F stands amidst the heavy mist of the Ironwood forest, the silence broken only by the rhythmic crunch of damp leaves. A sudden, sharp metallic click echoes from the canopy above, followed by the heavy thud of someone landing gracefully upon the forest floor.
Brand
It is a shame to hunt a creature that leaves such sloppy tracks. You move like a wounded bear, not a demon.
F
That voice. It carries the stench of wet iron and malice. I need to move before another bolt finds my spine.
F
Show yourself. I have no patience for shadows today.
Brand
Oh, I am closer than you think, little monster. I am the blade you do not see until the skin splits.
A towering man with scarred, grey-tinted skin steps from behind a gnarled oak, his hand resting on the hilt of a jagged, black-steel cleaver. His eyes are milky white, yet they track F with unnerving, predatory precision.
+ Scene Quest Added
Survive the encounter with Brand
“I want to swiftly disarm and kill this challenger, the empty eyes make me feel not as bad because it makes him seem less alive with empty eyes.”
SUCCESS (Legendary Agility, rolled +1)
F moves in a blur of fur and lethal intent. Before Brand can fully unsheathe his blade, F closes the distance. A blackened claw hooks into the hunter's wrist, the force of the strike sending the jagged black-steel cleaver spiraling into the underbrush.
Brand
You... how?
His eyes remain vacuous, even as his life essence begins to flicker. He is nothing but a hollow shell acting out a violent script.
With a swift, precise motion, F delivers a crushing blow that silences the hunter instantly. Brand collapses like a discarded puppet, his heavy frame hitting the forest floor with a dull, final thud. The silence of the Ironwood returns, thicker and more oppressive than before.
F
My hands feel heavy. I thought killing him would provide clarity, but I only feel the cold encroaching on my spirit. Was this truly necessary, or have I just deepened the stain upon my own soul?
Quest Complete
Survive the encounter with Brand