Author's Notes: Hey everyone I hope you had a good 4th and enjoyed the last chapter and that you enjoy this one as well. As always I own nothing.
Where before the vast room had been empty it was now figures moved in the shadows. Karl had difficulty, even with his wolf eyes, piercing the deep gloom but his nose could not be fooled, he had smelled their kind before, ghouls! His growl awoke Wilhelmina who was alert in an instant, just then one of the creatures hit one of the wards and shrieked in agony as the magic tore at its body. As it continued to scream Wilhelmina threw more wood on the fire, causing it to flare up and illuminate more of the room. A pack of ghouls roamed the great hall, at least fifty strong.
For the most part they were naked or clad in faded rags. The bright light seemed to hurt their eyes and they fell back from the fire but not far and Karl was certain that it was only a matter of time before they rushed them. Karl cursed to himself, they had managed to trap themselves! The only exit that he knew of was the doors that they had come through and there were now a number of ghouls between them and it. Not that it would have really mattered, even if there was more ways in or out there were ghouls wherever he looked. If they stayed put they would be overwhelmed, if they tried to run they would get swarmed and pulled down, things definitely did not look good. Wilhelmina gathered her magic Karl flexed his muscles in preparation for the fight.
Just then Karl felt the air grow cold and the smell of magic grew stronger. Wilhelmina must have sensed it as well as her body went rigid and fear filled her eyes. The ghouls wailed in terror and fled, vanishing into the shadows and Karl did not blame them. His ears were now pressed against his head and the wolf was wailing, desperate to escape from this terrible place and run as far away as possible. Fighting to restrain the rising panic he cast his gaze around the room seeking its source, movement caught his eye and he whirled to face it and froze. Standing there was a figure wrapped in a black robe. Karl could make out no features except for the eyes. They were not human eyes, rather they were two points of green fire and they burned like two pools of endless hate and pain. The urge to flee grew so strong in Karl that he took an involuntary step back before he caught himself while beside him Wilhelmina whimpered in terror and was visibly trying to gather herself as well.
"A wraith!" She said, her voice barely louder than a whisper. The wraith halted just beyond the wards and stared at Karl and Wilhelmina for a moment, then at the wards which blocked its path and then it issued a shriek that tore at Karl's ears till he could stand it no longer and howled in agony as he pressed his clawed hands to his ears in an effort to block out the sound. At the cry the ghouls wailed in terror and charged forward. It seemed that their terror of the undead creature was greater than any fear that they might have for Karl and Wilhelmina and her wards. The first ones that hit the wards died screaming as the lethal wards felled them but the rest rushed passed them and lunged for the two intruders.
Karl struck out at the first ones to reach him. With his left hand he tore out the throat of one while his right took the head clean off of another. While they could not match him individually they could overwhelm him with numbers, while he fought those in front others came at him from behind. Karl staggered as two of them jumped onto his back and then he roared in pain as they tore at his back with their teeth and claws. His back burned from the venom in their claws and blood poured from his wounds and seeing his vulnerable situation the others lunged towards him, one lunged directly at his face and then went rigid as a sword came from the side to skewer its throat.
Wilhelmina freed her blade with a quick motion of her wrist while she cracked another over the head with her staff. While the ghouls pressed them too hard to give her time to use her magic she was proving quite adapt in other forms of combat. She lashed out with her sword, favoring short thrusts and quick slices to more powerful blows, while at the same time using her staff to keep opponents away from her flank. Soon half a dozen of the creatures lay dead at their feet and Karl and Wilhelmina stood with their backs to one another and the ghouls fell back.
Karl's only warning was an increase in the cold before the attack came. Suddenly Karl's body went rigid and he felt his body grow so cold he was sure his blood was freezing, all the strength left his body and he fell to the ground. The wraith glided past him towards Wilhelmina. Having heard Karl fall she turned as the creature closed with her. She swung her blade at it but her blade passed right through the one held by the wraith. Karl expected it to stab her as it had with him but instead it thrust its left arm forward and sank its non-corporeal hand into her chest. She dropped her weapons and screamed as her body went rigid then fell to the ground as the ghouls closed in.
"Ssstop." The wraith hissed, in a voice little more than a whisper yet chilled the blood to hear it, the creatures halted instantly. The wraith then turned its gaze towards Karl. "Yyoouu sshall sserve." It hiss at him. Karl found that his body was already starting to repair the damage that the wraith's attack had done to him and slowly climbed to his feet as he shifted back into his human form. Though his body was healing he found that he was still very weak and his breath came only in ragged gasps.
"What…do you…mean?" He gasped out.
"Wwhhatt I ssaid." It hissed at him and Karl could swear there was impatience in its voice. "I have a task for yyou to perfffform for me."
"Why should I do anything for you?" Karl demanded, though he suspected that he already knew the answer. A suspicion confirmed by the wraith's next words and actions. It reached down and ran spectral claws across Wilhelmina's cheek, she moaned weakly and tried to turn her head away but was unable to do so.
"Refussse me and sshe ssshalll die. And that ssshall only be the ssstart of her sssufferring." It thrust its hand into her chest again. Her scream was too much for Karl.
"All right, all right! I'll do whatever you want! Just stop!" Hissing in what Karl took to be mocking laughter it rose and stared full at him.
"Eassst of here there isss a ruined ssshrine, within isss sssomething I desire. Sssslay itsss guardian and I ssshalll realesss your massster. Failll…" It let its voice trail off into a silence that spoke volumes. Karl took one look at Wilhelmina and nodded. He headed towards the doors and the ghouls parted to let him pass.
Author's Notes: Hey everyone I hope you liked it. Things will undergo a twist next time and Karl will face a moral dilemma. Bye till then and please pray for all those who need prayer and may Jesus bless you all.