Tooth and Claw : The Life of Lyco the Psycho

[lycothepsycho]

My name is Lukas Schwarzwalder, and my life began in a small, long forgotten village in the Black Forest of Germany in 1574. My father was the best hunter in the village, and he always hunted alone, since none of the others were as silent, as swift, or as lethal with a bow. He was 6 ft. 5 inches tall, with sandy brown hair and handsome features, so all the young women had lusted after him in his youth. But his heart already belonged to my mother, a rare beauty with long golden hair and bright, emerald green eyes. But it wasn’t her beauty that made him fall in love with her. It was her fierce spirit, her optimistic attitude, and her continued refusal of his advances which made him try all the more to win her affection. As the daughter of the village’s healer, she grew up with rumors and whispers that her mother was a witch. So she wasn’t quick to trust his motives. But he eventually proved his love to her, and they were wed, much to the disapproval of the gossips. He built a brand new house for them and her mother on the edge of the village, and I was born a year later.

I resembled my father with his sandy brown hair, but had my mother’s emerald green eyes. Our village was secluded, off the main traveling roads, so we didn’t get many visitors, which was how we liked it. The church and the oldest houses were built around the wide, circular clearing, which was laid with stones to protect our houses from the great bonfire that was lit each year to welcome spring. We had just over 100 people in our village, and we lived quiet lives up until the time when two of our number mysteriously disappeared in the forest. A search party was sent to look for the bodies, but they came back with nothing. At the village meeting, witchcraft was mentioned, but no one dared point a finger at my mother or grandmother. After the third disappearance, most villagers feared going into the forest, but since we needed food, my father and a few others continued hunting there. I was 17 years old, and had been hunting with my father since I was 13, learning all of his skills as a master hunter.

One day, we stayed out longer than usual, since we had not seen any animals all afternoon. The sky slowly darkened, and a brilliant, full moon began to rise in the sky. My father said we should get back to the village, but that’s when I spotted a magnificent stag in the distance. I silently drew an arrow from my quiver, pulled the string of my bow back, and took aim. But just before I fired, a wolf howled, and the stag took off. My father was worried, and said “That was close by, Lukas. We need to get out of here now. There may be more than one.” We started back on the moonlit trail, and that’s when we heard another howl, and it was even closer. We then heard growling coming from behind us, and that prompted us to run. We had to make it to the river, where we would have a better chance of escape. My heart was pounding rapidly as the growling grew louder, and I looked back just once to see where my father was, and I tripped over a branch. As he helped me to my feet, the growling suddenly stopped, and everything became deathly silent. We looked around, but saw nothing. A moment later, a great shape came out of the bushes, attacking us with such speed that we had no chance to defend ourselves. My father was thrown back, and I felt sharp claws tear through my shirt, drawing blood from my lower back. As I turned, I saw the head of a giant wolf with glowing, red eyes and huge teeth as it bit into my left arm. The pain was excruciating, but paled in comparison with the terror I felt looking into its demonic eyes. My father cried out and attacked the wolf, which then released me. I heard the screams and growls as they fought, but felt too dizzy to get up or even turn my head. All I could do was stare up at the bright, full moon above, until I lost consciousness.

When I awoke it was morning, and although I felt a bit weak, I was able to sit up and get to my feet. I looked all around for my father, but there was no sign of him, or the wolf. It made me think about the bite, so I looked down at my arm, and saw no wound there at all. I then felt my back, and again nothing. My shirt was torn and bloody, but I didn’t have a scratch on me. Confused, I frantically searched for my father for another hour, and then ran home, not knowing what else to do. I found both my mother and grandmother pacing inside, looking as if they hadn’t slept the previous night. When they saw my face, and that I was alone, they suspected the worst. My mother ran to me and embraced me as I tried to explain what had happened. Another search party was sent out, but they came back with nothing. The whispers of witchcraft and sorcery returned, which infuriated me. My mother and grandmother were the most generous, caring people to those who were sick and in need of a potion, which they brewed using plants and animal parts. Most of the villagers had used one or more of their potions, and now they were suspected of the disappearance of my father, even though I had told them it was a giant wolf. My mother refused to break down and cry in front of anyone, hiding her grief that only grandmother and I knew she suffered.

I recovered physically from the ordeal very quickly, and felt stronger than ever. But emotionally was a different story. I was haunted by nightmares of that giant wolf’s glowing red eyes, and no matter how fast or how far I ran, it was always right behind me. A few weeks passed, and as it neared one month since the attack, I felt a change inside of me. I began to notice scents more, my hearing and eyesight were more aware, and my beard started to grow in more. The entire day of the full moon I felt ill, and as evening came and the moon began to rise just after twilight, I felt trapped. I ran into the woods, my blood burning inside my veins, and I was sweating like crazy. I came upon a small clearing near the river, and the moonlight shone full down upon me. It was such a beautiful sight, but I felt such pain that coursed through my body. I tore my clothes off me, and writhed in agony on the grass as my hands began to change right before my eyes. My nails started to lengthen and thicken into claws, and then my muscles started to bulge out and grow. Fur began to grow in all over my body, and as I let out a scream, it turned into a howl. My vision became more acute, with indistinct shapes becoming crystal clear. My heart pumped faster and my adrenaline surged, and the pain finally subsided, replaced by a voracious hunger. I smelled something in the air and heard a slight rustling in the bushes over 200 feet away, and knew there was a deer hiding there. My bloodlust overtook my senses, and that’s when my memory hazed over.

I awoke the next morning confused, with deer blood on my hands. My body was back to normal, but all my senses were still heightened, and I felt stronger than before. I washed myself off in the river, and then ran home, careful not to let anyone see me. But after I had dressed and was about to start my chores, my grandmother looked at me and asked “Lukas, did you kill anything last night?” I broke down and confessed everything that had happened, and for the first time in a long while, my mother had tears in her eyes. Grandmother said “My dear, I feared this after seeing how you‘ve been acting these past few weeks. You have been cursed by a powerful magic. Long ago, a valiant knight went on a quest to hunt down an evil witch who had killed many people with her poisons and spells. He caught up with her on the night of the full moon, and ran her through with his sword just as a lone wolf howled in the distance. She cursed him with her dying breath to a lonely, preternatural life, where he would kill everyone he loved in the guise of a wolf. He didn’t believe her, and went home to his family. After the next full moon, he awoke to find his family was torn apart by a wild animal. He had no memory of it, but he was covered in their blood. Every month thereafter, when the full moon rose in the evening sky, he became a half-man, half-wolf creature. He killed everyone he came in contact with while under the spell of the wolf. But those lucky enough to survive the werewolf’s attack became cursed as well. They in turn killed, and cursed more. There is only one sure way to kill a werewolf. You must pierce its heart with silver. This is because the sword that the knight used to kill the witch had an enchanted blade of pure silver on it. Immolation can also kill a werewolf, but otherwise it can survive serious wounds that would kill any ordinary man. And no one quite knows how long they can live.”

I let all this information sink in as my mother comforted me. My grandmother got up from her chair, retrieved her potion book from its hiding place, and said “All is not lost, Lukas. I can brew a potion that will lessen the pain of your transformation, and help you retain your reasoning while you are under the spell. There is also another potion that my grandmother told me of, which can even help you to control when you transform. But the ingredients are very rare, found only in the deepest parts of the forest.” Without thinking, I said “I will find those ingredients for you, Oma.” But mother said “Lukas, no. I cannot bear to lose you as I did your father.” I took her hands and replied “Mother, I have to go. If this potion can help control the monster inside of me, I need to do everything I can to get those ingredients. Besides, I do not fear the creature in the forest any longer, and with my new found strength and senses, I will be perfectly safe.” It was a lie, but I didn’t want to cause her any more worry.

I left the next morning, with detailed descriptions of the plants I needed to gather. Most of them were relatively easy to find, but one caused me to search a long distance away from the village. It was a rare form of wolfsbane, with white flowers on it instead of the normal yellow ones. Used alone, it could harm a werewolf. But if brewed in a special potion with other ingredients, it could affect the creature’s mindset and interfere with the curse’s properties. I found the stems of it in a few places, but it seemed as if someone or something had also wanted it. I finally found some using my nose, which led me to an old deserted cabin, overgrown with weeds and vines. The rare wolfsbane grew in abundance in the garden, along with other plants and flowers I had never seen before. I gathered a sample of each variety to take back to grandmother, as well as all of the wolfsbane. I was gone just over a week, and when I got home my mother was so glad to see me, since another person had vanished.

Almost all the villagers were avoiding her, all except Elsa. When mother mentioned her name I closed my eyes, seeing Elsa’s beautiful face before me. Her deep blue eyes were warm and inviting, her rich, chestnut brown hair shined in the sunlight. She was just a year younger than me, and even though I had known her all my life, it was only recently that I noticed how much she had changed. She was almost a woman, and her flawless alabaster complexion and full, red lips called to me every time I saw her of late. But her image now caused me pain, since I knew I could never get close to her. She would recoil in horror if she knew that I had become a monster, and I didn’t want that.

As I went to give grandmother the ingredients, she looked ill, but she said she was just fine. Her eyes lit up when she saw what I had brought her. She began naming the plants and asked “Where did you get these? I have not seen some of these rare plants in years.” I told her about the cabin and garden, and she surmised that a witch must have lived there. She then brought out a glass vial, and said “This is the first potion I have brewed for you. Drink just a little on the morning of the full moon, and you should have little or no pain. The second potion will take longer to make, but it should be done before the next full moon. It will not work however until it is activated by moonlight. And not just any moonlight. It has to be the light of the harvest moon. Luckily it is autumn, or we would have to wait for it. But one drink of it will last a whole year, until the harvest moon returns. Now I must begin brewing it, so if you will go chop some more firewood for me, I’ll get started.”

After the firewood, I went for a walk through the village, and many people acted strangely towards me as well. But they held their tongues, since I was almost as big as my father, and I would not stand for their accusations. Even one of my best friends since childhood told me he was too busy to talk. I kept to myself for the next two weeks, and hunted only for my family and those I still knew were friends. My grandmother finished the potion, and it was a grayish green color. I took the vial to the highest tree near the village, where the moonlight would shine brightly upon it. There was only a week left before the next full moon, but my mother and I had a new worry. Grandmother’s cough had worsened, and she ate less and less. Two days later, she could not even get out of bed, and that’s when she said “I am dying, I know this now.” Overcome with emotion, I said “There has to be something we can do! Some potion that we can brew for you! Tell me the ingredients and I will search everywhere for them!” She just smiled and raised a hand to my cheek, then said “Lukas, my dear, do not cry for me. I have lived a long life, and there is no potion for old age. You need to worry about yourself. Find the beast that bit you, and kill it. Its heart holds the key to your cure. It’s all in the book. Your mother will know what to do.” Mother and I stayed with her throughout the day, and as evening came she passed away.

The next day I dug her grave, and we had a small service. The reverend of course refused to be there, and we didn’t want him there anyway. He was one of the accusers. Elsa and a few others came to pay their respects, and I felt some comfort as she took my hand into hers and she looked into my eyes. But I knew I would have to stay away from her for her own safety. Finally came the morning of the full moon, and I felt that strange, queasy feeling in my stomach as I had the previous month. But after I took a sip of the first potion, I felt better. I wouldn’t know its full potency however until that evening. Just then I heard a commotion start up in the center of the village with my increased hearing. So I went to find out what was wrong, and it was the worst possible news. Three people had vanished during the night from within the village, and Elsa was one of them. I rushed home to tell mother, and she was very troubled. She finally said “Lukas, we must leave this place. It has become a feeding ground for that thing in the forest, and we are the ones who are taking the blame. The only reason we’ve stayed this long is because your grandmother refused to go. Who knows if there are more out there? And with the full moon tonight, you will change. We must go while we still can.” More than a few families had already left, and others were considering it, so I agreed.

We began to pack up what belongings we could fit in our carriage, but before we could leave we heard a group of villagers at our door. The reverend, with the village gossips, the town leaders, and a host of others behind him, spoke “Katarina! You can hide it no longer! We know that you are a witch, and that you are behind the disappearances of our missing loved ones! Come out and face judgment!” I opened the door and glared at them, and with undisguised venom I yelled “My mother is not a witch, you old goat! If anyone is evil, it is you! We are leaving this hateful village, and I personally hope that whatever is out there gets you and all who have accused my mother of such a heinous deed!” The look on their haughty faces was one of shock and indignity, as if I had blasphemed or cursed them all to hell, which I had considered. I closed the door as they turned to leave, talking amongst themselves fearfully. But I didn’t expect our door to be kicked in minutes later by the strongest men in the village. I fought off four of them, but was knocked unconscious when I heard my mother scream.

When I awoke, I was bound tightly to the stone cross in front of the church, which faced the clearing. The sun was just beginning to set, and I could feel there was only an hour or more until the moonrise. But what I saw in the clearing horrified me. A giant stake and pyre were being erected, with villagers rushing to complete it. I knew some of them well, or at least I thought I did. I cried out “What are you doing?! My mother is not a witch! She is innocent! You have known us all of your lives! How can you treat us this way?!” But they ignored my words and my pleas to untie me. As the sun dipped below the horizon, and the darkness grew, clouds began to move in, obscuring the evening sky. A crowd gathered in the clearing, and finally the reverend came out of the church with my mother. As they passed by me, she whispered “I love you my son, always remember that.” I struggled as hard as I could, feeling my skin being rubbed raw, but I didn’t care. I had to break free. The torches were lit as my mother was tied to the stake, and I cried out, cursing the reverend and all who were present for letting this happen. When I could scream no longer, the reverend began his rhetoric to the crowd: “I have given Katarina every chance to admit that she is a witch and to confess her sins, but she has steadfastly refused to repent and ask for God’s forgiveness. Therefore, she must burn at the stake to cleanse her soul of the evil and wickedness that dwells there now. Let us all hope that we can find peace in that no more innocent lives will be taken by her witchcraft.”

The pyre was lit, and I screamed once more in anger and desperation. But my mother whispered words that only I could hear “Lukas. We will see each other again. You must survive this.” Just as the flames grew higher, there was a break in the clouds, and the full moon was revealed in all its glory. It was a true harvest moon, tinged deep orange and crimson. I felt the anger and the burning in my blood as I began to change, but there was little pain. Some of the villagers began to scream and scatter as they witnessed my transformation, but most were too entranced by the fire to notice me until I howled and broke free from my restraints. I rushed towards the pyre, swiping people out of my way. But as I looked up at the stake, my mother was no longer there. I howled again and threw burning branches and logs everywhere, trying to find her. But her body was nowhere to be found.

That’s when I looked around, and saw the reverend standing twenty feet away from me, frozen in horror. He was whispering something that even my hearing couldn’t pick up with all the screaming going on. I charged him, snatched his small body up in my claws, then tore his head off and threw his body onto the pyre. My bloodlust was uncontrollable, and I sliced up every villager I could find, staining the stones with their blood. Those I didn’t kill burned in the conflagration that spread through the entire village. It was a sight I would never forget. Everything was ablaze, and the heat became even more than my superhuman body could take, so I ran into the forest. There I found a few more villagers who had fled, and I feasted on their flesh. The dark clouds obscured the blood moon again, but I retained my werewolf form. It began to rain, and even though the darkness was complete, I could still see the outlines of everything around me. I began to calm down as the rain soaked me, so I found a quiet place to rest.

In the morning I awoke naked and wet, close to the river. I was emotionally spent, but I had to return to the village to hopefully recover anything the fire had spared. As I reached the edge of a once beautiful, happy place, what was left was smoldering ruins, the air heavy with burned wood and flesh. But a few houses did survive for the most part, thanks to the rain. My house was one of them, since it was away from the closely built center. As I entered, I saw that most of our belongings had been taken, rummaged through, or broken. I packed what I could into my rucksack after getting dressed, and then remembered the most important thing. I went to the fireplace and pried up the loose floorboard, and reached down to find it was still there. It was grandmother’s potion book. Mother had thankfully not yet retrieved it before our attack. I ran a hand over the worn, leather cover, its value to me immeasurable. It was over 100 years old, yet the parchment and binding inside were still in remarkably good condition. I would protect it with my life, not just because it was my family’s legacy, but because my life depended upon the potions within. I put it in my rucksack and left, and then headed towards the center of the village.

Burned corpses were everywhere, but I didn’t flinch at the sight, since they meant nothing to me. The stake and pyre were still there, and the blackened, cracked stones surrounding it still radiated heat from the intensity of the fire. I searched through the charred pile of wood, but found only the bones of the headless reverend. That is until a patch of sunlight glinted off something metal. I cleared away everything to find the necklace my father had given to my mother. Unbelievable as it was, it looked as brilliant and shiny as ever, as if the fire had never touched it. I grasped it and held it to my heart, then placed it around my neck. It was the only thing I had left of her, so I would treasure it always.

As I left the village a short time later, I took one last look back, and I remembered a scene that took place just a few months earlier. It was Elsa’s birthday, and I lied and told her that I didn’t have a present for her, thinking she would get mad. It was one of our games. But she just grabbed me and kissed me full on the lips, then said “A kiss is the only present I need from you, Lukas.” My heart skipped a beat at that moment, since I had never felt that way before. She then ran away before anyone saw us together. I blinked my eyes, and that happy scene was replaced by the burned out village again. Just as I was about to head into the forest and begin my search for the beast that had ultimately caused all this pain and misery, I remembered grandmother’s second potion. I ran to the highest tree where I had put it, and climbed to the top quickly. Grandmother was right. As I lifted the glass vial and gazed at the liquid within, it had turned clear blue in color.


END OF PART ONE

[Bushido]

Congradulations, i enjoy it. Hope part two is coming soon!

[werewolves]

I second that motion!

[lycothepsycho]

Tooth and Claw 2 : The Hunt

One week after leaving what used to be my village, my search in the forest had yielded little results. I found a few footprints and a few claw marks, but even with my heightened senses and tracking skills, the trail of the werewolf who had bitten me had gone cold. But on the eighth day, my nose led me back to the deserted cabin where the wolfsbane and the other rare plants grew. The werewolf had been there within the past week or so, probably collecting herbs like I had. So instead of trying to track him down, I decided to wait for him to return. I knew this was the only place in the region where these rare herbs grew, and he would have to come back for more, sooner or later. And I was prepared to wait for as long as it took.

After searching the cabin and surrounding area, I made camp downwind so my scent wouldn’t linger there for him to detect. I spent my days studying my grandmother’s potion book, learning all I could which might help me in the future. At night I would take to a tree which provided an excellent vantage spot of the cabin, but far enough away so that he would not see me. I knew I would need every advantage to kill him, so on the fourth day of waiting, I decided to try out the moonlight potion. After taking it out of my pouch, I carefully unwrapped the glass vial and then gazed at the crystal-clear blue color of the liquid within. My grandmother had spent her final weeks on this earth preparing it, so I prayed that it would work.

I drank just a sip as she said to do, then put the stopper back in. It tasted like refreshing, ice cold water as it went down my throat, but when it reached my stomach it began to burn like fire. I gasped and fell to the ground in torment, but after a minute the burning subsided, changing to a comfortable warm sensation which spread throughout my body. I sat up and didn’t feel any great change in me, but I wouldn’t know if it worked until the sun had set. Even though I wouldn’t need the light of the full moon to change, or any moonlight at all, it still needed to be dark. Oma had said that only a few, pure, magical creatures could use their powers in the sunlight.

After the sun had set below the tree line, I tried to change, but nothing happened. So I waited until it was completely dark, and tried again, without success. For the third try, I focused all my mental energy into changing, but still no luck. I couldn’t understand why it wasn’t working, and wished Oma was there so she could answer all my questions. I thought maybe I needed a bit more of the potion, so I went to retrieve it from my pack, which I kept hidden at the top of a tree. But halfway there my nose picked up the scent of an animal, and I felt it. The change was coming, and I quickly took off my clothes before it happened.

It took less than 30 seconds for my transformation, much quicker than the first time, and I then chased after the deer as it fled. I feasted on my kill, but my senses and focus were still sharp. Although I felt all the primal urges running through my brain, I was able to control and subdue them. After having my fill, and sensing nothing more than a few birds in the area, I changed back. I knew now that it was not my will that affected my transformation, it was instinct. I had forgotten to eat my evening meal, so when the deer’s scent hit my nostrils, my primal werewolf instincts kicked in.

Over the next few nights, I began to discover just how the potion worked. I had to sense fear, anger, excitement, or bloodlust to turn myself into the beast. Trying to will myself to change was a human thought process, and not an instinctual, animal emotion. After learning how to change, I then learned something just as useful, how not to change. I sensed a deer approaching from the east, and my first instinct was to transform and go after it. But since I wasn’t hungry, I suppressed that instinct, calming my mind and allowing the deer to pass.

The biggest test of my control came less than a week later. I was growing tired one night, and found myself almost falling asleep as I listened to the soft breeze through the trees. It was a week before the full moon, and the sky was clear and cool. I gazed up at the waxing three quarter moon, comfortably ensconced in my usual spot up in the tree. Just as I closed my eyes, I caught his scent. My eyes opened wide and my body tensed as looked towards the cabin, and my ears heard the faintest rustling in the bushes as a figure dressed in a black, hooded cloak stepped out. He moved quickly to the garden after pausing a moment to survey the area, then he began collecting herbs.

I moved a bit too suddenly, and he paused to look in my direction. I could feel his eyes upon me as he stared at the trees, so I dropped to the ground and removed my clothes. I ran towards him at full speed, my hatred and bloodlust fueling my transformation. He began to transform as well, removing his cloak as he growled in anticipation of a fight. I was fully changed as I charged at him, the massive gray werewolf with evil, glowing, red eyes that I still remembered vividly from the night he attacked father and me. He swatted me with a huge front paw as I came into reach, and I went down as he pounced on me. But I quickly recovered, and slashed at his shoulder then kicked him off as he tried to sink his teeth into my throat.

I charged him again, but ducked under the swipe he made, tackling him into an old tree. I tried to bite his throat, but he elbowed my jaw and then threw me into the fence which surrounded the garden, breaking it. I was stunned, but moved at the last moment as he came at me with his big, drooling mouth. He grazed my ribs and my left arm with a vicious claw strike, but I swung my right paw and hit the side of his face, then bit down on his right ear, tearing a piece off it as he howled in pain. He hit me hard with a backhand, sending me to the ground. But then he paused, looked to the sky, and immediately grabbed his pouch with the herbs and ran off into the forest. I wanted to follow, but I was dazed and exhausted from my first real fight. I changed back to human form, and limped back into the cabin, climbing into the old bed with the deerskin blanket to keep from freezing in the cold night air.

I awoke at sunrise, feeling much stronger, and saw my injuries were almost completely healed. I still had some pain in my leg and ribs, but I had to begin tracking him before his scent grew cold again. I dressed warmly and ate a bit of food, then followed the trail of blood he had left the night before. Even after the blood trail had stopped, his scent was still fresh and easy to track. He was heading east out of our valley and into the hills. His trail seemed to stop at a river, but my father had taught me well, and I picked up his trail again after crossing. The hills led up a bit, then over a ridge and down again into a strange, secluded valley where the trees grew much bigger and more densely packed. This area seemed almost unnatural to me, since I could hear the sounds of animals, yet I could not see or smell them anywhere. The sun was setting, but I could not rest, so I continued into this strange forest, unsure of what I would find.

Despite the creepy nature of the forest, the walking became easier for me not just because of the more even terrain, but also because of my accelerated healing. The dense trees provided little moonlight to see by, but my enhanced vision let me see everything in my path. For the next three hours I walked, always on my guard, but knowing I was going the right way because of his pervasive scent. When I suddenly came to a rock wall I was puzzled, since it was as unnatural as the forest. It had to be at least twenty feet tall, and so smooth that there was no way to climb it, even with claws. There had to be a way through it or around it, so I began to walk along the perimeter, and noticed that it curved slightly.

I finally found a large gateway, and saw that the wall was at least ten feet deep. The outer black iron gate was unlocked, and swung open a bit too easily, so I was careful as I entered. When I reached the inner gate it also opened at just a touch, so I looked around before stepping into the enclosure. As I walked inside, I almost immediately sensed danger. A familiar scent came to me, but it wasn’t the werewolf. Just as I was about to transform, I stopped it. As I expected, a pack of wolves emerged from the trees, growling ferociously. They must have been the guardians of the gate.

They were all larger than average wolves, and there were eight of them. It would be a difficult fight for me, and I didn’t want to injure myself before I faced the beast again, so I decided on another plan. I slowly got down on the ground, and remained motionless as they approached. But I was ready with my knife just in case my plan didn’t work. The largest wolf came right up to me baring his teeth, but after smelling my scent, his growling ceased. He must have been the Alpha male, because he then looked me right in my eyes, and after a few seconds he raised his head and let out a long howl. The other seven followed suit, and after their song ended, they turned and disappeared back into the forest.

My reasoning had served me well. Had I been aggressive and tried to attack, or showed fear and tried to run, they would have proceeded to tear me apart. I’m sure that if I had been 100% human they would have done the same thing. But I guessed that if he had passed here, that they would let me pass as well. I got to my feet, and began following the trail that led through the trees. The sky was beginning to lighten, and I sensed I was getting close to something. When I finally broke free of the trees into a large clearing, I was surprised by what I saw.

It was a crumbling, stone fortress, at least 100 feet tall and circular in shape. It looked as if it was from the time of the Romans, but it was very strange that a fortress had been built in such a remote area. Windows lined the upper section of the structure, yet as I walked around its perimeter, there were no windows or even a doorway at ground level. His scent was all around the area, along with the smells of herbs, perfume, and decay. I knew I had to be cautious, but I had to get inside. So I dropped my pack, and used my enhanced strength to grab onto handholds any normal human would have had difficulty grasping. Slowly I made my way up to the top, and after ten minutes I was able to pull myself into one of the upper windows.

As I gazed around the room I was in, I was amazed at the condition of it. I expected a barren, cold, stone room, but it was lavishly decorated with intricately carved wooden furniture and colorful tapestries on the walls. There were golden candelabras, richly woven fabrics on the grand, four-post bed, and a large fireplace blazing warmly. But the ceiling was what caught my eyes the most. It was painted with a fresco of angels and demons in battle, and a sparkling, crystal chandelier was suspended from the center. I wondered how the interior could be so completely opposite from what the exterior looked like, and witchcraft came to mind.

The many scents within were overwhelming, but most of all was the smell of food. I went to the door and opened it, and entered a long hallway, which was just as finely decorated as the room I had left. My nose led me down a smoothly polished marble staircase to a large open hall, and just beyond it a banquet room with a long table that could have seated 100 people or more. A fire was blazing in the massive stone fireplace, and there was such an abundance of food covering the table I salivated and rushed to it. I knew there was something very strange about it all, but my nose told me that the food wasn’t poisoned, so I began to devour a bit of almost everything there. I ate until my stomach was completely full, but careful not to touch the silverware, knowing it was a werewolf’s weakness. After my hunger was finally sated by the sumptuous feast, that was when the exhaustion overtook me, and I was powerless to resist. My eyes closed and I quickly slipped into a deep slumber.

I didn’t know how long I had slept, but when I awoke I heard a familiar voice, and opened my eyes to see Elsa there. She looked even more beautiful than when I had last seen her, with her long, chestnut brown hair falling in waves around her serene face, her deep blue eyes sparkling like jewels. She was dressed in a pale blue gown fit for a queen, and I thought I was either still asleep or seeing things not really there. But then she smiled, caressed my face like she always did, and said “Lukas, I am so glad that you finally woke up. How did you ever find me?” I didn’t answer her at first, but sat up in the softest bed I had ever slept in, and tried to take everything in. I then asked “Elsa, is it really you? How did you get here?” I stopped to think, and before she could answer, I said “He brought you here, didn’t he?” She said “You mean the wolf creature. Yes. He brought me here after grabbing me from our village.”

I immediately asked “Is anyone else here? My father?” She said “ No. I am the only one here. I don’t even know how long I have been here. The witch has enchanted me in some way.” I asked “What witch?” She replied “Maurana is her name. After being brought here, she said I would be perfect for her needs, but that she also needed one more thing to complete her spell. She has allowed me to roam free within the fortress, because I can’t leave it. She has marked me with a spell, so I can’t climb out of the windows.” Elsa showed me her wrist, and there was a strange triangular symbol on it, then she continued “I have tried to escape many times, but I am pulled back by some unseen force every time I try to cross the window sill.”

I asked “Where is the witch now?” and she answered “I don’t know. But she left a few days ago, right after she sent that beast Romus away on an errand. Neither has returned yet.” I got up out of the bed and thought about things for a moment, then said “There must be some way for me to get you out of here. I’ll search every room until I find something.” Elsa said “ It won’t be of any use. This fortress is magical, and it won’t allow me into certain rooms. Every morning the table downstairs is filled with more food than I could possibly eat in a day, and whatever is left over vanishes at midnight. I saw it happen one night, and it is frightening.”

She began to cry, and I held her close, thinking about our predicament. I then asked “Do you know where the witch’s chambers are?” She said “No, but Maurana said that I could not free myself with anything found in this fortress. She gave Romus the crystal which she used on my wrist, and told him to guard it with his life. You would probably have to kill him in order to obtain it.” I responded “Then that’s what I’ll have to do.” Elsa had a look of worry on her face, and said “Lukas, no! How could you possibly do that? He is a horrifying monster in his wolf form, and probably stronger than ten men. I don’t know what I would do if something happened to you.”

I looked away for a moment, wondering if she would think the same of me if I revealed my secret to her. I then said “I will kill him and bring back that crystal. I promise you that. My father was the best huntsman in our village, remember? Don’t worry.” She smiled slightly, and said “To finally escape this prison will be wonderful.” Just then I heard the howl of Romus, and turned to look out the window. The sun had just set, and I knew I had to get that crystal before the witch returned. So I climbed out the window, and before descending I said “I’ll be back as soon as possible, Elsa.” She blew me a kiss, and then I began to climb down to the ground.

As I climbed down the wall of the fortress, the fresh air was very welcome. The interior was filled with so many scents that it was difficult to separate them. I reached the ground, and wondered why Romus hadn’t just returned to the fortress, since he had made it to the enclosure before I had. My only guess was that he had his own lair out there in the forest, and he was waiting for the witch to return. I found my rucksack on the ground where I had left it, and felt stupid for just leaving it out in the open like that, since it had Oma’s irreplaceable potion book in it. I put it up in a tree to ensure its safety, and then I heard the howl again.

It was coming from the sloping north section of the enclosure, so I headed up to find him. The moon was almost full, and its beautiful light illuminated the area brilliantly with clarity and detail that only one with enhanced sight could see. I knew I was getting closer as his scent grew stronger. He was waiting for me, so I prepared myself for a fight. I finally came upon him as he sat on a large, flat, rock ledge which overlooked the entire enclosure. I could see the lights from the fortress windows below, and even the dark shape of the gate in the distance from this high vantage point. He was wearing a long hooded black cloak as before, and as I stepped out into the small clearing in front of the ledge, he pushed back the hood to reveal his face.

He looked to be about 40 years old, but I sensed he was much older than that. He had dark hair and dark eyes, and I noticed that his ear was almost healed. The eight guardian wolves rested all around him, and he seemed almost small in his human form, but with a definite imposing air of authority. He looked at me not with hate, but with a mixture of curiosity and superiority. He then spoke with a strange accent, but I was able to understand him as he said “It has been a long time since someone has surprised me as you did in the herb garden. You are strong, perhaps almost as strong as I was when I was first bitten, many centuries ago. My name is Romus, and I would like it if you joined me. My pack was destroyed by a coven of witches, one of which still survives to this day, in that fortress you were just at.”

I wondered why he was telling me all this. Was it just to confuse me, or just to lower my guard so he would have a better chance to kill me? I was about to say something, but then he continued “Join me, and help me to kill the witch, and we can start a new pack, one which will ascend to the Alpha position among our kind.” I guessed he was tired of taking orders from Maurana, and he needed me to help take her down. Then he’d probably take me on. I thought about my options, and then said “I want the crystal you have. Give it to me, and I will help you with the witch.”

He reached beneath the neck of his robe, and brought out a golden chain, upon which dangled a softly glowing, green crystal. He said “This crystal has been in my possession for a long time, and I don’t intend to give it to anyone. The witch has obviously worked her magic on you. Very clever of her. But she is not to be trusted. Do not let emotion cloud your judgment. She needs to die.” I didn’t know who he meant, Elsa or the witch, but I knew he wasn’t going to give me the crystal, so I was going to have to take it from him. I removed my clothes and let the change happen, and he got to his feet and said “You fool.” He waved his hand, and the eyes of the guardian wolves opened and began to glow green. They started to growl and show their teeth, so I knew I had to defeat them first before I could get to him. But my desire to free Elsa fueled my strength and determination.

As the wolves prepared to attack, I backed up into the trees so they wouldn’t be able to jump at me from all angles in the open. The leading wolf went for my leg, but I grabbed him by the neck and snapped it quickly, then swung its body to hit the jumping second one into a tree. I avoided the third wolf by twisting and spinning around a tree, but as I landed, the fourth one bit into my ankle. I pounded its head with tremendous force until its jaws let go and it laid still. The third wolf came at me again, but I sliced its belly open with my claws, and it dropped.

The next four were trying to work as a team, but my constant jumping from tree to tree had them confused. I dodged the fifth wolf, grabbed it by the tail, and used it as a weapon to slam down upon the sixth wolf. But the seventh one jumped upon my back at that time, and bit into my shoulder. I responded by reaching back and pulling it off me, then strangling it with my forearm until it let go. That left the big Alpha male, which then lunged for my neck. I twisted so that it hit my upper arm, but as I was off balance, the impact sent me to the ground. It tried for my throat again, but I blocked its attack, and grabbed hold of its neck as it jumped on me again. I then bit down onto its throat, and blood began gushing out as it went still. I was a bit bruised and bloody as I got to my feet, but still had plenty left for the main event.

As I exited the trees, Romus dropped his cloak as he began to transform. We charged each other, and were both momentarily stunned by the impact as we collided at full force. But I recovered and bashed him in the face, then kicked him in the stomach. That didn’t keep him down for long, as he attacked me with a savage swipe and kick combo of his own. He tried to bite my throat more than once, but I elbowed his jaws away each time. The chain with the crystal dangled within my reach as we fought, but it must have been made of some kind of enchanted metal, since it would not break when I grabbed it.

He kicked me off when I tried to bite him, and then tried to evade me by jumping from tree to tree, which told me he was tiring. But I finally managed to grab hold of his ankle and threw him to the ground. I then tackled him onto the rock ledge as he tried to get up, wanting to tear him apart. We wrestled towards the edge, almost falling over into the trees far below, but I dug my claws into the rock and stopped us. After stunning him with a powerful uppercut, I raked both sides of his face with my claws, and he howled in pain and fury before he slapped me away.

Bleeding from his many wounds, he pulled the chain from his neck and threw it towards the edge of the rock, then ran. I had less than a second to choose between chasing after Romus or grabbing the crystal before it fell. Of course I went for the crystal, and managed to grasp the chain just before it was out of reach. I then laid there exhausted. My wounds weren’t serious, but the exertion of both fights was tremendous, and my head was dizzy. I felt myself transforming back, but I couldn’t stop and rest. I had to get back to Elsa. When I reached the fortress, it was almost dawn. My wounds were almost healed, and my strength had returned, but Romus’ words still echoed through my mind, making me anxious. I looked at the chain still clutched tightly in my hand, and hoped I would be able to free Elsa with it.

I made my way up the fortress wall as the sun bathed me in its warm morning light, and as I climbed in the window, the door opened. Elsa stood in the hallway and asked anxiously “Do you have the crystal?” I nodded, and she said “Give it to me!” I held it out to her, and her eyes grew big as she gazed at it with such passion. She rushed into the room, stopping just short of the sunlight, but the sunshine fell upon her outstretched hand, and I was horrified by what I saw.

Her hand looked old, withered, and grotesque in the light. She immediately withdrew her hand, and her eyes filled with fire. I suddenly realized what Romus was trying to tell me. She was not Elsa, but the witch Maurana! She screamed “Give it to me now!”, and I put the chain around my neck, and prepared to jump out the window. But I was suddenly thrown back against the wall, and momentarily stunned. As she approached me, I got up and ran out the door.

I toppled furniture and statues to try and slow her as she chased after me, but she easily cleared them from her path with a wave of her hand. She laughed and said “There’s no way out of the fortress that way, my dear. Be a good pup and give the crystal to me. I may even keep you as my pet if you promise to behave.” Not being able to change into my werewolf form, I was at a disadvantage, but I still possessed my advanced strength and my intelligence. I ran down the stairs and into the banquet room, and was shocked to see all of the silver knives and forks rise and shoot straight for me.

I was able to duck and weave away from all but one of the forks, which stabbed me right in my side. I quickly pulled it out, but knew I would soon feel the effects of silver poisoning if I didn’t use the herbal remedy which I had found in Oma’s potion book. I ran into the next room and barricaded the door with a large, wooden dresser. But a few moments later, the door was blasted open just as I was going into the next room. But this last room I entered was a dead end. There were no other doors. She appeared at the doorway, her beautiful face contorted in anger, and she screamed, “Enough of this! I will pry that crystal from your cold, dead hands, you stupid beast!”

She raised her hands, preparing to launch another spell at me, and I looked all around for something to duck behind. That’s when I saw a large mirror on the wall, and I quickly grabbed it to use as a shield. I felt a strong impact as the spell hit the mirror, but it bounced back at the witch, who was unprepared. She was sent flying back into the wall, and I rushed in to strangle her. I lifted her up by her neck, and was about to crush her windpipe, when I thought about where the real Elsa was. She must have sensed my apprehension, so she said “Wait! If you kill me, you will never see your precious Elsa again!” I asked her “Where is she? What have you done with her?” She said “First you must promise not to kill me. Promise, and I will tell you where she is.”

I loosened my grip on her neck as I considered it, but then I felt something in the air. It was a sudden sense of danger, and I ducked as fast as I could. A split second later, a sword impaled the witch to the wall, a look of disbelief on her face. My werewolf instincts had proven themselves again, and I backed away as her face and body grew ancient. She spat out blood as she spoke her last words “At least…I will be free now. But you…you will live with your curse for a very long time.” Her head dropped, and she was dead.

Almost immediately, right before my eyes, the fortress began to change. The linens faded and tore away; the wooden furniture dried out and cracked, and fell to pieces. As I ran out into the banquet room, everything was aging as if centuries were passing in mere seconds. I paused at the foot of the stairs, because I heard screaming coming from behind one of the locked doors. It was Elsa’s voice, and at first I thought it might be another trick. But I had to be sure, so I yelled for her to back away, and then I charged the door. It buckled, but it wasn’t until my third try that the old wood splintered, and I broke through.

Elsa stood there, looking shocked but almost exactly as she had the last time I saw her. She rushed to me in tears, and the moment we touched I knew it was her. The witch had fooled my eyes and ears, but she couldn’t fool my nose, which is why she had surrounded the fortress with such overpowering smells. But as I kissed her and breathed in her scent, that told me all I needed to know. I swept her up in my arms and carried her upstairs to the window, where she clasped her hands around my neck, and I began to climb down.

The stones shook and started to crumble as I was almost to the ground, so I jumped, and we ran away as fast as possible. I turned back to see the fortress collapse in on itself, and I then collapsed myself. I was both physically and mentally drained, and starting to feel the effects of the silver poisoning. I told Elsa that I needed the herbs in my pack, and luckily she had enough energy to climb the tree and retrieve it. She mixed the herbs into some water for me to drink, and we both rested by the small stream which ran through the enclosure.

The following day I finally told Elsa that our village had been destroyed, and she was heartbroken, but thankful her parents had left when they had, before her abduction. I told her most of the details, but left out the fact that I was the cause of it. I just said that the beast was responsible, which in essence was true. I explained that I didn’t know how it started, since I was out hunting for the werewolf, and returned the next day.

After answering her questions the best I could, I looked into her eyes, and felt that she wanted to tell me what had happened to her and how she got to the fortress, but she remained silent. I guessed that it was still traumatic for her, so I didn’t press her. I wasn’t sure of what to do next, since I knew that Romus was still out there somewhere, probably waiting for revenge. I also feared what would happen if Elsa learned my secret. So we left the enclosure, and headed east in the direction of the nearest village.

The End….for now