Gauntlet Rite of Ascension (12 page)

I turned looking in and was stopped by a flash of light coming from a bag lying on the floor next to his bed.

I don’t know why, but I was drawn into his room. I slowly walked towards the flash of light that came and went like a ray of sunshine off a glossy surface.

I knew it was wrong to go into his room but I couldn’t help myself.

I went to his bag and looked down. I could see, hidden under a pile of clothes, a small metallic object. I reached down and grabbed it, holding a small bracelet about an inch thick that had a green gem inlaid in it. Next to it was another one; this one was similar in design only it had a red gem. I held one in each hand marveling at them.

Something about their design pulled at me. They looked like they were constructed by locking together small plates of metal that still allowed the piece to move. It reminded me of armor.

Without thinking I put them on and was surprised at how well they fit. They felt warm on contact, not like metal that usually needs to be warmed by your own body heat.

I glanced back down into the bag and saw the edge of a faded picture poking out from under a folded pair of pants.

I pulled it out and noticed how worn it was, the edges were frayed and there were creases in the middle and side from being folded.

Abaddon stood next to a teenager. The boy was a smaller, less dangerous looking version of Abaddon, he had the same blonde hair and the faint traces of a budding beard showed on the youth’s face.

Abaddon stood next to him, his face weird looking as I realized he was smiling, grinning from ear to ear.

Every boy knows the smile Abaddon had; it was the smile they all wished they would see beaming from their own father’s face, pride.

The boy held a smaller version of Abaddon’s sword and he looked like he had just worked out, his tee shirt showed dark areas of gathered sweat.

The boy was glancing up at Abaddon, who wasn’t much taller, admiration and love radiated from him as he looked at Abaddon.

The next thing I knew I was in the air.

The picture drifted from my fingers and settled in Abaddon’s bag. I landed hard and realized I was in the kitchen. Abaddon stomped out of the bedroom with anger in his eyes.

It was scary as hell.

I didn’t know what to do so I scrambled away from him inadvertently entering the arena.

“You have no respect for others. You have no right to enter my room and snoop around. I will teach you that respect.” He said, growling.

I didn’t know what to do. I knew he was right. I shouldn’t have been in his room but the bracelets seemed to call me. It was almost as if I had no choice.

I tried to explain, but I was too slow. Abaddon closed the distance and grabbed his sword from the rack. He came at me with anger and determination burning in his eyes; he meant to teach me a lesson. I knew he could inflict tons of damage and I would heal. All that meant was I could undergo massive amounts of pain and not die. Joy.

He came in and thrust the sword at me, intent on stabbing me with it.

I instinctively raised my hands in a defensive posture hoping to slow him down enough to allow me to explain when I was stunned to hear the sound of metal ringing on metal.

I opened my eyes to find a wide-eyed Abaddon looking at my arms. They were covered in silver gauntlets. Each one enclosed my hands and forearms in a layer of chitinous metallic armor.

I saw the two gems, one on each wrist. The green and red shone with brilliance.

I flexed my hands making fists and the metal flowed with them making the movement smooth. I looked at each fingertip and saw large sharp claws that looked deadly indeed.

When I made a fist, I noticed that on top of my hand, where my middle knuckle was, a blade extended about three inches. Where I to punch someone, they’d receive a sharp little surprise.

I only had a second to marvel at them when Abaddon struck again.

This time I was able to intercept his sword with my gauntlets but Abaddon still bypassed my defense and sliced through my shoulder to the bone.

I was temporarily dazed as a wave of pain swept through me. I channeled that pain into determination.

I was not going to be cut again. I dug down deep and drew on the Beast to add speed and strength to me.

Abaddon came at me again, giving me no time to adjust. I saw his movements with more clarity and understood his intentions.

When we sparred earlier I had drawn on the Beast as well, trying to use my power to help in my defense, to no avail. Every weapon I used was just too slow or clumsy to stop Abaddons attack.

This time I felt a confidence and surety that I hadn’t before.

I saw his attack and quickly moved my gauntlets to intercept.

Again, there was the ring of metal on metal as I stopped his blow. Abaddon wasted no time and instantly changed his attack. He came in with a side-sweeping cut that somehow changed direction in mid-arc.

I saw the attack coming but his skill was too much for my speed and my side flared up in pain as his sword cut into my muscles.

The pain overwhelmed me and Abaddon struck again, hitting my upper arm near my shoulder.

Pain lanced through me as Abaddon landed blow after blow with is sword. Agony from his cuts and thrusts reduced me to a curled ball.

After what seemed like an eternity he stopped.

I lay on the floor as the pain slowly reduced to a dull throb.

Abaddon stood over me, looking down.

“When you become a Pack member and violate another’s territory it is seen as a challenge. They then have the right to settle that challenge in a few ways. One is with monetary compensation; another is with allowing them into your territory and losing face. The third, used only in extreme cases, is a fight to the death. You need to understand many Pack laws have severe clauses that can be used by those that hate you, and make no mistake, you are hated.”

I didn’t know what to think. I was upset at such a brutal response, but on the other hand I had to realize Abaddon was only trying to help me. His methods were not for the weak at heart. My mom trusted him, my dad trusted him. I had to trust him.

I wanted to fight back and an urge to be petulant rose. I wanted to hide how much I was hurting, but I realized that was the child in me speaking, the spoiled kid that lived a life of ease. I had to let go of that and embrace my new life. My Beast called me to retaliate and attack, my heart and mind told me to listen.             

“I’m sorry.” I said, letting the truth of my feelings fill my words.

“You are right. I acted without thinking and violated your space. Please accept my apology.” I added, slowly standing up facing him.

He stared at me for a minute, his intensity unnerving. After a while, he nodded once.

“Well, what’s done is done.”

“There is a silver lining to your actions; you have found your weapon.” He said indicating the bracelets that were now in their original non-gauntlet form.

I looked down and found they had morphed back into bracelet form.

“How is this possible?” I asked, stunned.

“I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, those were made by your father. He spent weeks on end shaping and working the metal.” Abaddon said, coming closer and kneeling down next to me.

“But they grew and turned into whatever you call it.” I said.

“Gauntlets, they are called gauntlets. They are deadly when used by someone who is skilled. They are best for close in combat.” Abaddon commented.

“How did they grow? I mean when I put them on they were just bracelets, then you attacked and they grew. How is that possible?” I asked.

“Magic.” Abaddon said, smiling.

“What?” I asked, unbelieving.

“You are a werewolf Eric. Is it so hard to believe that magic exists? Your father had complete mastery over his Beast. He was able to channel the same magic that fuels the Beast into creating these bracelets.”

“I have to admit, however, I wasn’t sure what they could do. I knew your father was making them, but he never told me what, or whom he made them for. I guess now we know.” He finished.

“My father made these for me?” I asked.

A wave of emotions washed over me. I felt gratitude for his gift, but also confusion about them. Did he know what would happen to me? Why didn’t he tell me?

Abaddon saw the emotions play out within me. He seemed to understand what I was going through.

“Your father never talked much about you or your sister. He never told me why he made those or whom they were for. He just asked me to care for them when we left the Pack and if you or your sister were to show signs of the Beast to help you.”

“I have my theories however. Your father was a dreamer. He believed in the best in man and hoped to create a world for you that he never had, one devoid of the demands of the Pack.”

“He was also practical, and understood man’s flaws. He wished for the best, but prepared for the worst. I now believe that he made those for you in the event that this day would come. He wanted to keep you from having to go through this, but knew if you should have to then you would need a good weapon. It seems your father somehow knew what that would be before you were born.” Abaddon said, standing up and walking over to the kitchen.

He grabbed a couple of water bottles from the refrigerator and tossed me one. I caught it and drank the cold liquid.

So, my father knew or at least feared this day would come. He knew this journey I was traveling on was dangerous. He understood the punishment for failure and wanted to give me the tools to succeed.

“I remember something my father used to say. At the time, I really didn’t understand it. I mean, I knew
what
he was saying, but I didn’t really get it.”

“The tools a man has are only as strong as the man’s ability to use them.” I recited.

He had given me my tools, the gauntlets, his legacy, Abaddons knowledge and skill. If I was going to be the man my father wanted, the man that took lemons and made lemonade, I was going to have to master my tools. I was going to have to take his gifts and use them.

“I think I finally understand what he meant.” I said.

I stood up and walked over to where Abaddon was standing in the kitchen.

“Up until now I have been swept along on this crazy train. I haven’t understood what has been going on and haven’t known what my part is in all of it.”
              “I have been more of a passenger, watching as the world passes me by. That ends now. My father knew this might happen and he gave me the tools I would need. One of them was you, your knowledge, your skill, your mere presence.”

“I trust in my father’s choice in you. I know there may be some things that you haven’t told me until I am ready or that I just don’t need to know, but I am not going to move along blindfolded.” I said.

Abaddon stood, waiting.

“What is the Rite of Ascension?” I asked.

Abaddon let out a breath through his nose.

“I see Katrina listened to me as much as she always does. I suppose it was inevitable.”

Abaddon began to slowly walk around the island and towards the arena, talking.

“The Rite of Ascension is as old as the Pack. It is a ritual created to weed out the weak. In the early days there were many Descended. They created death and destruction. Many of the ancient stories of folklore were born from this time.”

“The early leaders of the Pack worried not only about the Descended, but about those that were Ascended. They worried that they would be unable to control themselves, and that their human natures were unsuited to hold the Beast. So they derived a test. A choice, if you will. They took an animal, namely a large predator and enhanced it. They used sorcery to alter the animal, make it more of a threat to one of us. They then took someone the Ascended cared for and put them both in the same arena.”

“The idea was for the Ascended to be pushed by a battle with the animal. The effort needed to kill such a creature would make it harder to control the urges of the Beast. When you use the power of the Beast, its nature to become more feral becomes stronger and it is the ability for the Ascended to control this that gives us our strength.”

“They would then have to decide what to do with their trapped loved one. Kill them or free them. If the Ascended killed them they were themselves deemed unworthy and executed. If they controlled their Beast’s impulses they were admitted into the Pack and given full Pack rights.” Abaddon stopped for a moment.

“That’s horrible.” I said.

“It was a dark and barbaric age. Over the years the Rite of Ascension has changed depending on who the Pack leader was. Sometimes it was more brutal, other times it was less so.”

“Until recently the Ascension ritual was more humane. The idea has been to try and find those that have Pack blood and raise them with the knowledge of the Pack and the Beast, thereby allowing them a better chance at becoming Ascended. This has generally been easy due to many Pack members taking the responsibility to raise their children with the understanding of the Pack.”