The pillars of creation

It was all Friedrich could do to roll and twist, trying to keep himself from the snapping snarling beasts. He certainly had no intention of going into the water; he had no desire to be set upon by such ferocious animals in water. That was a favorite trick of beasts in the swamp-get you in the water, then they had you. Going in the water was the last thing Friedrich wanted.

The world seemed to go mad with steel flashing by his face, just over his head, up along the side of him, whistling through the air, slicing beasts apart with each mighty swing, defending him just before they were on him. Reeking, slippery innards spilled across the ground, slopped across his legs.

The man above stepped over Friedrich, straddling him. His sword slashed and stabbed with swift, fluid grace that Friedrich found spellbinding. The stranger stood his ground over Friedrich, cutting through the creatures as they charged, seemingly dozens of them, all snarling and howling.

Friedrich saw yet more of the wild beasts bound out of the woods. With frightening speed and terrifying determination, they leaped at the man standing over him, throwing themselves at him with wild abandon. Friedrich saw another swordsman to the side slice into the onslaught. He thought he saw a third person behind, but with all the furious activity, he wasn't sure how many rescuers there might be. The strident snarling, ringing howls, and roaring growls, all so close, were deafening. When one of the heavy beasts crashed sideways into him, Friedrich stabbed it, only to see that it was already headless.

As the second person raced in close to join the fray, the man standing over Friedrich stepped to the side, reached down with one hand, snatched a fistful of his shirt, lifted him to his feet, and, with a grunt, heaved him out into the lake. Friedrich had no time to get his balance and only an instant to gasp a breath before he hit the water. He plunged under, unable to tell up from down in the dark depths.

Breaking the surface, gasping for air, splashing for the shore, Friedrich finally found footing on the muddy bottom and was just able to keep his head above the surface of the water. To his surprise, none of the beasts came in after him. Several raced to the shore, but stopped short, unwilling to enter the water despite how much they hungered to have him. When they saw he was out of reach, they returned to the attack and were killed as soon as they joined the others charging the big man.

The beasts leaped at the three from all sides, the fierce battle raging on with frightening intensity. As fast as the animals attacked, they were dispatched decisively-beheaded, stabbed, or rent open with mighty swings of a sword.

With sudden finality, the dark figure swung upward, lopping the head off a beast as it leaped through the air toward the second person. The night finally fell silent, but for the heavy breathing of the three people up on the trail.

The three stepped out of the pile of unmoving carcasses, to sit wearily on the bank, exhausted, heads hanging as they caught their breath.

"Are you all right?" the first of the three, the one who had saved Friedrich's life, asked. His voice was still filled with the terrible rage of battle. His blood-slick sword, still in his hand, glinted in starlight.

Friedrich, stunned and shivering, suddenly weak with relief, took several steps toward the shore, water sluicing off him, until he was standing waist-deep in the lake before the man.

"Yes, thanks to you. Why'd you throw me in the water like that?"

The man raked his fingers back through thick hair. "Because," he said between deep breaths pulled not just from exertion, but driven by wrath, "heart hounds won't go in water. It was the safest place for you."

Friedrich swallowed as his gaze played over the dark heaps of hounds. "I don't know how to thank you. You saved my life."

"Well," the man said, still catching his breath, "I happen not to like heart hounds. They've scared the wits out of me on more than one occasion.»

Friedrich feared to ask where the man would have seen such fearsome creatures before.

"We were way back up the trail when we saw them come out after you." It was a woman's voice. Friedrich stared at the figure in the middle who had spoken as she caught her breath. He could just make out her long fall of hair. "We were worried that we wouldn't reach you before the heart hounds had you," she added.

"But… what are heart hounds?"

The three figures stared at him.

"The more important question," the first man said at last in a quiet, measured, but commanding voice, "is why were heart hounds here at all. Do you have any idea why they might have been after you?"

"No, sir. I've never seen such creatures before."

"It's been a long while since I've seen heart hounds," the man said, sounding troubled. Friedrich almost thought that he'd been going to say more about the hounds, but instead he asked, "What's your name?"