‘It is my time, my child. It’s the only way.’
‘No, I will not do it,’ Black Wolf cried angrily. ‘Amelia, tend to his wounds and don’t leave him. I will return.’
Black Wolf marched back towards the others, his face set in stone and his eyes fixated on one thing — the dark power.
‘Enough of all this trickery,’ he roared at the figure. ‘If you want a kingdom, you need to earn it. Take up a mortal weapon and fight me like the pitiful man you once were, not as this magic ghost.’ Black Wolf picked up a sword from a dead tribesmen’s hand, and threw it at the evil being’s feet.
‘Very well,’ said the stranger, seeming slower in his movement than before the last use of his powers. ‘I ask you one thing though, Black Wolf…’
‘What is that?’ Black Wolf asked suspiciously.
‘That if we fight as men, we fight to the death.’
‘I will,’ Black Wolf replied, pulling his own sword loose, and walking up to face the dark power.
CHAPTER 43
Black Wolf and the evil one were stood opposite each other, enough space between them that, when drawn, their swords could just touch.
‘No trickery,’ Black Wolf said.
‘It may have escaped your attention, Black Wolf, but because of your friend Grey Moon over there, I’m not like the rest of you,’ the evil being replied, his sword hovering in the black smoke where his arm would have been. ‘All I have is this ghostly prison; I cannot hold a sword with no real hand, but I can use my power to help me wield it like you do yours. This is the only trickery I shall use, you have my word.’
Nervous at the dark power’s lies and trickery, and under strict orders from Lone Wolf, the men moved closer to the evil being, ready to attack and protect their leader if needed.
‘Stand down, men,’ Black Wolf ordered, making his men retreat again. ‘I accept your claim, but no other magic,’ he said to the evil one. ‘I want the children moved to safety too.’
‘Very well,’ the evil being replied. To the children, he said, ‘Go back to your families. I will deal with you all later.’ The children ran into the shadows.
‘It is time,’ said Black Wolf, as the two opponents started circling each other, swords drawn, both waiting for the chance to deliver the first strike.
With the whole of Orgent watching, the two fighters launched into a furious battle, their swords clashing loudly, the only noise to be heard in an otherwise silent city. The dark power moved effortlessly, gliding across the floor, while Black Wolf struggled to manoeuvre around the bodies of the fallen that littered the courtyard. Black Wolf had a natural talent for fighting but the effects of the day were starting to take their toll on him and he was spending longer defending more strikes than he was creating.
***
Away from the fight, at the gates of the city, Amelia was trying to tend to Grey Moon’s wounds, but found herself distracted by her fears for Black Wolf’s safety.
‘You need to help me move, Princess,’ he said to her, trying to sit upright. ‘I need to get to the steps whilst they are still fighting.’
‘Black Wolf told me to keep you here though? He said it would be safest,’ she replied, ‘I cannot disobey him, I promised.’
‘He told you to stay with me, but he didn’t say where,’ Grey Moon said, attempting a smile through the pain emanating from his chest. ‘I am going to the steps, it is up to you whether you join me or not, but I cannot be seen.’ Grey Moon managed to get to his feet with Amelia’s help, and using one of the fallen tribesmen’s large wooden spears to help him balance, he started to wander slowly towards the steps, staying within the shadows of the city walls.
Amelia moved on ahead and told the others of his plans whilst he walked slowly towards them.
‘The evil one is distracted by the fight, so Grey Moon can walk along behind my men. That’ll offer him some cover until he reaches the steps,’ Lone Wolf said, signalling for his men to fan out and protect the elder.
‘I can try to use my charm, if it helps?’ offered Tallulah. ‘Although the dark force’s power might be too strong to fall for it.’
‘It all helps, trust me,’ said Grey Moon, catching up with Amelia and then carrying on past her, covered by the long line of tribesmen. ‘Stay here, Princess, let Lone Wolf guard you,’ he called back over his shoulder.
Amelia tried to defy him and followed, until Lone Wolf caught her by the arm. ‘No, Princess, it’s not safe.’
‘I don’t care, I cannot let him put himself in such great danger and do nothing about it. Black Wolf told me to stay with him,’ she pleaded, trying to pull her arm free from his strong grasp.
‘He also told me to make sure you stayed safe, so that is what I’ll do,’ Lone Wolf said, pulling her back to Tallulah. ‘Please, just wait here with me, it’s the only way I can protect you.’
Amelia gave in, shaking her arm free, and standing next to Tallulah. ‘If anything happens, I cannot let you stop me helping,’ she said, trying to control her anger.
‘Trust me, Princess, if anything happens then we’ll all be there,’ he reassured her, and they watched as Grey Moon continued to head slowly towards the steps of Orgent’s temple.
In the centre, Black Wolf was struggling to keep up with the pace of the dark power’s blows. His cuts were a lot slower and less fluid than the evil being’s ghostly movements. Sensing this, the stranger put more power into his movements and lashed out violently, catching Black Wolf’s sword and sending it flying from his hand as he fell backwards.
‘Any last requests?’ the evil being said as he loomed large over Black Wolf’s fallen body, his sword pointed towards him.
‘Vengeance!’ cried Lone Wolf from the crowd, and he threw the sword he’d chosen from the armoury to his friend.
Black Wolf caught the handle of the sword without looking at it and held it out in front of his body, desperately trying to protect himself.
‘Must we continue this?’ the evil being asked, growing impatient. ‘It will be this sword, then another, but it is all futile. You need to give up now, this is all hopeless.’
Overcome by a strange sense of familiarity, Black Wolf glanced at the sword in his hand, taking in the familiar shape, and his thoughts raced as a series of images flashed past in his mind. The last one he saw was as he faced evil, Esmee’s injured body beside him, taking his own life to rid the palace of the evil that had come looking for him.
‘Once I have taken your men, I will kill Lone Wolf and then you can have the pleasure of watching me take the girl and kill your precious princess before your very eyes,’ the vile being goaded him. ‘I tried before, but this time I won’t fail.’ He cackled loudly, glancing at Amelia and Tallulah, his eyes burning furiously.
‘Use the steps!’ Lone Wolf called out, distracting the evil being momentarily, as he moved round in front of Black Wolf so he could look down on all his prisoners. Still concealed in the darkness, Grey Moon had made it to the base of the steps too and crouched down amidst the other bodies, whispering quietly to himself. ‘Our Great Mother, grant me one last show of strength and I promise your bidding will be done.’
With the sword in his hand, Black Wolf looked up at the dark power and saw his eyes coldly looking at the others. His body feeling stronger with the anger running through it, he screamed, ‘For Aalym!’ at the top of his lungs, and launched himself towards the evil one.
As his sword flew towards evil being’s chest, Grey Moon used the last of his energy to throw his own body in the way of the evil one, and Black Wolf’s sword passed through Grey Moon’s chest and deep into the evil being. Orgent was suddenly filled with the sound of a blood-curdling scream, and a pure white flash, as the three bodies fell to the floor together. The evil being’s body landed on the steps and turned to ash the minute it connected with the cold stone, the ash then disappearing without a trace, until there was nothing left.
‘You’ve done it!’ screamed Tallulah, as she ran over to him with Amelia next to
her.
Dazed, Black Wolf rolled onto his side, hoping to see his opponent’s dead body beside him, but instead it was Grey Moon, with the sword impaled in his chest and blood bubbling out of his mouth as he tried to speak.
CHAPTER 44
As the others made it to where Black Wolf was lying, they all stopped, shocked at seeing Grey Moon’s body covered in blood. Black Wolf crawled over to him and lifted him so he was sitting up in his arms, the blood spilling all over both of them.
‘No!’ he cried. ‘What have I done? You weren’t supposed to be here, Grey Moon!’
‘Hush, my child, this is the way it was meant to happen,’ Grey Moon said softly, blood still running from his mouth. ‘It is my time, but I need you to listen to me…’
‘It’s not too late, I can save you,’ Black Wolf replied, desperately trying to stop the bleeding from his friend’s chest.
‘I will be heading to the night world soon, my child, you cannot stop this. When I’m gone, you must set my spirit free, along with all the others’, as you did in your last life. We all need to move on. You can do this for us.’
‘I’ll do anything you need, Grey Moon. Where has the evil being gone? He disappeared.’
‘He has gone to the world of the dead souls, my child. We can only hope he stays there. I will do my best to stop him coming back.’ He managed to speak, whilst still coughing up blood. ‘You saved us, Black Wolf; you are the true leader of men.’
‘I failed you, Grey Moon — I couldn’t save you. All I wanted to do was to make you proud.’ Black Wolf was starting to struggle for words as he fought back the tears.
‘You have always made me proud, my child. My sadness exists in the fact that you will never know just how much. I have spent my life sacrificing everything to keep our people safe, and that started with you, many years ago in the forest.’ Grey Moon’s eyes started to flicker shut as his body grew tired.
‘What do you mean? I don’t understand?’
‘You… Black Wolf… my flesh and blood… my son… I love you,’ Grey Moon replied weakly, and as his eyes closed for the last time, his lifeless head fell back into Black Wolf’s chest.
‘I love you too, Father,’ was all Black Wolf could manage before his emotions overcame him, and the tears started flooding out.
The emotion of the scene playing out before him hit Lone Wolf hard, as he remembered the faces of his own parents when he had said his final goodbyes to them. ‘I’m truly sorry for your loss, Black Wolf,’ he said, head bowed, before walking over to the waiting tribesmen.
Amelia held Tallulah as she cried. As much as she wanted to be at the side of her love, she knew he needed time alone to grieve. So, with a heavy heart, she walked Tallulah away, towards the emperor, who was slumped against the temple walls, his head in his hands. She helped him to his feet and took him inside.
Sat alone with his father’s body, Black Wolf gently removed the sword and threw it aside, hugging Grey Moon even closer to him, as the pain of all his lives came pouring out of him amidst this cold, stony battleground.
Across the courtyard, Lone Wolf had organised the tribesmen and they were gathering the bodies of the fallen guards and natives, while the people of Orgent were collecting a huge pile of wood together in the centre.
Amelia was sat inside the temple with Tallulah and the emperor, whilst one of his helpers was tending to his cuts and making sure he wasn’t badly hurt.
‘I’m so sorry, Amelia; this is all my fault,’ he said, still quietly weeping at the horrors he had witnessed since the evil stranger had appeared.
‘You couldn’t have known, Father, you were just trying to protect us,’ she replied, ‘We have all lost people but we’ve survived. Now we need to start again and make Orgent safe. The people here need their emperor to lead them again.’
‘I know you’re right, but I don’t know if I can do this anymore,’ he said mournfully. ‘I’ve struggled since I lost your mother and all this has made me think that it is time for me to stand down.’
‘You need time to rest, that’s all. We still have a lot to do to get the city back again. It will take time for the wounds to heal.’ Amelia smiled at her father, offering him as much support as she could muster under the circumstances.
‘Thank you, Amelia. You are truly your mother’s daughter,’ he said. ‘So brave.’
As time ticked by, the dark cloud over Orgent had disappeared, leaving a starry night sky instead.
The bodies had been laid out by the temple steps and covered with sheets until they could perform.
Author Profile
Michael Linford was born in Boscombe in 1977, and throughout his life has shown a passion for three things: music, books and people. He spent years working in music retail, which allowed him to immerse himself in music all day long. He was then drawn towards the care industry where he has spent over ten years looking after people, all of whom had stories to tell.
Having had childhood aspirations to become a writer, as an adult Michael started to pen poetry as an emotional outlet for various issues he’d suffered from throughout the years. In 2011, he wrote over 400 poems before eventually releasing two small collections of his works.
Michael combined his love for books, music and people in the writing of his debut novel entitled Music for the End of the World, which was published in December 2012. Following the novel’s release, Michael became ill and, during his time recovering, returned to an earlier work that he had never completed. This fantasy novel drew inspiration from his interest in Native American and Tibetan cultures and old-fashioned tales of good versus evil. Revisiting this idea enabled him to finally complete the novel As the Wolf Howls.
For more information or to contact the author, go to:
www.facebook.com/MichaelJamesWriter
Publisher Information
Rowanvale Books provides publishing services to independent authors, writers and poets all over the globe. We deliver a personal, honest and efficient service that allows authors to see their work published, while remaining in control of the process and retaining their creativity. By making publishing services available to authors in a cost-effective and ethical way, we at Rowanvale Books hope to ensure that the local, national and international community benefits from a steady stream of good quality literature.
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As the Wolf Howls Page 18
