Chapter 1 : The Dark Forest

Prince Alexander is a young nobleman who has been forced by his father, the king, to accompany the royal officials on their hunting expeditions. He is not accustomed to hunting and finds it tedious, but he knows it is important to his father, so he follows along in order to appease him. Alexander didin't like it at all.

Alexander found the hunting trips to be tedious and unenjoyable. He tried to make the best of it, but he longed for the days when he could just relax and be free from the pressure of royal life. On occasion, he would take the opportunity to escape for a short time and wander off on his own, taking in the sights and appreciating the beauty of nature. Human: As he was sitting by the river, he saw something moving in the bushes and the thing rushing into the forest

Upon spotting movement in the bushes near the river, Alexander quickly grabbed his bow and arrow and watched as whatever it was rushed into the forest. He followed after it cautiously, carefully scanning the area for any signs of danger. When he finally reached the edge of the forest, he could hear something rustling in the bushes. He drew his bow and took aim, but to his surprise, a small rabbit hopped out of the bush and scampered away. Alexander let out a sigh of relief and allowed himself a moment of relaxation before making his way back to the hunting party.

Alexander kept the encounter with the rabbit to himself, not wanting to admit to anyone that he had allowed a potential catch to escape. He was adamant in his refusal to harm innocent animals and would not hear anyone who suggested otherwise. He chose to keep his quickly expanding empathy as his own personal secret, only allowing it to be shared when he wanted it to be.

As Alexander was about to leave the area, he was approached by the lords who had accompanied them on the hunting expedition. They invited him to go deeper into the forest to hunt with them, but he hesitated, uncertain if this was what he really wanted. He knew his father would expect him to take part in the hunt, but at the same time, he felt a strong inclination to protect the animals that lived in the forest. After much inner debate, Alexander conceded and joined the lords on their journey.

Prince Alexander entered the dark forest with the lords and some bodyguards who joined the hunt. While the other half were in charge of guarding the royal horses where they first came

The group ventured further into the Lordwood forest until they reached the edge between Lordwood and the Dark Forest. The air grew thick with a mixture of anticipation and dread as Prince Alexander stood at the entrance, surveying the darkness beyond with a wary sense of anticipation. His lords followed close behind, and the bodyguards kept a vigilant watch, ready to protect their prince should any danger arise. With a nod, the party entered the Dark Forest, ready to face whatever dangers lie within.

The Dark Forest was dark and foreboding, a chill settling over the group as they ventured further in. The trees towered above them, their branches reaching out as if to grab hold of any unsuspecting passerby. A thick mist blanketed the ground, giving off an eerie feeling that sent chills down their spines. It felt like a cursed place, full of hidden dangers and secrets, waiting to be discovered. But despite their fears, Prince Alexander and his party plowed onward, determined to fulfill their mission.

Rumors swirled about the Dark Forest, tales of all kinds of evil creatures--dark magicians, trolls, orcs, werewolves, golems, and more. Prince Alexander and his party pressed on, wary of what they might encounter deep within the forest. As they went deeper, they heard strange noises and felt a sinister presence lurking in the shadows. The tension was palpable as they traveled further, each step bringing them closer to what may be an unknown fate.

Despite the frightening rumors about the Dark Forest, Lord Elliot dismisses them as mere lies spread by the inhabitants. He argued that there was no truth in the tale of an all-powerful leader with powerful magic, namely the Goddess Lythern. Nevertheless, Prince Alexander and his entourage had no choice but to press on, despite their discomfort. As they explored further, they couldn't help feeling that something or someone was watching them from the shadows.

Suddenly, something was darting through the trees in front of them. Lord Zathur exclaimed it was merely a rabbit, bringing sighs of relief from the party. Everyone seemed relieved, except for Prince Alexander who realized the rabbit was the same one he had seen in the river near their camp; its fur was two toned, with dark patches along its back. As if sensing danger, the rabbit took off, and the party gave chase. The lords, bodyguards, and even the prince himself ran after the poor creature, hoping to catch it before it disappeared into the shadows.

Lord Elden quickly drew his bow and nocked an arrow, aiming it at the fleeing rabbit. In an instant, he loosed the arrow and it sped away, striking the poor creature. The rabbit lay lifeless on the ground, and Lord Elden ran to retrieve it, raising it up triumphantly. The rest of the party cheered for the successful hunt, leaving Prince Alexander feeling sorrowful for the life of the rabbit that had been lost.

The entourage ventured further into the darkness of the Dark Forest. Suddenly, Lord Zathur spotted a large deer feeding on the grass nearby. He silently gestured for everyone to remain quiet, so as not to startle the deer. They all crouched low and watched in awe as the majestic creature fed. However, the deer's sharp instincts soon kicked in and it began to move away slowly. Seeing their chance, the party immediately gave chase, running after the deer deeper into the depths of the forest.

The deer stopped suddenly beneath a massive tree, its branches stretching out above them, forming a canopy of leaves that blocked out most of the light from the outside. This made the forest seem even darker and more oppressive, with an eerie black aura enveloping the area. The lords and their bodyguards stayed hidden in the bushes, all eyes trained on the deer, patiently waiting for the perfect moment to aim at the deer with arrows. Prince Alexander watched from the sidelines, feeling a strange sense of dread as the darkness of the Dark Forest continued to creep in.

This time it was Lord Zathur's turn to try and take down the deer. He readied his bow, sighting the deer in his sights. In an instant, the arrow flew from the bowstring, straight and true, piercing the animal’s stomach. The deer let out a pained cry as it took off in fear, and the party immediately gave chase, showering arrows towards the fleeing animal. Finally, the deer collapsed in a heap, seven arrows protruding from its body and a pool of blood seeping around it. The deer was dead, and the group had finally achieved their goal. Despite the successful hunt, Prince Alexander could not help but feel a heavy sense of sorrow at the death of the deer.

As the group celebrated their successful hunt, a sudden gust of wind blew through the forest, carrying with it an eerie sense of magic. Lord Zathur immediately unsheathed his sword, and the rest of the party followed suit, picking up their weapons and looking around warily. Suddenly, one of the bodyguards screamed as he was dragged into the bushes. Prince Alexander and the others ran to his aid, but it was too late--the bodyguard was already gone, taken by some unknown force lurking in the shadows. With their nerves on edge, the group continued onward, determined to find out what lurked within the depths of the Dark Forest.