It had been about two hours since I had received my rank. In those hours I just stood at the job board. My body was unable to shake the feeling I had in the testing area.
It shrieked at me to kill him.
The sensation tore into my skin, an itch that couldn’t be scratched, one that wanted to consume me whole. I needed something—anything—to make it go away.
That’s when I saw the job.
- Job: Dark Wolf infestation in mining site.
- Rank: D.
- Pay: 2 gold.
Perfect!
I ripped the sheet and headed to the desk.
“I’ll take this one,” I said, handing it over.
The receptionist raised an eyebrow as she took the paper.
“Hmm. Going with a job ranked lower than yours?” She stamped the paper and looked up at me. “Good thinking kid.”
She handed the paper back to me.
“Maybe you’re different.” She said
I turned to leave.
“Don’t prove me wrong and die.” She added calmly.
I arrived at the mining site late at night. An eerie sensation rolled over me as I walked closer to the entrance of the mine. The sounds that echoed from it made that feeling worse.
The smell of iron clung to my lungs. Smog came from the entrance of the mine like a dragon's mouth.
I took a deep breath.
And stepped in.
Inside the mine was no better, there was little light from the torches. The only thing they did show was bloody hand prints along the wall.
This job is rank D. I should be able to clear it by myself.
I kept walking through the mines corridor, seeing where it would take me.
The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
Time had stretched.
An hour passed.
Then two.
I saw no wolves.
I hadn’t heard, smelt, or felt anything related to the wolves.
With each passing minute I grew more frustrated at not finding anything.
Following the twisting corridors and the dying remains of torchlight, I eventually found an open chamber.
The sensation within me crawled back into my skin.
Scraping of nails, hungry breaths came from the pitch black at the edges of the room.
Then the growls came.
They lead me here?
One wolf stepped into the light.
Then another.
Then dozens.
They surrounded me, each reeking of blood and rot. Their matted fur was as black as the shadows they emerged from. They circled slowly, none daring to attack, but every one of them wanted to.
I wrapped my hand around the hilt of my sword.
The wolves parted, opening a path.
A much larger wolf stepped forward, crossing into the arena they had made for me.
Jagged horns, like mirrored obsidian, jutted from its skull.
It approached slowly, its breath hot against my face, thick with rot and malice.
But I could only stare at its eyes.
Eyes the same as mine.
We didn't break eye contact.
Just kept going in a circle.
Whoever made the first move.
Would die.
The wolves around us slowly moved in closer.
Fuck it.
I pushed forward and drew my sword at an arc to slit it's throat.
It's claw—Too fast.
I twisted—Too slow.
Horns stabbed through me.
I hit the ground hard, breath ripped from my lungs. Warmth spilled beneath me. Two new holes burned through my body.
The wolf looked down at me...
Pity.
Pity?
This wolf is looking at me with pity?
My body screamed as I tried to move. Blood loss set in fast, my limbs heavy, vision dimming.
No.
I won't be pitied by a fucking monster!
I won't stay down.
I won't stop trying to survive.
I'll do anything...
I will kill anything
To survive.