Wolves Bane

Summoning Death

 I lowered my head and started walking toward the path. Looking back to Véttr, the golden orbs circled around him as he stared down. I then turned my attention back to the path. Walking down, I started to wonder what it would be like if I was barred from seeing Soarin. Perhaps I had an exception because I was the only one who managed to gain her trust. But I can understand how Véttr feels about the matter. Once I made it down the mountain I took one last look and started walking back into the deep dark forest. Everything was still and silent. That's when something caught my eye, Dýr's fog.

"He's close."

I started walking into the fog, hearing whispers, seeing ghostly animals and ghostly humans walking by like they were lost. I stood tall, trying to not let the lost souls get to me but almost lost it was I saw a mother holding her baby tightly to her chest. She was charred, her baby only slightly burned but both were coughing up black smoke. My ears lowered as I saw that whatever you died to, your spirit will bear the same.

"Dýr? Are you out here?"

Hearing my voice echo through the nearly silent woods made it even creepier. I walked past the many souls and finally saw the lean, dark, and rotting shadow sitting before our mother's skeleton. I gathered all of my strength and approached.

"Hello Ulf, here to mourn mom?"

"I'm here for a council under your watchful...eye."

Dýr turned to face me, his empty eye socket dripping with something black and thick as ink. His teeth whiter than the spirits around, his claws were sharp as a scythe. His empty rib cage expanded with every shaky breath he took. I swallowed hard and steadied my breathing, he was an ethereal angel who spoke with a forked tongue.

"I'm very aware of the council you wish to hold. I've been shepherding the souls from the fallen villages. Like that mother and child you saw."

Seeing his mangled mouth form words so gracefully made me feel on edge. Especially when he says the word 'mom' there was something about it that was off. It made my ears twitch in the wrong kind of way. I looked back to the mother and baby, hearing their cries for help turned to mere whispers behind coughing fits. Deep down, I felt like someone should have saved them but another part of me said that it was impossible.

"Tell me Dýr, how do you do it?"

"Do what?"

"How do you shepherd these poor souls and not break?"

"It comes with the job my dear brother. If it wasn't my destiny, then I wouldn't have been born with this pattern, these scythe-like claws, or the ability to lead souls to the afterlife."

I nodded, knowing full well that he was correct. I then saw him stand up and started walking, I followed close behind. I saw the fluid dripping off his jaw and sunk into the going, killing the grass that it touched. Dýr was probably the most deadly of us all, but he was the most comforting. He stopped at a lake and started to descend in the water. The water rose to his shoulders as he laid down and looked at me, motioning me to join him. I walked to the water and laid down in it, the water covering my chest and front legs.

"Come now Ulf, I know you must be hot. Come under the water with me and cool off."

I got up and laid down next to him, the water rose to half my body as I looked at Dýr with an 'are you happy now" look. His raspy voice chuckled. He was a kind soul with no doubt the hardest job. Shepherding souls and attending the funerals of mortals. Even though they could not see him, he always attended to offer comfort to the loved ones mourning.

"So, I am to be the watchful eye of this council?"

"Yes, you are the one who can balance the scales. But then again, Véttr has placed a heavy burden upon my shoulders."

"I'm aware of it. He will agree to the terms. Véttr is not too hard to please."

There was something about the way Dýr spoke. Like he was sowing the seeds of lies. He was definitely hiding something. But I had to brush it aside, it wasn't as important as the council is right now. I will investigate it at a later date.

"Do tell me, what is it that troubles you about that mother and baby?"

"I see their pain, hear them choking and begging for help. I see their terror and I see the motherly instinct to protect her baby."

"It is how life is, my dear brother. I am just there to comfort them and lead them to where they belong unless they have unfinished business."

I nodded, understanding that there was something that they needed to do. I wasn't sure how he could handle this job, but he was something special. Like he wasn't part of this world but from another. I shook my head and smiled at him.

"Come, let us go to the council. We mustn't be late."