Glacia and Fokusar walked deep into the dense pine forest.
Glacia kept her eyes glued to the compass until Fokusar suddenly pointed at the snow-covered ground.
“Look—deer hoofprints,” Fokusar said.
Glacia finally looked up from the compass.
“Hmm.
They lead straight to that cave.”
The two of them approached the dark cavern.
At the entrance, Glacia let out a heavy sigh, steeling herself to face whatever was waiting inside.
She lit a candle to illuminate the gloom.
The flickering light revealed the mangled carcass of a cow lying on the ground, blood splattered everywhere.
Standing near the body were teenage twin boys—one with brown hair, and the other with black hair.
The black-haired twin was tightly gripping a knife carved out of solid bone.
Suddenly, the brown-haired boy spoke.
“Oh, hi.
I’m Werrian, and this is my twin brother, Merrian.”
Glacia slowly stepped closer to the twins, keeping her guard up.
“We came here to slay the beast.
The Wendigo.”
“If you want to slay the beast, then you must slay me,” Werrian said with a creepy grin.
Glacia frowned.
“Why, little boy?”
“Because I am the Wendigo,” Werrian answered.
The moment the words left his mouth, an eerie, deafening roar erupted from Werrian’s throat.
His body began to violently expand and grow massive.
An orange glow pulsed from his chest where his heart was, and thick, dark fur sprouted around his neck.
A grotesque deer skull materialized out of thin air, fusing over his face as jagged antlers erupted from the back of his head.
Fokusar’s jaw dropped, a scream catching in his throat.
The Wendigo lunged, slashing its razor-sharp claws at Fokusar.
Moving like lightning, Glacia jumped forward, raising the shaft of her metal spear just in time to block the deadly strike.
As Fokusar scrambled back, Merrian suddenly materialized behind him and swept his legs.
Fokusar hit the ground hard.
Merrian immediately drove his bone knife downward, aiming straight for Fokusar’s head, but Fokusar rolled frantically to the side.
The blade scraped the dirt.
Seizing the opening, Fokusar kicked Merrian squarely in the chest, knocking him back, and scrambled to his feet.
“Glacia, are you okay?” Fokusar yelled.
“I’m good!” Glacia replied, thrusting her spear deep into the Wendigo’s stomach.
The beast shrieked in agony.
Suddenly, a black crow flew at Glacia’s back.
Mid-air, the bird shifted, transforming back into Merrian.
Before anyone could react, he plunged his knife into Glacia’s back.
Blood splattered across the cold stone as Glacia gasped in pain.
“Glacia!” Fokusar roared.
He whipped out his custom revolver and fired a shot at Merrian.
The bullet tore through Merrian’s shoulder.
Shrieking, the twin shifted back into a crow and flew out of the cave, trailing blood behind him.
Fokusar rushed to Glacia’s side.
Grabbing her spear while it was still embedded in the Wendigo’s flesh, he kicked the back of the weapon, driving it even deeper into the monster’s arm.
With a fierce grunt, he ripped the spear out.
Blood sprayed everywhere as the Wendigo howled in pure torment.
Before the beast could recover, Merrian reappeared at Fokusar’s flank, aiming another lethal stab.
Fokusar caught Merrian’s wrist mid-air, stopping the blade, and drove his knee hard into the boy’s stomach.
The brutal impact sent Merrian flying backward.
Knowing they were overwhelmed, Fokusar scooped up the wounded Glacia, grabbed her spear, and bolted out of the cave.
He ran blindly through the freezing woods for five agonizing minutes until he was certain they weren’t being followed.
He gently laid Glacia down beneath a pine tree and worked quickly, using his emergency supplies to patch up her deep wound.
“Thanks,” Glacia whispered weakly, her torso tightly wrapped in bandages.
The sun was rapidly dipping below the horizon.
Knowing the terrifying forest night was closing in, Fokusar unclipped a lantern from Glacia’s belt and struck a match, lighting it against the oncoming dark.