"Krog! Dodge!" Haruth yelled at the man who was ambushed by the demon. The creature terrified him. Tales and legends did talk of demons and other vile creatures, but nothing have prepared him for such a repulsive being. It was big with six long reddish brown arms that looked like spider legs. Their colour faded into dark grey closer to its naked chest and stomach that were much like a man's. It was very muscular as well. It had eight blazing golden eyes, its mouth didn't seem to have lips, its flesh was torn apart to show white sharp teeth and a dark red tongue. The top of its face was stony, slightly above its abominable mouth, and it merged with its head in a rugged black helmet shaped skull as thick as leather, with horns coming out of it. Two immense wings extended fully behind it, gave the demon an infernal look. Its sturdy bird feet and the sharp splayed talons, carried the creature easily and it was unbelievably fast.
Krog was frozen, the loathsome entity snorted as it charged towards him with a maniacal smile. Move. I can't move. He thought. Don't let it touch you. He remembered Haruth's warning. It's going to touch me. Move, move! When he came back to his senses, he felt his blood pumping and his heart beating fast. He managed to reach for his sword and countered the demon's first blow. It cried in agony when Krog's sword cut through one of its arms and jumped back, which gave the man enough time and space to run behind Haruth once again.
"Do not act on your own. Follow me. Do not let it get between us again. Stay close. It's angry now, thanks to you." Warned him the wizard.
"I didn't mean to..." Krog stuttered.
"No. It's a good thing. When they're angry they're even more stupid and I can take this one down easily. It was playing with us all this time. Now it wants to kill us. And that's when we kill it." Haruth grinned and pulled his main stone. He then, spoke a language Krog never heard before. It was cacophonic and raspy, almost metallic.
He is speaking to it. Who is he? Krog was surprised and in awe. Haruth was a bottomless well of secrets.
Whatever Haruth might have said back then, must have made the creature extremely irritated, for It hissed and answered in the same raucous and jangling tongue followed by a louder screeching.
"Here it comes!" Exclaimed the warlock.
In an abnormal speed, the demon jumped and stormed towards them.
"Infinite oath fire show us the true meaning of hellfire. Burn this doomed to ash." Declared Haruth. He then chanted a spell, which filled Krog with a great warmth, making him feel safer than before.
His feeling soon switched to fear when Haruth blast came hurtling out of the stone the moment the demon got in a close range with its mouth wide open and its arms stretched, hoping to get hold of the wizard. Yellow fire consumed the demon instantly, leaving nothing behind it but dying embers and an odd smell.
What happened? The man could not believe his eyes. Many questions ran through his mind and not one left his mouth.
When the wizard turned to face Krog, he was smiling and not a single drop of sweat ran on his skin. In that moment, Krog knew he was no match to Haruth, he was glad he changed his mind about attempting murdering him. He wouldn't have been able to even reach him.
"For an instant, I doubted this was a fair fight." He finally managed to say. "I wonder if this creature saw you as demonic as I saw it."
Haruth chuckled and shook his head. "Are you feeling sorry for it? Well, if this would make you feel better about it, it's not dead. It will come back to life in few hours." The warlock confessed. "Hopefully by that time we would be out of this world with Poli. And for that we need to move now. Ilfa will be of no use to us anymore. We need to find her on our own. I think her soul shouldn't be far from here. Demons feed on nightguls and I assume this one found them before us. It's a good thing they are terrified of lost souls. Isn't that quite funny? Their prey hunts their enemy."
This time Krog didn't seem surprised or shocked. He started to get accustomed with his current environment, the silver coin in his mouth was still bothering him nonetheless.
"By the way, that was a great blow. You're very skilled with your blade, not everyone can counter a demon's attack. That's an achievement you can brag about back home." Haruth complimented the man, who seemed to appreciate it.
"Let's go!" He added and took off, running in the same direction Ilfa and the demon came from, followed by Krog. The man felt a slight change in the weather, maybe due to time passing by, but the skies were still of the same sad blue. As if the sun doesn't rise nor set, as if it was constantly hidden and held in one same place. They ran deeper and deeper in the dense yet leafless forest, they ran and ran until they saw another nightgul, flying the same way they were running. And then another one, and then met some more.
"We're getting close!" Shouted Haruth breathlessly.
And close they were. They could see nightguls gathering and flying in circles.
"There it is!" Announced Haruth in relief.
Poli's soul was of light gold, and shimmering like water under the sun. Haruth reached for the vessel he borrowed from Galenhaim and handed it to Krog.
"Hold this and do not break it." He commanded and Krog obeyed willingly. "I will disappear for an instant. Do not panic, I will still be here, just invisible. I need to scare the nightguls off and for that I need a surprising appearance. I don't want to risk breaking it. Hold on to that vessel, it's our only tool to get her soul back."
The warlock advanced, with a different stone in his hand. He was gripping it tight and chanted a very soft spell almost like a lullaby. The hand holding the stone started to disappear as if it was getting erased from existence, and soon his entire body was not.
Krog stood silently, questioning everything he witnessed so far. He could see the nightguls feeding on the dust of his kin, he was irritated but he trusted the wizard.
He will save her. He thought doubtlessly.
And in that exact moment, Haruth reappeared next to Poli's soul. All the nightguls shrieked in distress, some flew away at the sight of the wizard and some didn't seem to be bothered by him, until he chased them away. Her soul was floating gently when Krog walked closer and handed back the vessel to the wizard.
"Let's bring you back home." Haruth smiled as though Poli could hear him. When he took off the golden cap, the vessel swallowed her soul in and the wizard locked it and put it back in one of his many pockets.
"Now, we go back to Galenhaim. Once again, do not look at him, do not speak to him. Although I have control over him, I cannot guarantee you he won't attempt swaying you." Advised Haruth. "We must hurry. I don't know how many fingers are left, hopefully enough. We also need to avoid the ministry. Now, run."
They ran back the same way they came from. Krog noticed what was left of the demon, the embers looked bigger than before.
It is resurrecting. He shivered.
Ilfa was also lying where they left it, motionless.
Is it dead? Does anything here ever dies or is it just the weather? He kept his wonders for himself once again, running next to Haruth. When they reached the doors, Galenhaim came out and Krog instantly lowered his head, staring at his boots.
"Three more fingers. You are in fact very lucky." He declared, getting in their way.
"Move." Ordered Haruth firmly, frowning breathlessly. The veer hesitated for a while, before he finally decided to let them inside the blue marbled room where Poli's body awaited them. Haruth rushed to it, opened the vessel and put it on her mouth. Her soul find its way through her body, emptying the vessel.
Haruth closed the tiny bottle and threw it to the veer, who caught it with his mind, floating it towards him with his magic.
"You still have something that belongs to me." He said angrily.
"And I would like to keep it for me. Now, grant us passage." The warlock knew he would get whatever he wanted from the veer. He owned him.
The Veer groaned in displeasure, he raised both hands and shouted. "Leave! For you are saved!" And in the same misty way they first trespassed into the doomed realm, they were back to their own. Krog fell to his knees. Poli seemed lifeless still. Haruth then noticed that her eyes changed colour, the mark on her neck was gone and he was relieved.
It was already midday, and the sun was hot.
"I need to get drunk. I need ale and wine and maybe smoke my pipe as well. Your apologies make sense now." Krog spat the silver coin, wiped it and gave it back to Haruth who refused to take it. "She still doesn't look alive to me. Was all that ruckus for nothing?" He asked, desperately hoping to be wrong.
"She is. She just needs some time to..." Haruth was explaining before he got interrupted by Poli's gasping. She was wheezing and breathing impulsively. She then looked left and right, at Haruth and Krog.
"Cold. It was so cold. Sven, where is Sven. My father. He can not save us. He said he can not save us. Dark and cold..." She was hectic and disturbed. Haruth took off his blue cape and gave it to Krog, and with a little nudge, the man understood what he needed to do. He leaned down and covered Poli with it, she then stared at him in a perplexing way.
"It's over now, you're safe. Your father is worried. Let's take you to him." He reassured her, holding her small and pale hands and smiling.
"Lord Krog? What are you doing here? Why are we in the woods? Did I fall asleep?" She was still puzzled when Krog lifted her and held her in his arms. "I can walk my lord!" She objected before she noticed her naked body underneath the wizard's cape. She blushed and kept silent all the way to her house.
The man and the wizard did not exchange a word either, probably to not bother her with all they have been through to save her. Haruth knocked on the wooden door, and all her neighbours peeped from their doors and windows. When her father opened the door, she was standing in front of him, alive and safe.
"POLI! MY SWEET SWEET POLI! YOU MADE YOUR OLD MAN WORRY!" He cried while hugging her tighter than ever. She was confused but she still hugged him back and kissed his old wrinkled cheeks. Her father held her pale and blushing cheeks, run his hands on her blonde wavy hair and hugged her some more when her hound came rushing to greet her as well. The dog jumped and barked and wagged its tail in joy and she pet him and hugged as well. She then bowed to Krog and Haruth and left to her room, leaving her father with the two of them.
"I can never thank you enough. She's all I have and I thought I lost her forever. Thank you. And thank you Krog, you're a great man." He couldn't find words to express his gratitude, he shook their hands and thanked them once and twice. "Come in and have some tea! Or maybe wine!" He invited but they kindly declined.
"She still has no idea what happened. We haven't told her and maybe it is best if it's you who talks to her about it. You'd know and chose the right words." Haruth said. "Now if you excuse me, I have things to look after."
"And I'll be leaving with him old Humfrey. Take good care of her, hopefully the bath was ready as Haruth here asked you to. She needs it. She was very cold." Krog advised the old man who nodded and thanked them once again.
Haruth then bowed and walked away, Krog followed him in a hurry.
"We need to leave now. We need to find the stone before he does, and we need to leave the town before the ministry is here. Both of us will get in terrible troubles if we get caught. Trespassing is punishable by banishment. They will send us back there with nothing to get us back here." The wizard warned him.
Krog shivered. "I don't want to go back there. Ever. Unless I'm needed there." He confessed.
"Who are we taking with us to Gulgoloth? I remember your two friends are joining us. Rudolph and Manyar?" Inquired the warlock.
"Ay, Harvick as well, he lives nearby, but I think he will be with my brother. Silverfang and his wife Olum are coming as well. After what happened to Poli, I think all of them will be at my brother's hall. We should go there first." Proposed Krog.
"Alright then, let's go." Agreed Haruth.
In fact, all five of them were waiting in Karver's halls. Olum and Silverfang were armed, dressed and ready for the quest. Harvick, who was both their friend and their neighbour, was also ready. The three of them only heard of what happened until they met Rudolph later in the morning. Karver was sitting behind them on his usual seat, silently drinking.
"Did you do it? You saved her?" Asked Rudolph.
"She is safe and sound and resting for now. I don't think she can come with us. It is best that she doesn't." Answered Haruth.
"We need to leave. Now." Demanded Krog.
"Why the hurry? She wants to go with us. Shouldn't we wait for her to get better and then we can all leave?" Inquired Olum.
"We do not have much time..." Said Krog, before he realised that Olum and Silverfang know nothing of the stone and Zion. And his brother was there as well, he couldn't risk explaining.
"We must hurry because we don't know if we're the only ones after that stone." Haruth's answer caught the chieftain's attention and he stood up from his seat. "There are all kinds of wizards after that stone. Dragons are very old creatures that fascinate everyone. Having control over them is something most of people wish for. We should leave now, Poli is tired, she will slow us down." He added, looking at Krog then Rudolph and Manyar.
"Sounds right." Agreed Harvick.
"We're ready." Said Silverfang.
"Chief, do you have something to say?" Inquired Krog.
Karver looked at them, smiled and raised his mug. "Death comes tomorrow."
All except Haruth answered back with the same old war cry.
Krog, Rudolph and Manyar went to their houses to get ready, leaving the wizard with Harvick, Silverfang and Olum at the town entrance. Harvick brought his mar with him.
"Mar are very suitable for rocky roads." Said the wizard who seemed to be uncomfortable with the silence.
Harvick looked at him suspiciously and didn't say a word. Olum and Silverfang were whispering to each other. When Krog, Rudolph and Manyar showed up, they were followed by Poli who was geared up for the quest as well, holding Haruth's cape in her left hand. Her dog was with her as well.
"I tried to stop her. She wouldn't listen." Said Krog to Haruth.
"You should rest, you don't have to go." Haruth tried to convince her. She shook her head in disapproval and handed him his cape.
"Thank you warlock. I am healed and ready to fight death if we ever come to it. I also want to know what happened, my father told me about what he witnessed. I still need your side of the story. I want to know." She declared confidently, and Haruth knew he couldn't persuade her to stay.
"Well, off we go!" He replied cheerfully. "Krog, do us the honour of leading us." He added.
"Actually, I think Harvick is more suited to be a guide. He wanders in the wild more than any of us." Krog answered.
"Ay, I will take you to doom." Confirmed Harvick laughing, while Haruth and Krog eyed each other.
And thus they left the town of Dragontail in the perilous quest of the great stone of Grigori.