The dirt road wound through the forest, the mud offering little comfort to William's already battered spirit. He trudged on, the weight of his expulsion and Elric's words sitting heavy on his shoulders. Leaves rustled, insects chirped, and none of it did anything to soothe him.
He had no destination, no plan. Just a need to put distance between himself and the Temple of Ascendancy, the place that had promised him a destiny and then snatched it away. He didn't even have his backpack anymore. Lost somewhere during the teleportation, probably.
The sun dipped below the horizon. Shadows stretched long between the trees, and a cold wind cut through the branches. He needed shelter, and soon.
A low growl came from somewhere in the trees. William stopped, every sense on alert. The growl came again, closer, followed by rustling leaves.
Three pairs of eyes glowed in the dark. Wolves. Lean bodies slipped out of the undergrowth, fangs bared.
William's heart slammed in his chest. He'd never faced a wild animal before, let alone three of them at once. His mind jumped straight to the Corrupted creatures Elric had described. Were these wolves corrupted too?
The wolves lunged. William stumbled back, barely dodging the first snap of jaws. He threw his arms up, useless, fear making his limbs slow and clumsy.
He turned to run. Too late. Teeth sank into his forearm and tore through skin. He cried out and fell into the mud.
He braced for the next attack, but a blur cut through the air first. A sword flashed in the dying light. A few strikes, quick and precise, and the wolves went still.
William looked up. His rescuer was a big man, thick black beard down to his chest, skin browned from years outdoors. Leather jerkin, a longsword on his back with beasts carved into the hilt.
"You alright, lad?" His voice was rough, but not unkind.
William nodded, holding his bleeding arm. "Thank you," he said, and his voice shook more than he wanted it to.
The man crouched next to him and looked at the wound. "Nasty bite. Let's get you to the village."
He pulled William up, letting him lean on his shoulder as they walked. "Name's Gorn. Hunter, out of Willow Creek. And you?"
"William."
They walked without talking much, just the crunch of leaves under their boots. Then lights appeared through the trees, and something in William's chest loosened. He was safe. For now.
Willow Creek turned out to be small, just a handful of wooden houses tucked into the trees. People stared as Gorn led him through the square.
"Who's that with Gorn?" a woman whispered behind her hand.
"Never seen him before," an old man said, leaning on his staff.
"He's hurt," said a girl, eyes wide.
Gorn brought him to a cottage with a thatched roof and a small garden out front. A woman opened the door before they reached it, kind-faced, smiling.
"My wife, Elara," Gorn said. "And our daughter, Maya."
Maya was about William's age, dark hair loose around her shoulders. She glanced at him and looked away, cheeks a little red.
Elara didn't waste time. She sat William by the fire and cleaned the wound herself, her hands rough but gentle. Maya brought bandages and herbs, moving like she'd done this a hundred times before.
Watching them work, William felt something loosen in his chest that had nothing to do with the wound. These people didn't know him at all, and they'd taken him in anyway.
Maybe the Hero Squad hadn't wanted him. These strangers did.
Once Elara tied off the bandage, she set a bowl of stew in front of him. "Eat," she said. "You'll need it."
He didn't argue. His stomach had been growling for a while now, and the smell of the stew made it worse.
Gorn dropped into the chair across from him. "So. Where are you from, William? Not many travelers make it out this far."
William hesitated. He couldn't tell them the truth, obviously, so he'd need something believable. Something that wouldn't invite more questions than it answered.
"I'm from a noble family," he said finally. "Was expelled."
Something flickered in Gorn's eyes, surprise maybe, then something more like understanding. Maybe William's face and his clean, unworn clothes made the story easier to believe.
"Expelled?" Maya asked, quieter than before. "For what?"
William gave a thin smile. "Let's just say I didn't live up to expectations."
He left it there, and to his relief, nobody pushed for more. Gorn just nodded slowly.
"Well, you can stay as long as you need," he said. "Willow Creek's quiet. Always room for people who need it."
William felt something catch in his throat. "Thank you. Really."
Elara smiled at him from across the room. "You're safe here, William. Rest. That's all you need to do tonight."