As Kallo neared his sword, his steps slowed, coming to a stop as he settled his right hand onto the grip. A slow smile spread across his features as he pulled the large blade from the earth and swung it over his shoulder, to slip it in the half sheath that was riveted to the back plate of his armor. The ease with which he moved the weapon told the story of countless hours of training, countless battles, countless lives taken by the masterfully crafted, yet simply adorned sword. An unnoticed tension eased from his shoulders as he felt the familiar, comforting weight of the blade draped across his back. After a moment's reflection on the reunion with his oldest, most trusted companion, his steps picked back up as he ventured along the bloody trail he had left the night before. It never ceased to amaze him the damage he could withstand. Even before the blessings of his Goddess, he had been one of the toughest soldiers to grace a battlefield, withstanding wounds that would fell lesser men. Pain had always been something Kallo could simply block from his mind until his current objective was over, but now that he had the blessing of a Goddess, he was nearly indestructible, though he hadn't pushed that belief any further than he'd been forced to. No sense in testing his fate, controlled as it was.<br/><br/>The sudden thudding crashes of her golem's footfalls caused him to stop and turn to face her, his right hand instinctively reaching for the hilt of his weapon. His pale, glacial orbs widened slightly at the sight of her animated golem, a sudden sense of dread deep within his stomach. Slowly shaking his head as he stood there, waiting for her to catch up to him, he could only wonder at the power this woman held and how it compared to the power he had been gifted. He wasn't sure he could ever get used to seeing such a thing. That creature, that body of animated stone and clay and roots, it was more than he could wrap his mind around. His wide, pale eyes glanced from Levani to the golem, then back again as she closed the gap between them. “That... that thing is equally impressive and terrifying.” Turning to fall in step beside his new companion, keeping her between him and the golem, he couldn't help but shake his head as he continued to speak. “How... I mean... what...” A hard snort accompanied his slight stutter as he couldn't find the right questions to ask. “What the fuck is that thing?” Pulling his gaze from the golem and it's master, he focused back on the trail that led to the bodies in the clearing, he would not assume that they had been left alone, or that there was nothing waiting for them. Ever the vigilant warrior, he kept his senses on edge, listening for anything odd, his pale eyes scanning through the shadows cast by the trees.<br/><br/>Kallo merely smiled and shrugged at her comment on his strength, letting his more modest side show itself. “If you say so lass. I am but a man, regardless of my training and the gifts I've been given, I am a simple man of simple means.” About the time that she stopped and inhaled sharply, he lifted an armored hand and pointed to the large, twisted carcass crumpled at the foot of a tree. “That lass, is what nearly bested me. I've faced them a time or two before, but never alone, and never unarmed as I was last night. Those grotesque mutations were once men... men that allowed the blackness to swallow their soul and consume them from the inside out.” A disgusted sneer creased his normally handsome features as he scanned the area around the clearing. “There is but one way to destroy them.” Tapping an armored fist to his heart, he moved towards one of the two human corpses. “Pierce the heart.”<br/><br/>As suddenly as she shouted, he spun to face her, muscles tensed in anticipation of a fight, only to watch as her golem broke apart and sank into the earth, taking the twisted mutation with it. Relaxing a bit, his brow furrowed at the language she had used, that strange, rolling language that came so easy to her lips. Kallo quickly pushed the thoughts from his mind as he noticed movement within the shadows, his muscles tensing again as he set his feet apart in a fighters stance and unsheathed his blade with a quiet rasp of metal against leather. If only he hadn't been so foolish to underestimate his enemies last night, there wouldn't have been any corruption left in this forest, any blackness for the animals to feast upon. A heavy weight fell on his shoulders at the realization that his blunder had cost this forest, and his companion, even more death and suffering. “Goddess forgive me...” Pained undertones sounded deep within his voice as his pale orbs shifted to his companion. She cared for this forest, in a way that he would never understand, and by his hand, he had brought more corruption to her home.<br/><br/>His thoughts were cut short, the glistening of eyes catching his attention as a large, twisted wolf stepped from the shadows, snarling with it dripping fangs. The creature had been twisted by the foul blackness of the slain monster it had fed on, taking the corruption into it's very being, twisting not only it's body, but it's soul and mind as well. These rabid creatures could no longer be saved, desiring only death and to spread the plague that coursed through their mutated bodies. “Careful lass... this one's pack is likely encircling us.” Kallo knew that this small woman, tender as she might appear, could handle herself well enough to live alone in the wilderness of the forest, but he would never forgive himself if something happened to her, his hands had enough blood on them already.<br/><br/>Stepping forward, Kallo matched stares with the circling wolf, his hands gripping the hilt of his blade tightly as he took one step after another, slowly closing the distance between them. The shadows of at least two more wolves could be seen behind the one that had stepped into the clearing, clearly trying to draw attention away from the encircling pack. Kallo slowed his breathing and focused on the sounds of the forest, listening intently for the sounds of the rest of the pack, knowing there had to be more than three. As if it sensed his intention, the mutated wolf snarled and sprang at him, fangs glistening wetly as it lunged for his throat. A quick twist of his feet sent Kallo in a graceful spin, the long blade of his weapon trailing in a tight circle as he countered the wolf's attack. A predatory grin split his lips as his blade connected with the wolf in midair, catching slightly before the weight of the blade and strength of his strike severed the wolf in two, sending the head and shoulders sailing past his shoulder, the back half deflected to the ground a few feet away. With one down, he quickly spun to face the forest, waiting for the next target to present itself, trusting that Levani had a watch on the other side of the clearing, covering his flank, as he would cover hers. He had to put his trust in her abilities, if he worried about her while dealing with the pack of wolves, and whatever else might be lurking in the woods, he would likely make another fatal mistake, and that was simply not an option this time around.