Wren Sleightcard, the eighteen year old traveling magician, a master of sleight of hand and an illusionist, was traveling down the road to the large city of Rellos because his audiences in northern Frendazl, the country where he was born and raised, had grown tired of his old tricks. He was now going to the southern half of the country to learn new ones and get a fresh audience.

Between the two halves of the country, however, stood the huge forest of Rellos. It had started as a small oak grove 5 miles from Rellos, but it had quickly grown to be the huge forest it was today. But even more quickly than the forest had grown the rumors of Werewolves and Raavens (small reptiles about a foot long with black scales, a lizard like body, wings and no legs, however they do have razor sharp tails and wing claws) but these where not the worst of the rumors, no even worse where the rumors of The Beast, a large wolf with 3 rows of teeth, breath like poison, claws like daggers and a coat so matted it was like armor. It was these rumors that had kept the 2 halves of the country practically 2 countries, “how could any one get through there?” People asked themselves. But that was the forest Wren had to traverse to get to his destination. And so with determination shining in his eyes he started in to the forest.

It was about noon now and Wren was starting to think the rumors were just that, rumors. He had not seen 1 black scale of a raaven nor heard one snarling snore of a dozing werewolf and he had not seen the paths of destruction The Beast was likely to leave, so after his lunch he lay down for a rest. Wren awoke a few hours later, to a small rustling and, turning over he saw a small, black, winged and legless reptile slivering away carrying his food bag in its jaws!

“Hey!” He yelled at the raaven in surprise, it started and turned to face him its face was a hideous mix of snake and cat with razor teeth an inch long. It lunged at him and he instinctively knocked it out of the air with his traveling staff it quickly flew off with a cry of dismay!

“I’m going to have to be more wary” he thought as he picked up his food pack. Continuing down the path he saw a small road off the beaten path he was treading now it seemed to lead the same way and didn’t have briars growing over it, also it was smoother he decided to ignore it for now. It was an hour later and the dirt path Wren had been following had all but disappeared when all of a sudden the briars and braches parted and he found him self in a small clearing with a cluster of rocks in it. He couldn’t hear the call of birds, the scampering of squirrels and rabbits or even the call of raavens that had followed him since he scared the first one off. A low loud snarl came from the rock cluster and out of a small hole a 6 foot tall 10 foot long wolf some how squeezed out!

“Why do you risk your life in the grove of The Beast?” the wolf dangerously inquired of the stunned magician its matted fur rising and its mouth now revealed to have 3 row of 5 inch long fangs.

“An accident foul beast!” spat Wren recovering himself “but it shall soon be dealt with!”
“True” growled The Beast “for you shall soon be dead!”
“A simple wolf overpower the most powerful sorcerer in the world? I think not!” bluffed Wren.
“Very well I give you one day to prepare your ‘magic’” said The Beast “ for I am hungry but not for human” and he left to hunt.
Wren immediately set to work creating the most complicated illusion of his life and the most vital for his survival.

The next day The Beast returned, “Have you prepared charlatan?” snarled the wolf.
He then jumped at Wren. Wren stepped back onto a hidden trigger and tree braches fell from the trees above as he quickly pulled a mach from his sleeve and secretly lit the branches. They then hit the oil soaked ground around The Beast. Flame erupted, apparently from out of the ground,
“Stop it I believe you. You may leave with out danger, just stop the fire!” The Beast howled. Wren quickly stepped on the second hidden switch pulling the plugs in 20 hidden buckets of water creating a rain like flow of water dousing the fire.

“Then I will take my leave” said Wren and he turned and left, quickly found the road and continued on to Rellos