The Demon Wolf (Book 1 of The Devil and the Huntsman)

Chapter 85

Meanwhile, Lagertha was running on the long road and could not stop thinking about all the terrible things that just happened. At least, she had the ample opportunity to say goodbye to her mother before she breathed her last. She had nothing to defend herself with attacks her and if any stranger tries to take her with them. Her father stayed behind to fight and kill the massive demon while protecting his daughter and his wife. Unfortunately, she could never see her mother or father again; her fate is slowly coming to her, and she could not stop it.

Her fate is what shall come to her in the darkest of nights and the time of desolation. Lagertha continued running away from whatever she thought was coming towards her. She might never know why her family kept almost everything a secret from her, and she had no choice but to figure it out herself. Then, Lagertha goes to a nearby tree and rests herself for a short while before trying to get out of the forest. She was both exhausted and whimpering at the same time after all the dark things that are expected to happen.

"What's going on? What's happening to me? Why is all of this happening?" She asked. Such questions were nearly impossible for anyone to answer because of how twisted everything turned out to be.

"Mother... mother. Why... why did you stay behind? You would've made it out of here," Lagertha said. She could not stop the tears dropping from her eyes and found it difficult to forget what went wrong.

Then she began speaking to herself, saying, "Father, was it... all worth it? You sent me away and spewed your madness upon me. What does that accomplish? Father... you know I won't let you do it. I won't let you commit whatever you're trying to do. You have the devil inside of you, don't you?"

Suddenly, she heard a noise in the forest, and she immediately looked back to see where it was coming from. She looks all over herself to make sure some mysterious force is not crawling in her veins. Then, Lagertha could hear a wolf growling and walk towards her under the midnight moon. It was at that moment when she noticed that Rollo, the elder wolf, returned to her and spoke with her. She backed away from the animal, but she stood there and watched the wolf turn into a human with nordic clothing and a nordic greatsword.

"What do you want? I have no use for you. Begone!" Lagertha said.

"Save your threats, Lagertha. It disappoints me to see you in this manner," Rollo said.

"Save your pity. I go my own way now. And I don't need you or anyone telling me of my fate nor my path," she said.

"You're right. You're free from your family, and they have all given their lives to protect you. But tell me, where will you go from here?"

"That's none of your business. Where I'm going is not your concern. I will keep walking from this nightmare until my legs grow weak and tired."

"No. You will be locked in this nightmare for all eternity. I hate to say it, but your fate is already standing before you. You have no choice but to decide right here and now. If you don't make a choice, you will be trapped here forever. The demons will come and look for you, and all of Midland's knights will hunt you down."

Lagertha could tell by how he spoke that she had to do something now before it is too late. She never knew how much of it she could take, but she never understood what Rollo was trying to get to. Even after this time, she could never understand why the elder wolf chose her of all people. She understood that she is the daughter of a demon hunter, yet she remained confused why a mysterious person like Rollo would choose her. Then Rollo started walking close to Lagertha's face and continued seeing something inside her mind.

"What do you want from me? Every time I go somewhere and do anything, you're always watching me from a far distance. What's so interesting about me that keeps calling you back to watch me?" Lagertha asked.

"You're the child of a man who desires royalty above all else—a man who desires the throne of the world and rules over all the earth's people. Your father is a tyrant, Lagertha. What are you going to do about it?" Rollo asked.

"I... I have to stop him. But I don't have the strength to do it. Who has the same strength and might like my father? I know he and the new king are enemies, yet I don't know how low he'll go in doing it," she said.

"I have foreseen everything. They say the new king brings peace and tranquility upon all of those who bow to him. By his hand, the world will be free of the demons, and a new era shall begin. But both Harald and Julius have demon-blood inside each other. They both have a personal hatred towards each other because of what happened long ago. Even if Julius defeats Harald, nobody knows what he will do... even I don't know what he will bring in the future. But it will not be peace, only confusion, and despair."

"What will you have me do? I have nothing left and nobody around me. Even if I live by myself and start my family, I'll still be regretting that I didn't save everyone when I had the chance."

"Trust me on this one. I hate to break it to you, but you have no choice. There is no other way. You'll just have to play along. Now hold still."

Then, Rollo walks up to Lagertha and holds out both of his hands, and he places them on her shoulders. In a blink of an eye, Rollo transported her to an unordinary place, and she was no longer in the long forest. The earth had quite several long forests and woods where anybody could get lost if they did not stick to the path. In a dark forest such as the one behind Midland, anybody can meet a great danger without even realizing it. Rollo held Lagertha as they teleported to what seemed like the inside of an old castle at an abandoned location.

The mysterious man placed her down and allowed her to gaze upon the statues and sculptures that stared back at her. She was fascinated with how brilliant the ancient statues looked, but she had no idea how they were built so brilliantly. Lagertha saw a massive chalice sitting upon a pillar with many engravings listed on the cup. The language on the chalice was that of Enochian script, and it spoke of the one who wields wolf-blood and carries a sword capable of cutting down a dragon. Then, Rollo walked towards Lagertha as she stared at the chalice and knew the fate and destiny she must endure.

"I called you here for a reason. I told you you have something revealed in yourself, and I have heard it. There is no other man or woman who has such a talent that must be revealed. Julius and his lineage are gifted with dark powers that are far greater than sorcery," Rollo said.

"Yeah. Wanna tell me what I'm here for?" Lagertha asked.

Then Rollo answered and said to her, "The power of darkness. Power passed from the old to the new through the bonding of souls. Your father has demon-blood, but I have wolf-blood. A human cannot defeat a king who has such power. It must be by someone who is beyond human. To claim such power is your right as the daughter of a mighty demon hunter."

"My right? What are you on about? My father never cared about any of this. Why, suddenly, does he change his mind?"

"This is not the time to question your calling. A hunter of the night creatures has always sworn to protect the people."

"And yet he protected only me. Was that his calling? Forsake the masses to spare his daughter?"

Rollo once reminded Lagertha that her time is soon coming when she will have to pick aside. But that was only a few days ago, and now she was given no extra time to come up with a decision. She did not know if she had to hunt the night and avenge the deaths of all who are related to her or live everyday life and likely be devoured by the demons. At this exact moment, Rollo was giving Lagertha a chance to be immensely powerful and abandon everything to fight the night creatures.