Origin Of Legends: Wolves Of War

Chapter 2: Plan & History

767 AHSA (after hell spawn arrival)
3rd of Dettris
Human Kingdom Of Balivin

A mentally distressed Erik is seated before a fire made by Bailey who is across him and out of her armor wearing a grey leather tunic mostly laced up.

Basil is laying by the log next to Erik, Zelena however is sitting against a tree separate from the others. It's been multiple weeks since the event at Wolf's Den and neither she or Erik have taken it well, as expected.

"How much longer till we're at Fort Graken?" Erik questions with Bailey stoking the flames.

"Without delay? Three weeks, four at most... I know you're in a lot of pain right now but I need you to be strong for what's to come, the Hell Spawn... They will not care if you aren't yourself." Bailey expresses as a form of motivation but can tell Erik is gonna be a difficult one to convince.

Erik closes his fists seeing the faces of his father and brothers when he closes his eyes, weather it be to sleep or just in general.

"I just... How could Trevon do this? To his own family... To us." Erik expresses with confusion and frustration.

Zelena overhearing this decides to join the circle.

"Trevon's always been a spiteful, jealous little shit... But I never... It doesn't matter, we'll have a lot to do if we wanna save Ollie, which is why I will leave for Greyriver... I need to set the facts straight before Trevon's lies poison my family."

"You might be of House Rivaine, but will they believe you?" Erik asks with uncertainty as he doesn't know his mother's side of the family too well, only that they weren't too keen on her marrying into House Blezyren for whatever reason.

Zelena looks into the fire with her similar colored eyes deep in thought with a hint of pain.

"That's the benefit of a political marriage my boy, our problems become their problems... I shall rally them and makes plans to expose Trevon, Lady Telena and House Wellace will be valuable allies." Zelena explains as Erik stands up.

"I don't feel comfortable leaving you alone mother."

Zelena is touched by her son's concern but knows this isn't the time for coddling.

"I'll be fine Erik, besides it's best I head off to make the plans and set them into motion... You... Will become a Wolf and fight off the Hell Spawn." Zelena states clearly worried.

Erik is soon hugged by his mother which he returns.

"Stay safe, as best you can." Zelena pleads with Erik nodding.

Erik looks towards Bailey who's minding her own business as he sits down across from her.

"Commander... What can you tell me about the Hell Spawn?" Erik questions figuring it would do him good to know what he'll be fighting, he never asked since he was never in the right mental state to ask.

Bailey looks up dropping the stick she used to stoke the fire.

"They are a force unlike anything you've seen or heard of, they have no sense of morals and do what they do purely for the sake of it, they are the embodiment of cruelty... Much more than anyone you've met." Bailey states confidently with clear firsthand experience.

Erik feels uneasy as if talking of the Hell Spawn is a cardinal sin in the Creator's eyes.

"They are ruthless but are intelligent enough to strategize, legions of Hell Spawn are a difficult bunch to deal with... They try every depravity imaginable to break someone's willpower... They are fierce creatures worthy of their namesake." Bailey states.

Erik is listening closely but is curious about the origins of the Hell Spawn.

"Exactly how did the Hell Spawn come to be?" Erik questions.

Bailey figured this would come up sooner or later.

"I don't know, nobody does, the Hell Spawns aren't of this world." Bailey retorts causing Erik to be greatly confused. "Okay... Three centuries ago, there was a magical disaster we now call the Clash of Dimensions. A mage of our world tried using Magic meant to travel across different dimensions but as a result? Our dimension and another clashed, causing many creatures not native to ours to be stuck here."

Erik's eyes widen hearing this as he never imagined anything like this could happen. Granted his knowledge of magic is nowhere where it should be so it could be forgiven.

"When the Hell Spawns arrived, none of the Kingdoms were ready... The Hell Spawn horde overwhelmed them, were it not for my Order being formed out of desperation." Bailey says as Erik questions who made up the inaugural Order. "All sorts of people, barbarians, kings, thieves. But if you're wanting names... Only name is known, Sae'dellin Yonvar, an elf... Who was King."

"I'm guessing the order doesn't have any Kings or Queens in it nowadays?"

"Very perceptive of you." Bailey retorts.

Erik pets Basil's head gently who whines somewhat.

"Is there anything I should know about joining the order? There any secret rituals I'll need to go through?" Erik jests rather casually.

"Yes actually, unfortunately I can't give details till you're about to go through the ritual... It's brief, that's all I can say." Bailey replies vaguely.

Erik despite his concerns accepts the answer fiddling with his hands nervously as he's never riden off for war before, the feeling in his gut makes his body shiver and stomach turn.

Though soon enough, his body is filled with anger at the situation with Trevon. He looks at He Who Kills which doesn't go unnoticed.

"Mother... What can you tell me about this sword?" Erik asks holding the blade in it's sheath.

"Not much, I know it by it's gory reputation and that an ancestor of House Blezyren used it in the Wolves but left it to the members of the House before he passed." Zelena replies with honesty.

Bailey gets Erik's attention staring curiously at He Who Kills.

"The blade originated in the Wolves, intended as the Hell Spawn killer so... You got that going for you." Bailey points out as Erik's confidence somewhat raises though he didn't train in greatswords often but it won't matter.