Greywolf

  Asena and Greywolf left the encampment before the light of the sun had even touched the sky.

  After they’d left the Great Khan’s tent, Karl took Greywolf and Asena to the tent where the officers of the mercenary Xian crossbowmen were living and introduced them. The half dozen officers and their commander, Captain Tang, had been awed to meet the legend they only knew about from stories, and insisted on sharing their meal of roast goat and root vegetables with them as Karl briefly excused himself. When he came back and led them to the guest tent, inside they found a partition had been made using rugs hung from the support beams, forming a small, enclosed space along one side.

  When Greywolf had ducked inside it to shed his armor, he’d found Fox waiting. Nude except for the blanket wrapped around her, she’d helped him get undressed and into the bedroll, both of them as quiet as they could be while Karl told Asena about Wotan’s troubles from the tribes to Germania’s east, who were fleeing from the northern nomads known as the Dark Horde. Then Karl had gotten Asena to tell more war stories and Greywolf had lost himself in the pale Daemo beneath him, hungry for every scrap of himself she could get.

  In the morning, Asena’s eyes had narrowed when she saw Fox laying entwined with him, but only told him the two Lycaons were waiting and to get ready. Fox had helped him armor up, and now Greywolf and Asena were following the two Lycaons, who had already scouted out the troll's den, up the side of a hill.

  Lycaons had a wolf's head on a muscular, man-like hairy body naturally hunched over, their hands much like Asena's except their claws were longer. They wore thick leather armor with small steel rings sewn on, and while they had trouble wielding ordinary weapons, with claws like small daggers they didn't need weapons if they could get in close.

  They were also intelligent, and while their harsh voices were hard to understand at first, Greywolf’s ear soon got used to their speech. Castor was slightly smaller than his brother, Pollux... or Fenris, as he was calling himself, and had the better nose. He motioned up towards the top of the slope. "The troll cave's just beyond the top of that ridge."

  "Many bones outside cave," Fenris added. "Body of child with throat torn out, not eaten."

  "Not eaten?" Fenris nodded and Asena frowned. "Trolls will first tear out their victim's throats and then either drink the blood or share it with their children, but once the body's drained dry they begin eating the flesh."

  "Maybe it wasn't hungry."

  Asena looked at Greywolf and snorted. "Trolls are always hungry." She hesitated, but he knew that look: the amount of mana in her body wasn’t low yet, but it would be soon. "Alright, let's go take a look." The four of them quietly padded up the hill, avoiding the stunted trees and brush until reaching the top.

  The hilltop was a flat area extending a good way on both sides, with a cliff face in front about a stone's throw away and a cave entrance straight ahead, just big enough for an adult troll to squeeze through. Bones were scattered everywhere, stripped of all flesh and smashed open for their marrow. A cracked skull grinned at them from beneath a bush as Castor sniffed the air. “The troll marked its territory last night, but hasn’t left the cave since.”

  Fenris pointed his clawed forefinger at a bush near the opening. "Child there.”

  Greywolf followed the finger with his eyes. The body of a little girl was sprawled out across the branches of a scrub bush, with blood on her stained white dress from the jagged hole in her throat, yet no other marks. The only sounds were the whirring of insects and the chirp of birds in the trees. Greywolf wrinkled his nose at the stench coming out of the cave, but it wasn’t overpowering, as it would be in the cave. Shite, I hate trolls.

  "Alright," Asena said, "we're going to use the same plan that's worked before. Greywolf enters the Shadowlands and pops out just long enough to catch the troll's attention. Then he runs, popping in and out of the Grey as the troll chases him, and once it's out in the daylight, the three of us attack it while Greywolf hangs back." The two Lycaons nodded and Greywolf took a step forward.

  Asena grabbed him by the back of his armor. "No heroics," she growled. "I mean it."

  It was Greywolf’s turn to snort. "Against a troll in its own cave? I don't think so." He tried stepping forward again but she still gripped his armor. "What?"

  "Some of your back plates are cracked like a mirror hit with a fist. I need to find some leather strips and had a mage transmute them, so the cracked ones can be replaced."

  "What about that mage you found in the city of Kath? All he wanted was for me to recharge his mana stones."

  Asena shook her head. "We're not going back north again, or west. We're heading south towards Bactria, and hope Muzen doesn't send spies to trail after us."

  "We should at least return the body of the little girl to her parents."

  She glanced at the corpse, then back in his direction. "We'll see."

  Greywolf knew better than to push her on this and simply nodded. Castor and Fenris sniffed the air as Asena let him go, then the four of them headed towards the cave entrance, stopping a short distance away. Asena pointed at Castor, then at her ear, and then at the cave. The Lycaon shook his head, and she gave her son the nod.

  Drawing his katana from its sheath attached to his belt, Greywolf opened a gateway to the Shadowlands and stepped through. Color bled from the world as he did a full circle with the katana raised. Everything remained still, Asena and the Lycaons now shadows as detailed as the trees and bushes.

  Only the bones and the child's body remained as they were. The skull watched him with sad, grey eyes as Greywolf walked past it towards the cave entrance, the shadow of the bush holding fast the little girl's corpse. Most of the time the dead remained where they were, and he was sure this time wouldn't be any different.

  The corpse sat up. Greywolf leapt sideways, turning towards her with his sword out, for in the Shadowlands the dead had the power to rise up and attack the living. No, she's remaining where she is. You don’t need to point at the cave entrance, I know where they are. Greywolf nodded, showing her he understood and she nodded back, the eyes plucked out by carrion birds replaced with grey orbs in her eye sockets. She watched him as he turned back towards the cave and walked inside.

  In the Shadowlands, the light remained constant no matter how far underground someone went, and Greywolf could see all the way down the passage. And this tunnel just keeps going. At least I can't smell anything in the Shadowlands, because the troll stench is going to be awful when I spook them. Lucky me.

  Tendrils of the Grey crawled around the rocky floor like questing snakes, a few floating through the air past Greywolf as the passage widened into a large open area where the troll was sitting in front of a fire. It was as tall as Asena but spindly, with long arms... Son of a Etruscan whore! Three more trolls, these ones about human size, were sitting around the fire as well. Shite! Asena was fierce, and Greywolf was sure the Lycaons were too, but they wouldn't be expecting four at once. I need to warn Asena— Wait, what was that?

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  A Shadow creature laughed from somewhere deep within the cave, a burbling, insane sound answered by two other voices. Night Hags? Shite! Do they know I'm here? The voices continued their insane cackling as one voice rose above the rest. "Shadow-walker, I can taste the scent of your blood. You will be the feast."

  "The feast," the other voices called out. "The feast!" Shite, open the portal, open the portal. An oval of darkness lit by a dancing fire appeared and Greywolf ran through it as insane screams echoed in the Shadowlands behind.

  Color returned to the world as the rancid stench gagged him. Four creatures glanced up with surprised looks on their squat faces as Greywolf moved for a few moments with inhuman speed, slashing the largest troll across the face with his katana. It bellowed, knocking one of the smaller trolls into the fire as he ran past them into the passage towards the cave opening, his body slowing down as time seized him in its grip once more.

  Loose gravel and he began slipping... don't fall, please don't fall. The trolls were bellowing behind him as their claws scraped on stone. The opening's close, don't panic... shite, it's right behind me. Asena's voice shouted, "Call the Grey, call the Grey!" Greywolf could feel a troll's hot breath on his neck as color bled from the world.

  "The feast, the feast!" Bony fingers shattered Artifact back plates from Greywolf’s armor as he ran out of the cave past Asena, his body going through the great sword she was swinging one-handed as if he were a ghost. Castor and Fenris were suspended in mid-leap. The Night Hags clawed at Greywolf again as he opened another gate and flung himself through it.

  Color returned as Greywolf tripped and tumbled forward, knocking the wind from his lungs as he hit the ground hard. I need to move, join the fight, but I can't breathe... That's better, I'm getting my wind back... wait, where's my katana? It must have flown from my hand when I landed. He rolled to his knees, facing the cave.

  The large troll was down with its neck almost severed, but one of the smaller trolls was wrestling Asena for her sword while Castor and Fenris were ripping apart the second. Shite, the third one's avoiding the fight and looking at me. Get up and find the sword. Greywolf scrambled to his feet as the troll started running towards him... There's the katana, sticking out of the dirt. Greywolf raced over and ripped it out of the earth with its point out as he turned around.

  The troll impaled itself on the blade as it knocked them both onto the dirt. It screamed, spitting bloody froth, and with his right hand Greywolf pushed the sword inside it to the hilt as it bit down on his shoulder. Its teeth dug in despite the Artifact plates, making him yell in pain, but its bite wasn’t strong enough to break bones. It let go to bite again as he pulled out the Artifact dagger with its elk horn handle from his belt, and shoved it through the creature's eye.

  The monster threw Greywolf off as it clawed at its face, ripping out the black knife blade and throwing it to one side as it staggered to its feet, green and yellow gobbets of gore spewing from the gaping hole. It bellowed as it lurched at him but then dropped to its knees, curling up into a ball as it fell onto the ground.

  Movement flickered at the corner of Greywolf’s eye and he turned, but it was only Fenris, racing over to help. The other three trolls were dead. Fenris ripped out the last troll's throat with his claws as Asena pulled out an Etruscan gladius she used as a long dagger and began carving out the creature's hearts. Greywolf sat back on the weed-choked ground to watch, wincing from the pain and trying hard not to show it as she finished with the first three and walked over to the last, pulling his katana from the troll’s chest and throwing it onto the ground beside him. Then she rolled the creature over onto its back and cut into its chest like a butcher would a cow.

  All three of them watched with horrid fascination as Asena spread the ribcage wide open with a loud crack before cutting out the creature's heart. It resembled a normal heart except for the green growths covering it like large emeralds, the nodules glowing even in the bright sun. Asena got to her feet and placed the heart with the others under a thorn bush, then wiped her gladius on the dead child's clothes before cleaning her steel sword. Greywolf stood up and retrieved his katana. Wotan's blood, this shoulder really hurts, but I need to clean the ichor off the Artifact blade before it pits.

  Fenris bent down to retrieve Greywolf’s knife, holding it as best he could as he came over. His gaze dropped to Greywolf’s shoulder. "You're hurt."

  "It's not too bad," Greywolf replied, wincing as he reached out to take back Artifact knife. "By tomorrow it'll just be bruise marks." Taking both weapons, he walked over to the child's body, and even though Greywolf knew her spirit was gone, he bowed. "I promise to bring you home to your parents, but right now I need for you to suffer a small indignity so the troll's blood won't pit the blades."

  He began cleaning both blades as Asena called out, "Greywolf, what happened to your back?"

  "Three Night Hags," shuddering despite himself. "I meant to warn you about the small trolls, but there wasn't time."

  "They made it a lot more fun than I thought it would be," Castor said, wiping his claws on the child's dress as he looked at Greywolf’s armor. "I think you're bleeding into the leather."

  Greywolf gingerly sheathed the katana as Asena loomed behind him. "Turn around."

  "It's not that bad—”

  She spun her son around and he stifled a gasp, her fingers already unbuckling his chest armor before pulling it off and tossing it aside. There was a dark stain on Greywolf’s faded black arming tunic as he pulled it off. "Most of its teeth couldn't get past the armor," Greywolf said as Asena's fingers probed the puncture wounds. He added with a wince, "But its fangs did.”

  Asena growled, “What did I tell you about staying out of the fight?"

  "No one told the troll."

  Asena only grunted as she let go of his shoulder. "You'll be fine in a couple days, but I should still bind this up."

  "I get pack," Fenris growled, "and Castor bind wounds." He motioned towards the pile of troll hearts. "Should eat while fresh."

  "He's got a point," Castor told her. "The sooner you take in the mana, the better you'll feel."

  Asena frowned. "But with your claws—”

  "I've learned to adapt over the years. Go ahead and eat, I've got this."

  Asena didn't hesitate but headed for the hearts she'd piled together, while Greywolf started walking towards an outcrop of rock not far away. "It's better if we leave her to eat in peace,” he said to Castor, walking beside him. “It's kind of disgusting."

  They reached the outcrop and sat down, Castor's wolf head looking over his shoulder as the sounds of ripping flesh began behind them. "Yech, I see what you mean. Why doesn't she roast them first, or make a stew?" Greywolf stifled a laugh and he looked back. "What's so humorous?"

  "Apologies," Greywolf replied as Castor sat down beside him. "It's just that I never expected you to be so civilized."

  Castor assumed the haughty manner of a noble lord while raising his muzzle into the air and gave an indignant sniff. "I'll have you know I'm a highly educated monster." He looked so ludicrous that despite his shoulder, Greywolf burst out laughing. Castor joined in. "Actually," he continued after a moment, "my father's a noble of the Caucasi kingdom, north of the Eastern Empire province of Armenia, and we had a tutor who taught us Greco and the Greek classics. Not that we paid much attention in our youth."

  He sounded almost regretful. "Castor, you can tell me to go to Hades if you don't want to answer, but what's it like being Lycaon?"

  He shrugged his muscular shoulders. "Literally being a human in the body of a monster. Pollux and I were the youngest of five boys, and our father told us to make our fortunes in the wide world as we were two Lycaons too many for the nobility to handle. So we guarded caravans like you and Asena were doing, until we met Karl and he took us in." He motioned out towards the far off plumes of rising smoke from the camp's cooking fires. "The People of the Eternal Sky accepted us as no civilized folk had ever done, and Pollux even started talking about getting married... or, at least he used to."

  Greywolf recognized the slight growl at the end of his words as concern and not anger. "He introduced himself to me as Fenris and showed off his tattoo like it was a badge of honor."

  Castor sighed. "He's changed. We used to be close as twins, but now he’s talking like a savage, and I'm by myself while he's found himself new brothers among Amazonia’s Chaldean Wardogs."

  On the slope off to his right came the sounds of crackling brush. That’s likely Fenris, dragging Asena's pack. "You could always leave the Crimson Horde and join us. It'd be nice to had someone else to talk to."

  Castor gave him a truly wolfish grin. "After the stories I heard last night, I imagine so. She sounds… interesting to live with."

  Greywolf snorted. "You've got no idea. There was this one time—” From behind him, Asena began cursing in Germanic and he spun around. "What's wrong?"

  Asena was down on her hands and knees, shaking her head like a baffled bear. "I finished the troll hearts and stood up, but then everything began spinning." Greywolf scrambled to his feet and raced towards her as she added, "I think those trolls were sick."

  "Not sick," Lys' voice said from behind him. "Just poisoned."