The forest at night felt like a bottomless abyss, swallowing all light.
Even with the campfire burning beside them, the darkness beyond its glow seemed alive—watching, waiting, hiding something unknown.
Allen leaned weakly against a dead tree, his breathing uneven, his chest rising and falling rapidly.
Sweat covered his pale face, and under the flickering firelight, he looked even more fragile.
Ethan Carter crouched beside him, silently wrapping the wound on his chest.
The injuries looked like claw marks—deep, but not fatal. Yet something was wrong.
Dark veins spread faintly around the wounds, as if something inside was slowly corroding him.
"Allen… what exactly happened to you?" Ethan asked in a low voice.
Allen slowly opened his eyes. Fear still lingered in them.
"I… I heard a horn last night," he said hoarsely. "From the forest. I thought someone was causing trouble, so I went to check…"
Ethan's hands paused slightly.
"When I got close to the forest… I saw it."
"A black wolf. Standing just outside the town."
Allen's voice trembled.
"It was staring at me… its eyes… like ghost fire…"
"What happened next?"
"I tried to run," Allen whispered. "But it was too fast. Before I could react, it dragged me into the forest."
His breathing grew heavier.
"I fought… I really did… but then suddenly—it stopped."
Ethan frowned.
"Stopped?"
Allen nodded, confusion in his eyes.
"It was like… something called it. It just dropped me and ran."
Ethan's expression darkened.
"And before it left… I saw someone."
"A figure. Wearing a cloak."
Ethan's heart sank.
"Did you see their face?"
Allen shook his head.
"No… it was too dark."
Ethan fell silent for a moment, then patted Allen's shoulder.
"Rest. This place isn't safe. We leave at dawn."
Allen nodded weakly and soon drifted into a shallow sleep.
Ethan stood up and walked beyond the firelight, staring into the pitch-black forest.
The wolves.
The horn.
The cloaked figure.
Something was controlling all of it.
The fire crackled in the silence, but Ethan could feel it—
Eyes in the dark.
Watching them.
Waiting.
---
Night deepened.
The fire burned low.
Exhaustion crept over Ethan's body.
Just as his eyes began to close—
Crunch.
A faint sound.
Footsteps on dry leaves.
Ethan's eyes snapped open. His hand tightened around his knife.
He stared into the darkness.
From between the trees—
A massive black wolf emerged.
Its glowing blue eyes cut through the night.
But it wasn't alone.
Behind it stood two tall figures.
Cloaked.
Faces hidden.
Each holding a rusted long blade.
Ethan instantly raised his bow, drawing an arrow.
"Stop right there. Who are you?"
No answer.
They kept walking.
Slow. Heavy steps.
Killing intent thick in the air.
Ethan gritted his teeth and released the arrow.
It shot straight toward one of them—
But the cloaked figure simply tilted slightly.
The arrow missed.
Effortlessly.
Before Ethan could fire again—
The wolf lunged.
Ethan rolled aside just in time, claws tearing through the air beside him.
"Damn it… they were ready."
He regained his footing and struck.
His blade pierced the wolf's front leg.
Blood sprayed.
But the wolf didn't fall.
It went mad.
It charged again, jaws snapping toward his throat.
Ethan kicked hard, sending it back a few steps.
But behind him—
The cloaked figures had already reached Allen.
They stood over him, looking down coldly.
"Stop!"
Ethan roared and rushed forward, blade slicing toward one of their necks.
But—
The cloaked figure raised two fingers.
And caught the blade.
Bare-handed.
Ethan's heart dropped.
Before he could react—
He was thrown backward.
His body slammed into a tree.
"Ugh—!"
Pain exploded in his chest as blood trickled from his mouth.
The cloaked figure approached slowly.
"Human," a low voice echoed, "do not interfere with what does not belong to you."
Ethan struggled to breathe but did not look away.
"You're here for Allen."
A cold laugh.
"He is already cursed."
"Soon, he will become one of them."
Ethan's pupils shrank.
His gaze shot toward Allen's wound.
The black marks.
It all made sense.
"He belongs to us now."
The cloaked figure raised his blade.
Pointing it at Allen's throat.
"Don't touch him!"
Ethan forced himself up and charged again.
Then—
A flash of silver.
A dagger shot through the darkness.
It struck the cloaked figure's wrist.
He staggered back.
Ethan froze.
He knew that blade.
From the edge of the forest—
A woman stepped forward.
Gray cloak.
Cold eyes.
A dagger gleaming in her hand.
"It's her…" Ethan murmured.
The cloaked figure narrowed his eyes.
After a moment, he let out a cold snort.
"Another hunter…"
"Fine. We'll leave—for now."
Without another word, he turned.
The wolves followed.
Within seconds—
They vanished into the forest.
As if they had never been there.
---
Ethan collapsed to one knee, breathing heavily.
Pain spread through his body.
The woman walked toward him, her gaze cold.
"I warned you," she said calmly. "Stay away from the forest at night."
Ethan looked up at her.
"If I hadn't come… Allen would be dead."
She fell silent for a moment.
Then she lowered her dagger.
"He's not safe yet."
"The curse has already taken root."
"If you don't want him to become a monster—"
"Bring him to me at dawn."
Ethan frowned.
"Who are you?"
The woman turned and walked into the darkness.
Her voice echoed softly behind her.
"A hunter."