Son of hell: Blood of wolves

by Michaela Burdová

  Neran understood. "I see. She could still be angry with you. That’s bad. Nymphs are nasty bitches."

  "Oteyla's not like that, but it is true that dryads like revenge."

  "Don’t worry, I'll take care of her," he said and stroked his stomach. "I’m quite hungry after our journey."

  Liadel frowned. "That's disgusting! You can´t devour a nymph, she's a demigoddess!"

  "She'll taste better, won’t she?" Neran joked. "Ouch!" he hissed angrily and grabbed his finger. Liadel paused in surprise.

  What's the matter?

  "Annoying bugs!" he cursed and looked at the index finger of his right hand. "A wasp stung me."

  Liadel almost laughed. "They´re bees." She came closer and took his injured hand. "Let me see. You make no fuss about an arrow in the belly but a bee sting would make you cry."

  "Don´t exaggerate!" Neran complained resentfully. Liadel looked at the injured finger. Her touch was so pleasantly cool that he immediately forgot he had any irritation.

  "Shouldn´t it have healed by now?" she asked.

  "I have to pull out the stinger first."

  "Let me do it." She pulled his finger almost to her nose. Neran clenched his teeth as she pulled.

  "Careful!" he urged her. Liadel raised her eyebrows.

  "It's out." She was still holding his finger, looking at the wound. "It's really healing.It's unbelievable.It’s not even swollen."

  "So now you can blow on it," he grinned playfully. Liadel smiled at him and released him. Suddenly, she looked away and Neran realized that it was getting dark. "The Teardrop Forest is ahead of us on that hill, Neran," she said and suddenly paused. "Do you realize that Oteyla might not give us the Étarlina flower?"

  Neran put his hands akimbo. "Imagine, I was thinking that too."

  The elven gave him a stern look. "I am being serious."

  "Hey, you’ve got a soul now, right? That means you're clean again. And she is a demigoddess, isn’t she? So she should be at least a little fair, don’t you think? As a superior being, she should not consider old wrongs."

  "It's just a theory, Neran. Nymphs are very passionate and never forget when it comes to revenge. Revenge is for them as attractive a temptation as for any mortal being."

  "Damn, we just have to get the flower! We came all the way up here, so we won’t give up now, right?"

  Liadel agreed and walked up the grassy hill. "Let's go."

  Neran knew that he was heading into the arms of a mighty nymph without any plan. He knew too, how treacherous nymphs were. The only thing he could think of doing was to wring the nymph’s neck if she refused to comply. Of course he knew that it would be no easy task, but a power from hell ran through his veins, so ... in the end, he might still have a chance.

  They arrived at the top of the hill. A pleasantly warm breeze blew around them carrying with it the scent of something sweet. It was a supernatural scent that filled the air.

  "I can see the magic trees of the Teardrop Forest," Liadel whispered. "I can hear their song.They feel our presence."

  Neran stared at her in a state of euphoria. Other than the strange smell, he felt and saw nothing. He believed her every word though, and suddenly found himself admiring her. She looked like a dreamy apparition as she stood there, flexible and cool, almost glowing in the falling dusk.

  He turned and looked up to where the forest should be. He only saw a barren tree-less hill with grass swaying in the wind against the background of the dimming evening sky. Yet Neran could see clearly in the dark, even better than elves. He also knew that elves loved the night and that at dusk their senses sharpened even more. Still, he could not see even the hint of a deep forest.

  "Neran," Liadel turned to him. Her piercing blue eyes glowed in the dark like two gems. "We are on the right spot. I can feel the forest magic deep in my blood.It´s penetrating my veins and touching my heart. The protective barrier of the forest is tough, but I'll get both of us through. After that, we have to be very careful. If Dryad Oteyla still lives here, she will feel us. Then we can only hope that she will be merciful."

  Neran nodded. He was restless and stressed and his throat ached from the tension. It was there, at their very fingertips...

  Liadel turned towards the vast grassy plain. She slowly stretched her arms, leaned back her head, and closed her eyes. “Ejja he! Te chai ja Neï!”

  "That wasn´t Elvish," Neran mumbled. Liadel opened her eyes. She had a strange smile on her lips, like the smile you might put on to welcome an old friend.

  "No, it was the language of the demigoddesses."

  At that moment, the air in front of Neran’s eyes quivered and wavered like a mirage during sweltering heat. Thick mist appeared out of nowhere. On his skin, Neran felt a touch of something that he could not identify. He had already experienced magic, but this one was much stronger. It was as if someone’s cold breath was gliding over his skin, against the grain of his hairs. It sent chills down his spine. The mist, as soft and as white as snow, now circled around his legs. It twisted into spirals and miraculous waves, as if it were the surface of the sea. The air quivered again. Suddenly the first trees began to appear in front of Neran’s eyes.

  It was as if someone was slowly pulling away a giant invisibility cloak. Suddenly, tall oaks and beeches appeared, among them some ash and other trees that Neran could not even name. They all looked healthy and strong and their tops were aglow with lush greenery that glittered. The entire forest, now large and thick, looked as if it had been sprinkled with a shimmering powder. When Neran focused his vision he saw that the dewdrops on the green leaves resembled pearls.

  Liadel grabbed him by the hand. He almost jumped. The touch was so intimate that his heart began to pound. "Come on," she said and began to lead him through the magic trees.

  Although Neran was trying to keep his mind cool and focused, the beauty of the magic forest captivated him. It seemed incredible, but a strange, supernatural light glowed among these trees. There was no darkness here. It was as if the evening and night had been banished. Neran felt like he was in another world.

  Liadel led him, as if she knew exactly where to go, as if she was going back home. Neran stared at their entwined hands as a gesture of confidence and felt satisfied. When he took a look at Liadel’s face, he saw that her eyes were closed. She was walking as if guided only by her instinct or very old memories.

  Neran trusted her, but remained vigilant towards their surroundings. The nymph had most probably been watching them for a while and was just waiting for the appropriate moment to attack. Or maybe, she was plotting some wicked plan. Everything seemed so innocent, but Neran was convinced that it was a mere mask and that danger lurked everywhere. He would never, ever trust nymphs.

  As he looked around, he saw many colourful flowers in full bloom. Every time he saw a new one he wondered whether it was the right one for them. Liadel walked on regardless, ever deeper into the forest. There were tall ferns, green and yellow bushes, as well as plants with leaves larger than a human hand. Somewhere in the trees, they heard the sound of birdsong. They even encountered a raccoon whilst scrambling through stubborn shrubs encrusted with hundreds of small yellow flowers. The pungent smell of the flowers was so strong and pleasant that it gave him a headache. The raccoon sat at the edge of a small stream that quietly bubbled through the landscape. When it saw them coming, it tensed and immediately fled.

  "How will you find the flower?" Neran hissed, while all his senses combed the forest.

  "Just a little while longer and we will be there. We must hurry. I cannot leave the forest unprotected for long."

  "What do you mean?"

  "I have opened the barrier so the forest is now visible to all eyes. We’ll take an Étarlina and leave."

  "Sure, who would want to linger? The main thing is that the nymph is obviously not at home."

  As soon as he´d said it, a severe headache knocked him to the ground. He felt like his brain would burst. Neran held his head and moaned in agony
as massive waves of severe pain, one after another, spread from the centre of his brain.

  Dryad Oteyla appeared overhead. She descended like a brilliant golden apparition. Her hair flowed around her, her face protruding from the bright light. She looked like she had been created from a perfect ray of light. Her skin and hair glittered with gold and her eyes were the colour of melted caramel. Her dress was woven from the white bark of the okkan tree and was whiter than snow and shone as she did herself.

  She stood face to face with Liadel. "Nice to see you again, Liadel."

  Neran was writhing in convulsions. The elven glared at him. "Stop torturing him, I am the one who you want to avenge."

  Oteyla looked at Neran laconically. "He is very resilient. Mind you, he is the Son of Hell. How far are you willing to go to torment me, Liadel? What do you mean by bringing the Son of Hell into my forest?"

  "I don’t want to torment you. Neran’s intentions are noble. He desires to save his brother. Your flower can do it."

  "I know very well why he is here," the dryad snapped in a booming voice. "I also know why you're here. As his underling! You are bound by the ancient magic of your people. So it is true that you are mortal again."

  "When I betrayed you, I had been long lost. Darkness…"

  Oteyla’s face was close to Liadel’s. Her eyes glowed like gold. "You haven’t lost your soul yet, have you?" she hissed. Liadel held the nymph´s stare and did not look away even though the glow was unbearable.

  "Forgive me."

  Oteyla pulled away. Neran, still on the ground, was almost tearing his hair out with the pain. Liadel knelt down next to him. "Oteyla, please, this is just between the two of us."

  "Are you worried about him? I could release you from your obligation and finish him here and now."

  Liadel’s features tightened. "No, I want you to let him go. The two of us can ..."

  The dryad turned to her. "Can what? Square accounts? No, no, my dear friend. What kind of revenge would it be to punish you now that you have almost no power? You know that I'm neither gutless nor cruel."

  Liadel watched Neran with desperation in her eyes. "Stop it, Oteyla ... I'll do anything."

  The dryad pondered for a moment. Finally, she waved her hand and the pain disappeared. The relief that overcame Neran was so incredible that he felt like he wanted to cry like a little boy.

  Instead, he moved forwards like the wind.

  The nymph cried out.

  Neran knocked her down. The bones in his body began to crack as he transformed. "Quick, get the flower!" he shouted and then tried to thrust his fangs into her golden skin. The element of surprise had worked in his favour.

  Liadel ran as fast as she could, pushing yellow bushes aside until she saw it.

  The blossom, as big as a hand, was juicy and blood red in colour. Pearls shone on its petals. In that instant she realized that they weren´t pearls and that the Tears of Étarlina were dewdrops.

  The elven descended on the flower, but a beam of light knocked her down. Oteyla stood at her side. Nearby, Neran was trying to get to his feet. Once she had recovered, she had tossed him to one side like a piece of rag. Before he had the opportunity to strike again, she was holding Liadel by the neck. Now, she turned directly to him.

  "You pleaded for this one," she whispered in the elven’s ear, while Liadel gasped vainly for air. "You wanted to risk your life for this beast?Now watch how stupid you were, Liadel."

  Neran, half in animal form, wanted to dash forward, tear the bitch to shreds and devour her demigoddess flesh! His wild half urged him to do so, but the other half warned him not to. If he did, he knew he would risk Liadel’s life and he did not want to do that.

  "Let her go," he growled. Oteyla smiled. "I will, Son of Hell. However ... the choice is yours. Tell me, how much do you desire to save your brother? The Tears of Étarlina are right here at your fingertips. They can be yours. But everything has its price, werewolf. Are you willing to pay with her life?" she looked at Liadel and smiled again.

  Neran’s heart almost stopped beating. She couldn´t be serious...

  "Choose one, Son of Hell. The life of the demon, or your brother’s."

  Neran shook with anxiety. The beating of his heart seemed unnaturally slow and thudded like blows to a drum, painfully pounding into his ribs. He couldn´t do it. He couldn´t make such a decision, he simply couldn´t ...

  You have to, his inner voice echoed. He felt despair slowly taking over and seizing him. There was no way he could save Liadel and kill the nymph as well. He was incapable of coming up with anything because his brain was drowning in deep helplessness.

  I swore to Gerrat ... All this time that goal had kept him alive. That goal had given him the strength and determination to follow the path he had taken. The vision of a common future. Gerrat was the only thing he had in this world. He was his younger brother, whom he was supposed to have protected, and whom he had betrayed…

  "See, Liadel?" Oteyla smiled maliciously. "He will let you die. It’s in his blood. He does not care about you. You were the tool with which he could achieve his goal. He is not able to love. Did he tell you that? Now he pretends that he wants to save his brother, but he nearly caused his death. It was he, Liadel, he himself. He tried to kill Gerrat when he was trying to save his own neck. He didn’t tell you that, did he? How noble is he now in your eyes?"

  Neran growled. Fierce hatred grabbed him. "Shut up," he uttered through his teeth. He looked directly at Liadel. Her crystal blue eyes merged with his. He saw hope and faithin them. Not condemnation.

  "So do it, Werewolf, take your nectar. After all, one sacrificed life cannot stop you."

  Neran stepped closer, still trembling. "Keep your damn nectar. Now let her go," he growled.

  Oteyla’s face froze for a moment. She had been taken by surprise and stood there in disbelief as if bemused.

  "Did you hear me? I choose Liadel, I want Liadel! So let her go, dammit!"

  Oteyla released her grip, her arm dropping to the side of her body. Her gaze was suddenly very different. It was clean and soft. Liadel fell to her knees, coughing and gasping for breath.

  "So maybe I was wrong," the dryad whispered thoughtfully. "If you are capable of feeling ...” she went silent and turned her face towards the trees. She listened. When she looked back at Neran, her look was harsh again. "You have let evil into my forest. Your salvation is in your own hands."

  With that, she vanished.

  Neran´s heart was still pounding. Was she gone? Just like that?

  He rushed to help Liadel to her feet. She trembled like she had a fever. Neran felt that the infection had advanced and that Liadel was weakening. When she looked at him, she did not conceal her astonishment. "You chose me?"

  Neran had lost his tongue and was unable to speak. Damn, damn, now what? What should he tell her? That he was crazy? That all he could think about was bonding with her? He could not explain what he felt, but he knew that he could not watch her die.

  The air carried a familiar odour. Neran immediately tensed, keenly looking at the yellow bushes that surrounded them.

  His breath stuck in his throat for a moment. It was impossible!

  "The flower is still here!"

  Liadel turned. "I think you managed to soften Oteyla’s heart..."

  "Does she have one?"

  The danger was approaching. "Quickly, pick it!"

  Liadel swiftly advanced on the flower and suddenly froze.

  A huge lupine head, eyes ablaze, emerged from the bushes across from her. It bared its yellowed fangs and saliva ran down its chin.

  What happened next, happened all too quickly.

  Chapter 16

  Revelation

  The darkwolf attacked just when Liadel had rolled onto her side. Another three emerged from the forest. Neran had barely managed to transform himself when they attacked.

  Huge teeth thrust into his calf, while he blocked one darkwolf, and scratched the eye of another. With a painful groa
n, he turned to the third foe and sank his fangs into his neck. The darkwolf immediately released his calf and tossed about, but Neran did not let go. He felt the darkwolf´s thick blood on his tongue which alarmed him even more. He attempted to tear the enemy´s flesh from their spine, to try and kill him.

  Suddenly, something knocked him down. It was another darkwolf, whose mouth came dangerously close to Neran’s throat. His breath smelled like raw meat. Neran felt pressure on his shoulders.The darkwolves possessed incredible power.

  From the corner of his eye he saw the one he had bitten on the scruff of the neck approaching him. The third one was still recovering from his slashed eye. If Neran didn´t do something now the beasts would kill him, whether Aragen agreed with that or not. They were too furious and too dull in such a critical situation, they could hardly concentrate on the orders of their leader.

  A darkwolf bit into his shoulder, while another jumped on his head. Neran took a deep breath and felt a burning sensation in the middle of his chest, which burst forth like from the centre of hot coals.

  His throat began to burn from the scorching pain.

  He spat fire right into the darkwolf’s eye.

  The darkwolf tried to turned away to avoid the flames, the hair on his ears catching fire as a consequence.

  Neran jumped to his feet and despite the excruciating pain in his throat, spat flames from his muzzle again.He scorched the second darkwolf whose hair caught fire too.The beast started jumping up and down and moaning, finally falling to the ground to smother the flames in the grass.

  Then Neran´s heart sank.

  He looked on in horror as the darkwolf fell to the ground in the exact spot where the Étarlina flower was growing.

  Black spots appeared in front of Neran´s eyes.This couldn´t be happening ... He had...

  When the darkwolf got up, Neran’s worst fears were confirmed, the Étarlina flower was destroyed.

  Neran stared on in sheer despair.He only recovered when he received a hard blow to the face which threw him to the ground, forcing him to roll over a few times.His throat was on fire and he badly needed water.He could not see any anywhere.The pain was excruciating and he knew he couldn´t tolerate it much longer.