by Logan Jacobs
“Okay, we’ll help you,” I said in a voice that insinuated it wasn’t an option. “I wouldn’t pass up the chance to spill some blood, anyway, and the rest of you will do whatever you can to kill these bastards, understood?”
“Yes, master,” my women answered.
“I agree,” Vanessa added to my surprise. “You have been most welcoming since we passed your test, Revna, and it wouldn’t sit well with me to allow these beasts to torture you and yours. As Cole said, we’ll do whatever we can to spill their guts and burst their chests wide open.”
“Thank you… now use your most powerful attack spells,” Revna ordered as she pulled out her bow and notched an arrow. “I’ll try to kill as many as I can before they reach the bears. These fuckers are strong, fast, and relentless, and they have been known to quietly sneak upon their enemy--”
“Oh, Satan,” Faye huffed with wide, terrified eyes.
I followed her gaze, and I saw at least a dozen manlike wolves with protruding fangs, giant black claws, and vibrant eyes standing at the top of a small peak just ahead of us. Their chests were broad, and their torsos were muscular, but before they could sprint toward us on their giant hind legs, Faye pointed her wand in their direction.
“Stupefaciunt!” the redhead screamed.
She managed to send a cluster of manlike wolves back into the air, and they howled with pain as they landed far away from us. When only ten of them returned, I realized Faye managed to kill at least a few, but deep down, I knew it would take a lot more magic to wipe this pack out.
“Ignis inspiratione!” Circe yelled as her snake-like eyes burned with determination.
To everyone’s surprise, a blast of sudden searing fire emerged from her wand, soared right at the wolves, and burned a couple of them into ashes. Their painful howls echoed through the winter air even after the flames consumed their bulky bodies, and I saw Circe smirk in satisfaction.
“Fuck, yeah!” Akira praised as with a broad grin, and she pumped her fist into the air. “Where were you keeping that one, blondie?”
“I have no idea!” Circe chuckled with eyes as wide as saucers. “These spells usually come to me when I’m under pressure.”
“Well, we’re not done yet!” Vanessa snapped before she raised her wand even higher above her eyes. “Look! Over there!”
Another group of Fenrirs suddenly emerged from the peak, and as I met the stare of a giant, muscular one who stood on his hind legs, I aimed right in between his glowing eyes and flicked my newly crafted wand.
“Glacio!” I shouted.
A violent burst of silver light surged from my wand and nearly knocked me off my feet, and the tall manlike wolf froze into place and then exploded into a thousand shards of ice.
“Nice one, master!” Nyx said before she sent a flying curse in another beast’s direction. “Call me optimistic, but I think we’ve got most of th--”
Before the blue-skinned witch could finish her wishful thought, another chorus of growls filled the air, and I knew we’d be faced with a countless number of wolves. We could have fled, but I refused to leave until we vanquished a significant number of the wild women’s foes.
So, instead, we kept our wands raised high, and Revna wordlessly notched an arrow in her bow before she aimed right at an incoming wolf. Her speeding arrow hit the creature dead in the center of its chest, and then a deep black poison spread across its furry torso before it tossed back its head, growled in searing pain, and collapsed to the ground. We blasted through more creatures, and the bears mauled any that got too close, and for a moment, I thought we were in the clear.
Then a flood of more wolves roared in anger and stampeded toward us, and I counted at least two dozen spilling from every corner of the woods.
“Attack!” I commanded my ursa, and when my newly bonded creature sprung forward, the other beasts followed.
The bears attacked our incoming enemies with all their might, and we blasted spells at the monstrous wolves and tried to take out as many as possible before they came any closer. It was growing difficult, though, since more and more were coming from the top of the hill and running down toward us like their lives depended on it. Even with the ursas ripping out their throats and tearing them into bloody ribbons, I knew it wasn’t going to be enough.
“Volant!” I cried out, and a violent blast of light left my wand and hit a group of wolves with so much impact that their bones shattered when they flew backward and hit a cluster of trees.
“Unholy fuck!” Akira grunted as she waved her wand around. “Master, your magic has grown even more powerful!”
“It’s incredible!” Morgana added before she froze a cluster of wolves and then shattered them into bits.
“Yes, it’s fucking brilliant!” Vanessa screamed in impatience, and she spurted fire at a wolf who came dangerously close to snapping at her ankles. “You can all kiss his ass later! Now, let’s get rid of the rest of these fuckers, shall we? Cole, keep using your new wand! I think your spells have advanced ability!”
I was about to do as she ordered, but before I could say a word, something attacked me from behind and violently knocked me forward. I didn’t have to use my eyes to know it was a wolf, and as it landed on top of me, I viciously snapped my head back and heard a crunch as my skull connected with something that felt like a snout.
The wolf roared in pain, and the women were shouting my name as I struggled to crawl away from the beast, but then it wrapped its claws around my ankle and tried to drag me back. I knew no one was blasting a spell at the creature because it was too close to me, and even when Revna shot an arrow at it, it refused to die.
I reacted out of instinct as I turned around and looked up at my attacker, and when I did so, it swiped at me with its paw and slashed my face.
In a defensive rage, I quickly grabbed my knife and thrust my blade deep in its throat. I pushed the dagger further into the wolf’s flesh, and I made sure the knife plunged all the way through its neck. Its eyes rolled into the back of its head as its body went limp, and I swiftly pulled out my blade. Then it fell to the ground, and I quickly waved my wand in every direction as I scrambled up onto my feet.
“Are you alright, master?” Beatrix asked in a trembling voice.
“I am,” I assured her as I wiped snow and blood from my face. “Let’s just keep focus.”
“Damn, you were right, Revna,” Akira panted, and her eyes were wide with concern. “They are sneaky bastards.”
“Satan, there could be hundreds more on the way,” Revna breathed in a shaky voice before she shot another arrow at a racing beast. “With each dying howl, more come heading this way… I think we need to get the hell out of here before there’s too many to take out--”
“Wait,” I growled before I pointed at another trio of creatures. “I think we can kill a few more. Dissulto!”
When I recited the ancient incantation, I was nearly thrown backward from the force that left my newly formed wand. I fought to keep my stance as the light hit the three wolves and ripped their bodies into several pieces, and I struggled to breathe as sweat trickled down my brow.
The other creatures suddenly stopped in their tracks and turned to look at the mass of limbs, and when they met my eyes, I knew they realized I was not a man to mess with.
Even these wild beasts were clever enough to realize that.
Instead of continuing to attack us, the mannish wolves abruptly whirled around and went sprinting in the other direction. Their whimpers and howls died down little by little, and the women slowly turned to face me with awe-filled expressions.
“I-I can’t believe this,” Revna breathed in amazement. “I’ve never seen them leave a fight like that…”
“Even so, I say we get the fuck out of here,” I grunted as I attempted to regulate my breathing. “Everyone, huddle together. I’ll shadow port us out of here.”
“What about the ursas?” Revna asked, and her wide eyes were filled with concern. “We can’t leave them to be d
evoured by those filthy creatures!”
“Don’t worry, I can transport them, too,” I said even though I felt pretty drained already. “Now hold on… hos parere imperio!”
In seconds, we were wrapped in a cloud of deep purple smoke, and after we tumbled and turned through space, we finally found ourselves back on the outskirts of the village. I struggled to breathe as the mist parted, and I could tell the others were shaken by the sudden attack but also relieved to be back in the safety and comfort of the village.
“Fuckkkkkk,” Akira breathed before she burst into nervous laughter. “That was too damn close for my liking.”
“Indeed,” Vanessa sighed before she rubbed at her temples. “I hope we were enough help, Revna.”
“You were,” the dark-blonde Wicca responded before she looked at each of us with a wide, satisfied smile. “I truly appreciate your help. We’d been meaning to rid the woods of them, but our magic wasn’t powerful enough to wipe them out like that. Cole, your magic in particular was breathtaking. I think it’s safe to say the new wand works.”
“It was the least we could do,” I said as I placed a hand on her shoulder. “Especially after all your help… thank you.”
“Of course,” she said as a deep blush crept across her face. “Now, let’s go inside and have some lunch before we pack up for our journey, shall we?”
“Hell, yeah,” Nyx groaned. “All that fighting made me hungry.”
“R-Really?” Beatrix asked in a trembling voice. “I don’t even know if I could eat one bite. I’m still pretty rattled.”
“Oh, trust me,” Revna said in a gentle voice. “You’re going to want to eat something. Once we set out on our journey, we won’t be stopping for at least several hours. Besides, the snowstorm may still be on the way, and we must take shelter in a cave if it hits.”
“Well, in that case,” I said before I looked at the village gates. “Let’s get back inside.”
“Yes, master,” my women responded.
We stepped back into the village, and many wild women turned to look at us with wide, curious eyes, and when we returned to the longhouse, Sigrid was at the banquet table with Revna’s sisters by her side. They all stopped whatever in-depth discussion was taking place, and their faces broke into small smiles when they looked at us.
I noticed they had something splayed out on the table, and as we crept closer, I realized it was a map.
“You were longer than we expected,” Sigrid said as she rolled up the map. “Did you forge the wand?”
“Yes, we did,” Revna said with her chin raised, “however, we did run into a slight problem.”
“Oh?” Sigrid raised her eyebrows. “What happened?”
“A pack of Fenrirs attacked us,” the wild Wicca explained. “If it weren’t for Cole and his new wand, I’m not sure we would have made it out of there alive.”
“Satan be praised that you did. Those wolves have been a problem for far too long, so perhaps they will finally stay at bay.” Sigrid’s eyes then fell upon me. “May I see your wand, Cole?”
“Of course,” I replied before I pulled my new wand from my waistband and handed it to her. When I looked around, I noticed the familiars were nowhere in sight, and a concerning feeling set in the pit of my stomach. “Where are our familiars?”
“We let them roam outside for a bit,” the violet-eyed sister replied while Sigrid held onto my wand. “Don’t worry, we have eagles to protect them.”
“Ah,” I said, and the worrying feeling faded.
“Interesting,” Sigrid said with a low whistle as she twirled the wand in between her fingers. “The finish is smooth as silk, and it’s not too hefty. Well done… and you used bare bark. It’s beautiful, and after last night, it’s clear you’re able to wield such power, Cole.”
“It was mostly Revna’s doing,” I said, and when I looked at the dark-blonde, her cheeks were burning pink before she looked down at the floor. “She was incredible back there.”
“It was nothing, really,” she said in a humble tone. “I just did what I was taught.”
“Don’t be so modest,” Vanessa said as she looked at the wild witch. “You would make an excellent Scholomance student. I could certainly see you excelling in charms or blood magic in particular.”
“Really?” Revna gasped with wide eyes.
“Definitely.” Morgana firmly nodded. “I know I’d want you at my table.”
“Well, now that you’ve returned, we’d better get some warm food in you,” Sigrid said before she handed me back my wand. Then she snapped her fingers, and bowls of hot stew appeared on the banquet table. “Ladies, would you please find some more furs? If you thought the woodland was cold, you have no idea just how freezing cold the mountain path will be. It will feel like the frozen realm of hell itself.”
“Fantastic,” Akira grumbled under her breath. “After this, I never want to see snow again.”
“I second that,” Marina chuckled.
“Ladies, hush,” Vanessa ordered before she took a seat. “Let’s eat and get a move on.”
We followed the professor’s command, and we all sat down and quietly ate our food. Then the longhouse doors opened, and all the familiars came rushing inside before they situated themselves next to their masters.
Cole! Alexander’s voice rang through my head. We’re back! How did it go with your wand?
“Pretty well,” I said before I pulled out my new magical weapon. “What do you think?”
That’s a pretty neat wand, Cole. Alexander whistled. How well does it work?
“It’s brilliant,” I chuckled as I remembered the way it destroyed those wolves. “It took some energy out of me, and it had some powerful blowback, so I think it will take some time to adjust to.”
Still awesome, though, Alexander chortled in my mind before a woman in a peasant dress came by and gave him a plate of large scraps of meat.
“So, what kind of animals and creatures should we be on the lookout for?” Marina asked before she ate a spoonful of stew.
“All kinds of beasts lurk in the Gelida mountain range,” Morgana replied before Revna could even finish her bite. “Elders, too… and if I remember correctly, there are also vampire bats, trolls, mares, and mountain elves. I’ve read all about northern creatures, and I believe that’s only a few.”
“Mountain elves and vampire bats?” Marina repeated. “That doesn’t sound too bad.”
“Vampire bats are oversized beasts, larger than Cole’s animal, who rip off heads with one swing of their bladed wings and drink the blood from lifeless bodies,” Revna said without blinking. “The only thing that can kill them comes from a poison you need to coat your wand with before you cast any spell, and if you touch the venom, your skin burns off your fingers.”
“Oh, and in case you’re wondering, mountain elves are the opposite of me,” Vesta explained as she tossed back her long, sage green hair. “They have sallow skin, sharp teeth, much larger ears, and bloodshot eyes. They are as hideous as ghouls, and it’s a shame they happen to share the name of the elf.”
“I stand corrected, then,” Marina chuckled nervously.
We finished our meals, and when our bowls were clean, Revna’s sisters returned to the longhouse. They had more than just furs in their hands, and hovering in the air behind them were all kinds of weapons, including swords, axes, bows, and daggers.
“Satan!” Akira was the first to gasp. “Is that all for us?”
“Indeed, it is,” Sigrid purred with pride. “These weapons are coated with magic and were forged by our own hands. Sometimes wands are not enough, and we want to be sure you’re as prepared as possible. Samara must be destroyed, and we want to help in any way we can.”
“And we also want to be sure Revna is kept safe,” one of her sisters added in a cold voice.
“Of course, I’ll be safe,” Revna scoffed and rolled her eyes, “and I’ll keep the others protected, too.”
“Don’t worry,” Penelope said in a gentl
er voice, and she faced Revna’s sisters squarely. “I understand what it’s like to worry about your sister… that’s how I feel about my coven. But I assure you, we will watch over her as if she was one of our own.”
“That’s kind of you,” Sigrid said, “and we appreciate your words. Now, I suggest you gear up. You don’t want to leave too late, and you’ll have to leave your bonded ursas here for the time being. They may be stout, vicious creatures, but they aren’t very fast or agile, and something tells me those are two things you’ll need in abundance for this mission.”
“I agree,” I said, since I knew the sun didn’t last too long out here.
We quickly dressed and armed ourselves with weapons, and by the time we were done, we waited by the doors as Revna tearfully bade her sisters goodbye. Meanwhile, Sigrid slowly approached us with a rolled-up piece of parchment in her hands. I realized it was the map she had on the table, and she smiled as she passed it to Vanessa.
“This is our only copy of the mountain path,” the shield-maiden explained. “I know Revna will be a better guide than any map could ever be, but you never know what could happen.”
“Are you sure you want to part with this?” Vanessa asked with raised eyebrows. “I cannot guarantee that I can bring it back… ”
“Yes,” Sigrid replied without hesitation. “Samara is a threat to us all, and it’s my unholy duty to ensure we do our part to see her defeat. Whatever the cost.”
“Thank you,” the professor said before she tucked the map into her furs. “We won’t let you down.”
“May Satan be with you,” Sigrid said as Revna and the familiars joined us. “Revna, be sure to stay on the mountain path and only go off-trail if you need to.”
“Yes, my lady,” Revna said before she gently bowed her head.
“Now, off with you,” Sigrid said with a small, sad smile. “You have quite the journey ahead of you, and there could be a snowstorm on the horizon.”
A snowstorm will be the least of your problems, Samara’s voice suddenly burst into my head. Just wait… you may have defeated my army, but I have other tricks up my sleeves. I’ll find a way to make things very difficult for you, Cole. Mark my words, I’ll be with you every step of the way.