Noodok hit the ground running, pushing deeper into the woods.
Behind him, trees crunched and echoed as they were shoved aside roughly by whatever was following him. Sensing another strike, he dove to the side, rolling as he hit the ground. A rushing mass burst past him, crushing through an old oak which shattered, seemingly on it's own: whatever it was, he couldn't see it.
Bubbling acid burnt through the wood that now lay scattered across the ground.
He had an idea. Quickly, he pulled a flask of water out of a satchel on his hip and emptied it on the ground. It mixed with the dirt to form a thin mud. He grabbed a handful of it.
Another crunch of trees behind him gave another warning, and he slipped to the side, tossing the mud where he had been standing. It splattered across the flank of whatever the thing was. He gave chase, perhaps 20 meters, before slamming his sword home in the center of the splattered mud.
The air around him flickered as he pulled his sword free, and a giant elk came into existence. He threw himself backwards as it toppled gracefully to the ground, a gaping hole in its chest. It thrashed for a moment, then lay still, dead.
He nudged it with the tip of his boot, and yelped as his boot began to hiss, some sort of acid was being secreted from the elks body. He wiped the toe quickly on some nearby moss, and watched as it died rapidly.
The corruption and taint had spread quickly. The whole area would undoubtedly be filled with more animals that had been altered by the deep magics of whatever it was that had bought the change.... It was getting too dangerous to continue. He would need a retinue if he was going to progress any further.
Slightly annoyed, he began to head back the way he had came, hoping the General wouldn't be too angry to see him return empty handed.
(IMAGE SOURCE: memymine on Deviantart)
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