The Ridder and the Wolves

I awoke in the morning to find the Lord and Lady standing over me. I rose from the ground. I had remained warm in the cold night by sleeping amongst the wolves. Their soft fur and warm bodies kept the frosted air at bay. Sitting before the Lord and Lady, I noticed that the Lord held folded leather in his mouth. The leather seemed to hold other objects as well. He gestured with his head for me to take the leather from him. I did and I unfolded the leather. It was a wolf skin cloak. The head of the wolf skin made a hood. Within the folded cloak were black leather armor and a sheath for my sword. I looked up at the Lord and Lady, not sure what I was supposed to do.

The Lord spoke, “wear this armor as you cleanse this world, wear this skin and you shall be one of us. All will fear, all will bow to you. All will respect Cathal, Prince of Wolves.”

So I obeyed. I tossed aside my clothes of my old life and dressed myself in the armor and cloak. I lifted my sword into the sky. Light, streaming through the forest canopy, hit the sharp silver surface of my sword, which sparkled with glory. I placed it in my sheath and lifted the hood over my head.

The Lady beckoned, “follow us and we shall lead you to your steed. There is a wild horse, which lives in a lake. He is a black stallion with fire in his eyes. His mother was a fierce mare, but a demon horse rapped her. He was born of malice. Anger permeates his being. No one has been able to tame him, and all who’ve tried have died, but it is said that the Prince of Wolves will tame the black stallion.”

They lead me to an opening. They looked up at me expectantly. I stepped forward into the opening. A cloud suffocated what light could fight through the thick canopy above. I strained to see. There was a murky lake, black as death. The ground was dry and desolate. No plants would venture toward the water. The trees dared not venture more than a yard from the water, their branches reach out over the lifeless expanse. I walked toward the lake and crouched at the water’s edge.

The Lord and Lady instructed, “call out his name, Teivel.”

“Teivel, show yourself,” I demanded.

The water remained calm, the forest was silent. I watched small ripples transverse the smooth surface of the lake. I gazed at my reflection. The wolf head hood cast a shadow over my face. Vicious teeth protruded from the top of the hood. The ears poised hostilely, yellow eyes glaring, the face was frozen in a permanent malicious grimace. I smiled. The air grew icy. My breath spilled from my lungs in white clouds.

With Hot bursting explosions, the lake shot up into the air. I jumped back. I heard a horrid scream of a horse. Full off destruction, the horse’s cry screeched through the forest. A massive black horse leapt from the depths of the water and landed directly in front of me. He bore a menacing black horn, protruding from his forehead.

Teivel snorted hot flames. He sneered and racked his hooves on the ground. He was irate because I disturbed his rest. I returned his affection with a sinister smile. The horse charged me. I quickly dashed to the side. Teivel stopped abruptly turned his head. Was moving away but, I was still in his range. He leaned forward, his hind legs lifted into the air. I could only gasp as his hooves slammed into my body. I heard my bones cracking. I slammed into the ground. When I landed I could see the chosen wolf convulsing on the floor. My vision dimmed. Pain tore through my body. I closed my eyes. I thought I was dead.

I felt spreading warmth. My chest burned. I opened my eyes. The chosen wolf stood over me. I took in a deep breath. I didn’t know how long I’d been out. I felt my chest, it was as if nothing happened. I struggled to stand. Slightly nauseous, I tried to understand what had happened. I should have died. My chest appeared to have healed unnaturally. I saw Teivel snorting at me. He was even more irate than before. He knew I had somehow survived when I shouldn’t have. Standing their I had a revelation, I was infused with the chosen wolf. I could not die if he was not dead. I drew upon his strength, upon his senses. I realized then that I could hear the heart of Teivel beating and smell the bitterness of his blood.

I laughed. Running forward. Teivel galloped toward me. I jumped in the air and slammed my elbow into his head. Teivel stumbled backwards. He shook his head and appeared surprised by the force. I kept smiling darkly. I was enthralled by the power coursing through my veins. The demon horse drove forward. His horn pierced my flesh and tore through my chest into my heart. I cried out in pain, and then laughed. I pounded his head with a hard fist. He fell to the ground. The wound healed quickly. Teivel struggled to stand. I grabbed his head and slammed my knee into his jaw. For a moment Teivel lay on the floor stunned. He stood once more. I encircled him. He followed me.

Charging me, he lifted his body over me. His front hooves flailed. I was knocked to the ground. Teivel drove his hove into my body. I growled. The horse pressured all his weight onto me. Forcefully I slammed his leg, hitting it off of me. I scrambled to my feet and run from underneath the horse. He pursued me. I run forward toward a tree. Running up the side of the tree, I pushed off as I reached the limit I could climb. Teivel strained to stop. I slammed my knee into his head. He fell to the ground. Grabbing his jaw I forced him to look into my eyes.

“Face it Teivel, we are equals. Neither will defeat the other. Let me ride you and together we shall rule these lands.”

The horse snorted, but it seemed to be complacent. I smiled and let him stand. For such a beast I would not ride him with a saddle. That would be diminutive. I climbed onto his back. I leaned forward and whispered into his ear. This horse I didn’t need to command, knew what needed to be done. I looked down to see the chosen wolf beside me.

“What is your name?”

His voice wasn’t omnipresent like the Lord and Lady, it was more of a whisper. “Cadogan.”

I nodded and then urged Teivel to ride on. The demon horse galloped through the forest. He broke through debris and trampled trees. In is path lay only destruction. The wolves followed us close behind. Together, the rider and the wolves, we emerged from the forest to the vast planes, where many separate tribes battled each other for power. These lands were never untied. Each tribe cared only for themselves. There was only one was to control all of it, conquer and destroy. The most powerful tribe resided not far from here. That is where I would begin my conquest. That is where the redemption of the world would begin.

I rode over the flat grassy planes. The grass died wherever Teivel touched the ground. The wolves moved silently beside us. They were unnaturally fast and had unusual endurance for wolves. I could see a gathering of tents. The people here were nomads, caring for herds. Animals were their life. Teival slowed to a stop as we reached a large ornate tent.

“Who is the chief!” I cried out.

A robust man exited the tent. He had a long dark beard and his dark skin was rough from the harsh environment of the plains. With cold black eyes he stared, hardly amused with me. I noticed he looked at Teival for quite some time. I think fear stirred within him, but he repressed it well. Dressed in elegant furs, he was clearly rich. “I am, what do you want,” he demanded.

“I give you one of two choices. Submit to me or suffer my wrath.”

The chief laughed, “you have no army!”

“You have chosen foolishly!” I drew my sword.

He ran back into his tent. Two guards, brandishing spears, stormed from the tent. They stabbed Teivel, who pulled away and began to gallop away from the tent. I lifted my sword and slashed at the guards. I severed the head of one. Teivel circled around. The other guard stood his ground. Teivel charged. The guard waited. As Teivel neared the guard thrust his spear forward. Teivel avoided the spear. I hit the spear aside and drove my sword into the guard’s head. Pulling my sword free, I noticed that the chief had run form his tent and had mounted a horse of his own. He rode toward us on a snowy white horse. He brandished a sword as well. I smiled. His army encircled us.

The wolves attacked the army. They ripped and tore at the horses necks and legs, effectively bring the cavalry to the ground, where the wolves picked them off if the horse had not crushed them in the fall. I locked eyes with the chief. He knew his defeat. More warriors would be coming. I wanted to stop any more blood shed.

“Now!” I cried to Teivel. The demon horse galloped forward. He jumped into the air. His horn impaled the chief through the head. Landing, Teivel swiveled his neck. The dead chief was thrown aside.

Warriors were quickly arriving. I called out to all. “Your chief is dead! I will lead you to victory! Follow me and you will reap the opulence of the rich, taste the luxury of the fat. Follow me to kingly pleasures. You have a choice follow me or die as your chief did!”

I watched them. I could see them studying me. One walked forward. “I will follow you!” Others stepped forward and yelled the same.

“Quick we must act fast! Round those who are not loyal followers. I will deal with them. I must know what we have and what we need. I will need someone who knows the lands well and can tell me of the other tribes here.”

I dismounted Teivel. A man tried to take the horse to the stable. “No, let him be. No one but me can touch Teivel. If another should then either Teivel will kill them or I will.” The man stepped away. I entered the chief’s tent. The wolves remained outside as my guards, except for Cadogan. He entered approached me. I leaned forward and brushed my fingers over his head.

“These people will make good warriors. Every able body man knows how to ride a horse and hunt. Each is trained in tactics to hunt, which when applied to battle can be very useful. At the moment I have their attention, but given time I will win their trust.”

That day men came in and out of my tent. I gathered information and planned. I would start with the planes. Once I had the planes in my clutches no standing society would be able to stop me. I would have a highly mobile army able to trample whatever lay in its path. I would be unstoppable.