The storm raged on, the lightning illuminating the dark sky in jagged bolts. Raven huddled under his blankets, trying to block out the noise of the thunder and the howling wind.
William lay next to him, snoring softly. Raven envied his ability to sleep through anything. He, on the other hand, was too jumpy, his nerves stretched to the breaking point by the storm. He wished they had stayed in a proper inn, with a roof and walls to protect them.
Suddenly, the sound of barking dogs filled the air, loud and frenzied. Raven sat up with a start, his heart racing. William's servants and guards were awake as well, and they all looked at each other with fear in their eyes.
"What the hell is that?" one of the guards said, his voice shaking.
"I don't know," William replied, getting up and reaching for his sword. "But it doesn't sound good."
They all listened, holding their breath, as the barking grew louder and more frenzied. It was like the hounds of hell were after them.
"We have to get out of here!" one of the servants said, panic in her voice.
"Where can we go in this storm?" another servant asked, her eyes wide with fear.
"We'll have to fight," William said, his voice grim. "Defend ourselves as best we can."
They all stood, armed and ready, as the barking grew closer and closer. Raven's heart pounded in his chest, and he could feel the blood rushing through his veins. This was it, he thought. This was the end.
And then, the barking stopped. It was replaced by a low, guttural growling, like something out of a nightmare. Raven's skin crawled at the sound, and he could see the fear in the faces of the others. They all waited, their nerves stretched to the breaking point, as the growling grew louder and closer. And then, with a sudden burst of energy, the creatures attack.
Raven saw them in the flash of lightning, hulking beasts with fur matted and wet from the rain. They were like nothing he had ever seen before, with glowing eyes and sharp teeth bared in a snarl. He screamed as they tore into the group, tearing and biting with a ferocity that was almost inhuman.
He managed to duck and roll, narrowly avoiding the snapping jaws of one of the beasts. He heard the screams of the others as they were attacked, and then the sound of bones crunching as the creatures feasted on their prey.
His mind was blank from fear. He knew he had to run, to try and escape the nightmare that was unfolding before him. He stumbled to his feet and ran, his heart pounding in his chest. He leaned on his cane, but did not get far. He felt its teeth sink into his arm, and he let out a cry of pain. But he didn't let that stop him. He pulled out his dagger and fought back with a ferocity of his own, stabbing and slicing at the creature again and again.
As he fought, he could feel a strange electricity emanating from the beast's mouth, shocking him with every bite. But he didn't let that deter him. He kept stabbing, determined to take the creature down.
With a final cry of pain, the beast fell to the ground, its body convulsing as it took its last breath. Raven panted heavily, his arms and legs trembling with exhaustion.
He collapsed onto the ground, his breath coming in short gasps. He lay there, panting and sweating, as the storm raged on overhead.
It was only when the lightning struck that he saw the full extent of the destruction around him. The camp was in shambles, and bodies lay scattered across the ground. He saw the lifeless eyes of William and his servants, and he knew that they were all gone.
Hearing the battle cries of the guards in the distance, he knew he was going to be the only survivor.
Panic set in as he realized that the beasts could return at any moment. He had to find a way to hide, to blend in with the dead and escape notice.
He spotted a dead servant girl nearby, and an idea struck him. He crawled over to her and began to cover himself in her blood, smearing it over his body and clothes. It was a gruesome and desperate act, but he knew it was his only chance.
He lay there, pretending to be dead, for what felt like hours. The storm raged on, and he could hear the beasts moving around in the distance, snarling and growling. But they didn't come near him, and he hoped that his disguise was working.
He lay there, his heart pounding in his chest, until he finally fainted from exhaustion and terror.
He was startled awake by the sound of snuffling and sniffing. He opened his eyes to see the beasts standing over him, their glowing eyes studying him intently. He could feel their hot breath on his face, and he knew that this was it. He was going to be torn apart, just like the others.
But then, something strange happened. The beasts whined and wimpered, their eyes turning away from him. They sniffed around for a moment, and then they turned and fled into the night, disappearing into the mist.
Raven lay there, stunned and confused. What had just happened? Why had the beasts spared him? He didn't know, but he was grateful for the reprieve.
As Raven lay there, covered in the blood of the girl, he couldn't help but think about the journey that had brought him to this point. He had always been a thief, and he had always known that he was capable of doing whatever it took to survive. But he had never felt such disgust with himself as he did at that moment.
He had sacrificed the others to save himself, and he couldn't shake the feeling that he had failed them. He had always felt like a loner, with no one to care about except himself. But now, as he lay there, he couldn't help but feel the weight of his own selfishness.
He thought about William, and how the man had tried to save him. He had thought of William as a fool, a wealthy merchant who only cared for his profit, ignoring the potential dangers of the mist. But now, as he lay there, he realized that William had actually saved his life. He had stood up to the beasts and fought to protect them all.
Raven couldn't help but feel a sense of shame and regret as he realized that he had been wrong about William. The man had sacrificed himself to save Raven, and he had repaid him by running and hiding. He was a coward, and he knew it. He had always known that he was a monster, but now he was more disgusted with himself than ever before.
The mist grew thicker and thicker, until he could barely see anything. It enveloped him in a cocoon of gray, muffling the sounds of the storm. He felt dizzy and disoriented, and he knew he needed to rest. He closed his eyes and surrendered to the darkness, drifting off into a dreamless slumber.