A storm hindered his journey continuing forward, along the main road west and through the curves and turns of the mountains. Coated in ice and snow, Rin could barely hold onto the reins of his horse who moved slowly through the deep snow. He knew he'd have to find a place to rest soon as night quickly approached. It took much effort to find enough dry sticks and broken logs in the forest to build a fire to keep him warm from the storm. With no food or water to nourish him, his steed was looking to be more of a meal than a mount.
Finding a place sheltered with large boulders, the man made a small camp with what he could and started a fire to keep warm. He hugged himself to keep warm, pulling the fur lined coat around his body and tucking his chin inside the collar. The roaring wind caused the flames of his fire to move with sporadic movements, twirling around the pine logs and sticks. He huddled as close to his horse as possible, sharing its body heat, though, by the looks of his steed, he did not know if he had a mount much longer. Rin didn't know the first things about taking care of an animal, but its movements got slower each day.
His shaking hand reached into his pocket, retrieving the gem studded necklace that he had found weeks earlier. Though he could have sold it for money, something propelled him to keep the pendent. Gently, he ran a thumb over the gemstones. Their fine cut texture drew his attention, almost like his soul was being sucked into them.
A light whisper met his ears in a language he could not comprehend causing him to snap out of his trance and jolt up and look around. The only thing he could see was the fast swirls of snow dancing around him. His eyes narrowed on the necklace again, as whispers once again filled his ears. He quickly dropped the necklace in the snow and tried to back away from it, till out of the blue, he heard his name.
"Rin."
He looked up and around frantically till he met a pair of amber eyes, fringed in red staring at him through hollow sockets. A man, slightly hunched over with brown wiry hair and tattered clothing with no shoes stood across the way. The look in his eyes was frightening and animalistic. Elongated canine like teeth jutted out from under his upper lip. Rin did not recognize him, nor knew who he was. He patted his hand along the ground for a stick finding one and he held it out like a weapon.
"Who are you?" he demanded.
The man appeared unamused. "My name is Canin. I was sent to find you. You won't hurt me with that, trust me. You just look foolish."
Glancing to the side, Rin lowered his weapon and looked back at the frightening looking man. "So you were…" Rin muttered. He had read nothing in the letters about someone coming to find him. He remained skeptical of the man. "Well don't stand around." He motioned for the strange man to take a seat across from him.
Canin moved cautiously, keeping an even gaze on Rin as he took a seat across from him at his fire. "I see you have found it…the necklace I mean. I'd get rid of it if I were you."
Rin looked down at the cross lying in the snow. "I'm not sure what it is," he admitted and picked it up. "And i'm not getting rid of it if I was meant to find it."
"It was not meant for you," Canin said. "It will only lead you down a path of pain."
Rin picked up the cross watching it swing back and forth like a feather in the wind. "I just happened to find it on the frozen body of a golden haired girl. I find it to be a coincidence, nothing more. Do tell me I will not end up like her if I keep it."
"You will," Canin said. "Which is why you should get rid of it."
"I don't trust you," Rin said, putting the necklace on. His fingers brushed over the rigid stone gems. "It suits me. I am meant to be a god. I must look the part."
Canin snorted. "You will not awaken. You will die before that happens. The letters have a purpose to lead you astray. I wouldn't believe them if I were you. They will not lead you to the kingdom."
Rin turned visibly suspicious of the wild man and nearly growled at him. "And you know of the letters how? Who are you?"
Canin flinched a little, drawing a hand near to his chest. "I know of the kingdom, because I was sent to stop you from finding it. You're chasing after a fairy tale. It doesn't exist."
Rin stared long and hard at him, studying him closely. "You knew my grandfather then, didn't you? He searched for Zanaih his whole life and found it. He knows of Albranis."
"Albranis has sent me to stop you," Canin said flatly. "We can be peaceful about this or you can fight me, and you won't win against me without power. Turn around and go home. But, you're going to need a more reliable way of getting there. I fear your horse is dead," Canin's gaze shifted to the horse behind him, and he lightly licked his lips.
Turning around, Rin could see the creature he was leaning against still and unmoving. His eyes darted to Canin and he stood up abruptly moving away. "Sick animal. A beastly figure like you is just looking for lunch," Rin accused.
"Nonsense," Canin said and tilted his head. "I speak only the truth. Lycans may be savage creatures but we are honest and steadfast about what we set out to do. I intend not to let you proceed."
"Lycan…" Rin was breathless. "You're a monster."
"Not as much as you, Rin." Canin stated and looked the man straight in his brown eyes.
Rin returned the stare and felt rage well in his chest. His eyes suddenly illuminated a rich purple and he reached out, grabbing the lycan by the neck. Canin gasped for air as tendrils of purple power sparked from Rin's fingertips and shocked him in the throat. This left Rin in a state of surprise. Canin had been peaceful and Rin had not.
He pushed the weakened lycan into the ground and threatened him. "You stop me? No, I will stop you," Rin said, but it wasn't Rin behind the strong voice.
Canin looked up submissively. "R-Ravathor…" he gasped.
"You will give into temptation," Rin spoke, his voice a series of whispers. "Release ties with Lucine. You will aid me in finding those who are to awaken, or I will kill you right here and now, do you understand?"
"No," Canin sputtered and cried when he released another shock into his neck. "I said no!" he shouted.
Another wave of magic flowed into the wolf. Rin demanded, "Take me to Albranis so I can kill him!"
Canin resisted. He weakly reached up, grabbing hold of the necklace around Rin's neck and yelled with the last of his strength, "Serahe valmarin korthiel! Osuna orki!"
A ripple of pain seized the man on top of Canin and Rin's eyes rolled into the back of his head. He fell over into the snow with a soft thump and breathed shallowly. Canin rolled over, panting from the sudden excursion. It was the only memory spell he knew that would buy him time. He had to take Rin to Dalhurst to see Albranis.
It was his only hope.