Into the dark forest

Nation of Valdyrion. South region.

Osric Veynar fled, lungs burning, muscles exhausted, his body relying only on instinct and raw endurance. Behind him, the Duke’s hounds of war howled, their pursuit relentless. But in his desperation, he realized his mistake; he had entered the Dark Forest, a forbidden land. A place where monsters spawned endlessly, where even the strongest warriors met their end. Panting, wounded, and groaning, he hesitated only for a moment. Return and face execution at the Duke’s hands or go deeper and gamble on survival. With a bitter laugh, he chose the forest.

Suddenly, from the shadows between the trees, a figure appeared. It was Aldric Fenmor, one of Duke Kaelvor Draven's elite subordinates, smirking arrogantly.

Aldric Fenmor,“So you’d rather mingle with beasts than face us? Pathetic.”

Osric Veynar, panting and groaning, “One day… you’ll find yourself in my place too.”

Aldric Fenmor laughed. “Still don’t get it? Loyalty is meaningless without strength. Unlike you, commoner, I’ll continue to rise. You’re nothing but a tool the Duke discarded.”

“Do you really believe that others who are greater than you will come do think you’ll be safe then?” Osric replied. “This is a bigger game than you, kid. Don't think I don't know you're trying to buy time. I could just leave here in the dark forest to die, but there's a chance you might luckily escape, since you're not that deep, that might cause problems for me.”

“Please spare… I promise I'll…,” Osric began, but Aldric interrupted him. “Are you willing to beg the men who killed your brother?”

Osric's eyes widened in shock after hearing the devastating revelation that the man responsible for his brother's death was before him. “It was you,” Osric said, shouting with tears falling from his eyes. “How could you?” he screamed, charging towards Aldric, striking with his brother's blade that carried his anger.

Steel clashed. Despite his wounds, Osric fought back fiercely, shocking Aldric when he revealed he wasn’t just a mage but also a warrior with a little red aura coming from his blade. But even so, Aldric Fenmor’s strength overwhelmed him. Knocked him to his knees, he coughed blood. Osric was at the brink of death as Aldric pressed his glowing blade radiating magic energy against his throat.

“I'm surprised it seems your mercenary brother taught you a thing or two. Could you have asked him to teach you because you realized what trash of a low-class mage you were?” Aldric said, mocking him.

Rustle... Rustle. From the trees emerged hulking orcs, drawn by the battle’s noise. For a moment, hope flickered in Osric's eyes, seeing an opportunity to escape while Aldric was occupied with the orcs. But Aldric cut them down effortlessly, his attention still fixed on the wounded Osric.

The forest itself seemed to turn against them. A loud hiss echoed through the valley. From the abyssal cliffs ahead, a colossal serpent-like monster rose, its scales glistening in the moonlight. Its eyes burned with fury, and when its jaws opened, a torrent of poison flames spewed forth.

Aldric cursed, spinning to defend himself. Osric, half-conscious, crawled backward only to find himself at the cliff’s edge.

The monster’s flames roared past, engulfing Aldric, who was standing tall. His scream was brief; his body was incinerated instantly. Osric slipped, falling into the abyss. As he fell, he could see the length of the colossal serpent. Ugh…

He plunged into icy waters far below. Gasping, he surfaced in a vast underground valley, the serpent's nest. The serpent’s shadow writhing above. Terrified, he staggered toward a narrow cave entrance, his body shaking from wounds and exhaustion.

The serpent struck again. Poison flames filled the cavern, scorching the walls as Osric forced himself into the narrow tunnel. The fire seared his back, and he screamed as the heat pushed him deeper until he tumbled into darkness.

He landed in a hidden cave, a glimmering underground paradise stretched before him. Stalactites sparkled like stars, a crystal-clear pond glowing faintly with light. His body, blackened and burned, finally collapsed at the pond’s edge. His vision blurred.

“This is it…”

Darkness claimed him.

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