“Why is it always wolves?” Elsbeth groans. Leaping from the woods, eight more wolves join the first, and surround her. She freezes, unsure what to do.
A melody dances upon the night air as Hunter steps behind the leader, playing a flute. The beauty of the song fills the air, and the unholy glow of their eyes dims and they seem frozen, unable to move. Polly waves frantically for Elsbeth to come to her. She advances slowly through the pack, brandishing her dagger in front of her. Elsbeth is terrified as she maneuvers between two of the large beasts. Hunter nods at her in encouragement, giving her the courage to continue.
A rumble beneath her feet begins and the earth rolls like a wave, exploding open in front of her. Thrown to her knees, Elsbeth watches as serpent’s pour of the crevice, intent upon her as their target. The wolves explode into action, refusing to share their prey, and the war begins. Hunter begins fighting his way towards her.
Frantic to get to the church, Elsbeth crawls along, hoping to pass unseen. She screams when a demonic snake coils around her leg and drags her backwards. Elsbeth looks at the creature in horror. The large, reptilian demon has a bony, stone plate, which runs from the top of its eyeless head, to the tip of its tail. Rows of teeth with two large fangs appear as it hisses at Elsbeth, and she waits for it to strike. With a scream, she sinks her black blade into the snake’s tail, and earns her freedom. Her relief is only momentary, as it lunges at her, attempting to capture her again. Again, she screams and stabs at the snake, this time hitting a soft spot below the bony plate destroying the demon.
Free now she runs toward the haven of the church, pausing to look for Hunter. Another tremor occurs, and she watches as Hunter falls to the ground. Fighting off a wolf, Hunter does not see the serpent behind him, until it is too late. He fights, struggling to break free of its unholy embrace, as it coils it way up his body.
He watches Elsbeth pause, and he screams with the last of his breath, “NO, Get to the church!!!” but her only thought is to save him.
Jake watches from above as his sister turns from the path of safety, to help Hunter. Elsbeth’s aura glows golden, flashing like a beacon, attracting the demons in to her like moths to a flame. Jake drops down in spirit form, wishing he were in physical form. The moment the thought occurs, he physically transports. To his surprise, he finds that he is standing directly in the path of two large wolves, pursuing Elsbeth.
“Come on, then!” he screams, and visualizes a moat around Elsbeth as she reaches Hunter.
Elsbeth sinks her dagger to the hilt, and frees Hunter. She turns in shock, and watches Jake fighting two wolves. Jake uses his whip of energy to snag the leg of one wolf, lifting it into the air and slamming it hard into its partner. He uses the distraction to advance on the demons and kicks one over the edge of the moat. With a crack of his whip, he destroys the second demon. Breathing hard, he looks around and sees the chaos of snakes and wolves fighting over Elsbeth. She is the prize they all want. The reigning panic and chaos provide a distraction, so Hunter grabs Elsbeth’s hand, looking at Jake, and nods in thanks. Jake closes the earth in front of the couple and watches in relief as they run towards the church. In unison, the reptiles and canines all follow Elsbeth, ignoring Jake as he attempts to stop them.
The snakes circle to the left and the wolves flow to the right effectively closing Hunter and Elsbeth inside. Surrounded on all sides, they can’t reach the church. Polly sees what is happening and steps outside chanting; “Earth as body become me, Air as life breathe through me, Fire as spirit consume me, Water as blood flow through me, Spirit as guide, lead me.”
Polly knows what to do by calling on the power of heaven; she calls down lightening and obliterates the snakes and wolves. Hunter covers Elsbeth’s body with his own, throwing her to the ground he protects her from the lighting raining down from the sky. As suddenly as they appeared, the snakes and wolves are gone. The night air clears as Ruby uses her gift to cleanse the woods with a soft breeze.
The couple looks up slowly at the Polly and Ruby with a new respect. Wrapped in each other’s arms, Hunter and Elsbeth look at each other and Hunter cups her cheek in his hand and asks, “Are you hurt?” With a nod of reassurance, they start to rise and Jake rushes past laughing.
“Polly, you have to teach me how you did that!” Jake wraps her in a hug, and squeezes her tightly. Elsbeth senses the evil before the others.
“Get inside quickly!!!” she yells. Forcefully, she pushes Jake and Polly inside, Hunter follows knowing to trust her instincts.
“He is coming now!” Elsbeth says shaking with fear. Hunter pulls her inside hoping his traps work to slow the creature down.
“Who is coming, Elsbeth?” Ruby asks. As they look through the broken windows, a massive demon walks slowly forward from the trees.
Illuminated by the red flame hovering above his clawed hand, he walks unhurried toward the run down church. He is a muscular creature with the body of man. He wears no weapons save one of his brother’s severed tentacles which he holds like a whip in his other clawed hand. Hairless he is burnished with red skin and rippled with muscles. He looks at the church with a grim smile on his bat like face. His
