《Monstrous (Warhammer Fantasy)》 Chapter 1 Picture an untamed, wintery wilderness. A place where spindly, tall evergreens dot the landscape. A deep ravine lay there, where two ice-capped mountain ridges oppose each other. So tall were these ranges, that the observer would have to strain their necks to the point of discomfort just to be able to see their peaks. Today, those peaks were obstructed by dark, broiling clouds that scattered a fine dusting of snowflakes down upon the treetops. These treetops grew in density with the mountain''s descent, as did the melting snow, forming ever larger rivulets that ran down the slope. Down the water flowed, leaving behind the barren, freezing peaks. The streams flowed downwards, past the gnarled dry pines that grew from the rocky mountainsides like bristles on the back of a great beast. The forestation grew in both density and diversity as the water neared the bottom of the ravine. Only a few scattered beams of sunlight pierced the thick canopy, most being scattered by the leaves of the softly swaying ferns below. A few singular beams eventually made it to the water''s surface where they glinted with a golden light, illuminating the dusky forest. Close to where the river lay, hidden in the forest''s bowls, stood a quiet little camp. Its inhabitants were a group of pale, painted youths, dressed in wild furs and decorated in bone fetishes. They were completely silent as they made their preparations for nightfall, their movements showcasing a lifetime of experience in woodcraft. The members weren''t many, one or two handfuls of individuals, and consisted of both young men and women. They didn''t speak to each other, choosing to communicate with hand signs instead ¨C perhaps hoping to avoid attracting the attention of the things that dwelled in the forest. As the sun sunk lower in the sky, the mountain cast its grand shadow over the forest, submerging it in darkness. The wildlings had all settled in. Some buried themselves beneath dirt and leaves, indistinguishable from the forest floor. Others hid in hollowed out tree trunks or perched themselves in the high-up branches, keeping an eye on the camp perimeter. The time had come for them to sleep and rest. They would need it for the dangerous task that lay ahead of them. It was a tight feeling in her chest, like a serpent winding itself around her heart, that woke Alr¨¹na from her slumber. She opened her eyes quietly where she hid, not so much as stirring a single leaf. She was a v?lva, a girl gifted in things that went beyond the physical, and it was her duty to warn the hunters when any abnormal threat drew near. The monsters that crawled in the darkness carried a taint, one that disturbed the natural spirit that suffused the forest air. They had come to this dangerous forest to hunt a great elk for its antlers, hide and meat. It was a creature of spirit, every part of the beast being of great value to their tribe. This hunt would also serve as their coming-of-age ceremony. Alr¨¹na was much invested in the venture''s success, for a child that had completed their coming-of-age would be allowed to travel beyond the tribe. There were many things she wished to leave behind. She was born strange and fair, standing out from her peers in ways that would prove to be very undesirable. Although v?lva like her were necessary, they were not loved. She did not blame her people for their attitude, as she felt the same way. She had heard many frightening tales from the seiemenn who had mentored her. Tales of dark, horrible things that had stalked the land but a few short generations ago. Evil scourges which no man could match in strength or magic, that brought ruination upon nature. The baleful scars they left upon the earth for all to see, if you were brave or foolish enough to venture there. It was that very same evil that flowed in her own veins, mixed with the blood of man and bent to be a force of good ¨C yet its heritage could not be denied. Rahl, the seiemenn, had once caught her taking a knife to her own flesh, attempting to dig out the horrors that lay beneath. The old shaman had consoled her as she lay there, bleeding and crying. He was the only family she had. Her own had discarded her out of fear, fleeing the tribe and leaving her for someone else to raise. For all the short years she''d been alive, her life had been difficult. No-one had shown her any kindness, most not deigning to speak even a single word to her. Neither did she miss the looks the men started sending her way when she was but a child. It made her skin crawl. However, they were too afraid of the seiemenn to do more than that, even though he''d been getting on in his years. The girls and women were far worse. They pretended to be friendly, but slandered her as soon as she turned her back. They would trip her when she walked past, sending her tumbling to the rocky earth to tear her skin and brake her bones. Rahl was helpless to do anything. Had he lifted a hand at one of them, their fathers, brothers and husbands would have undoubtedly jumped to defend them. Aside from his weird tricks, he hadn''t the strength to contend with hunters. She had remained stoic, putting up a strong front for the tribesmen to see, and only took solace in Rahl''s arms in private where she cried herself to sleep. The second worstthing she had suffered waswhen she''d reached eleven summers of age. She''d found a few girls that were willing to be friends with her, or so it seemed. They celebrated the coming of the new summer together, sitting and talking around a small fire they''d made. Alr¨¹na remembered how happy she''d been at that time. For her, the coming of summer signified hope ¨C hope that things would be different from now on.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. However, it was not to be. One of the girls had offered her something to drink, a brew her father had made and given to them to enjoy, she said. Alr¨¹na had taken it gratefully, tears in her eyes as she felt kindness from her fellow villagers for the first time in her life. She had taken a few swallows of the bitter, burning liquid, despite not liking it. She didn''t want to seem ungrateful. Unfortunately, the girls had not been willing to let her stop there. They had encouraged her to keep drinking and she had obliged, fearing that they would start to dislike her if she refused. It wasn''t long before she had slumped over, her head spinning while a sick feeling pushed its way up her throat. Her vision blurred as she fell over, hitting the ground with a thunk. As she lost consciousness, she could hear and feel as the girls surrounded her, laughing and giggling as they pulled on her limbs. She regained her consciousness a while later, the growing heat against her back gradually turning into a dull pain. She coughed as sweet smelling smoke filled her lungs, her dulled mind unable to comprehend her confusing situation. She tried to move her limbs, but they were being held or tied down. A short, plain girl entered her field of vision. "Your hair looks and burns like a piece of straw." The girl covered her mouth with one hand, giggling as if her words were the funniest thing in the world. Alr¨¹na''s face immediately turned pale in fear and despair. Her long, ash brown hair, the thing she was most proud of, had been set on fire! She struggled to speak, to ask them to put the fire out, but her tongue lay uselessly in her mouth. The only sounds she could make were incoherent mumbles. "The drunkard can''t even speak. What a pig!" The insult came from somewhere behind her. She struggled to turn her head to face them, but a sharp headache dissuaded her from the attempt. Helpless and panicking, she started crying. The only response from the girls surrounding her were amused huffs and giggles. They started throwing things at her while kicking her sides. Alr¨¹na could only helplessly wail as she felt her back blistering, the fire creeping its way up towards her scalp. She tried to defend herself by drawing on her power, but her mind was too disarrayed to do so. Fortunately, Rahl came to her rescue. It wasn''t normal for her to stay away from home too long, so he must''ve noticed something was amiss. She felt him summoning strength from the earth to send into her bindings, breaking them apart. Next, he upturned the soil under her, covering and suffocating her burning hair. She cried his name in relief and pointed at the girls around her, mumbling an accusation at their fear-stricken forms. However, Rahl''s rage didn''t come. He ran over to her, ignoring them completely. Her cradled her in his arms, checking for wounds as she fruitlessly mumbled at him to exact vengeance. The girls, seeing his inaction, scattered like a group of frightened mice. Alr¨¹na watched with impotent rage as their fleeing forms disappeared behind the tree line. Alr¨¹na wallowed in self-pity, unwilling to speak to Rahl due to his lack of action. Months passed without him doing anything to explain himself. It was only later that she came to understand the looks he''d kept sending her way during that period. What she''d thought to be a smile filled with condescension at her for her childishness was not so: instead Rahl''s condescension was aimed at himself for being too afraid to stand up for her. Rahl passed away later that year, without her ever having forgiven him. He was very old; even the hairs on his arms had turned white long ago. She knew in her head that he''d lived far past expectation, but her heart had wanted to believe that he would always be there for her. She buried him behind their home in tearless grief, praying that he would watch over her from wherever he was. She was being selfish, she knew that. However, she didn''t feel like she could keep living on without him. She buried all his possessions alongside him. The only exception was an amber stone attached to a thin leather strap that he used to wear around his neck. He''d once told her that it was his most precious possession and that she should take it once he was no longer there. ''It will protect you when I can''t anymore.'' The time after his death was beyond awful. The tribe''s wicked actions were no longer restrained. The men were getting more and more bold, touching her ''accidentally'' while walking past her. She''d managed to keep them at bay through her magic. Every time they did something to her, she would send nightmares while they slept, cause their food to spoil and countless other small misfortunes. However, it was not enough. One night while she slept, someone broke into her home. She awoke to a waking nightmare: being pressed down by a hairy, foul-smelling man who wheezed hungrily into her ear. Her body completely froze in fear. It was like back then, when she''d been assaulted by those girls. She should''ve fought back, but she couldn''t. She tried to grasp her magic, but it slipped through her fingers like water. She tried to scream, to clutch at Rahl''s amulet that he''d left for her, but the rapist painfully twisted her arms behind her back and leaned on her throat. She prayed to every forest spirit and mountain god that would listen, begging that this man would kill her, that her suffering would come to an end. However, it was not to be. Likely fearing the repercussions of killing the tribe''s only shaman, he let her live. Hours later, she watched the dim rays filter through the leafy ceiling with dead eyes. She lay there bleeding and exhausted, despairing at the fact that she''d opened her eyes to a new day. The only small grace was that she''d spent most of the night choked unconscious, mostly unaware of the inhuman actions that had been forced upon her. Eventually she was driven from where she lay, unable to bear the scum''s cloying stink any longer. She went to vigorously scrub herself in a nearby stream, her composure broken as she cried while washing every vile trace from her body. For months afterwards, she lived in a state of constant despair and rage, her face a warning to any would-be perpetrators. She decided to flee from the village, wanting to take her chances in the supernatural forest, yet she was caught and returned every time. The men had wanted to try their luck with her, but the look in her eyes that promised mutual destruction had deterred them. As the months passed, it became clear that her worst fears would not come to pass. She had resolved herself to commit suicide had that been the case, no matter the morality of her actions. Rahl had taught her that it was the role of a shaman to protect life, but in this situation, she would refuse. She had become more hardened, striking back against anyone that so much as sent an ill-intended look her way. Her only hope for escape had been her coming of age ceremony. There was nothing more sacred to tribesmen than the rituals and customs laid down by their ancestors. If she wished to leave after everything was over, they would have no choice but to let it happen. Alr¨¹na clutched at her amulet with resolve. She would not have this task fail ¨C her future depended on it. She glanced over to where their strongest warrior slept. He was the chieftain''s son, a tall strapping lad with a full beard. He''d been keeping the rest of the men off her back during the journey ¨C the poor attempt at chivalry not doing much to hide his own intentions for her. She slowly climbed over tree and root, making every effort to mask all but the slightest sounds. She wished to wake him, to warn him that something was wrong. The darkness hung thickly in front of her face. She almost became convinced that she was headed in the wrong direction, until she found a familiar mark under her fingers. They''d placed these to keep themselves from getting lost, if it became necessary to move around in the darkness. She judged to be around halfway to her destination when the clouds parted, letting some moonlight filter through the tree branches. Alr¨¹na''s eyes went completely wide as soon as the first ray hit the forest floor. ''This¡­ this is impossible! There are months left until that time of the year.'' With the parting of the clouds, more of their little clearing became visible. Every branch, trunk and rock seemed to encircle them, forming a spiked trap that ready to be sprung at a moment''s notice. Finally, a clear picture of the moon was revealed through a gap in the treetops ¨C a sickly green orb that seemed to smile down at her, its visage distorted into a rictus grin. Every drop of blood left Alr¨¹na''s body as she became cold and numb with fear. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see one of her comrades in a similar state as herself, their face pale as a member of the walking dead. They turned to look at her, then all their comrades in turn. Alr¨¹na nodded her head. Once everyone had been roused from their slumber, they would try to come up with a plan. She moved first, her limbs glacially slow because of her frightened state. Her comrade did the same¡­ but in his clumsy fear, he accidentally stepped on a tree branch, the snapping sound resounding loudly across the clearing! He quickly glanced down at his feet, his face first showing confusion, then horror when he realized that he was not the cause of the sound. He glanced over to Alr¨¹na, only to freeze in his tracks when he saw the look on her face as she stared at him. No, stared behind him. Behind the young hunter, mostly obstructed by the thick foliage, loomed a tall shadow. Its body was featureless in the darkness ¨C the only thing visable to Alr¨¹na was a pair slitted orbs that glowed with a nefarious orange hue. One chapter per week on a Sunday. I do have a Pa treon. An advance chapter is $1, although I don''t have any for this fic at the moment. I''m planning to fix that during the course of the week. Monstrous - Chapter 2 Alr¨¹na wanted to do something. She wanted to scream, to wake the hunting party. She wanted to summon the energy buzzing beneath her skin to curl the limber tree branches around the spectre¡¯s neck and limbs, strangling and restraining it. She wanted to send pressurized wind blades to sunder the creature¡¯s body into countless, gristly, bloody pieces. Yet, she didn¡¯t twitch so much as a finger. She could see the boy in front of her struggling as well. The veins on his neck bulged as he struggled against his own body, but the predator¡¯s gaze had frozen him into a statue of ice. Indeed, this was an apt description: the two of them had been subjected to the gaze of a lethally dangerous predator. Now, their instincts were screaming at them: ¡®You can¡¯t outrun it. You can¡¯t fight it. Stand still and hope it loses interest.¡¯ Their bodies had overwritten their own wills, all to give them even the slimmest chance of survival. The horrifying moment seemed to stretch on for an eternity. The thing was too quiet for something its size. The poor, frightened hunter couldn¡¯t even hear so much as a faint breath behind him. Then, it started moving. Alr¨¹na watched as it lifted a long shadowy limb, moving it toward the boy who had wet himself in fear, the strong smell of urine permeating the surroundings. The incredibly long limb unfolded slowly and with abhorrent grace, as if it were underwater. The limb reached forward ever so slowly, extending and extending. She realized that it was not standing right behind the male hunter; it was standing some distance behind him. It was frighteningly tall. Finally, the limb revealed itself. The wicked green moonlight fell upon it, and a shape could be seen against a background of faintly glowing leaves. Pitch-black hairs covered its surface with thick sinew and wiry muscle coiling underneath. Its handlike claw was brutally sharp and long. The paw had six fingers - a second ¡®thumb¡¯ on the opposite side of its palm. That description was not completely correct, as each phalange had three digits, unlike a thumb. The third digit was longer than the others and tapered into a thin blade. This was the case for each ¡®finger¡¯. Alr¨¹na couldn¡¯t see where flesh ended and blade begun. The hand closed on the tribesman¡¯s neck gently, like a man cupping his lover¡¯s chin. At no point did the hunter even so much as glance at the thing, frozen in fear as he was. Instead, his gaze stayed fixed on hers, desperately begging for her to do something to save him. She watched, hypnotized, as the spiderlike appendage completely grasped his head, a finger concealing his eyes. A different finger tapped softly against his neck. Then, like a spider pulling on a silver thread, it slowly slid one claw over the man¡¯s jugular to leave a gaping, bloody wound in its wake. Before the poor lamb could so much as give a dying choke, a different finger swiftly curled around, strangling him completely. His limbs twitched as he died, his body still struggling for survival. At no stage did Alr¨¹na¡¯s face show even a hint of sympathy. She couldn¡¯t even if she wanted too. Two burning coals were fixed on her, leaving her unable to move a single muscle. The many-fingered hand slowly lowered the lifeless body to the ground. Warm blood flowed from it, tinting the surrounding flora a sinister crimson. Sweat dripped down Alr¨¹na¡¯s back as she watched the thing approach her. It glided across the forest floor like a ghost, making no more noise that a midnight breeze rustling the underbrush leaves. Her mind was overcome with an all-consuming terror that left her unable to form a single coherent thought. She could feel her bladder relaxing as the monster revealed itself. However, she¡¯d drunk the bare minimum of water on their journey, afraid of being drugged by her comrades, so she didn¡¯t wet herself. The hunched form tip-toed over to her, placing one paw carefully in front of the other. Its posture was relaxed, almost casual, as it tilted its shadowed head to the side where it was hidden beneath leafy branches. Its many-fingered claws hung limply at its sides, with the fingers slightly curling inwards. Her eyes flicked up involuntarily, pupils expanding in the faint green light to get a clearer look at the beast in front of her. She could make out a long maw beneath the owl-like eyes, but no further details were visible to her. Suddenly, a shout shook her from her stupor. So consumed was she by the petrifying atmosphere that she couldn¡¯t identify the shout as coming from her own mouth until a few moments had passed. It was a long, keening scream, one that would make the listener¡¯s teeth hurt and cause the hairs on the back of their necks to stand up. In a moment, the camp came alive like a disturbed anthill, hunters scrambling to their feet to grab their weapons. Their curses and shouts went silent the moment they saw the tall thing in their presence. The thick sent of fear fell over the camp. The brave warriors who had been ready to do battle a moment ago were suddenly frozen. It was the chieftain¡¯s son who regained his senses first and stormed at the demon, heavy flint axe raised high. The beast watched this in silence until the boy was just outside its reach. Then, in a motion like a scorpion whipping its tail forwards, a long, clawed limb swept up and then down in a reverse scooping motion, the fingers all held together to form a single bladed point. In a manoeuvre that could be attributed to the spirit of fortune and nothing else, the warrior managed to slip under the beast¡¯s piercing strike. He shouted courageously, weapon swinging to cleave at an exposed flank. Yet victory would not be his. The frozen observers stared dumbly as the limb that had completely missed the wild warrior bounded backwards like a coiling spring, the pointed hand relaxing to again unfold into six fingers. Its wrist snapped like the end of a six-tailed whip, the sinews and muscle releasing incredible amounts of stored force that sent its claws whistling through the air. Their strongest warrior dropped to the ground, completely dead. The corpse¡¯s head hung loosely from a neck that spurted blood like a broken faucet, attached only by a few fleshy fibers and flaps of skin. Its right arm was no more - only a bleeding stump remained. Shortly afterwards, a flint axe head impacted a tree trunk outside the clearing. Alr¨¹na¡¯s gaze went downwards to find where its handle lay. She looked up from it to find a bloodied claw half-raised in the air, its fingers slightly twitching. Suddenly, as if by some invisible signal, every member of the party scattered like a stone tossed into the midst of a flock of birds, attempting to flee from the unstoppable beast. The group of hunters and warriors, trained from birth by their elders and the inhospitable environment they were raised in, fled as one man. A few screamed as they fled. Most, including Alr¨¹na herself, were too consumed with survival to even consider such an action. A single leaping stride carried her outside the clearing, her head turning slightly so she could gaze over her shoulder to see if it followed behind.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. The beast was gone. She no longer spared a single thought for anything else but flight from the horror that had visited itself upon them. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- For what felt like an eternity, Alr¨¹na zig-zagged between tree trunks, leaping over every stream and stone in her way. Every sense screamed a warning of life-threatening danger, not just from the beast, but from the many things that now walked the earth. When the green moon hung in the sky, the world no longer belonged to mortals. Occasionally, the energy that flowed in her veins would recoil when she went in a particular direction, warning her of the ungodly forces that were hidden there. She fled to where she thought the forest border lay, but hours had passed without the vegetation showing any signs of thinning. Dawn should have broken long ago, so her sense of time told her. Yet it seemed not a minute had passed since midnight, that portent of doom not having shifted an inch from where it had first appeared. Alr¨¹na sensed that a filthy kind of power had pervaded her body. She hadn¡¯t even noticed it. Looking around, she found a hidden alcove beneath a mossy fallen stump, covered by vines and ferns. She quickly slipped beneath it and closed her eyes, desperately trying to expel the sinister wisps of green that floated in the clear well of her magic. The forest was unnaturally quiet. The branches and leaves waved like seaweed being stirred by the tide, but there wasn¡¯t a hint of wind. The moving shadows were like apparitions from beyond, wanting to drag her from the world of the living. She did her best to regain her calm while expelling the worst of the corruption. Then, she contemplated her next course of action. She had no idea where to go next ¨C no matter where she fled, she couldn¡¯t escape the forest. She bit her lower lip tightly in despair, a ruby red drop of blood slipping down her chin. Alr¨¹na felt a feather-light touch on her ankle. On instinct she slapped at it, her reaction as if she were removing an insect crawling on her. Then, realizing her current situation, her face contorted in dread as she looked downwards. Near her ankle was the disembodied, dried head of a woman, twisted in pleasure as it licked her with its long, dry tongue. Alr¨¹na screamed. In a desperate motion, she practically flew upwards like a missile, her voice desolate as she tried to escape from the thing that had risen from beneath the dirt. The disembodied head¡¯s expression first turned sorrowful and then furious at her departure. Alr¨¹na had to stifle a sob as it pursued her, the head rising from the hole in the ground on its lengthening, bony neck. It pursued her like a snake, wrapping around the vegetation to pull itself forwards. This time, she didn¡¯t look back as she fled. She was no longer able to keep herself from weeping, the tears in her eyes obstructing her vision as she tumbled and fell through the forest. The jagged branches and stones tore open her pale skin to reveal the bright flesh underneath. She felt as if she had lost her mind. Sniveling, she ran without concern for her own state or her destination. This was a living nightmare. The edges of her vision darkened due to exhaustion and blood loss, her broken mind begging for the release of unconsciousness. Arriving in a small grove, she fell to her knees. The green beams of moonlight gently caressed her dirty and bloody head, as if it was consoling her: ¡®Child, embrace death and be freed.¡¯ She looked up from where she kneeled to a sight that made her exhale in relief. Death had finally come for her. In front of her loomed that thing. Its enormous, lanky form was revealed as it stood upright for the first time ¨C muscle, vein and sinew protruding from beneath a black, hairy hide that drew tightly over its frame. It stood on reverse-jointed legs that ended in strange taloned feet like that of a bird, the toe-like digits placed tightly together. It was covered up to the elbow in gore and blood, the trail leading upwards to a bloody patch on its chest and the to its head - it had caught and fed on the rest of her tribesman. The realization didn¡¯t bother her very much. She could clearly see its head for the first time. It was something like a wolf skull, the massive, blood-soaked jaws bared to reveal black gums and two rows of unholy, wicked teeth. The hide was drawn so tightly over its head that Alr¨¹na didn¡¯t think it could hide its teeth even if it wanted to. On the top of its head were two tufts that stood pronounced, like the ears of an owl. Lastly, two unblinking, slitted orbs sat in its skull. Its gaze was inhuman, emotionless and completely still. Alr¨¹na lifted her head, baring her neck to the thing as if to say: ¡®I¡¯ve had enough. Kill me.¡¯ She felt a calm serenity wash over her; she¡¯d secretly been wishing for this since the day Rahl died. There was not a single thing in this horrible world that was worth living for anymore. As if hearing her request, it arrived in front of her with a single graceful lurch. Countless fingers struck at her like a spider pouncing, only for the thing to freeze a hair¡¯s breath away from her. She stared into its unknowable eyes, waiting patiently for the final blow to come. Alr¨¹na watched in confusion as the thing started shivering, its eyes leaving hers to travel downwards. She followed it with her own gaze only to discover that many of her furs had been torn during her reckless flight. A look of horror slowly dawned on her face. ¡°No, no, no, no¡­!¡± She denied frantically. ¡®Please, spirits above, spare me from this!¡¯ She threw herself forward, drawing on the magic that pooled within her chest. She shouted her unwillingness as her meagre, untrained magic flowed up into her arm and then her palm where it left her fingers as arcs of blue lightning. The beast struck her arm aside with a blindingly quick backhand, sending the buzzing electricity to arc harmlessly into the air. One claw gripped both her wrists to hold them above her head while the other encircled her ribs, slamming her into the ground. Every last breath left her lungs, sending her rolling in its grip while gasping for air. She closed her eyes in hopeless despair; exhausted, bleeding and unable to mount any further resistance. Tears slid down her cheeks as she lay there, disgusted, humiliated and afraid. ¡®Why, why, why, why, why¡­? What did she do to deserve this?!¡¯ She did her best to block out the disgusting, excruciatingly painful sensation of the beast violating her. Instead, she focused on the cool feeling of Rahl¡¯s amber necklace against her chest. ¡®You said this would protect me! Oh, please Rahl... Help me, save me from this suffering!¡¯ Deaf to her pleas, the jewel remained dark. It did not emit so much as a dim light to chase away the darkness that was devouring her. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Alr¨¹na lay in the black night, her body battered and ruined. After an eternity, Morr had finally left the sky. Now, the forest was so dark she couldn¡¯t see her hand where it lay weakly in front of her eyes. The beast didn¡¯t so much as exhale a faint breath as it lifted itself off her frail frame, its ghastly act finally having concluded. She was unable to slip into blissful unconsciousness, the ugly sensations forced upon her had kept her awake. It stared at the back of her head where it crouched silently above her. She heard clicking as it opened its jaws, the soft rushing sound of the wind passing through its fur telling her that it was finally delivering the killing blow. Her one hand, now free, moved to clutch at the stone hanging from her neck. She offered a final prayer. ¡®I¡¯m sorry that I didn¡¯t forgive you back then, Rahl. I never had a family, but I thought of you as my own grandfather. The memories of the times we spent together kept me alive these past few years. Thank you for taking care of me.¡¯ She closed her eyes in peace. She hoped her spirit would be able to find his, wherever it was. As she made contact with the stone, a dreg of remnant lightning energy arced between her index finger and it. Her eyes widened as she felt an enormous amount of energy surfacing from within, completely hidden from her senses until now. It burst outwards, shattering the piece of amber into a million pieces as it exploded into a wave of heat that passed harmlessly through her. The light was so bright that she had to close her eyes. She could hear the soil being upturned, the trees and stones shattering as a wave of force slammed into her surroundings like the fist of a mountain god. With a clap of thunder, she heard the demon being knocked from its feet and into the air. Turning around, she watched it fly, flipping and slamming into the forest like a tossed ragdoll. It smashed through the trees, leaving a smouldering path in its wake. Unfortunately for it, the wave of force had splintered the smaller vegetation, the shards of wood and rock flying with incredible speed to puncture its flesh and dig under its skin. It was set aflame, the dark pelt charring black even further as its flesh bubbled and boiled. Black blood burst forth from its chest as it slammed into a large boulder at breakneck speed, finally coming to a standstill. Alr¨¹na watched the spectacle in dumbfounded amazement, one hand propping her up where she lay. The beast slowly slipped from the rock, its own blood encouraging a smooth journey downwards. It flopped on the ground, a bag of skin and broken bones, laying silent and motionlessly. It was dead. For a moment, she couldn¡¯t believe it. The thing that had begun her living nightmare, that had killed every exceptional young warrior from her village easily, had died so suddenly. She felt her body and mind, which had been in a state of constant tension for what felt like days, finally relax. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 3 Alr¨¹na''s eyes slowly fluttered closed. Having survived the endless night, she wanted nothing more than to fall asleep and never wake up again. Her body seemed to sink into the soil; the indentation underneath her was like the softest, most comfortable mattress. A stone chip dug into her neck but, in that moment, she couldn''t care less. As her eyes closed, she caught a hint of something: movement. The forest was still dark, but the spell had set the area around her on fire, allowing her some vision in the flickering orange light. The beast had twitched. She stared at the corpse with a single half-lidded, bleeding eye, hoping that it had just been her imagination. One shattered leg twitched again. A corpse would sometimes have muscle contractions after death, or so she tried to convince herself. The twitching slowly increased in intensity and frequency until the corpse was practically vibrating where it lay. Alr¨¹na would have panicked, had the sight not been so strange. This whole situation was ridiculous. She started chuckling, everything suddenly becoming extremely funny to her. After a few breathless chuckles, she had to stop as her sides were in too much pain. The demon had likely broken one of her ribs earlier. She coughed up a small amount of blood, her eyes still fixed on the beast. Something was happening to it. Its flesh wriggled under its skin, like a pile of maggots underneath a rotten rag. Bones snapped as they were realigned and reset. Tendons reattached themselves. Black blood flowed back into wounds that closed up shortly after. She watched this happen with indifference, too emotionally exhausted to care. The thing shambled to its feet, its bones creaking under the strain. It was much thinner now and looked weaker; the damage was clearly not something it could shake off. Still, it had survived. Something looked¡­ off about it, aside from its thinner appearance, although Alr¨¹na wasn''t sure what exactly that ''something'' was. After a long pause, it made a motion as if sniffing at the air. Smelling something, it froze. Its owl-like gaze slid to where she lay - it had smelled her blood. With an uncanny leap it arrived near her, its landing completely silent. She could see its chest moving as if struggling for breath. Its mouth opened, dripping ice cold saliva and drops of black blood on her arm. It bent down swiftly, its jaws opening wide to chomp down on her ¨C or so she thought. Instead, its long black tongue exited its mouth to lick at its own wounds. It shivered as it did so; whether it was in pain or disgust at its own rotten blood, she had no idea. Next, the long fingers rolled her over slowly. The movement reminded her of how the hunter boy''s neck had been slit, making her body twitch a little in remembered fear. It lifted her up and held her in the crook of one limb. She noticed that its chest was now expanding and contracting at a frightening rate, as if experiencing a panic attack. Its saliva continued to drip down onto her, soaking her hair and face. It was extremely hungry. She looked up at it with glassy eyes as it sniffed the air, tufted ears twitching on the top of its head. It was desperately looking for something. It had started shaking terribly now, so much so that it had to hold her tightly to its body to keep her from being dropped. That proved to be the wrong move. Alr¨¹na let out an involuntary pained shout as she felt something sharp dig deeply into her side - most likely a broken rib. The pain was so excruciating that it made her vision turn white, hot blood rising up her throat as she choked. Unable to endure the pain, she fainted. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- She dreamt a peaceful dream. On a beautiful spring day, she followed after Rahl as they walked through the forest; he pointed out the different useful and dangerous plants to her. "Do you see these leaves? Never handle that plant unless it''s been boiled. It will cause your skin to burn and itch terribly. Once properly treated, it becomes useful for treating burns. A little strange, isn''t it?" She nodded, not really paying attention. She was happy just listening to his low and soothing voice. "This stalk doesn''t look like much, but it''s quite edible. It doesn''t taste bad either." He bent down to grasp a long, almost grass-like plant, his other hand going to his back. Her mouth bent into a grimace. She wasn''t too fond of eating plants. Rahl glanced at her over his shoulder. He likely knew what she was thinking, but he didn''t call her out for her picky eating habits. He''d always spoiled her like that ¨C giving her his portion of meat and taking the bitter vegetables for himself. They continued to walk until he suddenly stopped at an unassuming spot covered in snow. Taking his staff, he began to dig and scrape at it. She came over to his side to look down the shallow pit he''d made. "Snowberries!" He nodded his head with an amused huff. "A lot of them, too. Why don''t we eat some here? We can''t carry them all with us." He pointed at a grassy patch nearby. They sat there in comfortable silence, soaking in the sun that had finally revealed itself after a few long months of rain and snow. Rahl cleared his throat, causing her to turn and look at him as she munched on her berries. "We had a rough winter, didn''t we?" She nodded her head, juice flowing down her chin as she struggled to speak. He chuckled and motioned for her to continue eating, turning to watch the golden clouds moving across the horizon. Before he could continue, Alr¨¹na suddenly felt a sharp pain in her side. "Ow." Her hand reached down at the spot, her fingers feeling something hot and sticky. Blood. While bringing her fingers up to her face, she let out a long groan. The pain had struck her in an instant. Rahl was at her side immediately. His hands went to uncover her ribs, revealing an open wound that wept dark blood. She screamed in agony. It felt as if something was digging around inside her. She glanced up at Rahl, his mouth moving to say something she couldn''t hear or understand. She grabbed at his wrist with a white knuckled grip, attempting to resist the pain. Something flowed into her wound, making her hiss at the unpleasant sensation. The substance felt like an icy, viscous liquid. She blinked as her eyes went down to the wound at her side, trying to see what it was. The world around her suddenly changed. She was no longer sitting under the sun in a grassy field ¨C instead she was lying on her back with a featureless blackness hanging over her head. Her eyes rolled around in panic and confusion as she attempted to understand her new situation. Around her, sharp spires of rock rose from the wet, rocky floor. The place was dark, but there seemed to be a light source somewhere nearby. She almost missed the dark silhouette that loomed over her with one of its arms extended. The arm that hung over her was bestial in appearance, with a spider-like taloned hand at the end. A similar hand covered in red blood gripped the arm tightly, its claws sinking deeply into its flesh. Black blood flowed from it in large quantities and splattered onto her, staining her whole waist area with the colour. It was incredibly cold, not at all the temperature one would expect blood to have. Her addled mind somehow managed to recognize that the thing was pouring its own blood into her wound, causing the unpleasant sensation. On the edge of consciousness, she watched dumbly as the wound at her side started to knit closed. She felt a buzzing sensation in her head. Suddenly she was back in the field, Rahl crouching over her with a concerned look. She tried to say something, but she could feel the strength and heat leave her body. Her lips and tongue were completely numb. She barely managed to croak out a single word. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. "Cold¡­" Rahl''s hand pressed against her side where the now healing wound was. He looked her in the eyes while smiling, his expression a little sad. "Some winters are harsher than others. However, as long as we persevere, spring will always arrive. I only regret that I won''t be able to see yours." His tone sounded like someone preparing for a final parting. Alr¨¹na felt tears well in her eyes. Her hand fell on his as she shook her head weakly, pleading with him not to leave her. However, he closed his eyes in concentration, ignoring her forlorn gaze. She could feel something warm flowing into her from the centre of his palm ¨C a rush of energy that drew her back from the brink of death. Rahl''s body seemed to dissipate as his energy flowed from himself into her, becoming more and more transparent as he depleted his strength. As the rays of the sun fell upon him, it caused the last dregs of his ethereal essence to disperse into motes of golden light. His final remains where carried away by the spring breeze, a few whispered parting words hanging in the air. ''Farewel, Alr¨¹na. And thank you for your forgiveness.'' ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The beast stared down at the sleeping woman at its feet. A moment ago, it seemed as if she would not survive. Then, like a bolt of lightning out of the blue, a strong lifeforce had flowed into her body. While the beast had been able to heal her wounds, her massive blood loss wasn''t something it could remedy. The mysterious energy had done what it could not ¨C she''d been returned from the brink of death. The beast watched her while reaching over to its side, grabbing the severed leg of a massive animal which it chewed silently. Its hunger was sated for now. It felt weak and feeble after its rebirth, and needed to feast and rest to restore its strength. After chewing through the leg, even going so far as to crunch and swallow the bone, it laid down some distance away from the woman and slept. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The beast woke up to the sound of something shuffling silently across the cave floor. The sound would have been undetectable if not for the beast''s supernatural senses. It did not open its eyes, being able to track the source of the disturbance without the use of its sight. The girl was escaping. She truly had been healed. It was unbelievable, given how damaged her body had been. Though, she should still be very tired ¨C not to mention hungry. The beast listened thoughtfully as she tried to find the cave''s exit. Unfortunately, they were rather deep inside the cave. It was pitch black down here. It was necessary to flee the forest. The place was very dangerous, even to the monster, given its weakened state. There were old creatures inhabiting the forest, beings that had fed and grown strong for countless years. Searching for a shelter, it had discovered this empty cave. A sharp feeling of danger hung in the air, and the beast had almost fled without giving it a second thought. However, the aura seemed¡­ old. As if the thing that had once inhabited the cavern was no longer there. At the time when it discovered the cave, beast felt a debilitating wave of hunger surge through its frame. The feeling that had until that point been gradually been growing in strength had suddenly become overpowering. Its pupils contracted into two black slits, gaze fixing on the bloody woman that hung in the crook of its long limb. Countless jagged teeth slid free from black gums, like a snake''s fangs. There was no time. It fled into the cave like a black bolt of lightning, the wind whistling sharply with the speed of its movement. Finding a relatively flat spot, it deposited the woman''s body shakily before flashing back into the forest. It ran, clambered and glided through the endless trees, led by its animalistic senses in search of prey. Imagine the monster''s surprise when, instead of ambushing a prey, it was ambushed by something instead. The wild animal burst from beneath the dirt: a giant armored mole. It jumped at the skinwolf-thing with unstoppable force, as if it wished to splatter the wolf''s innards all over the forest. However, its prey twisted in mid-air like a spider, long limbs sending splinters of wood and leaves flying as they pulled and pushed against the surrounding forest. It spun like a tornado, four clawed paws slipping between its attacker''s armored plating. Blood spurted into the air, the armadillo crying out in pain as it tried to retaliate without success. The thing attacking it was like a falling leaf ¨C impossible to catch. Indeed, the prey had become the predator. Before long, the armadillo was bleeding the last of its lifeblood out on the forest floor, its breaths growing weaker and weaker. Jaws filled with endless teeth clamped down its jugular, ripping it out and scattering gore and pieces of chitin into the air. A horrifyingly thin shadow fell across the corpse, practically burying into it as it started devouring muscle, blood and organs. Any observer would judge it impossible for something that thin to swallow such a large quantity of flesh. There simply was no room for all that food anywhere in its body. Amazingly, as the unnatural beast feasted on the wonderful bounty in front of it, it started growing in size. It was as if the biological matter sliding down its gullet was transfused directly into itself: muscle ballooned and corded beneath its skin, faded hairs regained their inky blackness and veins wriggled and pulsed as blood flowed strongly once more. In record time, the predator-turned-prey had practically been reduced to a bloody skeleton. The, now larger, wolf ripped off a remaining fleshy leg before disappearing back in the same direction it came from. Now, it could attend to the woman without having to endure the temptation of devouring her down to the last hair. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As the woman silently departed, the demon stood up. The cave''s geography was treacherous, with endlessly deep, jagged tears running through some parts of the floor. In the darkness, the girl would certainly encounter some kind of hazard and doom herself. The beast followed behind her as she carefully made her way through the cave. To its great surprise, she somehow managed to traverse the lethal environment. Her pace was glacially slow and careful, doing her very best to not make a single sound in her escape. The demon felt admiration well up in its chest. Well, an emotion that could pass for admiration, in its case. Not only did she have some means of navigating in the dark, but she''d managed to keep her composure in a situation that would have seen any other human debilitated by panic. Infrequently, she would stop to rest and to calm her own nerves before continuing. A long time passed like that, her travelling through the darkness while it followed behind. Eventually, the beast could feel the fine hairs on its hide twitch as they were touched by a breeze. They were close to the exit. It watched the woman silently, almost as if it were pondering something. Finally, they reached the exit of the cave. Seeing the prick of sunlight, the woman almost lost her composure. In an act of incredible willpower, she stopped herself from sprinting towards it. Still, she couldn''t keep her pace from speeding up slightly. She could no longer restrain herself when the first rays finally fell on her face. She ran out of the cave, sobbing softly as tears ran down her cheeks. She fell down on her knees, running her palms through the green grass outside. After a few minutes, she seemed to remember her situation. She scrambled to her feet, likely intending to flee as far away from the cave as she could. Unfortunately for her, the beast had also exited the cave. Well, technically it now stood at the cave entrance, mostly hidden in shadow. She shouldn''t have looked back. Yet, she did. The beast watched as she became completely paralyzed with fear, finally realizing that it had been following behind all this time. Contrary to expectation, she did not scream or run. Instead, all the joy and freedom that had manifested themselves in her visibly drained from her body. It was much faster and stronger than her; she knew this. Additionally, whatever malaise that had gripped it was now gone. It was completely rejuvenated. It prowled toward her, leaving the dark cover of the cavern behind. The woman was unable to break eye-contact with it, dragging herself clumsily backwards as she tried and failed to keep her distance. The beast stopped some distance away from her, dropping to its haunches. It was still holding on to a piece of meat from its catch, uncooked and bloody. It held out the meat towards her, the piece of flesh hanging from a sharp, protruding claw. The girl stared at it, uncomprehending of the beast''s intent. Seeing her confusion, the beast cut off a piece of the meat with a sharp claw before tossing it into its mouth. It held out the rest of the meat towards her again. Alr¨¹na''s brow furrowed as she looked at the incomparably strange scene in front of her. The beast had made its intentions clear, yet she made no move to accept its offer. The beast seemed to realize something, its ears twitching on its head. The meat was raw. It scratched at its long jaws, retracting its blades to avoid slicing through its own throat. The many fingers traced the lines of its bony maw as if in thought. It blinked its eyes, having thought of a solution. It placed the meat on a nearby stone before slicing a tree into smaller pieces and tossing them around the stone in a single, skilful motion. It then pointed from her to the stone. The girl hadn''t twitched so much as a finger while she watched the spectacle. It seemed as if she wasn''t sure whether she was still unconscious and dreaming. The beast snapped its fingers loudly, shocking her from her daze. It pointed from her to the stone again, this time more insistently. Alr¨¹na understood what it wanted her to do. She would obey its wishes for now in attempt to stay alive; Rahl''s wanted her to live, so she would do her best. She stood, dusting the grass and soil from her legs while carefully walking over to the makeshift stove. She didn''t look at the beast directly, but kept it within the corner of her eye. Arriving in front of the pile of wood, she held out her hand and started gathering her power. After a short pause, a spark of flame lit itself on the tip of her outstretched index finger. She bent down stiffly and held the flame to a dry piece of wood. Eventually, it alighted. She moved her finger towards some of the other dry pieces, setting them on fire one by one. Afterwards, she packed some of the thicker pieces close to the flame, taking care not to smother it. The beast had carefully retreated while Alr¨¹na attended to the fire. It now hung upside down from the branches of a nearby tree, eyes closed as if it had fallen asleep. Soon, a sizzling sound could be heard as the large piece of meat started cooking. A delicious smell filled the air. Sweat dripped from Alr¨¹na''s brow as she carefully used a pair of branches to turn the meat to keep it from charring. This continued until the meat had been cooked, the process not taking too long as the flames were rather hot. After it was done, she tossed leaves, dirt and rocks on the fire to smother it. She stepped back from the food, looking at the demon wolf as if unsure of how to proceed. Hearing her cease all movement, the beast opened its eyes to stare at her. Its gaze alternated between her and the meat. Alr¨¹na avoided eye contact ¨C the thing''s slitted, owl-like eyes were too unsettling to look at. She retreated further, not wanting to anger it by standing too close to its meal. For a moment, they were both silent. Then, it dropped down from where it had hung. It prowled over to the large piece of food, extending a single razor-claw to slice it roughly in half. It took a portion for itself before retreating back to its perch. It nibbled on the cooked meat slowly, eyes shifting between her and the remaining portion. Seeing her remain unmoving, it let out a sound somewhere between a huff and a growl. Having managed to fix the girl''s attention on itself, it pointed between the remaining portion and her. As frightened as she was, she made no move to accept the offered meal. The monster, seemingly losing its patience, again dropped down from where it hung. It bounded over to the meat, before snatching it up and practically shoving it into her hands. It was so swift that Alr¨¹na''s fear of being attacked had barely registered before it was back in the tree. She stared white-faced between the meat in her arms and the beast, frozen. An outside observer would almost be able to feel some pity for the beast. Why was it so ridiculously difficult for it to get this woman to just eat the food in front of her? It made an exaggerated motion of lifting the remaining meaty bone to its maw, deliberately placing it in its mouth and slowly crunching on it. Chewing and swallowing the mouthful, it rubbed its abdomen while letting out a throaty purr. It showed both empty palms to her, before motioning insistently towards the meat in her grip, nodding as it did so. ''Just eat the food.'' Whether she had just gotten the message or had decided to give in to the demon''s persistence, she sat down and numbly bit into her meal. The beast watched as the eating process gradually became more animated, the woman''s famished state finally hitting her. She almost seemed to forget her situation as she hungrily tore into the meat, her face shining as it became covered by juice and fat. She was visibly disappointed when she bit down only to find bone; all meat, fat and skin having been stripped from it. She looked at it forlornly, her stomach letting out a soft growl as she did so. The beast sneezed in amusement. It pointed at her and then at the sunlight clearing, gesturing at her by placing both of its palms together and holding them to one side of its head. It closed its eyes before making a soft wheezing sound interspersed by quiet snorts. Did it want her to sleep? The monster that had done nothing but slaughter and rape until now had decided to feed her and was now telling her to rest? Alr¨¹na was so befuddled by what was happening to her that she didn''t bother to question it. This had to be a dream. She couldn''t deny that she was beyond tired. It was all so surreal, so nonsensical. She didn''t know what she would find when she woke up. Would she be lying injured in the blast-crater with the beast''s dried out, blackened corpse some distance away? That seemed more plausible. She felt the warm rays soak into her tired body. It reminded her of the days she''d spent playing outside the hut as a child. She would often fall asleep like this, listening to the sounds of the birds, insects and the rustling breeze. It was wonderful. The monster watched her like a stone sentinel as she dozed off in the afternoon sunlight. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 4 Alr¨¹na woke to her stomach growling painfully. Her body, exhausted from the healing process, demanded that she replenish its depleted stores. Disoriented, her eyes fluttered open, gazing upon a starry sky that glittered like countless jewels adorning the crown of god. She was stuck still by the sight, feeling as if her spirit had lifted from her body to enter the ethereal world beyond man. She came to realize her position: lying on the ground with soft grass underneath her. Something heavy and warm covered her. She wriggled her fingers, feeling soft, luxurious fur between them. She looked down at her body to see something like a pelt over her. Suddenly, thirst made her head pound. She felt as if she held a mouthful of ashes, and her tongue was like a piece of tree-bark against her cheeks. She struggled to sit up. Her arms were without strength, unable to exert the required force the prop her up with the heavy pelt over her. She tossed it clumsily to the side, noticing how it seemed to belong to a large cat of some kind. Her blood left her head as her upper body became vertical, almost sending her crashing back down in a wave of dizziness. She managed to catch herself by falling to one elbow, a leg curling up underneath her for stability. The gears had started turning in her addled mind, finally realizing that she had no idea where she currently was. No moon hung in the sky, and the starlight was too faint for her to make out any distinctive landmarks in the darkness. A faint sneeze sounded from somewhere near her. It was¡­ familiar. She turned her head in that direction, attempting to catch a glimpse of the source. What greeted her was a tall, shadowy creature. It stared at her with a pair of owl-like, slitted orange eyes that glowed in the darkness. Like a dam breaking, all the events of the past few days rushed to the forefront of her mind. Her hand went to her mouth, feeling a sticky, greasy substance under her fingers ¨C the remnants of yesterday''s meal. It wasn''t a dream. Feeling the onset of terror and panic, she violently shoved down her own emotions. She was starving and thirsty - she couldn''t afford to lose her mind right now. She needed to think, like Rahl had taught her. She wasn''t a fool. Clearly the beast had no intention to harm her¡­ for now. It had fed her and even watched over her as she slept. It had also likely covered her with the pelt. She remembered some of the gestures it had made yesterday; her disturbed state of mind had been unable to grasp their significance, but it was clearly intelligent and capable of communication. Right now, the most imminent danger she faced was terminal dehydration. On top of being extremely thirsty, she''d started to experience serious symptoms such as physical exhaustion, mental sluggishness and light-headedness. She had no idea where to find any water. If the beast was willing to feed her, perhaps it would also be willing to lead her to a source of water? The hairs on her body stood up as she gazed into its inhuman eyes. She would have broken out into a cold sweat had she not been so dehydrated. She visibly struggled to control her fear, her hands circling her torso to grasp her upper arms with a white-knuckled grip. Her breathing had become erratic. Would it be able to understand her speech? She wasn''t sure how else to ask for water. "W-water¡­ I need it, or else I''m going to d-die¡­" Her voice, hoarse from thirst and weak with fear, exited her mouth with extreme difficulty. She tried to maintain eye contact with the thing in an effort to express her intentions. She relaxed her stiff grip to raise her palms to her mouth, motioning the act of drinking water. She felt immense relief when she saw it nodding its head. It made its way over to her, stretching out a single muscular arm in her direction. She shook her head with trepidation as she struggled to her feet. "I can w-walk¡­ walk on my own¡­" Nausea struck her like a fist to the abdomen. She fell forward, vomiting the contents of her stomach onto the forest floor. In the corner of her mind, she noticed with vague relief that she''d managed to avoid dirtying the fur blanket. The beast''s arm circled around her waist, lifting her up and carrying her close to its chest. Her hands pushed feebly against it in protest, but she was too weak to offer anything more than token resistance. She could almost hear Rahl''s voice reciting a past lesson: ''If you can''t keep food down, then things have become very dangerous. Nausea is one of the serious symptoms of dehydration.'' In a single movement, like an owl taking flight, it vaulted a great distance over the earth. The strong wind made it impossible for Alr¨¹na to keep her eyes open. If she wasn''t so consumed by the sensation of illness, she would have noticed how smooth the journey was. Her body hardly even jostled in the monster''s hold. Before long, Alr¨¹na heard the sound of running water. She drew a deep breath into her nose, taking in as much of the refreshing scent as possible. She never knew water could smell so wonderfully delicious. It loosened its grip, and Alr¨¹na almost broke her shin on a rock as she fell into the river, desperately sucking down every droplet of water. Not only had she been reducing her water intake while on the expedition, but she''d been either injured or unconscious for two days. The feeling of relief was indescribable. She poured water over herself between gulps, uncaring of its low temperature. Her dressings had become so waterlogged that she was practically being dragged down to the bottom by their weight. Sinewy fingers grabbed the scruff of her neck to keep her from accidentally drowning herself. After a while, she finally satiated her thirst. Her long, ash brown hair had fallen over face, making her unable to see anything in front of her. She tried to sweep some of it aside with one hand, only half succeeding. Through one eye, she could see the monster submerging itself in the river. It had let go of her and slipped into the water without her even noticing. It was unnaturally silent for something its size, its shadowed form almost disappearing into the blackness of night. Only the top half of its head stuck out, revealing a long nose, a pair of tufted ears and large, glowing eyes. Those eyes would break even the most seasoned hunter''s composure. Alr¨¹na had to keep reminding itself that the thing meant her no harm. After a moment, she had to look away as its visage was simply too chilling where it floated in the dark water. It was almost like some kind of evil messenger, come to carry her over the river of ghosts and into the realm of the dead. It wasn''t winter, but the night air carried a chill that penetrated to her bones. She started shivering as she watched the thing rose from the water. It plucked a white substance from somewhere ¨C where, Alr¨¹na had no idea. It smeared it over its two palms and started rubbing it into its fur: head, abdomen, arms and legs. It was washing itself. The substance had a scent that she could detect even from some distance away. It was strongly floral with a smoky undertone.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Detecting her curiosity in the darkness, it floated over and held out an open palm to her. She flinched, but relaxed when she saw it wouldn''t be coming any closer. Her curiosity winning out in the end, she approached it. She half-crawled, half-waded forward through the water towards its outstretched limb. While she was feeling quite cold, it wasn''t the kind of freezing death she''d experienced during winter. She''d be alright as long as she dried off properly after getting out of the water. As she came close to the paw, she both smelled and saw that the white part of the substance was¡­ animal fat. Was the demon using a mixture of animal fat, herbs and ashes as a way of cleaning itself? Her caution all but forgotten, she couldn''t help but lightly scoop some off the substance off its furred paw. She rubbed it between her fingers and watched dumbfoundedly as it transformed into a slippery, foamy lather. If its ability to communicate had confused her, then invention truly flabbergasted her. She was a shaman, and creations like these were within the realm of her interests. If it could make something like this, then the beast was beyond just having human-like intelligence, it was truly smart. She looked up at it, conflicted, as she tried and failed to formulate a question. Before she could continue, an interrupting growl sounded from her stomach. Her pressing thirst having been taken care of, and now her body had let her know just how hungry it was. Hearing the sound, the beast huffed through its nose. Was it laughing at her? She watched as it dunked itself underneath, foamy water splashing to all sides. Having finished rinsing, it leapt upwards to land on the riverbank and shook itself vigorously. Its hair puffed up, making it look a little bit ridiculous. Alr¨¹na stood up from where she sat waist-deep in the water, seeing that it was finished. She wasn''t exactly sure what would happen next, but she thought that the creature must have its own plans. The herb-scented thing suddenly pounced on her and slung her over one of its shoulders like a bundle of wood, taking off into the forest at breakneck speed. Any words of protest that left her mouth were drowned out by the sound of the rushing wind. It was hardly comfortable, but the beast somehow kept any branches or leaves from striking her as they zipped between the looming trees. Her head was still spinning when her feet finally landed on the ground again. She felt a claw tapping her shoulder. She looked at the beast to see it pointing into a cave: the same one she''d escaped from during daytime. Did it want her to go in? She tried to make eye contact with it while shaking her head. She really didn''t want to go back to that terrible place. A horrifying aura hung in the air like a blade held against her neck. She couldn''t stand it. The thing nodded its head at her. Its finger moving to point at the entrance border before lifting both hands and motioning at her with open palms. "You want me¡­ to stand there?" She managed to stop her teeth from chattering with cold. She was still soaking wet. It nodded again. Seeing her comply with its demands, it headed into the cavern''s depths. Once it was gone, she quickly stripped out of her dressings while squeezing and wringing as much water out of them as she could. She had a spare set, but she''d left that behind when she fled the camp. Her face turned to a frown, remembering the¡­ things the monster had done to her. Was that the reason it was behaving this way? Did it consider her as its¡­ mate? This realization caused conflicted feelings to rise within her. She certainly had no desire to experience anything like that again. On the other hand, if it did indeed see her in such a way, then she could be more assured of her own safety. If it did want¡­ her, then she needed to figure out a way to defend herself. However, thinking back to the amulet''s destruction, she knew that she would never be able to conjure such a powerful spell. Even that had not been able to stop it ¨C what hope did she have? She could feel herself slipping into despair. She would just have to think of something and pray that it did not attempt to force itself on her until then. It did seem different from that night, so the idea wasn''t entirely a fool''s dream. Her thoughts were interrupted when a large shadow apparated from within the cave. She couldn''t help but be startled, as not even the sound of rushing wind clued her on its arrival. One moment, it was simply there. She watched with apprehension as it dropped a bloody, skinned corpse at her feet. Was it one of her party members who''d been killed and stripped of their skin? Her imagination was working overtime. Looking more closely, she realized that the corpse wasn''t human in appearance at all. This was most likely the creature who''s pelt she''d been sleeping under at that time. Was it giving this kill to her? She''d eaten raw meat before, but she did rather prefer it cooked. The beast disappeared out of the cave. Cracking and snapping sounds could soon be heard from its direction. She watched as it returned with two bundles of wood, one clutched underneath each arm-like limb. It took a long, sharpened piece, like a wooden spear, and completely pierced the corpse with one strong thrust. It then pointed to the remaining wood and at her. She didn''t need to be told twice. She was hungry and cold; a fire would certainly help her deal with that. A short time later, a fire was roaring on the cave floor. The beast had lifted the corpse easily by the wooden shaft that protruded from it and was know effortlessly holding it over the fire, turning it this way and that to ensure an even roast. Alr¨¹na sat by the edge of the fire, holding her hands out towards it to warm up. She felt somewhat awkward for a lack of something to do, and was stuck staring at the flames. Truthfully, she felt very uncomfortable in the monster''s presence. She''d been holding on to a question since some time earlier. She thought the beast may be able to understand speech, though it was possible that it had simply been reading her body language until now. She was having a difficult time asking the creature¡­ she didn''t know how she would feel if its answer did end up being in the affirmative. Gathering her courage, she spoke. "Do you¡­ understand my speech?" Its head turned towards her and met her gaze with its large, unblinking eyes. It slowly moved its head up and down. Alr¨¹na felt some discomfort at the admission. If it could understand speech, then¡­ The implications of that were rather significant. She looked down at her feet while rubbing her hands against her furs. "Were you¡­ once human?" Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the beast become completely still. Alr¨¹na turned her body to face the beast head on. A long silence stretched between them. Finally, without making eye-contact, it lifted the roast from the fire and set it down on the pile of leaves that she''d stripped from the wood. A long blade slid from one of its fingers, slicing at the meat. It took a large portion for itself before taking a position slightly outside the light of the fire. It very pointedly didn''t answer her question. She couldn''t help but furrow her brow in thought. The monster had definitely understood what she''d said - the effect of her words couldn''t be denied. Its response was very telling. If it had no relation to humanity, it wouldn''t have acted as it did. It could be trying to deceive her, but what purpose would that serve? She was already at its mercy. She scooted over on her butt to the remaining portion. She felt famished, yesterday''s meal having been vomited out due to her dehydration. She almost managed to ignore the blistering temperature as she dug in to the unseasoned meat. Despite her hunger, she wasn''t able to completely immerse herself in the process of eating. Thoughts kept circling in her head. She furtively glanced over the fire at where it sat, a clump of darkness in the already black cave. Words welled up in her throat, but she swallowed them down. ''Why did you violate me? Why did you capture me? What are your intentions for me?'' Instead of voicing any of these questions, something different slipped from between her lips. "What is your name?" She didn''t intend to ask the question out loud, but once she thought of it she became unable to restrain herself. She saw the two reflective eyes blink in the darkness. It stood up, prowling over to her side. Alr¨¹na watched warily as it stooped over an arm length away to scribble something on the ground. She was surprised to note that its scratchings were very similar to the runes that she''d learned under Rahl. She leaned forward while making sure not to touch or be touched by the demon. She struggled to puzzle out the meaning of the runes. They seemed¡­ old, and the sounds were foreign to her mind. Finishing its writing, it stood up and looked down at her. She felt some anxiousness, as if it was pressuring her to speak its name out loud. She was unsure whether or not that was a good idea, if having its name spoken would give it some kind of power. It made no move to force her, just patiently waiting for her to speak. Well, she was already at its mercy, and she did wish to communicate more with it, if possible. She was also burning with curiosity to know more about this mysterious devil. She chewed on her lower lip while considering her options. Finally, she made up her mind. Nothing good had come out of following the traditional way. She had been bullied, tortured and persecuted despite her and Rahl''s dedication towards their village and tribe. True, the monster had... done things to her, but maybe that wasn''t its default state. Alr¨¹na badly wanted to believe that there was at least something out there that she could put some amount of trust in, even if that thing was a bloodthirsty demon. She wiped the grease from her face, feeling the syllables of its name in her mouth. She wasn''t sure if she would pronounce it correctly. Taking a half-breath, she drew on her magic to prepare herself for the possible impeding fall out. Then, she spoke its name: "G¨¦vaudan." The monster radiated self-satisfaction, its teeth sliding free from its gums to reveal a massive, grotesque grin. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- One free chapter every sunday. Up to three advance chapters from $1 on my Pa tre on pa tre on.com/user?u=59309466 (Just remove the spaces)