valerio wrote:"That depends soley on you," Yago said. "If you resist, you'll cause harm. We can go as far as you want us to go."
The answer was the exact thing Shadowclaw expected, but not the thing he wanted to hear. He replied with unsure, trembling voice "
If I'm s-so dangerous, am... am I even worth the help?" He closed his eyes "
If I'm so dangerous, why do I still walk freely? Why not put me in some kind of jail?" his fur began to bristle "
And how do you even know I am so dangerous?"
---
valerio wrote:
Amelia stopped in front of a hut. "Moving so easily between realities belongs to beings of superior skills. Before we speak to the shaman, do you know about anyone other than Sylar who worked against your people?"
Both wolves nodded
"
We were within the first line of guards that day. The Old Chieftain wanted to give us a lesson." Vex said.
"
A reminder of his superiority over us." Ur said "
But he was defeated that day and so was the demon!"
---
Once again Balkan was teleported within a mist, this time though it felt cold... really cold... and scary. The half-wolf looked around, but same as before he couldn't see further than a less than half a meter in front of him. He was lost once again. He was sure he was hearing whispers from the mist. They were luring him and were getting closer this time. He could hear they were here and close, but he couldn't tell where - he wasn't able to neither see, nor smell them. He couldn't smell anything at all.
The whispers were now very close, but he could hear them from every direction now - they had him surrounded. Then the whispers as one rushed towards him. The Half-wolf drew his blade, ready to defend himself, though he was sure he didn't stand a chance. He raised his blade in defense and closed his eyes... but there was no attack. The whispering, now angry could be heard from a small distance, but they were nowhere close to him. He looked around - there was nothing, but he was able to see a bit further than before. He looked at himself and noticed that his tattoos were burning - this time with a slight blueish nuance.
Somewhere from afar a series of bell rings could be heard and a line of small white-blueish flames were appearing in the air. They stopped in front of Balkan. the small flame could fill his paw and it was on the level of his shoulders. The Half-wolf reached to touch the closest one to him, but it jumped and disappeared with a ghostly sigh.
Balkan stared for a few seconds, glancing at the direction of the nefarious whispering around him, then back at the flames. He sighed himself, then ran after the small flames with an arm raised forward, as if to grab them, each time he touched one of them, they were disappearing with the same ghostly sigh. The flames led him to a small, round opening with a camp in the middle. In there, he saw the same hooded white wolf as before. The wolf looked at him and smiled.
"
Ah, there you are!" the wolf greeted him "
I was beginning to worry the wisps didn't found you!" he motioned the half-wolf to join him "
Come on! It is cold out there and you're probably hungry!" the hooded wolf handed Balkan a bowl with some kind of stew "
It's a deer stew with mead. It's delicious and it will rejuvenate both your body and soul." the handed him a wooden spoon "
Go on, give it a try!"
Balkan took what was given to him, looking at the stew for a a few seconds, before he started to dig in. The half-wolf doubted that after all the trouble that hooded wolf went through to get him here, he'll cause any harm to him.
After Balkan finished the stew, he returned the bowl and the spoon. The wolf wasn't lying for the rejuvenating powers, for Balkan haven't felt that good in quite some time.
"
It wasn't so bad, now was it?" The wolf asked with a grin.
"
It was good, indeed!" Balkan agreed.
"
Good! Now that your body and soul are cleansed, now it is your mind that needs to be purified."
The half-wolf raised an eyebrow "
What do you mean by that?" he asked.
The hooded wolf shook his head "
The events that occurred to you in the last few days were not quite as they seem." he pointed at the fire "
Take a look!"
Balkan looked at the fire. At first it was just a simple camp-fire, but than images began to appear - the events of the last few days.
"
You see, the demon you fought - Sylar - was merely a messenger boy, a scout. Although he was just enjoying his sick games, once he sensed you, he changed his goals." the wolf waved a paw over the fire and other images began to appear "
Among his trickeries is your love with the lycaon female Charlie and your so called 'pups' she bears. Those two are merely games of both your imaginations... and the whole village is still affected by it. Although to them it will pass within a night or two, you and Charlie are way more affected by it. Luckily, I can cure it."
"
Wait a second!" Balkan furiously shook his head "
You're saying that nothing happened back at the village?"
"
The Green Ring? Yes. Nothing more than a few kisses and snuggles." The hooded wolf took out two empty vials "
Behind you there's a small rock. from the other side of it, there's a small spring. Fill the two vials and bring them to me."
Balkan did as he was asked. The rock was a few meters behind him and wasn't there when he arrived. The half-wolf filled the two vials and brought them to the white wolf. The latter took the two vials, one in each paw and, smiling, a light began to emanate from him. The light spread to the vials and the waters inside was illuminated by it for a few seconds. Once the illumination faded, the hooded wolf returned the filled vials to Balkan. The water in them seemed normal, as if nothing happened.
"
Now drink and you will see the truth in the fire."
And the half-wolf once again did what the wolf asked of him. He emptied the vial and looked at the camp fire. The images there were from the same place, but now they began to change, returning to what really happened from the day he met Randy. The images were changing faster by the second, but it wasn't the speed that caused Balkan a headache. The cure was working, revealing the truth. When he reached the part when they were officially married though, he fell on his knees and covered his eyes with his paw. The white wolf shook his head.
"
Forgive me, I should have skipped this part. Even I can barely imagine what it was for you to see her marry someone else, but it's not something I can change. Her destiny was tied to both you and Randy, you were just lucky you got there too late. At least you did good by giving them the necklace with which you were to propose to her..." He waved a paw towards the fire to skip to a later time "
Mind though that you played a major part in saving them from Sylar's grasp, even though your people gave them another demon, luckily more loyal. Now here's Charlie." the hooded wolf said, pointing at the fire, where the image of Balkan meeting Charlie was staying still. "
She might look attractive, but her path is far away from yours. Her and your life-scrolls are barely connected." he switched the picture to the night before the fight "
Here is what happened - you did lie in the same bed, but that was it. The next night was the same."
At this point Balkan was already holding his head "
Please no more!" he whispered "
I don't want to remember all of this!"
The white wolf frowned "
You will see it the way it was, even if I have to force you to! You're the last descendant and I won't lose you!" he sighed and calmed "
Forgive me, I shouldn't get angry at you. I know you're in pain right now - here, have another bowl of the deer stew." He passed Balkan the same bowl, once again filled with the delicious smelling stew "
It will mend your body and soul for the way back."
The Half-wolf took it and emptied it really fast.
"
Good!" The hooded white wolf said. "
Now that I've completed what I intended to do, it is time for you to return to your mortal realm. Give Charlie the water." he put his left paw on Balkan's (left) shoulder "
Oh and one more thing for you before you go."
"
Oh?" the half-wolf asked.
The white wolf put a paw on Balkan's forehead "
A parting gift!" a sudden burst of energy burst from the white paw into the half-wolf's skull.
Balkan was blinded by the burst, but then he felt that no one was holding him anymore. He left very light... and falling.
~~~~~~
Back at Salisgrave a sudden, strong wind blew through the village. In front of the hut in where Chieftain Amelia, Vex and Ur were about to enter, fell a figure, burning in white flames. Once he crashed with the ground, the flames engulfing him dispersed in a second, along with the strong wind. On the ground was Balkan, his tattoos were glowing in bright white, especially the newest tatto on his head - one of a wolf paw.
All that the half-wolf did was to groan. "
Ow!"
"
Balkan!" both Vex and Ur shouted and rushed towards their Ambassador, helping him to stand up.