Beneath an eternal full moon, they began their journey.
The three companions set out with nothing but simple tools and raw courage. Living in the western part of the continent, they had to travel eastward to reach its center. Their destination was clear, even if the path ahead was not.
Ash walked at the front, holding a torch high to light the way. Yohan and Nashandra followed behind him. The road they traveled was wide, large enough for two carriages to pass side by side.
The scenery was bleak.
Withered trees lined the path, their lifeless branches stretching toward the dark sky. Some trees had changed into something unnatural. Leaves that were once green had turned a deep purple, while trunks that had been brown were now pitch black, as if corrupted by the everlasting night.
The road was eerily silent. There was no sign of life besides the three of them.
Still, Ash pressed forward without hesitation, his focus fixed on a single goal.
Unseen Peak.
"Hey, Ash, can we take a short break? I'm tired." Yohan called from behind.
"What are you talking about, Yohan? We've only been walking for three hours." Ash replied, turning his head and smiling.
"Only three hours? Only my ass."
"Come on, Yohan, stop complaining, you're a man, aren't you?" Nashandra added.
"Oh really? Look at you. I'm the one carrying a shield and all the heavy camping supplies, you know!" Yohan snapped.
"Ohhh, don't be such a crybaby, i already told you. If you join us, you're the supply carrier." Nashandra said casually.
"I thought you were joking," Yohan muttered, his face sinking into a sulk.
As they continued arguing along the road, a sudden sound cut through the silence.
Awooooo—
The howl echoed through the darkness.
"Hii—what was that?" Yohan asked, panic creeping into his voice.
"Probably a black wolf hunting," Ash answered calmly.
"Let's walk faster. I hate black wolves," Yohan said hurriedly.
"Oh? I thought you were tired," Ash teased.
"I'm tired, not suicidal."
They continued eastward. Nothing seemed out of place. The torchlight still guided their steps, though the flame flickered violently as strong winds blew past, nearly extinguishing it several times. The silence, however, remained unchanged.
Then, without warning, Nashandra spoke.
"Hey guys… what if that black wolf earlier was actually tracking us?"
"What? What the hell are you talking about? Don't jinx it, Nashandra!" Yohan shouted.
"Uh… guys?" Ash said quietly.
When they looked ahead, they finally understood.
"Ahhh, hell nah," Yohan muttered.
"Well… me and my damn mouth," Nashandra cursed under her breath.
"Get ready!" Ash commanded.
He drew his sword in one swift motion and planted the torch firmly into the ground. Yohan stepped forward, shield in his left hand and sword in his right. He looked solid and imposing, though he couldn't stop muttering,
"Hell nah… hell nah…"
Behind them, Nashandra readied her bow, arrow drawn and steady.
The reason for their sudden tension stood clearly before them.
Nine black wolves blocked the road.
Their eyes glowed crimson in the darkness. Their jet-black fur blended perfectly with the night itself, making them nearly invisible as they prowled in silence.
The hunt had begun.
Ash had gone beyond the village several times to hunt black wolves, and Nashandra often went hunting together with her aunt. The only one who had never faced a black wolf before was Yohan.
One black wolf lunged straight toward Yohan. He reacted instantly, twisting his waist to the right and slamming his shield into the wolf's head. The impact sent the beast flying backward, its body crashing onto the ground before it could rise again.
Thud.
An arrow pierced its skull.
Blood poured from the wound where the arrow had struck.
"Nice one, Yohan," Nashandra called from behind.
Though Yohan had successfully blocked the attack, his legs were visibly trembling.
"Don't lose focus, Yohan. Two more are coming," Ash said at his side.
As if on cue, two black wolves charged toward them.
One sprinted directly at Ash. Without hesitation, Ash swung his sword. A fast horizontal slash. Since childhood, Ash had trained relentlessly with the blade. His teacher had been his grandfather, who often said that Ash possessed exceptional talent, especially when it came to swift strikes that surpassed the average swordsman.
The black wolf was cleaved through the head.
The horizontal cut split flesh and bone, blood spilling freely from the open wound.
At the same time, Yohan faced another black wolf. He raised his sword and struck downward, but the wolf leaped back, narrowly avoiding the blade.
From behind them, Nashandra released a rapid volley of four arrows. One missed its target, but the other three struck the same black wolf that had been dodging Yohan's attack.
Six black wolves remained. They gathered together, regrouping and preparing to attack once more.
"Nashandra, break their formation with your arrows," Ash shouted.
Three arrows flew toward the group of six.
The wolves focused on the incoming arrows and scattered in different directions to evade them.
In that moment of distraction, Ash moved.
Gripping his sword with both hands, he charged forward alongside the arrows. As the wolves dodged, Ash was already upon them. He tightened his grip, twisted his waist, and unleashed another powerful slash.
The blade tore into the body of a black wolf.
Another wolf noticed Ash and leapt toward him, but an arrow suddenly pierced straight through its head.
The remaining four wolves fled toward the purple forest, disappearing into the darkness.
"Is it over?" Yohan asked, his voice still tense.
"It seems so," Ash replied, staying alert as he watched the direction the wolves had fled.
"How about we keep moving and rest afterward?" Nashandra suggested as she walked toward them.
"Yes. That's a good idea. I agree," Yohan said quickly.
"Let's do it," Ash replied.
They continued their journey. Adrenaline still surged through their veins after the battle. Once it finally faded, exhaustion came rushing in. They decided to set up camp in an open clearing.
They divided their tasks.
Ash gathered wood to build a campfire.
Yohan unpacked the camping equipment and prepared a place for them to sleep.
Nashandra distributed the food evenly among them.
After eating together, they lay down beneath a sky filled with countless stars. It was not a new experience for them. Since childhood, they had often slept side by side under the starlit sky.
As always in this world, whether after sleeping or waking, it was still night. The temperature continued to drop, so they quickly packed up their camp and resumed their journey.
After walking for some time, they finally discovered the first village along their path.