Clack-clack-clack!
Rapid footsteps echo, slapping against the ground with panicked rhythm.
"Haa… haa…"
Breath ragged. Shallow. Almost wheezing.
"I-I think I lost it…"
The air stills.
Only my gasping breath remains.
"Looks like... I'm far now..."
"Haa… haaa…"
But,
Suddenly, the tunnel trembles.
HOOOOOOWL
A deep, bone-chilling howl tears through the silence—
echoing off the walls and sinking into my marrow like death itself.
A cold shiver slithers up my spine.
"W-What the hell... is it still chasing me?"
My heartbeat begins to pound louder—
not just in my chest, but in my ears, in my throat, like war drums urging me to run.
"Damn it…"
I can barely breathe. My lungs feel scorched.
"I should've listened to that old man..."
Rustle—rustle—RUSTLE.
The leaves behind me erupt in a sudden frenzy—too fast, too focused to be the wind.
Tap... tap... THUD.
Pawsteps. Heavy. Deliberate.
Each one lands like a warning I'm too scared to understand.
I glance up—
A massive shadow falls over me.
Eyes—red, glowing like embers in the dark.
Its mouth opens slightly, blood and thick saliva dripping from jagged fangs.
Is this it?
Is this where I die?
Here? In a place that reeks of rot and regret?
Alone?
"But… I finally had a life, what I wanted."
"A real one... A nice family too..."
A thunderous roar erupts just inches from my face—
so loud the walls seem to vibrate, my knees buckle, and my vision blurs.
GROOOOORRRRR!!!
***
7 Hours Earlier
***
The town gates loomed tall and rusty, their intricate iron scrollwork more ceremonial than practical.
Flanking either side stood identical statues of an ancient warrior, each gripping a weathered spear planted firmly into the earth, as if eternal sentinels guarding the forgotten path.
Above the archway, tarnished bronze letters spelled out a fading declaration:
[WELCOME TO SKYVAIL UMMIT]
The in
Standing before those broken gates, the mountain's shadow stretched slowly across the worn statues, swallowing them inch by inch.
'No wonder they called it the forgotten town.'
I slipped through the entrance with my hood low and a mask covering my face.
A breeze tugged gently at my coat.
The townspeople stared.
Well, that's natural.
This place was very small, barely two thousand people, if I remembered right.
Strangers stood out.
I ignored the stares and continued on.
'What I needed first… was food.'
There weren't any fancy hotels here, obviously.
'Mom already packed me a nice lunch. Still, eating out would help me blend in and pick up intel on the Skyvail Summit.'
After scanning a few narrow streets, I finally spotted a sign carved into weathered wood:
[Thom's Roast & Rest]
As I stepped in,
The place was empty.
As soon as he saw me, the balding old man behind the counter straightened slightly.
His face, worn by time and marked by a jagged scar down his cheek, lit up with forced cheer.
He had only one arm.
"Welcome, welcome, sir!" he called out, though his eyes flicked tensely to my coat.
'He's probably mistaking me for some merchant.'
I raised a hand and shook my head.
"Skip the formalities, old man. I'm still young enough to be called 'kid.' Just hit me with your best dish."
Hearing my casual tone, the tension in his expression briefly flickered.
I sat down at the table and removed my mask and hat.
His eyes widened.
"Hoho…" He laughed warmly.
"That's a pretty handsome face you got, kid."
"Give me ten minutes. I'll whip up our specialty—shrimp with rice balls to die for!"
With that, he turned and headed toward the kitchen.
"By the way, old man," I called out, "you mentioned a lodge on the signboard."
I glanced around the empty room.
"But as far as I know, adventurers stopped coming long ago."
He paused, looking at me through the square kitchen window.
A faint sigh escaped him.
"You're right, kid. Not many folks pass through these days... but still—" he offered a wistful smile,
"I believe the day will come when the twin suns shine over Skyvail once more."
Before I could say anything, he abruptly changed the subject.
"So, boy, where're you from? You don't look like you're from Sunfall."
I chuckled.
"Oh, your guess is off, old man—I'm from Sunfall. Just been living in the main city for a while."
He laughed heartily.
" Main city, huh? Didn't think city folks still knew how to talk like normal people."
I leaned forward slightly, shifting the conversation.
"Old man… what happened to your arm?"
He paused.
The oil in the pan crackled softly in front of him.
"Haaa..."
He let out a long, weary breath.
"That's a long story."
"Then tell it short," I replied, tapping my fingers on the table.
He snorted. "You kids these days… Fine."
'Got him.'
He turned a skewer of shrimp.
"Before you were even born, Skyvail Summit was famous. Not just for its height, but for the most aggressive wolves you'd ever see—The Blazewolves."
I nodded. "I've heard. But they're extinct now, right? That's why this area's so quiet."
"You're right, kid," His voice dropped slightly.
"But back then… it was Skyvail's golden age. Hunters came from all over for those wolves' fiery pelts. I was young, greedy, and stupid."
He scraped the skillet hard, the noise cutting through the air like a blade.
"We were only mortals, yet we thought ourselves invincible. My team went in for a hunt, fifty strong men. Only three of us came out alive. Me, our captain, and another lad. That day… we met one unlike the rest."
I looked at his trembling hand and sighed.
"Old man, don't force yourself."
But he continued, as if he hadn't heard me.
His eyes darkened.
'Oh o…he's completely lost in the memory.'
"Blood-red eyes. Huge. Paws like tree trunks. Blazewolf."
He reached up and grabbed his shoulder, where his arm used to be.
"It took this from me before it vanished."
He finally returned to his senses, the memory settling on his shoulders like a heavy cloak.
'His past was quite tragic... I shouldn't have asked.'
I offered a small, reassuring smile.
"That's quite the story. But don't worry."
He blinked.
I smiled wider, trying to lighten the moment.
"So… when's the food gonna be ready? I might go feral if it doesn't taste as good as it smells."
He let out a laugh. "Haha… kid, wait till I serve it up."
He turned back to the stove, poured the sizzling food onto a plate, then wiped his hands with a cloth.
"Here you go, kid. Shrimp rice balls. And some sauce, best in town."
Thom placed the food gently in front of me, then sat at the next table.
"Thanks, old man."
I took a bite.
My eyes widened as flavors exploded - savory shrimp, perfectly seasoned rice, a hint of something smoky.
"Damn. These taste just like home."
He straightened up so fast I heard his back crack, chest puffing out with pride.
"Told you, kid. Nobody in Skyvail cooks like Thom." When he grinned, I noticed for the first time he was missing two teeth on the left side.
I chuckled.
'This old coot was surprisingly easy to talk to.'
"Yeah, you sure are something, old man."
Seeing my smile, his expression softened—that quiet, grateful warmth returning to his eyes.
Then his voice dropped to a murmur.
"You know, lately… there've been rumors. People claim they've seen wolf cubs up near Skyvail."
'Bingo.'
I froze mid-bite.
"That so?"
He rubbed his stub arm absently.
"Because of this, there's been quite a commotion in town. A group was sent to investigate and verify the sighting."
"Oh? But why didn't they report it?" I asked.
Hearing my question, he sighed.
"Actually, the townsfolk are too greedy."
"They think it might be cubs of blazewolf?" I laughed.
"What nonsense! You people must've gotten too greedy if you're calling normal wolves blazewolves."
Thom looked at me like he'd just made a mistake by telling me.
"Hey, boy, don't make fun of us. What if they really are blazewolves?"
I chuckled. "Old man, you must be—"
His hollow stare cut me off. That single look carried decades of fear, carved into the lines of his face.
I swallowed my laugh. "...Right."
I shoved the last bite in my mouth and stood, placing a 100 Celest coin on the counter.
The old man blinked. "Whoa, kid! That's way too much—this meal's worth 10 at most!"
"Keep the change. Your food's really exceptional, old man."
"Wait—" He stepped forward. "Are you… going to the summit?"
I glanced at him and shook my head.
"Nah. Just normal wolves. Not really worth the trip."
I smirked and teased, "What, now you're worried about your only customer, old man?"
"Worried about my arm? Why would I worry about you?" he said quickly.
But he let out a quiet breath and stepped aside, trying to brush it off with a casual shrug.
"Alright then, old man. See you next time." I turned toward the door, my grin fading as I calculated how much daylight remained for the climb.
"Wait." Thom's voice cracked like dry timber. Before I could react, he vanished into the kitchen's gloom.
The clatter of jars, a hissed curse—then he reappeared, thrusting a cloth-wrapped bundle at my chest.
"Take it." The package smelled of salt and bitter herbs.
My fingers traced something hard beneath the fabric.
I raised a brow. "Old man…?"
"Don't worry. That 100 Celest more than covered it. Consider it a gift."
Then he added, with a slight grin, "And stop calling me 'old man.' My name's Thom."
I took the bundle and gave a short nod.
"…Thanks. I'll come again."
He smiled. "You better."
"Old man."
His brow twitched, but before he could say anything, I was already stepping out into the street,
The wind tugging at my coat.
"So, there's no danger at Skyvail Summit."
"Just a normal wolf."
'Blazewolf? I don't buy it.'
In all my years of gaming, I've never encountered one.
Although, I heard some alchemists and researchers managed to clone a few.
but I doubt I'll ever come across a neural one here.
"Still… can't go in unprepared. What if I end up facing the real deal?"
I glanced at the tall picket fence.
"It's time."
11:05 a.m.