The beast awoke with a sigh— the mountains trembled and the townspeople lit candles in their dark homes. A lone sentry stared at the snow capped peaks that sat above the village. He rubbed the faded copper talisman his brother had left him before his expedition to the southern lands. The emblem of a crouching wolf was worn away from worry. No spears, guards, or trained animals would stop the horror that lived below the mountain. Not if it wanted to step back into the sun.