UNITY

Chase stepped over a smaller root that stood in front of his path through the Dark Forest. He had been walking for about six or seven hours before finding himself near a small stream that ran northeast.

The stream was frozen solid, cutting off access to water—but that was no longer a problem for Chase.

Over the past months, he had been able to overcome some of his many problems. After he ran out of matches—not even a month into his time in the forest—he had to resort to eating raw meat when he couldn't find edible plants.

During the start of winter, Chase had taught himself how to make his own clothing, as well as how to hunt beasts he could kill.

There were also the illusions of the forest, which did nothing to help his already fragile mental state. The grief of losing his entire home and knowing he was probably going to die soon was an unfair fate for a boy of his age.

He pushed all of these thoughts to the back of his mind over his time in the forest, as one goal had kept him alive. Well, more like a selfish wish.

He was going to kill every last one of the savages who had slain his neighbors and possibly his friends and father.

At first, he had been too blinded by grief to consider revenge, but after about two months in the forest, surviving terrible perils, and killing many beasts of corruption (albeit only weaker ones), he began to entertain the thought of slaying those who had hurt him and his loved ones.

The forest had caused Chase to mature quickly; however, it wasn't a stable type of maturity.

Each passing day stripped away fragments of his innocence, leaving behind a hollow resolve forged from pain and survival.

Perhaps he had been slowly growing more insane by the day, worn down by the brutal reality he faced—or maybe it was the little to no sleep he managed to get week by week inside the forest.

In truth, it didn't matter what happened to his mental state. Entire groups of imperial Paragons were required to traverse the main paths, which were hundreds of times safer than the deeper parts of the forest.

Chase was only a powerless boy, while Paragons were the strongest "human" warriors in the world. What chance did a kid from a small village in the middle of nowhere have?

He shook his head, clearing his mind of useless thoughts. Slowly, he walked toward the small frozen stream at the bottom of the valley. White snow covered the land like a beautiful blanket of frost, painting the forest as if it were a scene from a timeless fairy tale.

His breath steadied as he tightened his grip on the small dagger inside his coat. Scanning the cursed forest for danger, he crept cautiously toward the icy stream.

Chase knelt next to the frozen water and looked into the reflection cast by rays of light that leaked through the canopy of trees towering over the valley.

His golden hair, once a bright reminder of his youth, was now muddied and dulled, almost unrecognizable—like the boy who had left his village months ago.

He brushed his ragged, long, and messy hair to the side, revealing his tired eyes.

Even his eyes, once filled with curiosity and warmth, now reflected a cold determination, as if the forest itself had claimed a piece of his soul.

Black, dry bags sat beneath his bloodshot eyes. His face was covered with small scars and caked with dry mud that would take an eternity to wash out.

Chase groaned as he rubbed his cold face.

Suddenly, a terrible chill crept down his spine.

His eyes widened as he slowly turned his head.

The sun was still relatively high; if he had to guess, it was around three or four in the afternoon. So, no actively strong monsters should have been roaming the forest currently.

However, Chase's heart stopped as he locked eyes with another pair at the top of the hill behind him.

Two dark violet eyes pierced through the snowy haze, locking onto him like twin voids. Purple flames flickered along the beast's sleek fur, casting eerie shadows that danced across the snow.

The wolf-like creature didn't move at all in the somewhat visible forest.

Chase froze in fear, kneeling by the icy water. His body refused to respond, as if the beast had possessed him.

Two twisted horns sat atop the wolf's head, glowing faintly with a crimson-red hue.

As his mind grew tired and he prepared to accept his fate, a loud howl echoed from far beyond the northern side of the valley.

The wolf let out a low growl and began to prowl toward him, shifting to Chase's right.

Loud, monstrous roars came from the distant snowy fog behind the ragged wolf. The beast growled again, baring its crooked fangs, causing a rush of fear to spread through Chase's body.

The air grew heavier, thick with an unnatural tension that seemed to warp even the forest's shadows.

He quickly scrambled to his feet and began to run in the direction he could only hope was east. He was too focused on escaping to care what direction he went.

His foot slipped on the icy stream, and he tripped forward.

Catching himself with his calloused hands on the frozen water, Chase pushed himself up, gathering as much strength as he could muster.

The crunch of snow beneath his feet was deafening as he threw a desperate glance over his shoulder. A blur of violet flames surged through the shadows, closing the distance.

'Dammit, I'm too slow!'

The thought raced through his mind as he took long, desperate strides up the steep hill.

He prayed he wouldn't lose his balance or trip. Falling from that height would most likely be the end of him.

Chase finally crested the hill, his breath coming in ragged gasps. He risked one last look behind him, but the forest below was eerily still.

Even in the silence, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was still watching.