"HOW CLOSE ARE WE?!" Diana Yves asked frantically as her grip tightened over the frightened merchant's arm while they ran. Behind them were three of her armour-clad subordinates, warriors of Diana's mercenary army. "R-RIGHT ABOVE THE HILL, WEβWE'LL BE THERE SHORTLY..!" stammered the sweat-stained merchant as he struggled to keep up.
The year was 1513.
Sorcery and witchcraft were outlawed with practitioners being hunted down and burnt at the stake. With witch-hunts and trials at an all-time high, the masses became fearful and wary of anyone suspected to be dabbling in the arcane. Oftentimes alerting the authorities and even perpetrating the ghoul-like killings with their own hands. Over the past two months, in the humble town of Valaise, residents had begun disappearing, with body parts ofttimes found at the outskirts of the faerie-small town. The garbled bodies found were considered fortunate to receive proper burials and loved ones of those who were not found swore vengeance on whoever had committed the morbid act. With fear and tension amongst townsfolk rising, the townshead reached the verdict of utilising mercenaries to protect the denizens and investigate the sinister murders. Othello's Lance was chosen.
The sun bathed Diana and her companions warmly as they stood atop the hill. Beneath the hill lay a tiny cottage that seemed like it hadn't been used in years, partly enclosed by a city-dense forest. The aging-old wood barely supported the house and it appeared like it could fall at any second. Surrounding the cottage however were gorgeous lemon-green flowers that contrasted the haggardly home that stood in its centre. "You say it was of man and dog?" Diana inquired calmly. "C-Certainly! I-I had just returned from my trip to Venice to...check up on the affairs of my s-slave, Agatha. But as I drew closer to the c-cottage, there was a g-growl...quite menacing, I tell you! I peered through the w-window...curious f-for the safety of my slave...the s-sight that met my eyes...!" The weary merchant answered, struggling to catch his breath. His plump face was crimson with heat. "The creature held your slave by the neck?" Diana asked, unsheathing the steel blade that lay strapped to her back. "Yes! It's fur was of ink-black and its limbs lay outstretched, attempting to choke the life out of her! I swear this is of the sight which met me!" The merchant responded, tears escaping his eyes. "But tell me, merchant, why does your slave stay alone in such an old and raddled cottage?" Finn, one of the warriors accompanying Diana, questioned.
Finn was blond-haired and tall, with a loose tongue and even looser care for his safety on the battlefield. Cloaked in a stone-grey tunic and brownish leather trousers, he found the heavy steel of armour too worrisome to move around in and often opted for more loose-fitting clothing. His well-toned muscles counteracted this preference, making his clothes tighter and thus equally hard to move in. It also served as eye-candy for the ladies, drawing him alot of attention in public spaces, and Finn liked that very much. The only semblance of protection Finn possessed were the metal boots that adorned his feet and the lustrous iron spear in his right hand.
"I certainly find it strange that your slave does not aid you in your travels and affairs? Was that not what she had been purchased for?" Finn continued, eyeing the merchant suspiciously and then turning his gaze to Diana. Diana spoke before the merchant could answer the question. "Cut it out, Finn. That's not what we're here for." She said, slowly descending down the hill, her weapon ready in hand. "Well, someone had to ask the important questions, right?!" Finn yelled after Diana, raising his spear in the air a little. "Right?" He chuckled and looked at the other two warriors next to him, a man and a woman, both dressed in mail hauberks and wielding crossbows. The two warriors shook their head at Finn in disapproval of his question and followed Diana down the hill.
Diana found the walk down the hill to be longer than it actually was for she was burdened with worry. The leader of Othello's Lance, she had been commissioned by the town council of Valaise to defend against what they believed were gruesome murders being committed by townsfolk who were sorcerous in secrecy. The council was certain that the killings were ritualistic and the mercenary army was called upon to investigate the matter and capture the perpetrators. "What's the matter?" Finn asked as he crept up beside her. Diana turned to look at him and then looked away, seeking to ignore the curious fellow. "Think we might be dealing with a wizard? That can shape shift?! That would be scary." Finn continued, nudging Diana with his elbow and grinning.
At a time when interest in the supernatural was common amongst the masses, members of Othello's Lance were not inexperienced in dealing with requests pertaining to the unearthly. However, these complaints, when investigated, only turned out to be exaggerations on the clients' part. Sightings of wendigos lead to cults who cloaked themselves in animal skin and branches. Blood-sucking monsters with fangs turned out to be bandits wearing masks to scare their victims. Rumours of sea serpents were exposed to be silly stories told by sailors who had returned from their voyages at sea. These occurrences conflicted Diana's beliefs in the existence of the otherworldly. Finn, on the other hand, fully believed in the occult. "You should be quiet. We need to stay sharp." Diana replied, frowning as she rose her sword a little higher when they got closer to the cottage.
The sudden tapping of feet, as well as the violent rustling of trees brought the group to a halt. "Do you hear that...?" Diana asked as a young girl, cloaked in cotton-white robes and a hood, ran past her, hitting Finn in the process. She had come out the bushes a couple of feet away from the cottage. "Alina?!" The merchant called out to his slave, bewildered. The entity chasing the girl revealed itself from within the forest. With a thundering growl!, the hairy creature lunged at Diana, it's sheer weight pinning her to the ground like stone on paper. "DIANA!" Finn yelled as he fearfully pierced his spear into the elongated arms of the beast. The monster let out a terrifying πππππππ!, sending Finn crashing into the walls of the cottage with a deafening blow. The bemused merchant frantically turned heel, scared for his life as arrows wheezed past him to the monstrous beast. The creature screeched again as the arrows of Diana's companions pierced its scaly skin, splattering blood. With a ππππππ!, it propelled itself at the warriors just in time for the duo to jump out of its way.
The beast ignored the mercenaries, sprinting at speeds rivalling that of a cheetah. Its arms and legs moving like a well-oiled machine, it took off in the direction the merchant and the slave had taken. "Don't let it get away!" Diana yelled as she picked her sword and sprinted after the beast. Her subordinates followed suit with Finn calling for them to wait for him. From his mouth poured blood while he tasted iron. It was apparent that the blow had cost him a couple of ribs.
Diana and her warriors followed the agile creature in hot pursuit. Her men raining arrows on the beast and the beast eluding every shot. π»ππππ! π»ππππ! π»ππππ! as every arrow hit the ground, the hairy assailant would not be deterred. It wanted the merchant or the girl, perhaps both. "It's catching up to them!" The female archer yelled at Diana in despair. The chase was nearing the slope which lead up the hill. The laggard merchant, growing tired, slipped upon a stone and collapsed. He turned to look back at the monster in panic. π·πππππ! and the beast was atop the fat man, it's knife-sharp teeth closing in to chomp his head off. The fright-struck man shrieked in despair, staring deeply at the face of the beast. Its eyes shone blood-red, with a thousand needle-like teeth extending out of its mouth. It possessed elfin ears and smoke seemed to wheeze out the beast's nostrils. Soot-black fur concealed most of its face, rendering its features indiscernible.
The halt of the beast was just what was needed. Arrows from the crossbows of Diana's comrades tore through wind and into the back of the monstrosity. π»πππ ! π»πππ ! π»πππ ! as the monster hollered in anguish. It turned furiously to find its attackers only for its neck to be met with Diana's sword. πΊππππ! The weapon ripped through flesh and bone, snagging the beast's head off its body.
The headless body of the gargantuan creature dropped to the ground, spraying blood that coated Diana's face and armour. Diana stabbed her sword into the blood-soaked ground and stretched her arm to help the shaken merchant up. He quivered as he took her hand. "The beast has been taken care of, you have nothing to worry about." Diana said with a warm smile as she helped the weighty man to his feet. "I have never come across any animal of this sort before." The male warrior spoke, strapping his crossbow to his shoulders and kneeling to examine the deceased foe. The creature was a behemoth of an animal, its abnormally long legs and arms like branches from a general sherman tree. Its entire body was covered in fur, some parts torn to reveal the skin it was protecting. Upon closer inspection, multiple burn marks could be found on its body alongside the injuries inflicted by Diana's mercenaries. The carcass was wolf-like.
"What is to say it is an animal?" Diana questioned, suspecting the body was a disguise. "It...certainly is..." Her female companion interjected in discomfort, as she drew the head of the beast closer for Diana to inspect. She tugged the skin of the appendage violently, attempting to remove it. "It is no mask." The warrior concluded, looking Diana in the eye. Diana found this confusing. She turned to merchant for an interrogation.
"Did you know about this?"
"N-no, I am just as confused as you...!" The merchant replied, stepping back.
"Your slave...her nameβyou called her Alina when we spotted her." Diana queried, moving closer as she drew her sword from the ground.
"H-her name is Alina, I-I hadn't given you a name before" The merchant responded, retreating farther.
"Very well then, you're coming with us." Diana said, sheathing her sword but the merchant had taken to his feet, making haste up the hill. "Do we pursue?" Diana's male soldier asked, stepping forward from behind her. "No, leave him be. We should report this to the town's council immediately. Take the head with you." She replied, signalling for her female companion to escort him. The two warriors began making their way up the hill. Diana went over to the beast's carcass to further inspect it. She was interrupted by the sound of feet dragged being across the ground. "You didn't even bother coming back to find me!" Finn yelled. His left hand was placed over his abdomen and he used his spear as a walking stick. Dried blood covered his lips and he looked visibly tired. Diana rushed over to him to help but Finn quickly raised his right hand up signalling her not to worry. "I'm sorry! I was so engrossed with the creature that I forgot." Diana pleaded, helping Finn sit on the warm grass. "I don't wanna hear it! I'm not going with you on any other assignments. Infact, I'm considering quitting this job to become a humble baker." Finn said, frowning as he looked away. Diana kneeled to look at him, a little smirk across her face. From the corner of his eye, Finn looked back at her, grinning. Soon both of them were giggling and then a hearty laughter erupted, like they had not both narrowly escaped death.
"A man with no arms would work an oven better you!" Diana said, sitting opposite Finn and laughing.
"You use the sword like you possess no arms yourself!" Finn retorted with a laugh.
"I'm not the one covered in blood and bruises" Diana replied, chuckling.
"Isn't that a courtesy of Finn the great protecting you from the mouth of the beast?!" Finn laughed, raising his spear in the air.
"Surely, you jest. I had the situation under control, I was merely biding my time." Diana said, as she unstrapped her sheathed sword and placed it on the grass. She leaned in closer to Finn and raised his left hand to examine his wounds. "There's something sinister at work here, Diana." Finn uttered, staring deep into space. A cool breeze blew little blades of grass and leaves in their direction. Diana said nothing, raising the underside of his tunic to see the wounds better. "The merchant, he lied about his slave's name." Finn continued, turning to look at Diana. "Who keeps their slave in an old cottage in the middle of nowhere? She must have run away or he was hiding something."
Diana observed a couple of bruises on Finn's abdomen and raised her head to look at him. "We need to get you to a physician." She said , letting go of his tunic and slowly standing up. "Where else were you going to take me? The morgue?? Aren't you worried? We just encountered an animal unlike anything we have ever seen and yet you play it calm. There could be more out there, Diana." Finn replied, raising his head to look at her. "I know, I'm worried too. I'm just trying to work it out in my head bit by bit." Diana said, walking towards the headless creature that lay dead before them. "Well, work it out faster because there's more." Finn stated, struggling to get himself on his feet with his spear as support. Diana turned and rushed over to him, helping him up. "More of what?" She asked, staring Finn in the eye.
Finn brushed her away and started walking towards the creature's carcass. "The girl..." He said, "Her face was void."
Diana crept beside him, confused. "I don't understand. You saw her face beneath the hood?" She asked.
"Yeah." Finn replied, turning to look at her. His expression becoming more serious, like a judge persecuting an accused witch. "There was no nose, neither were there eyes. She was faceless, Diana." He said earnestly.
Diana stared at Finn aghast, bewildered at whether she should trust the words of the man standing before her. A man well-known for being comical. But deep beneath her, she knew Finn was telling no lies. His countenance was enough evidence.
A soft sizzling sound broke the quiet. The cold air carrying a corpse-rancid smell that penetrated the duo's noses. Diana and Finn turned to look at the headless carcass that was the source of the odour.
It had morphed into the body of a man.