Bryter's Quest

Bryter’s eyes had opened, dark gray in the night, unfocused. He listened for what woke him. He heard nothing; the silence must have done it. Someone, or something did not want to be heard sneaking around. He didn’t move; the mail armor he wore would scare off the intruder. He waited, listening intently at what few sounds there were left. His two retainer knights, Aric and Tollin, breathing lightly. The demon-spawn girl in his arms murmured something in her sleep.

“Smells like dog,” she whispered again, just as awake a Bryter. He let himself smile, the girl rolled away from him. “Wait.”

“Enough,” Bryter warned and stood with his sword in hand. The silvery steel seemed to glow in the moonlight piercing the ruins. “Aric, Tollin, we have a guest.”

The two men stirred, Tollin was already on his feet with bow in had and arrow notched before Aric rose. “Aric I told you not to sleep,”

“Yeah and I said I was bored,”

“Shh, they are encircling us,” The girl said quietly, her violet eyes darting around.

“Show your selves, we have little time for games mutt,” Bryter spoke harshly at the shadows. “If you don’t have the spine to face me, go back to your master and hope he is weak enough to show mercy.”

That did it. A bulky figure, nearly eight feet tall bounded from behind a statue and into the moon light. It’s fur was gray and covered in leather armor. A sot coated blade had been tied to each of its arms, curved and serrated for making terrible maiming and mortal wounds. The beast began to snarl but Tollin didn’t wait. He loosed his arrow, planting it deep in the wolf man’s chest. It cried in pain, staggering. Aric bellowed a zealous cry and charged with his shield. The wide man and his heavy shield crushed the beast against a wall knocking stones loose.

Bryter walked to the whimpering creature, the demon girl in tow. “This is the last thing your alpha will see,” His words were calm and even as he brought his sword up. The point came down just below the jaw, the flat of the blade pressed against the beast’s neck. The bright steel missed every bone and bit through the heart. That beast let out a soft cry before going limp.

“Listen to them run!” Aric bellowed with a roaring laugh. The skittering sound of at least a half dozen more wolf beasts carried softly through the night air.

“They’ll send someone else. They know where Bryter is, and at the loss of only one pack member,” Tollin was checking the slain beast for notes or letters. He found a scrap of paper tucked into the belt. “We need to move. Look here,” He handed the scribbled note to Bryter.

“They don’t know where we are going, not yet. Leave this one here. Tollin, cover our tacks,” The young lord crumpled the paper and tossed it back to the beast. Its eyes has glazed over in death but still held their angry glare.

Tollin nodded and helped Aric gather the bed rolls and douse the embers of of the fire pit. The girl put her head tiredly on Bryter’s arm.

“Where are we going, Lord?” She asked sweetly.

“An old place. A place here my ancestor’s forefathers met an united. In a grove of then ancient trees they unbound themselves from slavery and servitude,” He sighed the same way his father had done when telling the story of the first kings.

“Old knowledge and guidance? My dear Lord, you must learn to trust in your self,” She pulled his arm around her, embracing him.

“When I have grown,” His voice was cold as ice.

“But you are grown! You’ve grown fast,” She pleaded.

“Girl, I should not be the one giving out warnin’s,” Aric said, heaving the bed rolls an his own armor over his shoulder.

“I know how to fight, nothing more. I need good men and good wisdom at my side. Get ready, we’re moving,” There was an edge to Bryter’s voice but i wasn’t at anyone. He let the demon girl go and sheathed the silvery sword.

Tollin had laid his traps and covered the other’s tracks by the time the dead beast’s friend had found him. It had only taken a quarter our but the new group were met with a volley of arrows. The pack leader called for a flank and waited as arrows and bolts clattered off stone or into leather armor and flesh. He scouts howled, the ruins were clear, save for the corpse.

The blood red fur of the pack master glittered under the moon as he read a note left with the first. He roared in anger and bounded off, following a set of faint tracks. His second picked up the note and grunted out the sounds.

“Enjoy the chase. You’re Alpha mates with the vampire queen, hoping for better spawn,” It was a taunt, nothing more. The smaller wolf let our a warning but it wasn’t soon enough. The pack leader whimpered in surprise as he fell down a concealed hole.

Tollin finally caught up with the other three, a pleased look in his eyes. “They should keep them off us for a day at the most,” He reported and took his place at the front of the group.

He led the up a low ridge around the ruins and back down the far slope. He crossed small streams at odd angles and only over wet rocks. Only novice trackers would be fooled, but every second mattered.