He gripped the dagger tightly, fingers wrapping around the worn hilt, feeling the cold steel against his palm. His heart raced as he focused on the charging wolf, its eyes locked onto him, jaws slavering, body a blur of motion. Ignoring the throbbing pain in his leg and the fear that threatened to paralyse him, he channelled all his attention and will into the single task at hand.

  He threw.

  The dagger flew through the air, a silver streak against the darkening forest, his desperate gamble launched with all the strength he could muster. It wasn’t a perfect throw, slightly off-centre and lacking the precision he craved, but it was close enough. “Remarkable,” he thought, a kind of sarcastic disbelief washing over him. “Either that was a miracle, or maybe I’m natural athlete after all. Who knew my years of potato-sitting at a computer could lead to such unexpected skills?”

  The blade struck the wolf above its paw, piercing fur and flesh.

  The wolf yelped, a sharp, startled cry of pain, its momentum abruptly halted as it stumbled, collapsing onto the forest floor in a chaotic tumble. William could hardly believe his luck. “So, I managed to take down a wolf with a surprisingly accurate throw. Maybe the baseball scouts will have to think again when they see me,” he mused, forcing a faint grin even as the reality of the situation pressed down on him.

  Edward, who had been about to charge himself, stopped short, his eyes widening in surprise, sword still raised. Julia lowered her hands, a mix of relief and admiration flashing across her face, her magical preparations interrupted by William's unexpected action.

  Now a whimpering, wounded creature, the wolf struggled to its feet, clearly in no condition to fight, its leg badly injured. With a grim nod of acknowledgment to William, a silent recognition of his quick thinking, Edward advanced, dispatching it with a swift, merciful thrust of his lightning-scarred blade.

  Silence descended upon the clearing, broken only by the crackling of the dying fire and the ragged breathing of the three humans, the aftermath of their brutal encounter settling in. The adrenaline coursing through William’s veins faded, leaving him weak and trembling, pain reawakening in his leg, a fiery reminder of his injury. He slumped against a nearby tree, exhausted, a bone-deep weariness settling into his core.

  He’d done it, he’d faced down a charging wolf, a predator honed by evolution, and he’d survived. Not only had he survived; he’d contributed, played a crucial role in their victory. “I wonder if I can put this on my résumé,” he thought dryly. “Professional wolf slayer. It’ll go great with my data analytics skills.”

  Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

  Edward sheathed his sword, the crackling lightning fading as the blade slid into its scabbard. He walked over to William, expression unreadable, his usual gruffness softened somewhat by respect. "Not bad," he said, a hint of grudging admiration creeping into his voice, a warrior’s compliment. "For an outsider. You have a good arm and a quick mind. You might just survive this after all."

  Julia knelt beside William, eyes filled with concern. “Are you alright?” she asked softly, gentle touch a stark contrast to the violence they’d just experienced. “Did it hurt you anywhere else?”

  “My leg…” he began, wincing as he shifted his weight, pain flaring anew. “It’s… throbbing. But I think I’m okay otherwise.”

  “Let me see,” Julia said. She examined the bandage gently, her fingers probing carefully around the wound. “The bleeding has stopped, but the wound is still inflamed. We’ll need to clean it again and apply a fresh poultice when we reach Sharwood. The citrusroot is working, but it’s not a miracle cure.”

  Meanwhile, Edward had turned his attention to the dead wolves. With practiced efficiency, a hunter’s skill honed by years of necessity, he began butchering one of the smaller carcasses, using his sword to skin and dismember the animal. “Waste not, want not,” he muttered, devoid of sentimentality, a simple statement of practicality. “Wolf meat isn't the best; it’s tough and gamey, but it’s better than nothing. And the pelts will be useful, for warmth, trade, and protection.”

  William watched, a strange mixture of disgust and fascination churning in his stomach. He’d never seen an animal butchered before, especially not one that had just tried to kill him, a creature so similar to the domesticated dogs he associated with companionship and loyalty. “I suppose I should be thankful I’m not squeamish,” he thought grimly. “Best not think too hard on the fact that I just took something’s life… especially considering it was trying to take mine.”

  After a few minutes, silence punctuated only by Edward’s work and the crackling embers of the fire settled in. They gathered their belongings, Edward slinging the butchered wolf carcass over his shoulder, a testament to his strength, and set off again, moving east towards Sharwood, a beacon of hope in the encroaching darkness.

  Limping beside Julia, his injured leg slowing him down, William refused to complain or show weakness. He was alive, and he was with people who had saved his life, people who knew how to survive in this dangerous world.

  A thousand questions swirled in his mind, clamouring for attention. He wanted to ask about the magic he’d witnessed, Julia’s "magic missiles," Edward’s lightning-charged sword, the nature of these powers, their source, their limitations. He wanted to know about the Dark Legion, the resistance he’d glimpsed in his dream, and Dark Lord Neverus.

  But for now, he kept his questions to himself. Exhausted, injured, and overwhelmed, he needed to focus on putting one foot in front of the other, on reaching safety, on surviving the night. The questions could wait, the answers he hoped would come with time. “I should probably jot all this down in my diary,” he thought with a smirk. “Day 1 – attacked by goblin, attacked by wolves, injured but somehow survived. It’s a miracle I’m still alive.” He glanced at Julia and Edward, their faces grim and determined, eyes scanning the forest constantly. He was a stranger in a strange land, caught in a conflict he didn’t understand, but he was not alone. And for now, that was enough.