"There I was—bloody, beaten, bruised, and completely cornered by a pack of Frostfangs. And standing in front of me was a kid dressed in a grey robe," Borin he said, his tone carrying both admiration and disbelief.
The boy stood before Borin, casually leaning against a tree. Blood dripping from the wounds on his arms and legs, but his posture remained unshaken, as if the injuries were mere inconveniences.
Before them, the pack of savage Frostfangs who prowled restlessly. Their glowing, frostbitten eyes fixed on the intruder who dared challenge them.
In the boy's hand gleamed his dagger, barely noticeable against the backdrop of the snow-covered forest. He turned his head slightly towards Borin and asked with surprising calmness, "Hey, mister. You okay?"
Borin coughed, a pained chuckle escaping his lips. "Hah, you kidding me kid? I've never been any better—ugh!" He winced as the pain from his wounds made him clutch his side.
The boy faintly smiled. "Good. That's what I wanted to hear. Now, just sit tight. I'll handle the rest from here."
Before Borin could protest, the boy turned his full attention to the Frostfangs. The creatures growled, their razor-sharp teeth bared as their claws scraped against the snow, preparing to attack.
One of the beasts, larger than the rest, broke from the pack, sprinting straight towards the boy with incredible speed. Its growl echoed through the forest as it leaped into the air, jaws wide open, ready to maul him down.
"HEY KID, MOVE! GET OUT OF THE WAY!" Borin shouted, panic filling his voice.
However, the boy did not flinch. Taking a single, deliberate step forward.
Borin froze in shock, his breath caught in his throat. Then, in the blink of an eye, the Frostfangs, body landed several feet away, lifeless.
"What the...?" Borin muttered, his eyes widening in shock.
The boy, held a bow in his hand, the string still vibrating from the release of an arrow. Borin's mind racing with questions. 'Where did that bow come from? I didn't even see him draw it. Is he some kind of mage?'
The Frostfangs all howled in rage, their cries piercing the cold air as the entire pack charged as once. The boy, unfazed, raised his bow and began firing with precision, each arrow finding its mark. One after another, the beasts fell, their blood staining the snow.
Yet, the remaining Frostfangs did not falter. As they closed the distance quickly, their claws tearing through the icy terrain.
"KID, WATCH OUT!" Borin yelled out as the boy then suddenly leaped high into the air.
He came crashing down in the centre of the pack, landing on one beast and crushing it beneath his boots. The others lunged at him with furious swipes, but the boy twisted and turned, narrowly dodging each attack.
His movements were fluid, almost dance-like, as he unleashed arrows at point-blank range, felling more of the beasts.
Borin watched his heart pounding. "Damn," he muttered under his breath. "That kid... he's on a whole different level. Is he an adventurer or something?"
The fight raged on, but then disaster struck. One Frostfang lunged at the boy, sinking its icy fangs into his arm. The boy grimaced but did not cry out.
Another beast followed, clamping down on his other arm. His bow fell from his grasp, disappearing into the snow.
"Oh no! KID!" Borin screamed, trying to crawl forward despite his injuries.
The boy struggled against the beasts' grip, his teeth gritted in determination. With a sudden, acrobatic twist, he leaped into the air, spinning his body violently in the air.
The motion dislodged both of the Frostfangs grip, and in the process he stomped both their heads smashing into the ground with enough force to kill them instantly.
Landing deftly, the boy drew his dagger in a single fluid motion. In a blur of speed, he sliced through the remaining Frostfangs, each strike clean and precise.
Borin could only stare in awe, his body frozen despite the cold. "That smile…," he muttered.
Noticing the boy's expression as he fought. A slight grin played on his lips, a mix of exhilaration and something deeper. "Well, I'll be damned. That's not just some ordinary kid."
As the last Frostfang collapsed into the snow, silence fell over the forest, broken only by the boy's heavy breathing. He stood amidst the carnage, his grey robe torn and bloodied, but his stance unyielding.
The boy turned to Borin, wiping the blood from his dagger with a piece of cloth. "See, I told you I'd take care of it, didn't I."
Borin let out a weak laugh, shaking his head in disbelief. "Kid… you sure are something else, you know that?"
The boy did not respond, instead he simply offered a hand to help Borin up back on his feet.
In that moment, Borin knew his life changed forever. "On that very day I was saved," He said his voice soft. "And that kid? That is the day I met a real legend in the making. But the story doesn't end there; because there's more I have to tell."
End of Chapter 14.