Book One. Chapter 1. Part I. A Servant of Darkness

It was a balmy night on the planes at the edge of Fiáine Forest. The land was lit with the glow of the full moon, and the bright stars stretched out across the sky and into infinity. Nestled in a den, among the warm red rocks, a young wolf cub named Wyld and his four siblings were drifting off into a comfortable, cosy sleep. Aurora and Hunter were taking a last patrol around the pack lands, to ensure no dangers to the pack were lurking nearby, before they too settled down to rest.

As they turned back towards the den, a sudden, ominous silence fell around them – not a bird or even insect could be heard. A strange darkness began to sweep over the hillside as the night sky became engulfed in menacing black clouds, writhing and squirming, dark and unnatural. A bitter wind, like a furious winter gale, rose out of the earth, biting and wailing like a chorus of howling banshee. Hunter, the Alpha and father to the cubs, turned to his mate as she stood motionless, her eyes fixed on the approaching gloom, her hackles raised in readiness for attack.

“Aurora!” he barked. She glanced his way but still kept her attention firmly fixed on the impending threat. They looked on as the darkness slowed and came to a faltering stop before them. It appeared to slither and contort before them. Strange noises, like demonic snarling beasts, emanated from the menacing dark mass.

“Hunter! The cubs!” Aurora looked at her mate, tears filling her eyes. She didn’t want to leave his side, but she must get the cubs to safety. Hunter turned his face to her, his muzzle gently brushing hers. “Go, my love. Get them to safety – I’ll raise the alarm!”

The pack was scattered across the planes. Some in small nursery groups, some hunting, but all would answer the Alpha’s call! The wailing wind was deafening – but he would howl the warning – even if it took his very last breath!

Aurora began to turn away, heading for the den where their precious cubs lay sleeping. As she turned, she heard a sickening thud and cringed as she felt a presence, heavy and malevolent pressing at her flank. Through the wind she heard Hunter raising the alarm – sounding the warning to any who could hear it. With a swift jerk, she felt her body lift from the ground and was greeted with a terrifying sight.

A huge twisted creature, forged from the mangled corpse of a great bear, twisted and deformed with wizened tree roots, strangling vines and stinging barbs had hold of her. Its flesh oozed with deadly poisons and the scent of death overwhelmed her senses. Upon its forehead glowed a red mark. “Eidolon!” she gasped. She had never seen such a creature, though the pack Elders would often speak of dark beings of ages past, roaming the land, performing sickening, evil acts at the command of the twisted will of their creators.

The Eidolon raised Aurora up high, crushing her ribs with its massive claws and roaring in defiance. She couldn’t breathe – her broken ribcage splintered and punctured her lungs - she was suffocating. As she started to lose consciousness, Aurora heard the unmistakeable sound of her mate, growling and snarling. The foul creature released its grip and she fell to the ground.

The Eidolon swung round to confront its attacker. Aurora gasped and fought to take a deep breathe, pain spreading throughout her body and blood rising into her mouth. Its claws had raked through her skin and she was bleeding heavily, but she could not stop – she must reach her cubs!

“Get up!” she hissed to herself. “Get up!” She heaved her body up off the ground and forced herself into action, the battle between her beloved Hunter and the Eidolon raging behind her. She was running to save her babies – nothing else mattered – nothing!

The cubs, who had been dozing in their den, had begun to feel cold. They were awakened by rising windstorm and unsure of what to do, had huddled together for security.

Then, through the wind, a sound they could not mistake – the warning howl of their father. They sat up, ears alert as they strained to listened for further instruction. Their eyes glowed in the dark as they attempted to focus on the direction that the Alpha’s voice had come from, but they dare not show themselves for fear of what may be out there.

Suddenly, they could hear a great roaring and their father’s growl echoed again across the hillside. Terrified by what they had just heard, the cubs cowered, hoping that whatever it was, would pass them by unnoticed. The freezing wind was raging and moaning, haunting and warning of the evil that had been unleashed.

From the top of the rocks where they hid, a familiar figure appeared in the darkness – “Mother!” For a moment, the cubs felt overwhelming relief, until they saw that she was hurt and bleeding.

Before they could react, she was nudging hard at her cubs, turfing them out of their comfortable den and into the perilous night. A gut wrenching, bone breaking crack permeated the wind and Aurora’s heart stopped.

Lightning streaks appeared across the sky and illuminated the hillside. Shielding her cubs with her body, Aurora turned to look back at her mate. The Eidolon stood tall upon its hind legs, arms outstretched, bellowing its rage, with Hunter’s crumpled body laid at its feet. She whimpered. She didn’t know if he was alive or dead and she was now the only hope of distracting that dreadful beast long enough for her cubs to get to safety.

Aurora turned back to her cubs and looked on them for what may be the last time. Her eyes filled with love. She bowed her head into her cubs, and they gathered around her, desperate for her touch and reassurance.

The Eidolon roared once more, with a deep menacing tone as it saw the cubs and started to lumber his way toward the den. The cubs were paralyzed. Lightning blazed across the sky once more, highlighting every detail of the beast and scarring the young minds of the cubs, like a wound that would never heal.

With all her strength, Aurora pulled herself together and barked at her cubs “Run!” she said. “Run as fast as you can – do not look back!” The cubs looked at her. They were so afraid. Afraid of the creature. Afraid of what had happened to their father. Afraid of being without their mother.

“Look after each other – I love you.” she whispered.

She disappeared across the rocks and the cubs were alone.

They started to scrabble across the rocks, slipping and falling in their haste to escape. The wind was so loud and the night so dark, that without realising, they scattered in different directions, separating from their siblings.

Wyld paused for breath, he looked back – just for a second – and realised he couldn’t see his brothers and sisters. He span around looking for any sign of them. To his horror, he saw the Eidolon standing on the ridge behind him, the familiar shape of his mother hanging lifeless in the gnarled claw of this dreadful being. All became still.

Wyld watched as his mother’s body started to shimmer. A beautiful green light rose from her chest, lingered for a moment, then faded – her spirit had crossed to the Remsha Shearie, the Realm Eternal – and all that was left, was the Servant of Darkness.

Stunned, the cub’s strength left his body and he trembled at what he had just witnessed. Wyld’s instincts took over. He turned and ran – anywhere – just away from where he was – and he headed towards trees at the boundary of the forest.

Ducking, weaving and tumbling over fallen branches and through shallow streams, the heartbroken wolf cub ran as he fled from the most harrowing experience of his young life.

He clambered through a huge bramble thorn and became stuck halfway through – the spines of the bush tearing his fur. He cried out as the painful barbs became embedded into his shoulder.

He struggled to free himself, to no avail. It didn’t take long before he began to tire and stopped struggling against the brambles. He looked around to see if there might be anyone – anything - who could come to his aid. He was desperate to see his siblings or even a kind stranger, but in his heart, he knew no one was there.

As he peered through the branches of the bush, Wyld’s eyes started to adjust to the deep darkness of the forest. He noticed faint glowing here and there - wild plants emanating pinks and greens and neon blues.

Wyld let out a deep sigh as he contemplated his predicament. Without warning, the branches beneath him cracked. Wyld froze for a moment. He closed his eyes and braced himself as he felt the branches give way. Wyld dropped like a stone, tumbling down the side of the hillock on the other side of the bramble, spilling into an ungainly heap and cracking his head on a big flat rock as he hit the bottom!

Everything was blurry. Wyld shook his head and blinked hard to try and clear his vision.

“Bwaarp”

What was that? He wondered.

“Bwaarp”

Wyld slowly lifted his head, so his eyes were level with the top of the rock. There, proudly glowing in spectacular colours, was an enormous toad. With every sound it made, its belly lit up – pink, then green, then yellow. Its warty back was bejewelled in bright blue spots and the red crest upon its head rose and fell with each call.

The young wolf had never seen anything like him – he was magnificent – even through the pain and confusion that Wyld was feeling. Wyld whimpered, trying to ask for help, but did not know how to speak Toad and any noise he made was clearly not appropriate. With an expression that can only be described as disapproval, the toad huffed, rolled his eyes, then turned and leapt out of sight, leaving Wyld alone in the dark once more.

The pain was becoming too much to bear. The tear on his shoulder was weeping profusely – he was losing blood and he felt dizzy from the bump to his head. As he lay shivering on his side he let out a plaintive cry. Finally, he passed into unconsciousness, wishing someone was there to help him, wishing his mother was with him, wishing he wasn’t alone.