Borin leaned back, stroking his beard thoughtfully as he recalled the day he first met the boy.
"The day I was saved... was the day I met a truly remarkable adventurer."
A year ago...
Within the northern winter forests laid under a heavy blanket of snow. Thick snowflakes drifting down from the overcast sky. The air bitter as it carried the sharp scent of blood.
As the quiet crunching sound of footsteps broke the silence—a man stumbled through the trees, evading them with each passing moment, leaving a crimson trail of blood behind him.
Borin, his breathing ragged, quickly dashed through the dense, snow-covered terrain, desperately evading the shadows moving around him, chasing him down.
Heavy footsteps and snarls echoed throughout the whole forest, as they closed in, Borin kept on running, though each step grew heavier as exhaustion sated in.
For a brief moment, he stopped to catch his breath, and in that moment, the shadows attacked. Finally causing him to loss his footing, his legs giving way under him, slipping on the icy ground, and fell flat on his back with a heavy thud.
The cold bit into him through his cloak as his chest heaved. His eyes wide, as he stared at the sky, his breath clouding the air. The dark shadows loomed above, descending with terrifying speed, their forms like harbingers of death against the pale expanse.
Panic gripped him. His instincts screamed, and just as the shadows came crashing down, he threw himself to the side. The impact shook the earth. Snow erupted into a blinding storm, scattering in every direction like shards of glass. The force hurled Borin off the ground, sending him tumbling through the frost-covered terrain.
His body slammed into a tree, the rough bark scraping against his shoulder as pain shot through him. Groaning, he struggled to steady his spinning vision. The air around him was thick with snow and chaos, the once-tranquil forest was now a battleground.
Borin gritted his teeth, gripping the frozen earth to pull himself upright. The shadows—hulking, wolf-like beasts called Frostfangs—circling all around him, their eyes glowing with savage hunger.
"I'd been on a solo quest, gathering rare materials on my own, when I got ambushed by a pack of Frostfangs. Nasty looking things with teeth and claws sharper than steel."
Despite his dire situation, Borin managed a defiant grin, clutching a small metallic orb in his hand. He held it up, its surface beginning to glow faintly.
"Well then, if I'm going down. THEN I SURE AS HELL AM TAKING YOU BEASTS WITH ME!" He yelled out to them.
One of the Frostfangs then leaped into the air, claws bared, ready to tear him apart. Just as Borin prepared to activate the orb, a shadow cut through the pack's ranks.
A lone figure dashed forward with lightning speed, his movements a blur against the surrounding trees, his hand gripped the hilt of his blade and with a single, fluid motion, he drew it free, the metal gleaming cold in the pale light.
In addition, with a powerful leap, he launched himself into the air, the wind whipping past him as he ascended. Time seemed to slow as he reached the apex of his jump, his blade poised.
With a swift, decisive arc, the blade cleaved through the air, striking true. The creature's body falling to the ground with a heavy thud, and the others immediately halted, growling and eyeing the newcomer with caution.
Borin stunned, staring up at the figure who so suddenly had appeared before him—a young boy clad in a grey robe. As a gust of wind blew, the boy's hood was swept back, revealing a scarred face and piercing brown eyes, framed by a mix of black and white hair.
"At the time I didn't know it back then, that moment would change everything. Was it fate—or maybe just sheer dumb luck—that he was there. All I know is that it was right on the bloody money."
The boy's gaze was fierce yet calm his stance unyielding as he faced the surrounding Frostfangs.
"Back then, I had no idea who he was. However, looking into his eyes, I could tell—that he was something else. And he had just saved my life."
The pack hesitant, sensing at the danger before them. The boy raised his dagger, glancing back at Borin briefly.
"Please stay down. I'll handle them." The boy said, determination caught in his voice. Prepared to face the threat before them.
End of Chapter 13.