The Traveler: Name of the Wolf

Chapter 4

                "What are you doing...?" asked Grishka. Zen was up on a watch tower sitting against the wooden wall. Unlike the wall, the tower was made of stone and plaster, like many of the houses. Even the chief's 'hut' was a house of stone with wooden pillars made from the carved trunks of trees. Only his hall was made entirely from timber, and it was held as a sacred place, which why everyone went there to be safe from the wolf. Zen sat there, with his two guards who looked out with their bow and quivers. Before him was a pot stand, with a small clay jar, he had bought in town, resting over a bowl where in a fire had been lit. He wore his hat again, and also his scarf.

"I am making a potion..." he replied "or something like that..."

"Oh..." she asked amused "And what will this potion do...?" she climbed up the ladder and sat down next to him while the guards pretended not to pay attention. "Will it let you fly, see in the dark, grant you great strength...?"

"It make the rocks I throw in glow when the wolf is near, the rest I will use as an early warning system for then the beast approaches." Her amusement turned to disappointment.

"You're no fun are you...?"

"No, I can't say that I am..." he replied slightly amused

"Huh...last night, you complained about being tired, I never knew witches were so...weak..."

"I am a Wizard, not a witch, or he-witch, also known as a warlock..."

"I fail to see the difference..."

"I do not call up the dead, or wretched spirits from the pit, I do not consort with them. Much of my magic concerning them, is to keep them at bay, or banish them back."

"Can you talk to animals...?"

"Why, they generally don't have much to say..." She smirked, amused by that statement.

"Then what can you do...?"

"You see that tree...?" He pointed with his staff.

"Yes...?"

"I can shatter it with a touch of my staff, but do not ask me to shatter every tree in this forest. The power is mine, the same power that you use to lift your arm, curl your fist, and punch someone in the face, and in that same way, as you strike your enemy, your fist will begin to hurt. It will be sore, a bone may even crack. It is the same with my power, I can do anything, but I'll be damned if I think I can survive doing everything..."

"Interesting...and where do potions come in...?"

"That's basic enchantments...made complicated but never mind that. Tell me...who was that man the beast killed when I arrived?" There was as awkward silence.

"Why do you want to know...?" she asked, clearly unhappy.

"I wish to know who this beast is, it is easier to destroy them in human form..."

"That does not sound very brave..."

"But it is practical..." she paused.

"It was my cousin, Mylik's brother..."

"He is your cousin...?"

"Yes...his father was chief of nearby village, but he was slain in a dispute for chiefdom and his mother brought the two here. She was my father's sister, and was also slain by the wolf..." she said with a sad tone.

"It would seem to me..." said Zen "This beast stalks your bloodline specifically..." She sighed and sat against the wall with him.

"Many have already noted that, the beast...last night notwithstanding, the beast generally does not leave until one of our house is dead. My older brother was out hunting, we heard his call and ran to find the beast over his corpse, waiting. My aunt, walked the streets by night and was crushed when it landed on her. Dyrrick thought himself a great warrior, and against my father's plea, ventured out and challenged the beast. They must've fought for hours, and when we woke up our courage, we found him soon before you came. Other times it is driven off."

"Your hand..."

"What...?" Zen had put out his open palm, and left it there waiting. Grishka placed her hand in his palm, and he tied a bracelet around her wrist, it was plant fibers, but they had a hot spicy scent to them. "What is this...?"

"Wolf's Bane, the stem, soaked in the flower's juices. Also, don't lick it."

"Why...?"

"It is poisonous, more so to the beast than to men, but it will make you sick. With this on you, if it wishes to get close, then it would need to cut its own nose of." He gave her some more "These are for the rest of your family."

"Wouldn't it be better if you gave them...?" He gave her a look "A fair point..."

"So what did your father do about his brother-in-law...?"

"Like what...? He couldn't do anything, he died in an honor duel. If he complained the other chiefs would've ostracized this village. It doesn't matter anyways, he's already dead. Another villager overthrew him, then he died during the winter."

"Enough..." Everyone turned to see Mylik climbing up the ladder. "Your father wants you..." She made a noise, signifying her annoyance, stood up and went down the ladder. "And 'you', you will do well to stay well enough from my cousin, he-witch!" Mylik also left, as he did, he gave Zen a glare. Zen just looked back...unimpressed. With the two of them gone, he sighed.

"Make sure no one disturbs me..." Zen said. The guards nodded, not quite sure what he meant. Zen took a deep breath, grasped his staff tightly and closed his eyes.

The serpent moved, unseen through the forest. The forest it stalked in was the same one that surrounded the woods, and yet it was wholly different. It was overcast with mist surrounding the trees. The animals that lived in it, their bodies fluttered with light, as their bones, brains and heart seemed to glow from the inside at random intervals. They all darted out of the way when the serpent came, gargantuan and seemingly without end. At any time however, a section of its body was either gaunt or with muscular girth, fluctuating in a rhythmic fashion. As it moved its dark red scaled form seemed to just get long. Its head was that of a dragon, beaked at the top, with teeth like curved daggers and a pair antlers atop its head pointing back.

It moved through the woods unchallenged, unbothered, until it ran into it. A walking shadow.