This Life of Sin

Lets Play a Game

Chapter 15: Lets Play a Game

Over the course of the day before, we managed to rake in several nice sized magistones, some monster parts that would sell well, and even a few good hides. What we did not find was a magical staff. We also had no real clue where it was either.

Before now I would have though a dungeon was basically a labyrinth of sorts. You would have paths to follow and eventually you would find the one that led to the boss or the treasure room. But this was a damn endless forest. No walls, only game trails at best, and no end in sight. Sometimes we came across a stream or an out cropping of stone that broke up the monotony but mostly it was just trees. In fact, if it turned out we had just been wandering in circles for the day I would not have been surprised.

We were picking up after a quick, cold, lunch break when I felt a change in the air. The hair on my arms and the scales on my tail lifted and a tingling went down my spine.

"Something is wrong." I told Vale in hushed tones as he was slinging a pack over his shoulder.

He didn't seem surprised and nodded. "I felt it too. The air pressure has changed. And the temperature dropped."

"What do you think the cause it?" whispered Roan who had come to see what we were talking about. He waved the other two over. "A magical trap?"

"No. Either the weather is about to get bad or..."

"Or?" I asked.

"I have been in this dungeon a couple times. There is a monster here that can affect the weather like this. Or a group of monsters I should say."

"What kind of monsters?" Asked Kassidy, glancing around nervously. She had a sturdy spirit but was not a combat type so seemed to be more on edge.

"They are called Storm Wolves. As far as I know they are only ever found in high level dungeons."

"I have read about them." I said. "They are B ranked monsters. Shaped like wolves and ranging from pitch black to pure white. They get up to four feet at the shoulders, have dangerous claws and fangs, and can move a crazy speed."

"Well, that sounds not too bad." Said Markus. "Nothing we haven't see before at least."

I shook my head. "I have no clue the monsters you have face before, but in this place we have not faced anything like them yet. It is not their physicality that is the problem. They are crazy smart, work in massive packs, and a very magical in nature."

We began to hurry our preparations. None of us wanted to be here, sitting ducks, for a pack of hungry wolves. But it really was no use. I knew it and I am sure the others did too. If we were feeling the effects of the wolves on the air then we were already their prey. It was just a matter of time before they pounced.

Vale had us proceed in a tighter formation now, with Roran and Kassidy in the middle and me, Vale and Markus surrounding them as best we could. Kassidy looked nervous but for some reason I didn't feel that on edge at all. My skin still crawled with the magic in the air but inside I was calm. If anything, what I felt was anticipation. I realized that I wanted to run into these wolves. I wanted to see them for myself and judge their worth.

"What in the name of the gods are you smiling about." Vale ground out, glaring at me.

"I think I want a wolf." I said, fingers twitching and heart beginning to race. It was like a drug to my system, this wanting. It made my breaths short and my senses come alive, aware of the leaves above shifting and the foot falls of my companions almost deafening.

"Are you crazy." Snapped the priest.

"Maybe." I said with a wide smile. "Hardly matters now. They are here." I could hear them, I realized. I could hear the foot falls of many padded feet over moss and claws scraping bark. Panted breaths on the wind and muffled yips and growls. And mixed in all that, the static, crackling sound of electricity.