Lightning flickered in the darkened sky, heralding the fleeing girl's dash from the pack of savage wolves that persuade her. Sharp branches tore at her already tattered clothes, drawing blood. Desperately dodging trees, she finally made it to a clearing, arrowing toward the lone tree that stood in the center, not bothering to study its twisted frame. Tripping on an upraised root, the girl slammed into the trunk painfully, hearing the snarls of the closing beasts. One grabbed her ankle and was pulling her back when something struck it, making the wolf yelp. Narrowing her eyes, the girl saw that it was a very thin root waving in the air, surrounded by others of different sizes.
"HYAAA!"
A large black mass rocketed above the cowering girl, landing in front of the animals. Pawing the ground, the ebony horse snorted, its rider casting the hungry wolves an icy glare. When one inched closer, ears flat against its skull, the man growled lowly, unsheathing a massive sword. In response to a silent command, the tree whipped a huge root from the soil and crushed the wolf, its blood spreading. Some splattered the girl, which gained the remaining beasts' attention. Lunging, they were mere feet from her when a fiery line grazed them, severing their heads. Retching, she stiffened as the horse's rider dismounted, striding in her direction. Back pressed to the trunk, she tried to make herself smaller, brown eyes wide in fear. "Pleas, don't kill me!" Finally, it clicked in her mind: this was the infamous Hessian Horseman.
"I have known nothing else for a long time, girl," the Horseman said, revealing filed teeth. Poising his sword to swipe, he suddenly paused, blue gaze thoughtful. "Where are your parents? Killed by those wretched wolves?" Noting the girl's slight nod, the Hessian lowered his weapon until its tip rested on the ground. Slowly kneeling, he peered into her eyes, a kindling of sadness in his own. "The moment you touched the Tree of the Dead, I felt the pain of your loss. At first, I was going to slay you, but now...I pity you. Go, before I change my mind and drag you with me to Hell."
Crying softly, the girl ran, too afraid to look back, instead hearing the Tree creaking to signify the Hessian Horseman had indeed returned to Hell.