The Hour of The Wolves

Chapter XXIV (Liam)

They were clothed in black to hide them in the darkness. They moved up to the city walls slowly and in silence. There were only a few guards on the walls as apparently some great commotion was going on in the city. They didn’t even turn for the sound of the hooks hitting the wall so they couldn’t see the shadowy figures climbing up as spiders. Liam and his friends slowly approached the one guard each and slashed their throats. They exhausted the watch fires and the wall should have fell into darkness, but it was still lighted. Liam walked to the edge and looked down to the city and froze.

“Hey! Liam what’s wrong whit you?” Asked Percy as he pulled himself up from the other side. He walked up to his friend as no answer came. “Okay, never mind I see it know. “

They stood petrified as they stared down the city in flames. Liam was the first who could tear his stare from the sight. He looked at his men and saw desperation on their face. They all shared the same thought.

“Are we too late already?”

Liam looked back at the city and knew that hey are still not too late, but they must be fast, so he turned to the group.

“Lads, it seems we have to get moving. They started the party without us, and we have to get to the cathedral before the finale.” There was some forced laughter among their ranks, but it was more then nothing. “So, try to keep up with me. “ He said and jumped off the wall. It was a twenty-meter drop and he wouldn’t survive if he didn’t turn his lower half into the wolf form. But like this he landed easily his legs taking up all impact cracking the stones of the street. As he hit the ground two men in wolf mask leaped out from the shadows and attacked him. They were tried and covered in blood, so they were no challenge to the well-rested young lord. Both of the attackers fell to ground with their throats ripped by Liam, he just finished the second one when he heard a growl from behind. He could feel that he was too late, but as he looked back behind his shoulder he could see as Percy landed on the head of the jumping monster smashing it to the ground. He was enveloped in smoky yellow light and his eyes shone like small suns. When he spoke, his voice was far and ancient.

“Let’s move on before we both run out of fuel. We should clean the way for the rest.” He pulled out a pole arms with blades on both ends and started to cut clear the area.

“You have to tell me what is this power you have sometimes. “Liam told him as he reached out for his new weapon. When he made the bond with Fen, he gained the ability to control that superhuman strength, so he chose a new fighting style more suitable to his current skills. He turned his body mostly gaining he strength but not losing his human skills so he could lift that monster sword he chose as his new weapon. It was a large spadone  with feet wide and six feet long. He cut through the enemy like a whirlwind. They managed to clean the street by the time the others reached the bottom of the wall. They watched in awe as their two commanders worked.

“We are ready to move on.” Reported one of the sergeants to Liam.

“Okay men let’s get going, keep a look around for the surroundings.”

They walked through the streets in silence searching every corner for enemies. To their surprise they haven’t encountered much on their way. There were some here and there feasting on the remnants of their victims in the forms of wolves, but no one attacked them. They reached the cathedral square with unsettling ease.

“I don’t like this silence Sir, let me send some lads up those roofs so we can have a better view of the square before entering.”

“Okay sergeant, just do it quickly, I don’t like this silence.”

The sergeant signaled five men who quickly climbed he roofs. The minutes went by in tense awaiting, then one of them showed up and signaled all is good. They approached the cathedral with caution. The absence of the enemies was too disturbing, which was made worse by the state of the place. The whole square was covered in blood, dead bodies everywhere. It looked like the aftermath of a battlefield where both armies had to retreat because their casualties were too heavy. Liam and his men moved with care so they wouldn’t disturb the dead in their sleep. They were almost at the doors when they open.  From the cathedral a pack of wolves were closing upon then. Liam hold up his hand to signal pause to them.

“Prepare to engage.” Liam called back, keeping an eye contact with the wolves.

“Sir, I think we have a lil’ problem. “ Called a nervous voice from the back line.

“What is it Mayers?” He called back angry.

“Ah nothin much actually Sir, it’s just there are a few fellas tryin’ the pass their pokers in our arse from the back.” Mayers laughed nervously.

Liam took a look over his shoulders and saw enemies approaching from every street  They came out of the shadows like revenant spirits hungry for lost souls.

“Where are the lookouts from the roofs, why didn’t they yell? “ Cursed Liam .

“Are you looking for these? Kukukuku” A hunched little man stood in the midst of the enemy’s ranks and he throwed down a bag. The heads of the watchmen rolled out from then open mouth and looked up to Liam withy empty stares.

“You shall see how well I prepared you final scene. Me the little good for nothing Xavier. Kukuku” He looked at them with craziness and hatred burning in his eyes.

Percy stepped back from the first row. He patted Liam’s shoulder and told him.

“Let me handle the ones in the back. It seems I have to straighten my little brother’s path. I will catch up with you guys “

“Okay, Perc they are all yours. Don’t take too long.”

The young Lord called back as he entered the cathedral with his man swinging his spadone through to jumping wolves.