That night, it awoke on my doorstep. I didn't expect it to awaken at all - there were no signs, no omens, nothing hinting at its rising. And yet, when I woke up the day after - since no-one was awake to witness its stirring - the air felt different. Gone was the pleasant summer breeze, replaced now by a more chilly wind. A very faint but putrid odor remained where it rejoined existence - but apart from that, no other traces remained. One could question if it were a dream.
But do not doubt my sanity, even though I am but a recluse. Years upon years of solitude and study have sharpened my senses for the ethereal. Was it not I who noticed the approach of the Firewing before it could destroy our towns? Was it not I who called forth the Thrice Beheaded when the Everhydra stormed our towns? I know what I noticed, and now it's time for me to act accordingly. I've sent a letter by express, but I'm not very confident they'll hasten their response. Time is hard on others' memories. Years and years have passed, and they have become complacent and lazy. Maybe now they'll remember.
One thing that is known about it - it is very elusive. It leaves no trail until it strikes - and afterwards, it goes back into hiding, leaving only empty husks. With how shallow people are becoming, it might even take a while for the victim's loved ones to even notice something's off. But I'm not here to ramble about society or the young these days, I'm here to find it. So let's keep looking.
Its most likely hiding place would be somewhere in the woods - for although it drains humans of their souls, it would never hurt an animal. The ancient tomes and manuscripts I've pored over all contained this one, strange detail - it would construct some sort of lair somewhere animals would frequent, as to get them to stroll through its lair, masking its scent. It was time to make the trek through the woods behind my shack, looking for the unique odor it emitted.
After a few hours, I though I'd found its nest. Branches were twisted ever so slightly to form a dome, brambles in the undergrowth lost their thorns as to create a soft mat of vegetable matter, some berry bushes that were a lot more prolific as to attract wildlife for its amusement. However, the nest lacked its most telling feature - the noxious smell - so I couldn't be sure. After marking the spot on my map, I had to continue searching. The earlier I found it, the fewer people would get consumed.
After another while, I heard a scream and ran towards it - as fast as my age would allow. I didn't expect any other humans to be around here who could've gotten attacked - I was in the middle of the woods after all and most people were tilling on their fields! And the hunters - they wouldn't have to go this deeps into the forest for their prey as I'd seen plenty of deer, rabbits and pheasants closer to the edge. But it was an unmistakably human scream - and I'd never heard of any creature that could mimic those sounds. My instincts proved correct - there was a man there. However, it must've gotten to him first as all that was left was just his husk - a body without soul, destined to mindlessly continue going. The husk reeked of it, so I knew I was on the right track. But where did it go? And why was this man here?
That last question would solve itself very quickly - I'd somehow reached the edge of the forest. My sense of direction told me this was impossible - I'd been walking in more or less a straight line, and the forest ran for miles and miles! But alas, this was my reality - I'd somehow almost turned back to my own shack, arriving near the village whose gardens I sometimes visited. Was I getting old? Or was it actually twisting geography as well? Either way, nightfall would come soon and even though I'd planned to stay in one of my woodland shelters, my own shack was always a bit more comfortable.
The next week was uneventful - I'd spend my nights searching through my own small library for any clues and my days scouring through the forest, looking for its lair. I found a few more husks and debated giving them peace, but decided against it. I'd find a few more places that resembled a lair for it, but always something was missing - sometimes the odor, sometimes things to attract the local wildlife, sometimes the control over flora. I was close to giving up when I came upon its actual lair.
