A Loyal Companion
SIXTEEN: Death

No. I felt a surge of panic sneak into me, I laid my head on Aranthias’ chest, trying to listen to his heartbeat. When I knew it wasn’t there, tears streamed down my cheeks, wetting the white robe that covered his chest. I felt lost again, guilt, disgust and regret stirred into one. I held his hand tight, not knowing what else to do. I wept on his chest, uncaring of the incoming danger coming from the stairs next to the throne.

When a gust of chilling wind went pass, I couldn’t help but to look up. The air had become somehow dead. Something very old filled the room. I couldn’t pin point where it came from until Antheon’s body jerked back to live. The man lifted his head up and what I saw was no longer Antheon who possessed all Aranthias’ qualities, the man’s eyes had gone darker than the night in Absolon, like the other demon, there were no white in his eyes, black veins showed its path down his face, neck, the whole body, and beneath those beautiful lips I saw a pair of fangs. Though what caught my eyes was the black star that nested on his chest, the star of Anglo. I realized that Antheon had once revoked Anglo’s powers, but the body wasn’t tainted by the star, what had brought it there now must’ve been the Dark Prince himself. My mind flew back to the catacombs. I remembered the feelings while I was down there, I felt something waiting…

Anglo now stood by his throne, no longer recognized the love for me he once had in him. He spread his fingers, in an instant a sword appeared in his right hand. The sword was a great beauty, but I knew better, it was the Prince Anglo’s sword he had used in his last battle. The sword that took the life of many immortals during the last dark war, the one Anglo called Ragnoth.

I was too stunned to move when Anglo strode towards me with sword in hand. I managed to drag myself out of stunned mode to make a run to Crimson Tears about ten feet away from me, where Gin was lying before, as much as I could will Crimson Tears to my hand, I wanted to drive him away from Aranthias, but before I got to my sword, Anglo stood before me and swung his sword. I rolled to my left, and over, to get Crimson Tears, but he had kicked it away. Another swing brushed and sliced a few strands of my hair. He was fast, and powerful. I only managed to put my feet on the ground when another bash came from behind, I turned to my right to dodge the attack, but within split seconds, He changed direction and hit me on the chin with the hilt of his sword, and sent me flying back a few meters. Bouncing on the marble floor, I felt a sudden pain on the back of my head when I hit the edge of staircase at the throne’s feet. I recovered from the pain almost immediately, only to find Anglo had put his feet on my chest with the point of the sword pointing down on me.

Refusing to surrender to the hands of death, I put my palms on Anglo’s heel and toes, and twisted it as hard as I could. Sound of breaking bones rang in my ears, Anglo was down for once, with a broken ankle. I took this moment to be on my two feet again and willed Crimson Tears to my hand. I got Crimson Tears in time to block Anglo’s attack after he fully recovered from his broken ankle. We both were thrown a couple of steps back from the impact of the two swords. A grin escaped from his face and he snorted.

“What a shame… a few thousand years past and the new generations are weak, I thought you could give me a decent fight” Anglo’s voice brought chill down my spine.

I swung Crimson Tears down to the marble floor, and the impact had broken the floor, the force made its way to Anglo, he blocked it but it had sent him back a few more steps. Looking impressed, he charged towards me and disappeared within one heartbeat. Another second passed, he knocked Crimson Tears away from my hand and pushed his feet on to my back, sending me to the floor. At that moment I knew that I had lost the fight, I knew I would die there and then. I waited for that sword to pierce my heart, but instead of gushing blood from my chest, I heard the sound of two metals met each other and the marble floor reflected the sparks that came from the impact. I hit the ground hard and turned to my back to see what had hit Ragnoth.

Aranthias had stood to block Ragnoth, Crimson Tears was in his hands and no longer burned his skin. It worked! Thank gods it worked! I praised a little song of joy in my heart when I saw the man stood stern in front of me. Adding to my surprise, my blood burned with the desire to change, without fighting it, I let the change took over.

Standing on my four, I walked towards Aranthias and rubbed my head against his leg. His left hand found its way to my neck rubbed it gently. Still keeping my touch to Aranthias, I snarled at Anglo as his grip tightened on Ragnoth.

“Bitch” Anglo snarled back. Oh, I wasn’t happy with that… Without hesitating, Aranthias brought the sword down on him, while I leapt to catch Anglo’s wrist before it met Aranthias’ throat. I clung to his wrist, I tasted the metallic taste from his blood on my tongue. Before I could let go of him, Anglo brought the other hand down on the ground, his palm met the floor as he pressed Ragnoth between the marble floor and his palm. The black marble sparked with crimson lines and formed a diagram.Oh no. I recognized what it was, a portal… to where, I had no idea. I let go of his wrist as Aranthias lunged to get me, but it was too late. The portal had been activated and all the three of us were right in the eye of it.

All I could see next was a blinding light, until I felt a warm flow of energy surrounding me, I looked up to see Aranthias warding a bubble shield from the outside in… and I was inside the bubble.

“Stay here! Whatever you do, don’t get out of this bubble”. I barked to protest, but he glared at me and all I could do was to set my ass on the floor, tail tucked in between my legs, head bowed. Aranthias turned his back to face Anglo. I decided to observe my surroundings. Everything was so white and golden. Where the hell am I?

I couldn’t recognize what realm was I in until I saw a familiar face, Naal walked down the hall behind me, and I noticed later that I was sitting at the feet of the stairs going to a throne, but it wasn’t Anglo’s. On my sides were large white pillars with gold veins growing up to touch the ceiling. The hall behind me stretched out as far as the eyes could see. My eyes hurt suddenly, I realized that it happened as soon as I laid my gaze on Naal. I caught a glimpse of terror on Naal’s eyes before I shut mine to get rid of the pain.

I was in the only realm I couldn’t survive without staying put in the shield Aranthias had given me. This was the gods’ plain, and I was in the throne room. I turned to look at Aranthias and Anglo who battled on the stairway. I wanted to charge into battle, but as soon as I touched the shield, I felt a push that bounced me back. I know! I growled in frustration, knowing my limitations.

A figure came out of behind the throne, I had never met him before, but I recognized him, as other immortal beings would. My blood stirred at the sight of him and the only word I could think of was ‘father’. He was Xannon, the father of all gods and goddesses. In slow-motion, every bits of puzzle came into one piece. Anglo had put himself exactly where he wanted, and Xannon had been stripped from the ability to kill Aranthias, therefore it applied to Anglo, who was in Antheon’s body. I realized my mistake then. Anglo had been planning it all along, he had figured it out that I would choose the soul, leaving the other body soulless for his taking, having the protection from the gods who were bound to an oath. I couldn’t breathe at the thought of it. I couldn’t believe I let myself to be so careless, blinded.

Anglo by then had driven Ragnoth deep into Aranthias’ torso, blood fed the sword, leaving Aranthias weaker than he already had without me on his side. I knew he wouldn’t die from the blow, but it gave Anglo a window of opportunity to strike at Xannon. Everything happened at a blink of an eye. I willed every bits of my power to rip the shield Aranthias had put, I felt the magnetic field against my fur as I bolted out of it, and I heard Aranthias shouted my name in despair. I leaped in mid air towards Anglo who already had Crimson Tears he took from Aranthias pointing at Xannon’s heart. I smelt burning flesh from Anglo’s hand, but he gripped Crimson Tears tight. I felt my body burned, my eyes hurt and my hearing picked up a frequency my ears couldn’t handle. Before every fiber of my body shattered, I took a grip at Anglo’s throat, and ripped his jugular apart, leaving it open, blood streamed down my face, staining my fur. I didn’t care. I let go of a relieved sigh when I saw Crimson Tears didn’t reach Xannon as Aranthias had taken the sword off his hand and drove it into Anglo’s chest, piercing his heart.

What I heard next almost blown my ear drums, Anglo’s screamed his last curse, well, it wasn't a scream, really, his throat was ripped to pieces. It was more like an intent, but we heard it loud and clear.

“For my death, there will be offsprings who will once again sit in my throne. Those who were chosen will bear my mark and protected by my power as one’s destiny is embraced, he will walk the path of a Dark King” in an instant Anglo’s body disappeared along with Ragnoth. I felt myself fell hard to the ground, but my body no longer felt any pain, my vision was blurry red, I was crying blood, I couldn’t maintain my wolf form anymore as I lost total control of my body. Aranthias brought me into his arms and embraced me, I felt his tears fell down my cheek before everything went black.

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