The sun had barely risen and yet he was already walking down a dirt track, with his back to the city. Julia had insisted that they get going early, very early. She was already beginning to get ahead of him, for the third time. Markus sighed as he started to jog to catch up. The chain mail rattled as he ran and his sword kept on hitting the side of his leg. At the end of this little adventure, Markus knew there would be a giant bruise there at the very least.
"You know, you could... you could slow down... a bit"
Julia turned to see Markus breathing heavily as he slowed back down to a walk behind her. He was red faced but still kept up a fast pace. But it wasn't fast enough. They only had a month to find the first 4 items! To add to that Julia could not think what she could take for the 5th.
"Something of great importance to me. Something with great importance, to ME." She repeated it over and over but still nothing came to her. She felt like it had to be some sort of trick or word play. It couldn't be as simple as 'This stone is really important to me' they would let the pass. She wished that they had got the enchanted forks. At least then they would of know what to look out for.
Julia was so involved in her own thoughts she didn't realise that they were lost until she walked headlong into a tree and fell on to her ass. She sat there for a couple of seconds trying to make sense of what happened before Markus caught up.
"You okay there? I swear I can see stars doing rings around your head!"
Julia looked at him and raised an eyebrow before taking her arms out of the bag straps and dragging it in front of herself. Markus watched as she rummaged through pulling out an assortment of things including food packs, tinder twigs and even some rope before finally pulling out a tatty folded piece of paper. He watched her unfold the map and start pouring over it, trying to figure out where they were.
"You got us lost already?" He asked as he sat down next to Julia. She didn't even bother to glare at him but Markus noticed her face twitch and knew what it meant. He burst out laughing although he abruptly stopped when a stone hit him square in the forehead.
"What? I mean, you've got to admit that it's funny!" There was a very distinct lack of a reply. "Well at very least it gives me a break. I'm exhausted already!"
The two sat there for a while, Julia scanning over there map and Markus just sprawled out over the ground. He was already regretting wearing the small amount of armour he was. The chain mail shirt was heavy enough but with extra weight of the metal plate over his shoulders arms and wrists was really beginning to weigh him down. About an hour past before Julia finally stood up. She kicked Markus in the side before instantly regretting it as her soft boot did nothing to cushion the force of her foot against his chain mail.
"There should be some sort of church on the edge of the woods over the next hill. Or at least I think there should be."
Julia waited for Markus to stand up and once again set off, although this time she was paying attention to the trees. The two kept walking into the forest, the tall trees offering them shade as the sun rose and little undergrowth to slow their progress through the forest.
As they walked around the base of the hill, the side of a small church could be seen. The church was quite small, you could only hold a small service, and made from cobblestone with a few oak beams and vines had grown over at least half of the building. Most the windows were clear except for one over the door, showing a sign of one of the many deities. There was a small graveyard surrounding the building with an old iron fence around the outside. There didn't seem to be any sign of someone being there recently.
The two kept walking towards it any way. You never know what spell might be in place to keep away those who seek to harm to destroy. Although it would seem odd for it to be protected in such away inside the tanit barrier. Either way they kept walking towards it, not really paying attention. Markus was staring at the ground whilst Julia was checking the map, which she had decided to keep in hand to try and avoid getting 'slightly misplaced' as she put it.
With that in mind, neither of them realised what was happening until it was on top of them. Or more specifically they were. Julia fell face first into the ground, whilst markus staggered forward. Both had a great weight on there back.
As he fumbled for his sword, Markus heard Julia yell in pain and anger before he heard the sound of teeth trying to bite the back of his neck. At the sound he realised that the armour probably was a good idea. Markus managed to grab hold of the handle however he couldn't pull the sword out with the weight on his back. He decided to fling himself to the the ground, back first.
There was a loud snapping noise as Markus hit the ground. It was soon followed by a howl of great pain. Markus got up and turned to see a wolf skeleton, with a now broken thigh bone, dragging itself back. He turned to see another wolf skeleton biting at the back of Julia's neck, and there was blood rushing down her and pooling on the ground. She tried to roll and get the creature off of herself but it proved too strong and kept her pinned to the ground, teeth dug in.
Markus dragged his sword out of its sheath. He had only ever practiced against dummies and his dad, who always won. He hoped he had learnt enough. He took a step forward. The wolf's teeth where already buried into Julia's back and neck, not enough time to remove them and attack. Markus swung the sword down towards the beast's neck.
It hit it right on the spine. There was a loud crack as the bone chipped away. Before Markus had time to react, the other wolf charged into his side, again knocking him off balance.
Releasing its grip on Julia the second wolf joined the first in attacking the man who hurt them. There bones creaked as they jumped at him again. Markus barely had time to react and swung his sword upwards. It hit the side of one of the beasts skulls but bounced off harmlessly. He just had time to swear before he fell onto the ground again. The teeth snapped at his arms and ears. He felt the warmth of his blood running down his skin before he felt the pain. He tried to push himself up but the combined weight of both creatures was too much.
This was it. He was going to die by bitten to death by a bunch of bones. Not the way he had pictured it. Not that he had pictured it that often mind you. Never wanted to think of what death would bring. One of the wolfs yelped as he felt ice forming on the chain mail covering his back. Out of the corner of his eye, Markus could see Julia. She stood in the middle of the blood pool, hand outstretched with palm facing forwards. The other clasped to the back of her neck, reducing the flow of blood.
The reduced weight on his back meant Markus could push against the other wolf. He swung his arm back in the vague hope to hit the creature, and to his surprise his fist made contact. There was another loud crack and the sound of splintered bone dancing on metal. The wolf staggered back, part of its jaw hanging off at an odd angle.
As Markus got to one knee he was lept on again. This time though, he managed to bring his sword up just in time as the teeth closed around. The two struggled to get the sword off the other but neither seemed to be giving it up.
The second wolf advanced slowly towards Julia. With its jaw shattered there was no way it was going to attempted to bite, that left it swiping with its paw. She had to calm herself down. Julia swore out loud, she just couldn't focus enough to remember the spells she had prepared earlier.
Swearing again, she flicked her wrist pushing her fingers outwards. As soon as she finished the movement 3 purple white bolts of energy flew towards the wolf. One of the energy bolts smashed though a few ribs, the next struck it square in the head and the last into its shoulder blade. The skeletal wolf slumped backwards.
Markus was panting. He had managed to ripe the blade from the wolf, removing several teeth as he did so. Now he was fending off each attack. The ice between its ribs was slowly thawing revealing the empty ribcage again. The wolf lurched forward again, Markus swung at it, however the skeleton managed to go under the blade and grabbed his foot. With a sharp tug and a flick of its head, Markus was again heading for the floor.
Suddenly the wolf was on top of him teeth at his throat. They came clamping down. Markus could feel the blood running out of his body now. This was it. The end. One flick of the wolf's head and his jugular was torn out. He closed his eyes and waited for the moment to happen.
The pressure around his throat suddenly disappeared as a howl of almighty pain echoed around the hills. Markus opened his eyes to see a half elf, tall with long flowing blond hair belowing out behind him, wearing white and blue robes standing above him. His hands where on the wolfs shoulders and were emitting a brilliant yellow and white glowing light.
As the light subsided the skeleton broke into pieces and and the man's hair fell back down to his shoulders. Markus felt his eyes closing. He tried to keep them open, to see more, thank the stranger but darkness engulfed his sight. Markus passed out as yet more blood flooded out of his body.