The next hour passed in a steady rhythm of combat, each group member stepping forward to face their turn. Every fight tested their skill, nerves, and ability to adapt to the brutal reality they had been thrown into. Some adjusted quickly, finding their footing in the chaos, while others hesitated, their uncertainty evident in every movement.

When Evelyn's turn came, she froze. Her grip on the bow tightened, knuckles white, but she didn't lift it. Her eyes flicked between the snarling creature before her and Virial, searching for an escape.

Charles, standing nearby, moved without hesitation, stepping up beside her. His stance was uncertain, but the intent was clear—if Evelyn wouldn't act, he would.

Virial remained motionless, arms crossed, watching the interaction without expression. "Fine for now," she said, her tone even, unyielding. "But you need to get over being timid. Otherwise, you're going to die quickly and ugly." She let the words settle before adding, "Or worse—you'll get someone else killed because you hesitated."

Evelyn swallowed, her breathing shallow. With Charles beside her, she finally raised her weapon.

Once everyone had faced a Fellgrin, Virial dismissed them. "Now, get out of here. I want everyone to go out there and collect ears. You get dinner when you get ten left ears. And yes, I will know the difference." The groups splintered off, each heading in a different direction to continue their task.

Rachel and her team moved in the opposite direction of Larry's group—there was no sense in making things easier for them. Of course that asshole had to choose the same trainer as us.

The forest stretched out ahead, dense with towering trees and thick undergrowth. The canopy above filtered what little light remained, casting long, shifting shadows along their path. The Fellgrins moved unnaturally between the trees, their small, wiry bodies weaving through the underbrush with unsettling ease. Their dark, leather-like skin allowed them to blend into the surroundings, but their glowing eyes betrayed them—twin points of reflected light cutting through the dimness.

At first, the fights had been easy. The Fellgrins attacked without a strategy, driven by wild abandon. Their movements were chaotic, and their only instinct was to lash out at anything in sight. But as the hours dragged on, exhaustion set in. The pain of each wound lingered, even as their bodies healed. Tears had been shed, not just from fear but from the raw reality of survival.

Then, the fights changed. The Fellgrins attacked in greater numbers and with more concentrated strikes. The resistance stiffened, slowing their progress and inflicting more injuries.

The most unexpected challenge, however, came from what followed them.

Rachel had noticed it first—a flicker of movement in the trees behind them, too deliberate to be a wandering creature. She had waited, watching, patiently. The presence did not bring malice, just hesitance. Their mistake was made when a face peeked out too slowly to duck back.

She raised her voice just enough to be heard. "Alright, you two. Come on out. We both know you're following us. Now tell us why."

From behind the trees, two figures hesitantly emerged. They were a pitiful sight—teenagers, no older than fifteen, their clothes torn and dirt-streaked. Twins, if she had to guess, though not identical, a boy and a girl, sharing the same features but marked by their differences.

They hesitated, shifting on their feet before the boy finally found the courage to speak. His voice was barely above a whisper. "Can you help us? These monsters overran our group, and we barely escaped. Then these awful men… they were going to hurt my sister, so we ran from them too."

His gaze barely lifted, his words halting and uncertain.

Rachel glanced at Nathan and Diana, more English survivors. At the very least, the two now had company from their own country.

Rachel glanced at the others, knowing their group had just grown by two. "Who am I to say no to that?" she muttered before turning back to the newcomers.

"Of course you can. Can either of you use those weapons?"

The girl, finding her voice, answered first. "We both use bows. It was our option for Games in school. We placed well in competitions." Though not by much, her tone was slightly more confident than her brother's.

Rachel nodded and motioned to each group member, giving names and stating where they were from. "And what about you two?"

The boy squared his shoulders slightly, lifting his chin. "I'm George Hopper, and this is my sister Felicity. We're from Southampton, England."

Rachel smirked and winked at them. "Ohhh, we figured out the English part already. We have to listen to these two all the time using words we don't know."

Nathan and Diana immediately turned on her, their expressions filled with mock outrage.

"You're from Wales!" Nathan shot back. "How in God's name do you think we're the ones who talk funny?"

Diana crossed her arms with a smirk. "Took you long enough to admit it."

The exchange had the desired effect. Felicity let out a small giggle, and even George's stiff posture loosened.

Rachel took the opportunity to get back to business. "Alright, if we're doing this, let's get a formation sorted." She pointed between them as she spoke. "We have three people with bows. That means George, Felicity, and Evelyn—you're in the middle. Keep a close watch on the trees." She turned to Nathan and Paul. "You have a shield and the big two-handed weapons, so you're up front."

She motioned to herself and Charles. "Paul and I have swords, so we'll stay just off your shoulders to flank anything trying to break through." Then, to the back, "Diana and her knives will take rear guard to ensure nothing sneaks up on the archers."

The group absorbed the information, the brief silence stretching until Paul chuckled. "Never figured all that time playing tabletops would come in handy one day." He shot Rachel a grin, his support evident.

Rachel rolled her shoulders. "Guess we'll see how well it holds up."

They formed up, moving with strained focus—only to be ambushed five minutes later.

Rachel barely dodged a sudden thrust from a Fellgrin's pike, stumbling back as the creature shrieked and lunged again. Its serrated weapon slashed through the air, missing her by inches. The screeches of its kin echoed through the trees, high-pitched and relentless, filling the air with the sounds of battle.

"You have to use a bit of force!" Nathan shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos.

Rachel gritted her teeth and adjusted her stance. The Fellgrins were smaller than her, but their unpredictable, darting movements made them challenging to hit. They weaved in and out of reach, never staying in one place long enough for a clean strike.

She barely had time to react as a jab came from behind. With a sharp grunt, she twisted away just in time. The weapon skimmed past her, missing by inches. Before she could counter, Charles lunged in, slashing his sword across the creature's glossy, tar-like skin. The Fellgrin let out an ear-splitting screech, its pike clattering to the ground as it writhed. Blood pooled beneath it as it flailed, its small clawed hands grasping uselessly at the wound before going still.

Rachel surged forward, slipping past Charles just as another Fellgrin thrust its pike toward him. She intercepted the attack, steel meeting steel in a jarring impact that sent her stumbling back. Before the creature could press its advantage, Paul stepped in with a heavy swing of his axe.

The Fellgrin tried to dodge, but Paul's strike was brutal. His weapon carved through one creature entirely, its head separating from its shoulders in a clean arc. Another barely escaped, jerking back just in time.

Rachel recovered and fell into position, guarding Paul's back while Charles fought his way toward Evelyn.

Screeches filled the air, overlapping in a chaotic symphony of pain and rage. The echoes of dying Fellgrins rang out from every direction, their cries carrying through the trees. Most of the agonized shrieks came from their left, where another group was locked in combat, the sounds of steel meeting flesh reverberating through the battlefield.

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Rachel kept stealing glances to the left, trying to make sense of how so many Fellgrins were falling so quickly. The sharp cries and the rapid rhythm of combat in that direction suggested something or someone was cutting through them at an alarming rate.

"We have to move forward," Paul grunted, his voice tense as he swung his axe.

Rachel barely yanked him back in time to avoid a sudden attack from above. A Fellgrin dropped low, perched on a thick branch just overhead, its beady eyes locked onto them.

She scowled, stepping back into a ready stance. "Evelyn!" she called, flicking her sword upward to indicate the threat. At the same time, she shifted to the left, clearing a path for Paul as he heaved his weapon downward, cleaving a Fellgrin clean in two. He was definitely getting over his reticence to kill these monsters. She loved him for that resilient spirit.

The next enemy lunged in immediately, but Rachel was already moving. A gleam of dark, slick skin flashed in the corner of her vision, and she reacted instinctively. Her sword snapped forward, smacking the pike in its hands to the side before reversing the strike in a swift arc across its throat.

The Fellgrin's eyes widened, a gurgled hiss escaping as its clawed fingers shot up, grasping at the deep wound. Blood poured between its hands, its body staggering before crumpling to the forest floor. Rachel exhaled sharply, already scanning for the next threat.

Fellgrin defeated x6

The battle turned frantic as a second wave of Fellgrins swarmed in, forcing them to react or be overwhelmed.

Rachel spun at the sound of a heavy thud just in time to see a Fellgrin drop, an arrow protruding from its chest. She turned to find Felicity and George nocking another arrow, their bowstrings taut as they loosed another shot into the chaos. Evelyn was improving, but those two were far faster and more accurate.

"Paul!" Rachel called, slashing at a Fellgrin, trying to flank her. "Do you see a clear way forward?"

"This way," Charles answered instead, pointing with his shield. It was massive—half his height and heavy enough that Rachel expected him to tire soon—but he held it firm, his sword hacking through Fellgrins without hesitation. Sweat slicked his face and arms, the damp sheen of exhaustion settling over him. Rachel felt it trickling down the nape of her back and clinging to her eyelashes. She blinked it away, sidestepping as one of the larger Fellgrins lunged at her.

This one stood taller than the others, its limbs thicker and its movements slower. Rachel met its strikes, testing its defenses and increasing the force behind her swings. The creature faltered, shifting back under the weight of her assault. Before she could press the advantage, Nathan appeared behind it; his massive two-handed axe was already lifted high.

"Move forward slowly," Rachel ordered, stepping back to let Nathan take over. "I think we're close to the Wild Grove."

"How do you know?" Evelyn asked between frantic thrusts of her spear, struggling to keep up with the Fellgrins' speed.

"I can smell it," Rachel answered. She didn't understand it, couldn't explain it—but the air carried something different. A scent that told her they were near safety.

Before she could say more, a sharp pain flared along her side. She cursed, shifting back on instinct, but it was too late. The Fellgrin's pike had grazed her, the poisoned edge barely nicking her flesh. The pain hadn't fully settled yet, but she knew it would.

Rage flared hot and immediate. Rachel lunged, her sword crashing down with enough force to shatter the Fellgrin's weapon and send the creature stumbling backward. Another rushed in from the left, its glowing eyes brimming with malice.

Its strike was slow, its aim predictable. Rachel twisted beneath the poisoned blade, grabbing its wrist and yanking it forward. Her sword was carved across its face in a single brutal arc. Before the body even hit the ground, she turned, slamming the hilt of her weapon into the eye socket of the next Fellgrin, feeling the crunch of bone beneath the impact.

The forest still swarmed with enemies, but the clearing wasn't far. They just had to push through.

It started to make an awful sound, but Rachel silenced it quickly by pushing her blade through its open mouth. The sound of the sword coming out of the back of its skull was sickening, but Rachel imagined it was better than her dying.

"That was amazing!" Nathan called at her. He stepped off the body of the Fellgrin he'd just killed and walked to her. Paul watched her, scanning to see if she was injured. Rachel groaned through gritted teeth. It is just a pinch. Hold it in.

Fellgrin defeated x8

"Are you alright?" Paul asked. Rachel nodded, willing her leg not to give out now. His eyes lingered on her for a brief moment. Let it go for now; we don't have time to stop.

"We have to move faster," Rachel said, breaking into a slow jog. Every movement she made was a spike through her left leg. She felt it move—the poison. Not so fast, but it would ultimately catch up to her. As her friends followed behind her, she considered sharing the news with them. Secrets couldn't help in a time like this. But telling them would slow their pace, and Rachel was about to be done with the woods and forest.

And the Fellgrin were coming—more of them.

"Can you feel that?" Diana asked. "More are coming!"

Rachel nodded. They were not the only ones running, either. She could hear the grunts and calls from all around them. People broke into clusters quickly, but she could see that most had no sense of loyalty to one another. She watched a slim woman fall, screaming as she crashed. Her friend hesitated, turning to look at her for a moment before he left her there.

Asshole, Rachel thought, but she didn't stop. She knew she couldn't. And when the woman screamed behind them, Rachel did all she could to forget the scream. Until even more screams—desperate and pleading—joined the first. Soon, there was a chorus of cries behind them as more people fell into the new wave of Fellgrin's.

"I really hate this test," Evelyn said, but Rachel wasn't paying attention. She could finally understand the scent she perceived in the air. She saw the light beyond the dimness of the trees and forest. They were breaking out of the woods. Through the narrow view, she saw the curving mountains and the low, burnt orange light of the fading sun.

Nathan stopped to fight, but Rachel snagged him as she ran past. She knew he glared at her as they ran, but she didn't care. She couldn't understand the smell in the air, but some of the people ahead of them had simply vanished.

"What's going on?" Paul asked. He was running ahead, slowing down as he reached the edge where the trees stopped. "Oh! That is terrible."

Rachel stopped as she got to him. Some other groups were also hanging at the edge, staring down into what looked like a step drop into nothingness. She looked behind her, feeling the thuds of many Fellgrins running for them.

"The others just disappeared when they dropped," A short bald man said. Rachel looked closely, attempting to see past whatever was beyond. The sunlight rolled over the emptiness, making it look like a deep well of gold. It fell in the distance, pushing against the vastness of the space before them.

"Can you feel that?" Rachel asked Nathan. He stared at her momentarily, took a whiff of the air, and shook his head. "I don't know what it is, but it is pretty strong."

"Like burnt meat and hair?" Someone said to Rachel's left. She shook her head. It was sweet and fragrant, like walking through a field of flowers and freshly cut grass. But it was too much, clashing, so it smelled disorienting. She shook her head.

"We will have to jump," Rachel said, walking to the edge. She'd never seen a forest stop abruptly like this before. Perhaps that was because she'd never been to many places, but this was strange. She stretched her leg into the space beyond, and Paul pulled her back.

"They are close," Rachel muttered, biting through the growing pain in her leg before adding, "If we stay here, we will certainly die. If we jump, we might die."

"Certainly," Charles said, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. Rachel shrugged.

"So, we might as well jump. I'd rather die attempting to survive than die on my arse."

She ignored the worried murmurs of the others standing at the edge with them. They didn't matter. She looked at Paul, sliding her hands down his until they locked fingers. He nodded when he was ready, peeping behind him for the Fellgrins.

Rachel pulled him with her. And just as she did, she heard Diana scream and Nathan laugh. For a moment, a second that felt like forever, they fell, and then the fall was over. Rachel opened her eyes, thinking she stood on solid ground.

Paul had let go of her hand and spread-eagled on the floor beside her. His chest heaved and settled, his breathing coming hard and loud. Diana cursed, pushing off Nathan, who looked almost as stunned as Rachel.

You have traveled through the Stormfiend Wards!

Welcome to Wild Grove!

Description: A field of awakened trees growing on the dead titan's top layer of the skull. Wild Grove was cultivated for spiritual and physical training. The wild mana flowing through the corpse of the dead titan is absorbed by the trees of the Grove and refined for use by those chosen by Virial Stormfiend.

Someone stumbled into Rachel. She caught the man before he fell and pulled him out of the way of a younger man who had just stumbled through the ward. They both looked confused.

She let the older man sit on the low grass before walking over to Charles and Evelyn, who came out next. They held each other, their mouths open as though to scream.

She led them to where Paul, Nathan, and Diana were looking up at one of the wild trees of the Grove. It wasn't so tall, but it had a face on the trunk. Like that of a man, but with his eyes closed. The bark was covered in something green and had a wet sheen. She ran a hand through it and flinched when she felt it vibrate to her touch. But it was dry.

Quest Complete: Survive the Fellgrins

Goal: Survive the Fellgrins

Rewards:

Gold

: 10 coins

Experience

: 120 XP

"Gold coins," Paul said. "Is that real? What do you think the worth will be compared to Earth's value?"

"That is not important right now," Nathan said, tapping Rachel to look up from her HUD. She gasped and jumped away from the tree when she saw its eyes open, staring at them. All the trees in the grove were staring down at them.

"You don't have to be afraid," Virial called from high up in one of the trees. A branch wrapped around her, suddenly flexible. It brought her down slowly, setting her down in the field.

"You are all safe here," Virial said. "You will always be safe here, but once you walk past my wards, the wild of Titan's Grave will have you."

"Are we standing on a titan?" Rachel asked, wiping sweat from her face. Virial grinned, spinning on her heel.

"Look at those mountains; what do you see?" The trainer asked.

"Mountains?" Charles asked.

"No, those are the titan's ribs." She chuckled when Charles winced, looking away.

"There is nowhere to rest here," someone said, gesturing to the open field. But Rachel was already looking at the tree close to her. The one with the hair like moss.

"Come," Virial said, "I will show you." Chuckling as she started walking towards a stand of trees off to the side.

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