The grass labyrinth seemed endless. The hedges of tall grass looked the same everywhere they look. This is the time that Atrius appreciated Helena's power of nature. She finds the river in the middle of a forest, and could even hear the heartbeat of any beast. Along the way where they get lost, they picked up some knights who were freezing in the dark until they grew a group of a dozen.
"In here…
…come here
Let's save them…"
An unearthly but familiar voices haunted the knights. It followed them as it lurk in the dark, waiting for that impeccable moment to snatch a body for a meal. "What's that?", Atrius stopped Gallanthe as he notice a faint light coming towards them.
They all paused, and marked the time as the bluish glow comes closer and closer. As it show himself from the grass, they all held their breaths with their hands on their swords. "Ready", Gallanthe grasped the hilt of his sword tightly, vigilant with the rustling of the grass getting more audible.
"Stellan!", Atrius exclaimed halting Gallanthe and the others. Seeing the paladin knight with some knights, they all lowered their swords. "Are you alright?", he swiftly approached Stellan with long strides.
"Man, it's so good to see you", Gallanthe could just feel so much better being arms reach with Stellan again. It was the longest sigh of relief he have ever heaved.
"Are you hurt somewhere? Feeling fine?", Jac raised Stellan's arms for inspection, turned the paladin knight around and scanned him thoroughly from head to toe. The knights made a cringy side eye at the awkward concern Jac displayed for the renowned paladin of Nether. None of them ever did that… particularly laying a hand or even a finger on Stellan.
Stellan gave everyone a small nod. "I'm fine", he smiled at Jac. "Where's my staff?", Stellan asked Atrius. As soon as Atrius handed it over, a pair of pale hands with long claws grabbed Stellan by his shoulders and dragged him away.
"Stellan!!", Atrius' eyes goggled as he ran after the paladin knight without thinking. Jacomus and Gallanthe were faster on their feet as they scour through the trails where Stellan was taken. The rest of the knights followed.
Dragged away in full tilt, Stellan grunted as his body mow a long line of trail in the prairie. He was being creeped away too fast that the spine-long grass has cut his cheek. He grunted heavily, struggling… freeing himself from the strong grasp of the creature that smelled of an awful sickening stench. As he loosen his coat, he have finally stripped it off putting an end on being ruggedly hauled through the grass. Just with luck, he got away right before the wendigo was about to get a taste of him.
Rolling a few feet from the creature, Stellan found his footing and raised his staff facing the creature who carries an ice heart. Breathing heavily, he met eye to eye with the raging wendigo who seemed hungry for blood. "Wait!!", Stellan looked at the wendigo, pointing his staff directly at it. "I am not going to hurt you".
"Wait… I am not going to hurt you"
The wendigo, known to mimic human voices, replied with a seemingly similar tone of Stellan's speaking voice… shifting from a gentle tone to a raspy and demonic sound. It then gave a low guttural snarl, followed by a child sobbing.
Stellan heard about wendigos way back. They are originally monstrous spirits who possess people, creating them to become demons with insatiable hunger for flesh. The snow is their home. Seeing one in its unusual habitat may have been caused by the presence of a dark healer. "I can help you", he uttered sensing a soul somewhere under its rotten flesh.
"I can help you…
…feel the soul"
Stellan raised his other hand towards the wendigo, attempting to touch the creature. At first, the wendigo swayed side to side… then it started to jerk violently, breathing loudly almost like a growl. Then, it stopped as Stellan's hand nears…
"I have no soul!!", the wendigo warbled a very deep regal voice. It screeched so loud that it voided all the other sounds that define the night. Suddenly, the wendigo grabbed Stellan by the wrist, lifting him up above the ground.
With the help of the staff, Stellan made the grasses move, as if they have their own minds to obey. They stretched out long enough to wrap around the wendigo's neck, waist, arms, and legs. They were durable like ropes, and strong like steel that it didn't break at the violent movements of the creature. The wendigo continued to make the noisiest sound of boisterous laughs, imitating voices, eerie cries of a child, and blaring roars. To avoid getting more attention from other wendigos, or worst, the dark healer itself, Stellan wrapped more blades of grass over its mouth to conceal the sounds. Then, Stellan made the marsh land soften even more, burrowing the feet of the wendigo down to the ground… burying it up to its knees.
The knights followed the muffled sounds of the wendigo. When they finally tracked the creature, they were astounded at the unfavorable position Stellan is in. Deploying ahead and setting their positions, the knights abandoned mercy as they attack with their swords.
"No, Gallanthe! Stop!", Stellan ordered, midway that the knights' blade were about the reach the monster. He jumped down as the wendigo loosens its grip on his wrist. "Do not come forth".
Despite hesitant, Gallanthe held his sword back at the word of the paladin knight. "Hold it!", yet they spread out surrounding the wendigo, with their eyes on Stellan who seemed to have unbelievably got it all in control with the wendigo held down by just a springy turf. Two more wendigos arrived at the scene, putting the knights on edge. "Stellan….", Gallanthe breathlessly called, as they remain in their unsettling positions.
Lifting the staff on his hand, Stellan made more grasses creep towards the other wendigos. The exact same way with how he subdued the other creature. Tightening the grip of the grasses around their limbs and bodies, the wendigos released a loud shriek hurting to the ears.
"What's he doing?", one knight winced at the piercing screech. They all stoodby while Stellan mumble words that they could not comprehend.
"I've never seen Stellan do this before", the other one said, without breaking his gaze. The wendigos jerked so hard, before dropping to their knees. They curled on the ground as the grass spiraled wrapping their bodies like a blanket.
"I suggest, you all step back away a little", Jac pushed them back, while the wendigos twirl on the ground.
Gallanthe was too dumbstruck for a fool. For the longest that he have been with Stellan, he knew whatever lies in the paladin knight's powers. And this is isn't one of them.
Stellan strike the ground with the bottom of his staff that released an ultimately strong force with a large bluster of smoke blinding to the eyes. The prairie was immediately wrapped with complete silence. No one moved an inch. As soon as the fumes have subsided, the wendigos were nowhere to be found. All that remains on the ground were the grasses, which seemed to have wrapped a smaller figure now.
"Stellan!", Atrius saw the paladin knight leaned heavily on his staff. He wiped the blood trinkling out of his nose as Stellan audibly catch his breath. "You did well".
"Check.. check them", Stellan mustered his strenght pushing Atrius towards the grasses where the wendigos were wrapped. "Remove the grasses".
Atrius plucked each grass, quickly with caution. To his surprise, he saw a young girl curled up on the ground. "It's just a girl". They checked the others, and saw a young boy and another lad. The knights were all astonished at the new form of greatness that the paladin knight showed tonight.
Gallanthe approached Stellan with eyes as big as the moon. "I... I should have known".
"Take the children somewhere safe", the paladin knight ordered, trying to stand well, still leaning on his staff. As Stellan could feel the dark healer nearby, he prepares himself for another battle. The fight that he came for.
However Gallanthe seemed to have overheard each word that the paladin knight said. His disbelief ravelled his clear thoughts, as everything suddenly made sense. "I take back everything I said earlier. Please forgive me for the harsh words… I expect any punishment from you…", he knelt on his one knee and offered his sword, baffling the knights.
"Gallanthe", Stellan called to pull the regretful knight together. "There are more creatures out there. I need you to clear the path for me", Stellan ordered as he lay his hand on Gallanthe's shoulder. "I need your help, we're still at war".
Gallanthe nodded, as he stood back on his feet. "Yes, your Royal Highness".