Xain looked up, his eyes closing to slits as he let the day's second sun warm his face and smiled.

  “Told you today would be good,” he said, reaching out to rub the top of Fen’s head.

  The wolf tolerated it for a moment, his lip only curling slightly as he let out a noncommittal growl, before he pulled his huge grey head away, and gave one large shake, then strolled forward down the little dirt path which led back to their cabin, forcing Xain into a jog to catch up.

  Three hares hung from Xain's waist, accompanied by a near to overflowing herb pouch, so even the wolf’s dour mood did little to dampen his own spirits. Still, when he caught up, Xain said “You have been a little dick all day. What’s the issue?”

  Fen didn't respond aside from a slight hitch in his step, but that was enough for Xain.

  “Hey” He said, stopping in the path and waiting for the wolf to turn.

  Fen kept on a few more steps before he slowed and finally turned, his dark brown eyes refusing to meet Xain’s gaze.

  What in the Hel’s Realm? Xain thought, a sudden sense of foreboding creeping over him.

  “What is it?” he asked again, closing the distance between them in a few strides.

  It didn't matter that the wolf couldn’t speak. Fen had been by Xain’s side since he was first awakened from his Husk state a little over 11 years ago, and ever since he was able to understand the wolf far better than he could people.

  According to Bow it was because the wolf had been the one to find Xain wandering in the forest during his apparition phase when he was nothing more than a spirit, his body just beginning to form.

  It was rare as most Husks appeared on Yid’s western shore and were quickly claimed by one of the 10 Houses, or if they had particularly shitty luck, were found by one of the various Husk hunting groups.

  Only by some incredible stroke of luck did Xain avoid the latter, as Bow had found both him and Fen curled under a fallen tree with three groups of hunters slowly closing in.

  The story of how he had gotten them out changed every time the man told it, which meant Xain had now heard several thousand versions of how Bow had bravely risked his own life to save theirs.

  “Fen?” Xain asked, voice growing worried.

  Fen looked up, then quickly down again, his tail drooping as he laid down.

  “Oh, come on. Not fair.” Xain said, bending down to rub the wolf on his side. “Fine. I'll drop it. But tonight, you’re doing the dishes.”

  At that, Fen’s ears perked up, and he quickly licked Xain’s face.

  “Yeah yeah” Xain said. “Let's get home.”

  …

  Thirty minutes later their two story wood cabin came into view, a stream of smoke rising from the chimney.

  “What the…” Xain started, wondering what Bow was thinking to have a fire in this heat, but cut off as he caught a whiff of three unfamiliar scents.

  He didn't know if this was also due to Fen being the first one to find him, but ever since his awakening Xain’s sense of smell had been nearly as good as his wolf’s. It made him a great hunter, but also meant he avoided any place with more than a few people.

  Even short visits to the small town they lived near were overwhelming, as the overlapping scents of its residents and all they came with made his eyes water and his head ache.

  “Fen?” He asked, and glanced down to see his wolf standing perfectly still, a line of hair running from his neck to his tail standing on end.

  So he smells it too.

  Xain could remember exactly two visitors in all his years with Bow, and on both occasions the man had stormed out of the house with his axe raised, screaming obscenities. It didn’t take either of them long to understand their mistake, running off before Xain could even glimpse their face.

  “Who in Hel’s sea would he let in?” Xain asked, not expecting an answer.

  The growl that Fen let out was so deep Xain felt it in his bones, and before he could think he had moved off the trail, crouching down in the tall grass as he moved closer.

  Fen followed suit, though no matter how hard the wolf tried, it was impossible to hide his huge form in broad daylight.

  Xain had the urge to tell him to stay back, but one look at the wolf told him exactly how that would go.

  As they approached Xain heard Bow’s gruff voice shout something, but the words were quickly lost in the onslaught of three cackles ringing out at once. Xain froze, his whole body breaking out in a cold sweat at the sound, his breath catching in his chest.

  It took him a moment, his mind spinning, before he understood.

  I'm… Im afraid. No, I'm fucking terrified!

  But this was a fear like nothing he had ever experienced before. It was primal, like a baby who sees a snake and instinctually knows the danger it poses. All this from a laugh. And the source of this terror was inside his house.

  Bow… fuck.

  The thought of his dad alone with whatever monsters could do this to him was enough to break the spell, the world snapping back into focus all at once. Xain reached out, resting a hand on Fen for support, and began forward once more.

  It wasn't until he was under one of the windows to the living room that he could finally make out any of the conversation.

  Xain could hear three voices, other than Bow, but when they spoke it was as if they all came from the same person. The only distinction was their pitch, one high like a young woman, another deeper, the third almost raspy. It was as if they were three generations of a single voice, an effect that was only furthered as they seemed to all be saying single parts of the same thought.

  “Ancient Willow, you knew,” the high voice said.

  “The price of our” the raspy one followed.

  “Aid in this matter.” The deeper one finished.

  “We kept our”

  “Promise”

  “Now you”

  “Must keep yours.”

  As they spoke they continued to follow the same pattern, the high voice, followed by the raspy one, and then the deeper one. It made it hard for Xain to follow, forcing him to strain his mind just to understand the words.

  “15 years of”

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  “Your life. And we”

  “Would ensure that”

  “You could disappear”

  “Fade into the background.”

  “It was not an easy”

  “Feat to complete.”

  “Even for us.”

  “Even for us.”

  “Even for us”

  The cackle that followed was even worse now that Xain could really hear it. The voices overlapped, yet were discordant, making his spine tingle. Had it not been for Fen's hot breath in his face, the thick scent of blood giving him something to focus on, he may have not been able to resist the urge to bolt in fear.

  “It has only been 12,” Bow said, his deep voice weaker than Xain had thought it could be.

  “12, he says”

  “And yet we will”

  “Call the debt”

  “Repaid. In full.”

  “We are, if nothing”

  “Generous”

  “He isn't… he isn't ready,” Bow said.

  “Ancient Willow, you have”

  “Had time. You choose”

  “To keep him blind.”

  “The runes are hungry.”

  “The murder stirs.”

  “The well’s churn.”

  “He must go now.”

  Ancient Willow? Promise? What the fuck are they talking about.

  “What has”

  “Changed?”

  “Have you come”

  “To care for the boy?”

  “The boy you”

  “Did not want?”

  “How soft you have”

  “Become in your old”

  “Age. 1,500 years, and”

  “Only now do you find”

  “Your heart.”

  “Interesting”

  “Interesting”

  “Interesting”

  A wave of something seemed to wash over Xain, the air growing thick, an invisible weight nearly forcing him to the ground.

  “Oh there is that”

  “Temper we know so well.”

  “Isn't that what”

  “Got you in trouble with”

  “Nidhogg?” Or was it”

  “The tryst with her”

  “Favorite daughter?”

  Again that cackle rang out, but Xain barely heard it. It took all his effort not to crumple under this force.

  “Enough!” Bow boomed, his voice like thunder.

  “Another word, and we will see if you can truly withstand the Array of the Shattered Void.”

  At this, the power shifted, the world seeming to darken as little bursts of black lighting crackled all around Xain. In the same moment, a point in the center of his back began to burn as if in response to the power. It was a cold heat that quickly spread out like branches on a tree, stretching up his spine, curling around his ribs, growing and branching until his entire back was covered in the searing frozen flame.

  Xain tried to stand, to run, to do anything to get away from the pain, but before he could move his mind exploded, images flashing like shards of glass across his vision. He grabbed his head, a scream tearing from his throat, flecks of blood and spit flying from his mouth as he doubled over, curling into a ball on the hard dirt.

  After what felt like an eternity, but was no more then a few seconds, he could feel Fen’s head on his, and was vaguely aware of the wolf's whimpers, but as every muscle in his body spasmed, Xain could only manage a groan of relief as the pain slowly faded away.

  “He’ll be fine, he’ll be fine. Don't worry. He’ll be fine.”

  Bow spoke softly, his calm voice bringing the world back into focus as his hands gently ran up and down Xain’s back, his muscles relaxing at the touch until finally he could take a full breath, unfurl and roll onto his back.

  Fen, clearly not completely trusting Bow, quickly licked his face, nuzzling his nose into his neck, and sniffing Xain with frenzied huffs until he finally opened his eyes.

  He immediately saw three women standing over him, their faces all somehow the same yet different, sharing a singular toothless grin as they watched the scene play out, not even trying to hide their obvious curiosity.

  “This is him,” the one with a high voice said. While Xain would not have called her young, her face was slightly more full than the other two, and the long black braid they all wore that hung loosely by one cheek showed no hint of grey.

  “So young” this from the one with a raspy voice. The woman only showed signs of age when compared to the other two, with a few wrinkles at the edge of her eyes and mouth, and her braid streaked with two lines of grey.

  “Those eyes,” said the last one, her voice and features both like a midpoint of the other two.

  Xain couldn't help but look away self-consciously. It seemed ridiculous given all the other shit going on, but his eyes, one silver, the other green, had been a sore spot for as long as he could remember.

  “Could you harpies give the boy some fucking space?” Bow said from somewhere off to his right.

  “So handsome," the younger one said, completely ignoring Bow.

  “So” the older one began, but cut off as Fen shoved his way through them until the wolf was standing protectively over Xain, and let out a dangerous growl.

  “Good boy,” Bow said under his breath.

  “What the…” Xain started, but could barely get the words out before his raw throat began to throb, sending him into a coughing fit.

  “This won't do. Not one bit,” The middle one said, kneeling down and placing her hand on Xain's chest, and merely tsking at Fen when he snarled protectively.

  An icy wave washed through his body, cooling his throat, mending the damage done by his fit in an instant.

  “There” the old one said, as if she had been the one to heal him.

  What in all the Realms is going on?

  Until today, Xain’s only interaction with people other than Bow had been on their infrequent trips to town. But during those, it was as if everyone went out of their way to avoid even looking at him, let alone touch him.

  And my back… and who the fuck is Ancient Willow?

  Xain slowly sat up, not resisting as Fen moved to put his head under Xain’s arm to lift him, and finally found Bow standing a few feet to the side, his whole body tense, expression blank.

  “Bow?” He asked, not knowing where to begin. But before he could respond, the women all turned as one to face the man.

  Only then did Xain see they were all wearing identical black dresses, and black boots, both covered in odd patterns of silver runes.

  “You have a week.” they said as one, their voices in perfect sync.

  “If you still have friends, it would be good to seek their aid. He will need it. No matter your feelings, you know what is at stake. He must walk the path. It would be good if he was not alone.”

  Path? I'm what?

  “Watch over him,” They continued, turning to Fen. “And find your pack. They will be of some aid. Though your father is not what he once was.”

  When all their eyes turned back to Xain, he resisted the urge to shrink away, instead steeling himself as he met the trio of pure black eyes. To his surprise though, they were gentle, almost like they were sorry as they looked down upon him.

  “We will meet again, holder of change. May the tree shade your journey.”

  With that, the women turned once more to Bow, and the elder one said “Oh, before we forget.” as the younger one reached into her dress and pulled out a small vile of a dark liquid and tossed it toward Bow.

  Xain thought the man would let it fall to the ground, but at the last moment his hand blurred out, snatching the vial from the air and pocketing it so quickly it left an after image in its wake.

  “Sap of the Black Phoenix." The middle one said.

  “Call it a bonus” The elder one said.

  “A bonus” The younger one echoed.

  “Don’t tell Hel.” said the middle one.

  “DON’T TELL HEL” the younger echoed again.

  “Or do” the older one rasped.

  “It's your life” they said in unison, adding almost absently “or death,” before letting out a final cackle and vanishing in a cloud of dark green smoke.

  Xain was quiet for a moment, eyes wide as he stared at where the woman had just been, before turning to Bow, and said “What the fuck is going on?”

  Bow looked over, his eyes dark as he shook his head.

  “Fucking Norns.” he said, and let out a long defeated sigh.