Henrietta The Half-dead

I ran as hard as my short legs could managed. My sense of speed was warped by the faces that protested my journey. The wind passing by me felt violent. The light I ran to had become so blinding that it pained to look on but I didn't falter. I reached out to touch the light ahead, hoping to cheat the run out of a few steps, and my scenery changed with a blink.

Without warning I was staring up at the black knight remnant again and he was coming down upon me with a rusty sword. I threw myself backward and tumbled as the old metal struck the tile floor. The blade broke against the force of the miss and the creature growled as it tossed it aside.

I hurried to my feet and began to run towards the wolf king. I didn't dare look back and slow myself down. How I managed to sprint cleanly without stumbling was a welcome wonder. My little body pushed with everything it had and I flew through the wolf's door to finally lose my footing and fall. I landed on my stomach and grimaced as I dropped my face into the floor.

The pain was numbed some as I fell primarily on my rotted cheek. I quickly pushed myself up and when I tried to look to the wolf's box my vision was blocked by my pursuer.

"Time for you to die," the entity said.

The creature raised a blurry hand towards me but never came close. In what was probably the most destructive pest swiping I would ever witness, the wolf king came to my aide and struck my aggressor with an open palm. The black creature's body smashed into the wall with such force that I felt I may become sick from hearing it.

Limp on the floor, the old knight deteriorated into dirt and its shadowy outfit faded away. I hoped that was the end of it.

"I suppose the state of my cage wasn't observed," the wolf said. "Foolish old spirit."

"Will I see him again?" I asked. "I assumed he was some sort of ghost or phantom."

"If you can grab hold of them, you can kill them the old fashioned way," the wolf explained. "How goes your search?

"I found a puppeteer. It is willing to set you free, but I must find a way to free it first. I need the key or instruction on how to disable the machine that holds it."

"A puppeteer," the wolf king said. "Did you check any other prisoners?"

"I couldn't," I answered. "Every tunnel had been filled with rubble. You two were the only choice."

"All right then," the wolf said. "Tell me about this machine."