War, Beasts, and Outer Gods: The Chronicles of Prana

Chapter 14: The Cold and the Guard (Part Two)

The night dragged on slowly, carrying with it a cold that seeped down to the bones. Faris remained vigilant atop the wall, observing the horizon blurred by fog. Around him, the torches continued to shine like scattered fireflies, a weak beacon of light amid the vast darkness. The wind howled between the battlements, dragging with it echoes of distant, strange sounds, as if the very wind carried the laments of the beasts lurking beyond the walls.

Suddenly, a deep, guttural sound shattered the tranquility, vibrating in the air. Faris strained his ears, tensing his body. It was not the wind. It was something else. Something alive. His senses, honed by years of watchfulness, warned him of what was coming before he could see it. A few seconds later, more sounds followed the first: growls, charges, and something much clearer: the crack of breaking branches.

Beasts

Faris moved quickly, heading for the signal horn, one of several installed along the walls. He took it in both hands and blew hard. The horn resonated with a deep, penetrating sound that spread throughout the fortress. A clear warning: something was coming.

The soldiers along the wall began to move. Faris saw others take positions, raising their heavy crossbows, ensuring the strings were well tightened. There were spears and shields piled near the battlements, but the crossbows were the first line of defense. The wall stood 20 meters high, an imposing and unnecessary structure if it were simply to repel humans. But it was not humans that lurked beyond the stones. It was the beasts, creatures whose size and ferocity surpassed the imaginable.

The first shadows began to emerge from the fog. They were no more than lesser fauna, but even so, each of these creatures was three times larger than a normal animal would be. Wolves the size of horses, wild boars whose tusks could pierce steel, and even stranger creatures, deformed by the evil and darkness enveloping those lands.

Faris wasted no time. He raised his crossbow, aiming with precision. He saw a gigantic wolf charging toward the wall, its paws kicking up the snow with each step, its eyes reflecting a wild glint. He loaded quickly, his breathing slow and controlled. Just as the wolf leaped, he fired. The steel bolt sliced through the air with a deadly hum, striking the creature's head. The wolf fell heavily, its enormous body sliding across the snow, lifeless.

Around him, the other soldiers were firing as well. The bolts flew through the air, tracing swift lines toward the beasts. Faris watched as three more fell before they could even reach the wall. The bolts embedded themselves in the furry bodies of the creatures, some of which let out heart-wrenching howls before collapsing, dead.

The battle seemed controlled, but Faris did not let his guard down. He knew this was only the beginning. There was always more. The lesser beasts were merely a distraction, a prelude to something truly dangerous. As the corpses of the animals lay in the snow, the sound of the wind changed. The air grew heavier, as if something gigantic was approaching—something that challenged the very atmosphere.

Then, he saw it.

In the distance, a shadow rose above the horizon, a gigantic shape emerging from the fog like a moving mountain. A wolf. But not just any wolf. This creature was at least ten meters tall, its fur as white as snow, blending into the landscape, making it appear as a natural extension of the terrain. However, its eyes shone with an unnatural intensity, two points of light standing out against the darkness.

The monster opened its enormous mouth and howled.

The sound was devastating, a sound wave so powerful that Faris felt it piercing his ears instantly. A sharp pain shot through him, and suddenly, his entire world was submerged in a high-pitched ringing, almost unbearable. He brought his hands to his ears, but it was of no use. The force of the howl paralyzed him, his body refusing to move. He felt an overwhelming weight on his shoulders, as if gravity itself had increased.

Around him, the other soldiers were motionless, their faces frozen in fear. Some trembled, unable to move, unable to react. The howl had not only shattered their eardrums but had penetrated their minds, sowing pure terror deep within their souls. Faris saw a young soldier to his left fall to his knees, his face pale and his eyes wide. Fear had consumed him completely.

Faris tried to breathe, but the air felt heavy, almost impossible to inhale. His heart raced in his chest, his body trembling uncontrollably. This was not a simple beast. This was a manifestation of terror itself.

As the giant wolf lingered in the distance, watching them as if it knew that fear was its most powerful weapon, Faris felt a trickle of blood begin to run down from his ears. The pain was unbearable. His entire being was paralyzed, his muscles quivering and his thoughts clouded. He had to move, he had to do something, but his body did not respond. Terror consumed him completely, until his vision began to fade.

The world around Faris became blurred. The last thing he saw before collapsing to the ground was the gigantic figure of the wolf, its white fur billowing in the wind, like a specter risen from the darkest nightmares. The howl echoed in his mind, resonating, repeating over and over, as his consciousness slowly faded.

The dizziness engulfed him, and then.

Only darkness remained.