Jack looked horrified, he had no idea what was happening to his brother nor could he do anything to stop it. Suddenly James’ veins started pulsing and Jack remembered something similar had happened to Aaron before he’d appeared to die last weekend. But the similarities ended there because his brother’s arms began expanding along with his legs and body. His muscles were becoming enormous; the hairs on his body extended and became thicker and darker. Jack was powerless to stop what was happening. He tried to hold his brother down but he was too weak. James cried in pain, “What’s happening to me!” as to Jack’s horror, James’ face began changing into the features of a werewolf. Jack had seen this before, when William had changed in Delaius’ garden only he had turned back into a man and even then he had done it with ease and without pain. Here his brother’s screams echoed through the cellar and there was nothing Jack could do to help him.
“James.” Jack cried. But his brother seemed gone; in his place was a huge black wolf. James got to his feet, his back turned to Jack.
“James.” Jack said cautiously.
The werewolf turned to Jack and roared. Jack fell back against the wall, pinned there in fear. His brother seemed gone. James sprang at him, slamming his huge clawed paws into the wall above Jack. He stood there and sniffed Jack. “James, it’s me, Jack.” Jack pleaded, hoping he could be understood. James’ large black eyes met Jacks brown. Again he sniffed. Suddenly he roared in Jack’s face making his hair blow. James then turned and charged up the stairs. “James!” Jack cried. He ran as best he could up the stairs but by the time he got out of the shed his brother was gone. “James!!!” he cried again forlornly.
Something made Jack turn around, only to see Delaius looking concerned “Jack. Are you alright?” he asked.
“James! He, he turned into…he’s gone” Jack muttered unable to get a sentence out.
“He’s alive” Delaius said incredulously.
“He’s not him, he’s like William.” Jack said.
“Ah, he’s a werewolf.” Delaius said, more calmly now.
“You say it like it’s a good thing” Jack said unsure why Delaius seemed unconcerned.
“He’s not dead is he?” Delaius replied.
Jack didn’t know what to think. “What will happen to him?”
“There is still time to help him Jack. We cannot change him back but he can still live a fulfilling life, with the right guidance, just as William does.”
“What happened to Hobbins?” Jack asked suddenly remembering “is he ok?”
I can’t say. His wounds are bad but he’s in good hands.” Delaius told him. “For now we can only pray.”
“Where is he?”
“He’s with a friend; she’ll do everything in her power to save him. She specialises in werewolf ailments but she is unparalleled in the knowledge of magic and its effects on the human body. If she cannot help him, there is no one that can.”
“And what about my brother?” Jack asked hopeful.
“There is time to help your brother, but first we need to focus on finding your friends. They are in much more danger than he is. Hobbins nearly died to give them a chance to escape. Let us not let his sacrifice go to waste. Come.” Delaius said sternly.
Jack continued to stand still, looking out into the dark forest for his brother but he was gone. He couldn’t just leave him in the wild.
“I wish I could help Hobbins, I really do and I couldn’t respect him enough for what he did but we can’t just leave my brother out there, alone. He probably doesn’t even know what’s happening to him. I can’t leave…” but Jack stopped short.
A rustle of leaves and cracking of twigs caught his hearing. Something stirred at the edge of the forest. Footsteps dragging on the ground were slowly coming closer and closer. Delaius stepped in front of Jack to protect him from whatever was out there. He squinted for a better look but it was too dark. As the footsteps drew nearer the clouds separated and the woods were lit by moonbeams; there they saw William limping out of the woods.
He was injured but he was tough and his body healed as quickly as any vampire. The pain still took its toll on him though.
“Delaius” he said coming to a stop, slumping to the ground in pain and exhaustion.
Delaius and Jack rushed over to him and helped him up until he lent on the low bricks of the water fountain. Delaius checked him over.
“They got away but Sabula…”
“It’s ok we know” Delaius told him.
“But how”
“Hobbins”
“He’s alive!”
“For now, but I’m not sure how long he’ll last.”
“They’ll never survive, Delaius, Sabula will kill them all.”
Delaius ignored William’s comment; instead he moved over to the stone bird on the shoulders of the statue and muttered something Jack didn’t quite catch. Within moments the stone bird began cracking and broke open revealing a glistening brown eagle, identical to the stone carving which imprisoned it. The eagle shook its wings to rid itself of the rest of the stone dust. Its wings spread and it beat them as if in joy at being released from its stone prison. Jack was in awe. He had so many questions but now wasn’t the time, his friends were in danger and they needed to do something. Delaius whispered to it again and, without warning, it shot off the pedestal and headed south through the sky leaving the echo of its cry in the air. Jack watched as the eagle disappeared in a white flash, it looked almost like a shooting star as it vanished into the distance.
“Where did you send it?” Jack asked.
“To help Helena, though I only hope it’s not too late.” he said, moving back to the house.
“What can a bird do to help?” Jack asked doubtfully.
“An eagle is a powerful ally against the Fraeir, which is what is pursuing them. They fear eagles and this eagle is one of the most magnificent I have ever come across. It was bound to a friend, now it is bound to me. It is also the best tracker I know.” He placed a hand on Jack’s shoulder “If it’s not too late it will be able to save your friends” he told him. Before Jack could ask about his friends and what the Fraeir were, William interjected, “What about James?” William asked.
Delaius started telling William what had happened with James but Jack stepped in and told his side of the story. When Jack took over, Delaius headed into his destroyed house, climbing over the debris that now littered the floor of the house. Delaius ignored the mess and moved into the living room, heading for a small mahogany cupboard with a glass window. He opened it to reveal twenty or more vials neatly placed in rows. There were no labels, but Delaius knew what they contained because each of the vials was a different shape. He edged his hand to the back and pulled out a small diamond shaped vial, the liquid it held was as clear as water. He began searching the cupboard again and after little inspection he grabbed another more rectangular one, the liquid inside this one was a turquoise.
“I’m glad you’re ok and I can’t thank you enough for what you did but I can’t just leave my brother. Can you not talk to Delaius?” Jack was asking William who was sat next to him on the small wall of the fountain.
“He was bitten by Balzac and Balzac left him for dead. It is the worst fate for a new-born.”
Jack recalled what Hobbins had told him during the festival about what happens when a werewolf turns. “So he’s gone in search of Balzac?”
“It is the only thing he can do but Balzac is an alpha and he is strong. If he doesn’t kill your brother then you have to remember he’s alone and, if he succumbs to his anger and rage, he’ll become Noru-Varem.”
“We need to help him.”
“And I will send someone, just as soon as we get to a safe place.” Delaius said coming out from the destroyed house and handing William the vial with the turquoise liquid in. “Here, drink this. It will aid in your recovery and give you energy.”
William happily obliged and drank the liquid in a gulp.
“Balzac will kill him if we don�
�t hurry.”
“James has the same blood as you, which will make him a rare wolf and a strong one at that. He has the blood of a guardian though his destiny has now changed.” Delaius said thoughtfully “I have no doubt he will be able to best Balzac, once he’s ready.”
“Yeh once he’s ready but he’s not and he’s hunting him now.”
Delaius put a hand on Jacks shoulder. “You have to trust me Jack; I will send someone as soon as I can. They will have the medicine and facilities to help James.”
“Let me go” William said standing up.
“For revenge?”
“I want to help him, and he may listen to me. We aren’t so different. Maybe I can talk him out of it.”
“We both know that’s not going to happen.”
“And we both know that whoever you send won’t be able to stop him, without endangering their lives. He’s unstable and full of rage; he’s not going to see your allies as his allies. He almost killed his own brother Delaius. I’m the best chance you have.”
Delaius looked resigned; he knew William had a point.
“Very well but it’s on your own head. Once you leave, I won’t be able to protect you, you’ll be on your own and if you can’t talk him out of it then the chances of us seeing either of you again are slim at best.”
“I know but I want to do this.” William told him.
“Then take this” Delaius said handing him the glass vial containing the clear liquid, “it is the same potion that helped you, it won’t last too long but it may last long enough for you to get him back safely.”
“And if I can’t turn him from his cause?”
“Then he will find Balzac and I cannot guarantee he will best him or that Balzac would even fight him but whatever happens the only chance he has is if he can control the change and ultimately his anger. Remind him of his loved ones, any happy memories, anything that will remind him of who he is. It’s a long shot but it may just save him.”
Jack interjected. “Then I should go with him. I can help him” he said.
“No.” Delaius said harshly before calming his voice “No, it is too dangerous, the only way for you to help is to learn how to use the amulets. I can show you but you have to have a clear mind. Trust in William.”
“I will find your brother, I promise”
“Okay. And thanks again Will. I just wish I could help.”
“You will, but you have to let Delaius help you and let me worry about James. I’ll die before I let anything happen to him, that I promise you. Make sure Helena is safe.”
“I will do everything I can.” Delaius said.
Before William headed off, Delaius told him about Larcus’ betrayal of the council and warned him not to trust Larcus if he ran into him.
With anger burning within him at mention of Larcus, William nodded to Jack and Delaius and headed towards the woods. Jack watched as the darkness engulfed him.
“How can you be sure he’ll find him?”
“James is a new-born, he will be unable to control the change and it will be frequent, he won’t be able to cover great distances whilst he is unable to control it. William is a good tracker; he’ll find him and let us hope he will be able to help him. But now we have our own task to perform.”
Jack wasn’t convinced but there wasn’t much he could do. He too was in pain from the torture he’d just been through and he knew that he wouldn’t get far on his own.
“Do you know where the others went?” Jack asked hopefully.
“Helena will have taken them to a place in the lake district I used to use. They will be safe there for now. It too is our destination but first we must retrieve something.” Delaius told him before turning to the statue in the garden. He stood in front of it gazing at the water which covered the bottom of the stone bowl. Delaius slowly raised a hand, as he did so the water from the bowl began rising up in front of the statue. Although Jack was still hurt he looked on in awe at what he was witnessing. The water rose up into the shell as if a waterfall was flowing upwards, until it filled it. The stone shell slowly clasped shut, at which point the whole statue began turning clockwise, revealing a set of steps leading downwards. Jack moved closer, all the while clutching his sides, his face still bloodied and bruised.
“Wait here” Delaius said lowering his hand and walking back over the rubble and into the destroyed kitchen. He was gone for a matter of minutes before returning to Jacks side, a small blue book in his hand. “Come, we must hurry” he said stepping down the dark steps.
“What’s down there?” Jack said unsure whether or not to go down.
“A door” Delaius said without turning back. The steps lit up and Jack decided he had no choice but to follow. “A door to what?” he muttered quietly to himself.
A few steps later he caught up with Delaius. “The writing on James’ body…what did it say?” he asked.
Delaius continued walking downwards “The bloodline is ending…He is the first and last. The darkness is inevitable” he told Jack with a concerned and distasteful tone.
Chapter twenty-five
The Eagle, the Dragon and the Fraeir
Everyone’s hearts were racing as Fayne raced through clouds with the wind hammering at their faces. Clive was still looking behind him but there was no sign of Sabula.
“Is it dead?” Aaron shouted to Helena who still had a wary look on her face.
Sabula was hard to kill and Helena had had previous encounters with him, only barely coming out with her life thanks to Delaius’ intervention.
“It’s not over yet.” She told them, eyeing the darkness behind them for signs of Sabula.
Fayne yelped and jerked upwards in agony. Sabula had flown beneath her and ripped a gash in the skin of her stomach. Fayne slowed down in pain, breathing ice towards the twisting Sabula. He dodged and spun around the oncoming hail, bringing his claws up and once more raking them across her stomach. Fayne yelped again. Helena grabbed a bow and arrow out of a bag hanging on the saddle next to her. Sabula flew above Fayne until he was next to Lily. The slits in his featureless face flapping as if sniffing her for the amulet. He reached his arm out to clasp it. Helena fired an arrow at Sabula knocking him back and out of sight. She quickly notched another arrow as she turned back to Fayne who had slowed down dramatically. Her wounds were bad and Helena knew she couldn’t take much more.
Clive turned behind him to see Sabula racing back towards them. “BEHIND US!!” he screamed. Everyone turned around as Sabula shot past them until he was level with Helena.
“He was torn apart like an animal. Join him in death” Helena heard Sabula say in her head.
“NO!” she cried, firing another arrow into Sabula from point blank range.
The Fraeir crashed into Fayne’s mighty wing and spun upwards. As Helena drew back her bow for another shot, a slow smile spread across her lips as she saw a bright white light streaking towards them from the north. Moments later, it became clear that it was an eagle. “Wurslo!” Helena said excitingly.
Sabula was getting closer but so was the eagle. Suddenly Sabula seemed hesitant and began sniffing the air. A loud cry echoed from the Eagle and Sabula stopped in the air. Fayne gained distance on him as Wurslo dived towards Sabula. Sabula shot downwards towards the ground but there was nowhere to hide, they were over a loch. Wurslo stayed on his tail, following every evasive movement with ease until it shot underneath him, its claws gliding through the loch as it passed below him. As Wurslo flew upwards in front of Sabula, the water followed, rising up beneath its claws like an upwards rising waterfall. Wurslo flew into a loop, bringing a wall of water down on Sabula. The wave thundered down sending him smashing into the loch. Wave after wave smashed down where he’d hit the surface before the waves slowly died down and the sea was still. Wurslo hovered twenty feet above it, as if it was making sure Sabula was finished. Seconds passed and there was still no sign of him. Wurslo turned to head off. The loch exploded as Sabula shot out of the water, upwards with his claw
outstretched to grab Wurslo. Fayne came swooping across the surface of the water skewering Sabula with her fearsome teeth.
“No Fayne!!!” Helena screamed. It was too late. A loud crunch followed by a gulp and Sabula was gone. Helena sighed before patting Fayne on the neck in thanks. Sabula would have killed them all if Fayne and Wurslo had not been there so, despite Helena’s reluctance to kill Sabula, she knew Fayne had no choice but to do what she had.
Wurslo glided next to Fayne who let out a loud roar, shaking all on her back. “What was that creature?” Frankie asked, still shaken up.
“Whatever it is it’s dead.” Aaron said gratefully as Wurslo glided towards Helena.
She signalled Wurslo closer by stretching her arm out, the eagle chirruped and flew towards her, landing on her arm. It sat there for no more than a minute staring at Helena as if reading her mind. Helena smiled as if she knew what the eagle was thinking “Thank you Wurslo” Helena said gratefully.
Wurslo released its clutch of Helena’s arm and gliding back past Frankie to rest on Lily’s shoulder. At first Lily felt scared but her nerves slowly calmed when Wurslo began pecking the amulet.
“Give him the amulet Lily. He’ll take it to Delaius, it’ll be safer with him and it’ll be safer for us.”
Lily obliged, after all that had happened because of the amulet, she was glad to be rid of it. She took it from around her neck and Wurslo clutched it in its beak. “Thank you” she said gratefully as the bird rose from her shoulders and dropped the amulet to catch it with its clawed feet.
“Yeh thanks, erm, eagle…Wurslo…I don’t know, but cheers.” Aaron babbled.
Wurslo looked as if it gave Aaron a little nod but he couldn’t be sure as the eagle shot into the sky. They watched it fly into the distance before a white light lit it up and it vanished.
“That thing was badass” Aaron shouted in awe.
“Why did it want the amulet?” Frankie asked Helena.
The Amulets (An 'Amulets of Andarrin' tale) Page 20
