10. My Prey
1395 Words
Faith.
Mine floated away from me a long time ago, like a spark of light being pulled away in the wind, and into the dark to become lost and alone.
They say, once you have mastered being alone, you are ready for the company of others, but that didn't happened with me. Because for me, the further I go into the dark, the more the light burns, and the longer I live without it, the more I fall in love with the darkness.
At first, the lack of light bothered me. It bothered me a lot. However now it has just become normal. Days and nights are blended into one another and now the world is etched in charcoal.
Perhaps there was a time when I didn't have to live in the darkness.
Perhaps there was a time when I didn't have to be in agreement with my existence.
Perhaps there was a time when I didn't have to become a beast.
But I'm now.
My gaze don't break away even for a second from my prey.
Crouching behind the large boulder edged with tall bushes, I stare unwaveringly at the invaders surrounding the confines of this dark pit.
What they are astonished upon right now is nothing but a small bump in my eyes. The things they are seeing lying before them shouldn't be so surprising. Rather, it should be expected.
It could only be described as...
Obscure.
Frightening.
Baleful.
Heaps and heaps of flesh lay on the dark and wet, forest ground. Mixing the redness of the crimson blood in the muddy soil. Organs and bones and skins and fur embrace their current existence with the woods and stones and leaves into the reddish-brown poodles of water. Or is it blood?
Whose flesh and blood are those?
Wolves? Or some other Veř? Or humans?
Across them, a humongous tomb, tall and wide dominates the place. Appearing as though it's a simple wooden platform—yet it's not because the said platform is roofed with a bluish vibrant hue currently exerting a violently pugnacious energy that is akin to black magic and the vibrations emitting from it are so mighty that if someone steps a foot past its boundary then they may or may not come out of it in one piece. If not for the similar bluish hue tinting the edges of the place, the bystanders surrounding might not even have been able to enter the forest, let alone witnessing this tragic sight.
However, what takes the cake is the unusual timing. Darkness cloaks the entire place in the middle of the day. In broad daylight, where the Sun shines and the world surrounds in light, this particular place presently coated in black magic takes shed under the terrifying gloom of the dark.
Who could have done this?
The answer follows right after the question, and surprisingly leaves the mouth of that Overseer as well.
"Conjuror."
"What!?" Several screams echo around the eerie region at once.
"Yes. This darkness clouding the place, the black magic, the dark aura emitting from it...the state of these lying bodies. It can be done by none other—than a Conjuror." The Overseer's words enter my ears. However, my eyes comes to focus on the only person who has become restless as soon as he stepped foot in this direction, and thereafter, the more he walked close, the more he detached himself from the world, his surroundings and the people. Moreover, the saddest part of all this is that no one is aware of his current state as everyone is too engrossed in the disastrous sight and the Overseer's words at the moment.
Except me.
His turbulent emotions and unrestraint instincts can only be decipherable to me.
As I am in the same boat as he is.
"Then what should we do, Yuloppė?" The Alpha suddenly questions.
"Burn it!" The Overseer hastily blurts
And those are the last words that leaves his mouth, because after that what happens is something none of them would have ever dreamed about.
Not even me.
"NO!" His sweet voice thunderously roars around, as my ears relish in the beautiful sound.
And the next second, swiftly moving away from his standing place he shoots forward like an arrow, astounding everyone motionless and speechless and at extreme speed he darts ahead, then lunging mid-air with the most beautiful agility, I watch him transform.
All at once, sounds of bones cracking rang in the air. His tall and wide figure expands, tearing his white shirt and dark jeans to shreds. His handsome face elongates and canines poke out just before a peek of the smooth, tan skin blinks then raven black fur comes to surface, hiding his gorgeous built into a charcoal coat as he lands on the ground on all fours.
My breathing hitch at the wonderous scene before me as I continue to watch in amazement with a slack jaw and wide eyes.
It's the first time I have seen him.
Olin.
In all his beastial glory.
His scent of purple asters makes me recall that scent. But this time, the muskiness of the crushed foliage is so intense I can barely control my senses. Coupled with it is the strong smell of sandalwood and something animalistic that I coundn't decipher before. Mm. Delicious.
Running forward he comes to an abrupt halt between the spell-tinted wall and his pack members, promptly blocking their way.
His sudden actions makes my heart rapidly lurch in my throat.
This guy...
I clench my teeth tightly in frustration and anger.
"Kzar—" Seilas suddenly chimes, shocking me at once, however I don't let it show on my face.
"I have told you several times earlier, do not call me that." I abruptly cut-him off before he could complete that sentence. I just wanted to find some peace, hence I came here. He must have followed me. I don't even know when he arrived and honestly, I don't care. My eyes remain focused on the scene ahead of me as I my earlier anger slowly quiets down.
Seilas is one of my most trusted partner. Though he tends to forget his place and usually calls me by that abhorrent title. I let him off oftentimes because he cares too much for me and gets worried whenever I pull a stunt like the one I just did by coming here alone. Loyal guy.
He huffs at my interference to his sentence, then proceeds, "Why can't you just tell me for once whenever you go wagging your tail to watch your prey?" Sarcasm drips in his every word.
"It's because I go wagging my tail to watch my prey that you should already be aware of the reason for my departure." I shoot back with equal dose of sarcasm before ignoring him again.
My stare never broke even for a second from my prey as I watch him crouched low with canines raised and ears perked straight. Not listening to his father and pack members who've finally reverted back from their shocked state and are now making several attempts of reasoning with him. But he doesn't listens. Just standing ready for an attack.
"The hell?" Seilas breathes in disbelief as he takes in the horrific scene ahead, before focusing on the star of the show, my prey.
"Are you defying your Alpha's order!?" The Alpha finally bellows, immensely enraged by his son's actions.
If he dares...
"Brother, don't! Control yourself!" Seilas whisper-shouts worriedly as he shakes my left shoulder, making me blink as I immediately become aware of the amount of aura I am unintentionally radiating at the moment, and before I can take control of them.....
Something else happens.
My prey. My preciously, hateful prey currently crouching on the other side of the spell-tinted wall, leaving the eerie region in the middle while I situate on the another side, abruptly whips his head towards me, shocking me breatheless.
He knows.
Earlier, I thought I'd just let him believe that it was just an illusion as long as I don't reveal myself, however now...
He knows I am here.
"Oh s**t!" Seilas curses.
Pivoting back, without any hasitations whatsoever and quicker than a predator, my prey unexpectedly lungs in my direction.
And what happens next shakes me to the core...
- Writer
