Chapter Six

The night was filled with the yipping and howling of a pack of coyotes in the distance. It was late, the sun had long set and the temperature was still dropping. Ranger pulled himself to his feet. It was time to move and find shelter. He held the sword in front of him and gripped it tight in his hand. He squinted as if thinking hard about something, and then the sword’s intertwining blade structure suddenly transformed, instantly retracting down into itself. In no more than a second, the blade had shrunk down to the hilt until it only stuck about eight inches outward. Ranger then reached back and slipped the minimized relic into the harness he was wearing, where it fit perfectly into place. Giving his dark surroundings a quick look around, Ranger set off from the riverbank and up into the mountains.

The hills were steep and the darkness of the dusk sky made the venture difficult. And not to mention quite terrifying to be out navigating the wilderness alone at night. Ranger, however, was hardly concerned about the many nocturnal eyes that were surely observing him. He was armed and knew that he was more than capable of fending off any foes that came for him. He knew exactly where he was, there could be no doubt. The question was how welcome would he be? 

Ranger had been hiking up the mountainside for what felt like hours, crisscrossing through mountain laurel and thorn bushes. It was dark and cold, and he was growing tired. He was not sure what it was, but something about the mountains seemed enchanting. His eyes grew heavier with every moment that passed, and he almost felt as though he could lie down and drift into a comfortable sleep.

What was he thinking? Ranger shook the thought away. It had been many years since he had a good night’s sleep. This was not the time to hallucinate, but the hike was beginning to wear him down. He made his way over to a tree and leaned against it, catching his breath. It was not just a sense of comfort that seemed to cloud around him, but also a feeling of coming down, as if gravity was pressing on him and pushing him further into exhaustion. He supposed it was not the strangest thing he had ever felt during his long exile.

Speaking of hallucinations…

The hairs on Ranger’s arms suddenly stood up, followed by a wave of goosebumps. Feeling his jaw muscles clench with anxiety, Ranger shifted his attention to the left. There, appearing suspended a few feet above the ground in the darkness, were a pair of eyes staring right back at him. They were large eyes that gave off a faint, yellowish glow as they reflected the dim starlight. Ranger felt another cold rush travel up his spine. He was growing nauseous due to fear, yet he could not bring himself to move or reach for his sword.

As the eyes continued to stare him down, they seemed to let out a quiet but menacing growl. Ranger knew by the sound of the growl that he was in the presence of a wolf, and a great wolf at that. He could hardly make out any more than the eyes, but judging by how high from the ground they were, he knew it was a wolf of large stature and possibly incredible strength. But strangely enough, that was not the sense that came over him.

It was neither fear nor despair that gripped him. The great creature continued to growl under breath, but Ranger soon felt his goose bumps fade. He relaxed his jaw and muscles, and he turned and began to walk ever so slowly toward the mysterious animal, which remained still, not taking its eyes off him. 

Ranger continued to approach the eyes. He was completely calm, in fact he was feeling a strange sense of tranquility. It was a kind of tranquility that might make a man feel protected. But that same man would be stricken with fear and panic if they were to witness Ranger’s actions. He walked right up to the wolf and knelt directly in front of it. He was no more than two feet away from its eyes. At this point, he could vaguely make out the figure of the strange animal. From what he could see, it was indeed a massive wolf-like creature. He could see no farther than it’s broad shoulder bones. It was as if the dark of night was shrouding the creature, yet its eyes still glowed. The wolf never moved, and Ranger stared right into its eyes. No. There was something almost spiritual about them, angelic even.

The beast had ceased growling. Entranced by its gaze, Ranger did the most irrational thing imaginable. He reached out to gently touch the creature that stood before him. Though he could barely see it, the fur of the animal’s face seemed to wave lightly in the cool, nighttime breeze. It felt rather endearing, and Ranger managed a grin. “I must be going crazy - I mean, crazier than normal - but I feel like you know something, like you know that everything is going to be okay." There was no reaction from the creature. It only continued to peer into Ranger’s soul, but he never lost his composure. “I’m tired of running and hiding; hiding when I could be fighting. I should be fighting. I would do anything to protect the ones I love.”

In a sudden shift of atmosphere, the great wolf’s eyes blinked for the first time. For such a small action, it sent a wave of energy through Ranger’s body. The wolf then turned and walked off into the darkness. For such a massive beast, its feet hardly made a sound on the forest floor. 

When Ranger was certain it was gone, he stood up. As he rose to his feet, he realized he was standing with a newfound confidence; a surge of motivation to move on. 

The borders of the Dark Zone were before him. Within these territories, he would be safe from those who were pursuing him. However, something told him that a new destiny awaited him in the Dark Zone. It was time to keep moving.

Before he did, Ranger pondered a thought that was now flowing through his head. He reached back and removed his sword from its harness. Gripping it in his hand as he did before, the blade re-extended to its original length. He held the relic directly in front of him, grasping it tightly with both hands and closing his eyes. 

“Eira,” he breathed the name. “My love. This might be my last chance to speak to you. With your relic gone, I don’t know if you can hear me, but I want you to know that I haven't given up. The Heart within my relic is what keeps me on my feet. You may not know it, even though you destroyed yours, the will of the Heart is still with you. I know it. It’s what protects you from our enemies as it has protected me all these years. But I promise you, I will find a way to set things straight once and for all, and I'll return to you when I do.” His thoughts were interrupted by a loud wolf’s howl in the distance. Ranger stared out toward the source of the cry. “I have to go now,” he began his brief farewell. “Aeon protect you.”