I suppose they all think I am a fool. They cannot see what is in front of their eyes either. They cannot see the darkness in the forest, the threat it poses. Can they not see that evil can end our way of life fully? They are blind, no longer dedicated. So I shall do their duties for them. The Gods know that they will not.

Such bitterness. What a strange feeling. Yet I cannot push it away.

As for today...

I awoke to summer sun, shining down warmly. Strength rippled through my body, newfound almost. Perhaps this should have been my first clue that my task was to be taken up again.

I walked off, completed my morning ritual. Easy enough, though I am quite glad that I am able to do it again. As I walked towards the statues, a deer in a bird mask and a golden butterfly pelt fled. I swear I caught a hint of taunting as I walked up.

The deer came back after I left. Sad? Confused? I watched to be sure that the Gods were safe. They were, for now. The deer continued, seeming to talk to them. I would not approach; every deer needs time alone with the Gods. They left soon enough.

A creeping feeling of darkness pierced my pelt. Of course. The demon was back. I sought him out, but stayed in the perimeter. He would make the first move; he would be the one who started it.

He sensed me too and walked towards me. Of course this was a threat. So I countered this threat. The fight, longer than I had ever anticipated, began.

Hooves, antlers, it did not matter. Scratching, rearing, pummeling, blood, antlers, goring, a roar of pain as an antler wounds me deep in the chest. I continue on. This time the demon would not conquer me. This time, I was ready.

This time we were interrupted. A stag in a scaled pelt came in between us, halting our fight. I refuse to harm innocents, so I stopped. He left again and we started over. He came back. He was stopping our fight, admirably. I decided to take his advice and walk off to cool down.

Then I remembered that by fleeing, I would be defeated. I had vowed to be undefeated this time.

So I came back. We fought again. Perhaps the forest would be rid of this demon now. The Gods were supporting me, of course. Perhaps by the end of this, the stag would be dead. This time, my temper surged and engulfed me. Dangerous, but it was out of my control. I was laughing almost insanely at his seemingly vain attempts to harm me. His taunts were nothing. I was sure that my duty would end soon.

Then Bastilion entered. I hoped that he would leave us, but he stayed. So our fighting calmed again and my anger was reigned in...for the most part. This was when I felt my wounds. Deep scratches down my sides, the chest wound. Nothing I could not handle though.

I sat down, though. Rest would rejuvenate me for the next opportunity. The others sat down as well. This was when it turned into a contest of will. This was one battle that I knew I would win.


I stared at the stag across from me. Three red eyes on each side of his skull. Chains. Four nostrils. Rotting. Disgusting creature. I focused on the eyes.

Something dark moved behind them. Some sort of creeping darkness. Something that reminded me of a memory of what seems like the distant past.

There was a ghost at the ruins. And he had been laying near the grave she had appeared from. Perhaps it meant nothing, but I mentioned it all the same.

“I must wonder if you have a connection to the ghost who lives at the ruins.”

Perhaps a look of surprise crossed his “face”. Perhaps not. I still had to wonder, though it was preposterous. Perhaps some day I shall know.

I lost track of time. My mind blurred. I focused on something else, then began to drift. It was dangerous, but I could not resist. I drifted off, finding a familiar landscape.

The forest, but...different. I looked over at a boy. A human boy. The bell tolled and he was running. Then there was a sharp voice.

Blurred memories.

Then he was running again, running from flames. I screamed and awoke from my trance, now standing.

I shook my head and sat again. Just a dream, nothing more. Best not to show fear here.

Many deer approached us. I bowed. Though I was battling, I could still be cordial. Of course, cordiality is important. Another deer came running up, a doe. She sided with my enemy, it seemed. Stupid doe. Of course I could not expect her to see what was right.

Cordiality, I remind myself. Cordiality.

Again the demon and I tried to fight. Bastilion and the doe broke us up. I flicked my ears in irritation at this doe's interference, though I admit that her courage was slightly admirable. However, now was not the right time and place for her.

I stood. The demon seemed to be taunting me, though now I cannot be sure if it was not just my own mind. Again the despicable anger rose in me. This time, I pushed through those who tried to block me. I did not care for their interference. I was able to get to the demon before that doe tried to fight me. I refused to fight her, though it was rather hard. I cannot fight an innocent, especially one as unprepared as she was.

So we sat, yet again. It began to wear on my nerves, but I was determined to outlast this demon. We were both stubborn though. It grated on my nerves. More fighting was attempted, but was again blocked by Bastilion and that doe. I still wish that they had simply let us go. Then this would be ended.

Instead, it will continue.

The demon walked off and there came another burst of darkness. Oh Gods, he had an ally? I uttered an got to my feet and walked over, wincing. My wounds had started to make themselves more known. There was a stag with a crying mask, ram horns, and an orange-ish pelt. Darkness was emanating from him...

Though it seemed mixed with something. Not like the darkness radiating off of the demon. The darkness from the orange-pelted stag seemed to be dissipating. I sniffed him, trying to figure out more. Nothing came...except a wash of hatred for the dark and that horrid anger yet again. I pushed it away. I was too injured to fight this stag who was fresher than me.

He bowed. I bowed back, stupid as I was. He did not deserve the bow, this creature. I suppose I was caught up by confusion over the dissipating darkness and his cordiality.

Then I found myself between the demon and that stag. Luckily, I was not attacked. Then the stag ran off with the demon behind. I lowered my antlers.

“We shall meet again.”

He interpreted it as an invitation to come back. He was bleeding too, of course. Wounded. He did no longer want to fight. Nor did I, my strength having suddenly left me.

“I shall not fight you again today.”

We sat, staring. There are more ways of defeating enemies than brute strength. Perhaps I shall try some of these. Or perhaps I will still fall back on violence. I will do anything to rid the forest of this abomination.

Then he struck up a truce and invited me over. He nuzzled me. I thought, wrongly of course, that he was making peace permanently. I have realized my mistake. I was unable to nuzzle him, still too wary. I should have been warier. I should not have bowed to him. Of course this rotting corpse will never make a truce. We will be hunting each other until one of us disappears forever.

Then more deer approached. One seemed to make the demon nervous.

To me, it seemed like a fight waiting to happen, though I wonder if I interpreted it wrong. However, as much as I hated him, I knew that if they should fight, it would be unfair. Though my enemy...might have been eliminated.

I stepped in, worried. I attempted to stop whatever was happening. The other deer nodded and walked away. Though I would have liked to see this demon gone, an unfair way of going about it was not honorable. Perhaps this was the wrong decision...

Then came the other dark one. He attracted the demon and they walked off. I came up to Bastilion.

“Bastilion...I did not want you to be involved. I do not want you to have to choose. Bastilion, I admire your dedication to peace. Keep your vow. Do not become involved in this.”

I whispered inaudibly, “Forgive me...” Then I was out, the blood loss catching up to me.

Demon, this peace shall not last. There is no rest for the wicked.

-The Priest

(Mentioned: Masque, Baal, Darkweaver, Darcy, Bastilion, Queze, Aegle, and fawn who I do not know. Jeez, that was quite an encounter. xD).