The forest path was surprisingly quiet as Petra, Oluo, and Snow White made their way toward the cottage. Sunlight filtered through the towering trees, dappling the ground in golden patches. Despite the peacefulness of their surroundings, Petra couldn't shake her unease. She walked slightly ahead of the group, eyes scanning the woods, her hand instinctively hovering near her ODM gear.
Snow White moved gracefully beside them, the blue and yellow of her dress swaying with each step. Her demeanor was calm, almost serene, as if this magical forest posed no threat. Oluo, on the other hand, seemed more relaxed than Petra had ever seen him. He was taking in the scenery with wide-eyed wonder, his typical bravado dimmed by genuine awe.
"Isn't this place incredible?" Oluo asked, his voice low but filled with admiration. "It's almost like a dream."
Petra, however, was less convinced. "Maybe, but something feels… off. We shouldn't let our guard down."
Oluo rolled his eyes but nodded. "Right, right. Always on edge. You could learn to enjoy the moment, Petra."
Before she could respond, a rustling sound came from the trees ahead. Snow White stopped abruptly, her hand reaching out as if to warn them. "Wait," she whispered. "Something's wrong."
A low growl echoed through the woods, followed by the thud of heavy footsteps. Petra's instincts kicked in, and in an instant, she had her blades in hand, her body tense and ready.
The underbrush ahead of them parted violently, revealing a hulking creature—a grotesque, twisted thing with the body of a wolf but much larger, its eyes glowing an unnatural red. Its fur was matted and bristling, and its mouth was filled with sharp, jagged teeth. It was like something out of a nightmare.
Oluo stumbled back, his hand instinctively going to his ODM gear. "What the hell is that thing?!"
Petra didn't hesitate. "It's a threat. We take it down, like always."
The creature roared and charged toward them, its massive claws ripping up the earth as it bounded forward. Snow White gasped, taking a step back, but before she could retreat further, Petra fired her ODM hooks into a nearby tree, launching herself into the air.
The familiar rush of wind filled her ears as she swung upward, her blades gleaming in the dappled sunlight. Oluo followed her lead, his usual swagger returning as he shot his hooks into a nearby branch and rocketed into the air.
"Let's do this!" Oluo shouted, his voice filled with adrenaline.
Petra angled herself downward, coming in fast and low toward the creature's exposed flank. She slashed with precision, her blades cutting into the beast's thick hide. It howled in pain but didn't slow down, swiping at her with its massive claws. Petra dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding the strike.
Oluo circled around, using his ODM gear to stay airborne, his usual cockiness back in full force. "Come on, ugly! Let's see what you've got!" he yelled, diving down to deliver his own strike. His blades connected, drawing a deep gash across the creature's back.
The creature roared in fury, whipping around to face its attackers. Petra and Oluo danced through the air, expertly dodging its wild swings, but the creature wasn't giving up. It lunged upward, its jaws snapping dangerously close to Oluo's leg.
"Oluo, watch it!" Petra shouted, angling her trajectory to come in from behind.
Snow White watched in horror from below, her hands covering her mouth. "What… what kind of magic is this?"
"What do you mean by magic?!" Petra yelled back, her focus never leaving the creature.
The beast leapt again, its powerful legs launching it toward Petra. With a swift move, she fired her hooks into a nearby tree and swung herself just out of reach. As the creature landed, she twisted in midair and dove straight down, both blades raised.
The sound of steel cutting through flesh echoed through the forest as Petra's strike connected, slicing through the creature's neck. The beast stumbled, letting out a final gurgling roar before collapsing onto the ground, its body twitching as it took its last breath.
Petra landed gracefully beside the fallen creature, her blades dripping with its dark blood. She took a deep breath, adrenaline still coursing through her veins. Oluo landed nearby, a wide grin on his face.
"Not bad," he said, wiping some sweat from his forehead. "Maybe this world isn't so peaceful after all."
Snow White, still pale from the encounter, slowly approached them. "I… I've never seen anything like that before. How did you do that?"
Petra sheathed her blades, trying to calm her racing heart. "We're soldiers. We've fought worse."
Snow White looked between them, her expression a mix of awe and confusion. "I had no idea such creatures existed in my forest. It's always been a safe place for me and my friends… until now."
Oluo frowned, stepping closer to inspect the creature's lifeless form. "This thing doesn't look like it belongs here. Something's wrong. Maybe this place isn't as perfect as I thought."
Petra nodded, her earlier unease returning in full force. "I don't know what's going on, but this world isn't as safe as it seems. We need to be on guard. There could be more of these things."
Snow White looked down at the ground, her face full of concern. "We should get to the cottage. My friends will know what to do."
Petra exchanged a glance with Oluo. The fight had shaken them both, but there was no turning back now. They were deep in this world, and there was no clear way out.
"Lead the way," Petra said, her voice steady. "But we're not letting our guard down."
As they resumed their journey, the forest around them seemed darker, more threatening. Every rustle of leaves and snap of twigs put Petra on edge. She couldn't shake the feeling that this peaceful fairy tale world was hiding something far more sinister than any of them had anticipated.