Viper held out his hands. Two wispy creatures jumped from the shadows and disappeared into his palms, snarling and rasping as they left a trail of dark smoke behind them. Anyone approaching the sleeping Viper with ill intent would have been torn to shreds by these monsters, known as shades.
The shades were an effective mobile security system for someone who was not welcome in most of Verdia’s cities, had a lot of enemies, and carried a lot of valuables. This description fit Viper perfectly.
Viper climbed onto the saddle and rode out of the forest to a low grassy hill. Venom cropped at the blue grass and stood quietly. Viper removed Focus from its sheath and twirled the spear slowly back and forth. His latest plan to capture the wolf was more elaborate than the last, and had required some work. This would probably be his last shot before the teeming masses swarmed the area looking for the Wolf Rider. With that much attention, it was likely that wolf and rider would move on to somewhere far away.
Part One of the plan was simply getting the girl to come back for her camera and kidnap her. Part Two was demanding an audience with the Wolf Rider for her safe return and the return of the camera. The pretense of this demand was a false interest in the pointless Secret of Verdia contest. Reality was Part Three; he was going to kill the Wolf Rider and make the wolf his ally through force or guile or some other means he would devise later. Victor looked down at his horse and stroked her neck. Venom had been easy to win over, the wolf would be more difficult.
Parts One and Two were his immediate goals. He did not expect to see the wolf or the rider at all until he had the girl. He was not even really sure that the rider would come, especially after his last encounter. Viper was hoping that friendship, and the desire to get the camera back, would be enough to lure his prey out. He pulled the camera from one of his saddlebags and zoomed in on the forest on the other side of the road, about one hundred yards away.
When the girl emerged cautiously from the forest, Viper noted that she was quite pretty. Anyone could be attractive in Verdia, but she was the type of pretty that did not appear to be faked; it was not perfect enough. The first time they had met, he had not taken time to notice. He snapped a couple pictures. A barely noticeable pang of guilt rang inside of him like a distant wind-chime. The chime vanished quickly - as if someone had muffled it with their hand. It was a game, and he would get what he wanted.
…
Laura crossed the road cautiously. She was wearing a light blue tank top and some jeans that Ben had somehow managed to procure - more comfortable than the silly fantasy garb that most people wore. She spotted the rider on the hilltop and waved at him. He raised a hand in awkward greeting and waited as she approached.
Laura was nervous. This guy had not harmed her last time, but something was very fishy. Her friends in the real world had explained to her how extremely valuable the camera was, and that she was an idiot for wandering around unprotected with it. You can’t call the cops in Verdia, they said.
She glanced over her shoulder and looked into the woods. Ben had wanted Gabe to stay out of sight, but she knew he was watching and would protect her. As she got closer, the black horse whinnied and spun in a circle. The rider seemed a little agitated with the horse and attempted to calm it.
She stopped several feet away and crossed her arms, “Now, what?”
The rider turned the horse to face her and slowly moved forward. He had the camera in one hand and the reins in the other. She backed away several feet.
“Do you know the wolf?” he asked.
She was shocked, and hesitated, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
He held up the camera, “I took a picture that had you and the Wolf Rider in it. So you know what I’m talking about and you know him.”
“What does the wolf have to do with my camera?”
“Nothing, but there’s a contest for ten million dollars, and I think the wolf has something to do with it.”
Laura was confused and getting a little nervous. She took another step back and glanced into the forest. Viper noticed this and tightened his grip on the reins, ready to move if she ran.
Laura shook her head, “I just want my camera back. Thank you for keeping it safe, but you can’t meet with Ben and Gabe.” She mentally kicked herself for using their names.
The man sighed, “Well I guess we’ll see how well you know each other.”
He dropped the camera into the saddle bag and shot out his hand- pinky and ring finger curled in and the remaining three fingers spreading toward Laura. She felt herself frozen in place by an invisible pressure. A ropy, snaky band of dark purple fumes extended from the rider’s hand to her chest. He drew his hand back, and she was airborne- flying toward the horse and rider. He pulled her close and laid her across the saddle in front of him. She was frozen and unable to do anything but yell.
“What is wrong with you? You are insane! HELP”
The man laughed and shook his head in mock bewilderment, “Why do you keep wandering around without protection? Nobody’s going to help you out here.”
…
A savage howl pierced the air, and a white monstrosity bounded out of the trees. A massive white wolf, dwarfing the boy on his back, thundered across the road. Viper was genuinely surprised. He had not expected this.
However, he had planned for it. He broke Venom into a hard gallop down the hillside, aiming for a small stand of trees in the middle of the large meadow.
Gabe was gaining ground, but Venom made it to the trees. A broad path cut through the green foliage to the other side of the small grove. A large clearing opened up the sky- letting in sunlight- and the black horse crossed over it quickly, plunging them back into the shade.
Viper wheeled the horse at the end of the tree stand as the wolf reached the opening in the middle.
If the wolf or the boy had suspected something when Viper stopped, it was already too late. The ground beneath Gabe’s paws gave way, revealing a deep pit dug into the soil. Ben screamed, and the wolf whined in fear as he sailed down into the darkness. Gabe hit the pit floor with a wet crack and a squeal of pain. The girl screamed at Viper to stop, pleading that he could have the camera if he would leave them alone.
Ben hovered in mid-air above the pit. Viper leapt down from his horse; holding Ben with the same tendril of energy he had used to snare the girl. Ben struggled against the binding field.
Viper pulled Flame from its clasp on his back and hefted the axe. He slowly drew Ben closer, his eyes cold with determination. When the boy was clear of the pit, Viper threw him down and stepped over him, preparing to swing the axe.
Ben screamed in terror. The scream was high, long, and piercing. The boy wailed in a way that Viper had never heard in the game. He had been in many battles and had slain many other players, and had never heard that scream before. Most players were angry or frustrated when faced with death. They knew they would respawn far away, and it would be a hassle getting their equipment back- if it all. Often, were mad at themselves for letting someone get the best of them. These opponents would growl with disappointment right before the blade silenced them.
What Viper heard now was genuine horror. He had heard this scream once before, from his own throat. A horror of knowing that everything dear to you was gone and that you were going to die in pain. Viper paused.
An arrow sliced the air an inch past his right ear- about where his eye would have been had he continued his swing. That was a kill shot, bypassing all of his armor. It was either deadly accurate or extremely lucky.
“ENOUGH!” A strong female voice echoed through the trees, “Stay where you are!”
Viper slowly turned his head and saw a single Agilus through the tunnel of trees. Clad in green leather, her bow drawn taut, she did not waver. That had been an amazing shot.
For all of Viper’s power, he was extremely vulnerable in this position. His spells were most effective at close range, and the Agilus could easily dodge anything he shot out by the time it reached her. H
is only ranged weapon, Focus, was sitting useless in its sheath some ten feet away. Even if he was holding his spear, anything he could do with it would take much longer than it would take her to release an arrow. He was also off-balance, with an axe raised high in one hand and a squirming boy held down with the other.
To complicate things, he knew nothing of the Agilus’s abilities. She could have an instant shot that would cross the distance between them before he could react. She could fire an arrow that followed him even if he jumped into the trees. She could awaken a tree and have it grab him with roots while she filled him with arrows.
This was not a time to fight. He might have another shot at the wolf someday, but he would never retrieve his armor and weapons if he was killed here. Viper looked at Venom and gave a barely perceptible nod. The horse shrugged Laura off, and she fell on her back. Viper began slowly lowering his axe.
“YAHHH!” A Bandit suddenly leaped from hiding, drawing his katana with a hum of electricity. He chopped down at Viper’s neck.
Viper stepped aside and swept the Bandit into the pit with a quick shove. He looked up again to see the Agilus still holding the bow on him. Without another second’s hesitation, he raised his hand and vanished in a cloud of purple and red fire. Venom reared up and charged; a chasm opened and swallowed her in the same dark purple flame.
…
Athena caught her breath; her heart thumped in her chest. She had recognized the armor and the horse - Viper. Only the extreme distance and the element of surprise had saved her from being annihilated. Wisp, on the other hand, owed his fortune to Viper’s sense of humor more than anything. Viper could have easily vaporized him rather than throwing him into the pit. She relaxed her bow and ran down the path as quickly as she could. Fletch wheeled overhead to keep cover. The Huntress reached the edge of the pit and looked down.
Gabe was curled on the pit floor, his front left leg tucked up into his side. Wisp crouched on the other side of the chasm, unsure whether it was safe to approach the wolf. Athena raised her eyes to peer across the deadfall. The Wolf Rider was still lying on the ground; the boy appeared to be frozen with fright.
Athena reached beneath her hooded cloak and pulled out a loop of thin white cord. She set her bow down and began playing the cord out into the pit. She yelled down at Wisp, “Tie this around the wolf!”
Wisp looked up, squinting into the sun. “That little string isn’t going to hold the wolf.”
“Yes it will. Just do as I say. If you’re lucky I will pull you out next.” Athena took the rope and tied it around her waist.
Wisp tied the cord around the wolf several times, leaving Gabe’s legs free to move and using his cloak as padding. He moved gently and cautiously, afraid that the huge wolf would bite him in half. The wolf paid him no mind, and lay on the floor of the pit panting and whining softly.
Viper’s other prisoner, a blonde girl whose real-world attire clashed with the scene around them, ran to Ben and knelt beside him. She looked up at the red Huntress in the green leather armor. “Do you need help?” she asked.
“No, thank you,” Athena replied. “My name is Athena, and the fool in the pit is Wisp.”
“I’m Laura.”
In a flash of light, Athena transformed into a stout badger-like creature with six powerful legs and a strong square jaw. Her large violet eyes had been replaced by beady, determined marbles. Her claws dug furrows into the ground, and slowly she pulled away from the pit.
As the wolf rose, he pawed at the walls of the deadfall. He used his three good legs to hold himself away from the wall as the rope tugged him upward. Wisp looked up as the huge wolf cast a shadow over him. The Bandit decided not to wait for the rope; he scaled the dirt wall using roots and rocks as hand-holds.
Wisp and wolf emerged at about the same time. Gabe was dragged several feet until clear of the pit. Wisp dusted himself off and began untying the cord from around Gabe’s body. When he was free, the wolf made no attempt to get up.
Athena returned to her usual self and squatted down near the wolf’s head. She patted his jaw gently while she looked at the leg; she could see the bone sticking out about a foot above his paw.
“This is a bad break. When I was young, my horse broke its leg like this by stepping in a hole. It was so sad.” Athena glanced off into nothing as she remembered how she had felt that day. Her father had called her from Tokyo (or was it Sydney?) to explain the nature of death. What a wonderful way to learn about life. The horse had been quickly replaced with a new one.
Laura had managed to get Ben to stand on wobbly legs, and the pair walked slowly around the pit. She held him steady by placing her arm around his shoulder.
“Can you fix him?” Laura asked.
Ben knelt down and put his arms around the wolf’s head. He scratched Gabe between the ears and looked up hopefully at Athena. “Can you?”
The Huntress shook her head sadly, “I can heal minor wounds but this is beyond my abilities. We need a powerful healer. We also need to get him somewhere safe in case Viper had friends.”
“Viper?” Ben sobbed. “I knew that was my armor. I never would have made it if I knew he was a bad guy.”
Wisp and Athena jerked back with shock. Athena stood up slowly and looked to Wisp, her jaw slack with wonder. Wisp regained his composure, reached over his shoulder, and drew the Spark Katana from its scabbard. Laura watched confusion, unsure of what had suddenly changed the mood of their saviors.
Wisp held the sword out in his hands, “Do you recognize this?”
Ben nodded, “Spark Katana - that was very early. I really didn’t know what I was doing when I made that. The balance is terrible.”
Wisp frowned and waved his sword several times, “It seems fine to me.”
“So you are the Shepherd,” Athena said, “and you ride a wolf? That’s so poetic!”
“That was Viper? I attacked Viper and survived?” Wisp grinned with pride.
Athena scoffed, “He spared you as an insult to how pitiful your attack was. I saw the look on his face when he flicked you into the hole like a gnat.”
Wisp’s face fell momentarily before hardening in anger, “Some of us can’t attack from a mile away.”
“What nerve!” Athena snarled. “I was in far more danger than you. He could see me! You didn’t even need to do anything. Next time, just hide in the bushes and leave the work to...”
A warning screech pierced the air; Fletch had seen something. Athena quickly made a connection with him and saw fifteen to twenty riders approaching. The riders would certainly see the wolf’s tracks crossing the road as well as the torn earth and grass leading to the trees. The riders did not appear to be friendly.
“We have to move him now,” Athena pointed at the wolf. “See if he can hobble on three legs.”
Ben told Gabe to get up, and the wolf slowly rose up on his three good legs. Gabe appeared tired and somehow smaller. He limped in a small circle and sat weakly on his haunches.
“That will have to do for now. We have company coming. I believe they are Conquerors. They are likely not working with Viper, but they will see the tracks we left. There is a safe place about five miles from here. It is the called The Haven. They should take you in and may be able to repair that bone. Do either of you know where it is?”
Wisp nodded, “I’ve seen it on a map.”
Athena sighed, “I wasn’t talking to you.”
Ben shook his head, “I have heard of the Haven but I don’t know where it is.”
“Very well.” Athena whistled for her hawk, “Fletch will take you there. You must move quickly.”
“What about me?” Wisp asked.
“You’re going to help me slow them down.”
Fletch descended from high above and alit on Athena’s outstretched arm. She gave several orders and threw him skyward. The hawk flew high and circled above, screeching.
Athena spoke to Ben and Laura, “Follow Fletch as fast as you can. He will lead you to the Haven and ale
rt them that you are coming. Hopefully, he will be recognized by any Explorers at the Haven.”
The wolf, the boy, and the girl set off in one direction- the Bandit and the Huntress in the other. Gabe was able to keep up a fair pace on his three good legs; Laura and Ben had difficulty matching his speed.
…
On the opposite side of the tree stand, Athena and Wisp climbed a grassy hill. They dropped prone on the hilltop and looked north. Dense green trees filled their vision on all sides. The large meadow they occupied was the first open space for miles. Riders on the road would be foolish not to spot the tracks and other evidence the wolf had left.
Athena did not see the advancing riders, but a thin cloud of dust rose from the earth where the road disappeared into the trees. The two waited in silence as the cloud grew thicker and larger. A faint rumble could be heard if they held their breath.
Wisp reached around to his lower back and removed a sheath from under his shirt. The sheath held a spring-loaded device that contained metal darts. He pulled a dart from the sheath by sliding his finger along a groove. Wisp worked several of the flat diamond shaped darts through the sheath, reloading them through a slot at the back. The device looked like an elongated deck of deadly cards; Wisp shuffled them through several times, rolling up his sleeve and binding the device to his left forearm with two leather straps. He rolled the sleeve back down so that a dart could be quickly retrieved with a flick of his right thumb.
Athena was impressed by the device, “How many darts does that hold?”
“Twenty-five.”
“Do you need them all to hit one target?” Athena brimmed with a self-satisfied grin.
“How do you think I tracked you?”
She did not have a good response for that. Rather than continue the banter, Athena returned to the matter at hand, “We need to slow them down.”
Shepherd's Wolf Page 18
