Blood gushed from the wound, splattering across Alec's face as he tumbled backward.

  He couldn't believe his eyes, there was way too much to process. His heart raced like a freight train, threatening to derail and leave him unconscious again.

  "This isn't real. Aksel, get up!" he pleaded desperately, his voice trembling. Just moments ago, Aksel was alive, talking and breathing. He couldn't be dead, Alec insisted to himself.

  A thunderous voice, echoing through the trees, shattered his disbelief.

  "Which one of you is the fleeing rat?" it boomed, sending shivers down Alec's spine.

  The chaos brought him back to the harsh truth: he was still in the midlle of a life-or-death nightmare.

  They were no safe place, no time to rest and no time to grieve.

  Scrambling backward, shoulder throbbing, Alec frantically scanned his blurry surroundings for anything that might offer a glimmer of hope. "It must be you," the same menacing voice decided.

  Alec's eyes turned towards the source of the voice, revealing a colossal figure that seemed to emerge from the night itself. The man stood at least seven feet tall, a mountain of muscle draped in bear fur, the fearsome head of a bear resting on his shoulder. His red beard and both of the axes he was wielding were soaked in blood. A murderous glint in his eyes, he was staring at Alec, as though sizing him up like a prey, froze Alec in place.

  Approaching Aksel, the giant retrieved the bloodied axe from the fallen healer's throat, causing blood and flesh to spurt out from the horrific wound.

  Alec tried to rise and run but one cold look from the blood-soaked stranger made his legs gave up. They never worker when he needed them

  "You made it easy to find you. What kind of prey leaves blood everywhere?" He crouched before Alec, an strong rotten stench emaning from him.

  Had he followed Alec's blood trail? Was Alex the reason why Aksel was dead.

  The stranger studied Alec, his gaze going up and down as if determining the most creative way to end his life. Alec could hardly find his voice amidst the panic. "Please, don't...don't kill me," he stuttered.

  "Don't beg, It's disgusting." With a dismissive toss, he dropped the weapon that had taken Aksel's life to the ground, its brutal thud on the ground sent shivers down his spine.

  Alec stared at it confused.

  "Pick it up and die like a man" the man growled before taking a few steps back to give Alec space.

  Panic coursing through Alec vein, visions blurred by fear and despair.

  Fighting that man one on one was suicide and with one wirking shoulder he wouldn't last a minute.

  Yet he still had to do something.

  So slowly, he started to reach for the axe, he could see the man grin getting wider as he was getting closer.

  And at the last second, he grabbed and handful of snow and threw it right at the man face.

  For a fleeting moment, the snowball seemed to shimmer as it hit the man face like a bullet, way harder than normal. Making the giant step back.

  As he wiped the snow from his face, Alec saw blood leaking out of his nose, the snowball had did way more damage than he had tought possible

  That was Alec clue to leave. Without a seconds of hesitation, and totally ignoring the protestation of his body, Alec bolted out of there.

  Running throught the dark forest was harder than he tought. Every rustling leaves sounded like danger and Alec could hardly catch his breath.

  The man thunderous footsteps echoed behind him, but the night concealed Alec's terrified figure. Branches were slapping at his face, and he nearly stumbled over gnarled roots, but the adrenaline pumping through his veins kept him moving.

  Sadly, his run came to an end as he nearly felt down a cliff.

  There was nowhere left to go now.

  He could see water down the cliff.

  He felt like he could jump down, like he should jump down, but that was the dumbest idea he ever had. He couldn't possibly survive that kind of fall.

  "Are you done?" The man growled as he caught up.

  Alec turned around to face him. Well timed enough to see an axe flying straight for his face, he immediatly sat down, dodging the worst.

  "Let's see you dodge that!" Screamed the man as he charged at Alec.

  It looked like death coming from him, like a bear getting fully ready to maul him. Giving up crossed Alec mind, but when the hit actually came, without even thinking about it, Alec rolled out the way ending up behind the man.

  "So you can fight." Laughed the man as he recovered from his failed attempt that nearly sent him down the cliff.

  He turned around, his eyes were glowing with a murdeous glaze.

  Alec had no idea what to say. So he tried his basic answer to everything, taunting. " And you actually...can't?" He hesitated.

  "What?".

  "Don't get me wrong, you look really scary with all that," he said designating the muscles and the axes and everything. "But what kind of warrior strike an unarmed kid in the back? Let me answer for you. A coward" He laughed.

  "You are actually suicidal huh." The man smiled before dropping his axe and the bear fur to the ground, revelling an even more impressive body covered with tattoo, how was it even possible to get that big? "I will kill you with my bare hand. "

  He ran at Alec. But the man still had a knife on his belt, that was Alec target.

  The first hit came. Alec managed to slip out of the way, but the second punch was way faster.

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  He ducked a punch to his head, but as he tried to reach for the knife, the man's fist found his way to his stomach.

  The hit was so violent that Alec's feet left the ground, and before he could even understand, the man grabbed him by his throat in the air, and slammed him on the ground.

  The air got knocked out of Alec's lung as he touched the ground, he nearly falled out of consciousness. But he woke up fast enough to roll out the way as the giant tried to stomp his face.

  He difficultly got up. He was clearly outmatched, fighting back wasn't even an option. Every breath he took hurt his chest, and his vision was tunnelling.

  Another combo like that and that was the end of him.

  "Still think i'm weak?" Laughed the man while Alec was groaninf in pain.

  "My sister hit harder." Alec said as he tried his harder to hide the tremour in his voice.

  He had a sister? Not now, the metallic taste of blood reminded him to stay grounded.

  The man scoffed. Before going for Alec again.

  Now was his chance, Alec tought as he slipped the man punch. And countered with a punch of his own on the man jaw.

  The sudden sharp pain that travelled to his right arm letted him know that this had been a mistake.

  The man was tough as a brick wall. He grabbed Alec head and kneed him straight in his chest again.

  Alec took a few step back to recover. But he realised that he was clearly more hurt than he tought as fell backward.

  He couldn't breathe deep enough, he could taske is blood, his body was shaking from fear.

  He looked down to see blood leaking on the snow. That was his, the man had surely broke his nose. At this rythm, he wasn't going to make it.

  "You're not worth the effort." The man said as he picked one of his axes back.

  Alec was not getting hit by that, he tought as he struggled to get back up. He needed an genius escape plan right now.

  He had to think, to remenber something that could help. He could fight or at least dodge, there had to be something else he could do. He could feel it as if the solution was near him.

  He just had to reach for it.

  The giant charged forward, swinging his axes with all his might. His movements were fast, but he seemed less agile than with his bare fist, making him nearly easy to read. Yet still to strong for Alec to try something, one clean hit meant death.

  Alec managed to dodge most of the deadly strikes, but most of them were nearly landing, cutting Alec a little bit more each time.

  He was backing up, but he had no idea where to go, and he couldn't take his eyes off the man to try an look for an answer

  As Alec dodged an attack that was supposed to decapit him, he found himself backed up against a tree, there were nowhere to back up to now.

  The man smiled as he swung his axe again, aiming for Alec throat.

  But he wasn't going out like that. He crouched down, dodging the hit. The swung was so ferocious that the axe got stuck in the tree, nearly choppung it down.

  Seizing the opportunity, he reached for the knife secured at the giant's belt. His fingers closed around the hilt, and a flicker of hope ignited in his eyes. This was his chance.

  Lunging forward, Alec aimed for the man's neck, hoping to end this relentless pursuit once and for all. But with impossible speed, the colossal man dodged the lethal strike, and a powerful punch landed on Alec's jaw with a awful crack.

  Alec didn't fell down. He just staggered back a little bit, consciousness slipping from his grasp, struggling to not just fall on the ground and give up.

  The man had swung so hard that he wasn't even feeling the pain.

  It felt like it was all a dream. His body was heavy, the cuts on his body were burning, he couldn't breath, next to that death had to be relief.

  He took a step back again and blinked.

  When he reopened his eyes, he was facing the sky. When had he fall?

  The knife was on the ground next to him. How long had he been gone for?

  He tried to stand up, but couldn't find the strength. He was done.

  The snow was cold and soft, like a bed welcoming him back after a long day at school. Hre could feel the coldness of the snow inflitrating his body, his hand moved on his own grabbing an handful of snow in a desperate grip. He felt at peace there, he could have stayed there forever.

  "This time you won't get back up." The giant said as he grabbed Alec by the hair, bringing him back to reality.

  He lifted Alec from the ground and brought him to the same level as his face, if Alec had the necessary strength he would have cursed him out.

  "Where did all that wit and vigor went?" The man laughed. " I expected a lot from you, but you was just another dissapointement. I hope your two little friends are better than that."

  Things weren't ending with Alec death. It was going to be him, then Erick, than other innocent teenager. That man was a psychopath, all of them were. He had to be stopped here and there.

  The snow in his hands shimmered faintly. And with all the strength he had left, Alec drove it toward the man neck. That was so slow that the man probably tought that Alec was joking or harmless.

  But the snow felt incredibly solid in his hand, he was probably delusional but he imagined it to be just like the knife he had lost, and it plunged into his skin like into butter.

  The man's scream was primal, guttural, and terrifying. He clutched his throat, letting Alec fall down. Blood spewing between his fingers, a horrific symphony of agony. The giant staggered back, looking at Alec with pure rage.

  Then Alec saw the knife, still on the ground. So what had he stabbed him with? He looked back to his hand to see a handful of red snow.

  He couldn't make sense of anything as consciousness was slipping between his fingers.

  The man fell down in an loud thud, his body twitched for a little bit, but he never got back up.

  Alec wasn't planning on getting up either. Not that he didn't want to, he just wasn't feeling his body anymore.

  As Alec lay on the cold snow, his breath coming in ragged gasps, the dark sky above him began to fill with snowflakes, tiny crystalline stars drifting gently down from the heavens. The first flakes landed on his battered body, and Alec felt a surreal sense of peace wash over him.

  The falling snowflakes covered his wounds, masking the blood and the pain. It was cold but agreable, it might have been exegeration but he really felt warmth.

  The world seemed to muffle and he quickly realized that he could move his fingers again.

  He difficultly sat up to witness the unbelievable. His wounds were slowly disappearing and the pain was slowly fading away. He was healing.

  He tried to stand up but was quickly reminded that he wasn't totally healed yet, he had to take it easy.

  But he was definetly healing. He couldn't help but smile at the fact, that today wasn't his last day.

  But his toughts quickly drifted to Erick and Ulf whom had thrown themselves into hell to end this thing.

  Were they okay? Could he still help, or was it to late?

  He had to atleast try to find them. He said to himself as he slowly rised up.

  He hadn't died there, that meant he couldn't quit.

  When he finally gathered the strengh to stand up. With a deep breath and shaking legs he walked toward the giant.

  Crouc and grabbed his axe. If he had to fight, this would definetly be useful. He tried to look for anything else useful and his eyes darted to a frozen puddle nearby, noticing a face staring at him with piercing blue eyes.

  A kid that couldn't be over sixteen, blood all over him and his blond windswept hair,

  Now at least he could put a face on the name- Alec Chase

  He stood back up and started to limp his way back in the forest, looking for any thing that could help him find them.

  He stood back up and started to limp his way back in the forest, looking for any thing that could help him find them.