The fog was thick tonight, creating an eerie atmosphere that seemed to make everyone on edge. I was at the bar, farthest stool from the door, with my favorite honey mead in hand listening to the chatter of everyone else around me in the inn, trying to follow a few conversations at once. I took a long swig from my mug before the innkeep came to me.

"You staying the night friend? Tis not a very good night to be travlin'." His eyes motioned to the windows that couldn't be seen out of.

I mulled my options for a moment, taking another sip. "I don't have enough coin for a night. Besides, I'm just passing through."

"Well, stay on the path if you're instant on traveling… They sometimes wander too close for comfort… Wouldn't want to find your bones in the morning." His eyes narrowed at me, but there was concern painted on his face as well.

"They? You mean bandits? Nothing I can't handle, honestly."

"Bandits? Ha!," he eyed me carefully. "Bandits are the least of your worries on nights like these. I'm talkin' 'bout Hell Beasts."

The chatter in the inn quieted for a moment as if no other conversation was as important as the one the innkeep was about to tell me.

"Aren't they just myths to keep children from misbehaving?"

Someone stood up and approached us, "I've seen one with my own eyes. They're ruthless killers, cursed, and soulless. They've got fangs as thick as your arm and are as big as a barn. The one I laid eyes on was as horrific as any demon. Glowing eyes and a lust for blood."

"How did you escape such a horrible monster?" my voice level.

"I had my pitchfork as I was in the field when it appeared. As it lunged at me I held it up and speared it, and ran. I couldn't describe the sound that it made as I gouged it, but I swear I could feel my life draining from my body. I still have nightmares about it…"

"Did you kill it?" I finished off my mead.

"Boy, I haven't gone back to that spot since." He eyed me like I was crazy.

The crops over in your field are probably long dead now. I thought a bit sourly. Not that I didn't believe him, but who's to say it wasn't a bear, or a wolf that attacked him that night? I was the type of fellow who wanted to see things with my own eyes, rather than follow rumor as superstition. There were enough fools and criers to go around, I didn't need to be swept up in the madness.

Not to upset him, lest I cause a scene, I responded with a kurt "I'll be careful out there." I pushed myself away from the bar, left a few coins on the counter for my drink and headed toward the door.

"Stay on the path!" He yelled at me before the door separated me from the rest of the inn. I pulled my coat a little tighter shut as I eyed left and right, gaining my bearings as to my destination. The fog was indeed thick, but I wasn't too far from my grandparent's house and I was confident I could make it there before long. I took one last glance at the inn, and then back down my chosen path.

"What a bunch of horse shit."

I had already been walking for a few hours, entering into a forest as the path meandered in betwixt the trees and shrubs that lined ether edge. The fog had not once lifted but it had cleared in a few spots allowing me to see a bit farther, I was glad that I had my hooded lantern to help pierce the darkness.

I mulled over my decision to leave my horse behind letting Gerald use him for his own tasks back home, claiming that he needed him more than I did, but a few hours alone and I was starting to miss the companionship. The only sounds I could hear were my own, as I walked into a void.

I came to a clearing and decided to make camp. Setting my lantern down so I could see what I was doing, I pulled a tinder box, and a small bundle of firewood from my satchel and began to build my fire.

The embers were such a welcome to my eyes, finally some light and a bit of warmth to stave off this ceaseless fog. I sighed as I cozied up to the flames pulling out a bit of jerky, and my bedroll. I was still about a half days journey from my grandparents and I pulled the letter out from my satchel to reread it once more.

Dear Arnold,

I hope that this letter comes to you in good health. Pookie and I are hunkering down for winter and hoped you could pay us a visit to help us before the cold weather finally sets in. It would really be great to see you again and I know Pookie would like someone else to talk to other than this old prune.

I'll keep this brief and get you caught up with how we've been doing when you arrive.

Grandpa

Grandpa's letters were usually a little more lengthy, but I didn't worry too much about it. He was right in that as soon as I received his letter I began to pack up and left soon after. My mind traveled back to how much shorter my journey would've been had I brought my horse, but I didn't want to burden Grandma and Grandpa with keeping him sheltered, and fed during my stay. Kind of one less thing I had to worry about.

I tucked the letter back into my satchel and closed my eyes, allowing the slow crackle of the fire to lull me into a dreamless sleep.

CRACK!

My eyes snapped open at the sound. My mind reeling as I tried to make sense of whether I was in danger or not. My fire had only just started to smolder so I couldn't've been asleep for very long.

KER-SNAP!

The sound of trees moaning as it sounded like they were being pushed started to fill the air. My breath hitched and I was rooted to my spot. I pulled out my dagger from its sheath from my side and steadied it close to my chest. I reached for my lantern and pointed it into the depths of the trees. That's when I saw it.

Beyond the clearing just a few yards away, there was a beast. Silver furred and as large as a house. Three sets of legs moved its hulking mass, I tried to get a good look at it's face, but it was moving away from me, deeper into the wood by its direction. What caught me most off guard, as if I couldn't be more shocked from the sight before me, was a train of people following this, thing. Children, adults, men, and women, maybe about fifteen or so all following one after the other.

"What in the hell?" I whispered as I watched the spectacle. They didn't speak and everyone followed in a neat and orderly fashion. Were they following of their own will? Were they under a spell? This was just too weird for me. But I figured if I wanted answers I needed to get them myself.

I sheathed my blade again, grabbed my lantern and ran into the wood before they got too far for me to see.

I couldn't believe my eyes though, as I approached closer, the trees were indeed bending out of the creatures way as it continued its path. The people trailing barely blinked and followed along. I began to get the feeling that they were indeed under a spell of sorts rather than free will. Do I save them? How? My brows furrowed as I tried to come up with a plan, but was interrupted as I saw in the distance a group with torches.

I closed my distance between the creature and the group of men hoping to get answers for this spectacle. When I was only a few yards out from either I hunkered down in a bush and made myself small.

"Martha! Come back to me!" One of the men cried out in desperation. "Please!"

The beast stopped dead in its tracks and looked towards the group of men.

"Martha! This isn't you! Please! I know you're in there! You don't have to keep doing this, I can find a way to bring you back! I can-" The beast roared at him, but didn't make any advances nor make any threatening movements.

The people behind the beast were still just as still as the trees, unphased by anything.

The men behind one one speaking to the beast grew restless. "Carlyle, give it up! Your wife is not in there. We need to kill this… this… thing before it kidnaps more of our kin!"

The beast roared once more and bared it's teeth. This time looking much more aggressive, but still not advancing.

"Shut up! She's still in there! She is! She-" He didn't get to finish before another man in the group loosed a crossbow bolt.

The beast roared with such a ferocity that I slapped my hands to my ears, in a moot attempt to muffle the noise. I watched in horror as it lunged toward the man who had struck first, it's maw easily wrapping around his body before I could hear the gnashing of bone, and the spilling of blood, his scream echoing the wood. The other men screamed as well, but their weapons drawn and lunging to avenge their fallen man. The only one missing was the one who was trying to reason with the beast, he took some very shaky steps back before his legs gave out in fear as he and I watched his squad try to kill the beast. However, one by one their numbers dwindled until the wood was silent again.

The beast approached Carlyle maw stained red and it's own wounds bleeding profusely. It's head low, but it's movements slow, methodical. It raised it's head to look him directly in the eye, and opened it's mouth slightly. A low, slow, hissing voice broke the silence.

"Mahrthah his nhot who hai ahm ahnymoreh." The beast limped a little as it turned from him. The trees moaned again as a path for the beast was willed before it, and it walked easily into the wood. The small group that had followed the beast suddenly snapped from their trance, most voicing their fears and confusion about being in the middle of the wood at night, but most stopped when the mess was seen. Screams and cries of confusion of what just happened, and everyone trying to make sense of it all. Myself included.

My heart ached to help these people, but what I just witnessed was so beyond what I was expecting. Hearing about these Hell Beasts and now, giving my best assumption, seeing one in the flesh brought a tidal wave of questions to my mind. How are these beasts cursed? Why? They were human before? What happened? Why was it leading people into the woods? Why didn't it just kill them like it did those men? What did it want? My mind reeled from these questions. The world seemed simple before, now witnessing this I'm even questioning my grasp on things I already knew.

This had to all be some crazy dream. I'm still in my bedroll on my way to Grandpa's, Yeah, that's it, that's… I paused. I had just witnessed a beast slaughter a group of men, and I was just gonna galavant in the woods some more? Not in this lifetime, I've seen enough craziness for one night.

I ran towards my camp, at least I thought it was… I was quickly turned around and panic started to set in. I flung my lantern wildly as I prayed to see anything that looked familiar as guidance to my makeshift camp. I didn't wander too far, how did this happen? The more that I wandered, the more the darkness felt heavy and my body started to feel odd. A panic attack? I chose a direction and ran but the weight felt heavier. I wanted to yell for help, but I couldn't coax the air from my lungs to cry out. My vision started to blur and I was sure I was about to faint, when my body connected with something. The sound of my own panic and my ears ringing instantly stopped and I was almost more surprised with the lack of any noise at all in the still forest than the sounds that filled me to the brim, not moments ago.

"Hey there, woah, woah… calm down, friend." My head shot up to look at the origin of the voice.

A man sat atop a horse (whom I had just crashed into) and he look down upon with eyes that were such a blue grey that they almost looked like steel bolts embedded in his skull. He smiled and I saw that his face was scarred, like having seen one too many battles. He was thin from what I could tell, the layers of coats and cloth bulked up his form. But the fabrics were finer and looked as if they were only being worn out for the first time. His horse was a statue, it didn't even adjust its footing as I slammed into it, nor turned to look at me. Was he a guard?

I gasped and whipped my head about myself to see I had managed to get myself back on the road. My chest heaved as my body relished in the wash of calm that came over me, knowing I wasn't alone, and knowing I was (presumably) out of harm's way.

He offered me a waterskin which I drank greedily from. I handed it back to him almost empty. "Sorry." My breaths were starting to steady but my apology spat out of my mouth.

"No harm, friend. What brings you into the wood? You know of the beasts that prowl here, yes?" his voice was soft and had almost a purr to it. My mind flashed to the moments before, and all I could remember was that dark, dark red spilling.

"I saw one…" I offered him.

"Even better that I found you then. Are you traveling?"

"To the Sunset Farm… My grandparents live there."

"Ah! The direction I'm heading too! Hop on, I'll take you." He offered me a hand that was just as scarred as his face.

"Oh, but I couldn't!" I put my hands up and took a slight step back. Why was I being so modest all of a sudden?

"Nonsense! I insist! Besides I could use the company." He flashed his teeth as he smiled. I couldn't help but notice how white and perfectly set in his jaw they were. That was almost more unsettling than his battle scarred flesh.

I mulled with this offer for a moment, and weighed that a horse would be faster than by foot, and after what I saw tonight, no way I would be getting any more sleep tonight. Bloody Hell.

"Just get me out of this wood…" I grabbed his hand to hoist myself on top of his horse.

He was silent as he flicked the reigns to get his horse moving again. I was too tired to notice at the time but his smile never faltered.

I awoke to the sun beaming in my face. I rolled away to shield my eyes and curled myself when my eyes snapped open to see that I was just outside my grandparents farm tucked in my bedroll, with my satchel. My eyes widened and I could feel my heart thump in my chest, trying to understand how I got here. I couldn't've been dreaming. There was no way I drept my entire night just to end up practically at my grandparent's doorstep, why wouldn't I have just gone in the house? I reeled for a moment, before I remembered.

That man… I mused to myself. He must have taken me all the way here. And somehow got my satchel? How did he know it was mine? I sat there befuddled. So last night wasn't a dream. My brows pulled so far forward that I sat there scowling. I couldn't make sense of anything anymore, and I suppose that was trying my patience more than anything. I scraped my nails across my scalp in frustration. It wasn't that I needed to know what was going on, a kind stranger, nothing wrong about that. But everything about last night had me so wound up, and I was no closer to understanding anything about anything.

I sighed; there was nothing that sitting here in my bedroll was going to solve. And I should be grateful I suppose that the stranger was kind enough to leave me here… But I felt so odd… I don't ever recall falling asleep. But after last night, maybe my mind was racing far too much to hear that my body was aching to sleep.

That was what I told myself anyway.

I packed away my bedroll away and looked towards my grandparents farm as the sun basked a warm inviting glow. My journey was over, and I couldn't help but smile warmly at the familiar home, last night sloughed off me and I was looking forward to seeing my grandparents and lose myself in their company.