Chapter 362: Bodyguard

It wasn’t exactly an official road. It was an old path used by hunters, travelers, and people familiar with the surrounding forest. The route was narrower and more difficult to navigate, but it cut a considerable amount of distance from the journey. The horse was fast, much faster than the ordinary horses Seren was accustomed to. With Ghet Ulg’s undead strength helping control the horse if necessary, the journey was surprisingly smooth.

Seren estimated that if they maintained their current pace, they should reach Percvale before nightfall. That was good. She didn’t want to be traveling through the forest after dark. The forest was dangerous enough during the day. At night, it became something else entirely.

—

Trees surrounded them on both sides. Sunlight filtered through the canopy in broken patches, casting dappled shadows across the path. Leaves and branches occasionally brushed against Seren as the horse raced through the narrower sections, their touch light and fleeting. Birds scattered whenever they approached, their wings beating against the air. Small animals disappeared into bushes at the sound of hooves, their movements quick and silent.

Seren occasionally heard the clinking of Ghet Ulg’s armor behind her. She became accustomed to the sound, almost. Every now and then, she remembered there was an undead knight sitting behind her and felt a small shiver. She told herself to stop being ridiculous. This was Ghet Ulg. One of Darion’s strongest undead, according to him. He had followed Darion through battles without hesitation. He wasn’t suddenly going to become conscious and murder her.

Probably.

—

The forest gradually became quieter. The trees here were larger and more densely packed, their trunks thick and gnarled. The path became rougher, the ground uneven, the undergrowth thicker. Seren slowed slightly to avoid a fallen tree before accelerating again. She checked the position of the sun through the branches. They still had plenty of time before night.

Good. If everything continued like this, they should reach Percvale before it got too dark. She thought about finally seeing the castle again. About telling Garren what happened. About returning to Darion afterward.

For a moment, the journey felt peaceful. The rhythm of the horse’s stride, the whisper of the wind through the leaves, the warmth of the sun on her face. It was almost pleasant.

Then the horse suddenly slowed. Seren frowned. She didn’t pull the reins. The horse’s ears pointed forward, its body becoming tense. Ghet Ulg immediately shifted behind her, his armor clinking as he straightened.

Seren looked ahead. Nothing. Just trees. She listened. No birds. No insects. No movement. The forest had gone silent.

Seren’s hand slowly moved toward her bow. “What is it?” she whispered.

Ghet Ulg didn’t answer, of course. But he turned his head toward the forest, his empty eye sockets fixed on something she couldn’t see. Seren followed his gaze.

—

Suddenly—BOOM! Four massive creatures burst from the trees and landed directly across the path. The ground shook with their impact, leaves and dust flying into the air. Seren’s horse reared violently, its hooves kicking at the air. Seren grabbed the reins and struggled to keep herself mounted, her body pressing against the horse’s neck. Ghet Ulg immediately steadied himself behind her, his undead strength keeping them both from falling.

Seren stared. They were wolves. But not normal wolves. They were enormous, muscular beasts with savage faces and thick fur. Their bodies were covered in coarse, dark fur that seemed to bristle with aggression. Their eyes were yellow and glowing, filled with a predatory intelligence that made Seren’s blood run cold.

And growing from their heads were massive horns, shaped almost like the horns of buffalo. The horns curved outward from their skulls, their tips sharp and deadly. They gave the creatures an even more terrifying appearance, making them look like something out of a nightmare.

Four of them stood across the path, blocking the way completely. Their bodies were low to the ground, their muscles tense, their eyes fixed on Seren and Ghet Ulg. They didn’t move. They didn’t growl. They just stood there, waiting.

Seren’s grip tightened around her bow. Her heartbeat accelerated, pounding in her chest. The creatures lowered their heads, their horns pointing directly toward her.

She realized they weren’t simply passing through. They were waiting for her. They had been waiting for her. They had heard the horse, had smelled the humans, and had decided to block the path. They were hunters, and she was the prey.

Seren slowly reached for an arrow. Four horned wolves stood between her and Percvale. And Ghet Ulg, silent and still, sat behind her, waiting for her command.

Seren’s body went completely still. Four massive horned wolves stood across the forest path, staring directly at her. Their bodies were huge and muscular, their horns curving outward like those of buffalo. Their yellow eyes glowed with predatory intelligence, fixed on her with an intensity that made her blood run cold.

Her hand was already near her bow, but for several seconds, she simply couldn’t move. Her mind raced, trying to process the situation. She knew she could kill them. Her arrows were powerful enough. If she got a clean shot at their heads or vital areas, one arrow should be enough. The problem wasn’t whether she could kill them. It was whether she could hit them.

The wolves were fast. Too fast. She had seen them move, had watched them cross the path in the blink of an eye. If she missed, if her arrow went wide, she would have only seconds before they were on her. And with four of them, she couldn’t afford to miss.

One of the wolves suddenly disappeared from where it was standing. Seren’s eyes widened. Too fast. It crossed a huge section of the path in an instant, its body a blur of fur and muscle. Seren barely managed to turn her horse aside, the animal screaming in panic as the wolf’s horns tore through the space where she had been a moment earlier.

Another wolf charged immediately afterward. Seren drew her bow, her hands moving on instinct. She tried to track it, to line up a shot, but it was already somewhere else. The creatures didn’t move like ordinary wolves. They didn’t simply sprint straight toward their prey. They changed direction almost instantly, darting between trees, leaping over roots, using the forest itself to conceal their movements.

Seren realized that even with her skill as an archer, this was going to be extremely difficult.

Ghet Ulg finally moved. The undead knight leaped from the horse and landed heavily on the forest floor, his armor clanking, his weapon raised. One of the wolves immediately charged him. Ghet Ulg raised his weapon just in time. CLANG! The wolf’s horns slammed into his weapon and sent sparks flying.

Ghet Ulg didn’t retreat. He planted his feet and forced the creature away, his undead strength matching the wolf’s savage power.

Another wolf attempted to circle behind him. Ghet Ulg turned and intercepted it before it could reach Seren, his weapon swinging in a wide arc. The wolf dodged, its body twisting in midair, but Ghet Ulg was already moving, his undead reflexes faster than any living knight.

Seren realized what Darion meant when he told Ghet Ulg to protect her at all costs. He wasn’t fighting to kill them immediately. He was creating openings for her. He was drawing their attention, forcing them into predictable patterns, giving her the chance to line up her shots.

Seren forced herself to breathe. She stopped trying to track all four wolves at once. Instead, she watched their movement patterns. One repeatedly attacked from the left, its body low to the ground, its horns aimed at her horse’s legs. Another used the trees to approach from behind, its dark fur blending into the shadows. The third kept trying to distract Ghet Ulg, its attacks quick and precise. The fourth was the most aggressive, constantly looking for an opening toward Seren.

Seren realized she didn’t need to be faster than them. She only needed to predict where one would be. She drew an arrow, her hands steady, her breathing slow. She waited.

The wolf charged. She waited. Closer. Closer. Then—THWIP! The arrow flew directly into the wolf’s head. The creature collapsed, its body crashing to the ground, its legs twitching once before going still.

Seren immediately nocked another arrow. One down.

The remaining wolves became even more aggressive. One rushed Seren from the side, its horns aimed at her horse. She pulled the horse around just in time, the animal screaming as the wolf’s horns scraped against the saddle.

Seren nearly fell, her body lurching sideways, but she regained her balance and fired. The arrow struck the second wolf, burying itself deep in its chest. It stumbled, crashed into a tree, and went still.

Seren had killed two. But she barely had time to react.

The third wolf suddenly launched itself from behind a tree. Seren didn’t see it coming. She heard the horse panic, felt it rear beneath her. She turned, and saw the enormous creature already in the air, its horns aimed directly at her.