Ethan approaches a stream, kneels, splashes his face, and brings a handful of water to his lips.
"I would do that if I were you. Not unless you want your bowels to rip apart." Benny speaks as he turns. Benny has been snoozing on a rock, with one eye open. He releases the water, stands and faces off with Benny, who offers his flask of mead. He reluctantly takes a sip, spits most of it out of his mouth, and hands it back. Benny smells something, walks a few steps, bends down, and examines a long brown pellet shaped object on the ground.
"What is it?" Ethan asks in disgust as he sees the pellet.
"A fumee."
"A what?"
"You want me to call it by another name?" He doesn't need to. It's an animal dropping. Ethan winces as he kneads it between his long fingers and takes a long sniff. He catches the look of fear in his eyes as he gazes around the woods.
"Stay here." Benny commands before moving away, through the trees as he tracks his prey. He hears the wind call his name.
"Benny." He stops and looks to an outcropping of rocks, surrounded by dense forest. From out behind a tree steps an apparition of his beloved wife, Sarah. She's beautiful.
"Sara?" She holds out her hand, "Am I dreaming?"
"Touch me and see for yourself." Benny shakes his head, looks around as he tries to fight it, but her face draws him back and he begins to walk toward the rocks.
"You weren't there to save me, Benny. I called for you, but you never came." Ethan appears behind and sees Benny walking towards a dark area where several sets of lupine eyes await. But Benny only sees Sarah and he continues to move towards her. She opens her arms to him and steps backwards, luring him.
"Where were you, Benny? Come to me now. Protect me now."
"Sarah, I'm so sorry. Forgive me, please forgive me. Give me peace. Sarah." He takes another step forward and buckles: THWACK! Ethan hits him from behind his knees with a piece of wood. He hits the ground and Ethan drags him away. Benny fights back and Ethan jumps on top of him, staring right into his face.
"She's not real! Not real! Do you hear me?" Ethan exclaimed and Benny nods as he calms down. Ethan gets off of him and sits up, fatigued by the experience. A low point for him. Benny reaches for his flask before pouring the last single drop into his mouth, all gone. He tosses it aside, a lost soul. Ethan watches him with some compassion. Benny catches his look, gets up, and walks away. Ethan soon catches up to him.
"Who is she? The one you bargained for. The one that spoke to you. Who is Sarah?"
"A name you'll not mention again." Benny tosses a knife to Ethan. He is surprised, but catches it.
"What?"
"Feel its weight. One hand to the other." Ethan shakes his head, but does so, "Now hold it, business end pointed at me."
"Why are you-?" Benny lunges at him and he raises the blade.
"Which is your lead foot?"
"What do you mean?" Ethan had never done combat before, therefore he was slightly confused. Benny jumps at him again and he puts his right foot forward, knife in right hand pointed. Benny starts to slowly move towards him, one step at a time.
"Now stay back. You're too small to attack. You have to parry, use your opponent's strength against him. Raise your opposing forearm." Ethan does as he comes closer, "With it you block and deflect an opposing thrust. You'll lose meat, but you won't die from it. Wait until I'm close." He moves closer with each sentence. Ethan ready to attack as he does so.
"Not yet. Watch my hands, not my eyes." He moves even closer.
"Not yet. Not until you can feel my breath." He moves right up to him, "Now." Their faces are inches apart. Ethan's face is red with blush and he tries to concentrate on what Benny is saying.
"This close. Drive it through me, to the hilt. Now look in my eyes." Ethan reluctantly does so, "Don't pull out 'til you see my soul." Their eyes are locked and Benny becomes slightly entranced by the beauty of Ethan's bright blue eyes.
"Why do I need to learn how to kill?"
"There's a lot you need to learn, lad." Benny says and backs away, "Keep that." Ethan nods, now focused on him in a way other than as an instructor. Benny turns and walks away.
"Where are you going?" He asks and Benny replies with one simple word.
"Fumee."
A single blossom flowers on the dying apple tree. Erica, looking weaker than before, stares at it quietly, as if she were gazing at Ethan, "Snow White". She reaches out and crushes the blossom in her hand, turning it to ash. Her look is one of conviction.
"Find her."
Jesse reacts as if he heard Erica's words. He did. They have that kind of connection. Spooked, he continues on. The other tracks follow, Rory looking tense. At the back of the group, one of the mercenaries slows down, sensing something in the forest. Rory is still watching Jesse when they hear a bloodcurdling cry behind them. The mercenary's horse gallops out of the trees without its rider, a gaping wound in its side. Rory and the others look shaken, but Jesse doesn't even turn around, riding on.
Benny pulls Ethan along. Beyond a bridge is an opening to outside of the forest and birds circling on the distant horizon. Ethan looks relieved as he follows Benny down a slope. They hurry through a sea of mist when suddenly, Benny stops.
"What is it?" Ethan asks, curiously.
"It can't be this easy." He quietly unsheathes a hatchet
"Is this the end of the Dark Forest?" Ethan asks as Benny looks around.
"Uh-huh." He says, not paying attention.
"How far to the Duke's castle?" Benny ignores, following tracks, then stops as he sees the stone bridge below, leading out of the Dark Forest. Ethan stares at it too, relieved. Beyond the bridge, there are fens. They hurry down together and start to cross the bridge. They're halfway across when suddenly, the stones start to move behind them, a pair of eyes open in the stone and slowly the bridge starts to rise. Ethan turns to see a huge creature rearing up twenty feet tall. It's not a bridge at all, but a:
"Troll!" Benny yells. They are slammed off the bridge and land in the shallow creek below, among the carcasses of slain animals. The troll roars and comes after them, swinging its giant stone fists. Benny grabs Ethan and runs. As the troll catches up with them, Benny shoves Ethan out of the way and draws his hatchets.
"Run!" Benny commanded as he looked at him. Ethan turned and flees. Benny runs at the Troll. He ducks as a mighty arm sweeps over him, darts between the Troll's legs, and hacks at its leg with his hatchets. The Troll falters a bit then a swinging stone fist catches him and hurls him across the creek. Ethan looks back to see Benny lying stunned on the ground, his wound bleeding again, at the Troll's mercy. He hesitates, still terrified, then runs back. The Troll towers over the huntsman. It raises its stone hands to crush him when Ethan arrives, screaming like a banshee. The troll looks around in surprise, so does Benny. Then the monster turns away from Benny, striding towards Ethan. He stands his ground, fighting his terror, pulling out his knife. The Troll looms over him, but he doesn't retreat. He raises an arm, just as Benny instructed. Benny stares in surprise, watching the twenty foot monster towering over the tiny boy. Ethan stares into the Troll's eyes, seeing something almost gently in its monstrous gaze, slowly losing his fear. The Troll stares at him too, confused, then slowly pacified until it finally turns and strides away. Benny stares in disbelief. Ethan is rooted to the spot, also confused, but strangely moved by what's happened. Benny rises to his feet painfully and heads over, taking Ethan by the arm.
"I told you to run." Benny said coldly before Ethan spoke.
"If I had, you'd be dead. A 'thank you' would suffice." He rips his arm from the huntsman grip. It's clear that Benny sees him in a different light. He stares back at Benny. Benny holds his gaze, struggling a bit before speaking softly.
"Thank you."
