Chapter 15 - Moment of despair

788 I.C, February 9, Everwinter, Evening

Raymond's skulked his way down the hallway with his nose in the air.

I refuse it... It won't happen... Never!

The air was heavy with the presence of smoke, filth, and decay. It clouded the senses, made it difficult to breathe, and turned tracking into an exercise of labor. He drew a deep breath, sorted the scents through his mind, found a lingering trace, and latched on: Clyde had moved through this passage.

He followed the scent down the next corridor, peeked around corner, and caught sight of Clyde standing by a door that led to the gardens.

Why does he keep returning to the gardens? No matter...

Raymond drew a deep breath, flexed his muscles, ruffled his fur for added effect, and bared his teeth while summoning the anger in his heart.

Betrayal! Anger! Fury! Hatred! Vengeance!

The mantra touched on the black pit of his heart and spun it into gear, the anger surged, his heart thumped, and his expression of anger grew genuine.

I'll show them! I'll show them all!

His claws itched, his hackles rose, his chest heaved with every breath: he was ready. Raymond rounded the corner and began to march. It only took a few steps before Clyde noticed and turned around with his ears perked.

Clyde's once pure white fur had shifted to a dull gray mixed with streaks of black dirt, like the others he smelled foul and the bottom of his paws were caked with filth. His eyes though, they still a piercing shade of blue that glinted in the nearby torch's light.

Raymond didn't slow down and he maintained eye-contact like a predator stalking prey. Clyde moved back while his ears flattened and the tail shifted out of sight.

You knew the traitor as well! You were a friend of the traitor! They didn't punish you for it!

"Raymond?" Clyde asked while he bared his teeth and raised his hands.

Raymond's lips rumbled with a low growl while he stepped into reaching distance, "Clyde!"

Clyde kept his ears low but maintained his defensive stance, "What are you doing here?"

Raymond swung his clawed hand and knocked Clyde's hands to the side with enough force to make the white wulfkin stumble, "What's with the attitude Clyde? Can't tolerate a visit from your alpha?"

Clyde regained his balance, raised his hands, and looked with his ears clamped to his head, "Raymond, you're no longer al-"

SNARL!

Raymond lunged forward with his hands ready to strike while Clyde stumbled back in fright and yelled out, "Wait! Alpha, you're the Alpha here!"

"I've had it with your insolence! I'm taking my place back, and you're going to help me!" Raymond growled and sent spittle flying while focusing on Clyde with a harsh glare.

Clyde blinked in confusion and whispered, "Ray- Alpha, you... can't."

"What!?" Raymond made a snapping snarl and loomed over the smaller wulfkin.

Clyde shook his head and cowered, "You're barking up the wrong tree! I'm leaving tomorrow! For the expeditions!"

"... What?" Raymond whispered in surprise.

Clyde opened his muzzle to speak but stopped when a noise came from behind. Raymond looked up and saw another figure standing by the end of the hall. A wulfkin with fur like a timberwolf, who was staring back with anger in his eyes.

"FUCK OFF!" Raymond roared in anger.

The timberwolf did not move an inch, instead the newcomer bared his teeth, and stepped into sight.

Clyde looked back and made desperate shooing motion with his hand, "Go."

The timberwolf tilted his head in confusion and focused on Clyde.

"Go!" Clyde hissed with another gesture.

The timberwolf hesitated, eased back, and then disappeared from sight once more.

"Who the fuck was that?" Raymond growled.

Clyde looked back and lowered his head, "No one. I can't help you alpha, my father ordered it, and I can't say no. You're on your own."

Anger flashed to life inside Raymond, it was like a sudden rush of madness that made his mind blur. Reason was swept aside by the tide and he lunged forward to snatch hold of Clyde. The white wulfkin made a yelp of surprise followed by a sudden slam while being pinned against the wall.

GROWL!

CHOKE!

Clyde clutched Raymond's arm in panic while his throat was squeezed, like an iron vice it pushed harder and harder until his very neck felt ready to snap.

WHEEZE!

Raymond shuddered and was snapped to reality, in an instant the rage dropped and his hand relaxed its grip.

Coughing and wheezing Clyde felt his throat and gasped for air, "Please, stop."

"I took care of you, I helped you prove that you were one of us, I saved you from shame, Clyde. You owe me, you cannot abandon me like this, I am your kin," Raymond whispered.

Clyde glanced up, "That was before all this, before the Master went insane."

Raymond's chest heaved from exertion, "You have to help me, we're friends, I'm your packmate."

Clyde averted his eyes and mumbled, "You mean like Avery wa-"

SNARL!

"I'll rip every limb from your body! Don't dare say that name or I'll kill you where you stand!" Raymond bared his teeth in full while his eyes became like pinpricks, the mere mention of the name made his voice distort with a snarling growl.

Clyde closed his eyes, kept silent, and clung to the wall while Raymond shook from the adrenaline surging through his body. After a few moments the rage passed and Raymond felt his rational self trickle back.

Raymond pleaded, "I'm wulfkin, your kin, not human filth like the traitor."

Clyde looked up and met Raymond's gaze, no words were needed to understand what the white wulfkin was thinking: It doesn't matter...

Raymond stepped back and stumbled, something horrible crept into his mind, something long buried. It was horrifying, worse than any physical pain, a choice that had been pushed into the darkest recluse of his mind.

It made his mind fray, it gnawed at his sanity. He fought against it, shut it his eyes, and imagined a brick wall to shield himself from the concept that was too horrid to contemplate.

788 I.C, February 10, Agron: Diamond Peak, Evening

I looked up and saw Talwin leaning against a metal fence. The steady wind ruffled his fur while the evening sun painted his fur with a texture similar to his original. There was a childish smile on his muzzle and his tail wagged at a steady pace.

I wonder where his mind is right now...

Talwin glanced back, noticed me looking, and broke into a sheepish grin, "Thanks."

I tipped my head, "For what?"

Talwin motioned toward the reddening horizon, moved onto the vast fields surrounding the small mountain, and then turned around to point at something behind me.

I glanced back and saw the small castle that now served as a resort, "Yes? Your point?"

"Do you realize where we are? Where we really are?" Talwin asked while I looked back.

I nodded, "The Diamond Peak, a place for the privileged looking for good service and a bit of solitude."

Talwin nodded and whispered, "Normal people can't even set foot on the mountain."

I shrugged, "We have money and this place respects the privacy of their customers."

Talwin drew a deep breath, "My father told me of this place once, he was here on a special assignment."

My ears perked while I leaned back on the garden sofa, "Oh? Tell me about it?"

"I don't know the details, he has always been hesitant to-" Talwin stopped talking and looked toward the resort.

I focused on the aether for a moment and could feel a presence coming toward us. The sensory web brushed along it and I could feel its shape. A female fur, no magical aptitude, carrying a tray. A gentle clatter of cutlery was the final clue that our desserts had arrived.

The servant walked into sight, a fox with vibrant fur, clad in a respectable uniform with a somewhat short skirt. On the tray were two stylized bowls of silver with a large load of ice-cream and strawberries cut into pieces. A scent of caramel blended with the alluring treat and I found my mouth watering in expectation, it felt like ages since I had tasted finer food.

The fox handed me one set, gave the second to Talwin, made a courteous nod, and then stepped back.

"Anything else I can assist with?" She asked.

"No, thank you," I answered.

With another courteous nod, she walked away while I looked back and found Talwin staring at the bowl in his hands.

"It's cold like ice," Talwin murmured.

"You've never had ice-cream before?" I asked.

Talwin shook his head, "Smells good."

A wolfish grin spread on my muzzle, "Taste it."

Talwin walked over to the sofa, turned around, and sat down close enough to brush against my side. A moment later he was leaning onto me and stuck his spoon into the ice cream. Threads of caramel drifted in the wind while he raised the spoon and settled it deep inside his muzzle.

The coyote's ears perked and his back straightened in surprise, "Mm."

"Good?" I asked.

Talwin made an eager nod and seemed to mull the taste in silence. I took a spoon for myself, settled, and enjoyed the cool taste of melting cream on my tongue.

"How do they make it?" Talwin whispered.

"We used to make it by stirring a mix while draining heat by using magic, once it got hard enough, you ate," I said.

"Seems rather luxurious," Talwin whispered before popping another spoon in his muzzle.

"You should have seen the baths, shaped stone, ventilation, warm water from the boilers below. It was luxurious and the traders arrived at regular interval to keep us stocked."

Talwin glanced up at me, "Did all wulfkins live like that?"

I shook my head, "No way, the hierarchy was strong among us as well. Though no wulfkin had to eat the stuff humans did."

"Hmm," Talwin murmured.

"Of course, those benefits did not apply to me once they decided my blood wasn't pure enough. The seer and mages could smuggle things at times, but it was nowhere near as good."

Talwin let his head to rest on me, removed the spoon from his muzzle, and held it up so that the spoon glinted in the evening sun.

"Let's see... It should be something like... This," Talwin murmured.

A small field of aetheric energy materialized by his hand, it formed a thread that weaved around the spoon like a coil. Moments later it began to hum with energy, heat was transformed into flux and a crystalline pattern of ice began to creep over the spoon.

"You're getting the hang of it," I whispered.

"The inverse of the heating spell, logic, as you said," Talwin murmured with an amused smile.

I leaned my head onto his and drew a deep breath. A hint of wine lingered from the camouflage potion and deep down there was a trace of coyote. Rich and fragrant, sandy dunes, and the warm sun.

Talwin whispered, "I thought we were supposed to keep a low profile."

I eased back, took another spoon, and held it up, "We are, no one on the run would be insane enough to visit one of the most respected resorts in the area."

Talwin snickered and his tail shifted in excitement, "And what if they had asked for papers?"

"Imagine asking a lord and his concubine proof of their identity? To keep a paper trail would defeat the very purpose of this place. Money is the only form of credential that is expected around here."

"I'm surprised you have this kind of insight, considering your origins."

I couldn't help but chuckle while I looked up and saw the sun settling behind the horizon, "Turns out that a lot of things are the same."

"What do you mean?" Talwin whispered.

"Hierarchies exist everywhere, and there were places like this even in Everwinter. Secret hideouts where the influential could hide their scents and indulge in practices that would normally be frowned on."

Talwin perked up and caught my eye, "Like what?"

I shrugged, "I don't know, and those that knew were quite tight-lipped about it."

Talwin eased his hand into mine and whispered, "Something like this?"

"Perhaps."

788 I.C, February 11, Everwinter, Evening

Clyde reached for the door, but stopped when he heard a heavy growl from within. Rushed steps followed and he moved out-of-the-way just in time for the door to slam open with enough force to make the hinges groan.

A massive wulfkin equipped with heavy armor stomped out, faced the room, and made a feral snarl while he raised his fist in the air, "Up yours, Molok!"

A heavy rumble followed and within moments someone blasted into the big wulfkin with no relent. Snarling and growling the two wulfkins crashed into the wall and were upon each other like wild beasts.

It was violent, feral, and it took only moments before blood was drawn as the two seemed ready to kill one another. Clyde's fur bristled, his ears folded back, his heart thumped while he glanced into the barracks in expectation to see others rushing to stop it. To his surprise the room seemed tame in comparison, and no one seemed to care one bit.

The snarls from the fighting couple turned into pained yelps and intermittent roars while they kept beating one another in a frenzy.

Not my concern... I couldn't even stop them if I wanted to...

Clyde turned his back on the two and stepped into the barracks. The smell was atrocious, the air was hazy, and the occupants seemed a step worse. They were huge even for wulfkins and seemed ready to burst out of their already massive armors.

The musk inside the room permeated the haze and it had scent so strong that it burned. He could feel it in his mind, a pack instinct like no other, a cascade of hormones forcing itself deep into his mind. It made his heart thump, it dimmed the mind, chafed at the restraints of his mind, and he could already feel himself pant as the effect fed on itself in a vicious circle.

The barracks were a mess, loads of wulfkins cramped in a small room along with a crushing atmosphere. It was a recipe for territorial disputes and the kind of thing he had just witnessed outside, perhaps even worse was that it violated many of the lessons he had been taught.

"Runt!" A dark voice blasted.

Clyde was snapped from his daze and looked to the side. Another massive wulfkin, almost a head taller loomed over him with arms crossed. The wulfkin frowned and had raised one lip to reveal massive canine teeth.

Stand your ground... I'm not going to be at the bottom of the hierarchy... I can't...

"I'm looking for Cujo," Clyde stood tall and pulled a deep breath to make himself seem bigger.

The wulfkin moved with a surprising if agile grace, with a single punt he hit Clyde in the chest with enough force to make him stumble back. Clyde clutched his chest, regained his balance, and looked up in time to hear a few others chuckle in the room. His emotions betrayed him and he felt his ears flatten while his tail grew slack.

Not good...

The wulfkin pointed at himself with the claw of his thumb, "You're looking at him runt, who the fuck are you?"

Clyde straightened himself and looked Cujo in the eyes, "Clyde, sir."

The expression on Cujo's muzzle twisted into amusement, "Clyde Snapjaw? The commander's spoiled little shit?"

Clyde stared back while his mind came to a screeching halt, it was a question with no good answer. One would mean settling at the bottom, the other would lead to being beaten to the bottom.

Cujo took a step closer and his armor rustled, "Cat got your tongue?"

Chuckles of leering and amusement could be heard in the background, it made Clyde's mind almost boil over while he bit together. Another wulfkin of smaller stature moved in the background, he crouched by a corner, pulled out what looked like one of those massive suits of armor, and then approached Cujo. The leather on it was dirty but intact and the shaped metal shifted and clattered like heavy chains.

Cujo took the armor in one hand and then focused on Clyde, "Listen, runt."

Clyde made a discrete gulp and nodded.

"Ever been on the field?" Cujo asked.

"Yes, patrols around the forests, and scouting missions in the Wastes."

Cujo made a canine huff and sneered, "Prancing around the forest doesn't count, and the wastes is little more than dunes and a few pathetic wretches. No matter, you'll get the hang of it."

"I-" Clyde tried to protest but was interrupted.

"Shut up," Cujo ordered with a sudden but determined growl.

Clyde shut his muzzle while Cujo stepped so close that he could feel the wulfkin's foul breath on his face.

"The rules are simple around here: Accomplish the objective, don't fuck with the mission, and do as I say. Then you're free to do whatever the hell you want, fuck em, eat them, both? I don't fucking care. Mess up and you'll be volunteered to the Master's tower whether you're a Snapjaw or not. Understand?"

"Yes," Clyde answered.

Cujo made a rumbling growl and bared his teeth, "Yes, what?"

"Yes, sir, I understand," Clyde answered.

Cujo raised the armor and shoved it into Clyde's arms. Clyde clasped the heavy armor in and steadied himself, it felt as heavy as it looked, and the thing reeked something awful.

This armor belonged to someone... Is he dead? What happened to him?

Clyde held it to his chest and looked up, "It's... rather big?"

Cujo made a dismissive wave, turned around, and left with a few simple words, "You'll grow into it."

788 I.C, February 12, Everwinter, Morning

"Hey?" Raymond reached out but hesitated when the other wulfkin turned around and let loose a feral snap with his teeth.

"Fuck off," The wulfkin barked with a stare of daggers and disgust.

Raymond pulled his hand back while the wulfkin stormed off. The incident had a ripple effect and within moments the area cleared around him and left bald spot in the otherwise cramped mess hall. Nothing seemed to work, he had bargained, pleaded, submitted, acted tough, even tried to stir trouble in the hope that someone would strike him down and take pity.

Avery...

He hated it, the name, the person, even an inkling of it made him growl under his breath, yet for some reason it kept reappearing in his mind.

It's all his fault... I should have killed him... I should have... Done something...

Raymond looked up and saw others staring, whispering to each other with malicious intent. He couldn't stand it and marched off toward the exit, he'd rather go hungry than beg for scraps or eat those vile mushrooms.

He passed the exit, headed down the corridor, and then came to a slow halt.

Where do I go now?

The sound of paws rounded the corner and Raymond looked back, he expected tormentors but to his surprise there was an adult male with a hint of gray on his muzzle. The wulfkin wore a uniform that indicated he belonged to the upper echelons.

He's going to ask me to leave their sight... My presence it like shameful...

Raymond steeled himself and kept his eyes locked with the approaching wulfkin, "What?"

The wulfkin stopped at the edge of reaching distance and made an open gesture, "Raymond, is it?"

"Yes?"

The big wulfkin inched closer crouched a little so that they were eye-to-eye, "Your pack disowned you and everyone else keeps you at arms length, don't they?"

Raymond's heart thumped while he closed his fist, "Your point?"

The wulfkin cocked his head and fixated on Raymond with his yellow eyes, "Relax, not everyone judges you based on the actions of that... parasite in your bloodline."

Raymond blinked in surprise and felt his ears perk, "What?"

"It's not your fault, Raymond," The wulfkin whispered.

Raymond relaxed and for the first time in a long while he felt relief, the words were like magic and he found himself stunned.

"Raymond?" The wulfkin asked.

Raymond snapped back to life, "I... What?"

"What do you say we find a new pack for you?"

788 I.C, February 12, Agron: Country Road, Midday

I looked over at Talwin, he seemed deep in thought and was busy playing with his powers. He carried an expression of childish curiosity and excitement in its purest form. One moment he'd toy with a leaf by the edge of the road, the next he'd freeze a pebble and crush it into dust.

It was good that he played, it grew his control over the aether, and would build his endurance. His once chaotic presence in the aether was already shifting, stronger, in tune with the surrounding flow. Its effects were curious in the way it changed living matter and I found myself curious what was happening inside the building blocks of his body.

Alas, it also awoke dangers and a weakness that he had almost been immune to. Flux, the chaotic byproduct of magic, toxic to any user of the arts. Talwin stopped his experiment for a moment, looked at his hand, and tried to shake off the flux that clung to it like a parasite.

"That won't work you know," I mused.

Talwin looked at me and held out his hand, "It's so annoying, it burns like torchweed."

I cocked my head, "Torchweed?"

Talwin's tail wagged in excitement, "I'll tell you about it if you do that thing again."

I sighed, "You need to learn the boring lessons as well, you know."

Talwin pleaded with an innocent smile, "Please?"

I chuckled and reached out with the aether. Within moments an aetheric construct formed in the air, it drew in the flux, recycled part of it, and pocketed the remaining flux in a small shield.

Talwin pulled his hand back and sighed in relief, "Thanks."

"You need to learn how to do that yourself, and how to endure the pain."

Talwin nodded, "I'll do my best."

"Now, tell me about torchweed?" I asked.

"It's like a big bush actually, and it's known for its effects. It secretes an oil that is very irritating, it feels like fire if you get it on your skin, and it can catch on fire as well."

"Oh? You never told me about it before." I asked.

Talwin nodded, "That's because it doesn't grow in Agron, fortunately."

"Because of the obvious reasons, or something else as well?"

Talwin motioned to the distant forests, "The forests wouldn't stand a chance if it grew around here. Back in Karashak you could see distant fires when bushes of torchweed ignited on their own. It's not like a regular flame even, it's chaotic, intense, it creeps over the ground as if hunting."

"Is it used for anything?" I asked.

"In Karashak they used the oil for all sorts of things, but it's banned in Agron for obvious reasons. Dangerous to handle, unpredictable, and so on."

I nodded, looked ahead, and noticed something in the distance. It was the presence of a small village with roofs of hay. The road leading to it was blocked by several wagons and a group of people had gathered.

Talwin looked ahead and noticed, "What's going on?"

I extended a few threads from the sensory web and let them circle the group like roots. They sensed no disturbance in the aether, no constructs, no shields. If there was a mage among the gathered, then he was hiding.

The threads moved extended once more and aimed at the village itself. The encountered resistance the moment they entered the village, it was a fraying presence indicating that the aether had been disturbed.

I recognize this presence... Wulfkins... Blessed ones touched by the Master...

"What's wrong?" Talwin asked.

"That village is dead, wulfkins were there," I whispered.

Talwin's muzzle dropped open and looked back at the village, "It hasn't been burned down. Are you sure?"

"Of course it hasn't been burned down," I answered.

Talwin looked back, "What do you mean?"

"Wulfkins strike during the night and leave few traces, fire is avoided like because it can draw attention to it. But..."

"But?" Talwin asked.

"To strike an entire village? In Agron of all places? It seems weird. Everwinter used to raid caravans, abduct people, they struck at specific targets picked by the Master. But a defenseless village filled with farmers? Why would they do that?"

"Should we turn around?"

I shook my head, "The wulfkins are gone by now and the kingdom will soon react. We need to pass quickly and hide from prying eyes, besides we're only a few days from Dracwyn."

Talwin nodded, "Yeah, it'll be quite a detour if we have to circle around."

"Let's take a look, there's something strange about all this," I murmured while I kept walking.

We marched our way to the wagons and the people that had gathered, the majority were human but a few furs were interspersed among them. Many were sitting on the ground and stared into nothingness with a look of shock. Some wailed and tears streamed down their faces while they cursed the earth itself. A few were desperately trying to comfort the group by whispering and hugging the others in support.

Several of them looked our way but their glances were harsh and dismissive. One stood out from the rest, it was a human female who stood up and approached us.

Dried tears stained her face and her voice wavered, "Who are you? Why are you here?"

Talwin motioned to me, "This is Will and I'm Allan. What has happened here?"

The woman eyed us for a moment, "You- Are you here for- I mean, are you relatives?"

Talwin shook his head, "No, we're travelers passing through."

To my surprise the woman the shut her eyes and made a weak nod, "I see, that's good."

"Good?" Talwin asked in surprise.

I looked to the gathered people and something fell into place; they weren't survivors, they were relatives and people who had returned from whatever business they had elsewhere. No wonder the woman felt relief at the thought of not having to watch yet another group break down as they received word that the village was dead.

The woman opened her eyes, looked up, and steeled herself, "They're... all dead."

Talwin shut his muzzle and the woman wandered off in a daze.

"Come on," I whispered to Talwin and kept walking.

We gave the wagons a wide berth and had just passed them when a voice called out, "Hey!"

I looked back and saw a male human sitting against one of the wagon wheels, "Yes?"

The male gulped and shook his head, "You don't want to go there."

"I know, we're just passing through," I answered.

The man kept shaking his head, "No, you don't understand... No one should see something like that."

"Duly noted," I answered before starting to walk once more.

The man protested but I ignored him and Talwin was quick to follow me.

"Perhaps we should heed what he says," Talwin asked.

"Take the hillside if you want, I need to see this," I answered.

Talwin seemed to hesitate, sighed, and then joined my side.

It didn't take long before we stood at the edge of the village. From a glance it looked like a pleasant place, wooden buildings, open land, no walls, structured yet free, wildflowers, and fields in the distance.

The aether and the scents told another story, it smelled of blood and death while the aether was frayed and corrupted. Talwin covered his nose and stared at something near a fence. I looked and noticed flattened grass that was red with blood, settled on the ground was a human arm with bite marks.

Why would they do this? It's the antithesis of the caution and discretion we were taught... A slaughter...

We entered the village and the signs of struggle grew increasingly clear. The dirt itself was marked with signs of intense struggles and there were plenty of pawprints that could only belong to wulfkins. It looked like a wild frenzy had taken place.

Many of the doors had been smashed to pieces and some houses had big holes in their walls. The red and brown tinge of blood was a common sight and there were even small pools of it in the dirt. Scattered around the area were human remains and large tufts of fur.

Hurk!

Talwin retched and covered his muzzle before averting his eyes.

"Are you all right?" I asked.

Talwin kept his eyes closed and nodded, "I... I'm fine."

"Try not to puke, we don't want to leave any traces that we were here."

Talwin opened his eyes, breathed through his muzzled, and nodded before we continued.

We rounded another corner and I caught sight of something by a fence, the sight of it made something turn in my stomach.

"Talwin, don't look this way, just keep walking," I said.

"What? Is- Oh gods!" Talwin exclaimed with another retching noise.

Slumped over a large fence was a female feline with short brown fur. The remains of a green dress covered her front but the rest had been ripped off. Blood had soaked into the fabric and now pooled on the ground below her. A long and sleek tail lay nearby along with pieces of hide and flesh.

Her neck had been eaten, an arm lay on the ground, and the head hanged on by little more than a few scraps of skin and sinew. The sides of her upper body was ravaged and the ribs had been exposed by what looked like by powerful claws.

"How can you even look at that?" Talwin whispered with a shaky voice.

"I'm looking at it, because I want to remember it the next time I meet them," I answered.

"What?" Talwin asked in confusion.

"The wulfkins of Everwinter have engaged in many things, they're man-eaters, they torture for sheer amusement, they hunt with no remorse. This is the worst I've seen so far, an entire village slaughtered, violated, it's below the acts of wild animals."

"Avery?" Talwin whispered.

"I wonder if I had been capable of this, such evil, is this the act of those I used to think of as friends and packmates? Is this something new? Or have they always done this kind of thing in secret? Is this what it meant to be an adult wulfkin?"

Talwin glanced over and met my eyes, "You're not like them, Avery."

I stepped up to Talwin, eased my hand around Talwin's arm, and whispered, "Let's go, Dracwyn is waiting for us."

788 I.C, February 12, Everwinter, Evening

"Are you hungry?" The big wulfkin asked and placed his arm around Raymond's shoulders.

The touch made Raymond hesitate, it felt weird but oddly comforting, a sensation he hadn't felt in a long time now, "Yeah, I am."

The big wulfkin chuckled and smiled, "Want to go on a hunt? I'd imagine you haven't eaten anything proper for a while?"

"Yeah," Raymond murmured while he was reminded of the horrid mushrooms.

"Good, we'll be with the others soon," The wulfkin said with a soothing yet rather dark voice.

Raymond glanced back for a moment and wondered where they were, somewhere deep underground, near the collapsed area, "Where are we going?"

The big wulfkin whispered, "We need to be discrete, this passage leads into the forest. We're a somewhat odd group, joined by a common interest."

"You haven't even told me your name yet? Who are you?" Raymond asked.

"I'm Mateo, I used to serve as one of the field commanders."

"Oh," Raymond whispered.

"Do you know the feeling of having something taken from you? To stand powerless while others make your life crumble? How unfair it feels? The injustice of it? The anger and fury it fills you with? Yet you are asked simply to accept it? While the guilty part goes free?"

Raymond nodded, "Yes, I know the feeling well."

"Tell me about it?" Mateo asked.

"I..."

"Speak your mind, there's only us here," Mateo said.

Raymond gritted his teeth and felt his anger flare, "He destroyed everything, the traitor."

"Avery? Your brother?" The wulfkin cooed.

Raymond felt his hackles rise, "He's not my brother!"

"Oh?" The wulfkin asked.

"He's a blood parasite! A traitor!" Raymond snapped.

The wulfkin released his grip and eased off, "Relax Raymond, I'm just trying to understand something."

Raymond drew deep breaths and tried to soothe his anger, "Understand what?"

Mateo made an open gesture, "If he isn't, nor ever was your brother, then why didn't you kill him?"

Raymond blinked and stared at Mateo, "I... What?"

"It's a simple question. Why didn't you kill him?" Mateo asked once more.

Raymond felt his tail grow slack, "B- because he tricked us, he made us believe..."

"I know it sounds shameful, and I know what you're supposed to say. But you couldn't help but love him as one of your own, right?" Mateo asked.

Raymond averted his eyes, "I..."

"It's all right, Raymond. Honesty is important within a pack, you know that, right?"

Raymond nodded, "Yes, it is."

"Then tell me the truth? You cared for him as your brother and future packmate?"

Raymond gritted his teeth, "Yes, I did."

"Then allow me to ask, when the truth was revealed, why didn't you kill him?"

Raymond gulped, "I couldn't..."

Mateo tipped his head, "Because?"

Raymond bit his lip and clenched his fists until the claws dug into his pads, "The seer wanted him."

"But that's not all, is it? If it had been anyone you would have slaughtered him where he stood."

"Yes," Raymond whispered.

"So, why?" Mateo whispered.

Raymond looked back, "Why is this important?"

Mateo raised his hands, "Relax. You're not to blame Raymond but you need to do that you're a true wulfkin in order to restore honor to your bloodline."

"And how do I do that?" Raymond asked.

Mateo smiled, "Once we get you into shape, we can go hunting for the blood parasite that tricked you and your family. Do you like the sound of that?"

"Yes," Raymond nodded.

Mateo focused on Raymond with his piercing yellow eyes, "Do you think you could do it? Kill the person that once was your brother?"

"... Yes," Raymond answered.

"You hesitated?" Mateo asked.

"Show him to and I'll rip his fucking head off!" Raymond snapped.

"Good, good, if you do as I say, you may very well survive this," Mateo mused.

"... Survive?" Raymond asked in surprise.

"You're not popular Raymond, many are out to get you, there are debates to purge your entire bloodline."

"I figured as much, but..." Raymond whispered.

Mateo patted Raymond's shoulder, "Relax, for some reason the Master wants you and your family alive. He has let it be known that none are to be touched, or the consequences will be severe."

Raymond nodded with a hum, "Yeah."

The path divided and they headed into a tunnel with just a couple of torches, it smelled of mud, water, wulfkins, and a hint of something burning. A gentle but warm wind blew against his fur and the end of the tunnel shone with a red light for some reason.

"Come on, we're almost there," Mateo said while motioned to the light ahead.

"What is this place?" Raymond whispered.

"Did I tell of my family?" Mateo asked.

"... No, you didn't."

Mateo reached out and let his hand rest on Raymond's shoulder, "A wonderful mate, and the best son a wulfkin could have, strong, proud, fair, eager to live up to his bloodline."

"... That's good," Raymond commented in confusion.

There was a noise from behind and Raymond's ears swiveled to better hear, there were claws clicking on rocky ground, a whole group.

"We're being followed," Raymond said.

"That's the others, do you know what binds our group as one?"

Raymond tried to ease out of Mateo's grip but stopped when he felt the hand grip tight.

"Take a guess, come on?" Mateo teased while they neared the corner that would lead to the red light.

"Let go of me," Raymond growled.

"Come on," Mateo said with a feral grin.

Raymond drew a deep breath and then lunged forward. Mateo's grip slipped and Raymond came loose, he looked back and saw a group of five gather behind him. They ranged from old to young in various colors and all of them glared with a stark hatred in their eyes.

Mateo stood in front and his lips twitched, "You're not getting out of here you know."

Raymond gulped and looked back to plan his escape, to his horror there was only a dead end and the passage covered in a stark red light.

"Take a look," Mateo growled.

Raymond eased back and glimpsed and into the red passage, what met his eyes was a large gaping hole in the ground. Intense warmth bathed his fur and he could see a searing ocean of magma deep below. It was thick like tar and formed bubbles that exploded into bursts of molten stone.

"Quite a sight, isn't it?" Mateo mused.

"The Master will slaughter you if you touch me!" Raymond snapped.

A grinning wulfkin with pure black fur stepped forward and pointed a claw at Raymond, "Only if he finds out, that's why you're going into this pit when we're done with you."

Raymond gritted his teeth and pulled a deep breath, "You can't blame me for what that traitor did."

Mateo cocked his head, "True, we can't blame you for the actions he chose, nor can we blame you for the actions taken by the humans that blew up the underground levels. But what we can blame you and your family for, is letting that abomination live. Your weak resolve, your sympathy for human filth, is what has brought us to ruin."

The group began to inch closer while Raymond readied his claws, "Killing me won't solve anything."

"Oh, it will," The black wulfkin mused with a feral smile.

The group lunged forward with a series of growls, Raymond raised his arms, and tried to take a swing. To his surprise it never connected and he felt a blaze of sensation burst through his body. There were teeth biting down, claws digging into his flesh, and heavy fists striking him down.

His arm felt as if it had been ripped off, the taste of blood filled his mouth, his stomach felt crushed, and it hurt to breathe. Time seemed to move strangely and his eyes could not comprehend what he was seeing.

"Wake up," A voice whispered.

"Did we kill him? That easily?" Another voice asked.

"Nah, just knocked him out for a moment," A dark voice rumbled.

A female snickered, "I got his ear."

Raymond felt his mind stir and blinked in an attempt to see, the world was blurry, and the pain made it difficult to focus.

Without warning a heavy hand circled around his muzzle and clamped it shut like an iron vice.

"You there? Time to wake up!" Mateo snapped with a snarl.

Raymond snapped back to life and his mind cleared while he began to struggle. To his horror the others held him tight and he found himself staring down the fiery pit below.

Mateo leaned in by Raymond's ear and whispered, "I want you to know the name of my son, Raul."

Raul... I've heard the name before...

Mateo's lips twitched with anger, "He was taken to the tower as a sacrifice, all because of the actions of that parasite and your weakness."

Another voice spoke, "We're going to kill the lot of you, your father that sired the traitor, the bitch you call mother that helped raise the spawn, and you, the abomination that shares its blood."

"He'll leap into the pit by his own will when we're done with him," A dark voice chuckled.

A female voice mused in the background, "Wulfkins are remarkably resilient, we live even when fully flayed. Imagine it? Being stripped bare, not even being able to blink, every inch of your body burning like salt poured into a wound."

Tears welled up in Raymond's eyes and his body became limp while a pitiful whimper forced its way from his muzzle.

I don't want to be here...

Mateo grinned, "Do you think that's going to-"

Mateo stopped mid-sentence and looked back with his wide open in surprise. Raymond strained to look but failed to see anything.

Moments later he felt a tingle in his body, something was approaching, something awful, and familiar.

Singing crystal...

The other wulfkins gasped in surprise and within moments Raymond felt himself loosen from their hard grip. He slumped to the ground with a heavy thud and strained to even look up.

"No... No... This can't be happening, Mateo, you fool!" The female wulfkin snapped.

Raymond looked toward the passage and could see something shift in the distance. It looked like a black hole that was approaching, it grew along the walls, reached for any light it could catch, and snuffed it out.

"Grab him," Mateo whispered.

"What!?" One of the others gasped.

Mateo looked to the side and snapped, "Grab him! Threaten to throw him into the pit!"

The wulfkin with pitch black fur faced Raymond and reached out, Raymond raised his arm to resist but stopped when something strange happened. The wulfkin had frozen in place like a statue with his arms reaching out.

"What are you doing!?" Mateo snapped.

The black wulfkin choked out a wheeze but could not move a finger, to Raymond's surprise the others were the same, locked in place, only capable of breathing.

• Did you really think I didn't know? -

The voice boomed in the aether like a command from something beyond this world. Raymond's eyes shot wide with fear, he had heard it before, it was the Master.

Mateo looked toward the approaching darkness and his hands shook while his tail hid.

"It's not- It's not what it looks like!" Mateo stuttered.

The darkness swept over the walls, it crept into the other tunnel, and plugged the pit. Within moments the entire passage grew dark as night.

Mateo spoke in the dark, "We were trying to recruit him, to use him as bait, we were trying to-"

• SILENCE -

The crystalline song grew in strength and something emerged from within the darkness. It sparkled with blue light and grew along the walls like the web of a spider.

• You have carried my blessing for a long time, Mateo -

• I can sense you - Hear your thoughts -

• You cannot lie to me -

The crystalline light grew in strength and pulsed like the beat of a heart, it provided enough illumination to reveal the others and the look of fear plastered on Mateo's face.

"Master... Forgive us, please?" Mateo begged.

• You have disobeyed me -

A blue crystal shard emerged from the darkness, it ended with what looked like flowing tendrils, and it moved like a jellyfish through water. The crystalline entity moved up to the black wulfkin and hovered in front of him. The wulfkin's yellow eyes became like pinpricks that focused on the entity while the fibers coalesced and formed what looked like a large needle. It then positioned itself against the wulfkin's forehead.

• I shall take what is mine -

The entity began to push and the wulfkin's hackles rose while a pained whimper escaped through his clenched teeth. It pierced skin, rotated, and burrowed itself into the bone with a grinding noise.

CRUNCH!

It pierced through, spread its tendrils, and pulled itself deeper until the blue crystal stood like a large horn out of the wulfkin's head. The black wulfkin's eyes rolled back inside his head and the body shuddered while tendrils of crystal began to grow from the entry point.

Mateo focused the darkness and screamed, "Stop!"

• NO -

More crystal entities emerged from the shadows and began to circle the other wulfkins. They whined and struggled in futility against the force that had locked them into place.

• Tell me, Mateo, do you wish to break our pact? -

Mateo's ears perked in surprise, "What?"

• I can release you, if you want? -

Mateo blinked in surprise, "Wha- Why would you do that?"

• You have gathered some of those that would plot against me -

• This is your reward -

Mateo's muzzle wavered, "I... You took my son from me..."

• Do you want to be free of my blessing? -

Mateo gulped, "Yes."

• As you wish -

An aura formed and dissipated around Mateo with a moments notice, it made Mateo shudder in surprise.

"It's... gone," Mateo whispered.

• The others are young, full of life -

• You are not -

Mateo looked at the darkness and then made a sudden gasp, "What... Have you done with me?"

• I drained your life a very long time ago -

Mateo clutched his chest and groaned, "What's... happening..."

Like a veil the darkness washed over Mateo and made him disappear from sight, within moments the groans picked up strength, and became pained whimpers.

• Raymond -

Raymond averted his eyes, he wanted to die, to be free of the nightmare.

• You still serve a purpose - You will be spared -

Raymond tried to speak, but his throat choked up, and a canine whimper escaped instead.

• A lesson is in order -

Raymond shook his head, "No, please..."

• Ungrateful - Disobedient -

Something touched Raymond's back, it felt like an icy finger that trailed through his fur. In panic he looked back and saw his tail lift into the air.

• A mark - For all to see -

No! Don't!

The grip on his tail hardened, it squeezed and pulled with enough force to lift him from the floor. He screamed out in pain and scratched at the floor in desperation to ease the heavy load. The pressure increased and the vertebrae began to snap, it felt like a searing knife pushing through his spine, and a feral scream of agony filled the tunnel.

No relief came, instead the pressure increased on the base of his tail. Raymond squirmed in the air and his mind began to unravel from the torment. Ligaments tore, and the fur was ripped open to expose bare flesh.

POP!

There was a pop followed by a wet and ripping sound, Raymond fell to the floor with a slam, and his mind grew blank with a sudden burst of static. He could feel his heart drumming, the wet and throbbing sensation near his buttocks, yet his mind couldn't process a thing of it.

The other wulfkins were still shuddering and the crystalline entities had infested their heads. Their eyes had become like marbles and they stood with their muzzles open. Steam gushed out from their bodies and their fur was starting to sag. It was as if their very innards were being sucked dry.

Something moved into Raymond's field of vision, it was a brown crushed tail dripping with blood.

Is that mine?

Raymond blinked and his mind kicked into gear, pain radiated through his body and there was a phantom pain in his back, he could still feel his tail, crushed, pleading to be released from torment.

The darkness began to withdraw, and within moments he caught sight of something moving in the background. It was Mateo stumbling back and forth, groaning and whimpering in pain.

Mateo turned to face Raymond, but something had changed about him. His eyes were bloodshot, dark liquid trickled from his claws, nose, and mouth. A choking gurgle escaped from Mateo's throat while he reached out with a pleading hand.

• A creature with no life, nor any magic to fuel its existence -

Without warning Mateo's hand loosened from its socket and fell. To Raymond's surprise it didn't make a wet splat, instead it shattered like glass and pieces scattered across the ground.

Mateo stared at his arm in horror and made another wet gurgle. In panic the wulfkin tried to move and another crack was heard when his leg was split by the knee. The wulfkin fell forward like a statue and hit the ground hard.

A crack was heard and the wulfkin shattered into a thousand pieces. Large blocks tumbled to the sides and Mateo's head rolled toward Raymond.

Raymond was frozen in place and stared while the head came to rest in front of him. Like forming ice the head began to crystallize from inside out.

• Do you recognize it? -

Mateo's fur shifted in the wind but began to grow still, it then lost its hue, became bright red, darkened, and grew reflective like dark glass.

• Black Obsidian -