Chapter 10: A Wolf's Howl

Meanwhile, Brighton and Ronin continued their pursuit downhill, which led to more forest. They trudged through the snow with determination and grit. From their vantage point, they could look down and see the candlemaker's home in a clearing surrounded by forest. It looked like the trees below were a sea, and the area encompassing the house was an island. Hope surged through their veins, and relief filled their hearts. Suddenly, Brighton's hand began to shake. As he discretely removed his glove, he saw that his entire hand had turned entirely black, further matching the form of the Shadow Goons. He hastily put his glove back on as Ronin scanned the scenery ahead of them.

"We are so close; I can see it from up here!" Shouted Brighton with glee.

"Don't get too excited, your majesty, we still have to make it there safely." Ronin replied.

As they rode downhill and back into the forest, they could hear what sounded like a pack of wolves howling nearby. They both looked around cautiously and saw the wolves looking at them below.

Brighton gasped a loud cry as one of the wolves looked in their direction. The wolf's fur was white and grey. Their eyes were light blue, and they had a dark and intimidating presence. There were four of them. These animals clearly looked like they were starving.

"Stay calm!" Ronin whispered to Brighton.

Brighton squealed with terror as the wolves got closer. In his squealing, the pack of wolves locked eyes on Brighton. Brighton's heart thumped through his chest, and his hands began to shake. Small tears were welling up in his eyes. His face became timid, and his whole body began to tremble. He gulped quietly as the haunting eyes of one of the wolves stared deep down into his soul. Amid his panic, Ronin got up close and muttered in his ear.

"Brighton, whatever you do, don't panic. Do not aggravate them or they will attack, we need to back away slowly with our horses. Slowly take out your shield to protect yourself." Ronin whispered.

Brighton did as Ronin asked while shaking in his armor. They put their shields in front of their torso to protect themselves in case of an attack. Brighton's hands quivered as he held the large shield against his body. They slowly turned their horses around while carefully climbing back up the slippery slopes. But the wolves continued to follow.

The wolves' faces began to slowly drool, and their teeth gently opened as they continued to approach closer to Brighton and Ronin. As the wolves followed them deeper into the forest, their light blue eyes in the sunlight shifted into a sinister gold in the shadows. The eerily transformation shook Brighton. The animals' appearances subtly shifted whenever their bodies were covered in shadows or sunlight.

Taken back by the monstrous appearance, Brighton mumbled: "R-Ronin, weren't their eyes blue?" Brighton said with sweat dripping down his brow.

"Out of all the things you are worried about of being eaten alive or dying of frostbite, you are disturbed by their eye color?" Ronin pathetically murmured.

"No, you don't understand, their eyes turned from blue to gold in the dark, they are the same-gold-colored eyes as the Shadow Goons," Brighton whispered, mortified.

When the wolves were completely under the shadows of the forests, they rapidly turned invisible. The invisible wolves growled in synchronization as Brighton and Ronin hastily looked around. 

"Where did they go?" Brighton shrieked.

"I don't know but stay on your horse! Take your sword out of your sheath!" Ronin shouted.

Brighton hastily took the sword out of his sheath as the sliding metal echoed throughout the forest. They both took a defensive stance on horseback, their backs against each other, ready to anticipate an attack from all directions. Amid the king's fear, he remembered the Shadow Goon's reluctance to light.

"Wait, if they are part of the Shadow Goons how could they have been in the light?" Brighton gasped.

As soon as Brighton took out his candle and lit a flame, a rush of wind filled the air, snuffing out the light. An eerie atmosphere surrounded Brighton and Ronin. The world around them became dark, and a haunting voice laughed and echoed around them. The tree branches began to rustle, and the invisible wolves started to howl. The dark voice circled around them as it spoke.

"Do you really think we are all the same? The wolves are not vulnerable to light. How much longer will you choose to preserve the light in the world. Darkness is found in everyone, and until you realize that there is a darkness that seeks to consume you, you will all suffer until the end." The haunting voice whispered.

"Who is there?" Ronin shouted.

The echoing voice laughed in the woods as it answered with a sinister response: "I believe that is the least of your worries. Do you know what makes animals so fascinating? The fact that they are unable to know the difference between right and wrong. Their morality is blurred, and their actions are mirrored by their training. I guess you could say that your future is not as bright as it seems…Brighton!"

"W-what? How do you know my name?" Brighton shouted back.

"I know all who dwell on wickedness and straddle the fence, but it is not you who I want to die. Your pathetic light found inside of you is nothing but a flicker. Your soldier is who I seek to destroy, his light blinds me. May you become as hopeless as your dark self-Brighton!" The voice murmured.

"What is he talking about?" Ronin barked.

"I -uh."Brighton stuttered.

The surrounding voice taunted Brighton as he eerily whispered: "You have not told him, have you? Well then, I guess he will die clueless and unfazed. Your end is near, and Candleberry has fallen…"

The voice became silent, and a pitch-black fog rolled in the atmosphere, whispering, "Ekoshade." The covered fog had bent the sunlight above them, and they cautiously anticipated the attack. In the mist, the invisible wolves howled. The sound of crunching snow moving around them and the faintly glowing golden eyes allowed Brighton and Ronin to barely see the wolves.

"Brighton, if we stay in the light, they will not be invisible when they attack us, we need to go back up the mountain and exit the forest!" Ronin hollered. 

Instantly, one of the wolves pounced. When the wolves jumped into the sunlight, their invisible qualities vanished! Ronin used his shield to protect the king from their jaws and his sword to keep the wolves away from the horses. The commander defeated the first wolf with his sword. The other three wolves chased them. Ekoshade laughed hideously as he stood at the edge of the forest underneath, watching Brighton and Ronin flee. 

The sunlight shining against Brighton and Ronin's faces blinded their eyes as they rode back up the mountain. The wolves relentlessly followed them in the snow. Suddenly, Brighton's body began to tense as the darkness within him grew. Brighton fell off his horse and hit the ground, grabbing his heart with his hands. He gasped for breath as the blackness continued to invade the rest of his body. Through the king's helmet, half of his face had taken the appearance of the Shadow Goons. Thoughts of evil and succumbing to the darkness overpowered him as he cried in exhaustion.

"What is happening? Come on Brighton, get up the wolves are coming!" Ronin shouted.

"Ronin this is hopeless, just leave me alone in the darkness!" Brighton groaned.

"No! I am not putting up with this, not now!" Ronin yelled back.

In his attempts to reach down to help Brighton up, Ronin fell off his horse, and they both ended up sliding down a small cliff. The wolves from above watched them pummel to the ground and ran down the slopes to surround Brighton and Ronin.

At the cliffs below, the king and the commander groaned as they attempted to get back up. Despite the padded snow at the bottom of the small cliff, the fall had injured Ronin's legs and bruised Brighton's arms. They struggled as their muscles felt weak, and the snow chilled their bodies. Their shields and swords were scattered in the snow, and with all the strength they had left, they both tried to search for their weapons. Dark clouds covered the mountain, and a snowstorm blew over the scene. Brighton and Ronin's armor were somewhat dented and tainted from the great fall as they attempted to get back up.

The sound of the panting wolves running down the cliffs ran chills up their spine. The wolves ran down the side of the mountain and found a way to reach the king and the commander in record time. Brighton's eyes faded in and out as he saw the wolves surrounding him get closer to his face. Before Brighton blacked out, all he could see were the three wolves and two dark figures in the shadows watching him.