Chapter 48 - Xiana

Antrandis and Snowshadow ran through the ruined town, stopping in the shadows, watching the walls of fire partition off the town square and crossroads. As they had made their way along the main road, they had seen in the distance what looked like a child, raising his arms, fire spitting from his eyes just before another set of flames sprang up into a barrier. The wolves circled, whining, staying back out of reach of the flames that stopped their progress. Occasionally one would try to jump through only to be met with a dull booming sound and a flash of fiery light.

Antrandis and Snowshadow looked at each other in amazement, firstly the explosion over the river, now the whole middle of town walled off.

“This is a child doing this? Yes?” Snowshadow asked in mild concern.

Antrandis nodded in silent amusement, he glanced about, “Have you seen the gryphon?”

Snowshadow shook her head as more dull explosions could be heard from within the walls of flame. She twitched her nose.

“All this fire is,” she stopped, looking around suddenly, “Antrandis, over here, one of the black ones.”

They both melted into the long shadows being thrown by the fires, Antrandis quickly leaping up and onto a crumbling wall, waiting as a few black wolves loped past. Another alone, further behind, passed under him, Antrandis dropped down from the wall, sinking his fangs into the back of its neck, landing on it, bearing it to the ground and cracking its spine.

“My love, too quick, you didn’t even have time to question it!” he felt in his mind, looking at Snowshadow seeing her amused expression.

He rolled its limp form over, inspecting it.

“Try not to get too much on you, or you can sleep outside tonight.” came the words with a snicker as she came in closer.

Her eyes narrowed, “This is a…” she paused, looking at the corpse, “Is this a were-wolf?”

“Not in the traditional sense. Dark magic, like a curse, or,” Antrandis went quiet for a moment as more thundering sounds pealed out in the background, “Groumagand, the bastard. Somehow, he is here. He would not be here by chance, and he could not get here that quickly.”

Snowshadow turned, eyeing him, “Groumagand, here? No, maybe on the other side of the river, but not here in the battle.”

Antrandis nodded with a look, “He plays it easy, catch and convert enough wolves, send them in and reap the rewards of what they bite. He is safe, but nearby.”

Snowshadow looked into his eyes, the light from the fires reflecting in their depths,“What happens if one of his bites the children?”

Antrandis looked toward the confagaration, “I am not sure, considering how powerful they are. I would prefer not to take any chances.”

They both looked up as the walls of fire blocking off the square suddenly lowered and died down, no longer being fuelled. Yelps and barks grew as the wolves charged into the square. They both broke into a run and slowed before the square, watching the milling wolves as they started to shed off and run among the buildings, the path blocked by an alley full of fire.

Snowshadow stopped, watching as a black wolf was suddenly thrown out of the flame, limply tumbling, with what looked like a thick spear of ice sticking out of its chest. She narrowed her eyes as a few wolves passed within her view, moving slowly and as if they were observing.

“My love? Did you see them?”

Antrandis glanced at her, following her gaze. His eyes narrowed as he took a step forwards.

“The three, the dire wolf and her escorts. From this morning.” Snowshadow continued.

Antrandis took another step forward, “You don’t recognise her?” he said, his ears pulling back tight against his head, a growl rumbling in his throat.

Snowshadow looked at him and back to the dire wolf as she walked, one of her escorts breaking into a run towards the river. She glanced at Antrandis again, he was preparing to run, his eyes looking to the ragged edges of buildings and crumbling rooflines, quickly plotted his approach. A sinking feeling grew in her.

“Xiana? What is she… Groumangand.” she quickly looked at Antrandis, “The bastard and her are working together?” she said in disbelief.

Antrandis watched the dire wolf and her escort following the path of the first, loping out of sight, “Try to head off the children, they will come out near the old mill, I will take Xiana.” he said before taking a few quick steps and leaping up and onto a crumbling wall, disappearing from sight.

Jumping to the next wall he looked down, spotting a flash of white and grey while Snowshadow ran down an alley and shot across the next thoroughfare, heading for the old mill. He resumed his advance, his large paws soaking up the loose and eroded tops of the walls while he ran, bounding across laneways and narrow alleys as wolves roamed them below. Across the main road leading from the square, intense firelight lit the sky from one of the alleys behind a building. He stopped, watching from above. The dire wolf was below, standing in the doorway across the way.

From the corner of his eye, he noticed Snowshadow down the end of the road, tackling another black wolf, her large claws flashing out, opening up its side. Leaving it dying on the road before she blended back into the shadows. A sudden loud howl rang out, that of the dire wolf, strong and commanding. Antrandis leapt from the wall, his paws hitting the middle of the road throwing up a puff of dust before launching off. He twisted himself in mid-flight, his paws settling softly on the exposed broad walls of the town hall as his legs absorbed the landing.

His stormy blue eyes glowed with silvered embers as he took stock of the situation within its walls. She stood there, teeth bared, blood dripping from her maw, standing on the shattered body of the slain. Her eyes were on the children. A boy and girl of similar age, both blue eyed, black haired and elven. Ice was forming on the wall behind the girl who looked a hellish sight, doused in blood. The boy’s eyes suddenly ignited with flame, the arms of his robes burnt back to the elbows as his hands started to flame threateningly.

Hind legs tensioned, he launched himself aggressively down, colliding heavily into the side of the dire wolf with a sickening thud, sending them both rolling. Trading blows and snapping at each other, she tried to back away from him, the breath knocked out of her. The densely muscled snow leopard easily out maneuvered her in the tighter quarters. Despite her size over other wolves he was still larger and more flexible. Unlike a natural cat, he was drastically more powerful, out powering her more than ten to one, regardless of her own unnatural and augmented strength. She stood in front of him, snarling, he had her back to a wall. She watched over his shoulder to see the children slipping out through the alleyway they had entered from. As the green webbing in her eyes flared a poisonous green he shifted to block off the exit. She knew she was beaten, and lucky to be still standing, not once had he used his claws.

Antrandis watched her with narrowed eyes; she stopped baring her fangs, the snarling abating. He stepped back, giving her space. She nodded to him, bowing her head in supplication. Before she had even raised her head, he transformed, standing in front of her. He gestured to her.

“Come Xiana, I did not expect to find you out here.” he glanced at the grey and white wolf that remained on the street, watching from the doorway.

He looked back and she stood before him, trying unsuccessfully to stretch after transforming. She pressed a slender hand against her side, wincing while breathing deeply. Her deep and glossy umber hair hung in disarray, the rich brown and green webbed depths of her eyes glaring at him. Her pale fine-featured face was twisted in an expression of aggravation.

“Antrandis, how sly of you, taking me out by surprise. You are stooping to new lows.” she said with a confident smirk, crossing her arms, taking care to keep her hands away from the hilts of her daggers.

“Why are you here Xiana? What do these children mean to you?” Antrandis asked.

“I see you are skipping the pleasantries.” she said, hurridly glanced at the grey and white wolf laying broken against the wall, a faint whine coming from it.

A tense expression came to her face as she heard faint growling coming from the door.

“Damn it. Rolf, stand down. Submit. This fight we can’t win.”

A young man, not yet twenty came in to view, his hair grey and shaggy, his features broad. He wore only leather pants. He looked to Antrandis, bowing and then to Xiana uncertainly. He nodded and turned, kneeling, placing his hands in full view behind his neck.

“You have him well trained.” remarked Antrandis sarcastically, following Xiana’s quick glance.

“Rolf, is she your mate?” he asked calmly.

He looked at the she-wolf crumpled against the wall, a soft wheezing coming from her while the puddle of blood steadily grew. Her fur growing dark as the bite from Groumagand’s diseased started to spread. The grey haired man nodded silently, his hands still behind his neck.

Antrandis frowned in understanding, “See to her.”

Xiana looked at Antrandis, nodding in thanks, a flicker in her eye, “No, I can’t chance it. Rolf, heel.” she said in a tight voice, walking past Antrandis and over to the she wolf, Rolf following closely at her right side.

She crouched over the she-wolf, speaking softly, “Do you see, she is... Say your goodbyes to her.”

Rolf nodded and dropped to all fours, his body shifting back to that of a wolf, whining, rubbing his nose against his mate’s. Xiana knelt beside them, reaching out her slender hands, and rubbing the dying wolf between the ears. Comforting her, looking into her eyes, a hand on either side of her head.

Xiana spoke softly, “Goodbye Celes.” and with a swift jerk and twist she snapped the wolf’s neck.

Rolf let out a howl, whimpering as Xiana watched the black fading from the dead wolf’s fur, her body rapidly shifting to that of a strangely attractive young woman with broad features, her hair also of greys and whites, her neck badly torn.

Xiana patted Rolf’s back, as he stood as a wolf, licking Celes’s face. Turning aside, she stood and faced Antrandis. Unflinching, she looked at him, angry impatience in her eyes.

“You could have halted it, Xiana. Healed her even.” he said.

She looked at him with a sharp glare, “Celes was born a Were, as was Rolf. A straight wolf, or elf, dwarf or heaven forbids, a pestilent human I could have done so. That bastard’s poison affects Weres differently.”

A dull thunder cracked the night air, Xiana glanced to the door, “While we stand here wasting time flapping our lips, I assume your pet is keeping track of them?”

“Call off your wolves, Xiana.”

She shook her head, “I wish; the children’s explosion destroyed that possibility. After that conflagration in the square, I can no longer call them mine. At best, Rolf and I can; no, I can put down more of that bastard Groumagand’s diseased slaves.”

She heard a rough bark from Rolf, she looked at him, “Rolf, we just lost Celes. I don’t feel like losing you to him as well. You can try and redirect the wolves, stay clear of the black ones. Antrandis and I will take on that bastard’s disease. Go.”

Antrandis looked at her curiously, “Are you not going to run as soon as I turn my back? Surely you are here for some unsavoury business, or just passing through.”

Xiana fixed Antrandis with a withering stare as Rolf ran past and out the door, “I am not going anywhere. If it makes you more comfortable you can tie me up later, I will happily drink an elixir of truth and answer all your questions. As outlandish as the thought is, I am in the area to seek an audience with you, my enemy, at whatever the cost. Not to chase some random children around the forest.”

Shadow of the Eclipse: Chapter Timeline

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