Wolves Bane

Confronting Hayden

I pulled thoughts away from the door and quickly caught up to Greta and Oliver. She turned to face me and excused herself to a different room. Oliver then looked at me and led me to where Hayden stood. Oliver then left us to talk.

"Hayden?"

Hayden turned his scarred body towards me. I looked down, seeing the damage that I had done to him made me sick to my stomach. He stared at me, a mix of fear and panic in his eyes.

"Ulf.. You must be here for your promise."

"I'm not here for that old friend. Oliver had informed me that there is a bigger power at play, something more dangerous and beyond comprehension."

His ears twitched, hanging on every word I spoke, like he was climbing a mountain. The fear and panic slowly subsided but his guard was still up. I do not blame him for this, I wouldn't trust him fully if the same was done to me.

"So, are you here to help me get rid of this beast or help it destroy villages?"

"I'm here to get rid of this creature. And help save the mortals that roam this planet."

Hayden nodded then hummed. I felt horrible for the treatment I had bestowed upon him. He was only trying to help me and I snapped. He knew the Earth far better than any of us. Why, he's quite literally as old as dirt. We couldn't let the mortals know of his existence because he could not change his form from great beast to mortal man like me and my brothers..except for one. Dÿr cannot change his shape either.

"And your brothers, they know you escaped confinement?"

"They are the ones who set me free. I did not escape."

Hayden let out a deep and hearty chuckle. Hearing him chuckle brought back so many memories. He was like a father to us all, advising us and keeping us hidden from mortals, only selecting one to uphold our secret. It's been a while but he had chosen a young orphan. At least from my knowledge, that is.

"Tell me Ulf, how have you not felt someone carving through the Earth? I'm sure your connection to the ground should've told you something."

"I have felt it. But I mostly thought it was the earth shifting below our feet."

He shook his heavy head, making his ears twitch after. He then motioned me to follow him. Leading me to a large room, with black fencing, a large chandelier of roots hung above a large dark sinkhole. I tilted my head and approached the fencing. Hayden grabbed my shoulder, preventing me from getting any closer.

"That's where it spawned. Birthed in darkness and brings death and destruction to villages. Digging around them then under them. Making them sink into it's dark domain."

"You've seen the creature?"

"No, only word of it. And I've seen villages there one day, but gone by dawn. Whatever this...thing...is, it's sinking villages during Véttr's night."