The moment was disturbed by the sounds of boots approaching. Lucien didn't hesitate, he took her hand and dashed behind the wide tree. He held her and kept still.
A moment later light entered the vicinity, Lucien risked a look around the tree and spotted a young guard carrying a torch.
He seemed bored, just characteristically patrolling the surroundings. He passed by without spotting anything, much to Lucien's relief.
The guard had looked young but perhaps he was a knight level guard, it was better to get away without any incident.
Lucien and Selene clambered over the tree carefully but quickly. They got to the top where a branch leaned over the estate's walls, Selene handed him a rope which he tied to branch.
Then he took a cloth and wrapped it around the rope, using it to slide through to the ground. He hit the ground at speed, causing him to wince a bit. He then looked up at Selene, urging her with his gaze.
Selene looked at the ground fearfully but steeled her resolve. She copied Lucien to a tee and within minutes she was on the ground. Lucien caught her before she hit the ground, reducing the impact.
Selene stepped back in embarrassment, her cheeks blushing profusely. Lucien couldn't help but chuckle under his breath.
He then picked a direction relative to Aurea, his city and home, and started walking. He was free, and now it was time to set about talking back what was his.
Lucien trekked through the forest at a moderate pace, Selene right beside him. They moved in comfortable silence.
Lucien's mind was on how to access Gold coins. They were what he needed the most.
The easiest way to gain gold coins was the flower wall estate. It wouldn't lack a couple of treasures to up the system. However going there was suicide.
The next option was to contact his allies. The only problem was that he didn't know who he could trust at the moment. At this crucial time, anyone could be a friend or enemy. Besides he had no way to contact anyone, he first had to make it out of this forest.
They maintained the pace for an hour. Trying to put as much distance as they could between them and the pursuers they knew were on their way.
A sound startled Lucien and he stilled, listening carefully. They were a distance from the estate, and wild animals and magical beasts were bound to start appearing.
He motioned for Selene to stay close. The nocturnal sounds that had filled the forest—chirping, rustling—vanished all at once, replaced by a tense silence that made Lucien's skin crawl..
There was something out there. He drew the sharp knife he had been carrying, a precaution in case they run into such a situation.
The air stilled, pregnant with tension and anticipation. Then in Lucien's site, a wolf appeared.
Its eyes glowed like twin embers in the moonlight, pulsing with hunger. Its dark fur blended into the night eerily, It's paws landing silently on the forest floor.
It's eyes were fixed on them intently, sizing and measuring if they were suitable prey.
Behind it, more shapes emerged—three, no, five wolves, forming a semicircle around them. These weren't ordinary beasts. Lucien could feel it—the pressure they gave off was unnatural.
He used the only skill he had available at the moment. Appraise. Surprisingly, it didn't ask for any gold
[Name: Forest Wolf]
[Level: magic beast]
[Strength: 20]
[Speed: 13]
[Stamina: 15]
[Vitality: 13]
[Skills]
[Bite, Sprint]
They were already more than ordinary beasts. They were twice as strong as ordinary humans.
The one leading them seemed even stronger.
[Name: Forest Wolf Alpha]
[Level: magic beast]
[Strength: 40]
[Speed: 23]
[Stamina: 25]
[Vitality: 30]
[Skills]
[Bite, Sprint, command]
He tensed.
One of the wolves pounced. Lucien didn't hesitate, he stepped forward to meet it. Years and years of training by his father and guardians came through.
His body side stepped, evading the wolf's attack. His blade sang stealthily, slipping into the wolf's neck and exiting like a striking serpent. The wolf's body followed it's momentum and collapsed on the ground. Dead.
The rest of the wolves' eyes lit up in ferocity and rage. They all leapt at Lucien, led by the alpha.
"Selene, Run." Lucien urged as he leapt up to meet them.
He ducked and twisted his body through two of the wolves, using them to stay out of the alpha's range. His blade twitched and cut through a hind leg, blocked a snout there, cut though a hind leg here and caused havoc among the wolves.
Lucien sidestepped, slashing upward with his dagger. Blood spurted from a beast's flank as it yelped and crashed into a tree. But the others didn't hesitate. Two came at once.
Lucien kicked one aside, narrowly ducking a snap of jaws. He rolled to his feet and stabbed the second in the shoulder, twisting the blade.
Lucien didn't emerge without wounds. The lead alpha crushed Lucien in attributes and managed to find Lucien at last. It leapt at Lucien, it's jaws aiming at his neck. Lucien hastily tried to leap out of the way but it was too fast. It's claws caught Lucien at the side.
Lucien's body was flung to a tree, blood spouting from his wound. He didn't pause to inspect it; he leapt up immediately and made a break for it.
The wolves followed, hot on his heels. Lucien weaved and ducked through the forest, leaping over vegetation and shrubs as he tried to get away.
His heart sunk as he looked ahead. Selene had run in this direction. Her attributes seemed better than most normal humans, but compared to Lucien and the wolves, she was still too slow.
She seemed to feel them. She stopped and turned, her eyes widening. Her expression turned resolute
Lucien caught up to her pretty fast. He could feel the alpha wolf just behind him. He couldn't run anymore