Because it's what I do[volcano]

The volcano had been spilling smoke into the sky for a few days now, but he wanted to find out what happened. He knew his father and sister were dead, but the nostalgia that came with the activity going on within Mount Volkan heavily affected his thoughts and kept them on Elias and Domina.

He moved carefully around the base of the volcano, his blue eyes on the side of the mountain as he searched for the clearest path to the top. He wasn't sure what he was going to do when he got there, and almost any other wolf might have natural instincts to run away- but something called to him from the pit of this volcano.

It was Winter now, meaning Autumn was over. Autumn was always so important to Elias. The turn of the season had officially declared him a matured adult of his species, but the titan still felt like a lost child. There was a quiver in his step as he was drawn in higher up the volcano.

'In Autumn we celebrate Servus Menti, Dominus. It will be one of your greatest responsibilities.' His father's words played in his memory as he recalled one of the most morbid stories his father had told him in their lessons. He didn't want to think it was true..

But the embers now spewing from the peak of the mountain were living proof, reflective in his bright blue eyes. He hadn't noticed he stopped climbing, frozen in awe. Ash was allowed to speckle his silvered mantle as he stood there, but as the earth began to rumble he was finally brought back to the present.

Autumn was the season of reaping in Ruina. It was the time of year where they sacrificed all their collected souls to Apollyon in exchange for an easier Winter. His father had made a sacrifice last year... it was Domina. It made him whine to think about, but the mountain had gone back to being dormant after that and now that his father was dead... that made him Apollyon's servant.

Dominus failed Apollyon.

"I didn't know..." The beginning of his apology was cut short by the sight of birds flying in the distance, though they were not  fleeing from the ash and smoke. They were circling.

His protective instincts kicked in as he heard their cawing, immediately he took off toward them to investigate- a rumble given to the earth beneath him that was strong enough to shake him off his feet. He tumbled, but adapted quickly and got back to his paws to run in the exact same direction he had been heading. He ran out of Mount Volkan as quickly as possible, treading across the fields of the rock garden with little care to the safety of his already worn paws. (Much more worn than they should be for his age.)

When he discovered her, she was stiff-legged on her side, jaws snapping. He thought she was dying, but slowly.. she stopped and stood up in a wobbly fashion. He wasn't sure what was happening, but now that he had become a sudden firm believer of demons.. he wondered if she were possessed. What a horrible time to not be in control of your own body. He stepped forward cautiously and cleared his throat to alert her he was near.

"You shouldn't be here, you need to move!"