Disassociated Interlude
In a small log cabin in the Austrian forest, two of our heroes have taken shelter. Split off from the rest of the group, they find themselves under attack by the very enemy they had thought to hunt.
Kelly does not know exactly how it is that the two of them happened to be in a stranger's cabin, seeking protection from a ravenous five foot tall wolf. But, he suspects that it is somehow his own fault. He suspects that if he had been more insistent in his desire to stay in town with Delianni and Jonathan, then none of this would have happened.
The Doc knows exactly how it is that the two of them fell into this situation. It was Don't-Call-Me-Mister Kelly's fault.
The two try to reinforce the window shutters, but there is a lack of proper materials or tools. The Doc's trusty sledgehammer breaks apart a chair to supply wood bars, but there is nothing to use as nails.
They have two pistols and a shotgun to defend themselves with. Neither was effective against the wolf before they decided to flee from it.
The two argue as to whose bad decisions two hours ago led more directly to their current predicament. The two bicker as to who should have seen this coming. The wolf circles the small cabin, checking for a window large enough to squeeze through.
The wolf settles on a window and charges it. In reaction, the two work together to strengthen their shelter. "That book Delianni gave you," the Doc asks, "does it have any advice?"
Kelly abandons his post, leaving the Doc to try and hold the shutters together with nothing but his bare hands and indomitable will. He pulls Professor Gordian's Grimoire out of his coat and turns the pages a dozen at a time.
"What should I look under?" Kelly asks. The Doc suggests the word wolf, but there is nothing there. He suggests giant wolf, but all Kelly finds is information on a South American tribe. The wolf's pounding has driven the Doc away from the window to get his sledgehammer.
Kelly realizes that the situation has grown dire. There is no way that the Doc will have time to inscribe any of his magic sigils before the creature breaks through. Lacking any other ideas, Kelly flips to the "D" section. And there he finds, "Dire Wolf."
The wood cracks and the window shutter explodes as the wolf's head breaks through. The heavy iron head of a sledgehammer meets the wolf's snout with an equally loud crack, but fails to do so much as chip a tooth. "Bad dog," the Doc says.
The wolf pulls back to prepare for another charge. Kelly reads from his book, "The dire wolf is incredibly strong and resistant to damage."
A well timed swing of the sledgehammer protrudes through the broken window shutter and meets the wolf's head just before impact. But, the Doc knows that the timing was sheer luck. "Noticed that. Anything useful in those pages?"
"A terrible predator, the dire wolf is typically found in northern Europe," Kelly continues.
"So, it isn't far from home?" the Doc asks as his sledgehammer connects with the creature's head a third time. "Nice to know. Still doesn't help."
The creature's snout shakes as it recovers from the blow. Its lips curl back and it snarls, "Stop that."
"It talks!" the two men in the cabin cry in unison.
Kelly flips a finger full of pages to another entry in the good Professor's book and reads, "It is believed that the silvery light of the full moon gives the lycanthrope its power. Weapons made of silver, especially if first blessed by a priest, are therefore very effective in bypassing their defenses."
The Doc is pleased at this news. He tosses his sledgehammer to Kelly and instructs him to hold the creature at bay while he reloads his shotgun with silver shot. Kelly wants to argue that he could reload while the Doc continues to combat the creature, but before he can open his mouth the wolf is halfway through the window. Wooden boards gasp and tremble before breaking against the muscles of the wolf. Kelly swings the hammer ineffectively at the creature and begs the Doc to hurry.
The wolf sunders the window shutters and leaps upon Kelly, driving him to the ground. Kelly can feel the heat from the creature's mouth on his face. All he can see are the shining razor sharp teeth. All he hears is the deep growl and the deafening shotgun blast.
Blood, bile and brain matter adorn Kelly's face and chest. The creature lays to his right, and struggles to stand even though it is missing a good portion of its face. The Doc gives a short command as he pulls the shotgun's second trigger. "Sit!"
Kelly does not know exactly how it is that the two of them happened to be in a stranger's cabin, seeking protection from a ravenous five foot tall wolf. But, he suspects that it is somehow his own fault. He suspects that if he had been more insistent in his desire to stay in town with Delianni and Jonathan, then none of this would have happened.
The Doc knows exactly how it is that the two of them fell into this situation. It was Don't-Call-Me-Mister Kelly's fault.
The two try to reinforce the window shutters, but there is a lack of proper materials or tools. The Doc's trusty sledgehammer breaks apart a chair to supply wood bars, but there is nothing to use as nails.
They have two pistols and a shotgun to defend themselves with. Neither was effective against the wolf before they decided to flee from it.
The two argue as to whose bad decisions two hours ago led more directly to their current predicament. The two bicker as to who should have seen this coming. The wolf circles the small cabin, checking for a window large enough to squeeze through.
The wolf settles on a window and charges it. In reaction, the two work together to strengthen their shelter. "That book Delianni gave you," the Doc asks, "does it have any advice?"
Kelly abandons his post, leaving the Doc to try and hold the shutters together with nothing but his bare hands and indomitable will. He pulls Professor Gordian's Grimoire out of his coat and turns the pages a dozen at a time.
"What should I look under?" Kelly asks. The Doc suggests the word wolf, but there is nothing there. He suggests giant wolf, but all Kelly finds is information on a South American tribe. The wolf's pounding has driven the Doc away from the window to get his sledgehammer.
Kelly realizes that the situation has grown dire. There is no way that the Doc will have time to inscribe any of his magic sigils before the creature breaks through. Lacking any other ideas, Kelly flips to the "D" section. And there he finds, "Dire Wolf."
The wood cracks and the window shutter explodes as the wolf's head breaks through. The heavy iron head of a sledgehammer meets the wolf's snout with an equally loud crack, but fails to do so much as chip a tooth. "Bad dog," the Doc says.
The wolf pulls back to prepare for another charge. Kelly reads from his book, "The dire wolf is incredibly strong and resistant to damage."
A well timed swing of the sledgehammer protrudes through the broken window shutter and meets the wolf's head just before impact. But, the Doc knows that the timing was sheer luck. "Noticed that. Anything useful in those pages?"
"A terrible predator, the dire wolf is typically found in northern Europe," Kelly continues.
"So, it isn't far from home?" the Doc asks as his sledgehammer connects with the creature's head a third time. "Nice to know. Still doesn't help."
The creature's snout shakes as it recovers from the blow. Its lips curl back and it snarls, "Stop that."
"It talks!" the two men in the cabin cry in unison.
Kelly flips a finger full of pages to another entry in the good Professor's book and reads, "It is believed that the silvery light of the full moon gives the lycanthrope its power. Weapons made of silver, especially if first blessed by a priest, are therefore very effective in bypassing their defenses."
The Doc is pleased at this news. He tosses his sledgehammer to Kelly and instructs him to hold the creature at bay while he reloads his shotgun with silver shot. Kelly wants to argue that he could reload while the Doc continues to combat the creature, but before he can open his mouth the wolf is halfway through the window. Wooden boards gasp and tremble before breaking against the muscles of the wolf. Kelly swings the hammer ineffectively at the creature and begs the Doc to hurry.
The wolf sunders the window shutters and leaps upon Kelly, driving him to the ground. Kelly can feel the heat from the creature's mouth on his face. All he can see are the shining razor sharp teeth. All he hears is the deep growl and the deafening shotgun blast.
Blood, bile and brain matter adorn Kelly's face and chest. The creature lays to his right, and struggles to stand even though it is missing a good portion of its face. The Doc gives a short command as he pulls the shotgun's second trigger. "Sit!"