Moon Daemon

Chapter Ten - Unexpected Friend

The sun was threatening the sky with a light blue and yellow glow over the mountains as we stood at the front of pack gates, several guards standing around Nova and her bags just outside the territory line. After Marrok healed me, I showered and got redressed in clean clothes from Accalia, and walked out of the room, it was time to serve the banishment.

"You have no one to blame but yourself, Nova," Marrok tells her.

Her eyes are red and swollen, no doubt from crying the last couple of hours. Part of my feels bad, seeing her standing there, shaking and alone, about to head into the woods with no direction, no friends, no support; how I was. I know that feeling, but I was made for it, Nova's fear is written clearly across her swollen face.

"What happens now?" I whisper to Tala.

"The banishment ceremony," she whispers back. "Marrok will dismiss her from Dark Moon pack, and she'll be cut from the pack link."

"I feel bad," I hiss. "She looks so scared."

"Don't feel bad," Tala reaffirms. "She brought this on herself by doing something so reckless."

"I've been waiting for this moment for years," Accalia says, creeping up behind me. "She has done nothing but bring problems to this pack."

"The sun is rising," Tala states. "It's starting."

The sun peaks out over the tree line, beaming into my burning eyes.

"Nova, you have declared a Moonmacy against Esmeray, in a battle to a claim for Luna, which you have lost," he says for everyone to hear. "In losing, instead of death, you have fought banishment. It is now that you will succumb to your consequences."

I look out in the woods, noticing that the sunlight over the tree line is weirdly bright. I narrow my eyes, blinking into the sunlight, wondering if the bright light is the reason I think I see a shadow moving in the distance.

I blink harder, focusing on the movement that seems strangely familiar, before the flash of light gets bigger and brighter. I notice in the corner of my eye that Accalia is staring in the distance too, when it hits me that I was not seeing things, and that movement was something I was all-too familiar with.

"Nova," Marrok calls before I lunge out, running forwards Nova and tackling her to the ground before the ball of light that was launched in our direction hits her directly.

"What the f**k was that?" Rollins growls.

I grunt, looking up towards the tree line as I push myself off of Nova, who's surprised demeanor lead to a loss of words. My hood falls from my head, letting my long black hair escape its prison. The unknown figure stops and looks at me for a moment, before dashing into the trees.

I was up and running towards the treeline before anyone could grab me. I can hear Marrok screaming my name from behind me as I hear the others shuffle around and ready themselves for another attack.

I make it into the treeline, allowing the shadows from the trees to surround my person. I raise my hands defensively, feeling an unfamiliar presence closing in. I summon my shadows around me, swirling and defensive.

"Show yourself," I call, hearing twigs and branches breaking around me.

"Esmeray!?" Marrok calls, running up behind me and grabbing my arm. "What were you thinking?"

"Wait," I shush him, closing my eyes and scanning the surrounding area with my shadows. I feel a disturbance in my head, something moving that is lost to the naked eye. I feel a warmth arising from behind me, and I grab whatever shadows I can muster from the trees protecting us from the direct sunlight and I throw it up as a wall, just as another ball of light comes at us from behind.

I see Marrok start to shake, knowing Thorin is getting irritated and trying to break to the surface.

"Wait," I tell him, placing a hand on his pulsing arm, just as a silhouette forms in the trees.

Marrok lets out a threatening growl and I raise my hands even though I don't have much to work with in this scenario.

"Finally," a deep voice says, cutting through my ears like a soothing blanket. I raise my eyebrows as I watch a man come into view. He is just about as tall as Marrok, his physique equally impressive. His hair is white, with eyes a yellow gold color.

"Who are you?" I ask, letting Marrok pull me behind him.

"Raziel," he says, raising his hards in a surrender and allowing a large smile to cross his face, lighting his entire demeanor up in an instance.

I peak out around Marrok's large back, realizing that he was reminding me of something familiar and not dangerous.

"You're an angel?!" I gasp.

"At your service," he smiles and bows.

"You attacked us," Marrok snarls.

"Apologies," Raziel says, shifting. "I had to be sure she was there before I revealed myself."

"Who?" I ask.

"You, Esmeray," he says, raising an eyebrow.

"Me?" I ask, shock covering my expression.

"Why?" Marrok asks.

"Why else," Raziel shrugs. "Hekate told me it was time to introduce myself."

I feel Marrok stiffen beside me and I drop my hands, manuevering around him. "Hekate?"

"Yeah, you know, Dark Moon Goddess, savior of shadow daemon children, only talks in riddles?" he says, wiping his hands on his pants. "She told me there is something coming that you are not ready for."

"Like what?" Marrok says.

"How much do you know about daemons of the darkness?" he asks.

Marrok looks down at me, his face puzzled.

"Let me ask something different," Raziel says, approaching us. "Do you know who you are Esmeray?"

"What kind of question is that?" I ask.

"Your past," he says, stopping in front of me. "How much of it do you remember?"

There are several growls and breaking branches around us, and I watch as several wolves appear from the trees, defensively.

"Wait," Marrok calls, causing them all to stop. "Stand down."

"Your past," Raziel says again. "What do you remember?"

"Nothing," I grumble. "I remember being taken from orphanage to orphanage, learning how to take care of myself as a child, and the feeling of running away from it all."

"Interesting," he says. "She didn't warn me you were this poorly prepared. I guess that'll work."

"Poorly prepared?" I growl, walking up to him. "I don't know who the f**k you think you are."

"Careful," he smiles down at me. "This is not your time of day for a fight."

"You think that," I say, lifting my hands defensively towards him, when he reaches out and grabs my wrist, and everything around me goes stark white.

I blink through the uncomfortable brightness, looking around and noticing that everyone is gone, the only two people here are me and Raziel.

"What did you do?" I ask, my voice sounding distant and holds a quiet echo.

"Watch," he says, pointing to the other side of me, and I turn my body, watching in shock as I find myself outside the last orphanage I was put in before running away.

"How," I start to say, stopping as I see myself at sixteen running down the steps of the building, into the darkness, towards us. I remember this night, the night I packed up what little belongings I had, and waiting for the rest of the world to fall asleep, before slipping into the darkness, never to be seen again.

Sixteen year old me runs towards us, everything in slow motion. I can see the glimmer of hope in my eyes as I pass by, the scene blurry and falling apart. The world around me crumbles and I look over to Raziel, who is still holding my wrist tightly. He gives me a small smile before looking at my past self disappear into the trees.

"Close your eyes," he says, looking up.

Before I can ask why, my world goes white again, and I shut my eyes tightly as my head spins out of control. I open my eyes and I'm standing back in the woods, Marrok grabbing my shoulders tightly.

"Esmeray?!" he calls, shaking me slightly, as my mind and body connect again, and I blink and look up at him.

"Marrok?" I whisper, seeing relief glass over his eyes, before he blinks and furiously turns towards Raziel.

"What did you do?" he growls, grabbing Raziels collar and bringing him closer to his face. Raziel's hands remain up in a surrendering position, but he's got a snarky smile on his face.

"Marrok, wait," I say, shaking my head. More wolves around us start to growl and stalk closer to us. I see Tala and Conan's wolves, their heads lowered defensively as they take steps closer to me.

"Touch my mate again," Marrok snarls, his eyes flashing black as Thorin tries to push through.

"Mate?" Raziel gasps. "Wait, what?"

"Enough!" I scream, my voice carrying into the woods and all of the wolves stopping in their tracks. Marrok turns and looks at me, his eyebrows raised and I wonder if it's because he's mad at me or impressed.

"How did you do that?" I ask Raziel.

"You need to do some research about angels," he says, brushing his shoulder off as Marrok releases him. "Apologies, wolf friend, I didn't know she was you mate. I know y'all get, uh, touchy is a good word I think, when it comes to them."

"Thats the Alpha," Accalia states, walking forward in her human form, fixing her shirt.

"Not my Alpha," Raziel shrugs. "Angels don't have 'Alphas'. It would explain why you're so freakishly big." I watch as Raziel pokes Marroks chest, and Marrok narrows his eyes.

"Angel?" Accalia asks, looking at me.

"Would you just answer me," I snap, walking over and standing directly before him. "How did you bring me back there."

"We see everything," Raziel says. "We know everything, therefore, we have the ability to bring up memories for those around us, and let them relive it."

"So you know who I am," I say.

"I do," he shrugs, looking down at me. "You're not going to like what I have to say next, however."

"I don't like most of what's already come out of your mouth," Marrok grumbles. "How could whatever you say next be worse."

"I can't just bring you to memories and let you relive them," Raziel says. "They have to be present in your subconscious."

"What's that mean?" I ask.

"Unless you have something in your memory that I can cling on and bring you back to, I can't answer your questions," he explains. "I can't just spawn an idea on you. I can't help you uncover your beginning until you find part of it yourself."

"So then why are you here?" I growl.

"To assist, apparently," Raziel groans. "Hekate did not tell me it was going to be so much work."

"You talked to her?" I ask.

"Who do you think sent me to this shitshow," he mumbles. "First time an angel has been sent back down here and its for a daemon who's lost, a wolf with anger issues, and no help to be found. Why the f**k would she choose me."

"Why don't you just tell me about my past," I say. "Tell me who I am, and why this is happening to me."

"That would make everything so much easier," he nods. "But I can't."

"Why not," I say through clenched teeth.

"Because then we cannot go to your memory and figure out why I was sent here," he says. "You have to bring me there, I'm just here as a guide."

"Who says you're staying?" Marrok growls.

"Hekate," Raziel says. "If you have issues with it, bring it up with her, not me."

"I would," I tell him. "But she tends to abandon me when I need her the most."

"Lies," Raziel laughs. "Hekate has been fixated on you since you were born. She is watching you from afar every day."

"If she knows so much about me, why did she send me here instead of just sending you to help me?" I ask.

"This is so much bigger than you realize," Raziel shakes your head. "You have no idea how big of a part you have to play in the war that is to come."

"War?" Accalia asks.

"Jesus, were you all living under a rock?" Raziel groans.

"I'm starting to hate angels," Marrok shakes his head, grabbing my hand and squeezing it gently.

"Raziel," I say. "How are you supposed to help me? What did Hekate say?"

"You're the key," Raziel says, looking down at me. "You're the daemon that can alter the course of this existence."

"Why me?" I ask.

"You're the first and only shadow daemon born since the war began," Raziel says.

"I know," I tell him. "Why?"

I watch as a smile forms on his face. "Now we're getting somewhere," he says. "Maybe you aren't completely helpless."

I look up at Marrok, annoyance written all over my face.

"So, should I just set my bag up in the packhouse?" Raziel asks.

"What?" Marrok asks.

"If I'm going to help your mate, I need to be nearby," he says, looking confused at the question.

"You're going to live at the packhouse?" I ask.

"If you want daily training, it only seems smart," he shrugs.

"Training?" I ask. "I stopped you, didn't I?"

"You thought that was an attack?" Raziel laughs, before I watch as white smoke appears around him. I watch, wide-eyes, as he stomps on the ground and he re-emerges from the smoke, great white wings perched on his back, and a huge jeweled sword attached to his belt. He steps before the wolves and us, appearing in his angel form, taking the breath from my lungs.

"If I attacked you right now, you would lose" he says, smiling. "However, with a little training, you can be the most powerful creature on the planet."

I take a step back from him, towards Marrok, who brings his arm around my lower back and pulls me closer to him.

"Training starts tonight at sunset," Raziel says. "I assume I won't reach any resistence at the gate, will I wolf-friend?"

Marrok narrows his eyes at Raziel, taking a step in front of me.

"One wrong move," Marrok growls. "I will send you back where you came from with two broken wings."

"I wouldn't expect anything else," Raziel grins.

I watch as Raziel's great wings expand, flapping against the gravity around us, and launching him into the air faster than I can comprehend. He disappears over the trees, flying towards the packhouse, and I find myself standing there, baffled.

"What just happened?" I whisper to Marrok.

"I don't know," he says. "But something is telling me that this is supposed to happen. I even feel Thorin calming down. I feel like he's supposed to be here."

"Hekate," I say. "What are you up to now?"