Wolves

     The night was quite as I walked through the streets. The moon illuminated the road but still left large shadows to hide if need be. The street lamps weren't on to save power.  Anything out tonight didn't need it to see anyway.

     I turned the corner that lead to my house only to be stopped by a large brown wolf. He sat in front of my door looking out with impatience. [ Sigh... what now? ]

     Walking again I looked to see if there was anyone else around, but of course there wasn't.  The wolf finally noticed me and walked over. He flicked his tail and started headed off towards the woods. [ Follow me. Is it? ]

     We walked down the path slowly getting deeper in until we reached a clearing. Seven wolves sat or stood in the clearing with one man standing his amber eyes glowing in the night.

     "Good evening mayor Kaz." The man had shaggy brown hair and enough power and charisma eliminating from his body that it would put any dictator to shame. [Troublesome... ]

     "Good evening Seth. I'm surprised you are not leading a hunt right now. Is there a problem?"

     "There is a problem." He slitted his eyes. "The forest area is not wide enough for us to run. Let us leave the wall."

     After the kraken incident we put a seal on the portal so that it could only be used when one of the witches was present. "I don't see how this forest is to small for you to run in. If you go ten steps you'll never find your way out..."

     "Don't give me this crap! You know my pack and I would never get lost in any forest." He growled in anger. "Call a witch brat over to open the portal so we can run to our satisfaction!" The Alpha's power flowed out over me demanding that I submit to his command.

     [ Sigh... ] I smiled as nicely as I could but I new it looked a bit strained. "The witches have gone to bed by now and if you wished to use the portal you should have submitted a request earlier. Also it is now very dangerous to go out...."

     Seth snapped.  "My pack is none of your concern. We will be just fine outside of the wall."

     "Is that so?" I thought back to the 'Resident' and our need for information.  "Then would you mind doing me a favor? "

     "..." Seth looked at me suspiciously.

     "Since you want to go out of the walls so badly go check out how things are going out there. I need information on the 'Zombies' and what is left."

     Seth thought about what I said. " Why should we?"

     "Because you want to go through the gate. " I kept my smile in place and added.  "And just as you say. You and your wolves would never get lost. I trust your information gathering skills as well as your skills at keeping yourselves safe."

     Seth held his angry face but you could tell he was happy with the praise.  He stood a bit straighter and puffed his chest out.

     "I see. When you put it that way there's no way to refuse. Call the witch and my pack will get started right away."

     [ This was going way better than I thought it would. ]  "Of course. Let us go to the portal then."

     We went back to the path following it down to the other side. Reaching the portal, Baba Yaga stepped out from the shadows.

     "Good evening master Kaz. I had a feeling that you would come tonight." Seth stood stunned for a moment.

      "You planned this didn't you. You tricked me into this task!"

      I turned and looked at Seth. "No there was no plan or trick your pack are the only ones who can do this and not sustain injury. It is also vital that we gather information."

     Seth stood quietly for a moment. "... I will gather the information."

     I smiled.  [ Close... ]  Baba Yaga opened the portal and the wolves left. We stood watching the gate for a while. Listening to the wind and the whispers of the forest.

     "How long will they be gone?"

     I started at the question and frowned. "I don't know."

     Baba Yaga watched me carefully before sighing. "I can never tell what your thinking."

     "Hahahaha... really?  I figured I was pretty easy to read. What about you. Why are you here?"

     "Oh my, I thought for sure you would know. I can always tell when you need me."

     "Really now? And what did I need you for? Besides the portal because that can be opened by anyone."

     "To go watch the child of course." I frowned. "I know that it is time for you to disappear for a couple of days. Did you not inform the 'Resident'? It will have to take over for that time."

      "Ah... so its that time again."

      "Do not play dumb with me Mor. I know very well that you need to leave civilization for at least two days."

       [ Che... ] "I don't go by that name anymore Baba Yaga. Plus it is not a good time for me to go on vacation. I can hold out another couple of days."

       She looked at me sternly.  "Do not over estimate the time you can spend in civilization. The last time you did that you killed..."

       "Silence," I said sternly. "That was influenced by many different things. The ones that died we're humans that tormented me."

       Baba Yaga looked at me sadly.  "It was not only them. You went mad for 50 years. You killed all that came near you. Not even I could come and help you. Please take my advice and leave for two to three days. I will watch the child and tell the 'Resident' to take over for that time. Please. I do not wish to see you that way again."

     "Sigh... fine.  I will take a brake. If you do need me get Lisa to contact me."

     "Do you wish to use the portal or will you.."

     "No I'll use the portal. Can you make it connect to Europe for me?"

     "Yes."

     I watched as Baba Yaga chanted the spell. The portal changed from a aqua blue to a moss green.

     "The portal is ready.  Be careful Mor."

     "I will Baba. See you in a couple of days."

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     The portal took me to the edge of a town in northern Europe. I knew it was the north because of the snow on the ground in the middle of fall. [ Norway? ] I walked towards the town in the distance. Just because I needed to be out of civilization for a while doesn't mean that I couldn't spend  one day in a town looking at the situation.

      As I grew closer I noticed a couple of things. One there was no noise. Well there was noise like the wind and the scrape of trees against buildings. However there was no human noise. No cars, sirens, talking, crunching of snow, not even the sound of breathing. It was still, quite and dead.

     I walked down the road looking at the buildings. There were red blotches here and there, broken windows, smashed doors, debris was scattered all over the streets, and graffiti. Taking a closer look It said "..." They have come! It is the end! I frowned. The further I walked the more abandoned it looked. Cars crashed on the sidewalks and buildings, burned houses, broken cars and fire hydrants (all ice now instead of running water), etc... The strangest thing of all though was that there were no dead bodies. 

     No matter where I looked or all the evidence that stated there should be there were no dead bodies. Not one. I continued to walk down the main road of the town until I reached the edge. The mountains in the distance proved that I wasn't in Norway but northern Transylvania.  I frowned. [ Not to far from that castle it seems. ] The castle was carved into the side of a mountain overlooking the entire area. It looked like someone was still living there so in an attempt to find out what happened I headed towards it.

     The walk was cold and torturous. The sun indicated that it was around four o'clock when I reached the castle doors. The old but well kept doors were decorated in a middle ages style. I pulled the lion head knocker and as the knocker hit the door it opened. I frowned. Doors opening by themselves wasn't new but it gave me a bad premonition. I glanced at the city down below again and then stepped into the castle, doors squeaking as they closed behind me.

(Baba Yoga Prov)

     Baba Yoga watched as Kaz went through the portal then sighed in relief. [ For a second there I didn't think he would agree to go. ] Closing the portal I walked down the forest path to the graveyard. Now that Kaz was on 'vacation' I had to ask the 'Resident'  to take over. I also had to inform Lisa about the temporary replacement. 

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

     I smiled as I thought about the 'Resident's' reaction to the news. As I thought about it longer I realized that Kaz had not taken a brake since the town was formed. I frowned. [ It was good I made him leave but I can't help but wonder if it will be ok. ] The forest was quite and felt empty. Once Kaz left the maze the forest created had vanished. It made it much easier to find your way. Sometimes this forest would be so disorienting that the path couldn't even help you through it. Making it to the graveyard with no detours I walked to the crypt. 

      "What brings you to my home Miss. Yoga?" The voice, low and soft, drifted in from behind. I shivered. [ I don't see how you can stand it Kaz. ]

    I smiled and turned to look at the 'Resident's' shadowy figure. "There you are 'Resident'. I have come with a request. Kaz has left town for a while and needs you to take his place. I will inform Lisa tomorrow morning about it and I will be taking care of the elf child."

     I could sense displeasure from the 'Resident'. "Why has Kaz left?"

     "...."

     The 'Resident' just stared. I once heard from Kaz that the 'Resident' had eyes that turned black the more irritated it got. While I couldn't see his eyes I could just imagine them slowly turning black as I kept my silence.

     "Why has Kaz left Shadow Wood Miss. Baba Yoga?"

     I sighed deeply in my heart, but held my smile on my face. " Have you ever heard of the story of the Mor wolf?"

     "I have. But what has that have to do with Kaz leaving?"

     "I see can you tell me the story that you know?"

     ".... The Mor wolf lived in a forest out side a small town in Europe. Hunters went into the forest to gather food. However none returned. After a day the family and friends worried and went to find their husbands and friends. However none returned. The people claimed the forest cursed and did not enter. Then one day a hunter from another town came asking about this wolf. The towns people explained what happened and the hunter nodded. He then went into the forest. While walking he found the wolf and had a fierce battle. In the end the hunter managed to cut off the wolf's head."

     I nodded in agreement to the story. "Yes that is the story that I spread around. Do you like it." The 'Resident' frowned. "You see the real story doesn't really go like that."

     "Is this story the reason that Kaz left?"

     "Ah... Kind of. Anyways just listen. Kaz had been staying with me the past couple of days up in the mountains. At this time he was traveling around the world to see and experience new things.  This was also when Kaz went by the name Mor. Kaz decided that it was time to go. He left the mountain and headed to the nearest town. However the people knew that he had spent time with me and claimed that he was a familiar. 

     The people captured Kaz and placed him in a cell underground. Some of the villagers tried to torture information out of him but got nothing. However they were convinced that he knew something. He spent two years confined in a small stone and metal box being tortured. Then one day he lost it. He killed everyone in the town. Not a single person lived. He then went to the forest at the edge of town. When people came into the forest he killed them. It didn't matter if they did something to him or not. He would stalk and kill them without fail no matter the age, sex, or action taken. 

     Hunters came from all over to take his head but none succeeded. Then one day he vanished. He left the forest and didn't come back. That is the true story. After 50 years in this forest killing all who entered. He just got up and left."

     The 'Resident' watched me carefully. "...I do not see how this has anything to do with Kaz leaving."

     "Just think about it Kaz is a natural spirit. He must leave town or developed areas for a while or he will go crazy and the tragedy will repeat."

     "However Kaz has already been in this town for 5 years without leaving Shadow Wood and there has been no deaths caused by him.... Yet."

     "Yes well we can't help any deaths that are caused by others stupidity. Anyway it has been OK until now do to many different factors. However he has reached his limit. So I sent him on vacation. Can you please take over for now?"

     "...I understand. However I have one question about your story. Why didn't you help him when he was trapped by the villagers?"

     "... I tried... I did not know that they had captured him until a year and a half later. I then searched for him. When I found him he had already spent two years in confinement...." I lowered my head as I remembered the way he looked chained to the wall. The metal ripping into the skin causing blood to flow slowly from his wrists and ankles. Scars and open wounds covered his body. "It was a gruesome and terrifying site."

      "I see. I will take your word for it." The 'Resident' turned and walked\floated towards the grave yard gates. 

      "Where are you going?"

      "I assume that there are documents that have not been finished yet. It is best for me to do it while the moon is still up. Please tell Lisa about this. She will be more willing to hear it from you then me."

      "Of course. Thank you." I watched the 'Resident' leave the graveyard then looked up at the moon. [ I wonder what Master Kaz is doing? ]

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Kaz - Mayor of Shadow Wood

            Self proclaimed 'Green Spirit'

            'Embodiment of forest'

             Past name Mor

Terrry - Necromancer

                 Cause of the Zombies

                  Kaz's Assistant

                  Babysitter 

                  A Bosh

'Resident' - Lives in a crypt

                        Friend of Kaz

                        Farries the Dead to the Underworld

Lisa -  Cat Sidhe

              Kaz's secretary 

              Crow familier 

Ali Baba - Witch

                    Twin Sister to Baba Yoga

                    'Alba'

Baba Yoga - Witch

                          Twin Sister to Ali Baba

                         'Bayo'

Jasmine - Leader of the Water Fae

Van - In control of the Power Plant

            ....'Human'

Dirk - Employees of Power Plant

             Golems (created by Van)

David Baker - Mayor of Redroad

                            Human

                            Missing

Inta - Ali Baba's daughter

Usor - Ali Baba's Son

Clara - Little girl from National Park

               Living with Kaz

               Wood Elf

Akuji - Wizard 

              Head of Magic clan

Kraken Family - 3 in total 

                                 Live in the pond

                                 From Chaos dimension

Badru - Head of the Library 

                Sphinx (Cheetah variety)

Seth - Alpha of Werewolf Pack

             Tasked with investigating Zombies