Part 3 of On the Taal-Runner Road
The weak light of the moon fought to pierce the thick cloud cover as the men took to their meals. Strong winds howled through the towering tree trunks, tearing brittle leaves from the grey branches. Inside the way-station, the hearth-fire burned bright, beating back the gathering darkness within the room, aided by the lively music being played by the boys at the end of the table. As the final note of the pipes drifted into the warm air to the general cheers of those seated, the shrill whinny of a horse in distress cut across the revelry. Silence descended upon the crowd. Matthias licked his suddenly dry lips before calling to Hansen. “Check on those horses boy! If somewhat happens to them on our watch there’ll be nine hells to pay!”
As soon as Hansen closed the reinforced wooden door, the oppressive gloom finally made itself apparent. He quickly made his way to the stable, thinking that, apart from inside, the safest place would be with the trained warhorses. It suddenly occurred to him that he wanted to hide from something. It seemed strange. After all he had no reason to think there would be any danger. A loud crash suddenly split the frigid night air and the horses’ screaming started anew. Now there was something to worry about. The boy ran to the stable door and flung it open. A sight from his worst nightmares greeted him, fangs glistening with blood in the faint moonlight and massive horns upon its head. Slamming the door shut, Hansen bolted for the door of the manor.
As the boy reached the manor’s entrance, the door to the stable began to open. “Let me in!” Hansen cried as his fist struck again and again at the wood in desperation. “Please, you’ve got to let me in!” A dark shape left the stable, huge axe in hand, its gait stumbling and awkward as that of a man who has eaten too much or one in pain. The lad continued to pound upon the door even as his knuckles became bruised and began to bleed. The shape was barely ten feet behind him now and the boy began to weep, “Let me in.” The door opened a crack and Hansen wrenched it open and dashed inside, just out of reach of the ominous figure. The doorman looked at the stable-hand and took in his horrified countenance, “What’s your problem lad? You’re shaking like a leaf.” Hansen was too petrified with fear to reply. “Speak boy!” the man barked. Shaking his head, Hansen huddled into the corner of the entry hall, not even the glow of the torches or the wailing of the pipes consoling him. Exasperated now, the doorman turned and opened the door. A bestial roar greeted him as an axe scythed down into the man’s shoulder. The fierce blow carved right through the man’s collarbone and several ribs. The axe-blade was wrenched free and the man fell to his knees as a huge creature walked into the hallway.
The foul amalgamation of beast and man stood just under seven feet tall and was thickly muscled with shaggy, dog-like fur covering the majority of its body. Spiralled horns crowned its viciously fanged maw, a sight which Hansen was only just able to discern before. The cloven hooves stepped forward, producing the awkward gait Hansen had noticed earlier. The huge axe within the beast’s hand dripped with gore. Horrified by the sight, Hansen was helpless as he cowered at the end of the hallway while the creature prowled towards him. The thought ran through the boy’s mind that the beast was savouring his terror, enjoying every tremble that coursed through him.
The door to the feast-hall suddenly opened and one of the old knights stepped out and into the hallway. The beast turned around and advanced on the virtually unarmed man, leaving Hansen for the while. Taken by surprise, the knight immediately steeled himself and reached for the dagger at his belt. Next to the beast’s massive axe, it looked woefully inadequate. The creature pawed at the ground with its hoof, preparing to ram the man, but with a mighty roar the knight charged the beast, driving his shoulder into its stomach and bringing it to the ground. The massive axe swung up and the knight ducked beneath its arc, bringing his own dagger to bear on his fallen foe. The steel blade punched into the beast’s throat before the knight ripped it free and slammed the dagger home once more. Over and again, the knight tore into the beast until the horrible jaws stopped snapping and the wild eyes grew dull and lifeless.
