"There's something lurking in the mountain, along the old trading path. No one knows where it leads. People explore it as a test of bravery, a foolish dare taken on in the drunken haze or during the testosterone pumped phase. Those who dare travel down the path disappear, while the few that find their way back are branded mad and soon forgotten. They say it's a spirit that patrols the road; that picks and chooses who comes and goes. An entity of the Old Norse who was left behind after the gods ran away. Their history became meaningless in the new age, and soon after turned into mere folklore to ease the children at night…"
Restless eyes stared up at the queen in awe. The child squirmed around in her mother's lap, waiting terrible for her to continue. As soon as her mother was about to begin, the princess couldn't help but interrupt, "Do you believe in the Old Norse, Mama?" Her majesty froze, unsure of what to say. The king didn't want his daughter to believe in such silly stories, but the queen knew better.
She smiled lovingly at the child and stroked her silky hair, "All tales hold some truth my dear." And with that she continued.
—
Another angry cry startled any wild life away. The princess was angry no—furious. Yet again she was running from the castle, from her overwhelming father. They've never been able to see eye to eye, not since the death of her mother. The more they fought, the deeper she found herself in the forest, where no one would hear her except the few critters that dared to come near.
Horas released a startled neigh and reared, sending the girl flying onto the rocky path. Anna gritted her teeth in pain, standing up just in time to see the frightened beast gallop back down the winding old road.
"Foal…" She grumbled as she dusted the dirt off her backside. The aggravated royal wasn't done running though, and blindly took off into the surrounding forest. By the time she rested, her head was clear and the light had dimmed exceptionally.
The sun was setting, slowly turning the soft shades of clouds into bold statements of blue, gold, and fuschia. As the heavens grew captivating, the earth below became dark and unclear. One long slew of black and murky blue that swayed only to the wind. But Anna could see the details. The silhouette of dark pines and tangled branches that framed her view of the sky. The thickets and stray rocks that littered the scenery. She stared in awe.
Anna was shaken from her thoughts as a tremor passed through the ground. Then another, and another, till a fast paced rhythm was established. She stood up quickly and looked around, her hand gripping the hilt of her sword, "What in God's name…" A thunderous warped sound echoed through the forest, sending chills down the royal's spine. It sounded much like the cattle in the countryside, but gravelly. She squinted in the direct of the source.
Another blaring sound pierced the air before a tree came crashing down. All Anna saw were two massive horns and a thrash of dirty white hair before she took off in the opposing direction. Adrenaline pumped through her veins as she carried her legs faster, the rhythmic tremors were following close behind. 'Christ I could really use some assistance right now!' Her eyes were burning with tears. The beast boomed behind her, Anna released a pent up scream as she ran harder.
The deeper she ran into the forest the more turns she took. The beast slowed down as the trees began to multiply, but the wood merely caved under its force. The distance between them was still growing, and so was her hope. But alas, her thoughts of vitality were killed by a stray root. Anna tripped and rolled down into a small clearing.
More trees toppled and another strangled bellow shook the forest leaves. Anna choked out a sob before stumbling to her feet, only to fall back down. She swore under her breath and gripped her ankle in pain.
Anna had curled into ball and began murmuring her final prayers. 'This is it? That's the plan, to die crying face first in the snow? My last words to my father were calling him a near sighted ass.'
The quakes became more violent as the stomping grew closer. The beast yowled again, its cry sounding incredibly strained. Crashing noises and sounds of snapping wood soon followed. Anna screwed her eyes shut and waited for the impending doom.
But it never came.
Another sound came, clearly made by the beast. A much higher pitch, but not as loud as it's war cry. It sounded oddly submissive.
Then another sound was registered, something even more foreign than the beast's. Like a sick man breathing heavily through a very thick helmet. Anna opened her eyes slowly, the color drained from her face completely as she tried terribly to gain some distance; only to yelp in pain and fall flat on her back.
The beast was huge, some strange cross breed between a bear and a musk ox. The long dirty hair covered its eyes and extended down the beast's humpback, forming a long flat tail. It was twice the size of any animal she's ever seen. Anna felt another scream coming on, until she noticed the metal plated boots and thick grey pants that separated them.
Her vision blurred as she sized up the new creature, she couldn't tell who or what it was. The only things that crossed her mind were stories. Bedtime tales of fleeting gods and forest spirits that lulled her to sleep once upon a time. It turned to face her, one hand placed atop the beast's head. Much like the scene, it's figure was almost a silhouette. Darkened and empowered by the aggressive sky behind it. The fleeting light reflected golden off its possessions. The bow, the armor, and the hilts of it's sheathed blades—but most importantly, it's face. A hunk of metal forever fixed in a menacing snarl. Not only did it catch the sun's rays, but the menacing glow of it's pale blue irises. A gust of frosted air escaped the through the creature's teeth.
The angel of death, Anna thought. An ice demon with a penchant for souls. Those were the most logical answers she could think of without fracturing her frail mind. Her vision grew dark as the creature drew closer, till the last thing she saw was the daunting blue eyes and the strands of silver that fell in front of them. 'Lord take me now.'