The deeper they went, the darker the forest grew. The gigantic trees cast long shadows that seemed to go on forever. Thick air, heavy with the odor of wet ground and decomposing leaves and the faint whispers of the wind carried an eerie and almost mournful note. Enclosed by that oppressive atmosphere, Ethan led four villagers-among them Gareth, Thomas, and two others-deeper into the forest. They wore hobnail boots, no trace of the passage audible in the soft soil beneath their feet. Each possessed a weapon, their respective faces frozen in grim resolve.
Even while his hand rested on the hilt of his sword, Ethan remained alert. The tracks they followed were still surprisingly crisp, the huge, three-toed impressions embedded deep in wet mud. The oily stuff that Martha had pointed out, had picked up a faint gleam in the gathering darkness. Its smell, in that faint light, became more offensive as they proceeded.
"I don't like it here," Gareth murmured in a low voice. He re-gripped his spear, his eyes darting restlessly from one tree to the next.
"Stay focused," Ethan advised. His voice was calm and firm. "Whatever took the livestock–it's near. We must be on our guard."
"Right," Thomas nodded, with weather-worn face fixed in a hard mask. "The Whispering Peaks have always been a place of danger. This... This is something different."
Ethan did not reply, his mind now moving with lightning speed. The forest felt like it was watching them, just waiting. The faint whispers grew louder, although no one else had seemed to notice them. He balled his hands into fists, trying to ignore that weird feeling crawling up his back. His dragon bloodlines, dormant but always there, stirred feebly like a slumbering beast wakening from sleep.
Increasingly thick trees along with diminishing light saw the party marching on.Soft, dark silt, littered with broken twigs and mossy, these are the sight at what size a clearing were fed through by the tracks they had been following. In the middle of this open space where a few cows wandered aimlessly and some goats sheltered now and then from the blistering summer sun stood what was left at farm production -- a cow's body twisted into twisted forms on all four legs that seemed impossible to describe let alone paint a picture.
"My god..."Thomas gasped, his voice trembling as he spoke.
Ethan knelt over the body itself and peered carefully into certain cuts and scratches for reasons no one could understand later except that he had seen blood—fresh or only recently coagulated. After a little bit Ethan couldn't quite resist: he reached out an oil-choked finger towards the moving scar... and felt a sharp pain snap backwards in his hand.
"Ethan!"Cried Gareth, sounding concerned.
"I'm okay," Ethan said. His hand still felt a bit numb. As he straightened up, he took in the clearing with unblinking eyes. "This... It's no ordinary animal. We must be on our guard."
Almost the moment he had spoken, a booming growl echoed through the woods. It gave Ethan a cold feeling in his spine and made the whole village back off, huddled together they scanned shadows for signs of trouble. The growl grew louder as there loomed big footsteps press thru underbrush smothering a shallow creekbed with leaves and twigs.
"Get ready," said Ethan with no glance to either side. His sword flashed white in the faint light.
Its form monstrous and otherworldly. Having emerged from the shadows, he had stood on two legs, his body covered in thick, matted fur that glistened with the same oily substance they had seen earlier. His eyes glowed a sickly yellow, and his mouth was filled with rows of jagged teeth. The creature let out a guttural roar, its breath reeking of decay. "What in the name of the gods is that?" Gareth exclaimed, his voice trembling.by then,
"It doesn't matter," Ethan said, his grip tightening once again on his sword. "We take it down. Now!"
The creature lunged and its movements were unnaturally fast. Ethan barely had time to react, dodging out of the way as its claws slashed through the air where he had just been standing. He swung his sword, the blade biting deep into its body but only just scratching it all for the creature roared in anger - its yellow eyes locked onto him." Aim for its eyes!" Thomas shouted and his voice cut through the chaos. He hurled a spear at the creature, the weapon embedding itself in its shoulder.
Ethan saw his chance and darted forward, slashing at the monster's legs once again. This time his blade bit deep, eliciting a spray of black oily blood from the creature. The pain wrenched it howled, and momentarily slowed yet enough for Gareth to land a blow with his spear. But the creature was not finished: With a fierce roar, it swiped at Gareth and hurled him against a tree. The impact sent him sprawling to the ground, motionless.
"Gareth!" Ethan shouted, his heart pounding. He lunged at the creature, his sword striking out two, three times a second. His every blow seemed only to make it madder; but Ethan didn't stop, he couldn't stop with that Hebrew blood stirring within him, a pale warmth flooding his body and mind with strength and hope. He didn't understand it, but there was no time for questions now.
The savage beast lashed out, its claws brushing Ethan's arm. He bit his lip against the pain, his vision momentarily darkening. But then something broke inside him. The bloodline surged up and in a flash of its energy he felt himself transformed. His sword was faintly aglow, the blade crackling with sparks that flickered and hissed like so many living creatures.
With a roar of his own, Ethan brought the sword down in a furious arc. The blade chopped into the creature's neck, biting deep. One last colossal guttural cry issued from its mouth before it crashed to the ground in silence, limbs twitching uncontrollably as vast pools of dark spreading blood formed beneath its sprawling form.
Standing over the creature, Ethan gulped for air with his chest heaving. The glow of the sword faded, the power inside of him quieted down. Looking at his hands, he struggled to understand What had just happened?
"Ethan!" Thomas's voice broke through his strained thoughts. "We have to leave. Now!"
Ethan was silent. He sheathed his sword and went over to Gareth, who was groaning as he struggled to sit up. "Can you walk?"
"I don't know," Gareth replied, grimacing when Ethan helped him to his feet.
The group moved quickly, leaving the clearing and the creature's lifeless body behind. Now the forest was darker than ever, those whispers not just louder but commanding as well. Ethan's bloodline continued to rise, a faint hum of energy that became harder and harder to ignore.
When Ethan walked back to the village, he couldn't help but feel that this was just the beginning. The creature they had come in contact with was nothing like anything he had seen before and the signs of danger lay all around us in the forest. Its coming. Something even worse. Yes, Ethan admitted to himself- his families bloodline would be key for facing down this new threat.