Chapter Text
[Chap 1] The wolves
[Begging for those Demons wont find you out]
...
This wasn't a hunt he could have foreseen, the moonlight gradually pulled the light through the interlocking trees, Violet ran through the dark forest, alone. Or maybe he was just comforting himself. His heartbeat was constricting, his lungs were screaming like they were about to explode, they begged him for the oxygen that was running out in his chest but he couldn't stop. Right behind him were the growls of the clawed beasts, the first-class predators of this sacred forest, never giving up on their prey when they were sure of victory. A unequal chase!
Violet grimaced at the chest tightness rising to his brain, he took a risk, stepped on a rough rhizome, and charged forward. Heel was forced to bear the force, for a moment his whole body seemed to stiffen, and then... slide down the dirt slope. He ran, rolled, and tumbled to the hard ground, dust and gravel lashing at him, an unattractive scratch across his cheek, blood gushing out. Violet lay there, covered with wounds, his mind reeling as if engulfed in a swarm of fireflies. After a while, he just got up, the back of his hand wiped the wound that was emitting a strong fishy smell, his body was still numb from the jump just now. This must be humiliating, Perland's top swordsman is always so proud of himself, yet he holds a fear of... wolves! He staggered to his feet, this exhausted appearance should only be seen by himself.
The dark forest was engulfed in darkness, the moon fell again, making a long trail, his footsteps stepped on the dry leaves to hear the crisp sound. Violet followed that light and went deep into the trees, without looking back, the wind gently stroked the nape of his neck, brushing through his messy, muddy hair, giving him a chilling, freezing feeling.
"Damn it..."
He mumbled under his breath, trying to get rid of the feeling of dread that surrounded him. The moonlight led him to a wide dirt road, dead flowers covered on one side. Light fell on the ground, imprinted on a ghostly tree, like a fierce monster with countless arms large and small, ready to rush to bite anyone who dared to invade its territory. Violet was busy walking, his mind seemed to have forgotten about every danger of the wolves behind, would they suddenly jump out of a bush and eat him?
Is it a full moon tonight? Violet looked up, in the middle of the sky, a piece of the full moon streaked between countless stars. Not a very good night of patrol, he can't even remember how he ran away from those soldiers? The wolves are also not normal, their eyes are bloodshot like a ghost in the middle of the night, the smell of blood is thick in each breath, wandering around the sacred forest of poisonous water... Not the wolf that he used to see, they bring there the black aura of death.
It was that sometimes he had to hide that panic, the terror of wild dogs, especially in front of his close companion, Pavel. He's only a few years younger than him, calm temperament, a bit of a taciturn type... bossy, if he doesn't have the patience to be close, he will definitely judge like that. Speaking of which, it's good to have him here now! Violet hobbled away, apparently dislocated, scratching his head, letting out a breath, his body also covered with injuries from the jump from the top down. If it was Pavel, he wouldn't mind giving you a hand, he's really good at healing!
The light stopped in front of a patch of land overgrown with weeds, grass growing to knee-highs, green branches still wet from the night dew. A towering ruin appeared before his eyes, an abandoned house, the tilted wooden roof half collapsed, round pillars lying on the old wall. It was unclear which owner had left this place, he imagined, maybe in the past it had been very beautiful in the middle of the sacred forest. The place where the moonlight had to hold the clouds and the sky to stop, the dusty window frame shone with silver color, a small flower pot had long since died. The crumpled curtain swayed slightly, in the late night wind, the smell of dew brought a cold breath from the entrance of the forest. Violet looked back to the road behind, no longer seeing that bright patch, the darkness sucked in like a black hole, swallowing everything in front of his eyes. A sudden cold rush to his bronchi, a growl hidden in the dim "black hole", the danger has not left him, but it is just waiting for an opportunity to fully enjoy the pain, fear and despair of those who are lost in this forest.
Violet shuffled frantically, heading towards the house, he couldn't think of anything else because panic was scratching in his chest. The wooden door wobbled as if it was about to fall off its hinges, he nestled in a dark corner. This house is not small, but rather, the space inside is an ancient library. It was strange that there was such a place in this deep forest, with books scattered on the ground and on the shelves, and out of an empty inkwell there could not be a hideous gray spider.
If only he had had the time to notice so many things, like a cat and a mouse, that growl echoed softly in the silence of the old library and then disappeared immediately. The young swordsman pressed fear into his chest, fingers touching the hilt of his sword at his waist.
"They're just… normal wolves."
With her back pressed against the cold wall, Violet let out a breath, his eyes darting back and forth warily. It was himself that was pushed into a passive position, only at this moment, he felt his knees soften and a shiver was gnawing at his hands.
The space was still as quiet, from the crack looking down silver fragments of light scattered throughout this ruins. Only him and his own shadow in the moonlight, this sword might not be able to protect its owner.
It's not just mere talk. Fear is born out of silence. An endless silence.
"Pavel..."
He thought of him, faintly, thinking that he would die here without anyone knowing. Is it when the most fearful, the most desperate, the illusion will appear?
Two red spots flickered in the darkness like a demonic flame, a well-thought-out malicious scheme.
From the depths of the forest, a gray wolf left the pack, it rushed into the dark night, its eyes filled with fire as if it were sparkling, which did not belong to such a wild animal. It howled for a long time, and then jumped off the slope, the scent of the man still lingered, the blood just dried. It was rushed and full of fear, afraid that something was impossible.
....
Under the silver moon, the wolf gently stepped out of the darkness, its jet-black fur standing up like dozens of thorns lined up on its back, its claws scraping the rotten wood, a sound creeping up to the skin. It raised bloodshot eyes, fangs still stained with blood, and slowly approached its prey. The swordsman lay sprawled on the ground, the impact from earlier made his mind spin. Violet swallowed a shaky breath, that growl still circling around as if he were considering something. Sharp claws pressed down his back painfully, it leisurely savored it, the fear of its prey at its feet.
The wood splintered, a figure rushed past, knocking the other wild beast back, only to hear a creepy cry. Before his eyes, a huge wolf body suddenly seized him, gray fur bathed in the magical silver moon, it roared fiercely. The black wolf was still circling around, its crimson eyes were eager to look at the person lying there, the smell of blood made it very happy, but it seemed that it had hesitated now. Looks like they're... fighting for prey. Violet let out weak breaths, his already blurred eyes slowly closing. The pain was tormenting his exhausted body, the vision that he would be torn apart gradually appeared in his consciousness.
There was a long howl. That gray wolf... it's getting really weird. The wolf's body arched, then contracted, the spine gradually floating as the hind legs slammed into the rotten wood floor. It gradually stood upright in the form... half man, half wolf. The front legs were long, growing into two huge forearms, the sharp claws pointed out, up to an inch long, it seemed that a single blow was enough to kill anyone who blocked the sight. It raised its head proudly, the fur on its skin now only jagged with silver threads that glittered under the moon. The body is half human, half beast... so strong that it scares people. The gray wolf spoke menacingly, the timbre of a thousand different voices, which perhaps did not belong anywhere where life existed.
- He is my prey!
The scene of the twilight, only a piece of moon is shining down here, the two sparks from the other eyes are dancing wildly, as if not wanting to give up that bait so easily, the black wolf keeps circling around , claws tapping on the wooden surface. It is plotting something.
"The great successor is here, how dare I compete?" replied the black wolf, in a strange voice, the tip of its nose snorted a few times.
The wolves of the Underworld, bounty hunters for the Devil... they are. The gray wolf was still standing there, just waiting if the other person dared to come forward, he would immediately kill him. The situation was turned upside down from the very beginning, when it appeared here, although it could not be ruled out that it would swallow the other guy. Its voice growled, a sharp order.
- Get out of here, Dan!
There was a creaking sound of claws scratching on the wood, and the black wolf's shadow darted out of the doorway and then disappeared behind the dark trees.
....