Den of the Dreadwolf

[Kalib]

Kalib had found this place some time ago. A beautiful grotto in the frigid snow covered lands close to the college within the realm of Winterhold. It deeply resembled that of the grotto Eldergleam resided in. The reason behind the resemblance was quite simple, Kalib wanted it that way. He worked tirelessly to forge the area into a suitable replica the Eldergleam grotto. He felt he needed to do so.

Kalib heard tales of the great work of nature while collecting a reward for bounty heads in Whiterun. He journeyed there with Slayer, and to his amazement found all manner of creature nesting within the sacred grotto. Even with all of the domesticated city dwellers there, Kalib still felt he was well in the wilds. That the ground was hallowed somehow. It reminded him of his own little corner of the wilds, or rather whatever area his clan claimed as their own whenever they settled into a place while resting from their nomadic journeys.

This brought Kalib a great amount of sadness, and a fair amount of anger to go with it. Eldergleam recognized the deep emotions dwelling within the shifting beast and took pity upon him. Bestowing unto Kalib a sapling of itself. Gifted with such an honor, Kalib took the initiative to forge a new grotto in the image of the old. A spriggan had even moved into the grotto to protect the sapling. The being tolerated Kalib and his wolf, but few others could enter without the creature's ill will falling upon them.

The reason he chose to make such a den in Winterhold, was because of Ava. An incredible mage he met by chance. She hired him to be her protection as she delved further into a crypt. Kalib of course agreed, as the money was good. But something out of the ordinary happened. Kalib started to care about her. For now he was content to watch over her from a distance. She didn't need it, but for some reason it made him feel good to know she was safe, and that he helped in that safety.

 

[Ava Raven]

On this particular day, the Dreadwolf was being hunted. Those within the bandit community had undoubtedly heard of him. After turning in a number of bounty heads, rumors would begin to circulate about a warrior whom traveled with a wolf as his companion. In these days, few did such a thing. Descriptions of the man would undoubtedly flow from one tavern to the next as guards would get drunk and exchange stories.

Traveling merchants and other criminal types that were laying low as best they could, would also tell such tales when they had the chance. This would undoubtedly make the hunter an enemy of the bandits. But what would catch the attention of a certain order, were tales of how the warrior would be struck, and soon heal from the wound.

Normally such a thing would get brushed off as restorative magics, save for the fact that no accounts of his attacks ever had a point where he called upon magic. This much would warrant an investigation The Vigil of Stendar. So a small grouping was sent to investigate, should there be more to the stories than spooked bandits making up lies to soften the blow of being put into custody.

To this end, both sides would have wanted to see him dead. Four monks from the vigil as well as four bandits had managed, through great pains, to track Kalib down. Using what information they had, they tracked the rumors to north. The rumors, as well as what they knew about a man traveling with a wolf.

That brought them to the den. It was an uneasy alliance, to be sure. But for the time being, the vigil would honor their alliance with the bandits. But all of the monks were sure that the bandits would betray them at the first chance. For now, they all eased into the den.

A mage has her hands burning as a point of preparation for the coming battle. The monks also employed weapons. A needed point to hunting werewolves and vampires. The bandits on the other hand, came armed with an Archer with poisoned arrows. Though a sharp shooter, the male archer walked with some of the most trepidation. He had tracked monsters before, but never anything smart enough to track him as well.

 

[Kalib]

He could smell the silver. The scent was abrasive, and burned harshly in his nostrils. A draft of wind carried their scents to his position, at the highest point of the grotto. Being that silver caused such an aggressive reaction when pitted against the natural healing and regenerative abilities of a werebeast, he was sure he couldn't be the only one to be able to smell it. Kalib turned his head to the side as he angrily huffed out a bit of air from his nostrils.

The fact that someone had brought silver here, meant that they knew what they were doing. Or at least thought they knew what they were doing. The crackle of the flames present on someone's hands told him they were also employing fire. It wasn't until he looked down at the group, that he saw whom he was dealing with, and the mage they brought.

Angered, he assured the spriggan that they weren't there to bring harm to the tree. The tree folk nodded and took rest close to the sacred object. Slayer growled and took to the prowl as Kalib did the same. The wolf stalked down one side, while the wolf man stalked down the other. Both of his swords were in hand as he used his natural predator's grace, coupled with the muffling enchantment on his boots to move quietly from one shadow to another.

That in itself was the reasoning behind his black attire. Slayer reached a point off and to one side of the group, and growled loudly to get their attention as he padded closer to them. If, and when, they turned to observe the lupine creature set before them, Kalib would strike. With almost inhuman speed and grace, he'd lash out with his twinned swords and attempt to cut at their heads, more specifically their throats, before leaping ten feet into the air onto another level of the grotto and concealing himself.

If the diversionary tactic had worked, then Slayer would wait until all of the attention was on the leaping Kalib, and then attack himself. Leaping and pouncing onto an unsuspecting enemy in an attempt to bring them down to bite and claw the vital points of the neck and face of the being he was attacking.

 

[General Charles Xander]

This is very good. I highly advise you guys to continue! You have a talent for this. Utilize it. I look forward to the next post!

 

[Ava Raven]

And with that tactic, three went down. Two of the bandits found their throats cut open and cleaved almost to the vertebra as they fell to their knees and then fall lifelessly on their faces. Slayer managed to take down one of the vigil monks. Viciously mauling the dead man's throat and tearing it out before the archer of the bandits took aim at the ice wolf. A single arrow was strung and then released in an attempt to pierce the wolf's flesh, and hopefully make the creature meet its end.

But as the two bandits were falling from the lethal blows they received, the female monk would take aim at Kalib. Sending off a firebolt, and then another, just before he took to the air. She continued her attack, relentlessly as one hand and then the other flew back from the recoil of each fire blast. If the archer was successful, then he would take up another arrow and carefully aim where he saw Kalib land, and await for the being to show his face again.

The one other bandit that had come was beginning to become unnerved by it all, having witnessed two friends taken from him in the blink of an eye. The two men from the vigil began to separate and look for ways to climb up to the level that Kalib was on. Now convinced that he was a werewolf after witnessing his speed and power. The Archer moved with one of the men, and signaled for the frightened bandit to move with the other, to offer aid and cover for one another as the woman stood her ground and would cover the angle left to her. Her hands still flickering and aglow with dancing flames.

 

[Kalib]

The impact more than anything would be what would cause the damage. Kalib's clothing would be soaked in a flame retardant potion. A little trick he picked up from a few other hunters. For all of lack of ability in combat skills, some of these other hunters were pretty crafty. He'd have to thank the guy that gave him the idea. Well if he hadn't eaten the guy.

As quickly as the heat came was as quickly as it left, when he was struck by the few firebolts that actually hit him. The sting of those wounds would fade with haste, but the wound that would sting the most was when Slayer was shot with an arrow. His yelp of pain rung in Kalib's ears like a gong right next to him. Rage, pure and unbridled, swelled up inside of him, and then burst out.

The Change almost happened on its own, but somehow Kalib managed to get the anger under control enough to not let his inner beast take over. But he would howl in Rage. Power welled up from both sets of vocal chords and rang out from behind an upper and lower set of canine fangs. Unrelenting Force directed at the five remaining beings that were still there. It was an effort to literally blow them all away and give himself some time to coordinate a proper counter assault.

 

[Ava Raven]

The five remaining warriors were blown away, each sent tumbling in their own direction. With any luck the fact that they were all separated would work out to their advantage. Even with the degree of speed the Dreadwolf possessed all it took was either the archer or the female mage to get in there and end the scuffle.

The archer was none the worse for ware. Kalib had shown himself when he released his howl. If he were still present at his point of attack, the archer would release two poisoned arrows. The female monk would be retaliating in a different manor. She would use her arcane abilities as an extension of her will to shape and form a creature that would hopefully match the Dreadwolf's ability. Her hands gave off almost a define light as intense focus gave form to what was originally thought. The light shone brighter in a flash before her will manifest itself. In a form of frost atronach, the hawking bruit should have been more then a compatible match physically for Kalib. All the while the bandit and the other two monks were looking for openings of their own to attack.

 

[Kalib]

"plops."

He'd growl as he knocked one of the arrows away. The other sliced a line across his right cheek, and allowed blood to flow freely from the wound. He wasn't all that concerned with the arrow wound, however, due to his powers of regeneration. The frost atronach did concern him though. For him to fight so many, he couldn't be caught up in a brawl with the summoned creature. His first course of action had to be, getting the others out of the way.

 

[hershangames]

Suddenly, the whole grotto was filled with darkness and silence. The springan stood up and got ready to fight. A few slow but unpaused steps could be heard in the middle of the battle, and then silence returned. The only one who didn't react was the atronach, who used the astonishment of Kalib to throw him a fire bolt.
Kalib moved, in an attempt to dodge, but the bolt was too fast. And then, a shadow crossed the room with unparalleled speed and catched the fire bolt in mid air.
Hershan stood there, with his face covered by his hood's shadow and the fire bolt slowly consuming in his hand.

Sent from my XT1032 using Tapatalk