1. Strangers and Friends

Daniel Evongland, a twenty-six year old man, had just arrived at a party being thrown for the newest mayor of New Haven. While still outside, he caught sight of a stranger. Walking a little closer, he saw the mystery person to be a young woman; having gorgeous long, fiery-red hair as if kissed by a phoenix, tied in a french braid; round marble shaped eyes that resembled jade or emerald. She appeared to be five foot five with a thin face that had a light row of freckles across the bridge of her nose. She had medium cheek bones, and lips that were thin and soft like cotton. She wore a beautiful sparkling red dress which shown her slim hourglass figure; glossy black low cut heels, and a dark brown purse that she clutched in her right hand.

 Walking over, Daniel tapped her shoulder, capturing her attention. The woman turned around encountering a sharp looking gentleman in a well tailored gray tuxedo. His figure, not muscular, but toned with a height of six foot two and a square chiseled face, and blue narrow eyes as if cut from sapphire. His hair, white, like that of a tiger, with a stubby brown beard that made him handsome in the face.

"uhh... Hello, h-how are you?" Daniel asked fidgeting with the hem of his tux.

"Hi! I'm doing exceptionally well this beautiful evening," she replied with a sight of warmth in her eyes. 

"I wanted to ask who you were? I have seen everyone at this party many times, but a beautiful women like yourself, not once. Are you… uh…new here?" Daniel asked becoming more at ease.

"Where are my manners!?" she asked aloud. 

"Samantha Slooshear, nice to meet you, but most just call me Sam. What about you?" Sam replied with curiosity.

"What about me?" Daniel asks with anxiousness.

"What's your name? Silly, I can't call you nothing if I'm going to get to know you! So, what's your name?" Sam asks again as she touches his shoulder flirtatiously. 

"Oh, uh, Daniel Evongland. So, are you in town for a while, or is there family here?" he questioned curiously with a bit of redness in his cheeks.

"I came from Lansing, just a week ago before arrive her in New Haven," Sam replied with a small curtsy and head nod. 

"Well, Sam, welcome. Would you maybe like to dance with me?" asking as he holds out his arm shakily with anxiety.

"I would very much enjoy a dance," Sam replied interlocking his arm with her left, and placing her right hand on his bicep to calm him.

They walked side by side into the center of New Haven Park to join the party. As the party went on the two talked for hours. The nervousness that Daniel felt before was dissipating as conversation persisted between them; becoming more at ease as they grew familiar.

"So, Sam, would you like to go out sometime?" asked Daniel with a nervous laughter in his voice. "I mean if you're up for that." 

"I would like that. Just tell me when, and I'll tell you where," replied Sam as her face brightens up with a blush of joy. 

After four hours of dancing, talking, and sometimes singing, the party ends and the people disperse. Daniel and Sam hang around a little longer and talk. Then without question, or realization they walk back to Sam's home together.

"Thank you, Daniel, for a good night. I had not had that much fun in a long while. Honestly, I didn't think I would have found much; moving here, I mean, but I guess I was wrong… again," Sam explained as she toed the ground.

"I had a blast as well. Usually I am by myself in the forest or something. But, during the walk, I was wondering a bit about tomorrow. Maybe, you would… um… like to go on a date then? I'm thinking around six thirty?" Daniel asks nervously. 

"Sure!" exclaimed Sam. "I'll tell you where tomorrow, will that be alright?"

"S-sure that sounds good!" Daniel says as he starts down the steps backwards almost tripping, "I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Alright, pick me up here I'll be waiting on this step," Sam replies with a giggle.

"Alright," Daniel replies with a fluttery nervous tone.

Sam goes inside, and Daniel begins onto the next intersection taking the second right heading straight to his cabin near the woods. Upon arrival he is greeted with his best friend.

"Hey, Dimitri. How have you been? I have a lot to tell you about," He states as he takes his jacket and shoes off getting ready for bed.

Dimitri and Daniel lie down and talk until they fell asleep. The night passed and wolves howled. When the sun had risen far above the horizon Daniel got up and began his morning chores. After feeding Dimitri, taking him for a walk, and eating breakfast, Daniel decided to go for another walk by himself. 

While getting ready to go, he packs a small sack of fruits and vegetables; tying it to a backpack for a mid-day snack. As he exits his backdoor, facing the woods, he grabs his bow and quiver that stood against the moss covered, and waterlogged door post on the left. Exiting and locking his home he starts toward the woods readily excited for what he may find this time.

Once Daniel reached the woods, he immediately noticed a squirrel on a tree roughly fifty feet straight ahead of him. Drawing his bow, he readies an arrow...

"I got you," Daniel hushed his voice. 

He shot the arrow striking a finch, and penetrating the squirrel; giving Daniel a double blessing. Rushing over to the kill, he readies a string for the prize.

"A two for one deal! Dimitri is going to really enjoy dinner tonight for sure!" yelling in excitement as he leaps with joy. 

Taking his arrow back, cleaning it off, he ties the animals to the string. finishing the knot he ties the other end to his belt. Venturing off further into the woods he comes across many other small critters that can be tied to his belt. 

About an hour and a half into his trek he hears faint whimpering and whining somewhere in the distance. Interested in the noise Daniel discovers a larger than average dark grey wolf, with white fur that wrapped around his paws, heading to his shoulders forming a line down his mane, stuck in a bear trap. 

Taking caution, while creeping closer, he keeps his bow drawn. Believing his ears to have deceived him, he swears that he heard, 'help me,' escape the beasts saliva ridden mouth. Stooping down to the level the beast is on, Daniel, with much hesitation and fear, starts to undo the trap from around the wolfs' paw carefully. The wolf, although allowing help from this stranger, winces and snarls at the pain.

After careful removal of the trap Daniel takes a piece of cloth from his bag; gently, yet firmly, wrapping the cloth around the wounded area. Tying it off he backs away from the beast quickly and cautiously. Daniel looks at the beast with pity. He unties a rabbit from the string of critters he has collected so far in his walk; leaving it as an offering of peace to the creature. Once he set it on the ground, and kicks it towards the wolf, Daniel turns around to leave.

"wait," a deep and tired voice called from behind Daniel.

Turning around in confusion he looks for the man from whom the voice came, "w-who said that?" he questioned nervously.

"I-I did," replied the beast, whincing with pain, as he tries to stand to his feet.

"WHAT!?" Daniel replies with a frightened tone as he backs up further almost tripping on a root. 

Still wanting to help the beast Daniel regains his posture, "you need to take it easy."

"My name is Baalthezar Sheepskin. Thank you for helping me," he says with a bit of gratefulness in his voice.

Still worried about his safety Daniel replies with a shaky voice, "you're welcome. I don't want you to try and eat me after helping you out."

"Now why would I do that?" Asked Baalthezar menacingly. 

"Because you're a talking wolf. Why wouldn't you want to eat me? I'm just a weak human. You're what ten feet tall standing up, twenty on your hind legs? So, yes you have all the ability in the world to eat me," Daniel freaks out as he paces back in forth in a circle.

"Just calm down kid," Baalthezar says with annoyance.

"One, I'm not a kid. I'm twenty-six. Two, why should I calm down? I could be about to die. Do you even know how stressful that is? I just met a beautiful woman also," Daniel continues.

"I promise I'm not going to kill you," Baalthezar assures him, "now what is it that you're doing in these woods anyway?"

"Well I wanted to go on a walk, and it then turned into a hunt, so right now I'm hunting instead of walking. Well now, I'm talking to this wolf thing. Huh, I must be dreaming. None of this could be real!" Daniel continues to freak out, as he put his hands on his head.

"Well, if it helps I can change form," Baalthezar says as he turns back into a man. 

"What?" Daniel asks as he turns around to a man instead of a beast standing behind him. Shocked with fear he asks, "What?! Who are you!?"

Daniel stares at Baalthezar, a lumberjack of a man, standing in front of him. He looks to be seven foot two with a heavy muscular build. His eyes round like crystalized amber; his face is squared and rough, with a scar under his right eye. His hair is black like that of a wolf.

"I am still me, Daniel," Baalthezar replied as he slowly steps closer to Daniel. 

"Whoa," Daniel said as he holds up his hand, and takes a step backwards in fear, "What is going on? How did you know my name?"

"Alright, I can change form at will. Ever since I can remember, I have had this stone embedded into my wrist. When I think of a creature I can turn into it, but only creatures that I have absorbed the life essence of," Baalthezar replied hoping to calm down Daniel. 

"L-like you can turn to anything?" Daniel asks with scared curiosity. 

"Not exactly, I can only turn into a wolf. I do not know why it's only a wolf, or why this stone is here. All I know is that this is what I can do," Baalthezar explains.

"Well, this day just keeps getting weirder and weirder," Daniel exhales as he slowly processes everything, "I'm continuing into the woods. I guess a companion would be of some benefit incase there is trouble. Even though I've been in these woods many times," Daniel says as he gets a grip of the reality.

"I wouldn't mind a walk in the woods after the bear trap," replied Baalthezar as they began their walk deeper into the woods.

After about an hours worth of an excursion, and conversation, they come upon a beautiful open space, decorated by a pond with a waterfall falling into it and trees on every side. Animals were grazing in the grass and birds were flying in the pale blue sky above making the pond look mystical.

"Wow, what an amazing sight, Baalthezar, isn't this great?" Daniel asked as he wore a huge smile on his face at the sight.

"Yes, this is an amazing sight indeed," Baalthezar says as he turns to a wolf.

Baalthezar backs up roughly twenty feet; rushing towards the pond, he makes a great leap, and lands with a cannonball of a splash into the center. The animals surrounding the pond run into to forest not to be seen again for sometime.

"Hey, are you going to get in, the water's nice," Baalthezar says changing back to a man.

Looking out to where Baalthezar is, Daniel takes off his shirt and shoes. Throwing his bag, and other items he brought, to the side in a jumbled pile.

"Watch out! This is going to be pretty big," Daniel yells as he starts running toward the pond.

Daniel jumps in as he reaches the edge of the pond. Compressing his body to be like a cannonball, he lands in the pond creating a splash like that of a kid jumping in a puddle.

"How was that?" Daniel asked hoping his splash was impressive. 

"You call that a splash?" Baalthezar says climbing out of the pond to show Daniel what a real splash looks like, "now just watch a learn," he said as he ran his fastest, and upon jumping shifting into a wolf, and tucking to create a large wake that pushed Daniel to the other side of the pond near the waterfall.

"Alright, alright you have made your point. You are obviously more skilled at cannonballs than me," Daniel replied with a heavy tone of sarcasm. 

Both of them were laughing until Daniel thought he could hear an echo coming from behind the waterfall. Looking across the pond at Baalthezar, Daniel calls him over to get a second opinion. 

"Do you hear that?" Daniel asks stepping closer to the waterfall, "I think there is an echo coming from behind it!"

Stepping a little closer himself, Baalthezar hears the echo and agrees with Daniel. "Do you think we should figure out what it is?" Baalthezar asked with a glint of adventure in his eye.

"I-I do," Daniel says with curious anxiety. "I have never been here before. Although I have lived here my whole life I still have a lot of the wood to discover."

"Well, don't worry. What is the worst that could happen?" Baalthezar says with reassurance in his voice. Stepping back Baalthezar grabs onto Daniel and prepares to throw him through the waterfall.

"Whoa whoa whoa whoa. What are you doing?! Baalthezar! NO!" Daniel tried to resist as he was thrown through the water landing on the other side of the waterfall on solid ground.

Getting his bearings back after being thrown through the waterfall, Daniel slowly stands back up to his feet with the help of a jagged rock a couple feet away from him. Looking down at his body he notices a couple cuts, a few bruises, and some blood forming from being thrown onto a rough surface without a shirt. He looks up and witnesses the most magical place he has ever been to in his own life. A crystal lined cave, with some hanging from the ceiling, walls, and floors. Some crystals are purple, and others blue, as well as some red, and still others yellow. Each one giving off its own light. The minerals on the cave walls glistened as the lights shined around them, as if the stars were dancing around the cave to a joyous melody being played by a master lutist. 

Not wanting to lose this moment Daniel realizes he should call Baalthezar in here. Once Baalthezar enters the cave, soaking wet from the waterfall, he looked around at what Daniel was trying so hard to find the words for. 

"Baalthezar this place…" He stopped searching for the right words, "This place is… is Majesticful!"

"Daniel that's not a word, but it rightly sums this place up." Baalthezar quipped in agreement as he said it under his breath, "majesticful."

Standing in complete amazement, a distant muffled scream interrupts their attention. Looking at each other they have a silent agreement to look further into the matter, and find out where the scream came from.

"Hold up, I need my things," Daniel says as he looks back at the waterfall with anticipation.

"Wait here, I'll get them," Baalthezar says as he shifted into a wolf, leaping through the waterfall, being back in less than twenty seconds. 

"Thank you, Baalthezar. I really do appreciate it," Daniel says putting his shirt back on, along with his backpack. He also slings his quiver on his shoulder, and his bow across his chest. 

Nodding at each other they begin for the scream. Running through the cave, neither of them worry about where they are going, because of the plentiful light provided from the crystals. They keep their ears open and continue to listen for anymore muffled sounds of stress. After a few minutes of running Daniel stops, and rests his hands on his knees while hunched over to catch a breath. Once he did that he heard the muffled cry of distress again and felt invigorated once more. Catching back up with Baalthezar, they reached the area of the cries after a few more minutes of running.

Reaching the place where the screams came from they find a woman tied to a rock. She wore a cloth sack on her head that had a thick rope tied around it creating a gag. Quickly, they help this woman out of her bondage, and get to her feet. Daniel was able to recognize the woman as Sam. Although she didn't wear makeup and was badly beaten, as if she was brutally attacked and dragged here.

"Sam, is that you!? How did this happen!?" Daniel asks as he helps her to her feet.

"Daniel!? Is that you? Sorry, it's so bright in here. I have been sitting in the dark for a while. I'm not even sure how long I have been down here. All I know is I woke up tied to this rock, and I couldn't see anything. I felt a heavy pressure on my face and realized I was gagged. I don't know who would do such a thing like this," She said rubbing her numb face to wake it up. 

"Yeah, it's me," Daniel confirms pulling a canteen from his bag, "Here drink some water. I'm not sure what would have happened if Baalthezar and I didn't find you."

"Who? Who's Baalthezar?" Sam asked inquisitively as she began to drink from the canteen. Some of the water rolling down her chin onto her shirt. 

"Sam, this is Baalthezar, Baalthezar, Sam, She is the girl I met at the party I told you about earlier." Daniel said as he made the introduction gestures. 

"Hello Sam, it is nice to meet you," Baalthezar greeted as he held out his hand for a handshake. 

Taking his hand Sam returns the greeting, "Yes, as it is also nice to meet you too. Daniel, where are we?" She asked as she looked around and saw the beauty of the caves around her, "I have never been in a place quite like this before."

"That is a good question. I am not too sure myself. All I know is that this place was hidden behind a waterfall, and it has to be the most beautiful thing I have ever seen!" Daniel exclaims with a little bit of eagerness in his voice, "I was kind of wondering if you guys want to go deeper into the caves? I'm curious what's in here," He asked shooting glances between Sam and Baalthezar in anticipation.

"I wouldn't mind that. I'm curious as to what lies at the end of this other worldly tunnel anyway," Baalthezar agrees as he looks over to Sam waiting for her response.

"Sam, I know what just happened is frightening, and I completely understand if you would rather go back home," Daniel reassures.

"Honestly, I would rather stay with you guys, because I was at home before I showed up here. I don't want to be captured again, and not have a rescuer. It's only by luck that you guys found this place when you did," Sam says as she decompresses with a sigh of relief.

"Well, then I think it's settled. We will see what lies at the end of this other worldly tunnel," Daniel mimicks with sarcasm glancing to Baalthezar as they began to gather their supplies. 

"Hey, Sam, There is something you should know about Baalthezar before he does it, and scares you out of your wits," Daniel said as he slowed his pace and looked at Baalthezar for assurance. 

"What is it? Does he have a prosthetic leg or something?" Sam asked with a little bit of laughter in her voice.

"Ha ha Sam, no. This is far more frightening," Baalthezar said as he looked at Daniel giving him the okay with a slight head nod. 

"Baalthezar can change into different creatures. Well, right now only a wolf, but I thought that maybe you should know, and see it for yourself before he just does it, and freaks you out further," Daniel explains nervously as to how she will react. 

"Can you really!? May I see?" Sam asks curiously; which calms Daniels nerves at her request. 

Nodding his head Baalthezar shifts into a wolf, and slowly walks up to her with his nose at the height of her forehead. His dark grey and white fur rustled in the cave draft, and his tail wagged with a low happiness to it. Stepping closer to Sam his foot stops next to hers and Sam can see that one of his paws is four of her feet. Looking in amazement at this beast, Sam pets his head and under his chin. Breathing hard through his nose into her face Baalthezar shakes his head, as if to remove anything that might be trapped by the thick coat of fur. 

"May I sit on your back Baalthezar?" Sam asks eagerly not frightened at all by his uncanny ability to change forms. 

"To ride? Like a horse?" Baalthezar asked as he tilted his head with curiosity. 

"I mean, if that is okay?" Sam asked playing in the dust of the cave floor with her foot in hopes of a positive answer. 

With a low sigh Baalthezar replies, "yes, but, if you start pulling my hair like reigns I will buck you off like a horse. Understood?" He says with a tone of authority and seriousness. 

"I understand. Now crouch down so I can get up there. You are far to tall for me to just hop up." Sam says as she prepares herself to get on Baalthezar.

Kneeling down and laying on his belly Daniel helps Sam get on. Once situated on his back he stands up and looks at Daniel with embarrassment. They all take off further into the cave, and continue to talk for about an hour before they came to this wide open room. The walls ran high and the ceiling had just the smallest hole in it allowing them to see the stars. The walls were covered with crystals, and the floor was damp with water. In the center of the room stood a stone pedestal. Stepping cautiously they all enter the room and look around.

"What is this place?" Sam asked rhetorically yet wanting an actual answer.

"I don't know, but look how high these walls go, and look at the ceiling. There's a hole up there, but I don't recognize any of those stars," Daniel says with wonder in his voice. 

"You can recognize stars?" Sam asked inquisitively.

"Indubitably, growing up my dad would teach me how to read the stars to find my way home if I had ever gotten lost in the woods without him. But, for some reason I don't recognize these ones. But, then again it is a human sized hole at the top, so not being able to see the surrounding stars also lessens recognizability," Daniel explains as he takes his gaze off the hole and onto the stone pedestal.

"What do you think this pedestal might be for Baalthezar?" Sam asks as she walks closer to inspect it better.

"I wouldn't know. Your guess is as good as mine," Baalthezar claims.

Reaching out her hand Sam touches the pedestal, and upon doing so a white ring of light shot from the top of it revealing a rose pink gem. The white ring of light hits the walls and all the crystal lights fade and fall to the floor being absorbed by the pedestal. Once all the light was absorbed the group stood in complete darkness for a few moments, except for the light that shone through the top of the room from the hole. 

After what seemed like a life time of suspense a powerful white light, with a rainbow of colors from the crystals, shot up from the gem and through the hole in the ceiling. A whizzing sound came from the gem as the light pulsated from it and through it. Each time the light pulsated it grew wider in diameter eventually becoming unbearable to look at.

Standing in fear, the group doesn't dare to move as to disrupt what is happening. After about thirty seconds of watching, the light become blindingly bright, and caused each of them to pass out from the sheer intensity of it. Leaving them to lie in the damp, dark, coldness of the cave.