CHAPTER 3

ALONE

Night has fallen. I’ve taken the sticks and brush from the surrounding area and used them to make a small fire. I need to rest. My old bones can't carry me for much longer. I look at my medallion, the demonite barely filled me. At best I can cast two low-level spells. It’s not enough if I need to be stronger. Not for my own sake but to avenge my people. My bloodline. I lay beside the fire, its light flickering in the cold wind. The ground is damp and muddy. The battle will not leave my mind. I feel the wind brush over me as I recall what I could have done to come out on top instead of being here sloshing mud in the. I will have my vengeance. “The Great Flame” is not befitting for a peasant like me. With such feeble power, how will I ever reclaim what was taken? Croxfield, it must have the answer.

Drifting off to sleep I dream of the False Knight’s abyssal eyes. They call to me even in the land of dreams. Its eyes fade from my vision, instead, I am blinded by the setting sun. On my right, I see my wife, Lana. We are on our bedroom balcony Looking out to the beauty of Albastia. There are children playing tag in the streets. Vendors occupying the market.  Her beauty is as bright as the sun. She carries our child, little Callum. I am happy. The sky begins to turn bright red like a world on fire. It’s distant but I can hear the sounds of flapping wings. Strong and thunderous like an approaching storm. 

BOOM

The sound of rolling thunder shocks me awake. I am breathing heavily. My heart aching. Take deep breaths. Calm yourself. The fire has been put out by the heavy rain pouring down on me. I need to get to shelter. Picking myself up I hear the howl of a wolf in the distance. I hope to the gods there aren’t more of them. Maybe a fireball would be enough to take them all out? No, that's a medium-level spell I would run out of blood and be defenseless if one did happen to survive.

I remember back to Lana forcing me to take a dagger every time I left the castle. My pride has cost me. If there was a perfect time for a knife it would be now. I spot a large stick caught in a bush. I sprint over to it and go to grab it. There is a movement beyond the bush. A wolf leaps out from the cover of the night. Its damp silver fur sends droplets of water to my clothes as it goes to bite down on my forearm.  My eyes catch it just in time as I retract my hand and jump back. I take the opportunity of catching it mid-attack to kick it in the ribs. My boot bashes into the wolf’s ribcage as I send it rolling in the mud. From behind me, I feel the paws of another wolf jump onto my back and clamp down on my shoulder. I grab it by its black fur and throw it off of me and toss it on top of the wolf I kicked prior. I quickly cast Firebolt. A bullet of flame speeds off and pierces the chests of both wolves. The wolves whimper together. It’s sad they have to die this way if only they had not come across me. There is silence among them.

The rain now pouring even harder than before. I lean against a tree and pull my cloak down to see the wound. It’s hard to tell how deep the wolf bit into my shoulder with the rain getting in my eyes, but the pain is vicious. The wolf is dead but it still feels as though it is driving its teeth through my skin. I get off of the tree and walk back to the wolves whilst holding my shoulder. I kneel and find the black-furred wolf has dark yellow canines but not a single patch of grey fur. Almost as if its teeth aged before the wolf did. Something is not right about these woods. I must leave as soon as possible. Before getting back up I hear behind me rapid footsteps. I turn to see a third wolf that's been patiently waiting for its moment to strike. The wolf bites into my neck. I see the red begin to gush out onto the ground. I punch the wolf in the stomach. I will not give. I am not going to die. Blow after blow to the body the wolf is unrelenting. Its teeth ripping a deeper and deeper hole into my neck. Flashes of Lana appear before me. I see my father looking down at me with disapproving eyes. Callum is calling out my name. He is lost. I cannot find him no matter where I look, my son is nowhere to be found. I should not have pushed them away.

I want to see my son.