Of Blood and Loss

XIV: The Black Wolf and the Undead

"Again."

The sky was barely lit, Herc woke everyone up early because he was tired of not being in Haitochi. The stars still twinkled as the sun began to light up the horizon, in perfect twilight. Hercules and Tyr sat together by the smoulder, the other three eagerly awaited the shivering man. "I-I" The man sighed, rubbing his temples. "Me and my squad, we were camping out that night. On the lookout for... something, I can't remember that part. Certainly not wolves, we never thought of them. I woke up in a pile of my comrades, the largest werewolf was still feasting when it bit me. I fought back but I gave up and they left me for dead. I had this urge to drink after they went, I drunk everything we had in reserve all the water but it wasn't enough. I thirsted, my throat was dry no matter how much water I drank, but then there was this smell. This insatiable smell, I was enamoured.

I followed it and I tasted a friend. I hated it but my bones ached and ached and I acted out of my own will." His voice began to shake a little harder as he explained, "I woke up rushing intensely, my wolf form beginning to show. I remember flashes, feasting on animals, but then one time. Some child saw me. I was in the middle of some farm and there was some little girl I...  I think I have a younger sister or some relative. I sobered up and got a drink in some tavern. I saw this fine old man," Tyr laughed and patted Hercules' back, "and had myself a nice nap. I woke up thirsty and I was driven out of town when the Barkeep saw my arm. Followed the scent of something, the bear, and then I picked up on Morgan's scent mid hunt. I can tell when something is human or not. And now I'm here." Hercules just nodded, "I think that's the best your memory's gonna serve you." Tyr agreed and stood up, watching the sun's light dance through the sky before the star pierced the horizon. Hercules stood up, and rested against his axe. "We'll be in Haitochi in a few hours now. From there we head to Vulcan. He's the best bet for knowing where Jupiter is, plus he can forge Morgan a vambrace. If not Vulcan, there are people in the mountains. Mount Raimei, or Mount Taiyo both hold beings." Everyone packed up their stuff and finally were ready for the walk. Venus set off with Hercules on point, as usual, while Tyr, Morgan and Achilles straggled behind. Tyr was noticeably lanky, Morgan was no longer the tallest in the group, yet Tyr was by far the thinnest and scrawniest.

Tyr let out an obnoxiously loud laugh, "How the fuck did little lad pick up some castle crab?" Morgan scowled, "I'm not little dumbass, I'm a gladiator-" but Tyr kept laughing. The forest was over as quick as they entered, the clearing they met Tyr in was close to the base of the small hill. Venus enjoyed not having her knees obliterated by constant steep valleys, and at the peak, they saw it. One final mountain range, however instead of the viridescence that lie over the forest and plains, only ash sat betwixt the sky and the hills. Ash flakes danced in the wind as they were drifted over by the highland's winds. The sky ahead was dark yet yielded no rain for the clouds were of cinders. A stone tower sat ahead, eroded and weakened, and beginning to collapse on itself forming a small pile of rubble by the base of the hills around it. It was hard to tell whether the structure really was stone, or so caked with ash that it merely appeared to be a light soot. The grass faded into desaturation as the ash found its way over the fields that sepersted the luscious forests and fields and the dead skies of Haitochi.

Morgan shivered at the sight of the desolation ahead, however it was natural. No war had forged this region, it was a fear worthy force of nature that destroyed the lands they were about to cross into. The five entered the short threshold between Haitochi and Tradlandar, a small stretch between the two ranges. "Don't worry, it flattens up in Haitochi-"

But then, one final noise shushed the group. A howl. The group shifted behind themselves and on the peak of a hill, not too far left of where they stood sat a towering beast. A black wolf, 10 feet tall with jet black hair that even from a distance looked razor-sharp. The beast's crimson eye stared unblinkingly, while its other eye remained closed from a nasty scar. There was a moment of silence before the beast begun its attack, as a dark purple substance began to froth from its mouth and slowly mist out like a breath. Suddenly there was a gunshot and the beast began its sprint down as Venus' armour piercing rounds ripped through the air and narrowly missed the beast. Tyr instantly slammed his beast arm down onto the ground as it completely took over him and he shifted, Morgan watched the man's skin softly change into spines and hairs which layered over and over, forming fur. "Tyr wait!" Achilles suddenly shouted out, "It's going to fire a spear!"