Fable Dark: Red Riding Hood

Red Riding Hood sits under a tall, beautifully green tree, its dangling branches sway in the wind and the grass rolls over the hill. The sea of green is suddenly interrupted as Red comes to. Her dream, a serene world, it no longer exists. The lush, green grass turns brown and decays as the marvelous oak becomes an eerie willow. Red awakens from her slumber. It is late winter. A cold breeze graces the hill. Looking down on the rest of the forest from the hill, Red can see all of the decaying trees before her. In the distance there is a great mountain range. It was once a glorious sight but is now the location of much despair. The howl of the most ferocious forest dweller can be heard echoing, roaring over the forest. "The wolf is early today," Red says to herself. She pulls her hood over her head and ties it so that it tightens. She then lifts her basket. The ocean of clouds blocks out the sun on this cold winter day as Red marches towards the edge of the woods. Sticking out from her basket is the handle of what appears to be a large blade. She begins to speak to herself. "Rule Number Three-Sleep in the open. The Wolves don't like the open." Red steps into the woods and over a fallen tree trunk. Her breath appears as an icy mist before her face. "Rule Number Two,' she continues, "Carry a weapon forged of silver. The Wolves don't like Silver." She walks along a narrow pathway in the woods then stops. There is a fork in the road but this isn't at all why she's not moving. She knows the way. She's stopped for a different reason. "Rule Number One", she says. Quickly, she grabs the handle of her blade and pulls it from her basket, swinging it around in a circular motion as a silent murderer, a Crawl Wolf, lunges from the bushes. The blade meets its mark and cuts its throat then follows through, back into the basket, the blood of the beast falling to the ground, one drop landing on Red's hand. "If ever you bleed, clean it up quickly. The Wolves are attracted to the smell of blood." She licks the blood from her hand as if it were her own then proceeds through the forest alone.

Some ways through the forest, Red comes to a house. The windows are shattered and the front door is caved in. She walks in. There are dried blood stains on the blinds and rugs, all over the room. In one corner is the corpse of a recently deceased wolf. Red disregards its existance and marches to a back room. Inside is a bed. On the wall are several pictures of Red as a small girl, back when her basket was filled with goodies rather than deadly weapons. A loud thud is suddenly heard from the kitchen. Red holds one hand on her blade and walks inside. From behind the counter emerges an elderly woman. "Grandma, what are you doing back here? It isn't safe, you should go. Retreat to the hills. It's the only safe place."

"Oh, Red, I know but I left my cookbook here. What use will the ingredients be without recipes to use them in?"

"What good will the food be if you're the one eaten?"

Red and her grandmother, a short woman with thinning, white hair, exchange cold glares. Suddenly there is a loud snarl. "Red, what was that, dear?"

Red holds one hand on her blade and pulls her grandmother behind her by the wrist. In the kitchen, there is a gaping hole in the wall. It looked to be the result of a fierce battle. A wolf then leaps in through this hole, foaming at the mouth. Red holds her blade with both hands and pulls it from her basket. The blade spontaneously bursts into flames as Red swings it around, throwing the wolf back behind the kitchen table. The wolf, now severely burned and injured, gets up and wimpers away. "Grandma, get to the hills. We'll talk when I get back."

"Where are you going, Red? You aren't going to go find him again, are you?"

"That wolf is responsible for everything. I know it in my gut. It's the reason for all of this."

"He almost killed you last time, dear. I won't allow you to take that risk again."

Red looks back at her grandmother from the corner of her eye. "There's a key word, Grandma: Almost. I'm going and you can't stop me. Don't treat me like a kid. I can take care of myself. Now, I'll be on my way. You'd better be at the camp in the hills when I get back. Otherwise, I might have to tell Lumberjack you left the refuge again." Red then steps out of the hole in the wall and proceeds through the forest.

The cold warzone of the forest harbors more negative memories for Red than any adolescent mind should ever endure. The cries of battle have been absorbed by the trees, most of which are clawed viciously or leaning to the side. This section of the forest is widely known where Red comes from. It had been entitled Ground-0 as this was the very first place anyone had encountered the beast. Red will forever remember the day she encountered it. She'd bee warned never to go so deep into the forest when she was young. In her ignorance, she refused to listen and went on anyway out of curiosity. That's when she came to face the beast itself; The Wolf. This was a wolf unlike any other. It was massive and stood on its hind legs. Its body strongly resembled that of a human male but covered from head to toe in thick, black fur. Its head was that of a snarling wolf with teeth protruding from its mouth. That was just short of ten years ago and that same wolf was still out there in that very forest. Red remembers, all too well, the horrors of that day.

Red was only seven years old. Her parents had asked her to deliver some ingredients to her grandmother in her forest home. Red was cheerful and eager back then. But she was also rebellious and ever searching for adventure. Her parents warned her once and only once not to go too deep into the forest. Red, of course, didn't listen. She wandered in too far and met the wolf at that same site. It immediately attacked her, barking and slobbering like a rabid dog. She ran, with all of her speed, she ran through the forest. Finally, she came to her Grandmother's house. The Wolf pursued her even that far, slamming into every tree on the way.

She made her way inside and stopped in awe. Her Grandmother had heard her cries and rushed to the foyer. She saw the hulking beast as it approached. Ducking down, it stepped through the seven foot high doorway. It must have stood a good nine feet tall. As the wolf cornered the two a prepared to devour them, it was struck in the back. It let out a cry of pain as it turned to the side, revealing the wood chopping axe in its back. Then it dropped to the ground. There stood a tall and thick man, looming over it. "You saved my grandaughter and myself, thank you," Red's grandmother said to the man.

The would forever be one of the most life changing moments in Red's memory. She walks through Ground-0, unafraid of what may result from her presence. One hand on her blade, she marches. The wolves could attack at any moment but Red knows that the wolf she seeks isn't of the regular breed. It wouldn't be where those considered animals were. This wolf was no animal, it was a monster. She can feel its presence even as she knows it isn't near. It was truly a dynamic force.

Suddenly there came a weaker presence. But it isn't simply one. There are many. Wolves, an entire pack of them attack Red. She first ducks then draws her blade. Stabbing the blade into the ground, she closes her eyes and focuses. Very suddenly the blade bursts into flames and the ground around it explodes, throwing the wolves all around as Red back-flips, landing on her feet. "Troublesome, to say the most," Red mumbles. She sticks the blade back into the ground as she runs toward a charging wolf then jumps and releases the handle, kicking the wolf in the face and throwing it into a tree. "You're all just annoying me."

The eldest of the wolves, small with grey fur, stands weakly and looks to Red. It signals to the others and retreats, soon followed by the others. Red takes up her blade and stows it away in her basket. They wouldn't leave because of me. She turns around but sees nothing. Only a small fox stands in her gaze. It curiously holds a pipe in its mouth, however, as if it were human. Around its neck, a collar with the enscription Crook. The fox tilts its head as Red approaches it. Then it runs off when she extends her hand. "That little fox made them leave?"

Red pursues the fox deep into the forest until she loses sight of it. By now Red is far too deep in the forest to turn back. Around here she sees nothing but tall trees. The canopy is too dense for the sun to peak through so it's dark. She looks around with what visibility she has and spots the fox on a rock not far away. She walks in its direction but it lunges at her too suddenly for even her to retaliate. Grabbing hold of her hood, it pulls down, blinding her. Then it leaps from her head and trips her up, forcing her to fall to her knees. When she removes the hood from over her eyes, she finds herself staring at a peculiarly carved rock, sitting in the grass. "That mark is the same as," she begins. She reaches into her basket and removes her blade.

The stone markings respond to those on Red's blade by lighting up a flaming red. Suddenly the canopy of treetops above Red parts, allowing the sunlight to shine in, bringing Red's attention to the ancient tree before her. The fox sits next to the tree and looks up to it. Red stands up and replaces her blade in the basket. "What's this tree going to help anything?"

As Red holds her hand up to the tree, a branch quickly wraps around her wrist then extends along her arm until it makes contact with the girl's forehead. As this happens, Red suddenly retreats into her mind, her eyes glazed over with a glassy stare. The fox stands then leaps up onto one of the tree limbs, its tail hanging down, swinging like a pendulum.

Within Red's mind there is a lush, green field The trees aren't eerie or dead. They are alive and full, leaves as green as they could be. Smaller animals and birds chatter about. But the sky suddenly begins to crack like glass and rains down the pieces from above, revealing an eerie void that pulls in all of the land Red once knew. Red stands alone in darkness until, suddenly, the tree appears before her in her thoughts. "What's going on?" She asks, looking around for her basket and blade.

"It will do you no good, Little Red," says an ominous voice from the edges of limbo. "Your Blade of Immolation doesn't exist in this astral plane."

"Who said that?"

Two strange female figures peak out from behind the tree. They look as though they are a part of the tree itself. Their skin is a peculiar green-ish color. One has dark blue hair, the other, burning red. Leaves and vines cover their bodies. "We are the spirit of this forest," says one of them. "We are its very soul," says the other.

"Yeah, that's a nice tale and all but I'm more concerned with why I'm here."

The two spirits extend their bodies from the tree and hover around Red, staring her in the face. "This one is quite rude. It seems almost unfair that someone such as this has been given a blade," says one of the spirits. "This is very much true," says the other. The two spirits touch one another and fuse together into one. Red's basket and blade appear in her hands.

"What's going on?" Red places one hand, comfortably, on her blade's handle.

"Waste no time, Little Red Riding Hood. That weapon has no use against the forest...not in your hands."

"Stop calling me little", Red says, anger in her voice.

The spirit holds out its hand. "Little Red Riding Hood, there was once a time when you were worth of such a weapon. But now, the forest acknowledges your ignorance and crudeness, as well as your rebellious nature. It is especially during these dark times that the forest recquires one who has the utmost honor. You are unworthy and will be stripped of your power." The blade suddenly flies from Red's hand and into that of the spirit's. The spirit then lodges the blade into the tree and places a form of arcane seal. "Prove yourself worthy, Little Red Riding Hood, and you shall have your power restored."

Red's eyes grow wide as the spirit fades away into her mind. As she comes to, she sees that the blade is, indeed, lodged in the tree's bark. She hastily grabs the handle and pulls with all of her might but it doesn't move an inch. "No, no, no!" Red complains. The fox tilts its head as she has a tantrum over the loss of her blade. "How can I beat that wolf without it?" The fox leaps down from the tree and sits next to Red as she sinks down to her knees. "How am I supposed to 'prove myself' if I can't beat the wolf?" The fox leaps around the tree for a second and returns with a blade in its mouth. It drops it before Red, who looks down at the unbearably plain blade before her and turns away, almost in disgust. "I don't suppose you would know how to get to the hills, would you?"

The fox adjusts its head then twitches its ears. It looks curiously at Red then takes off. Red watches it as it leaves but when it stops and looks back at her, she stands. "So I guess you do, then?" She looks back at the small blade on the ground and picks it up then stares at the tree. "I'll be back for it eventually." Then she and the fox wander off into the forest with high hopes of finding the hills one way or the other.

Red sleeps in the cold winter night, her back against a tree with her hood pulled down over her eyes. The fox lies, curled up, in her lap. It didn't sleep. No, it sat with one eye opened to watch for danger. Meanwhile, Red's eyes vigorously twitch in her sleep. Her dreams had always been vivid but now they were more than that. They bordered real.

Red envisions herself nearly a year ago. She'd been on her way home from her grandmother's house when the sky suddenly grew dark. The clouds became an eerie redish color as the sound of thunder roared over the horizon as if passing through the skies. Suddenly the land was struck by a force so powerful that nothing could stand against it. The winds began to blow, most gusts pulling fully matured and healthy trees from their roots. Lightning struck all around, so much so that it seemed to be raining fire. Brilliant yet terrifying flashes of white and yellow where everywhere Red turned her head. Rain poured down so hard that it felt as though the sky were firing arrows down onto anyone unlucky enough to be out and about with no protection. Then came the catastrophe that gave the event its name of The Great Apocalypse. The very land began to shatter, ripping apart entirely. The massive quakes left gaping holes and craters in the ground.

Red was making an attempt to run home in the wake of this disaster. She'd thought it was a hurricane but it couldn't have been. There was no eye to this storm. She'd made her way to town without the ground swallowing her whole but she wasn't not safe yet. She'd seen her parents but they couldn't see her. She tried with all of her might to reach them but just as she got close, the ground fell from beneath her feet. She clung onto the edge of the fissure for dear life as she tried to make her way back up. But the damp ground slid from her grasp and she tumbled down into an elaborate chasm, screaming the entire way. Meanwhile, her parents had discovered her and witnessed her fall but couldn't reach her in time. They sat and cried for their precious child until the catastrophe claimed them as well. The violent winds had managed to weaken the fence i someone's yard. Each picket flew through the air at incredible speed, unknown to the grieving parents and eventually, several had impaled them.

When Red came to, all was calm. The earth wasn't shaking and it wasn't raining or galing. She'd fallen into an underground cavern. It was old and filled with the water from the rain. She could feel that her arm was broken from the fall and her ankle was injured as well. Also, she was covered in bruises and scrapes. Suddenly a bright glow lit the cavern. Then a heatwave swept through. Red weakly opened her eyes to find it before her. The blade of crimson flame stood in the ground, glowing with radiant flames.

Red stood, only to fall back to her knees. But she was overcome by one of the strongest desires of her life. The sword gave her a feeling of hope and a drive. It gave her the will to keep moving. She stood again, this time toughing out the pain of her injuries and limped as best she could before falling in front of the blade. Turning herself on her side, she reached for it and grabbed the handle. The swords glow warmed the girl from the inside out. She felt as if a burden had been removed from her shoulders. But the sword spontaneously burst into the flames and a heavenly light consumed the cavern.

Red awakens, all of this having only been a flashback hidden in a dream. She exhales tiredly as she sees the fox resting beside her now. "So what's your name, anyway?" She says to no one. Noticing the collar, she gently turns it around the fox's neck while it sleeps. "Well, I don't know if that's your name or not but I guess I'll be calling you Crook from now on." She looks up through the canopy of the trees, to the stars overhead as they twinkle her sweet wishes for the morn.

The very next morning, Crook awakens Red. He stands on her stomach with his forelegs and pushes down. When she awakens, she stands and looks to Crook. The peculiar fox puffs smoke rings from the pipe in its mouth, staring at her. "What?" Red asks impatiently. Crook turns his head and eyes the blade on the ground. 'What, you can't be serious? I can't do anything with that useless piece of steel." Crook stares at the blade for a moment then proceeds to stare at her. The awkward moment continues for many moments until Red's undying impatience compels her to pick up the blade and stow it away in her basket. "Alright, let's go. You probably know this forest better than I do."

Crook continues to stare at Red for another minute or so before giving a great puff of smoke and turning to lead her through the forest and back to the hills. As they leave, a strange man steps out from behind a tree. He is tall and wears professional military clothing, similar to that of a knight's but with less plating. A wide grin spreads across his face as wild eyes flare in the sun. He turns around after watching the two leave and walks in the opposite direction.

Meanwhile, Red and Crook roam through the forest. Crook suddenly stops and looks around anxiously. He looks back at Red who holds her hand on the blade. A rustling can be heard from the bushes. Crook backs up as Red draws part of the blade and a wolf lunges. It attacks Red first but Red cleverly ducks, forcing it to hit its head on the tree behind her. Soon another leaps from the bushes, and another. Red and Crook find themselves surrounded by angry wolves, the eldest of which is the same grey wolf from before. That very wolf circles the two as the others stand, growling and snarling. "This could be a bad thing," Red says sarcastically.

The Wolves all prepare to attack when, suddenly, a ferocious growl echoes, bouncing from tree to tree. Red's eyes light up as she hears it. She steps back, shaking her head. From the bushes emerges a hulking arm, covered in black fur. "No," Red mutters to herself. That arm snatches up one of the wolves. The wolves all turn their attention as the taken one whimpers. Out from the bushes emerges Red's Wolf, standing on its hind legs as she remembered and just as massive. "No!" The Wolf leaps from the bushes entirely and shoves a tree down as if it were a toothpick standing on its end. It proceeds to cut through the animals with its knife-like claws. But it stops when it sees red and slowly approaches her, looking down on the top of the crimson cowl as if it were a bountiful meal. Red breathes heavily as it observes her. As it draws near, opening its jaws, it stops and gives a great roar. It turns to the side, revealing an axe in its back. "Lumberjack?" Red questions to herself.

"Come on, that axe won't distract it all day!"

Red and Crook run past the goliath as it struggles to remove the axe from its back. As they run through the forest, Red looks back, seeing it disappear farther and farther from view until it's entirely out of sight. "I let it go again." As they disappear into the dense woods, the wolf manages to pull the axe from its back. The wound suddenly heals as if it'd never been there. Recognizing the fact that it's lost its prey, it seeks no more satisfaction after the slaughter it's delivered and leaves, disappearing into the trees. However, the eldest one, the one of grey fur, opens its eyes as the behemoth leaves and runs off silently in the opposite direction.

Meanwhile, the military character cuts through a bush, taking his first step into the center of the forest. There stands the ancient tree and the Immolation Blade protruding from it. As he approaches, he reaches out for it, only to have his hand swatted away by branches. The spirits appear from within the tree, once more in their split form. "You should not be here", one of them says.

"Only those worthy of the Immolation Blade's power may be here", says the other.

The military figure takes one step forward with a hand on his own blade. "Oh, I believe myself very worthy of the Immolation Blade. Would you care to test me?" He lunges forward and the branches of the tree attack him. He steps to the left, the right, he ducks, he jumps. His feets move with a rhythm and his grace allows him to slip through as if as thin as paper But once he grabs the handle of the Immolation Blade and pulls, he realizes the true problem. The blade won't move one bit. "What? What type of trick is this?!"

"You have a black soul," says one of the spirits.

"A corrupt mind," says the other.

The two spirits merge together into one entity and point to the soldier. "You are not worhty of the Immolation Blade's power."

The soldier stands idle for all of a minute before he begins to laugh. "I expected no less. You know, I usually mock such legends as these but this one was very much intriguing. The two of you are the mind and soul of this forest. The ancient tree represents the body of it. None of you can exist if the other is destroyed. How very unfortunate for you."

"Why do you say this?"

"Because I don't care", the soldier responds, snapping his fingers.

The ground begins to tremble. Suddenly, from the woods, emerge military machine after military machine. They knock over trees and flatten bushes until they reach the center. The two spirits endure some form of physical pain from the destruction of the plants around them as they split apart and drop to the ground. "If I can't earn the Immolation Blade the noble way, then I'll simply have to cheat," the soldier says, leaping back on top of one of the machines. "Mobilize! I want this tree all wrapped up and ready for Christmas!" Several machines begin to do their jobs. Certain machines shoot at the ground around the tree, weakening the roots. the next machines fire high pressure water which causes the tree to tilt. Cables are tied to the tree which is then loaded onto another machine. "Goodbye, Forest. It was from this very spot that our land was forged and I shall make certain that it is the very same spot from which our land will be reborn!"

The spirits awaken to find the ancient tree gone and their power fading. They stand with what little energy they have and run to a large oak tree standing in the forest, absorbing its essence. "Help. Must send for help", one of them says.

"There are few who can help us now", says the other.

"The forest feels the pain as well. The man will use the blade cruely. The man will bring the flames. Nearest help, hear the forest's cry. It needs your help." The wind blows eerily and leaves rustles, flying through the forest as if carrying the message in thin air.

Having been led back to town successfully by Lumberjack, Red awkwardly sits inside with her grandmother. A steaming hot cup of tea sits on the table before her. The awkward silence in the room is soon broken when Red's granmother sips her tea. Crook wags his tail around and stares at the tea before Red then looks up to her. Redd looks down on him as if it'd pained her to even exist. Nevertheless, she looks away, rolling her eyes, a reaction that Crook openly takes as acceptence before getting her upper body onto the table and drinking from the cup. "So, Red," her grandmother begins, "Who is this, exactly?"

"I call him Crook. It's the name on his collar. I met him in the woods after..." Red refused to finish her statement.

"What kind of animal smokes a pipe?"

Red glances at her grandmother from the corner of her eye. "I don't think he's actually smoking it, grandma. I haven't seen him light it once. It might just be full of something that makes it seem like smoke but, then again, I could be wrong."

Lumberjack steps into the room and sits down beside Red's grandmother. "You realize how unacceptable this is. You recklessly went into the forest after that behemoth as if it'd be easy even though it nearly killed you before. You dropped your blade, didn't think to stay out of wolf territory, and you may have led all of those animals out there, not to mention that monster, thinking we'll be back in there soon. They'll be on the prowl, stalking anything that moves in those woods."

Red looks down, a rare expression of guilt on her face. Her eyelids hand and her mouth grows small. Her posture, too changes. She turns and leaves the cabin as the Lumberjack sits down again, shaking his head. Crook glances at the two senior citizens and backs down from the tea. He then turns and runs outside after Red. She stands in the cold night, staring at the scars. Her hood remains inside. The familiar howl of her enemy eerily rolls over the trees and the hills. She looks up and sees the half moon and turns around.

Suddenly a cold breeze flows by. It runs down Red's back, sending a frigid chill up her spine. The breeze swirlds and collects leaves until it's got enough to create a solid figure. The body of leaves resembles that of a woman but with the voice of the forest spirits, both of them. "Please, you must help the forest. It cries. Can you hear it weep? It aches. The pain is too much to endure."

At the sight of this strange entity, Red steps back out of paranoia. Crook trots to the side of the spirit and sits, staring at Red. "What are you talking about?" She asks, skeptically. "You took the blade away from me. How can I have caused anything bad to happen?"

"No, the forest does not recognize you as the guilty one. But it does recognize you as one capable of saving it", the spirits say through this temporry body of leaves.

"So the legends of the forest are true," says the voice of the Lumberjack. He steps out of the cabin, arms crossed. "I must admit, I had my doubts. So then, I take in the girl's story doesn't quite check out."

The spirits turn to the Lumberjack as Red steps back. Crook tilts his head as they observe him. "...No, no the tale she's told is not true. But her reason stands. She did not think you would believe her tale. Rest assured, now that you know th truth of the spirits' existance, the story stands. No doubt you've been through troubling times since the Great Apocalypse."

"Aye, more troubling than one can imagine, what with the wolves and all. Living in the hills isn't easy but it's better than those who chose to live in the mountains, desert, and wasteland."

"That is true for now but soon, very soon, it won't matter where anyone lives. The Blade has been stolen. The Girl was deemed unworthy of the blade's power by the forest. It was taken and infused with the Ancient Tree. Shortly after her leave, the blade was stolen along with the tree. The tree is the body of the forest. Without it, niether heart nor mind may survive. The tree remains in tact, wherever it may be. However, the forest fears that the man who stole it will attempt to reach the blade and destroy the tree in the process. If the tree is destroyed, the forest will be no more. The man who did it, he was a man of the military forces. He and his followers attacked without warning in war machines", the spirits explain.

The wolf howls again as the wind blows, somewhat interfering with the spirits' messenger form. They reassemble the leaves and look over the trees in the distance. "That monster's growing restless. He'll be on the prowl in the forest soon enough," says the Lumberjack. "Tell me, you said soon it won't matter where we go. You think they might finally get the nerve to come out here?"

"If the forest dies, then so does the power that places the fear of the outside world into those that would otherwise bring harm to you", the spirits explains.

"Then let's go get my blade back and stop this from happening", Red insists.

"You do not understand. What makes this such a challenge is that there is no way to be sure where you are bound. You will face great dangers and without the blade, you are far more vulnerable. You will also have to change on your journey. You must prove yourself worthy of the Immolation Blade or the entire trek will be for naught."

Red looks down into the grass with a sincere look about her. The Lumberjack acknowledges and turns to walk inside. Looking over his shoulder, he sees the spirits' messenger as it begins to fade. "If you're all that weak then you shouldn't be wasting what energy you have on this message. If the girl wants, we'll come and meet you at the center of the forest."

"Unfortunately, that will not come to pass. The physical link has been weakened. There was only one option left. You must come to the farthest end of the forest. That is where the physical link is strongest now that the tree has left. But move with all haste, should you decide to come, as it has been forseen you will. The forest grows weaker with every passing moment that it is without the tree."

Red looks away. Never before had she been asked to go far into the woods, let alone reach the other side. She'd never even thought about it. Her only concern with the forest has always been to locate and kill that wolf. Now without the blade, her chances were far more slim. But she would still brave the forest. Her fear had nullified itself. She would hunt that wolf down anywhere. "I'll go," she says. Then she walks inside, disappearing around the wall of the cabin. All is quiet for a moment. The Lumberjack and Crook both look to the doorway with great anticipation. Then the familar crimson cowl emerges from inside. "If it means I can bring some order back to this hole, then I'll do it."

"Please come quickly or it will be too late. If the physical link dies, the forest is defenseless", the spirits say as they disappear, the leaves all dropping to the ground or blowing away.

The Lumberjack walks inside past Red. Crook trots in after him and looks back to her. She stares over the forest, waiting. The wolf howls one last time and she smiles. "The next time I see you, I'm killing you. You can count on it", she says as she walks inside, the train of her hood flowing behind her.

Inside, the Lumberjack sits down on his cot, shaking his head. Red and her grandmother follow him to the room with Crook not far behind. The room is dark and the only light is provided by three candles. "We'll leave first thing tomorrow morning. We'll go further down the refuge and borrow a few cows to take us through in a wagon. Get some sleep now or we'll be dead first thing on day one."

"I was listening," says Red's Grandmother. "Things are in awful bad shape, aren't they?"

"Aye, they are. Let's pray we can set things straight."

Red awakens in the wagon the next morning. She looks around to be sure of her positioning. "When did we pack up camp?" The Lumberjack sits beside her, arms crossed and eyes closed. He is asleep. Red can tell so because he snores like a hog. She'd always imagined him as a snorer, though. Crook, too, was sleeping. Only Red's grandmother was awake. She was steering the cows up front. "Morning grandma", she says with a worried tone. She tilts her head when her grandmother doesn't answer. Crawling to the front, she waves her hand in front of her grandmother's face.

"Huh, what? Oh, hello Red. How are you?"

"How long have we been on the path?"

Her grandmother had stopped paying attenton. Red snaps her fingers and her elderly grandmother turns her head. "Oh, I'm terribly sorry, Red. I've got a lot on my mind. This journey is really dangerous. I only feel safe around now. The wolves only attack around the middle of the day and after. But that monster has no time limit. It could be stalking us right now. All that power, it isn't natural."

"Grandma, do you want me to drive for a bit? You're tired", Red offers.

"Yes, yes I'd like that. Thank you, Red."

But she's right. That beast has no limit. It'll stop at nothing until it's got it's prey. Red steers the cattle down the path until they find a massive log in their way and now ay around that the cows or wagon could fit through. By now it's mid-day and Red is anxious. To stay in one place for so long is a death trap waiting to happen. She could almost feel the wolves getting close. Even worse, she could feel that monster approaching. "This isn't good."

The Lumberjack opens his eyes and steps down from the wagon. "I have a feeling a new rule might be coming on, everyone. Get down", he says as he grabs his axe. Using the axe, he chops away at the fallen tree.

"Lucian, it's not splitting any at all. Maybe if you tried to lift it?" Red's Grandmother suggests.

"No, I'm afraid that won't work. This tree's too well planted here. Nothing could lift it."

Suddenly the tree shakes and cracks. It rises from the trench it'd dug in the ground and there, holding it up, is the beast. Its black fur stands and it bears its pure white fangs, snarling at them. Its crystal eyes glisten as it throws the tree to the side like a toothpick. Lumberjack swings his axe but the monster ducks and swats him away as if no more than a bug. He looks to Red and her grandmother in the wagon. "Lucian!" Her grandmother yells. The Lumberjack leaps onto the monster's back and holds on as it flails about.

"Go on, I'll get back to you in a moment!"

Red yanks on the reins and the cows trot off down the path. The monster throws Lumberjack over its head. As Lumberjack lands, he leaves a trail of dust and dirt. He leaps to his feet and runs past it while the cloud settles. Catching up to the wagon, he climbs in, holding onto the hands of Red's Grandmother.

As the wagon makes its way down the path, Red looks over her shoulder to see the monster pursuing them. It slams into trees recklessly and knocs several over, snarling all the while. "Lumberjack, throw the axe!" She says.

"No can do! It's the only thing that'll keep the wolves off of us!"

"Would you rather those wolves later or this wolf now?!"

The Lumberjack angrily, but without further hesitation, throws his axe. It meets the monster's shoulder, throwing off balance. It tumbles and rolls the rest of the way, stopping clean in the middle of the pathway. "How much longer will it take to reach the farthest edge of the forest?" Red asks.

"At least 24 hours," says the Lumberjack. "But it doesn't matter. We'll most likely be long dead by then without my axe."

"Lucian, you need to rest. Just go to sleep and we'll wake you when we're there", Red's grandmother says.

"Aye, Mary, you'll need to rest soon as well."

"I trust Red to take care of everyone. Why won't you?"

Red feels the cold eyes of the Lumberjack on the back of her neck. She glances down at Crook who lies there puffing smoke from his pipe. I hope, for my sake, that grandma's right about me. Wait a minute, her name's Mary?

Several hours later, the wagon stops. Red steps down to inspect the area. They've come to a cliff wall with no way to go but back. She looks up to the stars and the radiant moon as it shines its heavenly rays upon her. The cliff wall is covered in moss and vines. The dirt glistens with diamonds and residue. "Grandma, Lumberjack, wake up," she says. Crook perks up and leaps down from the wagon, standing beside Red. "I think this is it."

The spirits appear before the lot. Their skin a pale green, their eyes wide and red. They look far weaker than they had when Red previously met them in person. "The girl, the girl is here", says one of them.

"The forest needs your help", says the other.

The two spirits merge together into one. Their dark green and light green respective skin blends into a middle ground. They stand somewhat taller with eyes of yellow. "The Immolation Blade has been stolen along with the ancient tree, as you know. The forest sees the intentions of the man who's stolen it. He wishes to destroy the forest. It is the only way he sees to eliminate the wolves. He will use the Immolation Blade to do this. He will start the never ending fire. He will bring the flames of black."

"Why do you need me to do this then? I'm not worthy of the blade, remember?"

"This is true, you are far from worthy of the blade's power. But the forest sees that you are more capable than any other for its use. The blade, itself, recognizes your capability."

"Meaning?"

The spirit extends a hand to Red and lets red dust drop into hers. The dust sparkles as the moon shines down on it. It flows and forms in her hand, revealing the radiant figure of the Immolation Blade and the warrior holding it. "The Blade was created many years ago to help defend the forest, vast as she may be. Only those worthy may assume its power. However, several times in the past, misue of the blade's power has resulted in catastrophic occurances."

"How long ago was it made? How many have used the blade before?" Red asks, becoming slightly more enthusiastic.

"The blade has had well over a dozen wielders in the past. The most recent was a young man named Theodore Crooken, better known as..."

"Crook", Red exclaims, looking to the fox.

The spirit nods as it casts its gaze over Crook. "You may wonder how he became a fox. It was the result of the blade's misuse. Ultimately, he was unable to defend the lands from the greatest threat it'd ever seen."

"The Great Apocalypse", the Lumberjack chimes in.

"Correct. In a plea to the forest, he offered his own being to protect his homeland from any further destruction. The forest's mercy allowed his being to stay without his body in the form of a fox."

The image of the warrior holding the Immolation Blade dicipated back to dust and blows away in the wind, leaving a trail of red glitter in the air that shimmers all around. Red reaches up and swirls it around as if a child fascinated by the ripples in disturbed water. Her eyes light up like they'd done when she was little. "If the forest needs me, then I'll help. You can count on me, no matter what."

"It looks like she's getting a good start", the Lumberjack says.

"Indeed she is. If she keeps up, she won't have to take too much time to prove herself. It won't be a simple journey to make but it will be a worth while one", Red's grandmother responds.

The spirit forms a small light in its hands. It's as if it holds a small star before everyone. The light pulsates and lets out golden rays as if it were an infant sun. It then takes the form of a small girl with pale green skin and bright yellow eyes. She strongly resembles both spirits but stands no more than two or three feet tall. "This is a forest nymph. She will serve as a direct link to the Mind and Heart of the forest. Protect her at all costs. Now then, girl," the spirit says. It divides itself back into the two respective spirits.

"The man you seek has gone. But he resides in the wasteland. It is an empty place where there once stood a forest as large as this one. It was destroyed. You must go there. It is over the mountains and beyond the valley."

"The refuge in the mountains won't like us being there," says the Lumberjack. "Though the valley will be most hospitable most likely."

The spirits cast their gaze to the diamond covered cliff way as it opens behind them. "This is the way through to the mountains. You will, of course, watch after the nymph?" Says on of the spirits.

"We'll watch after her with our lives."

The spirits first seem to be paying close attention to Red but now they glare off into the shadows of the forest. Crook growls at the two glowing lights in the bushes. They're eyes, the eyes of the beast. "It is there", says a spirit.

"The Wendigo", says the other.

"You must go now. The physical link for the forest and the spirits shall be depleted very soon. Then it will be free to come and go as it pleases!"

"Go through the cave. You have less than an hour before the link breaks!"

Red and Crook climb back into the wagon with the nymph, Lumberjack and Red's grandmother. After yanking on the reins, the cattle charge forward into the cavern. The spirits disappear. The wall of the cavern closes behind them and the moment it does, every crystal lining the wall begins to glow, illuminating the cave with beautiful blue and red lights.

On the other side of the mountains. Past the valley and deep in the wasteland, the thief stands alone in a chamber with only the ancient tree before him. He stands in his uniform with his arms crossed and his eyes focused on the Immolation Blade. "Soon, very soon", he says.

A soldier walks in and solutes. "Colonel Noir, sir", he says with a bow.

"You had better not be delivering bad news, private."

"Uhm, we've spoken with the researches. Sir, they say that there's absolutely no way to get the blade from that tree. No flame on the planet can destroy it and every time we try to destroy the tree, it just stands there without so much as a scratch."

Suddenly an arrow pierces the private's heart and he drops to the ground, dead. "I warned you not to give me bad news, fool. Especially news that I already know. So, ancient tree, what exactly makes you tick?" He says, staring at the tree as it stands tall with the blade in its bark.