Vandiver

It took longer than I'd like to gather a party after the emergency bell had been rung. Two children had run into the forest after sunset.

When I discovered one of them was my son I panicked. As an adventurer I know that running into a dangerous situation unprepared is just begging for bad luck. Zorlo is already in pursuit, but if he isn't back yet, that probably means that he hasn't found them.

I find a few people gathered at the edge of the forest. It isn't safe but when I discover it's my wife and Hilda's mother, Tilfa, I can understand their anxiety.

I make Iliza take Hilda, Tilfa, and Amelia back to our house with the youngest of our search party in order to protect them.

I breathe deeply and debrief my fellows. They know these woods, we go through them almost everyday, but night is especially dangerous. It's when Rollo the king of the forest, appears. He can smell blood from across the forest. If they had to kill anything they were to use blunt attacks and not spill any blood unless they had to.

Rollo is not strictly nocturnal, but he is even more dangerous at night since he can even hide his presence from someone like Zorlo. Many of our friends have fallen victim to Rollo's appetite. This includes Tilfa's husband. If I let Rollo take another one of her family I don't know how I'll live it down.

We've tried several subjugation attempts with adventurers to get rid of Rollo, but every one has ended in failure. Many fool hardy boys trying to prove their worth went into the forest and never came back out. When we lost Tilfa's husband we stopped trying.

We weren't here for revenge. We get the kids and get out. If we run into Rollo, then we do everything we can to get the children back to their mothers. No excuses.

The four men nodded at me. They were from the subjugation attempts, they knew Rollo and wouldn't be fools. They were the only ones I trusted to watch my back in these circumstances. Everyone else under my command was too young. I left them to protect the village in case the worst happened.

Frankly, I didn't want more people dying tonight than had to.

We searched the forest for an hour. That was when my worst fears were realized.

"Sir..." one of them said.

"I smell it too." I answered. It was blood. If there was blood in the air, then Rollo would be close. I grip my sword and pray that the children are safe.

In the distance I hear a strange whistling sound.

"What's that?" another asks.

"I don't know, but we should check it out. The children might go towards the sound thinking it's a search party." I lead the men toward the noise and possibly to their deaths. But each of them follows without a single complaint.

The wind begins to pick up blowing the smell of blood from the direction of the whistling. This is no normal wind. It's magic of some kind.

Maybe it's Zorlo. But I know I told him about Rollo. He shouldn't be foolish enough to spread the smell of blood at night. Unless he was battling Rollo.

I use strengthening magic and everyone else prepares themselves. At this point I don't think we are going to get out of the forest without meeting the black king of the forest. We quicken our pace but don't let down our guard.

Then there is a loud noise the likes of which, I've never heard before. I can feel the shockwave coming from the direction of the storm, but the wind stops blowing a second later.

We stop as silence grips the forest. Not even crickets are making any noise. I am getting a really eerie feeling from the forest, but I think of the children. The whistling continues, but now it's more aggressive, like a thousand angry hornets.

I break into a sprint. If someone is battling with Rollo, they are going to need our help.

The whistling stops long before we are able to get close. But my heart never stops thundering.

All I can think about is that we are too late.

The forest is a wreck the closer we get to the scene.

The smell of blood and intestines is nauseating. My feet don't stop, but my heart does when I smell Sebas's blood mixed in. Goblin and Rollo's stench fill the air, but the smell of my son's blood makes my soul ache.

I am too late.

I see Zorlo running toward us from a distance. It looks like he is coming from deeper in the forest to investigate the same thing. In front of us is a clearing. It is too dark to get the full scope of the battle, but it appears to be over.

There are long gashes in the ground. Broken trees strewn left and right. Goblin entrails have been scattered to about. A large black lump lays too far away for me to make out it's complete form. But then a small blur hops from the top of a nearby tree and lands on the ground.

I'd know those three tails and pointy fox ears anywhere.

"Sebas!" My heart leaps when that familiar face meets my gaze. He's alive!

"Young Master!" Zorlo looks similarly relieved.

"Papa?" He asks. His eyes look strange. They are the relieved tired eyes of someone who has just fought for their life.

"Van, it's Rollo!" One of my men shouts while pointing at the large black lump.

Together Zorlo and I stand between Sebas and the black mass. My party encircles them ready to stare death in the face. 

My son, I will protect you no matter what. Because no matter what anyone says, Sebas is my son.