Into the Wilderness

By W.S. Klass

A side-story of the Dark Athyx Book Series, this tale begins as the sun turns dark. Undead are empowered during the new day of dark light and the struggle for life begins. Some become nomadic and flee into the wilderness. Others willingly become enslaved 'cattle' to various forms of undead just to remain among the living. The wraiths are enemies to all and desire to snuff out all life, even if it meant their own demise. Heroes rise and fall during these dark times. Among them are Bill and Olivia who escape from their town and flee to the Great Forest where dark adventures await their distant futures.

• Language: English
• Publisher: W.S. Klass
• Release date: Feb 14, 2020
• ISBN: 9780463528600

W.S. Klass

An author of dark fiction, W.S. Klass has a passion for the creative elements whether in writing or in film. Dark comedies, action, cult classics, and a plethora of other genres catch his attention and inspire his own creative juices. The creator of the Dark Athyx Series, and author of Wrath, W.S. Klass enjoys writing reviews for books and films, alike. “I never apologize for who I am!”–W.S. Klass.

Book preview

Into the Wilderness

Book One

Dark Athyx Side-Stories

Into the Wilderness

Book One

Dark Athyx Side-Stories

W.S. Klass

Copyright © 2020 by Kevin C. Davison

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review or scholarly journal.

First Printing: 2020

Klass Productions

linktr.ee/w.s.klass

Dedication

The world of Athyx will always remember John Bradford and his unique quirks he added to each of his characters. His morbid sense of humor always brought smiles to the faces of his fellow gamers. He passed on from this world to the next on the fifth day of October, in the year of 2012.

Contents

Acknowledgements i

Chapter One: Bill & Olivia 1

Chapter 2: The Guardian 5

Chapter 3: Give Me Shelter 9

Chapter 4: The Hunter 13

Chapter 5: Getting to Know You 18

Chapter 6: Get Me a Lab 27

Chapter 7: New Haven 32

Chapter 8: Offer of the Vampire 45

Chapter 9: Calvin 52

Chapter 10: Loss 57

Chapter 11: Remembering Calvin 62

Chapter 12: The Barbarian 68

Chapter 13: The Dryad 75

Chapter 14: Fargas 81

Chapter 15: Family 87

Chapter 16: Hunters 93

Chapter Seventeen: Mighty Fargas 98

Chapter Eighteen: Sins of the Night 104

Chapter Nineteen: Check-Mate! 114

Chapter Twenty: Goodbye 119

Epilogue 126

Books by W.S. Klass 130

About the Author 131

Acknowledgements

Special thanks to all my readers.

Chapter One: Bill & Olivia

Rumors that the great city of the elves, the Golden City had fallen to darkness circulated. Wraiths roamed the lands freely and hunted all living creatures to sap the life essence from. Human dominant villages and towns were among some of the first to fall. An apothecary apprentice by the name of Olivia and a local ranger named Bill escaped a town attacked by wraiths, together. They ventured deep into the Great Forest where even Bill had become lost. The sounds of the wild beasts and animals were frightening to Olivia, but they were soothing to the ears of a ranger. The silence within a forest would imply something unnatural was in their midst and frightened the animals away. Bill knew they were safe from the wraiths at the moment. He had no weapons that could hurt such creatures. While the beasts of the forest were just as threatening, Bill knew he stood more of a chance against them than beings that were ethereal. Even during the day-light hours, a forest was dark. Since the darkening of the sun, it was always dark. Bill and Olivia held hands and guided one-another without the aid of any torchlight. The dark light of the darkened sun seemed to sicken the living. The canopies of the trees protected them and all the denizens of the forest from the sickening ray's full effects. The trees were not protected, however. The youngest of trees might die off within a few years. Bill knew that they needed to find some shelter. He had difficulty tracking anything in this horrid dark light. Unlike his companion, he knew it was only a matter of time before something would track them. A low growl was heard by the two companions.

What was that? Olivia asked in panic. Bill looked about. He was not sure if he should draw a weapon or not.

It's a bear, Bill whispered to Olivia as he looked for the animal. A black bear came into view, fatigued and sickened from the dark light of the sun. Bill was sad to see this poor animal in such a condition. He felt it was his responsibility to end the bear's suffering and drew his master-worked sickle in hand. Olivia drew her master-worked heavy crossbow. The black bear was already charging what it thought was going to be a meal. A heavy claw grazed the chain shirt armor that Bill wore. He was happy that he decided to don his armor this day. Bill slashed at the bear with his master-worked sickle. Olivia was too afraid to fire at the bear. She thought she may hit Bill if she was not careful and took a step back out of the reach of the angry bear. She knew that Bill would have attempted to calm such an animal, but since the darkening of the sun, wildlife had become more aggressive and given their current situation she knew Bill wasn't taking any chances. The bear clawed at Bill again but its claw could not penetrate the chain shirt armor of the ranger. Bill slashed again. The bear backed away and stood on its hind legs, standing as tall as Bill. Olivia fired her master-worked crossbow in a panic. Her aim was off so much that her bolt struck Bill in his back. It did not go deep, but it managed to pierce the chain links of his armor and fin his flesh.

Ouch, Bill roared in pain.

Sorry, Olivia gasped as the bear swiped a heavy claw at Bill. Bill managed to duck beneath the claw. He slashed at the bear a third time but his strike missed. His wound had impaired his ability to fight to some degree. Bill knew the bear would not flee unless he hurt it bad enough. He also knew that if they fled, the bear would chase them down. He had no choice but to continue his fight. Olivia reloaded her crossbow, but did not take aim this time. The bear came back down on all four legs and swiped at Bill. Billed rolled out of the way. He slashed at the bear. A shooting pain from his wound limited his reach and his strike fell short of its mark. The bear roared defiantly as it swiped again. Bill slashed at it and backed the bear up once more.

Do you want me to shoot it? Olivia asked.

NO-, Bill managed to cry out in response. The bear could not find its footing but neither could Bill at the moment. To everyone's surprise, the bear caught Bill with a heavy claw that ripped through the links and tore away flesh. Bill saw an opening and slashed a deep wound across the bear's side. Its ribs were exposed. It roared in pain. The roar panicked Olivia and she fired again. This time the bolt struck the bear. It was enough to change the bear's mind. It turned to flee. Bill was badly wounded but knew that the bear would suffer if they did not kill it. Bill drew a dart and threw it at the bear. It struck the hind-quarter of the fleeing bear but its pace did not slow.

Shoot it, Bill instructed. Olivia was struggling to reload the heavy crossbow. It took time. She managed to load a bolt just before the bear darted out of range behind a tree and fired. The bear slid to an abrupt halt, lifeless. Bill staggered towards the dead animal.

What are you doing? Olivia asked.

Making sure it is dead, for starters. We don't waste a kill like this. We will honor the bear by using what we can for food and clothing. Bill said with a stern voice. Olivia followed after her wounded companion. She watched as Bill skinned the animal. His hands were covered in a mixture of his and the bear's blood. Bill harvested as much meat as he could and stored it between their two packs. He bound the bloody bearskin to his pack.

The bear was a male. Perhaps he has a den nearby. Bill tried but he could not find the trail of the bear in the hardened earth.

We need to find shelter before nightfall, Olivia stated. Bill turned a look of idiocy at her.

Doll, he sun as it is empowers all undead. Nightfall won't change a thing. In fact, nightfall may very-well aid us for a change. Bill barked before collapsing from fatigue. Olivia tended to his wound. That much she could handle. That much, she was skilled in.

Chapter 2: The Guardian

Sickened by the dark rays of the newly darkened sun, the man known only as the Guardian wanders from the town he once called home. Like other survivors who fled the raids of the undead, he knew he could not prevail against foes such as vampires or wraiths. Only seasoned veterans who had the skills and equipment could battle such foes. He was torn over the choice of leaving. He was trained to guard the town. Instead, he guards orphaned children as he guides them through the wilds to find safety. With more than twenty children, some barely old enough to walk he was challenged. The sun sickened them all and as a choice of lesser evils and dangers he lead the children into the Great Forest. The Guardian was no huntsman or skilled tracker. He was trained with skills to defend those in need. He was out of his element now. Combat was his forte, not leading children through dangerous terrain. He knew there had to be others. He had not the skills to track them. Since entering the forest, the sickening rays of the darkened sun had nearly diminished. The thicker the trees overhead, the less the effects of the negative energy could affect them.

Stay close, the Guardian instructed the group of children in his care.

I'm tired, one child said.

I'm hungry, another child added.

My legs hurt, a little girl whined. The oldest boy picked up the little girl and began carrying her as though she were his