Life at Saint Elyss’s Rest followed a steady rhythm.

  Morning prayers, lessons, training, chores. Alaric had settled into it enough that the days no longer blurred together, yet not so much that he forgot why he was here.

  That morning, while Alaric was finishing his usual run along the outer path of the chapel grounds, Torren arrived.

  The adventurer dismounted near the gates, armor marked by travel and recent wear. He did not waste time with pleasantries. Instead, he went straight to Sister Elaine and Father Corwin, speaking in a low voice that carried urgency rather than panic.

  “A Frostfang was sighted near the western woods,” Torren said. “Two days ago.”

  Elaine’s hand tightened around her sleeves. “Here?”

  Torren nodded. “Confirmed by hunters on the lookout. One killed & Two missing.”

  Alaric slowed his steps, ears sharp.

  A Frostfang…

  He had read about them before in a thin Hunter’s Guild guide he’d picked up during a supply trip to town. The Guild classified both monsters and humans using the same scale, E through S.

  In a place like this…

  Most towns barely had one or two C-rank hunters at best.

  B-rank was beyond local capability.

  So that’s why…

  The image from yesterday resurfaced clearly in his mind, armored knights gathered in the town square. He had thought it odd at the time.

  They were probably requested.

  Torren continued, “The mayor has already requested assistance from the capital. Knights are investigating now. Until they deal with it, people should stay indoors as much as possible.”

  This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

  Elaine exhaled slowly. “That explains the tension.”

  “Humm, keep the lights burning at night and don’t go out too much,” Torren said. “A Frostfang doesn’t wander this close to human territory without a reason.”

  ***

  The town felt different that same afternoon.

  Elaine took the children with her to buy supplies, but the streets were tense despite the sun still hanging high. Doors were shut halfway. Conversations died the moment they passed.

  A shopkeeper weighed their goods quickly, barely meeting Elaine’s eyes. “Take it and go,” he muttered. “Everything’s closing early.”

  Another waved them away entirely. “Don’t linger. It’s not safe now. Didn’t you hear the rumours?”

  They finished faster than planned.

  The chapel lay a long walk from town, cutting through open fields where little cover existed. Alaric’s pulse quickened. He adjusted the flour sack, bracing himself against its weight. Kellan shifted his load, muttering a quiet warning about keeping balance. Rin, ever restless, bounced slightly, her bow slung over her shoulder, eyes scanning the horizon.

  The road back to Saint Elyss’s Rest stretched long and quiet, cutting through open fields with little cover. The chapel stood in the distance outside the town, visible but still far.

  Halfway there, Alaric felt it.

  A pressure no human could mimick.

  His skin prickled, instincts screaming.

  Something’s wrong.

  Elaine’s pace quickened slightly.

  “Stay close,” she said quietly.

  A sound came from behind them.

  Elaine did not turn. “Do not look back.”

  Alaric swallowed.

  Another crunch of grass, closer.

  Elaine said nothing more, only walking faster, careful not to break formation or drop the supplies.

  The silence shattered.

  A massive shape burst from the field.

  The Frostfang was larger than any wolf Alaric had imagined, its white fur streaked with pale blue veins, breath misting with cold. Its eyes locked onto them with terrifying focus.

  Three more shapes moved alongside it.

  Four…

  Elaine dropped the firewood and stepped forward, spreading her arms slightly.

  Elaine held the group together, her eyes flicking between the approaching pack and the children she had sworn to protect. Alaric’s gaze met hers, and for a fraction of a second, he saw the silent acknowledgment of fear and calculation.

  “Kellan,” she said evenly, “if I tell you to run, you run.”

  The Frostfang lowered its body.

  Ice spread beneath its claws.

  Alaric felt his skin crawl as his mana reacted instinctively, heat rushing through his limbs.

  B-rank…

  The wolf lunged.