Chapter 3: Into the Wild_1

Amira stood at the base of the facility's towering perimeter wall, the chilly night air brushing against her face a silent nudge, reminding her of what was at risk.

Above, faint searchlights lazily scanned the grounds, their beams slicing through the darkness in a slow, steady rhythm.

The guards moved about casually, their steps marked by the kind of relaxed routine that came with feeling untouchable in such a well-secured place.

She crouched down low, trying her hardest to melt into the dense shadows of the underbrush.

She tugged her black cloak a bit tighter around her shoulders, making sure she was fully hidden by the darkness.

Her eyes darted upward as she sized up the climb, mentally timing the sweep of the lights.

This was all about being fast and precise the skills she'd perfected over years of sneaking around in the dark.

As she jumped, her fingers gripping the rough crevices of the wall.

The surge of strength from her recent cultivation made the climb feel almost effortless, and she moved swiftly, like a shadow scaling the vertical surface.

Reaching the top, she flattened herself against the cold concrete, peeking cautiously over the edge.

Below, the gate was locked up tight, with two guards stationed by the control panel.

Their figures blended with the shadows, but she could make out their relaxed stance as they chatted, weapons hanging loosely over their shoulders.

She smirked, an amused thought crossing her mind.

If only they knew who they were dealing with.

With a flick of her wrist, she conjured a thin layer of ice on the far end of the wall, the reflective surface catching the guards' attention.

They turned toward it, momentarily distracted. Seeing her chance, she slipped down quietly, landing in a low crouch.

"Nap time, boys," she muttered under her breath.

She struck quickly, throwing one dagger at the guard closest to the gate.

The blade buried itself in his shoulder, and he collapsed without a sound. The second guard turned, reaching for his gun, but she was faster.

She closed the distance in a blur, driving her dagger's hilt into his neck.

He crumpled to the ground, unconscious.

Dragging the bodies behind a stack of crates, binding their wrists and gags with strips of fabric.

Her fingers flew over the buttons, locking the gates behind her to prevent pursuit and disabling the perimeter alarms.

She straightened, her breath steady. "Locked in their own fortress. How's that for irony?"

With the guards effectively trapped, she slipped through the outer gate, her eyes already scanning the rugged landscape beyond.

The paved road stretched into the distance, flanked by military outposts that would be impossible to evade. She had no intention of taking that route; it was too exposed, too predictable.

Her eyes drifted toward the dark outline of the mountain ridge looming to the north.

It was rugged and unpredictable, but it also promised the cover she needed.

The outer slopes weren't as thick with trees as the deeper forests, making it a safer route for a quick getaway.

She adjusted her pack, packed with carefully chosen supplies: food rations, a water canteen, a rope, and a few airtight bags and containers.

Under her cloak, she had strapped a mix of modern weapons a pistol and twin daggers resting securely at her hip.

"Guess it's into the wild, then," she muttered.

With one last glance back at the facility, she stepped forward, the rugged mountain ahead bathed in the soft, silver light of the rising moon.

The trail was rough and tricky, with loose rocks, tangled roots, and brambles that seemed determined to catch at her cloak.

It was clear this path hadn't been used much lately probably due to the wild growth that had surged since the meteor strike a few months ago.

Vines draped along the rocky slopes like lazy snakes, their oversized, waxy leaves faintly shimmering with the odd energy that had swept through the mountains.

She moved cautiously but didn't seem tense.

Her steps were deliberate, yet her body remained relaxed.

She had chosen this mountain route for a quicker path to Everroot, steering clear of the obvious plains below, which were likely monitored.

Still, she wasn't reckless, she knew better than to dive straight into the thick of the mountain forest, where dangers lurked unpredictably.

Instead, she stuck to the less dense outer edges, finding a balance between speed and safety.

As she edged along a narrow ledge, the mountainside dropped steeply beside her, opening up to a breathtaking view of the plains below, bathed in the soft morning light.

The sun had just started to rise, casting long, golden shadows between the trees. For a moment, she felt a flicker of awe, but she quickly shook it off.

There was no time for admiration. She adjusted her backpack and pulled her cloak tighter against the morning chill, the crisp breeze brushing her cheeks.

Her pace remained steady, conserving energy as she kept her breathing calm and measured.

Her senses were on high alert, with her ice powers quietly humming beneath her skin, ready to react at a moment's notice.

But as she ventured deeper into the forest, the silence started to feel unsettling.

It wasn't just quiet but was the kind of silence that carried a weight, like unseen eyes were watching from the shadows.

The underbrush rustled softly, prompting her hand to instinctively drop to the dagger strapped to her thigh.

She kept moving forward, her eyes sharp as they scanned the dense foliage.

"Come on," she muttered under her breath, barely audible. "Let's get this over with."

Moments later, a large, mutated mountain hare burst from the bushes, its fur bristling and eyes glowing a dull red.

It was nearly twice the size of a normal hare, its hind legs thick and unnaturally muscular.

It let out a low growl an unsettling sound from a creature usually known for running, not fighting.

Letting out an exaggerated sigh, her lips curving into a smirk.

"Seriously? All this fuss just for you?"

The hare lunged at her, claws outstretched with surprising speed.

She sidestepped smoothly, moving like water. In one fluid motion, she swung her dagger, the blade slicing across the hare's flank.

It let out a pained yelp, landing awkwardly, stunned by the strike. Wasting no time she closed the distance, driving the dagger into its throat.

The creature convulsed violently before going limp.

She knelt beside the hare, pulling out the blade with ease.

"Sorry, buddy, but I'm not here for warm-ups," she said, wiping the blood off on the grass.

So far, these mutated beasts were stronger and more aggressive than ordinary animals, but they lacked the elemental powers of the deeper mountain dwellers.

A good enough challenge to keep her alert, but not enough to slow her down.

The path started to narrow as she climbed higher, the rocky terrain gradually giving way to thicker undergrowth.

It wasn't the dense forest she had hoped to avoid, but the rapidly growing mutated plants made even this less vegetated route feel like a mini-jungle.

Vines snaked unnaturally over the rocks, and thorny bushes blocked her path, forcing her to hack through them with quick, efficient slashes of her dagger.

"Can't plants just stay in their lane?" she muttered under her breath, half-amused, as she struggled with a particularly stubborn vine.

The air grew heavier, the humidity rising as she reached a small stream trickling down from the mountain's peak.

The water was clear, almost inviting, but she paused, wary of contamination from the mutated environment.

Suddenly, the eerie quiet was broken by sharp, guttural barks up ahead.

She knew the sound mountain hounds, and more than a couple this time.

Instinctively, she crouched low behind a boulder, scanning the area with her ice dagger already in hand, its blade shimmering faintly in the dim light.

Three mountain hounds crashed through the underbrush, spreading out as they tried to encircle her.

These ones were bigger than the last batch, muscles bulging beneath coarse fur. Their amber eyes glinted with a predatory intelligence, each movement calculated.

She let out a small, amused chuckle.

"So, you brought backup," she teased, her tone light despite the tension, "Good. I was getting bored."

The first hound lunged, jaws snapping viciously.

She sidestepped, using her ice-enhanced speed to dodge the attack, and drove her dagger into its side.

It yelped and stumbled back, but the other two were already closing in.

Drawing in a deep breath, she raised her free hand and unleashed a blast of icy wind.

Frost rapidly spread across the ground, causing the hounds to slip and slow.

One lost its footing entirely, and she lunged, her dagger slicing cleanly across its exposed neck.

The third hound, however, was smarter. It stayed back, watching for an opening.

As soon as she turned toward it, the beast sprang forward with unexpected speed.

She barely had time to react, raising her arm just in time to block its jaws. Its fangs clamped down hard, pain shooting up her forearm.

"Big mistake," she muttered, her voice low and cold.

She channeled her ice power straight into the hound's mouth, frost rapidly spreading across its muzzle, freezing its jaws in place.

The hound's eyes widened in panic, but she didn't let up.

Twisting her dagger free, she drove it into the creature's chest, ending the fight in one swift motion.