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

Chapter 86

"How long will you remain protected? Your father is trapped in darkness. There is nobody who can pull him out... except for one who has the same power as he does," Rollo said.

"Sorcery and dark magic? Powers beyond this world? Then why didn't my father tell me that? What did my mother do to deserve such a horrible death? Why... why did he lie to me?" Lagertha asked.

"If he told you before, you would've been on your way to another place. You would've already had your mother try to find out where you are. Time after time, there is a man whose ambition overflows his mind. A man worthy of such a mantle must be dealt with by another whose power rivals his," he answered.

"I... I'm too weak. I'll never stand up to him. It would've been possible... if my mother was still alive. I would've been taught how to swing a blade and how to make it out there on my own."

"You will have all you need at your disposal. You will have a taste of my power and the strength you need to survive. Only dark beings and those worthy of hunting demons can have such a power as mine. But they always come at a cost. You must abandon something you hold dear and take on the mantle of royalty. A queen of the night. A hunter of Hell's servants."

The thought came inside Lagertha's mind, and it remained trapped inside of her for as long as she can remember all that Rollo has said. Rollo had this power because long ago, he was a great warrior who killed many titans and slain many dragons. He even used sorcery on those who tried to take him down; his sword burned down all who stood against him. Lagertha no longer relented and gave in to the offer that Rollo will give her during this night. This would most definitely be an unforgettable night in Lagertha's life as she starts something brand new.

"What do you want me to do?" Lagertha asked.

"You must leave your past self behind. You must become a mortal like me," Rollo answered. Then, he held out his right hand and stared at his wrist, and he started having fangs grow in his teeth.

He bit his wrist with his fangs and tore a piece of flesh off of his skin, and he spits out the torn flesh as he watches blood drop from his wrist. He grabs the chalice and allows the blood to fill up the cup as Lagertha stands there and watches Rollo's blood drip in both the chalice and the floor. What seemed strange is that Lagertha could smell the blood and have weird thoughts if it would taste good. Lagertha moves closer to the elder wolf as he slowly hands the chalice over to her to make her have a taste of it. It looked like cranberry wine in her eyes, and it looked exactly like the wine Julius would taste if he sat with his family and ate dinner.

Then Rollo spoke with her, saying, "Drink my blood. Have a taste of my power. If you drink it, you will have immense strength and advanced skills with the sword. With your blade, the demons will fear you, and their souls will be trapped within your sword. Begin your new journey as a hunter of the night. Forgive me, but there is no other way."

"I know. I never had a choice. I have nothing left... but my fate," Lagertha said. Then, she thought of nothing else and lifted the chalice as Rollo stands beside her and watches on.

The cup seemed very heavy at first, but she began holding it with both hands and did not seem heavy. She breathed very heavily and had no idea what would happen to her mind; she could not walk away from this. Her veins would be subsided and replicated with a more intense feel, but she will remain human. She would always have her humanistic nature, yet she would be a feared human amongst people and night creatures. Rollo's eyes started opening widely as her face got even closer to the chalice and getting ready to drink the blood.

Without hesitation, Lagertha opens her mouth and starts taking a sip of Rollo's wolf-blood, and she could hear lightning outside the castle. She takes a large gulp and begins seeing dark visions flash in her eyes, but she could not stop drinking the blood. She saw what appeared to be a werewolf roaring and screeching before her eyes; the werewolf had red eyes and black fur. The creature could only be described as some beast who is more than prepared to feast on its prey. Lagertha stood there and drank every drop of the wolf-blood until she could taste none of it.

Then, she drops it on the ground and begins coughing for a few seconds; the flavor was spicy and tender. The blood itself dashed into her veins and made her fall on the floor, and she could not breathe. The drink gave a shocking aftertaste that would make anyone else spit it out and never drink it again. Lagertha did not spit out the blood because it remained attached to her, yet the process felt very painful. The pain was from how much she drank and how much of the blood collided with her human blood, and she could hear many unsettling voices in her head.

Lagertha felt her head and could feel the sound of a thousand voices crying in agony and the sound of undead legions chanting. The visions in her head could not be unseen, and she could feel the imagery coming straight to her at the speed of sound. It all came across the idea that she was looking at a black werewolf with demonic eyes being prepared to devour its prey. She opened her eyes and noticed that she was still in the abandoned castle with Rollo still standing next to her. He understood that she went through a painful transition to receive the dark power from the elder wolf.

"What... happens now?" Lagertha asked.

"Now... just close your eyes and relax. Lie down and know that a new beginning is coming for you. There is a fire within you and a tale waiting to be told to countless generations," Rollo answered. Lagertha did exactly as she was told and closed her eyes to drift away before something even more frightening happens.

She could feel her head throbbing, and with no way to cease the torture she is going through. Lagertha rests herself on the floor without a comfortable bed to sleep on and with no one to wish her a good night's rest. Rollo walks over to her and picks her up from the floor without realizing; the wolf-blood knocked her out before she could have another kind of reaction. He carried her to a room full of ancient paintings and an area where only one couch was available. The entire room may as well be the only place where he sleeps and where he can live out the rest of his days.

Lagertha had no idea that she was being carried, yet she remained clueless about everything destined to happen. She refused to open her eyes and found it difficult to be awake after a long night—a night where many horrific things occurred and where tragedy struck in her family by the night creatures. Lagertha continues sleeping in Rollo's large room as the man figures out who she truly is. He needed more information about her other than that she was called to him for being a daughter of a demon slayer.

In her sleep, Lagertha could see and hear many hellish creatures coming to her to drag her down with them. She could see herself running away from the demons, transforming into a giant demonic werewolf. The wolf itself looked precisely like Fenrir, and the wolf ran as fast as possible to reach his prey. Lagertha did not want herself to be eaten alive and did not want to have the same fate as her mother and father. She dashed away from Fenrir until the wolf got close enough for him to devour her; the vision ended with Fenrir consuming Lagertha and roaring in the night.

Then, Lagertha opens her eyes and realizes it was no longer midnight, and she only slept for about four hours. The nightmare sequence was so intense that it caused Lagertha to forget whatever happened when Rollo was by her side. Rollo was still looking out the window and even wondered how much she can take on the path she has chosen. Lagertha looks around her and realizes that she can see much more clearly and could hear almost everything from a very long distance.