The cavern was quiet now, save for the soft crackling of residual energy where the Alpha had fallen. Benji leaned against the stone altar, his breathing ragged and his axe hanging limply at his side. Blood dripped from his wounds, pooling at his feet, but he didn’t have the luxury of stopping to rest. The villagers needed him.
The glowing fragment of dark energy—the Void-Touched Core—hovered where the Alpha had dissolved. It pulsed faintly, a reminder of the danger that had just been vanquished. Benji reached out hesitantly, feeling the strange heat emanating from it. The moment his fingers brushed the surface, a surge of energy coursed through him.
Benji swallowed hard, his grip tightening around the glowing shard. He had no idea what it was or how it worked, but something told him it wasn’t safe to leave it here. Sliding the core into his belt pouch, he turned his attention back to the villagers.
The mother and her young child huddled near the altar, trembling but alive. Their eyes darted toward Benji as he approached, their fear palpable.
“It’s over,” he said gently, though his voice was hoarse from the fight. “You’re safe now.”
The woman nodded slowly, tears streaming down her dirt-streaked face. “Thank you,” she whispered. “We thought… we thought we’d never make it out.”
Benji offered a faint smile and helped her to her feet. The child clung to her, wide-eyed but silent. “Let’s get you back to the village. Can you walk?”
“Yes,” the woman said, though her legs wobbled as she tried to take a step.
Benji supported her as they made their way out of the cavern. The glowing crystals embedded in the walls cast an eerie light, but without the wolves, the oppressive weight of the place had lifted. Each step was agonizing for Benji, his wounds a constant reminder of how close he had come to death.
As they climbed out of the ravine, a sudden rustling in the forest made Benji tense. A few remaining wolves, smaller and less imposing than their Alpha, emerged from the shadows. Their glowing eyes flickered, and for a moment, Benji braced for another fight. But then, one by one, they backed away, their movements hesitant and uncoordinated.
Without their Alpha, the pack seemed aimless, their unity shattered. The wolves retreated into the depths of the forest, their howls fading into the night.
Benji exhaled slowly, the tension in his shoulders easing. The pack had been broken, at least for now.
Halfway back to the village, a familiar voice called out.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
“Benji! Over here!”
Lena and Eli appeared from the treeline, both looking worse for wear but alive. Relief washed over Benji as they hurried toward him.
“We were starting to think you—” Lena’s voice faltered when she saw his bloodied state. “What happened?”
“The Alpha,” Benji said simply. “It’s dead.”
Eli let out a low whistle. “You took it down alone?”
“Didn’t have much choice,” Benji replied with a weak grin. “But we’ve got survivors. Help me get them back to the square.”
Together, the three of them escorted the woman and child the rest of the way. As they reached the outskirts of the village, a familiar chime echoed in Benji’s mind.
[Quest Updated: Retake Greenhollow!]
Bonus Objective Completed: Locate Missing Villagers (5/5 Found).
Reward: +60 XP and Improved Village Reputation.
“Looks like we did it,” Lena said, a small smile tugging at her lips as she glanced at the translucent notification hovering in her vision.
“For now,” Benji said, his voice laced with exhaustion. “Let’s just get everyone together.”
When they reached the village square, a wave of relief swept over the gathered crowd. The sight of the rescued villagers brought tears and embraces, but Sara, the healer, quickly stepped in to tend to the injured. Benji allowed himself to collapse onto a nearby bench, his body finally giving in to the fatigue.
Thom, the burly miller, approached him with a grim expression. “You did good, lad. Took a beating for it, but you’ve given us hope. That’s more than most would’ve managed.”
“We’re not out of the woods yet,” Benji replied, wincing as Sara began wrapping his arm with fresh bandages. “The wolves were Void-Touched. This wasn’t just a random attack.”
Thom frowned, his eyes narrowing. “Void-Touched? Here?”
“Yeah,” Benji said, pulling the Void-Touched Core from his pouch. The faint glow caught the attention of those nearby, and a murmur rippled through the crowd. “The Alpha left this behind. Whatever’s going on, it’s not natural.”
“Let me see that,” Sara said, her hands stilling as she leaned closer. Her face paled as she examined the Core. “This… this is dangerous. It’s infused with Void energy. Keeping it here is a risk.”
“We’ll figure it out,” Benji said firmly, tucking the Core back into his pouch. “But right now, we need to focus on rebuilding. We’ve bought ourselves some time, but there’s no telling when the Void might strike again.”
The villagers nodded, their expressions somber but determined. The scars of the attack would take time to heal, but Greenhollow had survived, and that was no small victory.
As the crowd dispersed to tend to the injured and rebuild, Lena sat beside Benji, her sling still hanging from her belt.
“So what now?” she asked, her tone light but her eyes serious.
Benji leaned back, staring up at the sky as the first stars began to appear. “We get stronger. If the System’s going to throw stuff like this at us, we’ll need every advantage we can get.”
“Stronger, huh?” Lena said with a small smirk. “Good thing I’m already ahead of you.”
Benji raised an eyebrow, his grin faint but playful. “How’s that possible?”
“More fights on my end. Guess you just weren’t keeping up,” Lena teased. “Or maybe I’m just better.”
Benji chuckled, the sound rough but genuine. “Not for long.”
The warmth of camaraderie settled over them, a brief respite from the chaos. But in the back of his mind, Benji couldn’t shake the lingering unease. The Void wasn’t done with Greenhollow, and he had a feeling their fight was only just beginning.