Lord of Nature

By the time evening came, Cyrus was sick of the rain. It poured all day, drenching the entire forest, and them in the process. Berrodin held the reins limply, staring blankly ahead. Neither of them spoke very much, drained of their energy by the rough weather, and constant scanning of the surrounding trees.

'Who knew the start of my journey would be so boring,' Cyrus thought. He reached under his tunic, and rubbed the tree on his pendant. Sighing, he leaned back, and glanced at Berrodin. "Where do you plan on stopping for the night?"

"There's a cave not far ahead, which most travelers use," Berrodin replied. He leaned back, and studied the darkening sky. "We've made better time than I thought we would. We should reach it within the hour."

"That's good," Cyrus said. He slumped against the back of the wagon, and surveyed the surrounding mountains. Their high peaks towered above the forest, layered with mossy cliffs, and tipped with white caps. "Say… How far does the mountain range go? It looked like it faded into the horizon when I first saw it."

"Did it?" Berrodin arched his brow. "I'm not surprised. The Urthenhoast Mountains span the entirety of the upper east continent. I believe it's the longest mountain range in Arkendol, followed by the Olven mountains, in the west-"

Berrodin stiffened, trailing off. Ahead, Starvhost flicked his ears back, and the bristles along his neck rose. Cyrus pulled back his hood, and scanned the trees, peering into the shifting shadows beyond. 

"What is it? Did you see something?" Cyrus asked. He grabbed an iron spoke, clenching it until his knuckles whitened.

Berrodin held a finger to his lips, and brought the wagon to a stop. Grabbing his lantern from its hook, he raised it to illuminate a path of hoof tracks, cutting across the road. 

"Those prints are fresh. Barely an hour old, I'd say," Berrodin said. He climbed down from the wagon, and patted Starvhost's shoulder. The donkey nickered as he knelt over the tracks with a heavy scowl. They were at least twice as large as his palm, and sunk deep into the mud. "Verrel wasn't joking when he said there was another beast out there. Hopefully, the rain will cover our scent, but I'm worried the corpse will draw the boar to it. They're known for their sense of smell, and that thing reeks."

"What should we do?" Cyrus asked

"Keep moving, and pray the winds don't change," Berrodin said. He hopped back onto the wagon, and snapped the reins. "If Osyras has mercy, we'll reach the cave before long, and we can hide there until morning."

"Will we be able to fit the wagon inside?" Cyrus asked, gripping the sides as the wagon bounced over rocks and bumps. On either side, the trees swept by, their leaves and branches intertwined, leaving only shadowy gaps behind. 

"No, but there's a small grove of trees nearby," Berrodin said. "We'll stash the wagon there, and cover the boar in-"

The wagon jerked to a stop, throwing Berrodin forward, and slamming Cyrus into the bench. He scrambled to his feet as the corpse slid towards him, slipping across the wet wood. The tarp caught on a loose board, freeing the boar's snout, and its tusks whisked past Cyrus's leg as he jumped out, and fell into the mud.

Berrodin hurried around the side, and helped Cyrus back to his feet. "Are you alright?"

Cyrus brushed a bit of the mud from his tunic. "I'll live for now. What happened?"

"It looks like one of the wheels caught on a rock," Berrodin said. He gestured towards the back. "Try pushing it while I have Starvhost pull. Hopefully, we'll be able to break free."

Cyrus nodded, and made his way around the wagon. Inside, the boar's tusks embedded into the back of Berrodin's bench, and inch deep. A shiver ran down his spine, and he shook his head, before grabbing the back. 

"Ready?"

"Ready."

Berrodin snapped the reins, and Starvhost let out a snort, plowing his hooves through the mud. Cyrus strained his muscles, pushing as much weight into the wagon as he could without slipping. Inch by inch, the wagon teetered forward, rising up and over the boulder wedged against it.

"We almost got it!" Berrodin said. "Just a bit more."

Cyrus frowned as Berrodin's voice faded, muffled by the rustling forest. Overhead, the trees swayed and shook, showering the ground with leaves and twigs. Through the noise, frantic whispers echoed in Cyrus's ears, desperate for his attention. 

He turned, eyes darting back and forth. A flicker of movement drew his attention through the bushes, and the blood drained from his face. A wild boar, hulking in size, stood at the top of the hill, its nostrils flared, while black tar dripped from its tusks. 

Pawing the ground, the beast sniffed the air, before its eyes narrowed in on them. With a snort, it lunged forward, its huge body rippling as it barreled down the slope. Each stomp of its hooves rumbled like thunder, while any branch in its way was snapped in two.

"Get down!" Cyrus shouted. He dashed to the front of the wagon, and grabbed Berrodin by his cloak, yanking him out of his seat. As they fell to the mud, the boar slammed into the wagon, shattering it in two.

Shards of wood and metal flew into the air, scattered as Starvhost reared back, snapping the wagon shaft in two. Braying, he bolted into the forest, the reins bouncing behind him. Cyrus scrambled back as a crate of nails crashed into the ground beside him, nearly taking off his arm.

He swore and whirled around. The wild boar stood amidst the remains of the wagon, pawing at the tattered tarp as blood and tar dripped from its maw. Despite having its back towards them, it towered over them, taller than a horse, with thick jagged tusks, and bloody eyes darker than coal.

Cyrus risked a glance at Berrodin. The old man laid frozen on the ground, his body trembling. He stared at the boar, his face as pale as snow. 

Cyrus crept over to him, doing his best to keep out of the boar's line of sight. "Can you get up?"

Berrodin turned to him, his mouth opening and shutting. Finally, he nodded, his arms shaking as he rose to his knees. 

"What are we going to do?"

Cyrus gestured towards the tree line. "We'll move while it's distracted. Get behind the trees, and make a run for the cave. Do you think you can still find it?"

Berrodin searched the woods, his wrinkles bunching up as he squinted. His eyes widened as he pointed towards an old gnarled maple tree, growing from around a rocky outcropping. "There. Behind that tree. I'm certain of it." 

Cyrus glanced over his shoulder. The boar tore the tarp away from the beast's corpse, revealing a clutter of stones and shards. As the rain pattered against the remains, the wild boar nudged the head with its snout, before letting out a guttural snort. It bared its tusks when it spotted Cyrus and Berrodin creeping away from the road.

Cyrus jumped to his feet, and hoisted Berrodin up. "It's seen us. We have to go. Now!"

They stumbled through the brush, the wet grass slick beneath their boots. Cyrus supported Berrodin as they slipped between the trees, using the narrow pathways to create some distance. Mud sprayed from the boar's hooves as it lunged after them, its tusks swinging wildly. 

"It's gaining on us," Cyrus said, ducking beneath a low branch. He swiped his wet hair away from his eyes, and scanned the trees. "Where are we going? I lost track of the maple."

"I-I'm not sure. Everything's turned around right now. I can't tell where we are," Berrodin said, gasping for breath. 

Cyrus clenched his fists, and pulled them around another tree. The branches blocked their way, clawing at their clothes, while thick vines tangled their path. Despite their efforts, the boar continued to find its way around the trees, snapping branches like twigs, while its fetid stench filled their nostrils. 

As they ducked away, Cyrus spotted the towering maple, its trunk hiding a narrow slit cut into the mountain. Jagged stones hung over the entrance, but the hole was just big enough for them to squeeze through. "There's the cave! Just a little further."

Berrodin let go of Cyrus and stumbled forward. "Halls of Osyras, we're going to make-" 

The old man was cut short as the boar charged out of the shadows, and slammed into his legs. His body went limp as he twisted through the air, before crashing back into the ground with a sickening crunch. 

Cyrus paled, scrambling over to the old man as the boar continued to plow forward, its hooves pawing at the mud as its own weight dragged it further down the slope. 

"Berrodin? Can you hear me?" Cyrus asked. He scooped the old man into his arms, and lifted him from the ground. 

"What are you doing?" Berrodin asked, wincing. "Leave me here, and get yourself to the cave. At this rate, I'll only slow you down, and we'll both end up dead."

"Quiet! I can't think with you shouting in my ear," Cyrus said, staggering forward. He ignored the old man's protests as the boar regained its footing, and spun to face them. A low growl rumbled from its throat, and it lowered its body, narrowing its beady eyes.

Adrenaline flooded Cyrus's veins as he pushed forward, drawing upon as much strength as he could. Ten meters remained between him and the cave. 

Then nine. 

Then eight. 

The boar rushed them, black tar bubbling at its mouth. Its tusks swung in a wide arc, carving through the air, as drops of water sprayed from the bristles down its back. It moved at a speed seemingly impossible for a creature its size, and the ground shook beneath its hooves. 

Five meters left.

Four.

Three.

Cyrus's boots sunk into the mud, slowing him down. Berrodin had gone silent now, his pale face streaked with rain and sweat. His wrinkles deepened as he peered over Cyrus's shoulders, watching the boar close in. 

Two meters.

One.

A rock protruded from the mud, catching on Cyrus's boot. He tripped, the forest spinning away as he stretched out his arms, and tossed Berrodin towards the mouth of the cave. The old man shouted his name, but he couldn't hear it over the pounding of his heart, and the call of the forest, thrashing its branches and leaves.

With one last surge of strength, he dragged his body between the roots of the maple, hoping to stare the boar down before he died. Its large body filled his view, a rippling red mass, with thick coarse hair, and broken rotted tusks. Even its bloodshot eyes filled him with fear, and so, he clenched his eyes shut, praying his death would be swift.

However, at that moment, a single word, soft as a woman's whisper, echoed through his mind.

'Awaken.'