Tower of Thorns Tower of Fangs Volume 3 Chapter 1 Northward ARC I THE ROAD OF SHADOWS

 ARC I  THE ROAD OF SHADOWS

Chapter 1  Northward

The road towards north stretched endlessly beneath a pale autumn sky. Behind them lay Nebelheim. The cursed kingdom had been saved. The dead had been laid to rest. The survivors had returned to their homes. Yet none of the travelers felt as though their journey had truly begun. If anything, it felt as though something larger waited ahead. Something watching. Something patient. The morning sun rose above the distant hills as four travelers moved along a lonely road. At the front rode the tall, heavily muscled northern warrior Gret Ironwolf, his blond hair braided in the manner of most Northmen. Behind him rode Toivo, a young blond, blue-eyed warrior of Northman blood. He could easily have been mistaken for Gret's son. Behind them Moon's sacred palanquin carried by two huge marble golems. And perched atop the shrine's roof was a small black cat. Kev The demon steward in his cat form yawned lazily.

"Peaceful," he said.

"I dislike it."

Toivo laughed.

"You dislike everything."

"I especially dislike peaceful things."

"Why?"

"Because peaceful things are usually followed by unpleasant surprises."

"That's not how peace works."

Kev opened one eye.

"It is when I'm involved."

Gret burst into booming laughter. The giant warrior had officially joined the journey three days earlier. Already it felt strange imagining the road without him. His massive wolf-fur cloak shifted in the wind. The runes carved into his armor glowed faintly beneath the morning sun. Toivo had never traveled beside someone so strong. Or so loud. Or so stubborn.

The older warrior looked over his shoulder.

"Stop talking."

Toivo blinked.

"What?"

"You're holding the axe wrong."

"I'm riding."

"And?"

Toivo groaned.

Gret pointed at Frostfang.

"The balance."

"The grip."

"The position."

"You hold it like a fisherman carrying a dead trout."

Toivo looked offended.

"I do not."

"You do."

Kev nodded.

"You absolutely do."

Moon peeked from inside the palanquin.

"You do."

Toivo stared at all three.

"I hate this group."

"No," Gret said.

"You hate being wrong."

The road erupted with laughter. Even Moon smiled. Toivo rolled his eyes. Still... The warmth felt nice. For the first time in years, he felt like part of something. Not alone. Not hunted. Not afraid. A family of strange travelers moving north together. As the day continued, Gret resumed training. There were no excuses. No breaks. No mercy.

"Again."

Toivo swung Frostfang.

"Wrong."

Again.

"Wrong."

Again.

"Still wrong."

Hours passed. Sweat soaked Toivo's clothes. His arms burned. His shoulders ached. Yet Gret remained relentless.

"The axe isn't a hammer."

CLANG.

"The axe isn't a club."

CLANG.

"The axe is an extension of your body."

CLANG.

"Fight with your entire self."

Toivo struck harder.

This time Gret nodded.

"Slightly less terrible."

"Thank you."

"It wasn't a compliment."

The giant warrior grinned. Toivo groaned. Above them, Moon watched quietly from the palanquin, the divine litter carried by two golems . At least during daylight. The difference between day and night had become impossible to ignore. Under the sun, Moon transformed. Moon appeared much younger. Smaller. Almost childlike. His long black hair seemed even longer than before, reaching nearly to his knees. His delicate features softened beneath daylight. The overwhelming divinity that surrounded him at night retreated behind layers of restraint. To strangers he looked less like a god and more like an unusually beautiful child. But Gret had fought beside him in Nebelheim. He knew better. Much better. The northern warrior glanced upward. Moon sat silently inside the shrine. Reading an old scroll. Watching the clouds. Pretending to be harmless. Pretending to be weak. Pretending. That was the important part. Because Gret had noticed something. Something the others rarely discussed. Moon weakened during daylight. That much was obvious. But not enough to explain everything. Not nearly enough. The giant warrior had seen true weakness before. Broken warriors. Dying kings. Wounded heroes. Moon was none of those things. Even now, the ancient being felt vast. Like a mountain hidden behind fog. Power remained there. Waiting. Sleeping. Restrained. Gret frowned. Interesting. Very interesting. That evening they stopped near a stream flowing through a valley of golden grass. Moon's marble horses emerged from silver light. Beautiful creatures fashioned from white stone and moonlit crystal. Not living animals. Yet somehow alive. Their silver eyes watched the world with quiet intelligence. Toivo fed one an apple. The horse accepted it politely. Then accidentally bit the fruit in half with enough force to shatter stone.

Toivo slowly pulled his hand back.

"Right."

"Not a real horse."

The horse stared at him. Toivo stared back. The horse continued chewing. Gret laughed. Kev nearly fell off a rock laughing. Even Moon covered his mouth.The evening passed peacefully. A small fire burned beneath the stars. Toivo sharpened Frostfang. Gret cleaned his armor. Kev slept in cat form beside Moon. The child-sized Moon sat quietly near the stream. Watching moonlight dance upon the water. The fairies had not appeared yet. That only happened after darkness fully settled. For a long time nobody spoke. Then Gret finally broke the silence.

"You knew."

Moon looked up.

"Knew what?"

"We're not heading toward Toivo's homeland anymore."

Silence. Kev opened one eye. Toivo looked up from his axe. Moon remained calm. The stream continued flowing. The stars continued shining.

Finally Gret smiled.

"I thought so."

Moon said nothing. Because there was nothing to deny.

Weeks earlier the route had changed. Subtly. Gradually. Always north. Always farther north. Toward something unseen. Something only Moon seemed aware of.

Toivo looked between them.

"Wait."

"We changed direction?"

Kev sighed.

"You only noticed now?"

"I thought the road curved."

"The continent does not curve, Toivo."

"Oh."

Gret laughed again.

Moon's smile widened slightly. For a moment the ancient god looked genuinely amused. Then his gaze drifted northward. Toward distant mountains hidden beneath darkness. Toward lands no map fully recorded. Toward something waiting beyond the horizon. The smile faded. Only slightly. But Gret noticed. Kev noticed too. And for the first time since Nebelheim, unease returned. Far away. Somewhere beyond the northern wilderness. Something had awakened. And Moon already knew it. The journey north had begun. The hunt had not yet reached them. But it was coming. Slowly. Patiently. Like shadows gathering beyond the edge of firelight.

Tower of thorns Tower of Fangs Volume 3 Chapter 2 The Black Fox ARC I THE ROAD OF SHADOWS

 

Chapter 2  The Black Fox

ARC I  THE ROAD OF SHADOWS

The fox first appeared three days after they left Nebelheim. Nobody noticed it. Except Kev. The small black cat sat atop Moon's palanquin, lazily grooming a paw while the group traveled through a valley of silver grass. Then he froze. Golden eyes narrowing. Far away atop a rocky hill stood a fox. Its fur was black. Not dark brown. Not gray. Black. So black it seemed to absorb the sunlight around it.The creature simply watched them. Silent. Motionless. Its eyes gleamed silver. Kev stared. The fox stared back. Several moments passed. Then the fox turned and disappeared behind the hill.

Kev frowned.

"Odd."

The cat returned to grooming himself. But for the rest of the day he remained unusually quiet. That night he mentioned it to Moon. The ancient god sat within his palanquin beneath a canopy of moonlight while hundreds of tiny fairies carried the shrine through the sky. Their dragonfly-like wings shimmered silver.

"What kind of fox?" Moon asked.

"Black."

Moon's hand paused. Only briefly. Then continued brushing his long hair.

"I see."

Kev immediately noticed.

"You know something."

Moon smiled.

"No."

"You absolutely know something."

Moon resumed brushing his hair. The conversation ended. Kev hated when that happened.

The next day the fox appeared again. This time Toivo noticed it. The group had stopped beside a stream while Gret forced Toivo through another brutal training session.

"Again."

CLANG.

"Again."

CLANG.

"Again."

Toivo collapsed into the dirt.

"I think I'm dying."

"No."

Gret crossed his arms.

"You still have enough strength left to complain."

Before Toivo could answer, movement caught his eye. Across the stream. Standing between two trees. The fox. Watching. Its silver eyes never blinked.

Toivo frowned.

"That's strange."

Gret followed his gaze.

The giant warrior immediately straightened. Every instinct sharpened.Hunters recognized hunters. The fox felt wrong. Not dangerous. Not yet. But wrong. The creature stared for several moments. Then vanished. Not ran. Not hid. Vanished. Like smoke blown away by wind.

Gret's hand tightened around his greataxe.

"You see that?"

Toivo nodded.

"Yeah."

Kev appeared beside them. The cat's tail twitched.

"Second time."

Both warriors looked at him.

"You've seen it before?"

"Yesterday."

Gret's eyes narrowed.

"What is it?"

Kev glanced toward Moon. The child-sized god sat beneath a tree reading a scroll. Apparently uninterested.

Kev looked back.

"Good question."

By the end of the week everyone had seen the fox. Morning. Evening. Rain. Sunshine. The creature always appeared. Always watching. Never approaching. Never attacking. Never leaving. It stood upon distant hills. Sat atop ruined walls. Watched from forest edges. Appeared in reflections. Sometimes Toivo thought he saw it walking beside them in the fog. Then it would be gone. The strange thing was that nobody could find its tracks. Not even Gret. And Gret could track wolves through a blizzard.

One evening he spent nearly an hour examining the ground where the fox had stood. Nothing. No pawprints. No scent. Nothing.

The giant warrior rose slowly.

"I don't like this."

"That's because you're sensible," Kev said.

Toivo folded his arms.

"Maybe it's just a fox."

Both Gret and Kev stared at him.

Toivo sighed.

"Right."

"Not just a fox."

The atmosphere gradually changed. The road remained peaceful. No monsters attacked. No bandits appeared. No disasters occurred. Yet tension slowly crept into the group. Like a storm approaching from beyond the horizon. Even the marble horses seemed uneasy. Several times the magical creatures stopped walking and stared toward distant forests. The white golems carrying Moon's palanquin occasionally turned their heads toward empty hillsides. As though sensing something. Or someone. Watching. Always watching. The answers should have come from Moon. Instead he became more mysterious. One evening Toivo finally asked directly. The group sat around a campfire beneath a sky filled with stars. Moon looked older now. Night had restored his true form. Long black hair flowed like silk across his shoulders. Jet black eyes that turn Silver eyes reflected firelight. The fairies danced lazily through the air around him.

Toivo pointed into the darkness.

"The fox."

Moon looked up.

"What about it?"

"You know something."

"No."

"Moon."

The god smiled.

Toivo groaned.

"That smile means yes."

"It doesn't."

"It absolutely does."

Gret nodded.

"It does."

Kev nodded harder.

"It really does."

Moon looked mildly betrayed.

The others stared.

Finally the ancient god sighed.

"The fox isn't dangerous."

"That's not an answer," Gret said.

"It is."

"No."

Moon smiled again.

An infuriatingly calm smile.

"The fox isn't dangerous."

Kev buried his face in his paws.

"I hate talking to immortals."

Moon looked pleased with himself.

Which somehow made it worse.

Several nights later Toivo woke unexpectedly. The camp was silent. The fire had nearly died. Gret slept nearby. Kev lay curled atop Moon's blankets in cat form. The fairies floated gently above the camp. Everything seemed peaceful. Then Toivo saw movement. At the edge of the forest. The fox. Closer than ever before. Standing between the trees. Watching. Silver eyes glowing softly. The creature wasn't looking at Toivo. Or Gret. Or Kev. It was staring directly at Moon. Moon sat awake. Already watching it. Neither moved. Neither spoke. For several moments they simply stared at one another. An ancient god. And a black fox. Then something strange happened. The fox lowered its head. Almost like a bow. Moon's expression softened. Only slightly. Then the fox vanished into darkness. Gone.

Toivo sat upright.

"What was that?"

Moon looked toward him. His black eyes changed into silver. The silver-eyed god was silent for a long moment. Then he spoke softly.

"A warning."

Toivo froze. Before he could ask another question, Moon lay down again. The conversation was over. But sleep did not return easily that night. Because somewhere beyond the darkness Something was coming. And the black fox had already seen it.

Tower of Thorns Tower of Fangs Volume 3 Chapter 3 Beneath the Full Moon ARC I THE ROAD OF SHADOWS

 

ARC I  THE ROAD OF SHADOWS

Chapter 3  Beneath the Full Moon

For several days, the journey north remained peaceful. No monsters. No battles. No cursed kingdoms. Only roads winding through forests, rolling hills, and distant mountains. The kind of days travelers rarely remembered. And yet sometimes those became the most precious memories of all.

The group continued avoiding human settlements and human ruled Kingdoms whenever possible. Gret had finally noticed the pattern. Every time a road approached a town, Moon subtly changed course. Every time a village appeared on the horizon, they somehow found another path. No explanation was ever given.Moon simply continued north.

And everyone followed. At first Gret found it suspicious. Now he simply accepted it. Moon clearly knew where he was going. Even if he refused to tell anyone else. The giant warrior had also realized something else. Moon was hiding his power. Not merely weakened. Hiding. Like the moon concealed behind clouds. Every day Gret became more convinced of it. Yet he kept those thoughts to himself. For now.

The morning sun shone brightly as Toivo rode beside his mentor. The marble horses moved effortlessly over the grassy hills. Moon had created them weeks ago. Beautiful creatures fashioned from white stone and moonlight. Not alive. Yet somehow not entirely lifeless either. Their silver eyes occasionally blinked. Sometimes they seemed to listen. Sometimes they even appeared amused. Which Toivo found deeply unsettling. The young warrior sat taller than before. Months of travel and constant training had changed him. His shoulders were broader. His arms stronger. His movements more confident. Most importantly He was now taller than Moon. The realization never failed to make him smile. Gret noticed.

"You look pleased."

Toivo grinned.

"I am."

"Why?"

"I'm taller than Moon."

The tall warrior stared. Then laughed so loudly birds fled nearby trees.

"That's what you're proud of?"

"Absolutely."

"You've survived demons."

"Yes."

"You've saved a kingdom."

"Yes."

"You carry a legendary weapon."

"Yes."

"And your greatest achievement is being taller than Moon?"

"Correct."

Gret laughed even harder.

From atop the palanquin, Kev nearly fell off the roof.

"Truly the ambitions of a great hero."

Toivo ignored him.

Moon glanced out from the shrine.

In daylight he appeared small again.

Long black hair flowed nearly to his knees.

His childlike form sat quietly within the curtains.

Toivo pointed.

"See?"

"I'm taller."

Moon blinked.

"...Congratulations?"

Toivo looked victorious.

Moon looked mildly confused.

Gret laughed for another couple of minutes.

That evening they reached a beautiful lake. Nestled between rolling hills and silver-leaved trees, its waters reflected the sky like polished glass.

A full moon had risen. Huge. Radiant. Beautiful.

For the first time in days, Moon stopped the journey early.

"We'll camp here."

Nobody objected. Even Kev seemed pleased. The marble horses settled beside the shore. The white golems returned to Moon's shadow. The sacred palanquin rested beneath ancient trees.

A peaceful silence settled over the lake. The kind of silence untouched by fear. Untouched by darkness. For a little while. The world felt gentle.

As night deepened, Moon's daylight form vanished. His true appearance returned. Long black hair shimmered like silk beneath moonlight. His jet black eyes that turn silver eyes reflected the stars. The overwhelming beauty that always left mortals speechless emerged once more.

Even after months of traveling together, Toivo sometimes found himself staring. Then pretending he wasn't. Then staring again.

It was becoming a problem. A very serious problem. One he absolutely refused to discuss.

Moon rose from beside the fire.

Without a word, he walked toward the lake. The moonlight followed him. As if drawn by his presence.

Toivo watched. Gret watched. Kev watched.

Moon stepped into the water. The lake welcomed him. Silver ripples spread outward. His long hair drifted across the surface like dark silk. The water reflected moonlight around him until it seemed impossible to tell where the lake ended and the sky began.

Then the fairies appeared. Thousands of them. Tiny winged beings woven from moonlight itself. Their dragonfly-like wings glowed silver and blue.

They emerged from the night like living stars. Dancing around Moon. Circling him. Laughing softly. The lake transformed into something magical. Something dreamlike.

Moon swam slowly through the water. Graceful. Effortless. Beautiful. Toivo forgot to breathe.

Nearby, Gret stared silently. The giant warrior had seen queens. Shieldmaidens. Priestesses. Noblewomen from half a dozen kingdoms. None compared. Moon moved through the lake like a spirit born from moonlight. Or perhaps something older. Something beyond mortal understanding.

The image reminded Gret of ancient stories. Of heavenly beings descending from the stars. Of forgotten gods.

He shook his head.

"If Venus were a man from Azura," he muttered.

Kev glanced up.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"I'm concerned now."

"You should be."

The fairies danced around Moon. Silver lights reflected across the water. White feathers occasionally drifted from nowhere. The entire lake glowed beneath the full moon.

Toivo couldn't look away. His feelings had been growing for months. Ever since the Tower of Fangs. Ever since Moon had saved him. Protected him. Chosen him. Now those feelings felt impossible to ignore. Moon's smile. His voice. His eyes. His hair. The way he sat quietly reading beneath trees. The way he secretly cared about everyone. The way he pretended not to. Sometimes Toivo found himself wondering what Moon's hair would feel like.

Then immediately hated himself for wondering. Then wondered again anyway. It was a terrible cycle.

Gret noticed. Because Gret noticed everything. The giant warrior slowly looked toward Toivo. Then toward Moon. Then back toward Toivo.

"...Oh."

Toivo froze.

"What?"

Gret's grin widened.

"What?"

The grin widened further.

Toivo became deeply uncomfortable.

"Stop smiling like that."

"I'm not smiling."

"You absolutely are."

Kev opened one eye. Looked at both of them. Immediately understood. Then started laughing. Toivo wanted to throw both of them into the lake.

Later that evening the group sat beside the fire. Moon eventually returned from the water. His hair remained slightly damp. Several fairies still floated around him. One sat atop his head. Moon seemed unaware. Or simply didn't care. The sight nearly killed Toivo. Kev noticed. Again. Because of course he did.

The cat smirked.

"You're staring."

Toivo almost choked.

"I am not."

"You are."

"I wasn't."

"You are right now."

Moon looked confused.

Toivo looked horrified.

Gret nearly fell over laughing.

For several minutes nobody could maintain a serious conversation.

Eventually the fire burned lower. The stars shone brighter. The fairies drifted lazily across the lakeshore.

Moon sat quietly beside the water.

Kev slept curled atop the palanquin.

Toivo and Gret remained near the fire.

For a while neither spoke.

Then Gret finally broke the silence.

"You're improving."

Toivo looked up.

"With the axe?"

"With everything."

The young warrior smiled.

Coming from Gret, that meant something.

The giant warrior poked the fire.

"You remind me of someone."

"Who?"

Gret was silent.

For a moment sadness crossed his face. Then it vanished.

"Someone I failed."

Toivo frowned.

But Gret simply shook his head.

"No gloomy stories tonight."

The older man ruffled Toivo's hair.

Toivo immediately protested.

"I'm not a child."

"You absolutely are."

"I'm taller than Moon."

"That's not helping your argument."

Toivo groaned.

Gret laughed.

And for a brief moment The teacher and apprentice looked remarkably like father and son.

Neither acknowledged it. Neither needed to.

Far away, beyond the lake.  Beyond the hills. Beyond the forests. Silver eyes watched from darkness. The black fox stood atop a distant ridge. Silent. Motionless. Watching the camp below.

Watching Moon. Watching the road north. Then slowly The fox turned its head.

Toward something hidden beyond the horizon. Something approaching. Something dangerous. For the first time, the fox growled. A low sound. Barely audible.

Then it vanished into the night. 

And beneath the full moon, the travelers slept peacefully.

Unaware that the shadows hunting them were drawing closer with every passing day.

Tower of Thorns Tower of Fangs Volume 3 Chapter 4 The Passing Horde

 

Chapter 4  The Passing Horde

The Road of Shadows

 The fourth day after leaving the lake began peacefully. Cold northern winds swept across the grasslands. Gray clouds drifted overhead. The land itself was changing. The further north they traveled, the wilder Elyria became. Roads grew rarer. Villages vanished. Ancient forests stretched across the horizon. The signs of civilization slowly disappeared. It felt as though they were leaving the world of men behind.

Toivo rode upon his marble horse beside Gret Ironwolf. The northern warrior watched the horizon carefully. His massive greataxe rested across his back.

Kev slept atop Moon's palanquin in cat form. As usual. Or at least he appeared to be sleeping. Moon sat quietly within the shrine-like palanquin. Daylight had reduced him to his smaller form. His long black hair spilled across the cushions like silk.

The childlike lunar god stared toward the north. Silent. Watching. Then suddenly Moon spoke.

"Stop."

Everyone halted immediately.

Gret frowned.

"What is it?"

Moon slowly stood.

Silver eyes narrowed.

"The wind."

Kev's ears twitched.

The cat opened one crimson eye.

Then both.

"Oh."

That was never a good sign.

Toivo immediately reached for Frostfang.

"What?"

Gret dismounted.

His expression darkened. The ground was shaking. Very slightly. At first. Then stronger. Stronger. And stronger.

BOOM.

BOOM.

BOOM.

BOOM.

The earth trembled beneath their feet. A distant sound rolled across the plains. Like thunder. Except thunder did not continue endlessly. This did.

Gret climbed a nearby hill.

The others followed. Then they saw it.

Toivo froze. The horizon was moving.

No.

Not moving. Walking.

Thousands. Tens of thousands.

An endless sea of figures stretched from one side of the world to the other.

Orcs.

An entire migrating horde. Massive wagons pulled by beasts larger than elephants. Thousands of warriors. Hunters. Shamans. Children. Tents. Livestock. War banners.

The horde moved like a living continent. Smoke rose from hundreds of traveling campfires. The sound alone shook the earth.

Toivo stared.

"I've never seen so many..."

Gret folded his arms.

"Neither have most people."

Even he looked impressed.

"This is a Great Migration."

Moon watched silently.

His expression unreadable.

Kev's tail flicked.

"We leave."

Immediately. No argument. No discussion. Moon simply raised one hand. The palanquin dissolved into silver light. The white golems carrying it collapsed into dust. Both vanished into his shadow.

Toivo blinked.

"You can do that?"

Moon nodded.

"I would rather not advertise my existence."

Gret understood instantly. An entire orc horde noticing a divine flying shrine would be a disaster. Especially when Moon was trying to remain hidden.

The group quickly moved away from the hill.

Unfortunately Fate had other plans. One of the scouting parties spotted them. A horn sounded. Several riders broke away from the main horde.

Charging directly toward them.

Gret cursed.

"Scouts."

Toivo counted.

Eight.

No.

Ten.

Mounted orcs.

Large. Heavily armed. Fast. Too fast to avoid.

Moon sighed.

"Try not to attract attention."

Then he sat on a nearby rock.

Like this was somebody else's problem.

Toivo stared.

"That's all?"

Moon nodded.

"Yes."

Kev yawned.

"I believe that means good luck."

The cat curled up and went back to pretending he wasn't interested.

Toivo groaned.

Gret laughed.

Then grabbed his greataxe.

"Come on, boy."

The old warrior grinned.

"Training opportunity."

The orcs arrived moments later.

Huge. Muscular. Covered in furs and iron armor. One pointed a spear toward them. Another shouted something in the orc tongue.

Gret didn't even wait for translation. He charged. Like an avalanche. The first orc barely had time to react.

CRASH.

The greataxe struck.

Horse and rider flew sideways.

Toivo immediately followed.

Frostfang flashed silver.

The young warrior leapt from his marble horse.

His axe cut through an orc spear. Then buried itself in the rider's shoulder. The orc screamed. Toivo kicked him from the saddle.

Another attacked.

Toivo spun. Frostfang's spear form emerged. The moon-silver blade pierced armor. The rider crashed into the dirt. Nearby, Gret was having entirely too much fun.

His runic axe rose and fell like a siege weapon. Every swing shattered armor.

Every strike sent enemies flying.

One scout attempted to flank him.

Gret simply punched the orc off his mount.

The sound alone made Toivo wince.

The fight lasted less than a minute.

The survivors fled. Blowing warning horns.

Gret's smile vanished.

"That's bad."

Toivo understood immediately.

Scouts existed for one purpose. Finding threats. And now they had. Far away, dozens of new horns answered. Then hundreds. The horizon shifted. The horde was noticing.

Moon immediately stood.

"Leave."

No hesitation. No argument. Everyone moved. Fast.

Marble horses galloped across the plains. Faster than any living animal. Behind them the sound of drums echoed across the land.

The horde was changing direction. Not fully. Not yet. But enough. Too many scouts were now searching. Gret looked back once.

Only once. Then swore.

Several hundred riders were spreading outward.

Looking for them.

"We keep moving."

Toivo nodded.

No heroics. No glorious battle. No victory. Some enemies were simply too large to fight.

Even Gret knew that. Even Kev looked serious.

The group rode until sunset. Only when darkness finally arrived did the sounds of pursuit begin fading. The horde continued northward. Their migration uninterrupted.

Their true destination unknown. 

When they finally stopped for the evening, Toivo sat beside the campfire. Exhausted.

Gret handed him a waterskin.

"You fought well."

Toivo smiled.

"Really?"

"You didn't die."

The old warrior grinned.

"That's improvement."

Toivo laughed.

Nearby, Moon watched the northern horizon. Silent once more. His expression thoughtful. The moonlight slowly restored his older appearance. Silver eyes reflected distant stars. Then, far away in the darkness A familiar shape stood atop a hill. A black fox. Watching. Motionless. Its glowing eyes fixed upon Moon. Kev saw it immediately. The cat's fur bristled. Moon saw it too. Yet said nothing. The fox remained until dawn. And when morning came It was gone.

Again.

Tower of Thorns Tower of Fangs Volume 3 Chapter 5 The Watcher

 

Chapter 5  The Watcher

The Road of Shadows

 The fox returned the next morning. Toivo saw it first. A small shape standing atop a distant ridge. Motionless. Watching. Its fur was blacker than midnight. Not dark brown. Not gray. Pure black. Like a hole cut into the world itself.

The creature stood perfectly still. Its silver eyes reflected the pale morning light. Then it vanished behind the hill.

Toivo frowned.

"There."

Gret followed his gaze.

"The fox again?"

Toivo nodded.

Gret had seen it several times already.

Always distant. Always watching. Never approaching. Never leaving tracks. Never behaving like a normal animal.

Meanwhile Moon sat quietly inside his palanquin. Daylight had returned him to his smaller form. Long black hair spilled over the shrine's cushions. His expression remained unreadable. As if he hadn't noticed the fox at all. Which only made Gret more suspicious. Because Moon noticed everything.

Kev certainly did. The black cat perched upon the roof of the palanquin. Crimson eyes narrowed. His tail flicked once. Twice. Then he suddenly stood.

"Oh, I've had enough."

Toivo blinked.

"Enough of what?"

"The mysterious fox."

Kev stretched lazily.

"Following us for days without introducing itself."

The cat's eyes glowed red.

"Very rude."

Then darkness rippled around him. Shadow swallowed his small feline form.

A moment later A tall man stood where the cat had been. Pale skin. Short red hair. Crimson eyes. Elegant black clothing. The appearance of a refined nobleman. Until one noticed the claws. Or the smile.

Kev adjusted his gloves.

"Stay here."

Toivo grinned.

"Going hunting?"

Kev's smile widened.

"No."

A pause.

"I'm going to have a conversation."

The others immediately felt sorry for the fox.

Kev disappeared. One moment he stood beside them. The next he was gone. Moving through shadows like a ghost.

Toivo could barely follow him.

Gret crossed his arms.

"Fast."

"He's showing off."

Moon replied.

"Again."

Several minutes passed.

The group continued traveling.

Then suddenly A distant explosion echoed across the hills.

BOOM.

Birds scattered into the sky. Another impact followed. Then another.

Toivo looked toward the horizon.

"What is he doing?"

Moon answered immediately.

"Failing."

Several miles away Kev landed atop a rocky cliff. His claws carved deep furrows through stone. Crimson eyes scanned the landscape. There. The fox. Standing atop another ridge. Watching him. Watching with impossible calm.

Kev smiled.

"There you are."

The fox tilted its head. Then turned. And ran.

"Oh no."

Kev vanished. The chase began. The fox moved impossibly fast. Leaping between shadows. Crossing impossible distances. Sometimes it appeared ahead. Sometimes behind. Sometimes above. As though space itself meant nothing.

Kev's irritation steadily increased.

"Stop running."

The fox ignored him.

"That wasn't a request."

The fox vanished into a shadow.

Kev immediately followed.

Only to emerge in an entirely different location.

His eye twitched.

"Oh."

Another shadow. Another leap. Another escape. The fox was playing with him. The realization offended him deeply. Several minutes later Kev finally cornered it. A narrow canyon.

No escape.

The fox stood quietly between two cliffs.

Watching. Waiting. Kev smiled.

"Finally."

The fox stared.

Then The shadows behind it opened. Like a doorway. Like liquid darkness.

Kev froze. For the first time. The fox stepped backward. Into the darkness. And vanished. The shadows closed. Gone. No scent. No magic trail. Nothing. Silence.

Kev stared.

Then sighed.

"I hate mysterious creatures."

By evening he returned to camp. Covered in dust. Irritated. Slightly embarrassed.

Toivo immediately noticed.

"You lost."

Kev glared.

"I was strategically inconvenienced."

"You lost."

"I dislike your attitude."

Gret laughed loudly.

Even Moon looked mildly amused. Which somehow made it worse.

Kev sat beside the fire.

Crossing his arms.

"It isn't a normal fox."

"No."

Moon agreed. 

Everyone looked toward him. Moon stared into the flames. Silent. Thoughtful. For several moments nobody spoke.

Then Gret asked the obvious question.

"You know what it is."

Moon didn't answer immediately.

The fire crackled softly. Night slowly settled over the wilderness.

Far above, the first stars appeared.

At last Moon sighed. A small tired sound. The kind one made when avoiding something had become impossible.

"Yes."

Toivo sat upright.

"What is it?"

Moon looked toward the darkness beyond the firelight. Toward the distant hills. Toward places unseen.

His his jet black eyes turning silver eyes reflected the moon above.

Then he finally spoke. Quietly. Calmly. Almost reluctantly.

"Something is following us."

The camp fell silent.

Even Gret's expression hardened. Kev's joking demeanor vanished instantly. Toivo felt a chill crawl down his spine.

Because Moon did not sound surprised. He sounded certain. As though he had known all along. The fox was not merely watching. It was reporting. Tracking. Hunting.

And somewhere far away Something else was watching through its eyes.

Something patient.

Something ancient.

Something that had finally found Moon.

And now it was closing in.