24 AD

Hot, sticky death dripped through the darkness, punctuated by a steady two beat wind. Gore turned the grass underneath to a slick smear of red, the earth to black mud, and the bodies to formless masses of meat. Golden eyes, gleamed through the blood soaked darkness of a black pelt, as though lit from within.

Helix cared little for the ravished bodies around him. Cared little for the pain of minor blade wounds across his body. Cared little for anything, save the witch on her knees before a cross, tears running down her filthy cheeks. He understood her pain.

Padding across the battle ground, he sat quietly next to her. A strong tug on his heart to hold and comfort her made him annoyed with being in the shape of a wolf. Though he realized that holding her would cross way to many lines he was not ready to face. Tentatively he reached out his nose to her hand.

Eslein jumped, then seeing him cried harder. "S-she's gone..."

Focusing hard Helix managed to push words out of his still unfamiliar mouth. "I know. I am sorry."

She shook her head. "They did this. Not you. All you have ever done is help me." Sniffling she wiped her face on a soiled sleeve. It didn't help.

For a brief moment the black wolf pressed his nose to her hand. Turning Helix started scouring the ruins. He found two of the wild wolves, alive but injured beyond repair. Bowing his head to them he softly attempted to comfort each of them in turn. They seemed to understand. With lighting swiftness his strong jaws closed around their throats, ending their pain. To his relief no humans remained.

After a few minutes of searching he found a pack with what looked to be good rations and maybe some clothes. Carefully picking his way around the carrion, Helix brought her the bag.

Eslein swallowed more tears as she took it from his mouth. "What's this?"

"Help."

Opening the bag wider she nodded. "Y-your right." Her eyes turned up again. "I can't leave her like this." It was a breathless, broken whisper. "But I'm not sure I could bear taking her down..."

"Clean up, and then we will burry her properly."

"Burn. We burn our dead."

Helix dipped his wolffish head. "Burn."

Picking up the pack Eslein started toward the small stream just outside the ruined fortress.

*~*~*~*~*~*

Focus. Focus. Helix grunted as he paced back and forth trying to figure out how to turn back into a human. It happened once, surly I can do it again?

Feelings seemed to be key, everything was tied to feeling now. That left the question, how does one feel human? A pain pulled at his abdomen. Glancing down he saw nothing and the sensation passed.

Muttering a mental curse Helix lay down, took a deep breath and focused on how his human body felt.

Pain erupted through his middle, burning outwards into his legs and arms. Even his face a jaw were hurled into exquisite agony! Gasping he embraced the feeling. When every inch was burning, and he thought he would feint from the pain, it happened. His skin stretched, tearing and reforming, his bones shattered until they too reformed together.

Helix's body trembled as sweet air flooded back into his lungs. Wincing he stood, intending to find some clothes.

Eslein stood a few feet away watching him.

"Oh. Ahhhh..." Helix rubbed the back of his neck nervously. A red tinge lifting to his cheeks. "I could use some clothes."

The witches eyes darted away, her blush as strong as his. "I'll find you some."

It took a few minutes before she returned with clothes. They were mostly clean and fit surprisingly well.

When he was decent, Helix joined Eslein by Alexa's body. The witch was gathering wood into a pile. Going to the cross he carefully, with as much gentleness and dignity as he could, freed her. Eslein would not meet his eyes until her sister was laid on the makeshift pyre.

"Can we wait until sunset?"

Helix knew she was really asking if it would be safe to do so. "Yes. I doubt they had any scouts, and if they did I will take care of it."

"Thank you Helix. This means... more then you can imagine." Her eyes were wet.

For a moment he fiddled with his fingers before crossing to embrace her. Eslein crumpled into him sobbing. "S-sorry." She spluttered brokenly.

"Don't be."

*~*~*~*~*~*

The ashes of Eslein's sister cooled in the early hours before dawn. Both the witch and Helix had remained awake, tending the flames through the night. Now, although tired, they both searched the dead for anything of use.

The pair were soon outfitted with all manner of weapons including swords for both, daggers, and even a hunting bow and quiver. Helix let Eslein have the bow as she proved to be a much better shot.

"What now?"

The witch slid one more dagger into her boot then answered, "I am at your disposal."

Helix quirked a brow. She rolled her eyes.

"I mean, I will help you go get him."

Now he really was confused. "Him?"

"Zeus. You told me you wanted vengeance on him for killing your family. That is why you made the deal with Dacuma, with Ares?" She looked deep into his eyes, a dangerous glimmer sparking in her blue irises. "So let us hunt a god together, you and I. Let us avenge your slaughtered family, prince Lycon. As we have now avenged my sister."

From the fire in her eyes, Helix knew she was serious. Was that what he wanted? To hunt a god? It sounded absurd. It sounded insane! But, the way she spoke, her conviction that it was even possible made him wonder, could he find and kill a god?

"If we do this, it probably won't end well."

"Has anything ended well so far?"

A small smirk crept onto his face. "No."

"Then what are we waiting for?"

Why did this woman make so much sense? "Maybe a sign?" A full grin split his face this time.

Eslein, in spite of her grief, returned his smile. "Would you like me to write one for you?"

"So, where do we start? A temple?"

"No." She rolled her eyes, a look of disgust twisting her features. "Priests are charlatans. They have no more idea what their gods 'wills' are then you or I."

Together they left the Auzea fortress, leaving behind their ghosts and, in Helix mind, possibly their common sense. He listened to the witch though. Listened, and watched as she glided through the trees like a lethal predator. He supposed that is what she was. What he was as well. He could only hope that together they would be lethal enough for this outlandish, self appointed path.

"Word of the gods, or even the gods themselves sometimes cross through at the rifts. That would be the quickest way to find him."

"The rifts?"

"Places both of both worlds. The Spectral, home of the immortals and dead, ruled by the gods, and our world, the physical world."  Eslein nimbly leapt across a small stream, waiting for Helix to follow before she continued speaking. "You remember Dacuma's house? It was built as a rift."

Of course he remembered. He also remembered another such place. A place where his innocence was stolen. An inn where Sal had raped him.

"Would any rift work?"

She shrugged. "Any rift might work. But, it depends on what information we can gather from its users and residents. I don't relish the idea of finding out if Dacuma returned home, so I would prefer we start somewhere else."

Helix caught the note of fear in Eslein's voice. "I have no wish to ever see that house again. Know of any other rifts?" He did not have any desire to go back to the inn either but, he would manage if need be.

"There is one in Carthage. It's a witch haunt though."

Instantly his instincts took over, the hair on his neck rising, an urge to growl deep in is throat waring with the desire to know more. Pushing the feelings away he inquired what a witch haunt was.

"A place of rituals and spells. Somewhere the elders and coven leaders of our kind mingle."

"Coven leader? Like commander Ynyr?" Thinking of his commander brought another issue into focus for Helix, he was still oath sworn to the legion. Likely he would be reported dead or missing in Auzea. But if he was seen by anyone that knew him, or if he was seen by a soldier in his stolen uniform there would be trouble.

Again shoving the thoughts away Helix listened to her response, and the awed fear that coated every word.

"No. Ynyr is... something other. He is the father of our kind. And he is by far the most powerful of us all. We all defer to him. Coven leaders and simple parlor trick witches alike."

The father of her kind? Helix wanted to ask more. Needed to know more, but something in Eslein's tone warned him that she did not want to speak about the commander. Later then.

Walking with Eslein, whether exchanging conversation or moving silently was peaceful. His body uncoiled, mind relaxed and overall sense of the world settled. Though his awareness of their surroundings was still much stronger then he was used to, it did not bother him as much as it had over the past several days.

Perhaps he could do this. Hunt with the witch. It felt right. For the first time in a long time what he was doing felt right.

Glancing over he grinned at Eslein. "Race you you to that ridge?"

"What?" She blinked incredulous.

"Race you. To that." He pointed, "Ridge."

Slowly a smile pulled at her delicate lips. Her eyes brightened going solid, unbroken blue. The air thickened around them, "You're on wolf man."

*~*~*~*~*~*

Authors Note:

Hi guys! If you liked this part please consider showing it some love by voting. Votes help more readers like you find it!

I'm excited to see how the hunt transpires. What do you think they will find at the witches haunt? And, where do you think Ynyr and Dacuma/Sal slithered off to?

Hmmmm so many questions!

This chapter is dedicated to Elosky4groove Your comments and feedback always makes me smile, whether on my work or someone else's! You are the ultimate, awesome, reader!