A Celestial's Wrath

Yan Hao's surroundings changed and were replaced by the view of a primitive village. Shabby buildings made of wood filled the streets. The buzzing noises of people talking and advertising things sounded throughout the entire marketplace and people flocked to street shops.

Yan Hao was standing on a teleportation platform in the middle of the marketplace, checking out his surroundings. "It looks shabbier than I thought…" muttered Yan Hao, stepped off the platform, and walked along the busiest street.

The people were clad in strange armors. It looked completely different from the ones he saw at the Northern War. But this was a completely other world after all where nothing from their planet worked or held a meaning.

Most people wore leather armor and only very few were clad in a tight-fitting iron c.h.e.s.t plate. But strange enough, none of them seemed to hold a weapon or have one near them. But that was maybe because they stored it in coins.

As Yan Hao continued his walk along the street, he quietly listed to the street vendors shouting advertis.e.m.e.nts.

"One pound meat for 2 spirit irons!"

"Get your beast hide now! Only 5 spirit irons!"

"Top quality beast hide of a primitive beast! Buy it before it's gone!"

…

Understanding a little more about the spirit realm, Yan Hao finally arrived at the end of the street and stood before a wooden bridge leading to the shore of the mainland.

A simple, wooden sign stood before the bridge, stating: "Danger! K9 Beasts!"

"Canine beasts? Like wild dogs or wolves?" pondered Yan Hao.

"That shouldn't be that difficult," he concluded. "Moreover, I can't buy a weapon anyway. I don't have spirit irons or other resources which could be valuable in the Spirit Realm."

With no other choice left, Yan Hao stepped onto the primitive bridge and started his way across it, leaving the small island Safe Haven.

As a well-trained soldier, the best of his special division, Yan Hao knew how to fight even if he has no weapon. With his rich experience and combat techniques, beating a wolf should be like a warm-up for him.

In a steady pace, he walked over the bridge and gazed into the crystal-clear water beside it. The water was actually so clear that even the pebbles on the ground could be seen as if there was no water at all. It was nearly like the stories of fairy tales, only the colorful fishes were missing.

"It looks really beautiful here. Maybe I should take Yan Mei here when she feels better."

Walking under the clear sky while the sun glared down at him, Yan Hao arrived at the shore of the mainland and made his way into the forest.

The big trees were spread far apart and their thickets blocked the sunlight out, giving the forest a gloomy atmosphere. The meadow stretched all over the ground and some thickets crowded randomly over it.

Yan Hao's mind was deathly silent and his gaze surveyed the surroundings like an eagle. Patiently, he was waiting for a beast to appear and make his first kill.

In total silence, he walked further into the forest and avoided to make the slightest sound. Wolves hunt in packs and if he would be too loud, in the worst case an entire pack of wolves would assault him.

Yan Hao walked near the trees and used them partly as a cover. He glided his hand along its rough bark and noticed some scratch marks on them. They were rather deep and turned the wood ashen-black as if the claws were blazing hot weapons.

The smell of scorched wood still lingered in the air.

"It can't be far," he concluded and walked further into the forest, watching his every step so that he wouldn't step on a branch.

*crack*

The sudden cracking noise of a branch startled him and he jolted around, staring at the direction from where the sound came from.

Nothing.

There was nothing.

Cold sweat poured out of his back and his heart pounded against his rib cage. It knew there was something wrong. "Wolves shouldn't be this secretive."

Maybe it was a mistake going into the forest without a weapon. After all, this is a completely new planet with unknown dangers. There was even a 'danger' sign before the bridge.

*crack*

There it was again! Swiftly, Yan Hao shot his head around and glared into the thicket where the sound came from.

"Is it playing with me?" he wondered.

"Come out!" Yan Hao shouted toward the thicket and raised his fist into a defensive position while he dragged his feet into a combat stance.

A throaty snarl growled out from the thicket and scratched against his ears. It sounded horrible and left his neck hair standing up.

An entirely black Abyss Wolf crept out from the thicket and proudly showed itself. Its head was held high and supported by a thick, bull-like neck. Next to its sharp ears, a pair of small, metallic horns drilled out from its skull.

In a crouched position, it slowly made its way toward Yan Hao. As it bared its teeth, hideous silva dripped down from its ugly fangs. A pair of serial killer eyes stalked Yan Han's every movement and penetrated his soul. He could feel the icy malice from it and knew it was dangerous.

The Abyss wolf cautiously drew an arc around Yan Hao, waiting for the perfect moment to pounce at him. Its bestial instincts made it the best predator in a forest - the home of wolves.

"Hopefully it is alone," hoped Yan Hao and pressed his sweat filled back against the bark of the tree, giving him cover from behind.

Yan Hao tightened his fists and readied them to thrust out at any time. His biceps flexed and tendons protruded out at the back of his hand. Popping and cracking noises of his knuckles and joints sounded out.

"Come!" Yan Hao howled.

The Abyss Wolf got enraged!

Its snout cringed; deep wrinkles formed around it. The fur on its back snapped upright and bristled. A deep and gutty snarl growled from its throat, and it widened its maw, baring more teeth while showing its ugly fangs to its full extent.

With unsheathed claws it scratched against the meadow and buried its claws into the soil, leaving behind an earthly scar.

A bestial deep and loud bellow shot out its lung, and the Abyss Wolf pounced at Yan Hao with its maw targeting his neck.