The smell of the fresh forest air was refreshing to the young knight. Cladius took in another deep breath; he couldn't get enough of it. The only air fresher was that of Helm. He was bias of course, missing his home land, the simple thought mad him even more determined to continue his quest. He missed Agular and above all else, he missed Almorah. He had a longing to be with the young lady. He had never actually completed her training, but had daughter her more than was enough, given their situation.

The sun began to set, as Cladius walked through the woods. He had collected the blood of the Hag, a minor deity. He glanced about the forest as he spotted three women who quickly turned their heads at him, each had long dark hair. He instantly knew what they truly were, Hulder.

"Excuse me; do you know a way through this forest?" Cladius asked, as the sun drew ever near to the horizon.

Each woman leaped quickly away, from the man, with cat like reflexes avoiding him all together. Cladius tried to ask them to wait, but it was too late, when he had raised his arm.

"Very well," He said to himself, continuing in the direction he was previously headed.

He kept his blade sheathed, to prevent using it on vines, and dulling the edge. Cladius wanted it in as good as a condition as he could get. His plan was to keep walking throughout the night. He wanted to keep his paste up, to prevent him from chilling with the cool breeze.

He could feel his facial hair growing, giving him a small beard. It was still rough, and needed grooming, but he had no way to shave his face. He let his hand brush against trees as the last light of the morning was heard. He could see light emanating from fairies and lighting bugs. The difference in color gave the fairies away and their slight advantage in size. He could listen to the crickets and bugs now. The birds soon stopped with their songs, and the forest began to come alive in a different light.

"Well hello there, my good sir." A small, rough, yet squeaky voice spoke.

Cladius looked about him as he spotted the dwarf like figure. It was a man with a long pointing nose and big eyes of a leafy green color. Cladius gave the small figure a nod, as the small man acted shocked that Cladius noticed him.

"Oh, well, I didn't expect you to see me!" The small man replied.

He was clean shaved, as if he couldn't grow a beard at all, and wore a long hood like hat, that reached between his shoulder blades, covering his ears and mid-point. He was no more than 4'3 perhaps, almost half the size of Cladius.

"Perhaps, you now the way out of this forest?" Cladius questioned as he looked about.

"Indeed I do, follow me!" The man said in excitement, "It is not often I get company."

Cladius was about to reply as he slipped on a vine falling over face first. He quickly recovered as he smiled, slightly embarrassed. The small man gave a small chuckle in good spirits.

"My apologies, my sir, but I cannot help myself." The man replied, whipping a tear from his eye.

Cladius helped himself, up, as the man laughed as if it was the best joke he had heard.

"Let us continue, please, while we laugh." Cladius replied with a smile, slightly annoyed with the man's reaction.

"Oh! Yes very well."

Cladius continued through the forest only meeting more, trouble, branches hitting his face, bats flying into him, and bugs crawling down his shirt. He had very little of an idea why this night was being so miserable. He wondered if this was from the forest.

Every misfortune that the knight ran into the small man would laugh as if he was a child. Cladius started to become angered with him, as the man removed his cap revealing his pointy ears. Cladius stopped in his tracks.

"Alright elf, you have given me enough trouble, be on your way."

The elf turned around looking at Cladius, "Ah, and you fell for it every, trick; the bugs, oh, oh, oh, or the vine."

"Your game is over now, leave while I still allow it!" Cladius said, anger beginning to rise in his voice.

"Ah, what if I don't want to!" The elf laughed as he smiled a mischievous smile.

Cladius drew his sword as the elf ran behind a tree, "That is right, leave!"

"Oh, but I'm not going to." The figure replied peaking from the branch

Cladius swung his sword at the elf, as he snapped his fingers, appearing close to the same spot, only a foot away. Cladius could feel his grip tighten over his hilt. Elves were creatures of misfortune. They would lure humans through their appearance, most taking the form of fair maidens or men. The knight simply wanted the Elf out of his hair.

The elf opened his mouth to speak, when a war horn sounded off into the distance. The elf glanced into the direction of the sound, appearing disturbed. Cladius let his guard drop as he also turned his attention to the noise.

"What is that?" Cladius asked, looking towards the elf.

The elf looked back worry in his eye, "Herne's horn. We are doomed, we have been chosen as his hunt tonight!"

"I do not believe it to be Herne, he does not exist, and perhaps it is just a noble hunter, out late for venison." Cladius replied walking towards the direction.

"If you want to face Herne very well, I thank you for offering me your life for my escape!" The elf said, running off into the distance, before turning to mist.

Cladius turned his head as he heard the movement of chains. He looked off to the distance in the woods, as he heard the release of a bow string. Instantly he moved with unknown reflexes as he watched an arrow fly by his face and into a nearby tree. Cladius couldn't believe what he saw next.

Herne wore a green ranger's cloak; his stag like antlers sticking from the sides of his head, and through his hood. He had glowing yellow eyes and a bow in hand, as he pulled back another arrow in his bow. Beside Herne were two great hounds, hell hounds. Cladius's eyes got big, as he charged the opposite direction of Herne.

He could hear the sound of the chain drop, and drag against the forest floor, as the hounds chased after him. Cladius charged through the woods, braches tarring at his fine tunic, and at his week flesh. He could hear the dogs slowly gaining on him as he leaped into the air, kicking against a tree to get over a small river. He glanced back for a split second to watch the green cloaked figure run forwards with his agile body.

Cladius heard the noise disappear as he slowly looked about the area. Herne and his hell hounds had seemed to disappear. Cladius slowly caught his breath as an arrow came from above him, hitting him in his left arm. The cloaked figure leaped form the tree the knight rested on.

Cladius caught the figure, as Herne tried to gut him with his knife. The knife slowly punctured his shoulder. Herne was much stronger than Cladius. He could hear the dogs starting to catch up now, charging forward. Cladius quickly used both hands, to pull the blade form his flesh.

The blade hadn't gone deep. He started breathing heavy, as Herne used his other hand to start punching him in the face and ribs. Cladius took his head and body moving with each blow, as he slowly over powered the minor deity, rolling him over. Once on top of the brawl, Cladius kicked himself, against the God of the Hunt, charging ever deeper in the forest.

Cladius painted as he tore a piece of his clothe out from his shirt, rapping it around his shoulder wound, it was barely a scratch. He quickly glanced up at the trees, as he watched Herne stop his hounds, glaring at Cladius with his glowing yellow eyes.

"You will be slain." A soft, hum of a voice said.

Cladius was surprised at the softness of the scratchy voice, but it was indeed coming from Herne. He was close enough to see his beard and human like smile.

"Run" the voice said with its eyes widening.

Cladius charged ahead as he heard the dogs once more. The fairies had all disappeared; it was if everything in the woods avoided Herne when possible. The knight continued forward with almost a limping run. He had used much of his energy. He was unsure how much longer he could continue. He brushed against the trees, as he watched his every step, glancing into the sky, to see if Herne would sneak up on him.

Cladius thought of a plan, what if the hunter, became the hunted. He smiled at the idea, as he began to start a trap. He made a choke not out of vines, as he heard the dogs rush towards him; one was caught in the vine, as Cladius drew his blade. The knight was too slow, as the dog, bit into his arm. Quickly Cladius withdrew the arrow embedded in the same arm, and slammed it into the dogs, eye. The hell hounds, skeletal like features and naked body seemed almost dead. He could feel the burning pain of the hounds poison coursing through his body, as he quickly, ended it. The second dog had broken free seconds later, slashing with its claws into Cladius's back.

The knight turned around rustling it, as he heard the trotting of a horse. Herne was smiling, wielding a javelin ready to be thrown. Cladius quickly acted the javelin in the air. He pushed the dog to the side as the javelin landed in-between the fighting dog, and knight. The shirt of the knight had completely torn from his body, only pieces hanging from his belt, down to his waste side. The Hell hound leaped at him once more, as Herne readied another Javelin coming closer; he wouldn't miss his next shot at this rate.

Cladius caught the dog, as he slammed his fist into the side of its face. The dog whimpered as Cladius made a run for it the javelin missing him by an inch.

"You run like a cheetah, and climb like a monkey, mortal!" the God laughed, "You have made for a fine hunt!"

Cladius could hear the laugher as he leaped over logs, downed trees, rocks, and brushed by branches and rock walls. Vines at his side and feet hit against his naked torso and ankles slowing him down. Cladius quickly climbed a tree and leaped to a nearby cliff edge, climbing the rock wall as fast as he could. He sat there for a second as he felt the pain of the Hell hound's venom. His whole arm was numb with a fire like pain. Hell hounds had a poison that seemed to imitate a man's arm on fire. While men spread legends of actual wolves, and dogs on fire, the truth was simple, poison.

The cuts and scrapes the knight felt covering his body were slowing him down, and hindering his getaway. Cladius heard the horse snort out air as Herne leaped from his saddle, looking at the tracks bellow. The knight only took a quick glance, to avoid being spotted. Herne petted his remaining hound on the head, as it slowly began to run around the forest frantic.

Cladius laid his head against the stone as he heard Herne trot away from the tracks, the direction he came from. Cladius took in a deep breathe, trying to avoid a cry of pain. The only comfort he could get was that of the thought of his home, and his family. Almorah, Agular, and General Nerus, the three people who meant the most to him they were family. He closed his eyes relaxing as much as he could; trying to catch his breath.

Suddenly, he could feel small tremors vibrating through the cliff edge, barking was starting to be beard, louder and louder. He could tell it was coming from both sides. The dog quickly was within Cladius's sight. It took second for the creature to pounce, but by that time Cladius's claymore had swung through the beast's head. The hounds head rolled over the tone, as Cladius, picked up the head.

He quickly turned his attention to Herne as the God of the Hunt charged up the rocks with his horse. Cladius looked at the hunter as the hunter sat firmly on his horse. The silence in the air shared one god's respect for a mortal. Herne turned his horse around looking back at Cladius.

"Impressive, indeed, impressive. You astound me mortal, the hunt has been fun." Herne replied, dropping the dead elf from earlier to the ground.

Cladius simply looked at Herne as he smiled, "You are a mightier hunter than previously expected, and perhaps not all mortals are fragile."

Herne road of with his final words, in the distance the sun began to rise. Cladius had survived the night of Herne's hunt. He had never believed in Herne the Hunter; he had always believed that it was a story to scare children from wandering in the woods. He leaned against his claymore as he slowly fell to the ground. The Hell hound's body continued to twitch as Cladius took a deep breath.