We pushed deeper into the forest, our boots sinking into the damp earth. Above us, the canopy was so thick it turned noon into twilight, sunlight barely slipping through in thin, pale shards. The smell of wet soil clung to the air, and somewhere far off, wings beat once before fading again.
Mossy rocks jutted out from the uneven ground, and fallen logs lay like careless barricades. Each step demanded focus. One wrong move, and an ankle would twist on the slick roots buried under the leaf litter.
Then—everything stopped.
The wind cut out like someone had shut a door on the world. The birds went silent. Even the bugs. The whole forest just… held its breath. The stillness crawled into my skin, cold and tight.
A low growl broke the quiet. Between the trees, something massive shoved through the undergrowth, branches snapping under its weight. My hand shot to my sword before I even thought about it. My throat tightened, and I had to swallow it down, drawing a deep breath to steady myself.
It stepped into view—a hulking Monstrous Beast, a Blood Bear, its fur so dark it looked soaked in dried blood. Each time it planted its weight, the ground groaned under claws sharp enough to slice stone. Golden eyes gleamed like coins in shadow, locking onto us. Drool slipped from its jaws, hissing when it hit the cold dirt. Its presence pressed on the world like a storm front.
"…It's coming!" I yelled, and the Blood Raven squad moved at once. But their reaction—if you could even call it that—felt wrong.
Wolfgang stepped forward with unhurried calm, fingers brushing his sword hilt. "Just another Monstrous Beast. Let's finish this quick. Lugas, front."
Lugas, all muscle and grim silence, dipped his chin once. He slammed the butt of his spear into the soil with a dull *thud*, then strode forward like a walking wall, no flicker of fear on his face.
Sigurd, the tall archer, darted sideways, slipping between tree trunks with smooth speed. He drew an arrow back to his cheek, his sharp eyes flicking from shadow to shadow.
Freya, her hair a wild flare of red, began murmuring a chant. The air around her trembled faintly, the magic coiling close like heat shimmer. Her voice held no tension—just quiet certainty.
And Elena—black short hair, leather armor light enough to vanish in—moved with quiet readiness. Her dagger flashed as she shifted her stance, cold eyes scanning each of them like they were pieces on a board, not people.
Watching them fall into position so cleanly, I felt a ripple of unease. Normal adventurers would size up their enemy first, test its movements, set traps. But Blood Raven just… clicked into place. Like this wasn't battle, just a checklist. There was none of that raw edge of fighting to stay alive.
*Is this… really what a perfect party looks like?*
The thought slipped through my chest like a thin blade.
The Blood Bear's roar shattered the stillness, and it lunged. The forest exploded around it—air screaming as its bulk tore forward, dead leaves whipping up in a storm, tree trunks rattling like bones. Any sane party would have flinched. Blood Raven didn't even blink.
"Sigurd. Fire."
Wolfgang's voice cut the air clean. Sigurd had already climbed a root-tangled rise, bowstring drawn. The arrow snapped loose, hissing toward the beast's glowing eye.
The Blood Bear howled, its head jerking, thrashing in pain. It smashed through trees in rage, each impact booming through the soil, each step hurling mud and debris skyward.
Then, with a sudden heave, it ripped up an entire fallen tree and hurled it. The massive trunk spun, howling with air as it came for Sigurd like a siege weapon.
Sigurd's boots slid on a slick mossy log just as he tried to dodge. That tiny stumble stole his timing. The tree slammed past with a *CRAAACK* of splintering wood. He twisted away at the last instant, but pain speared through his arm, cold and sharp, making his whole body jolt.
"Tch…" Wolfgang clicked his tongue. Not angry—just noting it, eyes sweeping the battlefield like measuring tools. No sympathy, no hesitation.
"Elena. Heal him," Lugas called out, still keeping the Blood Bear at bay with sharp spear feints.
"…For that?" Elena's voice was flat as stone as she looked down at Sigurd. To her, an injured ally wasn't a person to protect. He was a tool—useful or not. And light damage didn't make the cut.
Lugas hesitated. "…But—" He shot a glance toward Wolfgang.
"If the wound is bad enough to need healing, then he's already out," Wolfgang said, and was moving before the words even cooled. He charged, sword leveled at the Blood Bear. "Freya. Ready?"
"Always." Freya's spell circle bloomed at her feet, flames roaring out in a sudden burst. They rushed over the beast, crackling and bright, swallowing its black-red fur in fire.
Wolfgang leapt straight through the blaze, blade raised high. As the beast let out one last defiant roar, his sword cut across its throat in a clean silver flash.
"This is over."
The Blood Bear collapsed, claws scraping furrows in the dirt as it thrashed weakly, then slumped. The forest stilled again, the fire fading to drifting ash.
Wolfgang flicked the blood from his sword and turned, his face calm as stone. "Stop wasting time. We move."
Sigurd stood despite the tremor in his arm, pain seeping through his face. He didn't complain, didn't even glance at Elena, just followed. No one waited. No one helped.
That was Wolfgang's way—if you couldn't fight, you didn't matter.
"Help each other? No. If you can't stand after a scratch, you don't belong on the field." His voice was cold enough to bite. We all sucked in a breath.
It was more than ruthless. It was inhuman. Blood Raven wasn't just strong—they were terrifyingly efficient, even their allies' lives were just… optional.
"So," Wolfgang said, a thin smile curling at his lips as his eyes pinned us like blades. "What about you?"
Notes:
• Lugas - A spearman of Blood Raven (v2c4). Stoic and reserved. Rarely speaks, stands like a wall on the frontlines. Massive build, cropped brown hair, dark eyes.
• Sigurd - An archer of Blood Raven (v2c4). Calm and distant. Keeps his cool under fire, deadly with precise shots. Lean frame, pale-blond hair, sharp green eyes.
• Freya - A fire mage of Blood Raven (v2c4). Composed and fierce. Fights with quiet intensity and controlled flames. Flowing red hair, steady amber eyes.
• Elena - A healer of Blood Raven (v2c4). Cold and detached. Treats allies like resources, heals only the useful. Small, short black hair, flat gray eyes.