The forest stretched endlessly before them, an unbroken expanse of ancient trees and tangled undergrowth. The rustling leaves whispered secrets only the wind could understand, their hushed voices weaving through the branches like unseen spirits. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and pine, cool and crisp against Edwin's skin.
He adjusted the weight of the massive wolf on his back, shifting its lifeless body to a more comfortable position. His muscles burned from the effort, but he refused to complain. He glanced at Eliza, who carried the dead adventurer with effortless ease, as if she were hauling a sack of grain. Her face was unreadable, her dark eyes fixed ahead.
He had been holding back his question for a while, but curiosity finally won over.
"Why do you have to skin it yourself?" he asked, breaking the long silence between them. "I heard the Guild has services for that. They even handle the selling part for adventurers."
Eliza glanced at him, one eyebrow arching slightly. "That's true. But we're not adventurers—at least, not yet. And the Guild always takes the biggest cut. If we do it ourselves, we get the full reward."
Edwin nodded slowly. That made sense. The Guild had a reputation for bleeding adventurers dry before they even saw a fraction of their earnings. If Eliza had a way to bypass that, he wouldn't argue.
They walked in silence for a while, the occasional snap of twigs beneath their boots filling the air. The deeper they ventured, the denser the forest became, the towering trees casting long shadows across the forest floor.
After a few minutes, they came across a small cave nestled between jagged rocks, its entrance dark and yawning like an open mouth. Eliza stopped abruptly, jerking her chin toward it.
"Put the wolf in there," she instructed. "We don't want other adventurers finding it before we can sell it."
Edwin hesitated. He could just store it in his inventory, but that might raise too many questions. With a resigned sigh, he carried the wolf inside the cave, the stench of damp stone and old decay filling his nostrils. He carefully laid the carcass down before stepping back into the open air.
They resumed their journey.
But something was wrong.
A shift in the shadows.
Edwin stopped mid-step, his body tensing.
A cloaked figure stood within the trees, motionless, watching them.
Eliza reacted instantly. She moved like lightning, drawing her bow in a single fluid motion.
Her arrow sliced through the air.
The figure moved like a wraith, dodging effortlessly. A flick of their wrist sent knives flying toward them.
Edwin barely had time to react.
Pain exploded in his foot.
A strangled gasp tore from his throat as he staggered, his vision blurring. His leg buckled, nearly sending him to the ground. He looked down, breath hitching. A blade was buried deep into the top of his foot, the dark metal gleaming in the dim light. Blood welled up around the wound, soaking into his boot.
A system notification appeared in his mind.
[Quest has been given]
[Kill the Unknown Attackers]
Edwin's heart pounded. Then another message followed.
[You may only have minimal assistance in this mission.]
[But you must kill him yourself.]
His fingers curled into fists.
"Sure... Elora," he muttered bitterly under his breath.
Eliza loosed another volley of arrows, forcing the figure to stay on the move. But Edwin could barely focus. The pain in his foot sent sharp waves of agony through his leg with every small movement.
Gritting his teeth, he wrenched the knife free, blood spilling onto the dirt.
He tried to stand.
Too slow.
A glint of silver flashed in the dim light—
And then—
Something pierced his skull.
Darkness swallowed him whole.
[You Died.]
Edwin's eyes snapped open.
His breath came in ragged gasps as he stumbled forward, barely catching himself before he hit the ground.
He was back.
The weight of the dead wolf pressed against his back. Eliza was walking beside him, her voice calm, explaining how the Guild took most of the money.
His fingers clenched into fists.
Déjà vu.
The cloaked figure was still out there. Waiting.
His heart pounded in his ears, but he forced himself to remain steady. He had died. Again. And now he had to figure out how to change the outcome.
"Eliza," he said quietly.
She turned her head slightly. "What?"
"There's someone watching us. Up ahead."
She stopped, her body going rigid. Her hand was already on her bow.
"Where?"
Edwin inhaled sharply. He knew exactly where the figure would be. The same place as last time.
"Three trees ahead, slightly to the left."
Eliza didn't question him. She moved swiftly, drawing her bow.
The shadows shifted.
The cloaked figure emerged once more, their calculating gaze fixed on them.
But this time, Edwin was ready.
"Fire now!" he shouted.
Eliza released an arrow at the exact moment the figure dodged—only this time, Edwin was already moving. He pivoted, drawing his knife and hurling it toward where the figure would land.
A strangled gasp.
The knife struck true, sinking into the figure's shoulder.
Then something else happened.
Once more, Edwin felt the coldness of steel in his head.
[You Died.]
Elora's voice rang in his mind like a death knell
He opened his eyes again to that same moment where Eliza was talking about how the Guild took money from them.
There must be more than one attacker.
'Wait,the system did say 'attackers',damn it Edwin!.How could you not notice that?'
Slowly, Edwin whispered, "Eliza, there are people watching us..."
"What?" she asked, frowning.
He took a steady breath. "There's a cave up ahead. Let's hide there."
Eliza narrowed her eyes. "What are you even t—"
"Just trust me on this," he interrupted, his voice sharp.
She studied him for a long moment. Something in his expression must have convinced her because she exhaled and nodded. "Fine. But you better explain once we're inside."
They reached the cave. Edwin went in first, his senses on high alert. The cave was deeper than it looked, its walls slick with condensation. The air inside was thick and stale, carrying the scent of damp moss and something faintly metallic.
Eliza entered behind him, her posture tense. "Alright," she said. "Now, are you going to tell me what this is about?"
Edwin turned toward her, his face grim. "There are multiple people watching our every move," he said. "And they aren't test administrators."
She stiffened. "How do you—"
"They give off bloodlust," he interrupted. "We were never supposed to walk out of this forest alive."
For a long moment, neither of them spoke. The weight of his words settled heavily between them.
Eliza's hand hovered near her bow. "...So what do we do?"
Edwin's gaze shifted to the cave entrance. Shadows flickered outside.
He exhaled slowly.
"We wait," he said. "And this time, we set the trap."
End of Chapter