“Not long until we're out of this forest. Come on, let's keep the pace up.” Richard said as he led the way through the forest. The trunks were now thinning as they were reaching the edge of the forest. After several days of walking, Harold was exhausted. He had never walked so much in his life and despite his protests, Richard kept them on the move. Yes time was of the essence but he ached with every step.

Jessica however was too distracted to be worried about her legs aching. She couldn't stop thinking about the night she overheard Richard talking to something. What did he call it? Alke? Why keep Alke secret? What was he hiding? What did he mean by magic not existing where he was born? Attin is full of magic.

None of it made sense and it kept nagging at her. She wanted to say something to Richard but how could she bring something like this up to him? Oh hey Richard, I overheard you talking to an ethereal dragon the other night and you were talking about being born in a world with no magic. Care to explain? Yeah that would go down just swell. Her mind was racing with how she could bring up the question when something caught the corner of her eye.

“Hey what's that?” Richard stopped and sees Jessica pointing at a bag up on a branch in a tree.

“Someone must have come through, maybe something inside could help us,” Harold said as he gets closer to the bag.

“Now Harold hold up,” Richard called, catching up with Jessica in tow. “We can't make assumptions like that.”

Harold however had started climbing up the tree to reach the bag. “Oh come on! It’s clearly abandoned so I say finders keepers. It may even have a map inside for a shortcut out of this place.” He then grabs a hold of the bag and starts trying to pull it down.

“Harold please,” Jessica called. “Be careful you don't know what's inside. It could be cockroaches.”

“Oh come off it Jess. Cockroaches don't bite,” Harold says with a chuckle and with one big tug the branch holding the bag snapped and fell to the ground. The bag landed with a thud and several items fell out. Notepads, pens, books, some test tubes but one item in particular made them all fall silent.

It pulsed with a nauseating aura making the air around them grumble. The forest went silent as it rolled to a stop. A simple man would see it as a mana crystal but it wasn't just any kind of mana crystal. It was a corrupted mana crystal. Brimming with corrupted magic that tainted anything it touched. All three of them knew this as they went silent. Even Harold's smile vanished.

“Harold,” Richard said, routed to the spot as a sickening feeling filled his core, “Get down, slowly and keep as far away as you can from that thing.”

Harold nodded slowly and carefully climbed down from the tree. The crystal drummed with anticipation as he made his way down. He lightly touched the ground and tiptoed towards Jessica getting away from the crystal. It's glow pulsed with every step he took. Jessica tiptoed towards Harold, reaching out her arms to get her brother to safety. When they were within reaching distance of each other, something made a deep growl.

The three of them slowly turned to see an 8 foot werewolf with glowing purple eyes staring at them. Small crystals like the one from the bag sprouted from various parts of its body. The top of its face had a crystallised mask covering its eyes. A few tattered shreds of clothing fell off from its body. A left over from the person it once was.

This is why only fools messed around with corrupted magic. Whoever this person was now a servant of the corrupted magic that was consuming them. Turning them into a mindless beast that fed on magic and warped the mana of the land. It was the first lesson Richard learned about magic. You never messed with corrupted magic unless you were desperate or insane. Most likely both.

Harold and Jessica were frozen in fear as the werewolf inched closer to them. Richard, seeing the werewolfs target, realised he had to do something. Picking up a twig he threw it at the werewolf. It hit the wolf in the face, making it snap its attention to him with a roar.

It leaps at him, giving Richard a fraction of a second to pull out his sword to act as a lackluster shield. There was a loud clang as claws met metal and the werewolf growled with anticipation. Hunger in its eyes.

“Pyroooo…” It growled as it inched closer.

“My stars, Richard,” Harold said. “The corruption hasn't taken hold yet. We can still save them.”

“Thanks for the heads Harold but I'm more worried that it can sense the magic in me”. Richard replied hurriedly.

“... Astral…” The werewolf growled.

“...Or maybe not. I think they're gone”

“Richard please,” Harold said just as the werewolf tried to take another swing at Richard that he dodged, “Just get the mask off. It'll free them.”

“Harold it's not that…” Richard started until the werewolf striked again making him temporarily lose his footing. “Now stop distracting me!”

Harold remained silent as the werewolf lunged at Richard. He rolled out of the way and cut at the werewolfs foot. It howled in pain and twisted furiously at Richard lunching at such speed it caught him off guard. His sword was swiped out of his hands and he was knocked down.

The werewolf pinned him to the ground. It went to take a bite at Richard's head but Richard grabbed its jaws and held it back. His arms strained trying to keep the corrupted wolf off from him. Saliva dripped from its maw and landed on his face.

“Urgh, mate. I am not gonna taste good without seasoning.” He grunted as the werewolf bared down on him. He needed to get off from him but it had him pinned and he didn't have the strength to get out of it. The werewolf seemed to know this as it seemed to smile as it got closer and closer and…

Suddenly, a thick branch whacked the werewolf on the back making it yelp in pain releasing its grip on Richard. Not wasting the opportunity he kicks himself from the werewolf to see Jessica holding the thick branch and swinging it at the werewolf again, hitting its arm. The werewolf yelped again but then it snapped its head angrily at Jessica.

“Aim for the mask!” Harold shouted.

“That's what I'm trying to do!” Jessica shouted back and swung again but the werewolf was prepared and snapped its jaws onto the branch breaking it in half. With her weapon gone, Jessica retreated as the werewolf advanced only for Richard to land on its back wrapping his arms around its neck. It bucked wildly trying to get Richard off but Richard just punched it in retaliation. It lost its balance and fell to the floor.

“Now!” Richard shouted and Jessica slammed what was left of her branch onto the mask before the werewolf could recover. The mask shattered into dozens of pieces and scattered. The crystals glowed angrily before then crumbling into dust. Richard got off the werewolf as it began to shrink and lose its vile colour. Soon, all was left was a scrawny grey wolf kin lying motionless on the ground. The corrupted crystal on the ground dimmed.

After some deep breaths Jessica dropped her broken branch. Her arms were shaking. “Are you okay?” Richard asked.

“Me?” Jessica blurted out, “I should be asking you that question. It threw you around like nothing”.

“Still beats basilisk poison”, He remarked as he picked up his sword. “I honestly thought they were gone. It's been a while since I've come across a corrupted beast. I've gotten rusty.”

“Whoever they were, they're lucky we found them in time.”

“Indeed. Before he wakes up let's see if I have any spare…”

“Remarkable!”

Jessica screamed, hugging Harold for dear life. Richard snaps around to find the wolfkin was jumping with glee.

“Well this is something I can add to my research. Being under the influence of corrupted magic. Quite a fascinating experience really,” the wolfkin said with a posh accent.

Richard blinked several times before responding. “You just tried to kill me!”

The wolfkin waved his hand dismissively. “Well a fighter like you should've had no issue taking me down. I wasn't even that far gone and yet you struggled against me. Refusing to use the magical elements running through you. That to me sounds like a you problem.”

“Wha… I… What the hell makes you think an 8 foot werewolf is easy to take down!?”

“I've read the theories on how to fight which I feel makes me just as much of an expert as you. Perhaps more so considering you had to rely on a girl to save your life”.

“Girl!?” Now it was Jessica's turn to get angry. “I am not a little girl and what in blazes are you doing with a corrupted crystal?”

“Pah, well if you insist I've been conducting research on corrupted crystals as a potential power source. Imagine if we could use these on those fancy steam trains that the empires are building. Or to power the factories. A new age is dawning fledglings”.

“Sounds like a nightmare to me. A kingdom full of corrupted beasts”, Richard responded.

The wolfkin waved his hand dismissively again. “Such a small mind. Not surprising really. I understand how difficult it is to get your head around such mind boggling concepts. It would be like me being told that there are multiple universes out there which is complete nonsense. I think you would agree but enough chit chat you must escort me back to my college where I can present my findings.”

“Commanding prick aren't you?” Richard said bluntly. Jessica stifled a chuckle.

The wolfkin for their part looked like they had just been slapped. “How dare you!? I am Professor Gabriello Yeg! Lead researcher at the Managrove Institute and future honourary citizen of the…”

As Gabriello ranted on, Harold decided he had enough. Picking up a rock he shoved past Gabriello and smashed the corrupted crystal lying on the ground making it crumble into nothingness.

Gabriello screamed. “What did you just do, you perpetulent child! That was 3 years of my research gone down the drain just now!”

“Your research?” Harold asked skeptically, raising his eyebrow.

“Yes. I had my assistants do all the work for me whilst I navigated the politics. Things you wouldn't understand you simpleton of a child”

Jessica gasped, “Don't you dare call my brother a simpleton.”

“I'm afraid I care little for your opinion, girl. Women should always be silent when amongst professors.”

Richard had finally had enough. “Oh just shut up!” Before the wolfkin could even reply with one heavy strike, Richard punched them hard to the ground.

“I think you gave him a concussion Richard,” Harold said.

“Good”, Richard replied, “Now, let's get out here. I'm done with idiot scholars”.

“We aren't leaving him are we?”

“No,” Richard says, grabbing hold of the wolfkins ankle, “But I'm not making it comfortable for him.” He then walks down the path, dragging the wolfkin behind him. Jessica and Harold look at each other and with a small nod collect the wolfkins bag and belongings and quickly follow Richard out of the forest.

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This is a wonderful commission I got from  LittleBadWolf

Richard, Jessica, Harold and I guess the idiot scholar belong to me