The howling was nearer, and if terror made a sound, it would be the howl of a Shadow Wolf. The group was jogging along the stream, as directed by Annya. Shaymus and Raine were in front. Shaymus with her blades, and Raine had her bow readied. The braided hair goblin motioned the group to stop when they came upon the pool.

“We cross here,” she said.

The group crossed the icy cold waters of the stream and headed north. Again, they heard the howls.

“When will they come upon us?” Gilreg asked. The warrior readied his shield and axe.

Raine pondered and looked off into the distance. She tried to recall the last howl, and she shrugged.

“Any moment now, we won’t hear another howl from them. They attack from hiding. They are magical creatures that use Shadow Magic,” the chieftain’s daughter said.

“How do you know this?” Asked Shaymus.

“I read about it.”

“What is Shadow Magic?” Gilreg asked. Raine shrugged and looked to Nulrok.

“It’s teleportation and illusion magic. It allows the caster to phase short distances through shadows. It can also render one invisible, though not completely. If we are extra vigilant, we can spot them.”

“You have my apologies if we all die,” Booger said solemnly.

“I swear I will find you in the afterlife and kill you again,” threatened Shaymus, and Booger chuckled.

Just then, a shadow creature leaped out and thudded against the orc’s armored shoulder. It bounced off and landed on its feet. It had red eyes, sharp fangs, and a wiry muscled frame. In a swirl of shadow, it vanished.

“That hurt a little,” Booger said as he readied his polearm.

Another wolf sprung out from behind a tree. Raine shot it in midair with an arrow, and it yelped as it fell to the ground. Booger stomped on it. Another wolf rushed in and knocked Nulrok to the ground. The mage barely brought up his arms to keep the snapping jaws from his throat, and Shaymus stabbed it through the back. Two more flanked the orc, one bit at his legs and then faded away as the second attacked when the orc was distracted. Gilreg threw his axe, and the retreating wolf collapsed with a yelp. The other wolf leaped, and Booger struck it with a bone-crushing hit of his polearm.

“We need to move,” said Raine, and the group ran. But the wolves were faster.

“Nulrok do something,” Gilreg ordered.

The mage turned and held up his hands, fingers outstretched. The mage completed an incantation, and a wall of fire sprung up between them and the wolves. The mage poured mana into it so that the wall would remain for a while longer.

“You didn’t need your wand?” Gilreg observed as the two ran.

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“I just learned to do that now. Nothing like the fear of dying as a motivator and teacher,” the mage answered.

It took a few moments for the wolves to realize they could circle around the wall of fire. As the group sprinted through the woods, looking for the next direction marker that Annya had told them about, Gilreg saw the wolves running through the trees on their sides. Every now and then, one would try to nip at their heels, but the goblins dodged as they ran. Booger’s armor and strength negated their attacks.

The wolves had them surrounded. The ones ahead circled around and charged the group. Gilreg rushed to the front and used his shield to deflect a leaping wolf and then another. He knocked them to either side, where Booger and Shaymus finished them. Gilreg saw the boulder and knew that the clearing was next. The trees hid the wolves and allowed them to take advantage of the shadows.

“Nulrok, another wall of fire. We need to make it to the clearing. In the open, we have a better chance against them,” Gilreg cried.

The mage sprung up another impressive wall of fire with sweat dripping down his forehead. Nulrok was nearly spent. The warrior helped his friend to run. And they ran as fast as their bodies could take them. For a moment, it felt like they would not make it. And then the clearing appeared! The wolves were coming in from all sides, snapping and attacking them. The group burst into the open field.

“Stand back,” Booger commanded. The large orc distanced himself from his comrades and then twirled his heavy-bladed spear around him, creating a deadly circle that forced the wolves to retreat.

“One more spell Nulrok. We need an ice wall to protect our flanks,” Gilreg asked. The mage nodded, and he was near exhaustion. With gritted teeth, the goblin caster summoned a semi-circle of jagged ice. After that, the mage was spent and could not risk another spell for fear of going insane.

Gilreg and Booger moved to the front and stopped the incoming wolf onslaught. The warrior deflected with his shield while the orc sliced where Gilreg’s shield was not. Raine shot arrows, stopping the wolves before they could enter the semi-circle of jagged ice. Shaymus guarded the archer and cut down any wolf that made it past the goblin warrior and the orc prince. That was how the group fought, and many wolves had to retreat, limping and licking their wounds. They were unable to overcome the experienced party. Then a giant shadow wolf barreled inside the semi-circle of ice. The giant creature knocked Gilreg and Booger to the sides with tremendous power. The wolf was immense, towering over even the orc prince. Its fur was the darkest of night, with eyes that were a demonic red. Its fangs were the size of daggers. Raine made a multi-shot attack. Despite its girth, the giant wolf was fast. It phased to the sides, dodging the arrows, and rushed forward, its fangs aiming for the archer. Shaymus sliced at it with her shadow blade, causing the massive wolf to pause.

The monstrous creature towered over Shaymus, but the pale-eyed goblin showed no fear and held her two blades before her menacingly. The wolf sniffed the air.

“You are Demon Touched,” Nezarit, the Shadow Wolf Lord, observed in a deep dark voice. A voice that spoke of centuries.

“What of it?” Shaymus hissed.

The shadow wolf lord howled, and they could hear the return howling from a dozen other wolves behind the ice wall. Gilreg and Booger scrambled painfully to their feet. They held their weapons at the ready, knowing that if this fight continued, it would be their last.

“You have the smell of royal blood. We are kindred,” Nezarit said, their deep voice sending chills up Gilreg’s spine.

“You will stop attacking us?” Shaymus asked. She still kept her blades in front of her.

“Yes,” the wolf lord hissed.

By this time, Nulrok’s ice magic had faded. The group could see that they were surrounded by shadow creatures as they slipped in and out of sight around them.

“Farewell demon touch. You are free to pass through our forest,” the wolf said. With one final deep howl, the wolves departed.

The mage was sitting on his knees, focusing on keeping his mind from slipping into insanity. But he heard what was said. His head hurt, and he used a dangerous amount of magic. His body will need time to recover. Despite his pain and the seriousness of his condition, the mage chuckled.

“What’s so funny, mage?” Shaymus growled.

Barely holding his mind together, Nulrok kept chuckling. Finally, he said, “Shaymus is a Demon Princess.”