Tales of the Broken 2: A Redone Life

Chapter Five: Strip the Flesh

     Violet slashed through some foliage with her heavy axe. She had been given a three day head start on the beast. There wasn't much time left in those seventy two hours. No doubt they'd give the beast a vial of Violet's blood to hunt her. Violet unclipped her flask from her belt, taking a deep drink. This forest was the only place in Grizzleheim that threatened to kill you of thirst. It was hot, humid, unforgiving, infested with dangerous predators and bugs, and worst of all, there was only one fresh water source in the forest. And that is where the capital of Grizzleheim is.

   Violet hacked away more vegetation. She was getting tired. She had continued her walking over the second night in an attempt to escape the vicinity of the city and put more distance between her and the beast. Whether or not the attempt was futile was up to fate.
A bone shattering howl echoed through the forest. Violet clenched her fist in fear. It was coming. Violet gripped her axe intensely, slashing through as much vegetation as she could.  The wild flora had all been cut apart, and warm green plains idly sat before her. There was no wind to shift the grass today. It was as if the entire world froze when that ghastly howl pierced the air. Violet took one step forward out of the forest, peering down. There was a cliff in front of her. No way out from here. 

  Violet turned her ear to the forest. She heard... something. Whatever it was, it was faint and unintelligible. Violet scanned the cliff side once more, looking for a path down. She spotted a series of ledges large enough for her to stand comfortably on. It was her only chance. The dull sound grew louder, clearer. Violet's eyes widened and a chill ran down her spine when she heard the words. It came from a deep, gravely and bitter voice,

"Strip the flesh, shatter the chains! Strip the flesh, shatter the chains! Strip the flesh..." the voice panted, "SHATTER THE CHAINS!" A wolf creature came sailing out of the forest. Violet leaped back just in time for the wolf like creature to slide to a stop, it's claws raking the terra. Violet's markings seared her flesh, she could feel herself slipping into a rage,

"Get OUT!" She roared, We could help you. Let us take over. The voices talked in unison, coaxing her to relent her control. Violet resisted as much as she could, unwilling to let them sway her into the rage again, she knew that this pay was her fault, her burden to bear. But that didn't mean she welcomed it with open arms.

Come on. Said the most prominent voice, You won't live this encounter unless you let us help you. Violet shook her head violently. The wolf creature leapt at Violet, who only barely dodged the assault. Eventually, Violet relented her control over herself, and her markings glowed brightly, it felt as if there was a white hot metal plate curled around her neck. Violet slipped into a fervor, everything around her fuzzed out of vision. All she was interested in was the abomination in front of her. Violet raised her axe, gripping it with two hands and swung as hard as she could. The beast ducked to the side. Violet swung with so much force that she spun in a circle when her axe bit into the empty air. Violet tumbled to the ground, and the beast roared in triumph. It had thought it beat Violet. Violet sprung up and cleaved downwards with her axe, the beast once again avoiding the strike. Violet immediately swung the handle of her axe to the side, the heavy counterweight at the end nailing the beast in between the eyes. The beast recoiled back, growling with hatred. It eyed Violet with drilling eyes, but leapt back into the forest, chanting the same line. Violet started to exit her rage, falling to the ground. She just kneeled there for awhile, thinking. Eventually she shook herself out of her thoughts, and started her descent down the cliff.