The Son of Artemis and Fenrir

Chapter 5 - The Rift

Two ravens were flying over the forest, accompanied only by a great shadow. A shadow belonging to a beast long thought extinct. A beast that could soar as far as a falcon, swim as fast as the tuna and ignite entire forests with the breath from its lungs.
The beast was not alone, for it has a rider. A rider clad in dulled armour of an unknown alloy. A rider who respected the bond between man and nature. But this rider was not of the race of man, nor the race of Gods. The rider's armour was accompanied by a torn, tattered black cape. Along the temple of the rider's head ran a short, defined scar.

The rider and her three accomplices surveyed the forest, waiting for the coming battle. Suddenly an alabaster white bolt of energy struck the earth. The rider was flying to close to the bolt and was engulfed into a gate from which they did not know the exit. As if it were an illusion, the bolt vanished as quickly as it had arrived.

All that was left was a burnt rune engraving the scorched earth above a moss cloaked cave, and two ravens surveying still. The first of Fimbulwinter's snow began to drift like a feather in the wind towards the burnt forest, cooling it with its soothing touch. The ravens then dived through a bright cloud, disappearing in warm, yellow flash, not leaving from the opposite side.

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We have been preparing for this fight for well over a month now. Everything that can be prepared is prepared. I had even had a good chance to practice some more of my magic, I have learnt to fully master shifting between forms and even only partially shifting. It is not only shifting, I have learnt to wield my magic in the form of a blade. I have taught myself to channel it through my old knife handle. As the sun was slowly rising, me and Luna retired to once was a place of joy and compassion. It is now just a stark reminder of the cruelty of man and of how much we have lost. With Luna by my side, I gradually slipped asleep.

As I was waking, I realised that I was not home. "Luna" I called waiting for a response I knew wouldn't come. "LUNA!!!" I shouted at the top of my lungs. The eerie milk-green lighting and the large pillars of ice clad stone instantly put me on edge. If not for the crimson dragon staring blankly at me, I would have assumed I was alone. Whilst I slowly walked around it, it's eyes seemed to not move from me. It was creepy. I continued to gradually make my way round the small pit we were in until I found a place I could hoist myself up.

I easily cleared the gap by leaping up onto it. The ground surrounding the previous pit was practically barren save for a few ice spikes and stone pillars. The light was off putting, it was unnerving, almost as if it was gnawing away at me on the inside. I could feel that I was not alone in this desolate place, I mean there was something else out here apart from the dragon. It felt like whatever it was was watching me, trying to decide what I was. Despite this I decided to head in the direction I perceived as north. As if trying to put me off, a thick snow and strong wind struck me. The snow was like sand paper as it was ripped across my face.

I continued to press on.

It got so bad, I almost decided to fully shift and see if it were anymore bearable as a Wolf. But I thought this would place me at a disadvantage if I was right about me being tailed. In the end, I had both fully and partially shifted the majority of my body. My legs had been replaced with the strong haunches of the wolf. My chest was covered in so much fur I couldn't see it. My arms shifted into the forelegs but my paws stayed in definition of hands, well hands with almost two inch, razor sharp claws. Instead of shifting my head, I only shifted my ears, I also consolidated the fur for my face and redistributed it along my neck, giving off the look of a folded down hood.

I felt the effects almost instantly, my body stopped shivering and I could see my breath. I then thought it smart to have something to help me grip to the ground I walked on. So I focused my mind and formed a long, elegant spruce staff. It helped me to grip tighter to the uneven, ever shifting terrain. As I ventured farther into the eternal blizzard, the wind seemed to pick up, almost fully blocking my field of vision.