Search for soul

[Dune]

The night is cold. The air in Viridale is filled with an eerie silence. A dark, cloaked and hooded figure can be glimsed through the trees, followed by a strange and unknown beast, barely visable in the ever-growing darkness. The man halts in the centre of the forest, by the small river and the bridge. Crossing it he knew would easily give away his position. He slung his bow over his back and took from there instead, a large, light-blue glowing spear which he set in the ground next to him as he looked right across the bridge, then up to the entrance to the border fort.

He pulled his hood low again and moved out of the cover of the trees, yet still hidden in the darkness. He crossed the bridge, seemingly awaiting someone, or something to appear, though nothing did. He reached the other side of the bridge and looked back to the trees he was just at, giving a high whistle. Slowly, two orange eyes appeared from the cover of darkness, emerging slowly to show the rest of it's body. Dark, matted, unkept hair covered the beast and it looked denurished and its rib-bones stuck out through its skin. As it moved more out of the true darkness it become obvious that the figure was a hound, or wolf of some kind, yet..if possible, although it seemed it would be, a hell-hound?

As the hooded figure stood on his spot on the edge of the bridge, wolf by his side he sighed looking into the surrounding trees and seeing nothing,
"He hasn't arrived yet Timmy," He patted the wolfs head "Looks like will we have to camp and wait another day..."

[Dune]

The morning after the night before. The sun rose over the small camp the hooded figure had set up. In the new daylight, the man looked even more rugged and dirty, as though he hadn't washed for weeks. A closer look would show dark eyes and a haunted look about his face, but still he seemed happy about the day coming. Throwing a rabbit across to the hell-hound sat across from him, he rose slowly and looked out, down to the river to see if anyone was there. Out of sheer luck, stood there was a tall man, possibly half-orc, with a rather large back dropped next to him. From a distance it was hard to make out who this man was, but it seemed the hooded figure was ready and had been waiting for him.

It took only a few minutes before the man had passed down a small mound and got a position by a tree as to spy on, what now, was obviously just a very tall human, cladded in a gleaming full plate which reflected the sun. After a few moments of contemplating, the hooded figure moved out from the trees he was hidden in and walked rather obviously towards the man.
The man cladded in armour turned on his heels and noticed the hooded figure approaching. A smile spread across his face, as did the hooded man.
"Mandele, such a great pleasure to see you.." The man in armour outstreched his hand and nodding lightly.
Mandele grunted and took it nodding - "You found it then." Looking to the bag, "I have the sword right here."

Slowly and carefully, Mandele took from its sheath, a long and what looked like fragile blade. He lay it down on the floor infront of them and slowly moved to open the bag. Suddenly the armoured man moved down and picked up the bag along with the sword.
"I will need to check it first, you understand, right?"
Mandele nodded, but seemed disapointed that he was not able to check the contents of the bag, which now looked like it was dripping blood from it.

What was the contents of the bag and why did Mandele want it so much?

[Dune]

Mandele watched as the man slowly examined exery inch of the blade until he finally gave a single smile and handed over the bag to Mandele. Mandele took the bag and watched as the man slowly moved away, back over the bridge. His face was now more coloured and the bags under his eyes seemed to have cleared, replaced with anticipation. Slowly, he removed the rope around the top and opened, looking in. His face suddenly dropped, along with his jaw. Swiftly, he took his bow from his back and an arrow appeared from no-where, ready to fire. He lifted it and positioned to the back of the strangers head. Releasing the string, the glowing arrow flew through the air, point-blank into the mans skull. He stiffened then dropped to the floor, the blade dropping beside him.

Back at the camfire, Mandele sat, blade on his lap, cleaning and polishing it, feeding the dead deer that was in the bag to the hound. The night drew in and the tents candle flickered as the only light in the whole forest. A few hours past and it had now fallen fully dark, you could barely see your hand before your face. There was a crunch of a branch outside the tent and Mandele's shadow could be seen awaking from inside the tent. He emerged and looked around, apparently seeing nothing.
"Timmy." He whispered lightly into the shadows and the hound slowly rose not far from the tent and moved over to him. Another brached cracked, breaking the deadly silence...
Mandele spoke into the woods, "Who's there?!"