Serys, Patwin, and the two guards rode for about 10 hours before finding an abandoned field. They decided to set up camp there. Patwin estimated they were about eight hours out from Blenshire. One last peaceful night's rest before the test.
Patwin pulled out his flint and quickly set up a fire. As the four of them sat around the fire, Serys couldn't help but notice that something seemed off with Patwin.
"What's wrong?"
"Oh nothing...it's just...something is wrong here. The air is staler, the grass is dirtier...there's just a feeling in my bones that we're approaching something unnatural, something...evil."
"Whatever it is, we'll face it together."
Serys laid down on the grass and looked up at the stars. For a second, she let herself imagine herself as a knight. The plated armor. A blade in one hand, a shield in the other. Rushing towards a horde of enemies with other compatriots. She truly felt bliss.
"If you do not turn back now, anguish will be all that you know."
Serys jolted up and saw nothing but the rest of her group sleeping. She was tired of these warnings; she was almost more excited about seeing the end of them than finding the sword.
---
At sunrise, Serys, Patwin, and the guards packed up and rode towards Blenshire.
As the hours passed, Serys felt more and more knots in her stomach. Was she making a mistake? Was there any point to this? To distract herself from those questions, Serys decided to make small talk.
"What are your names?" Serys asked the guards.
"Duravin," the guard in front replied.
"Jaksor" the guard in her rear replied.
Serys was about to respond when she suddenly had a vision. Deep in the woods, a black, swirling apparition with silver eyes. Your judgment awaits, she could hear it say.
"We're close" Serys blurted out.
"How do you know?" Patwin asked.
"Gut feeling."
--------
Blenshire had long been rumored to be desolate and decaying, but the group was not quite prepared for what that meant. They could see the trees were obsidian black, twisted in grim contortions, The leaves were reddish orange. They could hear inhuman noises emanating from inside.
The group rode to the entrance of the woods. Duravin, who said almost nothing up to this point, decided to interject.
"Well men, here we go, valiantly fight-"
He never finished his sentence as a giant red-furred wolf, the size of a bear, leaped out of the woods. Duravin had no time to react as the beast leaped straight at him. Desperately trying to reach for his sword, Duravin could only watch as the wolf viciously started feeding on his stomach.
Serys started screaming. Panicking, she saw Patwin and Jaksor get off their horses and followed their lead. Pulling out their respective swords, the three started attacking the wolf. It kept it's focus on Duravin until Jaksor thrust his blade against it's snout. That got it's attention. The wolf snarled, showing a mouthful of razor sharp teeth. Jaksor continued on the offensive, targeting the wolf's face again and again. The creature lifted it's front left paw and landed on Jaksor's left arm. It's claws slashed Jaksor's arm, leaving large wounds.
Sensing the creature was distracted, Patwin raised his sword and buried it through the creature's skull. The animal lumbered for a few seconds before collapsing.
Serys, Patwin, and Jaksor made their way over to Duravin. Blood pooling out of his stomach, they quickly realized he was dead. Jaksor reached down and pushed his eyes shut.
Serys, sobbing, started apologizing profusely. Patwin rested his hands on her shoulders.
"Listen to me, he knew what he was getting into. He gave his life for you, for us. Remember that and make it mean something." Patwin implored her.
Jaksor, bandaging his wounds, insisted that they could not just leave the body.
"We have no choice." Patwin said. "We move forward."
Serys, Patwin, and Jaksor looked ahead, wondering what other horrors awaited them inside.