Crimson Rebirth ( GL)

The island felt wrong.

As soon as Elira's boat disappeared beyond the horizon, I stood there on the rocky shore, gripping the rough fabric of the bag she had tossed at me, my eyes scanning the unfamiliar landscape.

The air was thick, charged with an eerie, unsettling energy that clung to my skin. It was humid, the kind that made every breath feel heavy, and I could already tell this wasn't going to be a peaceful stay.

The jagged cliffs loomed to my right, towering high above, their sharp edges casting dark, ominous shadows over the beach.

Beyond them, a dense, wild forest spread out as far as I could see, with trees that looked ancient and gnarled, their roots twisting like serpents through the dark soil.

The canopy was so thick it was impossible to see much of the sky, but every now and then, flashes of light blinked through the gaps in the trees like lightning, but silent. It made my skin prickle. 

And then, there were the sounds. Strange, echoing howls that rose from deep within the forest, followed by rustling leaves and branches snapping underfoot. It was as though the island itself was alive, its every movement and sound filled with a sense of danger and unpredictability.

"Okay, this is fine," I muttered, trying to calm the rising panic that threatened to take over. "This is fine. I've got two months, just need to survive. No big deal, right?"

Except I knew it was a big deal. I could feel it in my bones. This place was nothing like I had expected. I thought Elira would take me somewhere challenging, but this… this was something else entirely. It was the kind of place that would eat you alive if you weren't careful.

I took a deep breath, shaking off the fear gnawing at me, and opened the map Elira had thrown at me. The parchment was old and yellowed, the ink slightly faded, but it gave a rough layout of the island.

There was a small river running through the center, cutting across the thick forest, and a few clearings scattered here and there. At the northernmost part of the island was what looked like a cave or some kind of stone structure. I wasn't sure, but something about it felt important.

My destination, maybe? But the path leading there wound through the densest parts of the forest, and I already had a bad feeling about that.

I stuffed the map back into the bag and squared my shoulders. "No use standing around. Gotta find somewhere safe before nightfall."

With one last glance at the rocky shore, I turned toward the forest, my feet sinking into the wet sand as I trudged forward.

As I neared the treeline, the air grew cooler, but not in a comforting way. The moment I stepped into the shade of the trees, it felt like a weight settled over me, like I had crossed some invisible barrier into a completely different world.

The trees were massive, their trunks thick and covered in a strange, glowing moss that gave off a faint green light. The ground beneath my feet was soft, almost spongy, and every step seemed to sink slightly into the earth, making me feel like I was walking on something alive.

Roots twisted across the ground in wild patterns, making it hard to walk without tripping. I stumbled over one, cursing under my breath as I caught myself on a low branch.

But then, something else caught my attention movement. From the corner of my eye, I saw something dart between the trees, too quick to get a good look at, but big. Definitely not a harmless little animal.

My heart raced, and I instinctively reached for the small dagger I had tucked into my belt. Elira had taught me some basic self-defense, but nothing could have prepared me for this.

I moved forward cautiously, my eyes scanning every inch of the forest, ears straining to catch any sound. But the deeper I went, the more unsettling everything became.

The strange flashes of light I had seen from the shore were more frequent here, streaks of blue and green cutting through the trees, illuminating the shadows in a way that was both beautiful and terrifying.

I suddenly remembered reading about places like this enchanted islands filled with deadly magic creatures. In one of the books from my lectures, they mentioned how certain islands were ancient breeding grounds for beasts that fed off magic.

The thought sent a shiver down my spine. I wasn't just in a dangerous place; I was in a place designed to kill people like me.

Great. Just great.

A loud rustling noise behind me made me freeze. Slowly, I turned, my grip on the dagger tightening. For a moment, there was nothing just the silent forest and the distant howls I'd been hearing since I arrived. But then, out of the shadows, it emerged.

At first glance, it looked like a wolf, but it was larger, far larger, and its body was covered in shimmering black scales instead of fur.

Its eyes glowed an eerie red, and steam rose from its mouth as it exhaled, revealing rows of sharp, jagged teeth. Its claws dug into the earth, leaving deep gouges in the ground as it slowly stalked toward me.

I took a step back, heart pounding so loud I could barely hear anything else. My brain screamed at me to run, but my feet wouldn't move.

It let out a low, rumbling growl, its eyes locked on me, and then it pounced.

I barely had time to react, ducking out of the way just as it leapt toward me, its claws slicing through the air where I had just been standing. I hit the ground hard, rolling to the side as the creature skidded to a stop, turning to face me again.

"Okay, okay," I breathed, scrambling to my feet, my dagger still clenched in my hand. "I can do this. Just need to get to higher ground or something. Maybe I can outrun it."

The wolf-thing growled again, lowering its head, preparing to strike. I backed up slowly, my eyes darting around for any sign of escape. But the forest was dense, and the creature was fast. Too fast.

Before I could react, it lunged again, its jaws snapping shut just inches from my face. I swung the dagger wildly, managing to nick its side, but it barely seemed to notice. Instead, it let out an enraged snarl and swiped at me with one of its massive claws.

The force of the blow knocked me off my feet, sending me crashing into a nearby tree. Pain exploded in my side, and I gasped, trying to catch my breath as the world spun around me.

The creature stalked closer, its glowing eyes fixed on me with a hunger that made my blood run cold.

I struggled to stand, every part of me screaming in pain, but I couldn't stay down. If I didn't move, I was dead.

"Think, Ren, think!" I muttered to myself, eyes darting around for anything I could use to my advantage.

And then I saw it up ahead, through the trees, a steep hill leading to a rocky outcrop. If I could get up there, maybe I'd have a chance. Maybe.

Without thinking, I bolted, sprinting toward the hill with everything I had. The wolf-creature let out a furious howl and charged after me, its claws tearing through the ground as it gave chase. My legs burned, my lungs screamed for air, but I didn't stop. I couldn't stop.

I reached the base of the hill and began to scramble up, my fingers digging into the loose soil as I climbed. Behind me, I could hear the creature snarling, its breath hot on my heels. It was gaining on me.

I pushed harder, my muscles screaming in protest, and just as I reached the top of the hill, the ground gave way beneath me.

I tumbled forward, rolling down the other side of the hill in a blur of dirt and rocks, my body slamming into the ground with each painful bounce.

When I finally came to a stop, I lay there, gasping for breath, my entire body aching.

I had no time to recover. The wolf-creature was still coming, and I could hear its heavy footsteps approaching fast.

I forced myself to my feet, but before I could take another step, a shadow passed overhead a huge, winged shadow. I looked up, and my heart nearly stopped.

Circling above me was something even worse.

A dragon.