The Green Glade

As he entered the skin of the raven, he could hear the song of steel echoing through the forest. It was the armor of Solstice, the weapons both her and Miri carried. For a moment he almost thought to have heard the rattle of his own chain shirt. Hyde was no creature of the forest, despite his form. He belonged to a darker, deeper place but even him could see, they were strangers, each and every one of them. It would take little effort to find them by smell or sound, a thought that evoked the image of the broken trees.

Somewhere in his mind he envied the Imp. When a devil perishes outside of The Nine Hells they simply reappear in Baator. Under the form in which they experienced, so to speak, death but physically recovered. Arcanists use to say that a demotion awaits slain devils but to Ilar it sounds far better than a definitive death. Not that he feared his passing. Since long there was no secret on what awaits him beyond this world. It was the idea of failing, of dragging the others to their graves that he feared. Olorae, his predecessor on the pact with Darkmoon, used to say that is easier to bear the burden of death than the weight of lives. Words that always made Ilar think that she questioned, maybe even regretted, her decision to seal the pact with the Raven Queen. Now he could understand what she truly meant.

Time passed, and while Solstice guided his blinded and deafened body Ilar kept trying to find any kind of beast capable to leve the trail of devastation they followed on the ground but finding such creature was proving to be unexpectedly challenging. It was not his first time seeing through the eyes of his familiar. They were not as sharp as those of an owl or hawk, those too he had tried, despite the cost, but should be enough. Maybe it’s not through sight we’ll find it, he thought imagining if wouldn’t be better to have Hyde assume the form of a bat. Miri had a weasel, after all, and that should be enough to search for smells. But then he remembered he had none of the materials needed to actually change the form of his contracted fiend. Ten gold pieces worth of incense, charcoal and herbs to be given to the fire of a brazier. An exaggeration, specially considering that Hyde would be more than happy to attend almost any call in exchange for some ale, meat and potatoes. Time would also be a problem. An entire hour stopped in the woods didn’t look like the wisest of choices at that moment.

The first howl he heard from the skies, loud as thunder, and before Solstice had herself freed from his hand he was back with his senses. Then came the sounds of a tree being felled and a second howl, just as strong and menacing as the first. One of his fears had come true, the beast was not alone. Keep alert and tell me if a third appears, he commanded telepathically his imp while the creatures showed themselves. Bears, each one with almost twice his height and eyes filled with a strange form of energy. It would be no surprise if the beasts’ size and strength was the result some sort of spell craft. 

While Miri approached Solstice mentioned the name of a goddess. Ilar had heard druids call for her since the time he was an apprentice alchemist and even though he knew close to nothing about the Forest Queen thanks to her mention he could understand a little better what kind of warrior his companion was. He positioned himself between his two allies, preparing to attack with his Eldritch Blast the first bear to come too close.

“Let’s hope it ends fast.” He replied to Miri trying to sound as calm as possible. They had yet to reach the clearing so the sooner they ended the conflict the better.