The Hour of The Wolves

Chapter XXVII (Percival)

The world narrowed down to the scratching on the cobblestone, the painting breaths and smell of burnt meat and blood in his nose. His eyes were closed, but he could feel their aura, shining with bright red color of bloodlust and murderous intent before his inner eye. He focused on the attackers with all his will because Percy knew what he would see if he takes a look at his brother, and that sight would break him. He could count forty enemies approaching him and all of them was at least half turned to wolves. Percy slowly changed his posture from the defensive stance to the offensive one. He changed the grip on his staff and put his weight on the front of his feet. He could feel the air around him change when the first three attackers jumped on him. The body of the newly chosen carrier of the shard of light moved through the enemies with the grace of a dancer. He made three sharp jabs with his hand changing the orbit of two attacker making them collide and collapse from the hit. He turned back and finished the motion with smashing the windpipe of the third with his staff . –“Kukukukuku… He became such a fighter even thought he was a bookworm all his life. But I wonder really what he will do with these guys. Kukukuk… “- The creepy laughter of Xavier tore in the hearth of Percy. But when he looked at his little brother the blood froze in his veins. The hunched little man held the head of a lookout and he was talking to it. As he was holding it a giant centipede broke out from the eye, then another and another. Their motion was so enchanting the Percy could only look at them with visible horror. While he was focused on the skull, he couldn’t see the other bodies in the square also fell apart into swarm of insects and moved towards him. The head fell apart and only the skull remained in Xavier’s hand. From the eye sockets and the mouth dark flame burst out as the fallen brother threw it towards Percy. –“I call you forth my servant, devour that puny human before you.”- Cried the hunched warlock. As the flaming skull rose to the air the centipedes from the ground rushed together and formed a giant body for them with the skull embedded in the middle of it. –“Behold of my mighty pet dear brother!”- Percival looked up to the giant monster, and fear struck his hearth as he saw the constantly moving body made up from the thousand insects illuminated by the burning houses around. It was a nightmare stepped out from the darkest corner of his mind. Percy just watched petrified as the monster arched back and then charged at him. He could feel his body moving but it was like somebody else were making the steps instead of him. –“Hey kid don’t just stand around in a fight.”- He could hear a sound in his head. –“ You have the power now through us, to defeat that thing. More so it’s the perfect help for your training. I don’t want to scare you but this one will look like a cute puppy compared to the demons you will have to here from now. So, gather the light and use it to fight!”- Percy looked over the houses and focused. The flames went out one by one as he devoured their energy and light. It took only a few seconds darkness fell on the square. Percy was the only source of light. His skin shining whit golden white light. His muscles suddenly filled with strength and his mind with confidence. He danced away from the monster’s next two attack easily not caring for the dead bodies he smashed with his movements and the raising cloud of blood droplets. The next time the centipede missed its smash Percy tried to hit it in the side to slow it down at least, but his hand just disappeared inside the body and insects started to move up on his arm, piercing in his meat with their tiny pincers. He jumped back and tried to shake them off, but they hooked themselves into his skin tearing out little pieces constantly. –“f**k, f**k, f**k!”- Screamed Percy as he jumped away from the monster. He made the roaring flame of light burst out from under his skin which purged the centipedes down. –“What can I do with this bastard? Damn it.-“ He started to circle around it slowly while he was thinking. He avoided most of the attach up till now, but he could feel that his stamina won’t hold out for long. What is way worse the monster did not seem to get slower at all. –“Eh, jump all you want brother, sooner or later you will end up as the dinner of my pet. You cannot harm it with something small as your fists. Kukuku… “- The sentence hit Percy. He smiled vilely and started to run towards the cathedral, gathering power into his right arm. He checked behind his shoulder to see if the monster follows him. When he could see that the main tower of the cathedral is just over the monster, he sped up and jumped. He hit the base of the tower with all his power, destroying the whole basement. There was stillness for a minute, then the tower shook and fell. It was like a sleeping giant collapsed in his drunken stupor on the top of a little worm. The whole square shook and dust enveloped it. Percy looked down from the wall of the cathedral with fear that the monster is still alive, but apparently the stones of the tower smashed the skull with the giant centipede, and it fell apart. He could see his brother running away on the other side of the square. Percy focused his power in his legs and made a jump. He flew over the rubble and made the whole distance between them in one go. The stones flew in all directions from the impact of his arrival. –“Good brother dear brother please don’t hurt me its all your fault.-“ Begged Xavier as he approached him. His little brother stumbled in a rock and fell to the ground. He started to cry as Percy knelt next to him. His palm started to shine with golden light as he touched Xavier’s forehead.- “Astyqz! Alkabus antha! Alnuwr huna min ajk!-“ He said in the ancient language of the emperor and the light illuminated the whole body of Xavier. The dark crazy cloud disappeared from his eyes. A terrible unearthly scream came from his mouth as a shadow left it and dispersed in the air. The young man looked up to his brother with utmost joy. –“Is it over Perc? Did I do good? I can finally be good again?”- The question and the relief on his eyes made Percy cry. His warm tears fell on his young innocent brother’s face washing the dirt from it. –“Yes, Xav it is all over. You were magnificent. The strongest and bravest soldier of the light.”- The Xavier tried to say something, but his next words were robbed from him forever as blades formed of shadows tore into his hearth from behind. Blood came out of his mouth and the spark of light in his eyes was gone forever.