicating to Helia to be quiet as we continued forward through the thick forest towards the direction of the scent's origin.

As we continued, Sun and Moon began to sniff and let out low growls. Their low growls cued me into what the scent we were following was. It was a race of intelligent beings, Sun and Moon had only done this once before and it was when I had encountered Jarold’s group.

After figuring this out I stopped and whispered to Helia, “I don’t think where coming up on magic tainted monsters I would say it’s people.”

Helia looked at me for a long while before speaking and said, “I’m curious to how you know that, but let’s move forward and see if we can’t get a glimpse of what’s where following.”

I just nodded to her statement pointed at my nose, then continue to move slowly through the underbrush that was about 4 feet high. As we creeped through the underbrush I eventually went on all fours and let out a low growl telling Sun and Moon to advance to our left and to not attack unless I did first.

They both slinked off to our left and disappeared within several seconds. Helia looked inquisitively at me as they ran off but said nothing. As we pressed forward I eventually could tell we were coming very close to the origin of the scent and pointed ahead in its direction to inform Helia we were coming close to whatever it was we were following.

As we crept through the underbrush we soon heard the sounds of arguing.

“Edwin you lost its trail didn’t you!?” a man shouted

“No, I didn’t just give me a minute…. It seems to have changed its form again, its tracks are now human again we need to be careful. Our contract asked us to bring this target back to the Holy Kingdom but was now in the Animal-Kin Kingdom’s territory and if we are attempting to kidnap one of their citizens, it could lead to an all-out war because of the Adventurers Guild. Do you dip-shits know how the board would respond if they found we were responsible? Do you now understand the severity of what this contract is asking of the Adventurers guild?!” Edwin rebutted the man

What the man said bothered me, “Changed its form”. I turned to Helia and whispered, “go get the group, I’ll try not to engage until you bring them here, but I can’t guarantee they won’t find me while I’m waiting.”

“Agreed I’ll go get them, we're dealing with adventurers so don’t do anything stupid, it also sounds like they’re on a contract within our kingdom for the Holy Kingdom. One of them seems to know the severity of what they are doing but who knows what the others will actually do. Be careful” Helia whispered back as she began to sneak back through the underbrush towards the direction we had come, towards where the others were resting.

I slowly changed my stance and brought myself low to the ground and waited and continued to listen to the argument in front of me.

(Edwin’s POV)

“That doesn’t matter Edwin, we were given a contract by the Guild if you’re too afraid of what will happen because of that take your pathetic Blood Hounds and leave. We no longer need your assistance in completing this Contract!” A man with Blond Hair said angerly to Edwin.

I replied, “You really don’t get it do you Remy. The guild asked us to complete this contract in a specified group size if we don’t follow what the guild asked of us we will be punished! Are you fine with that? Do you really want to incur the wrath of the Board because you think you’re doing the right thing! We need to gather more information on our target to find our if he is a citizen, the guild division in Keenheim should have information on our target, Phillip Mauger. If they don’t we can just send word back to the guild and wait for further instructions after we’ve told them what has happened so far, or do you have other plans that are not following regulations?!”

Remy rebutted “How do we even know they went this way? Or what you’ve been telling us is the Truth? How could an Animal-Kin eat magic tainted Monsters?! You just have been saying more and more unbelievable shit since we started this contract.”

Irvine coldly said, “You were their Remy! You saw the Orc Skull, you saw tracks change and everything else that happened on this shitty contract! Now you decided to question Edwin’s leadership and integrity? What’s wrong with you, your group kept quiet until now, and now that we're close to our target you decided to have a pathetic argument with us. Seems to me you have some ulterior motives for doing this contract.”

“Look at you Irvine pulling shit out of your ass trying to pin this on my group. Did we ever say we agreed with Edwin's opinion about the Orc skull he found or how the tracks changed?! No! We didn’t, we just went along with what the ‘expert tracker’ said!” Remy shouted

“You just said it, Remy! Edwin is an EXPERT TRACKER!!!! You are not, nor is anybody in your damned group so keep your mouth fucking shut and let Edwin do his job. If you want to go off on your own do so, But we will be telling the Board once we get to Keenheim that you were unwilling to follow the leader that they designated! Stop bitching or fall into line!”

Remy ground his teeth while he looked at the 6 men and women following him. He looked over at myself and the 7 that followed me. He simply said, “Kill them and make it look like Orcs did it.” his voice lacked compassion or any sympathy he was going to try to kill us!!

All of the Bloodhounds drew their weapons at the same time as Remy’s group, but everyone stopped as a loud howl that was to close for comfort broke the tension of the two groups. The howl reverberated throughout the Forest and was responded to by two other howls in the distance.

I immediately looked in the direction of the first howl but could see nothing, I heard something moving within the underbrush and looked at Irvine who brought up his bow, nocked an arrow and fired at the noise within the underbrush.

As the arrow sailed through, into the underbrush, as the arrow disappeared into the brush a low growl began emanating from where the arrow had just been shot. The growl grew louder and louder, the underbrush began to shake and soon what-ever Irvine had shot at began to move towards us.

I yelled to the Bloodhounds, “Get ready, Irvine and myself will keep what-ever is overhear at bay, Natasha, Grey, Bedlum, Anthony, Bushwick, and Elena keep an eye on those fuckers and kill them if they move!”

As I finished another howl bellowed out from in front of Irvine and myself. Irvine was to my side of me with his bow at the ready, as I unsheathed my long sword.

As the sound of howl wafted over us I soon felt fear run throughout my body. I then noticed the Forest became dead silent, the dead silence this early in the afternoon was eerie, it sent shivers down my spine. Everyone waited for what felt like an eternity. I then saw something sail out from out of the underbrush and land in front of Irvine and myself, it was the arrow Irvine and shot covered in blood!

(Phil’s POV)

After hearing the conversation that took place and seeing these adventurers draw their weapons on one another I knew which side I would be helping, but I felt an arrow fly straight into my shoulder from one of the people I was going to help.

I let out a low growl and pushed forward through the underbrush and I ripped the arrow free from my shoulder as blood trickled from the wound as I crawled through the brush. I started howling to let Sun and Moon know to go find Jarold and Cinta and lead their groups here.

I threw the arrow back at the two in front of me, then charged from out of the brush on all fours. As the arrow landed in front of Irvine and Edwin and used my powerful arms and legs to jump over them landing behind them, and in front of the group of six of their companions.

I immediately let out an ear-piercing roar; charged at the man name Remy. Before he could swing his sword, I was on him like stink on shit. I grabbed him around the throat and lifted him off the ground in front of his companions as I stood to my full height.

No one spoke, No one screamed or made a sound these were seasoned adventurers. The only sound that could be heard was Remy gasping for air as I choked him with my right hand and stared at the six others under his command.

I calmly said as I stared Remy in the eyes, “You will die today Remy, you shouldn’t have taken my contract, neither should the Blood Hounds. At least they didn’t decide to out-right try to kill me, but you, on the other hand, it’s clear as day that you’re working for the Holy Kingdom.”

Remy's eyes bulged as he heard me speak as I choked him, he tried to speak through his gasps so released the tension around his throat, so he could speak.

“Your contract?!” he sputtered out before tightened my grip around his throat again.

“Yes, little Remy, my contract. I am your target Phillip Mauger and now you’ll become my food.” I said as I lifted the man up and wrapped my jaws around his head.

*SNAP* *CRUNCH*

I threw Remy’s corpse and decapitated head to the ground pointed at the group of his companions as blood came out of my mouth, “You have two choices. Die like your comrade or deliver a message to those who hired you in the Holy Kingdom. What your choice?”

Two of Remy’s group threw down their weapons and slinked onto the ground. The other four raised their weapons and charged while screaming “FOR ILLENGARD AND THE HOLY KINGDOM!”

As the group of four charged me I thought to myself at least I gave them choice…

As the group charged me I didn’t move I just waited for them. When they were close enough to start swinging their weapons on me I used the skill [Howl of the Pack Leader]. This caused the group to falter in their assault.

I used this moment and dug my clawed hands into the two closest to me. I then lunged forward and snapped my jaws around another’s neck severing his head from his body as I ripped a piece of his spine and his throat from his body.

The fourth attacker managed to regain his composure and swing his long sword at my exposed neck. I twisted my body narrowly avoiding getting hit in the neck, as his long sword dug into my shoulder.

As the man tried to pull his long sword from my shoulder blade, but I freed my hands from the two corpses that they had pierced and lunged at the man pinning the man to the ground in front of his two companions who had given up.

I slowly pushed my maw towards the man's head and covered it in its entirety with my mouth began to bite down.

*CRACK* *CRUNCH*

As I cracked the man’s skull looking at his two companions in the eyes I lifted his corpse up in my mouth and spit it out in front of them.

“You two made the right decision, Tell the Holy Kingdom to hide your kids, hide your wives, hide your husbands cause everybody’s getting raped out here!” I spewed out as I started laughing uncontrollably.

The man and woman on the ground just stared at me in horror as I laughed like a maniac.

“HAHA, I jest, just forget what I said about raping, sometimes you have to enjoy the little things in life… but now I am getting off-topic, I didn’t start this shit show, the Holy Kingdom did when they brought me here and their god tried to kill me. Tell those that hired you DEATH is coming to the Holy Kingdom and nothing can stop it, not even their filthy tavern wench of a god!”

The man and woman were still shaking in their boots as I spoke to them, “Get going, go on get! Remember to deliver my message and remember I gave you a chance, more so than your kingdom gave me, so get on outta here, go on get!” I said as I shewed the two away with my hands.

The man and woman got up and ran off into the woods faster than I had ever seen any person run before. I let out a laugh as I turned around and stared at the Blood Hounds who all stood with their mouths agape in shock at what had just happened.

This only caused me to laugh more as I began to hold my stomach because I had laughed so much in this wonderful little encounter.

As I continued laughing both Sun and Moon came bolting out from behind the group and circled around them on either side letting out a low growl as they came over to me. As they approached me I let out a low growl to let tell them to start eating the corpses of the men and women I had just slaughtered.

They happily ran over to the corpses and started vigorously tearing into them. As they did I grabbed Remy and severed his leg off and started munching on it like a piece of jerky while looking at the Blood Hounds.

Gasps could be heard coming from the group as they watched the people they were traveling with start getting torn apart by wolves and myself.

“rroook *Cough, Cough, Spit* I should know better than talking with my mouth full but hey I’m still a little hungry. So, look I heard your conversation earlier and I know your after me, rather than explain this shit twice wait for the group I’m traveling with *CRUNCH, GULP* and ill inform you of what happening *CRUNCH, GULP*, Sound like a plan?” I said as I took chomps of Remy’s leg

“HE IS EATING A HUMAN; HOW DO WE KNOW HE’S NOT BIDEING TIME TO EAT US LATER!” Elena shouted at her companions.

“calm down Elena, I know how you feel… they were traveling with us, but they wanted to kill us and were going around the guilds back. Let’s just wait for the time being before we start going off starting a fight.” Irvine said as he put his hand on Elena

“Good, looks like you are pretty smart Irvine, but Edwin damn, you tracked my ass all the way from where I entered the Forbidden Forest. (CHOMP, GULP) looks like you have some pretty good skills or are an amazing tracker, either you have my respect for that and the fact you didn’t just try to kill me like this dipshit.” I said as I pointed to Remy’s half eaten leg.

“Ummm, thanks I think…. Why aren’t you trying to kill us? you ate those Orcs early shouldn’t you be going crazy?”

“HAHA, those guys tasted a little foul and gave me some indigestion *CRUNCH, GULP* but it’s a little hard for them to taint me, *CRUNCH, GULP* when I don’t have any magic to be tainted. Look Jarold and Cinta groups should be here shortly, so hold off on your questions until then.” I said as I finished Remy leg.

I then walked over and shoved my hand into Remy’s chest and pulled his heart out then tossed it into my mouth. As I turned around a looked at the now horrified group of adventurers and let out a sigh.

“Jezz I guess I am really lost my table manners since I came to this world, haha” I said chuckling as I started to shift my form back my naked human form. As my body shrunk and fangs turned into teeth, gasps could be heard as the group stared at me in awe as my body transformed.

I then plopped down on the ground and sat cross-legged and waiting for Jarold and Cintas groups to arrive….