Darkness settles over the property like a blanket, and a chill runs through me as I approach, my heart pounding in anticipation.Abeamfromthemoonshinesdownandilluminatesthepathahead,castingeerieshadowsthatwhisperwarnings inthewind
Dr Blakely’sresidenceisonthisproperty,butthelandisfartoomassivetocontainamansionalone Hundredsofacres Who needs that? Well,Iwouldn’tmindthatformyanimalsanctuary,butadoctor?
Icanfeel his reliefas henuzzles intomyhand Images ofabandonmentflashthroughmymind Has someone taken your parents away, little one? Who would do such a thing and why?
Thesourcesofthelightsaren’tfar,andifI’mquietenough,maybeIcanseewhatthey’redoingthislateatnight. Iknow I’mnotexactlydoinga public service rightnow bytrespassing, butIwouldn’tbe able to sleep ifIreturnhome withoutknowingalittlemoreaboutthisplace. There'sanevilhere
Pushingthroughmore ofthe thinwoods, Itread lightly. The flashlight beambounces and reflects offtrees, castinglong shadows.
Diggingdeep,Isummonmypowertoasktheplantstoquietmyfootsteps.Iamsilentatopthemandthebranchesandvines creepawayfromme Anotherkeytosneakinguponsomeoneistohaveabilitieslikemine Might as well use it to my advantage. Ican'thelpbutsmirk.Theseassholeshavenoideawhothey'reupagainst. WhatIknowaboutmyabilitiesislimited ButIdoknowI'manarcanistwiththegifttoconnecttothenaturalworld Ihave learnedtousemylinkwithnaturetobendmostthingstomywill,butittakesalotofeffort,concentration,andthecooperation ofnaturearoundme
Plants are easier to talk to and understand, oddly enough, even if they don't have the mental abilities of animals. That actuallymakesthemeasier,nothavingawilltofightyours.
“True enough, the tests are gettingcloser and closer to beingultimate successes. Ican'tbelieve the fusions are actually takingholdandnotkillingthehosts.”
I step close to the outside perimeter and notice that there are cameras pointed in several different directions Maybe I wasn'tcautiousenough,butsurelytherewouldhavebeenguardssenttostopmebynowifIhadbeenspotted. Thisdoesn'tbodewell.
Lightblastsdowninbeams,blindingme Istumblebackward,almostlosingmyfooting Shit This is not good Iremindmyselftoremaincalm.Iwhiparoundandalmostlosemybreath.
Blakelygivesmeacoldsmile,hiseyesneverleavingmine “WhatdoIwant?”Hislaughisascoldashisgaze “You'rethe one sneakingabout my property, younglady. Whyare youhere? What business do youhave snoopingaround myresearch facility?”Hepausesforamomentbeforecontinuing,histonelowandmenacing “Igotlost.”It'saweaklie.
The corner ofBlakely’s mouthtwitches into a smirk, buthe doesn’treplyimmediately, instead takinga few moments to considermyanswerbeforegivingmeacurtnod.
“Hmmm…trespassingis a serious offense, especiallyona locked-downcompound suchas this. Iwill be generous, as I alwaysamandallowyoutoleave,ofyourownwill,Ihope.IfIormymencatchyoubackhereagain,well,needlesstosayI thinkitwouldbeverybadforyouindeed.”
Turningawayabruptly, he orders his guards backinto the shadows and strides backinside the buildingwithoutanother word.
“Thatbastard!”
Icautiouslymakemywaybackthroughthedenseforest.
I'mtryingto calmmyself, but everysound and everymovement has me onedge, as if somethinglurks inthe shadows, waitingtopounce.
I settle myself on the couch with a cup of hot tea, trying to piece together what happened. The pup finds a cozy spot underneathmycoffeetable,andcurlsupinatightball Iwatchhischestriseandfallasmymindwanders.
After hours ofsearching,Icome across a few articles aboutanimal testingbeingconductedinsecretgovernment-funded labsliketheoneIhadseeninthewoods Therearerumorsofterrifyingexperimentsbeingconductedoninnocentanimals,all inthenameofresearchandadvancement.
Icontinue onmyjourneywitha new appreciationfor how amazinglyalive this place canbe Eveninits sparse beauty, thereis somethingcaptivatingaboutitthatdraws meonwardandmakes mefeel likeI'mpartofsomethingmuchbigger than myself
AsImakemywaythroughthedenseforest,Ican'thelpbutfeelasenseofanticipationmingledwithunease.Thismeeting, this gathering of extraordinary beings, holds the promise of revelation, yet I know that with knowledge comes great responsibility ThereismuchIknow,yetsomuchmoretouncover Theanticipationisanxietyinducing,butIholdittogetheras bestIcan.Whichistosay,I'mholdingthingstogetherverywell.Youdon'tgettolivethroughasmanyyearsasmeandnothave afirmgraspoveryouremotions
Ryker’sletteraskingforhelpisofalmostnovaluetomeuntilhementionsawomannamedEleanor“Ellie”Peterson.What is she doingpokingher head aboutfinally? Lookingfor other arcanists, is whatIgather, butwhy? Ryker wouldn'tknow the importance ofthese arcanists atlarge, thoughhe has aninclinationdue to his wife, Hannah, justhow powerful theycanbe. Ellieissomethingspecial,evenfor arcanists,andIameagertodiscusswithherwhatsheknowsandwhathistoriesshecan revealtomeformywork
Takingoutmyphone,Iswipeopenthelockscreenandopenthegallery.There,thefirstpictureondisplayistheonlyimage ofher thatIlocated She is beautiful Darkhair, fair skin, petite frame withalluringcurves She captivates me Ioftenfind myselfopeningmygallerytogazeatherfortoolongandIwishtorejectthefeelingandnotionofwhatthatallpossiblymeans. Ineedtospeakwithher,thatisall. Nothing more, Relic
Hopefullyshe is still around, myflightonlytookme a little over a day, butsome birds are flightier thanothers and I'm unsureofwhatherintentionsare,wheresheislikelytostay,andforhowlong.
BeforeIleftNewYork,ItrieddesperatelytoreachRykerorHannahandhavethemkeepherthereaslongaspossible,but theirremotelivingsituationcanresultinshittyphonereception.Eitherthat,orthefoolthinkshiscompoundwouldbebetteroff withallmannerofscannersandjammers Thelittlewolfexpectsmeto write tohimwitheveryconcernwegothrough? ItakeadeepbreathandtrytosteadymynervesasIapproachthecompound'sentrance.Thelargewoodendoorsaresolid and imposing. Theyseemto be guardingsomethingprecious and mysterious beyond themand Iknow thatitis partiallythe case.
I knock firmly on the door several times and wait for an answer. After what feels like an eternity, I hear footsteps approachingfrominside.Inoticetrailcamsinthewoodsandsurveillancelensespointedstraightatme.Theyshouldhaveseen mecomingfromamileaway
“Whatisthepasswordthatthis Ryker gavetoyou?”sheasks,hervoiceasstillasstoneinthesternnessofhertone “Rykerisn’tafuckingthirdgraderprotectingafortinagameofcapturetheflagonagoddamnplaygroundduringrecess. He didn’tgive me a password There isn’ta password Openthe door or justfuckingshootme and getthis over with” My agitationstretchingthroughoutmysore,jet-laggedbody.
“I'mleaningtoward the latter, ifyouwould onlybe so kind Butconsideringthis awkward welcome to the place Iwas invited to,Icanonlybesoconfidentthatyouwon'tcaretomydesiresintheleastbit.”
As soonas Iamthroughthe entrance, myeyes are metwithanunfamiliar world ofwonder. Statues and paintings adorn everyinchofwallspace-theworkofAvery,Iassume.Therearepeopleeverywhere-sometalkingamongthemselveswhile othersareseatedinsmallcirclesengagedinintenseconversationsaboutsomethingunknowntome Atleast,they'reunknown tomerightnow.I'msureIwillgetanearfullfromRykerrathersoon.
It feels like another world One overshadowed by secrets yet filled with hope for something better than we have experiencedsofar.Thereisaclearattemptatbuildingaforce.
Imust say, Ryker, Iamquite impressed. Youare more thanjust bark- I’ll give youthat. Now let's see ifyouhave the intentiontouseallthebiteyoucanmustertowardtheseenemiesyou'veaccruedinsuchashortwhile.
“Relic,” Ryker greets me fromoutofview,his voice a low rumble thatresonates withauthority.“I'mgladyou've come. Especiallyonsuchshortnotice!”
Speakofthedevil...
Iturnfrommypeople watchingto see the bulkofa manstrollingtoward me withthat cliche cute-boygrinon At first glance,itseemsthathehasn'tchangedabit,thoughsomethingbehindhiseyesbegstodiffer.There'sbeensomegrowth. Good.Growthmeansstrength.Strengthisalwaysneededandforthetrialstocome,Ihopetowhatevergodisouttherethat hegetsit.
“Aliveisatermtouse,butwedon'tknowwhathereallyisoreven was tobeginwith,Relic.”Rykerdrylyexplains.“All we know is thatwe didn'tfinishthe job. There are still words onthe wind thathe is makingmoves, gatheringforces. He's recuperating Weneedyourhelptofigureoutmore”
IcanfeelHannah'sgazeonmeasshestepsforwardtojoinintheconversation.“Weneedyourhelp,”shesayssimplybut compellingly “Nyxcannot be defeated, not entirely, without experienced warlocks like yourself We don't thinkbrute force alonecantakehimdown.”
Iamtakenabackbytheirfaithinme.Ihadnotexpectedsuchtrustfromtwopowerfularcanistslikethem,butHannahhad suchconvictionwhenshe spoke Iunderstand theyrequire myhelp and will butter me up inanywaytheysee fit, butIcan surmisethatthis isn'tall anact.Theyhave faiththatmyknowledgeofthis world,andmyabilities,cantrulyturna tide they face
“WhatcanIsay?” Ichuckle. “Ryker, Icame here for one reason, and suffice itto sayitwasn'tto help youwithoutdue compensation.Ifthemoneyisright,Iwillhelpyou.That'salwaysbeenourrelationship.”
“Money?Relicwehave-”
“I'm not talking about that, you wet dog,” I snap, “You have yet to introduce me to Ellie. You know nothing of her importance Whereisshe?”
“Youdon'tsay.”Ichide. The company I keep “Isensesheisstillclose.”Hannahsays,placingahandonRyker'swrist.“Shehasn'tmovedinsometime,somethinginme suspectsthatsheresidesclosetowhereweare.Itwouldbenothingatalltofindher,Relic.”
“Oh,doyou?”Imuse,hopingthehumorisn'tlostonthehot-headeddog “YouseemtoforgetwhoandwhatIam,Ryker”I holdmytongue fromfurther lashes andexhale calmly.“Iwill agree to help you, butmyinterests come first- solongas we havethatunderstanding Myresearchcomesbeforeyourcanineskirmishes Isthat understood?”
“Thenit'ssettled,”Hannahdeclaresconfidently “Wewillmakepreparationsatonce” The packofus gather around a weathered woodentable, its surface littered withancientscrolls and hand-drawnmaps. Ryker'svoiceisthefirsttofilltheroom.Hiswordscarrytheweightofurgencyandpurpose.
IfurrowmybrowsasItakeitallin.Thiswasmorethanjustfindingsomeonelostonajourney.Thiswasaboutfindingan ancientartifactthathad beenhiddenawaysince time immemorial, atleastthatis whatIcangather withouthavingtalked to Elliemyself.ItwastimeforusalltojoinforcesifweweregoingtofindwhatEllieseeksbeforeitbecomestoolate.
“If we are goingto succeed,” I sayfinally, “we must eachplayour part.” I glance around at the gathered faces before
continuing. “Ryker and Hannahwill lead the searchonground while Iwill use mycontacts to spread word ofwhat we've uncovered, or have yet to uncover. I have strange ties in unseen places, and will use these connections to help you all in whateverwayyouneed”
“Ellie believes that if we can locate more arcanists like us,” she begins. “We can call upon themfor their powers of transformation. We could use themto help us inbattle againstNyx, the Vampire Council, anythreatto the good ofhumanity, honestly She thinks there is something to having us all together, as well But she didn't go into any detail about it Her obtusenesswasratherunfortunatebecausethereissomuchwewantedtoknowfromher.”
HannahstaresatAverywithadmiration “It'salmosttooincredibletobelieve,giventhenatureofourpartners,”shesays softly.“ButElliehasalsostudiedwolvesforquitesometimenow.Herknowledgeonthemisstriking.Shesuggestedthatthere wasmuchtodiscussthere,andthatmanyaretryingtoharnessthepowerofthewolffortheirownends Thisissomethingwe all should take interestin, butcertainlysomethingyouwould find mostenlightening, Relic. Science bleedinginto magic, or vice-versa.”
The thought of such an undertaking is daunting. Who knows how long it will take or where our search might lead us? Nevertheless,ItakesolaceinknowingthatI'mnotaloneinmytask.Withall ofus workingtogether towardacommongoal, anythingispossible.
Ellie,enchantressofnatureandkeeperofsuchancientsecrets,IamcloserthanIhaveeverbeentofindingyou. What made you come out of hiding?
Thetreesloomedtallandominous around me as Imade mywaydeeper into the woods, eachstep sendinganecho throughthe silence. As Ientered a glade, I could feel a cold sweatbreakoutonmyskin, butbeneaththe fear there was a sense ofanticipation. The rustlingofleaves underfootwasasymphonytomyearsasIapproachedacircleofstonesatthecenteroftheclearing
The wolves ofthis place have beencallingto me for some time, and Icanalmostfeel their presence inthe atmosphere around me As ifsensingmyarrival, several figures emerge fromthe shadows Wolves, standingtall and proud, their eyes burningwithcuriositybutalsosomethingelse…akindofwisdomthatbeliestheiranimalisticforms.
Itake a deep breathand approachthemslowly, hopingtheywon'tattackme Theyseemto understand myintentions and welcomemewarmly.WespendhourstalkingaboutNyx,aboutourmissiontofindmorearcanists,andhowtheymaybeableto helpusinourquest.
Ireturnto myhumble shackas the sunbegins its descent. Ifeel a buzzinmypocket and pull out myphone, a familiar messageandcontactflickers onmyscreen It's fromHannahandAvery Intriguedyetcautious,Iopenthemessage,unsureof whatlieswithin.
Their words danceacross thescreenrevealingasharedconcernandsuspicion.Theybelievethatmyknowledgeextends farbeyondwhatIhaverevealedthusfar.Theyseekanswers,answersthatonlyIcanprovide.Itleavesmebothintriguedand wary,mymindspinningwiththepotentialdangersthatlieintheshadows.
Their request weighs heavily upon me. Should I trust them? Should I reveal the depths of my knowledge and risk the consequencesthatmayfollow?Ipacetheroom,wrestlingwithmyconscience,tornbetweenthedesiretoassistandthefear thatmyinvolvementmaybringaboutunforeseenchaosifIdon'tcontinuemyownsearchforthearcanists.
I kneel down beside it and run a gentle hand over its fur, speaking softly as I do so. Although it shows no signs of aggression,Icansenseanunderlyingangst.Itknowsthatdangerisnearby-evenifitdoesn'tunderstandwhyorhow.
Days turn into nights as I tend to the pup in secret, ensuring its safety and well-being. It becomes my silent companion, a reminder ofthe fragile connections we forge inthis world. Butthe weightofthe message fromHannahand Averyremains, urgingmetotakeaction,tostepoutoftheshadowsandconfrontthemysteriesthathaveintertwinedourlives
As the moonbathes the land inits ethereal glow, Ifind myselfengaged ina conversationwithHannahand Avery. Their voices,carriedthroughthespeaker,resonatewithurgencyandconcern Ilistenintently,theweightoftheir wordshangingin theair,stirringawhirlwindofemotionswithinme.
Hannah's voice, strong yet laced with vulnerability, reaches out to me “Ellie, we believe you hold knowledge that surpasseswhatyou'verevealedsofar.Weneedyourhelp.”
Avery's voice joins in, her tone filled with determination. “You have studied wolves, delved into their mysteries. We suspectthereismoretoyourresearch,morethatyou'vediscoveredaboutourkindandthewerewolfshiftersinyourtimebeing alive.”
Silence settles betweenus for a moment, the weightofthe decisionrestingheavyuponmyshoulders Igaze atthe pup, seekingsolaceinitsinnocenteyes,asifseekingguidancefromtheverycreaturesIhavestudied.
Finally, Ispeak, myvoice steadybuttinged withvulnerability. “Icannotmake this decisionlightly. ButIamwillingto consideryourrequest.ShouldIchoosetosharemyknowledge,wemusttreadcarefullyandprotectwhatisprecioustous.”
Hannah and Avery's voices intertwine, gratitude and determination filling their words. “We understand, Ellie. We will honoryourcautionandprotectwhatmattersmost Together,wecanfacetheunknownthatfacesus”
IsaidgoodbyetoHannahandAvery,promisingtoconsidertheirrequest.Aloneinthesilenceoncemore,Ifindsolacein the company of the pup Its presence reminds me of the fragility of life, the connected nature of our world I ponder the potentialpathsthatliebeforeme,unsureoftherisksIamwillingtotake.
His eyes meetmine, carryinga hintofintrigue and a touchoffamiliarity “Ellie,” he says, his voice resonatingwithan undercurrentofanticipation.“MynameisRelic,Ibelieveweshareaconnection,thoughitissomethingtobediscussedlater.I don'tmeantoworryyou,ortocomeoffashasty,butIhavebeenmeaningtomeetwithyouforsometime”
Yet, as Relic stands before me, a stranger withsecrets ofhis own, Iamleftwithmore questions thananswers Should I trustthisman?CanIconfideinhimthedepthsofmyknowledgeandtheweightofmyfears?Therisksloomlarge,castinga shadowoverthefragilebalanceIstrivetomaintain
But as I gaze into Relic’eyes, a flicker of understandingpasses betweenus. We are bound bysomethingI have yet to understand, butIknow we are united againsta commonthreat. And inthatshared purpose, Ifind solace, a glimmer ofhope amidtheencroachingdarkness.Still,IknowthatIcannotgivemytrueselftoanyofthesepeoplejustyet.
“Iwantedtobealonewithyou,forourintroductions Iwantedtotalkwithyoubriefly,justthetwoofus I ran ahead soto speak,butinreality,Ifoundoutwhereyoumightbebeforethemanddecidedtobreaktheice.”
“Bold”
“Hopefullynottoobold.MayIcome intotalkwithyou,Ellie?” His face,while scarred,is masculine andtender atthe sametime.Myheartfluttersatthecharmofhismysticism.
Ashecrossesthethreshold,theboundariesofmyworldexpand,andtheunknownawaitsusboth Littledoweknow that ourjourneyhasonlyjustbegun,andthesecretswecarrywilltestourresolve,pushingustothebrink.Buttogether,unitedby fateandboundbyafragiletrust,weembarkonapaththatwillleadustowardtheheartofthemysterythatentanglesourlives
Chapter 4 Relic
The home is filled withvibrantcolors, fromthe paintings adorningthe walls to the softcolors ofthe handcrafted furniture Everywhere Ilookthere are trinkets and decorations thattell a storyofEllie’s journey, and the bookshelves overflow with novelsandjournals.Itisacozyandinvitingatmosphere,yetitalsohasanairofmystery.
The roomis filled withthe warmthofhome Colorful paintings hangonthe walls, depictinganarrayoflandscapes and scenes.Everypieceoffurniturehasbeencraftedwithcareandattention,butit'sthebookshelvesthatarethemostcaptivating. They are filled with novels and journals, evidence of the life Ellie has lived and her journeys taken The trinkets and decorationsscatteredthroughouttellstoriesthatonlyshecanunderstand.
Inside Ellie's home, the walls are decorated withcolorful landscapes that evoke feelings of adventure and exploration Handcrafted furniture is placed around the room, adding to the special atmosphere. Bookshelves are full of novels and journals,whilesmallornamentsanddecorationstellastoryofEllie'stravels.Theroomisalivewithlifeandenergy,andthere isasenseofcuriosityfromthevariousartifactsthatfillthespace ItisclearthatElliehasinhabitedthishomeforsometime Everywhere I look there are trinkets and decorations that tell a story of her journey so far. The walls are adorned with paintingsoflandscapesandthefurnitureishandcrafted,butmorethananythingitisthebookshelvesoverflowingwithnovels andjournalsthatcapturesmyattention.
Inodinunderstandingbeforeturningawaytosurveytherestoftheroom.Softmusicplaysinthebackgroundfromarecord player inone corner and a small fireplace crackles inanother, givingoff a warmglow that illuminates muchof the space betweenus.
Ellie pauses for a moment,her gaze lingeringonthe mysterious cabinet.Aknowingsmile spreads across her lips as she steps closer,gesturingfor me tofollow She pushes aside the curtain,revealingsomethingInever couldhave expected–an ancienttypewriter.
Intrigued,Ireachoutandgentlytouchtherustykeysofthetypewriter.Adustycloudrisesfromthesurfaceandfloatstomy nose. “You're writinga book?” Iaskindisbelief. The cheap clothribbonis exposed and has the ends knotted to hold itin place.Theknotabovetheletterstandhlooksnew.
“That'ssomethingIwilldecidetotalkaboutindepthwhenI'mready,butithastodowitharcanists,Nature,andwhatnot. Well, it’s somethingoneverything, really” Ellie giggles to herselfafter her statement It's cute, the wayshe muses, how she speaks.Irarelythinksuchthings,butthisgirlcertainlyisalluring.
Ellie'seyestwinklewithenthusiasmandherlipsturnupinaknowingsmileasshespeakswhilereturningtotheden Her
Thereisanairofmysteryaroundherasshespeakswithaheightenedsenseofknowing.Evenassheturnsaway,moving fromroomtoroom,herwordslingerarounduslikeaphantom,leavingafeelingofexcitementandintrigueintheirwake “Ihope youdon’tmind the mess,” Ellie says, cominginto the livingroomwitha trayofhottea and whatappear to be crackersfromabox,stillintheirtanplasticsleeve
“Oh, heavens no, there would be nothingwrongwiththat. Well, Imeanfor me there would, since Idon’tlike men. I’ve livedalongtime,triedmanythings,IsupposeI’mvanillawhenitcomestolove”
Fuck… I certainly know how to talk to women. The decades of solitude are showing.
We both chuckle at the thought before she continues. “But I've talked enough about me! What about you? What is your passionproject?”Ellieinquireseagerlyassheleansforwardinherseat.“Whathaveyoubeenworkingonlately?”
“I do indeed know what you are, Ellie” I say looking at her as I pace back and forth “You are anarcanist, which is somethingIhaveagreatinterestin,asI'vestated.Whatmaycomeasashocktoyou,isthatIknowyouspecifically,morethan youmaybecomfortablewith”
“Thatis a rather uncomfortable thingto hear, Relic,” Ellie replies witha guarded voice and wearyeyes. “Whatdo you knowaboutme,exactly?”
Iholdupmyhandsinassurance,“Please,Imeannothingofillintentor,certainlynothingcreepy Youmustunderstandthat myageandthetimeithasaffordedmehaveletmeaccrueavastamountofknowledgeabouttopicsI'mseverelyinterestedin. arcanists are one suchtopic I've heard manytales ofseveral arcanists There are a few thatare as old as me, some older Therearearcaniststhatdon'tage,andtherearesomethatliveforaveryshorttime.”
Ellie looks atme skepticallyandtakes another sipofher tea before responding “Well,ifyoumustknow,I'mone ofthe arcanistswhohasmanagedtoholdontoyouthfulnessquitewellovertheyears.It'snotsomethingIliketoadvertise,but…”She trails offwitha sighbefore continuing, “It's partofwhatbroughtme here, to find outmore abouthow other arcanists have livedtheirlives”
Ellie pauses for a moment and thenher eyes light up withcuriosity. “Now tell me - what have youfound so far? Any interestingstoriesorlessons?”
Ismile atEllie's enthusiasmand startspeakingaboutsome ofthe stories I'd heard fromother arcanists. Stories oflove, courage and strengthdespite livingfor centuries without aging I explainhow some chose to spend their longlives quietly alongside loved ones, while others explored far and wide for new adventures, all while remaining true to themselves throughouttheirjourneys.
“So you see,” I say as I finish my tale, “I know what you know, but there must be more The how's and why's of the arcanistsissomethingthatstilleludesme.”
Ellie is quietfor a momentbefore finishingher tea witha satisfied nod “Thatwas aninspiringstoryindeed,” she says softlybeforestandingupfromherchair.
“Itis true thatwe are a varied bunch.” Ellie remarks as she opens up a cracker sleeve andpops a whole cracker inher mouth.“Itmakesithardtogetanythingdone,I’vecometofind.”
“Whatmakesyousaythat?”
“Well, come now, Relic,” Ellie says chewingonanother cracker. “You’re anancientsortyourself, thinkitthrough. Old peoplearestuckintheirways,theyoungareconvincedoftheirexperiencewiththesamefervor.Thentherearetheonesthat youcan’tfindintimeandtheyexpire Sadly So,youdothemathonthatone”
“Icanseewhatyoumean.It’shardtoworktogetherwithsuchvariables.You’vespokenwithHannahandAvery,though, whatofthem?Surelyyoumustfeel comfortinknowingtheynotonlyheedyour words,butwouldliketoenlistyoufor your ownhelp?”
“They're learning,” I say defensively “You must understand that with time and knowledge, they’ll grow to be just as powerfulasyouneedthemtobe.Averyhasalreadyproventobequitethelearner.Sheisaskilledarcanistinherownright!”
“I’msure she is,Relic,” Ellie adds withanacceptingnod,the puppyyippingas ifjoiningthe conversation.“I’mtalking aboutbeingready now Ihaven’tfoundwhatIneed I’vefoundwhatI’mlookingfor,butitjustisn’texactlywhatIhadhoped for.”
“Whatis ityouhoped to find? The strengthto defend the world fromall chaos? Ellie, be realistic EvenIhaven'tfound suchbeingsinmytimespentonthisEarth.”
“Ruin.” I replyas I walktoward her and grab her hand. “Or somethingworse.” I stare deeplyinto her eyes, myheart captivatedbyherfulllipsandsmooth,softskin Herhandfitsperfectlyintomineandisassoftasgentleriverwater
“Something worse.” she agrees, looking down and blushing at my hand in hers. The urge to lean in and kiss her is terrifyinglystrong. Somethinghas overcome me, as ifI'munder a spell, thoughIknow better. I’msimplycaptivated byher radiant,naturalbeauty.
On the other side stands a tall man with an imposing figure, looming menacingly in front of us. He is wearing black business clothes, adorned with multiple hazmat protocol devices, including a mask, making his intentions clear He hasn't arrivedforsomefriendlychatwithus,hehascomeeitherinsearchofsomethingortobearanunfriendlymessagetoEllie.
“Where's the girl?” a distorted voice calmly asks His breathing through the mask sounds gargled and like a creature, paintinghimasanevenmoresinisterbeing.
I'm ever the fool. I need to get this man to leave. Now.
“You're either deafor dumb and I'mnotsure whichis gettingonmynerves more I'll askyouone more time, before the situationescalates.Whereisthegirl, old man?Youcanremainoutofthisifyoujusttellmewheresheis.”
Ireachoutmyhand and stroke behind one ofhis ears softlybefore kneelingdowninto the dirtnextto him Tears begin rollingdownmycheeksasIwrapmyarmsaroundhimandholdhimclose,buryingmyfaceintothesoftfuronhisneck.
WhenIarrive, the lights are offand there is no signofhumanactivity There are no sounds or movements comingfrom within,justaheavyfeelingofuneaseintheair.
Insideisagroupofhumans,all strappeddownandunconsciousor near death,attachedtothemareall mannersoftubes, wires, and medical devices I'munfamiliar with. Machines monitor their vitals and it appears that experiments were being carriedoutonthem,butwhatkind?
Eventually,afterwhatfeelslikehoursinthisnightmareofalab,all ofthehumansarefreedfromtheirbindingsandtheir conditionsseemtoremainstable I'munsureofwhatsteptotakenext How can I get them all out of here by myself? Unfortunately,thereisstillsomethingsinisterlurkinginthisplace.Thecreaturesthatwerebeingalteredcontinueonwith theirtorturousexistenceuntouchedandunfazed
Usingmypowers againI attempt to subdue them, if onlyslightly, usingcalmingemotions inhopes that it will ease the
Ionlywanttohelpthem,butI’mnotsurehowIcan KnowingthereisnothingfurtherIcandohereforthemtonight,IturnawayvowingtoreturnsoonwithRelic,Hannah,and Averytosave these creatures fromwhatever itwas theyarebeingsubjectedto Myheartis heavywithsorrow for all these beingsthatarecurrentlyaffectedbythiscruelplace,soIdecidetoturnandgo.
Hechucklesbeforerespondingwithequalferocity,“Andhowdoyouplanondoingthat?Doyouthinkyoucanjustwaltzin herealoneandtakeusdown?Youdon'tevenknow whoorwhatyou'reupagainst,justthatyou'reupagainstitandyouthink you have a fighting chance. It's cute, really.” His smile flickers and his teeth catch a gleamof light. He's a gross being, a patheticexcuseforaman
He snorts and rummages throughhis pockets before pullingouta lighter He flicks iton, castinga faintlightacross the room.MygazefallsuponthecagescontainingthecreaturesthatwerebeingalteredandIfeelmyheartsink.
Hesmilesthen,anevilglintinhiseyeasheturnsawayfrommeandabruptlystridestowardoneofthecagescontainingthe creatures that were beingtested onand transformed. He stops infront of it and leans forward, studyingits contents before turningbacktomewithanalmosttriumphantlookonhisface
I'mattemptingtoplaceitbackintothecagewithoutharmingit.IcanonlyhopethatIcandosowithoutithurtingme. It was then, locked with the snarling creature in a grappling battle, that I noticed the vampire's hand moving toward a nearby console filled with buttons and switches which undoubtedly controlled power throughout the facility, among other functions.Ifhemanagestohitonewrongbutton,orthe right one inhiscase,Icouldbetoast.Havingallfacilitiesonalertor worse,hecouldreleaseunknownterrorsuponme
Before Icanreplywiththe absurdityofthe situationand the nonsense ofhow the vampire spoke, Relic hurdles himself throughoneofthebrokenwindows,astaffextendingfromonehandwithajewelatoneend,restinginashiningsilverbezel.
“Wewerejustwaitingforyourbuddyheretofallintoourtrapaswell.Didn’tneedhimcomingintotryandsavetheday after wekidnappedyou So,we’lljusttakeyoubothatthesametime Youherofolkarealwayssofuckingstupid”
“I know, that was sarcasm.” Relic declares witha stampingof his staff against the ground. “Well, Ellie, I suppose the cavalryiscoming ThewayIseeit,wehavetwooptions”
“Wait.” the vampire says lookingat the multitude of holes inthe wall as Ellie makes the limbs retract, leavingseveral meansofescapefortheduo “Wait,wait,wait!Thiswasn’tsupposedtogodownlikethis!”ButIcommandagroupofrootsto ensnaretheunbearablebastardandcoverhismouthwhilewe’reatit.
He glares at me, hatred radiatingout of himlike a heat wave. He doesn’t answer myquestion, but instead spits onthe groundinfrontofhim,a pile ofphlegmlandingnear the toe ofmyrightshoe He is a vile creature,butyet,all ofthemare SaveforTalon,whohashadsometimetogrowonme.
IhavelearnedinmyoldageandtimeonthisEarththatwordsarefar morepowerful thanactions.Theydowhatactions they cannot do sometimes. Hopefully, my words will be enough here and I won't have to risk injury for some simple conversation.
After a few moments of silence, he finally speaks up “You think I'mjust going to spill the beans to you, without any incentive? Sure, I'll give youmyname. Ican'tevenremember whatmyhumanname was, buteveryone calls me Young. So you'vegotthat,sure,butIdon'tknowwhatyouthinkyoucandotomethattheywon'thaveagreatertortureforifItalk Look aroundyou,youfuckingidiot.They'vegotsomegoodideasoftortureifthisistheirideaofmedicine."
"Gunna do some rough foreplay with those?" Young snarls. I can see in his eyes, the way they shimmer with fear and bouncebetweenmeandthepliers,thatheknowsexactlywhatIaimtodo
"Sure, ifyouwantme to. First, I'mgoingto pull your teeth. That's somethingyour council wouldn'tdo. Imagine running backtothemafailureandwithoutteeth Whatwouldtheyreally dotoyouthen?"Withmylefthand,Iforceopenthevampire's mouth,takingthenoseofthepliersclampthemdownononeofhisincisors."Thegreatjoysofbeingawarlockanddealing withsupernaturalslikeyouisthatthemosteffectivetrickshardlyeverdealwithmagic Justsimplelooksatreality"
I pause for a moment as I look upon the vampire's quivering form His begging and pleading are pointless, as I am determinedtoextracteveryounceofinformationfromhim.Itisinterestingtoseethesepredatorstransformbeforeyour very eyes
Youngsobs louder,his voice shakingwithfear."The council is workingwithDr.Blakelyona serumthattransmutes the ferociousnatureofwolvesintohumanform Idon'tknowmuchbeyondthat,okay?Iswear!There'salotofwordsandconcepts gettingthrownaroundthisplacethatIdoubtevenyouwouldknow!"
Myheart skips a beat at this revelation It seems the council has beenbusybehind the scenes, concoctingsome sort of scheme to turnwolves into humans. Could this be connected to whathappened to Ryker and Steel? Were theygettinginthe way,orperfectresearchspecimens?
Ifightagainsttheeffectsoftheserum,butit'stoolate Icanalreadyfeelmybodybeginningtochangeandtransform The painisunbearableandmyvisionblursinandoutoffocus.Itfeelslikefireiscrawlingthroughmyveins.
ImanagetogetawayfromthemjustintimeandfindmyselfstandingoutsideinthecoldnightairwithElliebymyside We bothtakeadeepbreathoffreshairbeforeEllieturnstofacemewithconcernwrittenalloverherface."Areyouokay?"She askscautiously"Whathappenedinthere?"
Iexplaineverythingthathadoccurredwhilewewereapart,includingYoung'srevelationabouttheirserumplans,andhow he managed to injectme withitbefore we could getawayfromhis goons Ellie's expressiondarkens atthis news, butshe quicklystiflesheremotionssothatwecancontinueonourwaywithoutfurtherdelay.
The serumburns withinme, and myskinbegins to crawl IlookatEllie, who suddenlylooks differentto me She looks deliciousandappetizing,andIcannothelpbutbedrawninbyhermesmerizingscent.Iswallowhardattheurgesnowswirling withinme
Theycatchuptous andprepare totake us on,their power super-human Their mistake was thinkingthathands andteeth alonewouldbeenoughtotakeonanarcanistandawarlock.
AsEllieandIstandthereintheaftermathofthebattle,reliefwashesoverusbothastheadrenalinewearsofffromthefight and exhaustion take its place. We embrace each other tightly. I hear her heartbeat through my entire body, either fromthe excitementofthebattleorfromsomenewfeelinggrantedtome.
"Ellie," I say, pulling her away from me and staring into her eyes. "I've been injected with the transfusion they were workingoninthecompound"
Itakeadeepbreathandtrytoexplainthesituation "IfIwasabettingman,Iwouldassumetheserumissupposedtomake mestronger,faster,andgivemeenhancedsenses.Itcouldalsogivemeanincreasedresistancetovampirebites,asourwolf friends have. I'mnot sure what else it can do. I'mstill figuring it out. I only hope that I can control whatever it is that is happeningtome"
She looks into myeyes and speaks softly “Relic, youcando this,"she says witha determinationthatseems unshakable eveninthisdiresituation.“Youcanlearnhow tocontrolthesenew abilities.Butfirst,weneedaplanforgettingoutofhere safely"
Myfearisthatthesenew abilitieswon'tbetheonlythingIgain.Whataboutnew weaknesses?Whataboutnew concerns and anger, temptations Icannotcontrol? One ofthe worstfeelings inthe world is notbeingable to control one's impulses, desires,andcravings Idon'twanttobeamonster I'velivedforsolongasaman,reservedandmeditativelikeamonk,only nowtobeturnedintoabeastagainstmywill.
Despiteall ofthathas happenedinsuchashortamountoftime,Ican'thelpbutfeel excitedbymynewfoundabilities or whatever will come outofthis transfusion. After more trainingand experimentationwithmypowers, Ifind myselfgrowing moreconfidentinthefactthatthiscanhelpmeandmyresearchimmensely
If only Ryker and Steel were here. Hannah and Avery too. With all of us together, we could have gotten so much information.Wecouldbesomuchclosertoourgoal.
Wemakeourwaybacktothesafetyofmyhome,andbothRelicandIarefeelingtheeffectsofthedaymoreprofoundly Once inside,wecollapseinexhaustioninfrontofthefire,ourtiredlimbsandmindsfinallyabletorelax.
As we sitthere insilence,Icanfeel thatsomethinghas changedbetweenus.Somethingprofound.The trustthatRelic is placinginmeishumbling Itgivesmeanewsenseofpurposeandunderstandingwhenitcomestohimandhowheoperates Isupposethisismyfirsttimemeetingawarlock.HispowersareuniqueandsomethingIdon'tquiteunderstand.Isuppose hethinksthesameofmeandthatputsusonequalfooting
"Well, let's have a look at these journals then," Relic says with an eagerness that I can hardly understand, given our exhaustion.
I can understand his intent, however He's been researching my kind and our powers for some time I hope to provide somethingusefultohim,somethingnewandinsightful.
"I know a thingor two about travelingtoo much," Relic says, runninga hand throughhis hair "Do youhave just your writingsandexperiences,oristheremore?Likeotherworksandpointsofview?"Ihearhimaskfromtheotherroom.
I look at my shelves filled with old books and moth-eaten journals, and I know that Relic is right. I do have a lot of informationhere.Butit'snotjustaboutfactsandfigures.It'sabouthowI'veseentheworld,myexperiences,myinsights,and myinterpretationsofitall Willhecareforthat,orjusthardfacts?
