It took another hour or so to prepare everything for Damon’s plan. The sky had become much darker and Damon could only make out the vaguest of shapes, in the bleak evening. The pair found themselves back at the edge of the clearing, concentrating on the wolves in front of them as they prepared to act. Damon could hear Diana’s hammering heart as they both stood as one, raising their bows and firing at the two wolves lying outside the cave.

Both hours flew true Damon received a damage notification but he ignored it, already turning and beginning to run back into the forest. Not bothering to remain quiet anymore, the two hunters ran back a hundred paces or so before turning again, the howls of the wolves as they pursued pierced the night and sent a chill down Damon’s back.

They’d planned for this though, the two wolves they’d attacked were hampered by the trees and the arrows sticking out of them but they were getting closer. Again, Damon and Diana raised their bows and waited until the wolves were only a couple of paces away before releasing again. This time the arrows sunk deep into the wolves and they both fell to the ground, skidding closer to the pair before coming to a stop. Neither were dead but a quick stab down quickly cut of their pitiful whimpers.

The two wolves weren’t alone though, more could be heard. They were much quieter than the injured wolves as they rushed to their attacker’s position. Damon’s hearing easily picked them up though and the pair started running again. The chill air pushed against their faces as they ran. They reached a small overhang of leaves and quickly dodged around it before turning a few paces after and racing their bows.

Two Wolves smashed through the leaves and were baring down on their prey when they were suddenly wrenched backwards with considerable force. A groan of wood could be heard as the wolves began to gag.

The final wolf was a little behind its companions and had gone around the leaves, expecting to see its friends taking care of the problem. When it saw the hunters were fine, it charged at the pair, leaping to rip into Damon’s throat out. Damon barely had time to bring his bow up before the wolf was on him. Its weight brought them crashing down onto the floor and Damon cried out as the wolf’s hot breath washed over his face. The wolf had clamped down on Damon’s bow and was attempting to force its way through and chomp a pierce out of Damon. Diana quickly dropped her bow, not wanting to risk hitting Damon, and pulled her knife from her belt. Stabbing down again and again while the beast and Damon fought.

For Damon, it felt like an eternity before the wolf finally lay still above him. He was covered in blood from the vicious wolf and its saliva had dropped into his eyes and he was struggling to rub it away with his hands so wet. He lay there breathing while the last of the adrenaline pumped through him. After long moments of catching their breaths, Damon and Diana pushed the wolf away and went to inspect the two wolves they had ensnared.

The trap was a simple modification from the one Diana had shown Damon to catch squirrels. This time, the nooses were hidden by the leaves and as the wolves had charged through it, they’d ran their heads through the nooses and then strangled themselves through momentum. It wasn’t an easy death and Damon suspected he wouldn’t have been able to watch if he hadn’t been attacked by another wolf. The pair were lucky more wolves hadn’t come to the aid of their pack mates, the pair didn’t have any digging tools so could create more interesting traps. They knew the wolves wouldn’t fall for the same trick twice so had decided to make a stand where they were. The teenager hadn’t mentioned more than six or so wolves so they took a gamble, and it paid off.

Two notifications popped up after Damon and Diana had finished looting the wolves and retrieving their arrows.

Level Up!

Congratulations, you have gained an additional level!

You are now level 5

Please allocate any free stat points.

New Skill!

Trapping (Beginner 1 - 36%)

You've learnt to set traps and have even caught a few things.

5% Increase in effectiveness of traps set by you

Traps you set, are much harder to spot

Stat Increase!

Sprinting for your life and surviving require quick feet and a lot of luck.

+1 Luck

+1 Agility

That was new for Damon, he guessed levelling wasn’t the only way in which you could gain stats. He’ll have to look into that as it might give him an edge, later down the line.

The pair made their way back to the clearing, the world had become much darker and the only light was projected by the moon high above. The night air was still and the forest seemed to be much more peaceful than in the day. The temperature had also dropped and even Diana, who was wrapped in warm furs, still felt the chill. Damon was freezing. His feet had become numb and his ears hurt from the biting cold.

Once they reached the edge of the clearing, they found it barren of wolves and Damon guessed the rest, and there had to be more as the alpha hadn’t chased them with the others, must be inside the cave.

Damon was the first to step out of the tree cover, listening intently for any noises from the cave entrance. After hearing nothing, he beckoned Diana to follow and slowly creeped forwards, activating sneak as he did so. After long, painfully tense moments, Damon reached the entrance to the cave but couldn’t make out any details inside. There seemed to be a wall of blackness that no light could penetrate in the cave and Diana let out a small breath behind him.

“What do we do?” Damon asked, in a low voice. “Maybe the wolves are waiting for us inside, it could be some kind of trap.”

“We have to deal with them now, if we don’t we risk leaving the village in danger. What if the wolves decide to follow our scent and take revenge on the village. The alpha must be pretty strong if those large wolves are following it.” Diana replied, trying to peer deeper into the cave.

“Fine, we go in, but there’s no light so you won’t be able to see a thing. Stay here and make sure nothing attacks me from behind.” It was a flimsy excuse from Damon, the wolves could be lying in wait right by the entrance and sneak up behind him from there. He just thought Diana wouldn’t be much help in an area where she couldn’t see. He on the other hand, had spent a lifetime in the dark, he was used to it.

“No! I’m coming with you, what if something happens and you need help?” Asked Diana, grabbing Damon’s arm.

“Then I’ll scream for help. Trust me, I don’t need to see so the darkness won’t be a problem. I promise I’ll be back.” Before Diana could argue further, Damon shrugged off her hand and moved stealthily into the black space of the cave.

A warmth rushed over Damon as he entered the cave. Like walking into an air-conditioned building, on a cold winters day. The area around him was still black as night, but finally Damon could hear noises coming from deeper in the cave. The sounds of snuffling and the occasional bark echoed towards him and Damon could feel a slight inline as he creeped slowly forwards. The odour of the cave was disgusting. Rotting flesh and the stench of urine wandered up Damon’s nose and he cringed at the smell as he crept closer to a room that he could tell was strangely lit from a weak light source inside.

The entry way to the room was clearly outlined, even to Damon and as he stretched out his arms to the sides, he realised the corridor he was in was quite narrow, only slightly larger than his arm span. He left one hand on the wall as he carried on closer to the makeshift doorway. The rock was comforting, as his hand grazed along it, a sense of solidness that kept Damon’s mind on the task and prevented him from panicking at the insane situation he was in.

When Damon reached the end of the corridor, he peered through the doorway and realised the room he was looking into was a lot larger than he thought possible from the narrow corridor. He couldn’t make out much, the colours all blurring into one, but a faint blue hue was present and he realised that must be from the light source.

From the echoing noises in the room, Damon could guess how big the room was and that there were only two wolves inside. He tried to pinpoint their positions but it was difficult due to the fluctuations in the noises he was coming off the walls. He needed to be smart here, he would never be able to take on whatever laid in wait in that room. At least, not in a direct fight. He needed to be smart, he needed more information. Damon decided to head back and get Diana, she’d be able to see what the large room looked like and tell him the positions of the wolves.

He was just silently thanking the bad smell in the cave for covering his sent and turning to make his way back to Diana when his foot kicked a loose rock on the ground. A large clatter echoed along the hallway as the stone bounced and hit the opposite wall. The sounds inside the room abruptly stopped and a second passed in silence before a huge howl filled Damon’s ears. Shit!

Damon began sprinting back the way he’d came, the scuffling of paws behind him, told Damon all he needed to know about where the wolves were. He exploded out of the cave entrance and felt the freezing temperature as he turned and loosed an arrow behind him. A yelp, ensued as Damon fell to the ground and rolled a few times before clambering back to his feet.

You have dealt 26 physical damage to Forest Wolf.

Lucky shot. he guessed as he rose already drawing his axe, from where it settled on his back, to take on the wolf in front of him. Diana was quick to respond, already releasing her own shot that hit the wolf in the side, it apparently hadn’t done as much damage as Damon’s arrow and the wolf was still racing towards him. Damon drew the axe above his head and prepared to receive the grey mass of fur and teeth. Snarling, Damon stepped to the side and brought the axe down, straight onto the head of the attacking wolf. A sickening crunch and a notification confirmed the kill but before Damon could check it, a low hungry growl resonated through the clearing.

A huge wolf, the size of a small car, stepped through the sheet of black over the cave. Its soft steps on the snow seemed to defy its sheer mass. It wasn’t white or grey like the other wolves. Instead, its fur was an almost midnight black, it seemed to take in light, devouring it in a deep abyss of blackness, appearing to just be a figure. The worst aspect of the creature were its eyes though. Deep red rubies seemed to replace the usual black and white of the other wolves. A flame seemed to blaze in those pupils, sinister and untamed.

Damon took an involuntary step back, unsure whether to fight this creature or run. It was then that the wolf howled. The sound a deep bellowing of noise that would have raised the dead if any were near. A mist seemed to descend around the clearing and Diana let out a gasp and Damon realised she couldn’t see more than a couple of paces. In that moment, Damon understood there was no running. Neither he, nor Diana, would be able to escape from the apparition of death that stood before them. It was hopeless, how could they face a demon like this? The smell of death was strong on the creature’s breath and Damon fell to his knees. There was nothing he could do. Nothing could prevent the inevitable from happening. He was going to have to respawn near the village and explain to Diana’s uncle why he hadn’t protected her. Why she was dead. She may have been a computer-generated character, who wasn’t even real. But the sadness that washed over Damon was real. In that moment, Damon realised he couldn’t accept it.

Anger flooded through Damon, a sea of boiling rage that began to flow through his veins and was released in a huge, thunderous roar of his own. He flew from his kneeling position straight at the giant wolf. The axe he held, pulled backwards and then launched forwards as Damon’s muscles ripped it through the air and into the front left leg the wolf.

You have dealt 36 physical damage to Corrupted Alpha Forest Wolf.

The creature had been taken completely by surprise. The kneeling human in front of it had been accepting its fate. Making it oh so easy to kill. Then suddenly it had moved, a sharp incredible pain rippled through the dark animal’s body and it howled again. This time in agony. It snapped down at Damon, but he had already rolled away and was preparing to strike with his axe again. The wolf was fast too though, despite its size. It pivoted round and avoided Damon’s next swing, stepping back to avoid a follow up one. The leg that had been injured was pumping out blood and clearly hampered the large creature. It snapped at Damon again, trying to catch his arm but Damon dodged again, somehow knowing he couldn’t afford to be bitten by this monster. Damon let the creature come closer, hearing the snap of the jaws as they missed him by a hairsbreadth, before swinging his axe once again. The axe cut cleanly through the wolf but it seemed to take no damage. It was like the axe had fazed straight through it. Damon was still recovering from the lack of resistance when the wolf batted Damon across the clearing with its un damaged paw.

You have received 46 physical damage from Corrupted Alpha Forest Wolf.

Jesus that’s way too much damage! Damon groaned as he unsteadily got back to his feet. He couldn’t see the Wolf anymore, the mists obstructed his view, but he could hear it. He’d been disorientated by the short flight but he quickly righted himself as he dodged forward as the wolf suddenly appeared to his right. God this hurts! Damon thought as he realised he’d probably broken a rib or two in the fall. He quickly turned and swung his axe, hoping to catch the wolf as it righted itself.

You have dealt 28 physical damage to Corrupted Alpha Forest Wolf.

Damon had caught the creature on the shoulder and used the momentum of his swing to drag him forwards and away from the responding bite from the wolf. He held the axe in one hand as he drew his knife and ripped it across the back-right leg of the creature.

You have dealt 12 physical damage to Corrupted Alpha Forest Wolf.

You have crippled Corrupted Alpha Forest Wolf’s back-right leg.

Damon barely had time to notice the crippling as he quickly sprinted forward to avoid another attempt to bat his form away. He turned in time to see the wolf turn and he could have sworn it glared at him with those piercing red eyes.

The wolf bared it teeth and began pacing towards Damon, he raised his axe again, ready to swing it down in the creature’s head but as he did so, the creature suddenly left forward at a phenomenal speed and Damon couldn’t bring the axe down quick enough and the wolf landed straight onto his chest, knocking him to the ground and causing him to scream with pain as yet more ribs broke under the sudden weight.

You have received 35 physical damage from Corrupted Alpha Forest Wolf.

The wolf’s foul-smelling breath hung just inches above Damon’s face as he closed his eyes, readying himself for death.

Thunk!

The sound of an arrow hitting flesh reverberated around Damon’s head and it took him a moment to realise Diana must have found her way through the mist. The wolf jerked at the sudden interruption and its head perked up, looking for the source of its pain.

Without even thinking, Damon reached for the dagger he dropped on the ground moments before, the hilt lay just out of reach and he stretched for all it was worth… There! Damon’s numb fingers wrapped around the leather and he twisted, plunging the knife upwards as the wolf turned its head down to feast on its current prey.

The blade slid straight up, into one of those crimson eyes that seemed to stare into Damon’s soul.

(Critical Hit)

You have dealt 40 physical damage to Corrupted Alpha Forest Wolf.

The beast let out a very pathetic whimper and pulled its head back, trying to escape the blade. As the knife slid out of the wolf’s head a wet popping noise could be heard and Damon tried to roll away found he couldn’t so he just stabbed upwards again, finding the wolf’s neck this time and ripping straight through the soft underside into the gullet.

(Critical Hit)

You have dealt 20 physical damage to Corrupted Alpha Forest Wolf.

The Wolf seemed to start choking then, it thrashed about and scratched a deep gash into Damon’s chest, releasing him from underneath it as it staggered away.

You have received 36 physical damage from Corrupted Alpha Forest Wolf.

You have received a corrupted wound.

Damon rolled away, trying to ignore the searing pain he felt across his chest. He stood slowly turning to find the wolf. The sight that greeted him made him freeze. The wolf stood, facing Damon, its one good eye fixed on him. When the beast knew Damon had noticed it, it began to charge. Its steps were laboured and Damon couldn’t hear the panting of the wolf anymore. He frowned, unsure he could do anymore against this beast that simply wouldn’t stop. He stood his ground raising his dagger and preparing his last suicidal defence. The beast drew closer and time seemed to slow for Damon. He watched the black mass pound towards him and he felt something was wrong. Time hadn’t slowed at all, the beast had. Its momentum was decreasing and its head fell, followed by the rest of its body. The giant wolf crashed to the ground and slid straight to Damon’s feet.

Damon just stared blankly at the silent form of the wolf before he himself, felt the world tip and the cold embrace of the snow greeted him.