Tales of the Wolf: Book 01 - The Coming of the Wolf

by A. E. McCullough

  As the foremost of the cyclops fell into the trench with a groan and a splash, several hidden warriors tossed in lit torches. The trench roared into flames. At least fifty of the cyclops were caught in the fiery trench. They screamed in pain and rage. As they struggled to get out, they knocked some of the nearby gnomes into the trench while the rest were smart enough to pull back. Unfortunately, the gnomes were still within bow range of the walls and the highlanders took advantage of the situation.

  A few of the burning cyclops threw themselves to the ground to try and put out the flames. Unfortunately, some fell on the smaller gnomes crushing them with their great weight. The remaining cyclops and gnomes attacked their burning companions, killing them before they could do any more harm.

  As the fire in the trench died down quickly to a small blaze, the fumes and smoke filled the night air obscuring the village from the invaders view. The wind shifted slightly, coming from the northeast bringing with it the threat of more snow and carrying the smoke and fumes into the faces of the Dark Alliance. With a loud cry, the remaining attackers rushed the barricade. Without the Highlanders defending the wall, they breached the small barricade easily. The Dark Alliance entered Itasca but it had cost them dearly. They had lost at least one quarter of their army in the initial assault, while the highlanders had only lost about one tenth. Now, came the close quarter fighting.

  * * * * *

  From a distance, Grunk watched the Dark Alliance’s attack on Itasca with mixed feelings.

  Part of him yearned to join in the glory of battle. There is no greater thrill like rushing a fortified encampment, never knowing if an arrow will strike you with enough accuracy to stop you in your tracks or you will win through to the ramparts. Yet any excitement he would’ve felt to be a part of the attack was tempered with the knowledge that every death, Highlander or Dark Alliance served the purpose of Clotho, the true enemy of Terreth.

  Grunk had already gained a healthy respect for the Highlander commander as the defenders failed to give into the stress and tension of a long day looking at the enemy camped at your gates. However, his respect grew even more as the first two waves fell to the traps. However, Grunk knew that barring intervention from the Gods, the Dark Alliance would take the barbarian village. There were just too many attackers and not enough defenders. It would come down to a battle of attrition and the Dark Alliance had the numbers, the Highlanders didn’t. As the last of the Dark Alliance swarmed through the fallen gates of Itasca, Grunk moved onto the battlefield and up the body covered slope.

  * * * * *

  As the warriors of the Dark Alliance breached the wall, a handful of volunteers put up a token resistance before fleeing. Drawing the attackers into the ambushes Hawkeye had set up throughout the village. As the attackers would pass by a lodge, a group of warriors would leap out to attack. They would only attack for a short time before fading back into the darkness to regroup. They would continue to fade back until they reached the battleground chosen by Hawkeye, the clearing in front of the sacred pool and cave of Luna.

  Soon the Dark Alliance had penetrated all the way to the clearing. Now, it was time for the down and dirty fighting. The Dark Alliance charged as soon as they saw the gathered Highlanders and their animal friends. No quarter was asked and none was given between the two armies. They clashed like two titans of old, loud and bloody.

  The fighting was intense and furious. All around him, man and beasts were dying. Hawkeye would barely have enough time to finish off one opponent before being attacked by two more. Soon he gave up trying to kill his enemies, there were just too many of them. Instead, he began going for crippling attacks; a slice across a tendon here, a cut across the carotid artery there, a good front kick to the groin, anything that would take his opponent out quickly and give him time to move to the next opponent.

  After several furious minutes of fighting, Hawkeye found himself standing alone in a group of dead or dying gnomes and cyclops. During the pause, he gazed out over the battlefield. The dead and dying were everywhere. The line of defenders had broken until there were only several pockets of Highlanders still resisting the onrushing Dark Alliance. Hawkeye knew that these few survivors were doomed if something didn’t happen quickly. Studying his enemies, he realized they had only faced a quarter of the enemy. They had only fought goblins, gnomes and jotens. They had yet to face any shadow elves or the highlanders under Blackfang’s command.

  Out of the darkness came a loud bellow. “Hawkeye the Wolflord!”

  The fighting all around stopped, as the challenger stepped through the crowd. It was the largest and ugliest cyclops Hawkeye had ever seen. Standing over ten feet tall, the joten was decked out in black leather armor which covered his chest and torso. His shoulders, knees and elbows were also covered in black leather but they had long protruding spikes sticking out. On top of his head was a cap of black leather that was also spiked.

  Hawkeye moved slowly toward the center of the clearing and let Luna’s gift come over him. The transformation to his werewolf form took only a few seconds. “You called?” he asked. His white fur seemed to glow in the moonlight.

  “Me Thantos the Terrible! Jarl of the Jotens! Me challenge yous to battle!”

  Reaching behind his back, Thantos pulled out a tree-trunk-sized club with numerous spikes jutting out one end. It bore the symbol of Gaul the Lord of the Dead and radiated an unholy glow.

  Drawing his tomahawk and knife, Hawkeye took several deep breaths. “And is this challenge to first blood or to the death?”

  Thantos said, “It be to yous death.”

  Hawkeye felt the bloodlust building inside of himself. Raising his hackles, he lifted his head high in the air and howled. Every highlander warrior loyal to Luna followed suit. The sound was quite deafening. Many of the gnomes actually backed up a few paces. A moment later, Hawkeye fixed his eyes on Thantos and slowly licked his lips with his long canine tongue.

  The cyclopean chieftain bellowed his war cry and charged.

  Hawkeye didn’t wait for him. Howling his own war cry, he also charged. They started twenty yards away from each other, yet the gap was closing fast.

  * * * * *

  Standing in the entrance of the Cave of Luna, Anasazi and Tatianna watched the challenge unfold below them. They each watched the fight from different viewpoints, Anasazi with pride and Tatianna with dread.

  Tatianna turned to the old shaman and asked, “What can we do to help him?”

  Anasazi spoke in a soft voice. “Nothing. Hawkeye must face his destiny alone. We all have our paths to travel. Even those going to the same destination; don’t always agree on the path.” Pausing, he looked her in the eyes. His concern and worry for his nephew were evident. “We can do nothing. Only watch and pray.”

  * * * * *

  Thantos and Hawkeye charged each other like two rampaging beasts.

  As the joten reached his striking distance, which was far greater than Hawkeye’s, he swung his spiked club in a viscous overhead attack. Seeing the club coming fast toward his head, Hawkeye dove to the right. The club landed in the snow-covered dirt with a resounding thud. One of the long spikes had grazed Hawkeye’s shoulder, drawing first blood.

  The army of the Dark Alliance cheered gleefully. The gnomes and cyclops forgot their opponents and moved forward making a large semi-circle around Hawkeye and Thantos. The highlanders didn’t miss the opportunity given to them by their leader as they slowly and quietly faded into the darkness.

  Hawkeye noted this out of the corner of his eyes, smiled and thought to himself, ‘Now I must buy them more time to escape.’

  His mind snapped back to the battle as he had to roll to the left to avoid another downward attack. The cyclops’ attacks were powerful but they were slow and clumsy. Hawkeye knew he could probably end the combat at any time but he needed to give his people more time.

  Racing forward as Thantos raised his club for another strike, Hawkeye slashed the joten’s left armpit with his tomahawk. A large ga
sh opened just under the area covered by the armor. Moving away quickly, Hawkeye went into another roll to get away from Thantos’ clumsy counter swing. To buy his army more time and to have more fun, Hawkeye decided to taunt the ugly brute.

  Coming out of his roll, where he was just out of the reach of the large club, he stood straight up. Hawkeye pointed at the slash he just gave Thantos. “Now, we’re even. You can back out of this now if you like. I will even accept your surrender.”

  Thantos and all those gathered laughed. “Yous a puny flea bitten mutt! Me gonna squash you like a bug. Den me gonna eat yous heart.”

  Tucking his weapons back into his belt, Hawkeye motioned for Thantos to come forward. “Come on you smelly brute. I’d like to see you squash me like a bug.” Raising his voice, Hawkeye played the crowd. “Who wants to see this big fearsome hulk squash me like a bug?”

  Almost as one, the gathered gnomes and cyclops answered with, “Me!” or “I would!” or “Come on Thantos, squash him!”

  Hawkeye even heard someone start taking bets. He couldn’t help but smile; they were making it too easy.

  * * * * *

  Watching from overhead, Tatianna grabbed Anasazi’s arm. “What’s he doing?”

  The old man pointed to the darkness near the back of the village. “He’s doing what any good leader would do; buying his men time to escape.”

  Looking where he was pointing, she could see the last of their army fleeing from the back gate and into the wilderness beyond. “But how will Hawkeye escape?”

  Anasazi pointed to the fight below and said, “That’s where we come in.”

  In silence, the ancient shaman and elven mage turned back to watch the fight.

  * * * * *

  As the two combatants began circling each other, first one way then the other, a new element entered the battle, Blackfang. He walked through the gathering like a king. The goblins, gnomes and cyclops gave way to his entourage of highlanders and dark elf warriors. As he reached the circle of combat, Blackfang paused.

  Nodding his head toward his ally, Blackfang looked at his brother and said. “Well, well brother, what do we have here?”

  Hawkeye let the transformation back to his human form come over him. “Why don’t you step into the circle and find out. There is always room for one more playmate.”

  Blackfang shook his head. “No thank you. I promised my ally Thantos a chance at killing you.”

  Fighting the urge to attack Blackfang here and now, Hawkeye clenched his hands tightly into fists. “Why? Are you afraid to fight me, man to man?”

  “Not in the least. We will have our chance, unless you let my ally here kill you. He assures me that he can kill you.”

  Thantos thumped his chest and bellowed. “Me da strongest! Me gonna smush him!”

  Blackfang nodded his head at the huge Cyclops. “I’m sure you can.”

  Turning his head, Blackfang saw a fat gnome taking bets at the side of the circle. “You there, what are the odds?”

  The fat gnome was startled to be spoken to by the commander but regained his composure quickly. “Fifty to one on Thantos.”

  Pulling forth a small pouch, he stared right into Thantos’ one red eye. He could see the grotesque cyclops beaming with pride at the thought of his ally wagering on him. “Here’s a hundred golden eagles.” Grinning evilly Blackfang added, “Place it all on Hawkeye.”

  The whole crowd groaned with displeasure as Thantos roared in anger.

  Hawkeye said, “That was a good bet.”

  “I knew you would think so.” Blackfang looked at his ally who was fuming with anger and said, “I told you in the beginning that Hawkeye was mine but you wouldn’t listen. Now you will learn the hard way.”

  Seeing that his words were just making the cyclops even madder Blackfang added, “But Thantos, I’ll tell you what. If you win, I’ll pay you ten times my wager in gold and become your personal slave.”

  Brightening at that remark, Thantos began to circle once again. Whether it was the thought of the gold or of Blackfang being his slave, Hawkeye didn’t know or care, for the fight was back on. Thantos charged again as Hawkeye rolled out of danger’s way. This happened again and again. After about the third or fourth unsuccessful charge Thantos changed tactics. With a slight twist and a loud pop, he pulled a large chain from the bottom of his club. Grabbing the chain, he began to swing it over his head, around and around. The spiked club whistled through the cold night air with every pass. And with each pass, it got closer and closer to the Wolflord.

  Finally, Thantos attacked.

  Taking a step forward and extending his arms with a slight snap, the swing club whistled several inches off the ground. Hawkeye instinctively knew he couldn’t roll out of harm’s way this time. Nor could he jump backwards, he was already at the edge of the circle. He could smell the sweat from the gnomes and cyclops right behind him. So, he did the last thing Thantos expected, he charged.

  Leaping forward, Hawkeye cleared the chain and ran right past Thantos. As he passed by, he reached out and lightly tapped the enraged cyclops on the rump. Hawkeye couldn’t help but smile at the coup he had just managed. Turning back, Hawkeye watched as the giant cyclops pulled his spiked club free from the bodies of the three gnomes that he had hit instead of Hawkeye.

  “Hey, Thantos! I’m over here.”

  The hulking brute turned with a roar. Raising his club, the body of a gnome still stuck on the spikes, he yelled. “Me gonna smush yous!”

  Throwing his club at Hawkeye, it flew harmlessly off to the left. Well not exactly harmlessly, it did impact another cluster of gnomes, felling them. With a roar of frustration, Thantos lowered his head and charged like a bull. With a brief smile, Hawkeye shifted back into his werewolf form and waited. He could feel the pounding of the cyclops’ feet on mother earth but still he held his ground. The nearby gnomes and cyclops scrambled for safety, having learned a valuable lesson by watching.

  Hawkeye drew both of his weapons. A low guttural growl came from deep within his throat. A moment before Thantos reached his position; Hawkeye sidestepped and lashed out with both weapons. One scored a hit on the chin, severing the chinstrap that held on Thantos’ helmet, the other across the side of the neck, tearing a large gash.

  Turning quickly, Thantos roared in anger and pain. Stupidly, he rushed Hawkeye again, planning on burying him in a bear hug. Hawkeye tucked into another roll, this time forward between Thantos’ legs. As he passed between them, Hawkeye thrust upward with both his weapons. Feeling them land on the cyclops’ genitals, he completed his roll and turned to watch as the giant one-eyed brute quickly dropped to the ground without a sound.

  Stepping up behind him, Hawkeye grabbed a handful of Thantos’ nasty hair. With a quick slice of his knife, he pulled free the cyclops’ scalp. Holding it as a trophy, Hawkeye slowly turned showing it to the watching warriors. The entire village was silent. The only sound was Hawkeye’s heavy breathing and the few moans coming from Thantos. A moment passed and nobody moved or spoke.

  Hawkeye pointed at his brother. “You’re next!”

  Blackfang stepped into the circle of warriors. “You didn’t disappoint me, although you did take longer than I expected.” Hearing the moaning and whimpering of Thantos, Blackfang pointed at the fallen cyclops and asked, “Aren’t you going to finish him off?”

  Hawkeye shook his head. “Why? He’s not my enemy, you are.” He swept his hand around at the destroyed village. “None of this had to happen. Only your lies and those of your new goddess have done this. I hold no anger toward Thantos. He fought with skill and courage. In another time and another place, I might have even called him friend.”

  None of the warriors gathered knew what to say or do, so they remained silent. The hollow sound of Blackfang’s laughter echoed in the small valley.

  “Oh, you do have a way with words. I wonder if you get that from our father or our mother? Do me a favor, remember to ask them that when you join them in hell.”

  Tu
rning to his entourage of shadow elves and highlanders, he spoke in a soft voice. “Kill him!”

  Blackfang’s entourage didn’t hesitate. With a loud yell they charged the Wolflord but they didn’t get three steps before the ground in front of them erupted in a large wall of flames. One of the highlanders was unfortunate enough to get caught in the center of the spell. Jumping back, his fur quickly ignited from the intense heat of the flames. Waving his arms around, he managed to knock one of the shadow elves into the middle of the flaming wall. The night air was quickly filled with the dying screams and the scent of burning flesh. About this same time, the air was full of birds; ravens, owls, hawks, eagles and any other bird that would answer the call of their barbarian friends. The great flight of birds quickly dove in and tore at the faces of the Dark Alliance, throwing them into utter chaos.

  Hawkeye didn’t waste his chance. Turning, he tucked Thantos’ scalp and his weapons into his belt and headed for the sacred pool of Luna. Without hesitation, he dove into the steaming water and swam to the deepest end. By now the Dark Alliance warriors were beginning to react. Most were preoccupied with the attacking birds but some did concentrate their attacks at Hawkeye. Several spears and arrows began to hit the water all around him. Not paying them any attention, Hawkeye continued to swim toward the bottom of the pool.

  Blackfang yelled at his guards. “Get him! Bring me his head on a spear or I’m going to put yours in its place!”

  A large raven dove at his face. Almost as an afterthought, Blackfang lashed out with his sword, cutting the raven in two.

  “Stop him!”

  Ignoring the attacking birds, the warriors of the Dark Alliance fanned out around the pool and waited. And waited.

  Hawkeye never surfaced.

  * * * * *

  From the safety of the cave, Anasazi and Tatianna watched in silence. After several minutes, the old shaman motioned for her to come deeper into the cave. “It is time for us to leave.”