The Order of Events: The Red Wolf (28 page)

The owl flew down upon the great vastness of buildings, jagged stone, and many structures shaped of it. The owl continued, passing over the outer walls, as figures were standing upon them, armored, and guarding the outer edges. They pointed at his feathery form as he shot past them, and up to the great tower, where rested just below the top of the spiraling form was a temple.
              The owl landed on a stone balcony, allowing Samana to leap from his back, as horns sounded around the city to the appearance of intruders.
              Guards fully armored, and in shimmering red fashion, approached from the mouth of the balcony, spears drawn forth, with the one they called leader, behind them.
              Samana stood still, as issued by Hoosun, as the owl stood in front of her, and bowed to the approaching guards, speaking in a peaceful tone. “Greetings, my friend, we have come in great need of your ear of listening. We bear news of danger, shall you hear, Hatchlen?”
              The guards had created a perimeter around the owl and his young friend, but soon parted, revealing the fully red cloaked leader of their numbers. The leader removed his hood and revealed a slithery head of formation. Blue dots ran down his cheeks red, as his eyes flicked in blinking as he overlooked the owl, releasing a great orange frill outwards, as he spoke to the owl in a hissing manner. “Well, if it isn’t Hoosun, my old friend. Put down your weapons, these ones are good.” The lizard motioned down the guards’ sharp spears, and took his friend in arm, and led him into the temple in the side of the billowing structure, gesturing the young one to follow as well, backed by many following guards. “Who is this one you have brought with you? More importantly, what is the newssss you have to gift upon me?”
              The owl presented Samana at his side, as they walked, the owl speaking to his old friend. “This is Samana. She is of the Order, and the reason I have come here, my friend.”
              Hatchlen had led his friend and welcomed-guest through the inner temple. It was dark, and echoed the ember light of torches, as the lizard led them through one side and out the other, speaking to his owl friend as Samana looked down below upon the intense flames. They were standing on a lower level of spiraling stairs that ran down the inside of the great tower, the heat, smoke, fire, and embers escaping madly through the topless tower.
              “Tell me of this newsss, my friend.”
              While Hoosun took his friend aside and regaled the reason for his coming, Samana was left alone, as warriors went up the spiraling stairs, inserting themselves into pockets of housings, others reaching the top for watch duty. The young, braided-haired Samana looked upon the mixing flame, as it spat, twisted, and erupted wildly within itself.

The Red Wolf was running madly across the distance. He had reached his destination. Tasting it in savored manner as he took the last few great leaps of his stride, he heard horns billowing from above. His presence must have been discovered. It was now or never. He must make his way to the pit.
              Hoosun had finished his story, and stood with Hatchlen and Samana, amongst many guards at the temple balcony, which the owl had landed upon just earlier. Horns of warning rang out as the leader, Hatchlen, issued orders of defense.
              The owl stood behind Samana, who was sharpening her sword against the stone balcony tip. The owl spoke softly to her, as she was in preparation of the Red Wolf’s coming.
              “Are you ready, Samana? Are you ready?”
              The owl tried to gain Samana’s attention and finally did so, on his second attempt. He watched as the young warrior finished sharpening her blade and held it out, as she looked down below, speaking in readiness. “I am ready, Hoosun. Will you help me in this? I have a stance I think would help favorably in battle.”
              The owl nodded as he watched Hatchlen take a blade and run down for the walls, taking his leave of the two. “Ofcourse, Samana, tell me, what do you have in mind?” The young warrior smiled at her old friend, and patted his shoulder. “I wish to ride you into battle, Hoosun. It would give us a great advantage of speed and strength over the beast.”
              The owl, without answer, threw the young one onto his back, and stretched out, and leapt from the balcony, spiraling down below, speaking to Samana as he did. “I will do anything for you, my friend…my daughter!”
              Samana swung her sword in a spinning glimmer of burning light, and was ready to take on the challenge of the beast.

The outer wall guards rushed about with weapons, and were preparing for battle, when a howl was cast out from the wall borders and was heard by all, as it shook the very foundation of the city. One wall guard looked down from the wall to see the sender of the beastly cry, but found something else far more perplexing. The guard was met with a sharp blade through his chest, with the chain attached, and dragged down from the wall, thudding roughly on the ground below.
              The fully armored beast kicked the fallen form, and cast a circle of fire around the city, standing before the main gate, ready to make his grand entrance to deliver death to any in his way.
              As Samana and the owl made their descent, they heard cries from below as many voices spoke as one, issuing a call that the beast was at the front gate. Hoosun, noting the call, dove down to the gate in great hurry as Samana and he were both ready to take the foe together.
              The Red Wolf heard the spirits in his head, and bowed before the great stone mass, feeling his power growing ever stronger as he was near to the pit of the wolves’ birth. “Your power grows greater than ever before, as you are near to the place of our birth and power. Go now, and cast the humans and all other beasts from this planet!”
              The Red Wolf heeded the advice, and his eyes burned greater than ever before, as he thrust his clawed hands deep into the stone gate, the beastly figure to show his power over fire in great accord, as he spoke to the inner voices. “Yes, my blood!”
              Samana and Hoosun had reached the front gate, and landed in a courtyard before it, awaiting the foe. Then, in but a moment, a dangerous flash occurred, like none had ever seen of fire. The stone gate, standing tall, shot out in several directions. It crumbled as a massive form of fire exploded from the outside and crashed inwards, sending embers dusting madly upon Samana, atop the owl, as she blocked her face, peeking from behind her arm at the sight of the beastly figure. He was only but a silhouette, walking from the burning outline of stone, and bringing an ocean of flames with him as he entered and looked at the many guards, buildings, and debris that stood in his way. None caught his attention as much as the warrior that stood atop the great owl, a warrior of great familiarity to him, but she was seemingly unknown to the beast as he spoke, spinning his sword by chain, as he stood ready to take all on with his beastly purpose, speaking but one word to all who stood in his way…death.

-Chapter 21-
Present

The sky filled with ash and embers was wild, yet still. Anticipation of what was to come next was building to climax, as all had their eyes upon the Red Wolf and the warrior upon the owl that stood before him.
              Hatchlen was running through cityscape, passing housing after housing, nearing the bottom with every stride as he led a guard of elite and heavily armed soldiers down towards the threat below.
              Samana stood atop the owl, and held her sword pointed to the beastly presence, calling to him amongst the silent tension. “I stand before you now, to stop you from killing innocence. This day you will fall, and your destiny shall be met.”
              The Red Wolf did not recognize the speaker through the smoke, floating embers, and hate in his eyes, as he returned her voice of destiny with one of his own. “I cannot be stopped. My spirit is strong, as is my taste for vengeance. You will die opposing me, as all others shall, today the world shall be reborn!”
              Samana tapped Hoosun with her leg, and whispered into his ear, and then addressed the invader once more. “”Your spirit is strong, yes, but you speak of vengeance, when the blood of your beasts was taken, only after they had chosen to slaughter, for greed and desire, for the taste of the flesh of others. Was it not vengeance when your blood was killed?”
              The beast was still in his form, and held his weapon at the ready to advance, speaking in his monotone manner, dark and dangerous. “The beast was made to kill, when it fulfills its purpose, can one persecute it? You humans talk of vengeance upon beast, but what of vengeance upon your kind? You kill each other for greed, hunger, and selfishness. Do you condone the actions of your race, your humans?”
              Samana held the words of the beast tight, as she did not turn her head, but only allowed her eyes to rove to see Hatchlen and his guards coming, Samana speaking as she redrew her attention upon the beast. “We are not a perfect race. I do not condone the killing of others, for any reason, even vengeance. I dislike the unjust actions of my people, as you do, for they are your people, too. You too are human, once were, and always will be!”
              It was not the right thing to say. The beast started to breathe out clouds of embers as he became more heated with rage, and started swinging his sword by its chain confines, speaking to the mounted warrior, as Hatchlen and his guards were soon to be upon the scene.
              “Don’t you ever call me that, I’m not human, humans killed by brother, killed my last chance of being more than a tool of death. But humans have decided, not me. I am to be a tool of destruction by their actions, for they destroyed the only chance I had of being more!”
              Samana heard the words, and they stuck. She felt the wounded and furious tone of the beast as he spoke. The young warrior maiden wished to reply to his words, but could not. The beast had left his place of stance, and had taken a rush upon Samana.
              Hatchlen had arrived on scene, with his guards, and made to charge the beast from the side, as the charcoal figure did so to Samana. Thinking quickly, Samana went to defense with her blade, as the Red Wolf leapt from the ground, after a few speedy steps to build momentum. The young warrior blocked a dangerous blow, meant for her head.
              The owl, Hoosun, bent back, as the beast had leapt once more, but this time for the owl, and flung his wings forward with great weight, sending his feathery mass into the air, his sharp talons meeting the form of the Red Wolf, and gripping him tightly.
              Hatchlen stood below, watching as the owl held the beast in a tight grip, and flew around the spiraling tower. It was now up to the lizard’s old friend, and the one who he said was to end the fear of the beast.
              The Red Wolf struggled against the great vice of talons about his form, eager to become free, as he saw the great stone tower to his side. The owl was carrying him, spiraling around it at great speeds, working their way ever higher, and soon to the top.
              The Red Wolf let his sword out to touch the stone, and tried to slow down the feathery flyer, but failed as his ruse was soon discovered, and his armored form scraped upon the side of the tower. Iron met stone as the beast was bathed in flicking embers, becoming more hateful, and full of spite for the owl that held him.
              Samana looked down from Hoosun’s back, and saw the sparking form of the beast, and saw that it seemed Hoosun was great help in battle. The beast being greatly angered, had thought of a solution, and noting that he was reaching the top of the tower by the grasp of the owl, knew it was time to act.
              The Red Wolf focused his heat, and made his body as hot as burning flames, heating his armor and form to great limits, causing great pain and discomfort to Hoosun, who was still gripping the beast. Speaking to Samana, he felt he could not hold on for much longer.
              “Samana, I can’t hold on much longer…he’s…he’s heating my talons too much!”
              Samana saw steam billowing from around her, as it was sent from the tight grip of the owl. The beast was using a good strategy to be released, as he so wanted to be.
              As they had reached the top, and the owl was left with no wall to scrape the beast upon, he called to Samana as he could no longer endure the pain. “I can’t make it back down, take him here. Jump, Samana!”
              As Hoosun had lost grip of the beast, Samana had also jumped from his form in pursuit of the Red Wolf. The battle was now to take place upon the pillar bordered, and well-circular capped structure, that was the highest point of the city, with a tongue of stone hanging out, right above the great fall down to the burning confines of the pit.
              Samana rolled on her landing, and held her blade tight in grasp, and looked around the pillars. She searched for her opponent, who she had just seen land down here as she did.
 

The stone ground felt hot through Samana’s boots, as she walked across it, standing in the center of the formed pillars. Hoosun was circling the pillared structure, as the Red Wolf was unseen to the sight of either of the searchers, and then he struck.
              Samana stood awaiting the image of her foe, and then heard a slight scrape from above. The Red Wolf had pinned his sword into the ceiling of the structure, and was watching her the entire time. Now dropping upon his foe with his deadly blade, the Red Wolf let out a loud growl, as Samana dodged the strike, rolling out of the way, and then regaining an upright stance as she stood, her blade ready to take the foe. She spoke, as the beastly one removed his blade from the stone ground, the blade glowing with a burning red hate as it left the confines of the stone floor. “I don’t want to have to kill, but if I must, I will. I cannot let you kill so many, that are so undeserving of such an end.”
              The beast stood staring at her, and digested her words roughly. The light was not interrupting to her image. He now knew who it was. It was the girl of his destiny.
              The Red Wolf took a step forward with an outstretched hand, Samana watching him closely and proceeding with a defensive step back, hearing as the beast spoke to her.
              “You’re alive, I didn’t kill you. I can still fulfill my destiny with you at my side…take my hand!”
              Samana did not heed his words, and spoke her own as she still held her blade ready to fight. “I can’t, I can’t be part of something cruel and evil. Murder is not right, whether it is destiny or not. I cannot help you. You are alone.”
              The beast tightened his outstretched hand into a fist, and breathed embers out upon Samana as he drew closer, and spoke. “You don’t realize what you’re part of. You’re important to the fate of this world. You say these humans are undeserving of death, but they kill their own, they killed a young boy, for nothing. Did they do it for destiny, or for their own enjoyment?”
              Samana tried to understand the beast, and lowered her blade to her side, speaking to the beastly one. “Who did they kill?”
              The beast turned from Samana, and began to pace back and forth, staring at her with his ever burning twin flames as he did. “A boy, a boy I learned to call brother. He was alone when I found him, but he was alive. I left to get him food, and when I returned, I found him dead. He was alone.”
              Samana approached the beast, coming closer, and looked into his eyes, unafraid.
              “The world does not always do right, but you can’t fix right with wrong. Do you think this boy would want you to extinguish all life for him, does the world deserve it?”
              The beast pondered the words, but was committed to his cause, and spoke, his eyes burning madly, embers leaking from his mouth as he drew his burning blade up, causing Samana to back away as he spoke his piece. “The world deserves what it gives, cruelty. If you do not wish to stand at my side, your corpse will lie at my feet!”
              Samana shook her head in disappointment, and drew her sword up in defense, looking into the eyes of the beast as she spoke. “I am sorry, but I cannot be at your side!”
              The beast drew in a heavy breathe and then breathed out heavy embers, letting out a howl, as he approached his foe in conflict, letting out words of anger.
              “Then you will die by my blade!”
              Samana dodged the first strike of the burning blade, and the two danced in a warrior’s effort, giving out and defending slashes back and forth as they went from visibility to none at all to the eyes of the owl that flew outside the pillars’ cage, the owl flying around gracefully as the battle went on.
              The braided girl had ducked another fearsome blow, and leapt, spinning in air to keep gaining distance from the beast, watching as he paced before her. The Red Wolf dropped out the length of chain and let it loose to sway back and forth, and then spun it in blurry, burning form, and began taking swings at Samana with the blade tipped chain.
              The young warrior dodged the first swing, as it cut through the pillars at her back, and left good, sharp marks burned into the sturdy, stone forms.
              As the next attacks came, each was closer and closer than the last, some scathing Samana’s skin lightly as she almost took a death dealing blow, several times.
              The Red Wolf ran toward Samana, flailing the blade around like a mace, as she dodged each blow, moving backwards, and onto the tongue of the structure that reached out above the pit. The beast kept the flurry of strikes up, and finally caught Samana with a good blow. The young warrior maiden was doing well-dodging, all but one blow, which caught her well on the shin, causing her to fall to the stone floor, her wound burned shut by the heat of the blade upon its scathing strike.
              Samana was grounded, and held her sword towards her approaching foe, as the beast swung the sword playfully at his side, and spoke to her on his approach. “I’ll give you one last chance. Side with me, be with me, and live on, past the days of this dead world!”
              Samana roved her eyes from the beastly one and caught a good glimpse to the beast’s right, and spoke. “I will never join you. This world does not deserve such death!”
              The beast shook his head, and drew the chain back, the blade tapping the ground, as he let it out to full freedom by the chain, and prepared to draw forward in a whipping motion.               “I’m sorry that you feel that way. I’ll make your death as painless as poss-”
              The beast stopped his speech, as out of the ash ridden sky, the owl flew down to catch the beast sharply with talons stretched out. But the beast was fully aware of this, and swung his chain upon the owl, catching him by the spear, the chain locking around it, as he pulled the owl roughly. Hoosun felt a great tug on his mark of failure, and tried to fight it, but could not. Still trying to catch the Red Wolf with talons, the owl swept towards him, but was dodged, and felt an even greater tug from the chain attached to his spear, and went with it, feeling great pain upon his shoulder, and even greater pain upon his wings, as he went flying with them outstretched between two pillars, slamming his wings against the stone forms, and flying through the opening to crash upon the stone flooring.
              Samana was horrified at the sight, and was then filled with a great furiousness, as the beast turned to her, and was to lash at her with the chain blade, but was made to alter his plans as Samana left the ground and rushed him, swinging madly with her blade, the burning light dancing on its tip as she struck out, speaking in an angered tone. “I’m going to kill you, you monster!”
              The beast blocked each consecutive blow, as the two fought from the tongue, back into the confines of the pillars, Samana finally dealing a good hit to the beast, cutting through his shoulder with a downward blow, after swiping his blade aside.
              The beast howled and grabbed Samana with a firm and sharp grasp, and lifted her, then flinging her from his form, and onto the stone ground, next to the unconscious form of Hoosun.
              Samana had hit her head, and her vision was beginning to blur, as she tried desperately to regain an upright stance, but failed and fell to her knees.
              The beast swung his chain, and looked upon the broken form of Samana. It looked as though victory would soon be his. The beast swung the chain for the next blow, and then something happened to his vision. A woman appeared from behind the form of his foe, and was that of his people, scarred and beastly, and spoke in words only the beast himself heard.
              “Do not kill her, she has a destiny greater than your own, do you not see it?”
              Samana was filled with pain, and unable to move, as she heard the beast talking, not to her, but another. “Who are you? You look so familiar. I’ve dreamt of you.”
              The woman smiled peacefully at the beastly figure, and spoke. “I am your mother of birth, you never knew me. My last and only word to your father, before death, was your name.”
              The beast stared at the apparition, and had stopped spinning his blade, and kept great attention to the woman, speaking to her with his voice, soft, as that of a child.
              “Mother, I remember you, you keep my dreams. But I cannot remember this word, this name. What did you name me, what name was I never allowed to know?”
              The woman made as to speak, but disappeared to the sight of the beast, the Red Wolf stepping forward with an outstretched hand, crying out. “Don’t go. I don’t want you to go!”
              Molten tears left the eyes of the saddened beast, and then the spirits of wolves were around him, and spoke in their fashion of completion. “What are you doing? You must fulfill your destiny. Destroy the girl before you, and take yourself upon the pit. Burn out the life, do it now, for time is withering, and the strength of your foe grows!”
              The beast gritted his teeth, and felt his anger rising again to the next words of the wolves. “The humans do not deserve to live. Think of your brother, now kill!”
              The beast swung the blade and prepared to deal a killing blow to Samana, when she looked up at him, speaking in a dazed fashion, as her vision began to regain a stable hold of the world’s image. “We all have a choice…” The beast began to draw the blade forward and spoke his words, to the approval of the spirits around him. “…this is my choice!” The blade came hurtling down upon Samana, like a deadly snake taking advancement for a killing strike. Samana moved speedily, drawing her blade into a quick slashing motion, as she spoke. “...and this is mine!”
              Samana dealt a swift blow, and cut the chain length, beheading the blade from the confines of the chain, and then dealt a good slash to the mid section of the beast, slicing deep into his flesh, as he howled with pain. Through the pain he continued to draw the chain towards her, whipping her blade from her hand, and then preparing for his next advancement, the wolves speaking to him as he continued onward in battle. “Kill her, don’t let her kill you!”
              Samana felt a good numbness in her hand, as her blade was sent a good distance from her hand, sliding across the stone floor, leaving her helpless to defend herself. The chain of the beast came hurtling towards her, and Samana held her arm up to guard, the chain wrapping around it, and then becoming heated, burning into her flesh.
              Samana cringed with pain, as steam arose from her burning limb. The beast stood ahead of her, causing the heat to grow more and more upon the chain, as Samana desperately thought of a solution, and then one came to mind.
              The beast gritted his teeth, and looked upon Samana, speaking to her.
              “Can you feel the grip of pain, the suffering that you have committed yourself to in the denial of destiny?”
              Samana looked around as she heard the beast speak, and saw the blade of the beast to her right, and tried reaching out to it, speaking to the beast as she desperately tried to withstand the vicious pain of the heated chain. “Yes, I can feel the grip of pain, but it is not I who have betrayed destiny, but it is you!”
              The beast looked at her sharply, but before his reply could be made, he was pulled from his feet, and towards Samana. She had taken grip of his sword, and ignored the pain of the chain, pulling him by what he thought would lead to her death, which in reality would lead to his.
              Samana thrust the blade forward, as the beast came hurtling by the chain held in his tight grip, but also wrapped about her arm, burning. It was his end.
              Great howls of pain rent the air, as the Red Wolf heard the spirits cry out, and fade to his vision, as he stood, front to front, to Samana. His own blade was piercing through his chest.
              Samana stood, eyes locked with the burning twins of the beast, as he grew dim, staring back at her, as molten blood spluttered from his wound, back and front, and from his mouth, as the beast spoke. “I-I-I’m finished, my destiny, it has changed…”
              Samana stared him in his eyes, and let go the blade from her grasp, and spoke.
              “This was always your destiny.”
              The beast stepped back from Samana, as the figure of his mother appeared from behind her and approached him once more, speaking to him. “Do not be afraid, in death you will live on, as all creations of the highest do. No matter what you are, you were always wanted.”
              The Red Wolf reached out to his mother, and spoke, as Samana faintly reached out to him, thinking that he was reaching out to her. “What was it, what is…my name?”
              The beastly helmet of the Red Wolf faded into embers and blew away from his armored form, revealing his charcoal skin and saddened face as his mother mouthed her last words before leaving, his name.
              The beast felt a form of happiness grip his heart, as he was beginning to step back upon the tongue of the high structure. He was wanted, and so he felt.
              Samana rose from the stone floor, and went to the beast as he continued his tread backwards, speaking to him with an outstretched hand. “I’m sorry it had to be this way!”
              The beast smiled, as molten tears rent his face, and he was at the tip of the tongue.
              “I’m not sorry. This is my true destiny!”
              Samana had near reached the beast’s outstretched hand when he fell backwards, and plummeted down to meet his end in the birth of the blood that was mixed in his veins.