Dark Wolf's Awakening

by Ryan Evans

  As soon as we entered the darkness of the alleyway, it was as if we entered another world. There was an energy there that hadn’t been present behind the safety of the walls. Whether it was from the death and destruction that permeated the air or the fact we were now in a hostile environment, I didn’t know. The only clear thing was that my beast was in its element. I had to suppress the urge to howl in the excitement of the hunt.

  We stalked through shadowy alleyways and over buildings as we looked for any sign that might indicate the enemy leadership’s position. The saurians roamed around in groups looking for food or destroying abandoned carts and buildings at their leisure. Their movements didn’t follow any rhyme or reason, but the groups got larger the closer we got to the rubble of the western gate.

  Three times, we ran into small patrols we had to dispatch as we stalked closer towards the western gate. Each time, we ended the threat before others were alerted. Leah was especially gifted in that regard as her hooked claws allowed her to sneak straight down walls to attack her unsuspecting prey.

  The unfortunate reason it was so easy to make progress was that too much food was available to the saurians. They had massacred thousands of beast-kind. With the abruptness of the wall’s falling, many of those closest to the area hadn’t been able to react and died almost instantly.

  As the swarms of saurians had come through, they’d killed all they could and moved deeper into the fort. Their rapid spread had allowed them to get around the western side of the fort quickly. They’d caught many unsuspecting beast-kind before they could retreat to our makeshift camp.

  Whatever force drove them had pushed them to not stop and eat until they’d secured the area. This wholly went against their savage nature. Keeping thousands of saurians on task was further proof of a central leader among them.

  It took hours for us to make it near to where the gate had fallen. As we passed more slaughtered beast-kind, it became harder for me to control my anger. Images of broken saurians on my teeth and claws kept trying to force their way into my mind, and by extension, my aura. Several times, I had to pull back my bloodlust as it threatened to overwhelm the others’ senses. I saw Lathian casting worried glances in my direction as the hunt continued.

  I was on the verge of circling away from the fallen gate and looking somewhere else when the noise of a muffled roar caught my attention. Though I couldn’t place the species, the noise indicated beast-kind still fought for survival in the hellish landscape. It had come from the large stone building directly in line with where the gatehouse had been. The large structure was two stories tall and as wide as any three buildings put together. It had once served as a prison for this section of the fort. I knew from my readings that another building just like it sat near the eastern gate.

  As I thought more about it, several heavy doors stood in defensible locations within the structure. Its walls were too thick to easily break through, and its windows all had metal bars running through them to prevent easy entry or exit. The exterior of the building even looked to be in good shape despite its proximity to the fall of the gates. If I were facing a wave of invaders I couldn’t outrun, that would be the best place to try to protect myself.

  My temporary excitement died down as I remembered our aim. Finding survivors had nothing to do with finding the enemy leader. I was about to dismiss the plight of the doomed beast-kind when I saw a commotion in front of the building. The armored brutes carrying their vicious serrated great swords headed toward the entrance of the building.

  I tried to get a better view of the group by jabbing my claws into the wall of a nearby building and pulling myself up. It was a risky thing to do as it put me on the edge of the shadows in which we were hiding. Luckily, the darkness kept my black coat hidden, and my gamble rewarded me with a brief flash of white entering the prison.

  Karsam was right; the legends were true.

  Chapter 24

  My anticipation radiated through my aura at seeing the saurian leader. The others couldn’t help moving and growling softly, unable to suppress the emotion I had projected. Lathian picked up on the change. “In the building?” he asked in a low voice, to which I nodded.

  We circled around the fallen remnants of what had once been a general store and made our way down side streets and alleys towards the prison. The loose rock and scattered possessions made our footing treacherous, and the smallest amount of noise might alert nearby saurians to our presence. It was a tricky maneuver to get into position.

  The building in question sat right on the edge of where the wall debris had crushed everything in its path. The two entrances to the prison were only in the front, and most of the surrounding buildings hadn’t survived the upheaval. The closest of the doorways was near a standing three story building, but the far entrance only had rubble and partially collapsed structures surrounding it.

  Our best chance of killing our target would be from ambush. The brutes that had been acting as bodyguards were some of the most formidable I’d ever seen. Their weapons had serrated edges that would rip through our armor and fur with ease. To increase our chances of success, we had to split up and cover both entrances.

  With a mental command, I sent Stephan, Leah and Alexander towards the nearest ambush site, while I signaled for Lathian to follow me to the other. I had to give Lathian credit; though we couldn’t openly communicate, he’d picked up on and been able to react to every order I’d given to the others.

  Both groups reached our ambush points without being seen, but just barely. The others had no trouble reaching the top of the three story building that was their post. Lathian and I, however, almost blew the entire operation.

  The second-floor balcony of a leaning and partially crushed building offered us our best position. Unfortunately, it was on the opposite side of the prison from our approach. The best way to access the spot was by climbing around and then through a window. As we moved to take up our positions, we found a chirper making a meal of the leg of an unfortunate victim in the room we’d been moving through. Before I could even react to the creature’s presence, Lathian lunged forward at lightning speed and stabbed it through the eye. He eased the creature to the floor without making a sound as I checked the rest of the floor.

  Once we were in position, it became a waiting game. Whoever was inside wouldn’t last against the onslaught of saurians that kept moving in and out of the building. I periodically heard roars of anger and pain, and each sound cut into my heart. It was only a matter of time before the stand-off ended and the saurian leader left the building. Though I hated using anyone in such a way, their sacrifice would ensure that we defeated the enemy. It was a cold decision, but I didn’t see another way to succeed.

  As I fought the urge to rush into the building, my prediction came true. A pained roar rang out and transformed into a human yell before it was abruptly silenced. Shortly after, numerous saurians left the building. I was glad I hadn’t given in to my urge to charge into the prison. I quit counting after one hundred and fifty of the enemy had exited the structure.

  I noticed that, as the saurians exited the building, they were being directed somehow. Those that had just been meandering around and eating the dead started to behave strangely. They stopped what they were doing and shook their heads violently, as if trying to shake something loose.

  I wondered with dread if the saurian leader used power akin to a beast-kind’s aura. To lead so many, it would have to be on a much grander scale than our own abilities. That was a dangerous ability for any enemy to possess.

  My thoughts were interrupted as every saurian in the vicinity stood and headed in the direction of the civilians and our fortifications. Looking at the numbers of enemies moving through the streets, I knew our camp would never hold.

  I sent the mental command to be ready to the other group, just in case they somehow missed the surrounding events. After that, I focused on my own surroundings and prepared myself for action. I had faith in the others’ abilities, but I hoped i
t would be me who faced the white saurian. These officers had become my friends. The thought of losing any of them crushed me.

  The ancestors were on my side. After a short time, the bodyguard detail and what could only be our target emerged from the entrance closest to my and Lathian’s position. The brutes wore the stone armor I’d seen before, but their leader wore only a loincloth. The garment looked suspiciously like treated human skin. Bile rose in the back of my throat at the thought.

  The white saurian only appeared loosely related to those around it. It was as tall as its brute bodyguards, but leaner with a more upright posture. The creature’s eyes were bigger than its followers. Even from my distant vantage point, I could see the intelligence behind them. Its scales weren’t just white, they had a luminescence about them that radiated out in all directions. It was as if the creature’s power was so great that it was manifesting physically.

  Lathian got my attention by patting my shoulder. I turned to him and mentally applauded his bravery at using such a method on a shifted beast-kind. Instead of biting off his hand, I focused on what he showed me. He held up three throwing knives I hadn’t known he was carrying and pointed to the three closest brutes in the guard detail. The message was clear, and I nodded my understanding before positioning myself on the edge of the balcony.

  The bodyguards’ armor covered many of their vital points. His throws would have to be perfect if they were to be effective. From what I’d seen of the elf, I knew they would be.

  There was no signal, just the feel of air as the weapons flew by my head. I immediately launched myself in a straight line for my target. As I’d expected of Lathian, his aim and timing was impeccable, and his knives all stuck deep in the throats of their intended victims. Shortly after the blades found their mark, I bowled through the doomed bodyguards.

  A knife to the side of the throat wasn’t an instant kill, but few creatures had the self-awareness to not reach up in a vain attempt to stop the bleeding. Instead of stopping me with the last of their lives, I threw the three massive brutes off balance and out of my path. Only my target stood before me.

  Time slowed as I came into range. I reached out with my clawed hands, ready to sink them into the scaled hide of the saurian leader. I was sure of our victory. There was no way the enemy could react in time to stop me.

  Just as my claws met their mark, the creature before became a blur of movement. One moment, he was standing in front of me, oblivious to my approach. The next, he was facing me and I was being intercepted by a battering ram. Before I could even process what had happened, I hit the side of the prison building so hard that all thoughts shattered in my mind.

  I looked over at my enemy as stars twinkled before my eyes. The white saurian walked casually towards me while an elf battled seven armored brutes. Some part of me insisted that I knew the elf, but I couldn’t come up with his name at the moment. Already, he had fatally wounded one of the large beasts and only had six left to go. He was a strong warrior.

  The white saurian reaching me cut my observation short. My rattled senses finally returned, and I realized what had happened as broken bones mended and realigned. The bastard had back-handed me.

  The glowing saurian grabbed me by the neck, cutting my musings short. He picked me up against the wall as I tried to feel around for weapons that were no longer there. I had no idea when I’d dropped my blades.

  It felt like a steel vice squeezed my throat. Oxygen was a precious commodity, and my inability to breathe would soon be a real problem.

  He could have crushed my throat with his single hand, but his eyes told me he wouldn’t. They glinted with a cruel enjoyment of watching me suffer. If the reptilian creature had lips, they would have been drawn back in a smile. I felt my heart pounding in my head and knew I’d black out soon if I didn’t do something.

  In desperation, I struck out at the creature’s body with my claws. They tore into the saurian’s densely muscled chest and abdomen. It took effort to slice through its scaly hide, but my strength prevailed. My success clearly shocked the saurian as it stepped back and dropped me out of reflex. We both watched as the claw marks closed much like my own wounds did when I regenerated.

  A cold fear gripped me. Saurians weren’t supposed to regenerate. What was this creature? So far, my enemy was stronger, faster and tougher than me. My instincts yelled for me to run. If I was to beat this predator, I couldn’t go toe to toe with him as I had planned.

  A quick glance around me showed that I was only two steps from the prison’s entrance. I noticed that no light came from the building’s entryway. It appeared they’d never had a chance to light the torches before the fort’s fall. If I could make it inside, maybe I could use the darkness to some advantage against my enemy. The anger in the white saurian’s eyes let me know that he’d follow until he killed me for the wound I’d inflicted.

  I made my move as his clawed hands swiped forward. I mostly avoided his strike; only half of my abdomen felt the agony of being ripped open as I ran to the entrance of the prison. In my dash, I noticed that only five armored brutes stood against Lathian now, but he was bleeding from a cut on one of his shoulders. I mentally said a prayer to the ancestors for the elf as I disappeared into the darkness of the entryway; there was a real chance I’d never know how his fight ended.

  My wound was deep, and to my dismay, it wasn’t healing nearly as fast as it should have. Whatever the white saurian was, something about it kept my regeneration from working to full effect. As I held pressure on the cuts, I wondered how much blood I could lose before I passed out.

  I heard a rattling hiss that reverberated off the stone walls. I was exhausted, injured and, for once, scared. The vibrations of the noise spread throughout my bones.

  The sound played tricks on me as the hallways caused an echo. I had no idea where the creature could be. I turned down one of the main halls leading deeper into the prison. I bled heavily from my wounds. The trail would be easy to follow.

  He was baiting me, trying to cause me to panic and run. I knew it was intentional. Something told me he enjoyed cat and mouse games. I had to turn the tables. If I was to win, I’d have to be more than a scared rabbit. I’d have to be a wolf.

  I heard my enemy stalking me. He’d occasionally make a clicking or growling noise that sounded as if it was coming from all directions. He was goading, trying to increase the terror that threatened to overwhelm my senses.

  As I looked for a proper ambush site, a set of steps came into view. I stood before the stairs, debating on the way I should go, and an idea took shape in my mind. I smeared blood on the wall past the stairwell and let it fall on the floor as if I had continued running down the hallway. After a short distance, I doubled back and carefully ascended the steps. I pressed against my wound as much as I could, and tried my best to keep blood from leaking onto the stairs. I wasn’t completely successful, but I hoped the larger trail would hold the saurian’s attention.

  On the second floor, I crouched down and waited for my nemesis. Part of my instincts screamed for me to escape. Another part of me knew I had to at least try to kill the monster.

  It wasn’t long before my target came into view. His glowing form made it easy to track him in the darkness but didn’t reach my hiding spot. He stepped out in front of the stairs still following my blood trail. I knew that my trick wouldn’t fool him for long. Before he figured out my ruse, I leapt silently from my perch. Unlike my last ambush, there was nothing to warn him of my approach.

  My fur blended in with the pitch black of our surroundings. I even made sure to launch myself without dragging my clawed feet on the stairs. I was a silent killer ambushing my prey.

  As my claws connected, I attacked with all the animal fury I possessed. I roared, bit, slashed, tore and pummeled with reckless abandon. If I was to die, I’d not be going alone. Though the white saurian was stronger than me, it fell under my onslaught.

  I thought I might actually be victorious as we both hit the ground. My
hope, however, was short lived. Stabs, slices and bites came at an increasing frequency from the creature defending itself. It was recovering faster than I could do damage. In a moment of irony, I realized that this was how many of my opponents felt before I finished them. The tides had turned, and I was now the one in danger of losing.

  My healing abilities were no match for this creature. I kicked out violently to give myself some separation and hoped it wouldn’t grab hold of me. The move worked as my enemy was pushed several feet away, but I felt a deep scrape across the outside of my leg for my efforts. I quickly tried to stand, only to find I could barely put my weight on my right side.

  Without cataloguing my other injuries, I hobbled up the stairs and down the hall as quickly as possible. The bottom level had been various cells and supply rooms. This second floor appeared to be offices and living quarters. I made my way down halls, turning at random intersections. At a near panic, I tried to get as much space between myself and the white saurian pursuing me. A loud roar told me that he was done playing games after my last assault. I could hear his feet pounding on the stone floor. He was coming for me.

  I turned down a hallway and came upon a dead-end. A room stood before me that had a large, fortified door torn partially off its hinges. Another roar behind me made it clear that there was no going backwards. I hurried into the room knowing it may very well be where I died.

  What I found surprised me. The blood and body parts of several imperial soldiers and saurians littered the space that had once been an elaborate office. I recognized one of the mauled bodies as Colonel Uriel, and the roars and yells from earlier suddenly made sense. He and some of his soldiers had survived and made their last stand in this office. Though I disliked the man, it looked as if he’d made the enemy pay handsomely for his life.

  I feverishly searched the space for anything I might use as a weapon. Several swords lay broken on the floor, but I had a feeling that none would suffice. Just before I gave up, I noticed a shiny point lying under the remains of a dead imperial soldier. I pushed the body aside and saw the top two feet of a pike resting underneath it.