The Million-Dollar Heart (Percival and Vivienne)

Vivienne withdrew her gaze and, along with Percival, ventured deeper into the woods.

Indeed, as Carly had mentioned, the scent of the wild - a mix of wolf and boar - was strong, explaining Vivienne's cautious steps.

They had barely advanced when an eerie green glow emerged from the underbrush. Vivienne, expressionless, scattered a packet of powder into the bushes before the creatures could react. The green light flickered wildly before a thud echoed through the serene forest.

"Amateurs," Vivienne scoffed, unimpressed by the threat these creatures posed.

As Vivienne and Percival turned to continue, the fallen pack of wolves suddenly rose, their eyes glowing even more intensely.

The alpha wolf locked eyes with Vivienne and growled deeply before lunging at her.

Percival, swift as ever, drew his dagger and struck, with the wolves joining the fray. Despite the blades piercing their flesh, the wolves seemed exhilarated by the bloodshed.

Vivienne realized something was amiss and advised Percival, "Don't go head-to-head; they're frenzied."

Acknowledging her advice, they regrouped back-to-back, adjusting their strategy.

Seizing an opportunity, Vivienne plunged her dagger into the temple of the alpha wolf, which collapsed and didn't rise again.

Handing her blade to Percival under the moonlight, its poisoned tip gleamed. "We need to move quickly. This commotion will draw their attention," she whispered, sensing more danger approaching.

Feeling a sense of unease, Vivienne watched as a wolf broke away, standing on a rock howling at the sky.

Exchanging a glance with Percival, they split up to cover more ground.

Vivienne, heading left, stumbled into a den of snakes, disturbing their slumber as she passed. With nothing but a sturdy branch and her wits, she fashioned a makeshift bow and arrow, dispatching any threat with precision. By the time she had dealt with the snakes and collected their venom, the forest was littered with the fallen.

"Is that all they've got?" she mused disdainfully.

By the time the patrol arrived, Vivienne and Percival were long gone, leaving behind a gruesome scene.

"Everyone, converge here! We've got intruders!" Gregg barked into his radio.

Those guarding the cabin hesitated, "Should we join them?"

"That's an order!" came the reply. They were concerned about abandoning their posts, but soon, they were the only ones left.

"Let's stay put for now. We're all that's left here."

Percival, having dealt with a wild boar, noticed people converging in one direction and signaled Vivienne.

"Are they coming for you?" he asked through the earpiece.

Vivienne, spotting the movement, replied in a hushed tone, "It's not just me. We've been spotted. Let's head back."

Reuniting near the cabin, Percival checked Vivienne for injuries before they contemplated their next move.

"Plans?" he asked, wiping blood from her face.

Vivienne, scanning the cabin with her binoculars, noted, "Windows are shut tight. Can't guarantee there aren't guards inside."

Percival pondered, "They wouldn't leave many behind. Those two were probably just to keep watch."

Their analysis made sense, and they began planning their approach.

Meanwhile, Gregg, discovering the carnage in the woods, was furious. "What happened here? Who dared to intrude?"

The scene baffled him; despite the extensive patrol, no one had noticed the intruders.

"Boss, we've got a problem," a subordinate reported, rushing in.

Gregg, already livid, demanded, "What now?"

"Sir, we found the Ashen King dead to the north," the man stammered, delivering news that would only deepen the mystery of the night's events.

The moment the words left his mouth, a hush fell over the crowd, and Gregg let out a sharp intake of breath.

The Ashen King, that was the

creature Mayor Thompson had been nurturing for over a decade before he let it loose. No one could have imagined it would meet its end tonight.

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"What the hell happened?!" Gregg had seen firsthand how formidable the Ashen King was. It was fast, and it always struck to kill. It couldn't have just died so easily.

It wasn't until the Ashen King's body

was laid out in front of Gregg, and he pulled a tightly lodged branch from its temple, that everyone got a clear view. Only when the branch was fully removed did the onlookers see what was unusual about it.

Gregg squinted at the tip of the branch, and sure enough, he spotted something extraordinary.

Regaining his composure, he threw the object on the ground with force. "Brilliant, just brilliant. This person is incredibly cunning, Keith!"This belongs to NôvelDrama.Org: ©.

The crowd was still in the dark about

what had transpired when they heard Gregg command them to continue the search. "We must find the person responsible today, no matter what!"