While Wargs chased down the last of the brigands, Redmane, Valtr and Vengarl entered the chapel to see to the captive townspeople.

Many broke out into tears of gratitude. Some began helping release the others the moment they were free. A few simply sat, catatonic, even after their gags were removed and their bonds cut.

The little girl who had seen Redmane in the form of a weasel stared up at him with wide eyes. Evidently she recognized his coloration.

“It’s you…” she gasped. “How’d you get so big?”

Redmane reached down and ruffled her hair.

“I ate what my family served me, without complaint.”

The girl’s eyes went wide and she nodded solemnly, as if understanding what she must do.

Once they were all freed, the trio of Hunters ushered the captive townsfolk out of the building and into the open air. More than one recoiled in fear at the sight of Wargs encircling the encampment, running down beastmen who, for the most part, had given up on fighting and were attempting to flee to the treehouses. It wasn ’t going well. One Warg would run behind a pack of scrambling beastmen, ushering them toward the trunk of a tree and the ladder there promising freedom, only for the brigands to be ambushed by the Wargs lying in wait behind it.

Their periodic screams disrupted an otherwise tranquil evening.

“It’s alright,” said Redmane. “They’re on our side.”

This did not comfort the townsfolk overmuch.

Valtr folded his arms, looked around the encampment. “Think we’ll root about for provisions. This lot look like they could use a meal before we take em anywhere.”

Redmane nodded. “Would you two bring them to Häerz Castle? There should be a woman there, Letha, and an Imbued, Magister Helmold. They’ll help you keep these folk safe.”

Vengarl looked at Valtr. The two of them smirked at each other.

“Aye,” said Vengarl. “We’ll do ya one better, even.”

House Redmane has received Faction Membership Requests:

Valtr Khazador (Hunter)

Vengarl Khazador (Hunter)

Do you accept these applicants?

Yes/No

“This might piss off our Coterie,” said Vengarl.

Valtr shrugged. “All the better. I could do without Irina’s harpin on, couldn’t you?”

Vengarl chuckled and nodded in agreement.

Redmane signaled yes without hesitation.

Then he clasped their shoulders, bowed his head in gratitude.

“I had some doubts about you at first fight,” said Valtr. Then he nodded in the direction of the group of rescued hostages. “But this here proves your quality.”

“That being said, you’re a mighty unusual Imbued,” said Vengarl. “Don’t take it personal if some treat ya funny.”

Redmane shrugged. “I’ll treat them how they treat me.”

The stout Hunter chuckled. “Fair’s fair. watch yerself, they’re not all as friendly as us.”

“I can be unfriendly,” said Redmane.

Valtr patted Redmane on the shoulder. “Oh we’ve seen. It’s quite a spectacle.”

In a moment they set about searching the encampment for foodstuffs. They found a fair amount in the cellar under the longhouse, and in the smokehouse outside, nuts and berries, dry bread, a rack of smoked fish. A good amount of food overall, but in total it was a small meal for some fifty people. Nevertheless, it would be sufficient. Castle Barograd was close, and the larder ought to be well stocked, since its former residents had a drastic change in dietary preferences one day and a night ago.

Redmane bid the Khazador brothers farewell for now, and turned to go speak to the Wargs.

He made it a few paces before Valtr called out to get his attention.

Redmane looked over his shoulder. “Hm?”

“One last thing!” the Hunter called out. “You’re headed to Barograd when all’s done here in the forest, yeah?”

Redmane nodded.

“Seek out the rest of our Coterie when ya get there. Radovid and Irina, they’re brother and sister. One’s a Warrior, one’s a Magister. Tall, blond hair, blue eyes, can’t miss em. The Justiciar’s name is Vella. She looks like she crawled out of a cave. Sorta like you, no offense.”

“None taken,” said Redmane. “I’ll seek them out when I get there.”

With that said, he continued on to speak to the Wargs.

Of the ones he’d freed from their cages, eight survived the battle with the beastmen. They sat in a loose circle near the trunk of a tree, picking at the remains of ripped apart beastman carcasses.

Would you show me the way to Umber’s lair, he said.

The Warg who spoke to him initially turned to look at him.

You mean to kill the monster? He asked.

Redmane nodded.

We’ll take you there, he said.

My gratitude, said Redmane. May I ask your name?

The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

We don’t have names, said the Warg.

Well what shall I call you?

Call me whatever you like, it matters not to us.

Redmane thought about it for a moment.

You’ll be Ash, said Redmane. Named for the color of your fur.

The Warg made a movement that reminded Redmane of a shrug.

Ash and his packmates rose as one. Redmane couldn’t help but notice that the Warg didn’t mind in the least as Redmane snagged a tuft of his fur and mounted him like a horse. He supposed it could be a consequence of Beast Speech, which made animals more amicably inclined to his requests. Whatever the cause, he felt grateful for the beast’s cooperation.

The moment he was secure on Ash’s back, all eight Wargs bolted for the mouth of the canyon.

Redmane had to hold on tight. They went from standing still to a full run with no warning. Wind blasted his face and he lowered himself down to make less drag.

They bounded out of the narrow canyon and then turned northward, toward the foothills. Some miles to the west would be the spot where Redmane had initially wandered into the woods, stumbled over a hive of Gruu and made the acquaintance of Valtr and Vengarl. Now he headed in a different direction.

To the last defender of this Blighted Zone. And then another patch of land on the map would be his.

Ash and his packmates weaved through the trees, leapt over boulders and fallen timbers, ducked under low hanging branches, navigating the land effortlessly at full running speed, as if they had the whole of Midva Forest, down to the position of every last rock and twig, committed to memory.

Even at such speed, it was a long run to the northern edge of the forest. The night deepened. It would be a while yet until the dawn. The bright moons up above were visible in darting moments beneath the oppressive canopy of the forest.

Redmane felt as if he’d fallen into a trance. The speed of the Wargs cultivated a stillness in his mind.

Not two nights ago, he’d been chained to the wall. Tonight he rode on the back of a great beast, on his way to battle. He realized it was a recurring feeling. He’d felt it in those first violent moments of freedom. He felt it when he stood upon the battlements of Häerz Castle gazing up at the moons.

He felt it when he’d knelt over the bloody stump that remained of Lord Abrahm Morholt.

It was though he were experiencing the breaking of his shackles over and over again. It was magnificent. Redmane hoped for many more recurrences of the feeling. Their loss would be something to lament.

The forest began to thin. There were more rocks and fewer trees, and they were climbing. The gradient had subtly grown more and more noticeable, and now the Wargs had to occasionally leap up onto a nearby boulder here or an outcropping of rock there in order to proceed.

They emerged onto a barren plain of slate grey stone, broken by jagged fingers of rock thrust outward like a line of spears. Upon the largest such outcropping, something like a Warg casually gazed down at them.

It was the same size and shape as an especially large Warg, but the similarities ended there.

The Monster’s hide was dark and craggy like basalt. There was no fur, and his ears had either been burned off or ripped from his head. His eyes burned orange like hot coals, and as his lips curled back in a snarl, Redmane thought he saw flames licking out from between his jagged teeth.

Umber, Rock Warg Alpha

Monster Type: Corrupted

Level 37

[Rock Warg] Marked as Prey

Others of his kind emerged from concealment, all of them standing above Redmane and the Wargs on one finger of rock or another. They were lesser in number than his pack, four or five perhaps. But each one of theirs was half again as large as a natural Warg.

Umber lifted his snout and let out a rasping mockery of a howl, which his pack answered.

Redmane held on tight as Ash broke into a sprint.

The other Wargs did so in the same instant, the whole pack aware of the danger. The Rock Wargs were above them, and they possessed a weapon there was no answer for but to run.

Flame Breath

Jets of fire struck the stone. No sooner had the Wargs bolted in every direction did flames blast down on the places they had been standing. But running didn ’t guarantee their safety. The Rock Wargs hosed them with flames from their perches, chasing them with it or cutting off their retreat. Wargs leapt over fences of fire that bloomed before them, while others ran flat out to escape their tails being singed by the flames trailing behind them.

Ash and Redmane made for the alpha. The Warg sprinted for the base of the outcropping upon which Umber stood, evading blasts of fire breath as he hopped from rock to rock, spotting the next landing an instant before leaping, to stay one heartbeat ahead of the relentless flames.

Redmane ducked down against Ash ’s back at the last second as a gout of fire swept overhead. It singed the ends of his hair. He glanced up and saw Umber staring balefully down at them, jaws open, gathering air into his lungs for the next blast of flames.

They were closing in, albeit slowly. Though he might be within leaping distance …

He had an idea.

Carry on! He said to Ash. I'll distract it!

Then he jumped off Ash’s back and landed on a small shelf of stone, a few feet below Umber’s perch. The Rock Warg immediately turned his full attention to Redmane, which was why he’d done this in the first place. Now Ash could make it up the rest of the way without dodging fire.

Fire breath shot out toward him and he leapt straight up, barely evading it. It burned his feet, but he quickly scrambled clear.

And now Redmane stood before the great Monster, axe in hand.

Umber loomed over him. The difference in size between them was prominent, now that they were face to face. And there was something worse, a feeling of dread in the pit of Redmane ’s stomach. His own body wanted to rebel against him, to turn and flee with every ounce of strength he possessed. He had to steel himself against it, teeth gritted, grip tightening on his weapon.

He couldn’t budge. It took all the willpower he could muster simply to stand his ground, let alone fight.

Sweat broke out on his forehead. Every inch of him screamed in protest, but he slowly raised his weapon. He felt like he was getting the better of it, but it was taking too long. In moments he ’d be consumed in fire.

Then it dawned on him. He hadn’t suddenly become craven. The Rock Warg was using a Skill.

Fear Aura

This was not the time to be frozen in place.

Umber’s jaws slowly opened wide, and the glow at the back of his throat grew brighter, and brighter….

There was no escape. At this range the flames would consume his whole body in an instant.

He flinched from a sudden surge of heat. The light made his eyes strain. The stench of sulfur was thick in the air.

Then Redmane’s eyes widened as he realized something.

He had a Skill for this.

—

Blessing of Might

Bloodline Skill [Monstrous (Beastman)]

Rank 1 - Evolution Possible

Body Enhancement

Sustained - 10 Gnosis per 30 seconds

The Monster places the [Blessing of Might] condition on itself or a nearby ally, which bestows the following enhancements:

+10 Might

+10 Grace

-Enhanced movement speed

-Immunity to Fear effects

Creatures under the effect of [Blessing of Might] cannot engage in stealth, combat with ranged weapons (unless they are thrown), or invoke Skills which require complex gestures or incantations.

—

The realization came as the glow in Umber’s throat grew to blinding.

Redmane stared down a fiery death, frozen in place, his muscles locked and shaking, teeth gritted.

In the last instant before the light blinded him, he mustered his willpower and used the Skill.

Blessing of Might

Gnosis: 80

Suddenly free from Umber’s unnatural compulsion, Redmane dove to the side.

Too late.

Fire breath engulfed him.