"Who is Morzan and what is the Forsworn?"
Selena's brow deepened and she looked surprised. "You can't possibly not know who they are", she said. "Everybody knows."
"Well I don't. I've never left this mountain range." Hefring replied, gesturing to the forest around him. "I don't know much of anything outside of this area. Master has told me some history of this land but nothing recent."
Selena sighed. She looked down at her hands as if she were examining them. "Maybe its best you don't know", she said in a hushed tone, "this world is not a kind one."
"Can you…?"
Selena replied abruptly, "No, it is not my place to determine what is best for you. Ignorance is sometimes a blessing and is sometimes a curse. This situation, well, I cannot tell which it is."
Hefring shifted his weight and analyzed the surroundings. The sun was directly overhead. Beams of light were shining sporadically through the canopies, illuminating patches of earth and plants on the forest floor. His gaze returned to the mysterious woman. "Why are you here?" he asked, quicker this time so he would not get cut off.
Selena sighed again. Hefring noticed a hint of sadness coming from her voice. "I am under orders from my master to investigate this area. We are searching for a certain place. Apparently you live in the place."
His master had guessed right. The soldiers were here for the magic in the cavern under the place they called home. He wondered how determined these people were to acquire what they came for.
"You will not achieve your goal" Hefring replied, his voice determined and steady, "We will kill you and all your men. We have to. If you leave you will just come back with more and more soldiers."
Selena laughed. It was a humorless laugh and it sounded fake and empty, but Hefring thought he saw a flicker of happiness glint from the woman's eyes. "You're a brave young man, you know. I wish there were more like you in the rest of this world. Willing to defend their honor, their homes and families. I am not here to kill innocent people but I can't say the same about my men. They thirst for action, for bloodshed. If they see you or your friends they will cut you down."
It was Hefring's turn to laugh. Selena looked surprised, perhaps even disturbed. "You laugh at death?" she asked. At that point Hefring realized the she couldn't have delved too deep into his mind. "Perhaps she was just determining if I was a threat" he thought. She had no idea about the capabilities of his "friends".
Suddenly Hefring heard several blood curdling screams coming from down the path, where he launched his ambush.
He looked down the path and saw movement.
"Do you see that?" he said. "Yes." Selena replied.
As the figure got closer it became apparent as to what it was. Hefring's heart quickened and for some reason he was relieved. He looked at Selena who had moved closer to him to get a better view of the path. She looked worried. She apparently knew what she was looking at as well.
The figure was a man. He was dressed in a mail cuirass with a red cross on the front, clinking as he ran. It was one of the soldiers from before. His arm was missing. Blood was gushing out of his wound, splashing the path as he ran. There where large, deep gashes along his stomach as well. Hefring could see the man clenching one of them with his good arm. He was trying to keep his innards from spilling out.
Hefring was surprised and impressed at the man. With those types of injuries, he should be dead or dying instead of running at a full sprint. "How is he not dead?" he muttered.
"I….I don't know. What in a shade's heart happened?" Selena muttered back as she watched the man slow down to a walk and then fall to his knees.
Hefring knew. He also knew all of Selena's questions would be answered soon enough.
Selena jerked forward as if forcing herself to move, and then took a couple steps in the direction of the man. Hefring bounded forward as well and caught hold of Selena's shoulder.
"I wouldn't do that" he said in warning tone.
"I have to…" Selena started to reply. Something interrupted her. There was a deep growling noise from down the path. So deep it seemed to echo in Hefring's body. "Here it comes" he thought out loud. He realized that he was grinning.
Suddenly a huge form bounded out of the forest. All they could see was its shoulders and head for it was too big to fit on the path. It was a wolf. Its coat was black. As black as the darkest night. The only apparent color on the animal came from the slivers of white surrounding its eyes and its mouth which was full of long white teeth at least a foot long each. Its shoulders were close to the lowest branches in the trees. At least thirty feet high.
The beast came to a stop at the path and hesitated as it looked down and stared at its prey. The man slowly tilted his head upwards and stared back into the wolf's eyes. He let out a heart wrenching, horrifying scream. Before the man could react further, the wolf tilted its head sideways, opened its jaws and gripped the man with its teeth, muffling the scream. It then jerked its head and shoulders, throwing the man violently through the forest. The man split where the wolf had gripped him with its teeth and the parts separated through the air. The section with the head collided with a tree. The impact was violent. Blood flew everywhere as the limbs dislocated from the body and flew in separate directions.
Hefring's gaze returned to the wolf. It was staring in his direction. It let out a loud howl, tilting its head backward, and then it bounded the opposite direction into the forest and was gone.
There was silence. Not even the sound of breathing could be heard. Hefring had been holding his breath and apparently so was Selena. He let out his breath with a loud whoosh and turned his gaze to the woman next to him. She was pale and was still staring towards the blood covered tree.
"Wh…what….was that….thing?" she said in a quaky voice.
"That" Hefring replied, "Was Ajax."