Coven of Wolves (27 page)

The group of us take formation, walking out into the arena to meet the other wolves. Damon takes point, with his parents walking side-by-side behind him. I then take up the rear. Once we reach the center of the space, we hear Jason's voice over a loud speaker. In an authorative voice he says, "Fellow Archons, loyal kinsmen, and esteemed guests...today we honor the life of Damon Toxotis. Enopo to both the Synoro and Basque clans, he has fulfilled his mission and brought peace to our people. He is escorted by two highly ranking members of their packs: Adam Toxotis of the Synoro Clan and Gabriella Basilikos of the Basque Clan."

A roar of cheer emanates from the crowd. Toxotis? Growing up, I've always known our family name to be Marshall. I guess that's the name my parents chose to use when they went into hiding. Even my own name has been a lie.

Jason continues, "As is custom since we wolves split our nation into clans, each Enopo made must face trial by combat in order to show his allegiance and worth. Should the Enopo survive the trials, he will have earned the right to stay in the clan of his choosing. Should he fall in combat, we will honor our fallen brother in death. Does the Enopo or his guardians have any last words before the trial begins?"

I magically augment my voice so that everyone in the arena can clearly hear me. I then step forward and say, "I have something to say. My name is Devin Marshall, and according to your own laws, I too am an Enopo." The crowd is suddenly filled with gasps and murmuring.

With nervousness in his voice, Jason says into the loud speaker, "Fellow Archons, I have no knowledge of who this is. Synoro guards, take..."

But before he can continue, I will for the arena's sound system to shut down. It does, allowing me to continue my speech uninterrupted.

"Unlike previous Enopos, I wasn't created by two clans looking to help fix whatever mess they've made on their own. I was created out of love. I also wasn't raised in your world. I was brought up in the outside world where killing your own kind, like you all are so willing to do with Damon, is seen as barbaric and a crime against nature. I'm hoping my presence here will change that. I'm here to help see Damon has a real chance at doing what he's always wanted to do: live among all of you to help bring about peace and change. He's lived his entire life servicing you. Outside of his ambassador duties and training for the trials, he's never known anything else. Give him the chance to prove he's more than just a one-time peace bringer. Allow him to bring peace to you for many more years to come."

More murmuring is loudly heard around the arena. I listen to some of the conversations with my enhanced hearing. Things like "who is he to come here and tell us what we should do" are interspersed with "he makes sense but it goes against everything we've been taught".

To pull their attention back to me, I silently speak to Fenrus, who allows our wolf form to partially be released. I look down at my hands and see that they changing, slowly growing black and white fur. They also morph to include razor sharp claws. The crowd gasps again in response.

I silence them by saying, "As you can see, my coloring is two tone, just like Damon's. The colors might be different, but the meaning is the same. My eighteenth birthday passed 6 years ago, so my own trial is long overdue. I stand before you ready to fulfill my obligation. I ask that I be allowed to stand beside Damon as he fights for his life. To deny me my trial goes against thousands of years of tradition."

I allow several minutes to pass as I can see the various Archon window boxes emptying, no doubt to gather together and conference. I look back at Damon and my father. A look of pride is etched on both of their faces.

Finally a team of Archons enter the arena. Their personal bodyguards trail behind them. All of them have yellow eyes, showing their displeasure as they walk toward me. It's my grandfather's face, Jason, that I focus my attention on though. His yellow eyes almost shine, seething with reigned in anger. He knows I've backed him into a corner before he could've had the chance at torturing me and my mother without anyone knowing. I smile at him in defiance.

Gregoire stands forward, speaking for the others, and says, "Who are you, really?"

I put on my bravest face, looking at all of them and answer, "I'm not a Lykaion, if that's what you're asking. My fur may have half of their coloring, but I have no ties to that pack of wolves. They don't even know I exist. My bloodline is half Synoro and half human." I then turn to Jason and say, "Isn't that right grandfather?"

Jason lunges at me, but Gregoire stops him cold with one swipe of his massive arm. Gregoire then turns to Jason and asks, "Is this true? Is this Enopo part of your family?"

Curdling with anger, Jason says, "My bloodline is filled with the likes of historic champions...Damarchus, Romulus, Remus... I share nothing with this half-breed mongrel."

Still smiling at him, I say, "Then I'm sure you won't object to a blood test to prove I'm a liar?"

One of the Neuri Archons dressed in brown says, "There's no need to waste the time. We can all tell by both of your heart rates that you're telling the truth. That still doesn't explain who you are, or how you came to be."

My father steps forward and says, "Devin is my son. His mother is human. I met Devin's mother years ago and left my clan to be with her. That changed when Archon Jason, my father, had me return to fulfill my duties here. Aside from today, I haven't seen Devin in 18 years. That said, I stand by his side. He deserves a right to a trial, just as any wolf would."

Jason yells, "But he isn't a wolf, is he? He has no right to any of our laws."

An Exallos Archon dressed in light grey then asks, "If your mother was human, how are you able to change?"

"I can change because I'm also a witch.", I answer. I then suppress my wolf appearance and revert back to fully human. "My access to magics bridges the gap and allows my wolf birthright to manifest, as you can see."

Jason says, "It's a trick! Can't you see that? He's making fools of all of us!"

The group of Archons talk among themselves, offering their opinions to one another in hushed tones. I stand aside, waiting for them to come to a decision. I do find it ironic though that a group of complete strangers are about to offer me my final judgment on my life. Finally, when I think I can't take it anymore, Gregoire stands forward and says, "We all agree that you are not a wolf. At least, not in the traditional sense. Still, you carry royal wolf blood in you. We can't dismiss that either. You will be given your chance at a trial. You will fight beside Damon as you wish. But custom decrees that every Enopo must battle against 3 representatives from each clan."

Gregoire holds his hand up in the air and beckons the various Archon's personal body guards forward. They move forward as a group and stand directly in front of me. Gregoire continues, "12 more trained assassins will be added to the trials. If you can survive that, then we shall let you live. Fail, and you not only lose your life but also disgrace your family line. That is something we will not tolerate."

What does that mean? Will they do something against my dad if I die in the trials? I look back at my father. He looks steely back at me, but I can tell that I've just upped the ante at the cost of my father's life. What have I done? Now I not only have Damon's life in my hands, but my father's, Tobias', Mika's, Luke's and Fenrus' too. Inside my soul I can feel Fenrus giving me support. He causes my body to be overwhelmed with warmth and love.

Looking back at the Archons, I reluctantly nod my head, accepting their terms. Satisfied, they turn and exit the arena, leaving their body guards behind. Jason lingers behind and says to me once the other Archons are several feet away, "Good luck using your magics in the trials. Wolves are immune."

He then turns and leaves. After inspecting me visually, the bodyguards left behind join their kinsmen already in the arena. I know I'm going to have the fight of my life in front of me. My previous coven attacks now seem weaker by comparison.

I look at Damon and am amazed to see that his expression hasn't changed one bit. The look of optimism stays on his face and suddenly a glimmer of hope appears in my heart. For some reason something Anna had told me before comes to mind. It was when she was telling me about her ancestor, St. Elizabeth: 'No matter how far you try to run from who you are, or what path you take, you will always be led back to the place you were meant to be'. Is this really where I was meant to be all along?

I will the sound system to return to use. Immediately after, I hear Jason say into the loud speaker, "After meeting with the Archons, it has been ruled that the outsider Devin will fight alongside the Enopo Damon. The opponent warrior count has been doubled to meet our traditional guidelines. I would now ask for the Synoro and Basque ambassadors to leave the arena."

Knowing we've already said our goodbyes, I turn to my father and Gabriella to look at them one last time. They smile at us and turn to leave. Once they are out of view, Jason continues with his grandstanding. "Wolves, are you ready?"

The 24 opponents across from us raise their swords and cheer.

Jason continues, "Enopos, are you ready?"

Damon and I look at one another, then take out our swords and raise them into the air. Dearest Gaea, mother of us all, guide and protect us.

"Then let the trial begin!"

The werewolves move into military positions, forming small staggered groups around us. They then move toward us at a rapid pace. Without breaking eye contact with them, Damon says, "They're going to attack us from both sides, then head on. We've got to slip past them and attack from behind."

In unison, Damon and I race toward the soldiers, feigning to make a full frontal assault. We dodge several small thrown blades along the way. Just when we get within arm's reach the both of us leap into the air, tumbling over their heads, and land behind the first group of wolves. We slash at their backs with our swords, sending three wolves to the ground. We then leap into the air again as another group is about to dive in for the attack, landing behind them also. Just as the group before, the soldiers at the back of the crowd fall to the ground as our swords make quick work of them.

A roar of approval can be loudly heard from the spectators watching. Damon and I race to an open area in order to get a better view of what the assailants plan to do next.

Damon says, "They're not going to fall for that move again. We need to keep changing our strategies."

"Agreed.", I reply.

I turn to my side and notice two soldiers have used my blind spot to their advantage, and are almost on top of me. I use one sword to block their attack, and the other to swipe at their knees. Three more take their place but I don't have time to confront them outright as I see two other wolves are about to attack Damon from behind while he tries to fend off more opponents directly in front of him. After I teleport myself in front of the wolves attacking Damon from behind, I impale them on their shoulders. Oos and aahs can be heard from the crowd, surprised at my use of magic. I can hear my silver blades singeing the wolf attacker's skin upon impact. I then round house kick them across their faces, knocking them unconscious.

Needing to clear some space, I link my arm with Damon's and use his body to ground myself as I kick away his attackers. Damon then uses the same move to kick away attackers directly behind me. Seeing a newly opened space directly across from us, we both race for it, hoping to get a second at catching our breath and to get our bearings again.

The soldiers left standing then consolidate themselves into one line and use it to surround us. They then close in, hoping to pin us to one spot. I can tell they are waiting for us to try to leap over them again. Instead, I use my magic to help us out of the bind. Instead of using magic directly on the wolves, since I know it will have little effect, I focus my magic on their clothing. I will for them to be pushed backwards several feet. The trick works as the wolves are sent flying in several directions. Unfortunately all this does is anger them. As they rise back to their feet, all of their eyes shift to yellow. The crowd oos dramatically, showing a sign of foreboding.

"Oh shit.", I hear Damon say.

Slowly the soldier's features change to half human and half werewolf. They look almost beautiful in a terrifying sort of way. The brown furred wolves have the most mass to them, whereas the gray furred wolves have more of a sleek look about them. The red and black furred wolves fall somewhere in between the two as far as body type, but the black wolves seem more contemporary in their fighting styles whereas the red wolves seem more primal in their actions. I look beside me and see that Damon has also halfway shifted his appearance, so I follow suit.

When I shift, all of my senses are heightened to a large degree. I don't know if it's the wolf aspect or the heightened level of magic, but suddenly I'm more aware of things like distance between people around me and their movements.

A few of the wolves near us take out small bamboo rods and hold them up to their mouths. I remember back to my first fight with Nicholas, and how he had darted Tobias, almost killing him. This must be how he did it. I prepare myself, waiting for what comes next. As soon as the darts fly into the air at us, I use my gifts to halt the darts in mid-air and direct them back to their attackers. Once the wolves are hit, they fall to the ground convulsing. The crowd goes crazy with applause around us. Are they insane? They're cheering that members of their own people are falling in combat. Don't they care? Casting my psychic perception out over them, I can sense the darted wolves' body metabolism is working in their favor. The poison has knocked them unconscious, but isn't as lethal to them as it is to humans. Thank the goddess for small favors. Casting my psychic vision aside, I look around us with my normal eyes and now see that there are 12 wolves left standing, not counting Damon and I. I take this as a good omen. Unfortunately they notice also and become more aggressive in their fight.

Casting aside all strategy, the remaining wolves charge at us, hoping a dog pile tactic might work instead. Damon and I start running toward one end of the arena. From one of his leg pockets, Damon takes out a type of stringed weapon. On either end are two metal balls. Damon twirls it in the air a couple times before he throws it at the pack behind us, hitting one wolf at the ankles. The string wraps around him, sending him to the ground face first.