8 years ago ( Just after the events of chapter 6. )

Yuri awoke to the sound of bird calls from the forest edge, Yuri looked around spotting Ned stoking a fire with a tree branch. " good morning " Yuri said smiling, Ned looked up surprised at Yuri's voice " morning I couldn't get much sleep so I stayed on watch and made this fire " Ned replied tiredly. " well at least we can have something to eat now I'm famished " Yuri said as his stomach growled, Ned grinned " sounds like a hungry beast is nearby already ".

10 minutes later Yuri and Ned worked at the fire creating a stew containing a few vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, and a strange vegetable called a gromp, which is a small round pink vegetable, gromps provide many different nutrients however they don't taste amazing so seasoning is added to mask the bitterness of the vegetable. Yuri started slicing a loaf of stale bread to dip in the stew.

" you two already up, hey give me some of that " Samuel said looking at the stew cooking in the pot then at Ned with a subtle sneer on his lips. " It's not ready yet and it is customary to ask people politely before asking for something " Yuri replied irritated by Samuel's continual arrogant attitude.

" Hmpf who do you think your talking too, just because you have a higher rating than me you think your all that, I could beat yo--, " a howling in the distance interrupted Samuel. " Tell you what why don't we have a bet, first person to slay that wolf wins and gets to keep the corpse, of course that will be me " Samuel said looking down on Yuri.

" Fine " Yuri said through gritted teeth at the annoyance that is Samuel, " w we should eat first we don't want to fight on an empty stomach " Ned said nervously in light of the beastly howls.

After finishing the meal the trio entered into the great forest, the trees swayed as the sky darkened due to the numerous branches the sound of water gurgling through the nearby river. " If we follow the river north we should reach the River Avon " Ned said looking in the direction of the river, this just so happened to be the direction that howl came from. " Fine let's just get this over with " Samuel replied impatiently.

2 hours later the trio reached the large River Avon " I remember coming here years ago with my father, he was also a bandit from camp untill-- " Ned teared up at an unpleasant memory. " Don't have to say anything if it's unpleasant, besides I just found wolf tracks " Yuri said patting Ned on the shoulder.

Yuri remembered his lessons with Carl and the many times he joined him in hunts learning to track and hunt prey, " remember Yuri the tracks can tell you many things how long ago the animal was here, how many there were, and the state they are in " Carl had said constantly drilling it into Yuri's head.

" It seems one wolf passed by here 1 hour ago heading northeast " Yuri said in anticipation of the hunt. The others silently followed in nervous anticipation and followed behind Yuri, " hmpf I few mongrels won't stop me " Samuel snorted.

3 hours later Yuri spotted a large cave at the bottom of a mountain the wolf tracks led inside, " ok we are here just need to kill some wolves " Yuri said gaining confidence. Suddenly Yuri's eyes opened ' shit I totally forgot the other tracks leading to and from th-- ' Grrrrrouuuu loud growling sounds interrupting Yuri's train of thought.

From the surrounding clearing 4 wolves creeped into view, " oh lord an ambush " Samuel said looking nervous for the first time. Ned looked terrified and didn't say a word almost looking like a petrified statue, Yuri quickly gazed at the wolves then at a large wolf which appeared at the cave entrance.

' This was an alaborate ambush all along, that wolf wanted me to follow ' Yuri thought a scared look crossed his face. Remembering another lesson from Carl " never underestimate an enemy even prey, that will lead to imminent death even for the strong, remember this and you will avoid dieing due to stupidity " Carl had said with a serious atmosphere around him.

The alpha wolf looked almost smug as he moved forward, the other wolves closing in from all directions. Yuri's face hardened ' we have no choice but to fight or die ' " we can't let them surround us I know your scared but if we do nothing we will die for certain " Yuri shouted startling both boy and beast.

Ned looked scared but as he heard Yuri's shout he realised that it Is do or die, ' I will try my best to survive and help my friend. ' Samuel continued looking at the wolves ' shit i never should have come here. ' After Yuri's shout the wolves lunged, pouncing on the Youths, the alpha wolf and another wolf went for Yuri while 2 others went for Ned, the last wolf snapped at samuels leg while he dodged slicing the wolfs face cutting through one eye in the process.

Yuri acting quickly attacked the wolf closing in chopping its head off as it tried tic bite Yuri's neck, meanwhile Ned exchanged blows with the two wolves nicking the wolves as he parried the wolve's bites. Yuri slashed at the alpha a dozen times but didn't cause much damage, the alpha then charged shoving his body weight against Yuri sending him 5 meters where he smashing into a large boulder.

Yuri coughed up blood as time seemed to slow down, his blurring vision scanning the clearing. Ned struggled against the two wolves scared but resolved to fight untill the end, as Ned bashed the wolf on his right the other wolf bit deeply into Ned's leg causing blood to appear running down his leg, and into the Maw of the viscous beast.

Ned screamed in pain and in a blind panic stabbed the wolf repeatly in the neck killing it, ' oh lord that's painful I hope Yuri is o-- ' Ned's thoughts we're cut of for as the other Wolf took the opportunity to sneak behind Ned sinking its teeth deeply into Ned's neck. Ned fell to the floor blood gurgling out of his mouth as he tried to speak, moments later the light could be seen leaving Ned's eyes.

As Yuri looked around when he Heard Ned scream, seeing the other wolf sneak up but before Yuri could warn him the wolf pounced tearing a chunk out of his neck. " Nooooo " Yuri screamed.

Samuel heard the scream as he engaged the now one eyed Wolf, the Wolf looked on its last legs with many gashes across its flank. Samuel looked towards Yuri who lay against a boulder a large wolf closing in on him, to Ned who lay face down clearly now a corpse. ' oh lord I gotcha to get outa here, ' Samuel thought a look of fear in his eyes.

After a futile attempt to kill the wolf Samuel ran as fast as his legs could carry him into the forest, the wolf gave chase for a few moments before looking back.

Yuri looked at Ned's corpse ' shit shit shit it happened again ' Tears welled up in Yuri's eyes as he remembered how his family died in a similar manner. ' My first friend... I will make them pay for this, ' Yuri became enraged charging the alpha cutting its front leg off before lunging at the wolf over Ned's corpse.

The wolf disturbed from its feast snarled, turning towards Yuri who in a blind rage pierced the bottom of the wolfs head the tip of the sword poking out of it's skull. In the next moment Yuri felt a searing pain go up his arm, the alpha wolfs teeth sunk deeply into Yuri's flesh. Yuri desperate to kill the wolf attempted to pull the sword out of the dead wolf only to discover that it would not budge, the alpha shook it's head back and forth while latched on to Yuri's arm.

The wound aggravated further spurted blood everywhere, Yuri did not notice this as another pain came from his leg.

The one eyed wolf decided that Yuri would be easy prey seeing the alpha pinning him down, the wolf gleeful at this chance snuck up and bit Yuri on his leg creating another painful wound. Yuri started to feel faint as he screamed losing blood quickly, ' it burns so hot ... so dark. '

Before Yuri lost consciousness he felt a blister surge of heat rush to his wounds before gouts of fire burst out of his wounds, the wolve's heads burst into flames, an energy then condensed inside him.

As Yuri entered unconsciousness the energy released creating an explosive shockwave, the wolves catapulted across the clearing flying for 30 meters looking like furry fireballs breaking many bones in the process before slamming into the ground dead.