Shadows Over Arcadia Chapter 10: 10. Wolf Hunt

Read chapter 10 of Shadows Over Arcadia by Zacheas on NovelPedia.

10. Wolf Hunt I am Shadow, less than a day old, and I am a shard of Prince Ren Drakemore's soul placed inside of a wooden puppet masquerading as an adventurer. https://shadowsoverarcadia.com/api/storage/objects/uploads/51f2eb33-199c-4126-a5b5-1bea5c8fc16a I set off on my first quest as an E-rank adventurer to kill some wolves that have been killing livestock on Lord Griswald's Lands. It should be a piece of cake, a quick chance to build my reputation with the guild. Before leaving, I slip into the castle stables and “borrow” a sleek, all-black stallion. According to the sign hanging over his stall, his name is Phantom. It seems like destiny. Shadow and Phantom, partners in crime. We ride north at a gallop, the sinking sun casting long shadows across our path. The last embers of light reveal dark, menacing clouds rolling in behind us as if in pursuit. By the time I reach the forest’s edge where the attacks have taken place, night has fallen and the storm has caught up. A steady wind sweeps through the trees, with the promise of heavy rain. The cloak of night drapes over the land, the tree line marking the divide between farmland and the edge of the Erwin Forest. Brooding clouds blot out the moon and stars, deepening the darkness. Seated atop Phantom, I check the map provided by the guild to confirm I am in the right place. A faint light spell flares to life in my hand, guiding me as I follow the trail toward the forest. Before stepping under the canopy, I tie Phantom to a gnarled old tree at the path’s entrance. I pat his neck. “I’ll be right back. Stay here.” Shadows stretch long and thin, twisting around me as I cross beneath the trees. The forest feels alive. Every snap of a twig and rustle of leaves echoes louder than it should, as if the night itself is watching me. The darkness presses close, cutting me off from the world beyond the trees, and I press on, scanning the ground for any sign of wolves. A soft drizzle builds into steady rain, turning the ground beneath my feet into a slick, muddy mess. As I push deeper into the forest, I wonder if all woods at night feel this eerie. The thought barely crosses my mind before a sudden weight slams into me from the side. The attack comes without warning. Before I can reach for my sword, something large and furred clamps down on my right arm and drags me to the ground with crushing force. Mud sprays as I fall, the rough wood of my puppet body grinding against teeth and claws. The massive wolf thrashes, and in an instant my arm splinters, ripping from my body with a sickening crack. For a moment, my mind blanks, the giant wolf still biting and clawing at my chest. Then panic floods in as I watch its fearsome jaws rip my armored chest plate away, crushing it. I regain my senses and kick hard with both feet, throwing the wolf off me and crashing into a thick tree trunk. I cast a barrier to fend off a second wolf lunging from the left, but my fractured concentration leaves openings. More wolves rush forward, snarling, eyes gleaming in the dark, ripping at my cloak and clawing deep into the wooden frame of my body. In desperation, I hurl Fire Lance spells from the ground, each one a blazing streak of destruction. One, two, three wolves are struck, their bodies hurled backward as fiery bolts tear through them, leaving gaping, charred wounds. Their lifeless forms slam into the ground with sickening thuds. I continue casting in rapid succession, each spell roaring into the darkness. Some strike true, while others miss, shattering trees and sending them crashing down around me. The relentless barrage drains me quickly, and I can feel my mana reserves dwindling. I need to get off the ground! I summon a wall of fire, the flames roaring to life as they encircle me. The searing heat drives the wolves back, buying me just enough time to rise and seize my sword with my remaining hand. I cannot rely on magic alone. At this rate, my mana is going to run out. If it does, my enchantment will end, le