4 The Ram and the Wolf

I

Nineteen year old Samuel Jargen sat outside the flight of stairs of their front porch. Their house was of semi Victorian and rustic mix design, mostly of brown and dark colors with artfully placed stone walls and bricks around the exterior. It was 250 square meter wide and 15 meters tall sitting on the middle of a 500 square meter land, his father also have a wooden workshop a few steps to the right from the house. The dark colored roof of the house, which almost looked black, had three protrusions the middle one being the largest and widest, the lights illuminating from the inside is of warm golden color. Two beast statues: one a tiger the other a stag, stood guarding the few set of stairs to which he now sat, looking ahead with a good strong face. He looked like a regal prince between the lifeless beasts. On the outer, he looked fearless, calm and brave, the lights from the house illuminating him from behind, imposing a strong impression. Inside however, he struggled to contain the fear that weakened his knees and resolve. He tried to still his pounding heart, tried so hard to condition his mind to make him stronger, despite the knowledge of the drink he partook six hour earlier.

II

A special brew known and brewed only by their family that once taken, gives them enhanced abilities 4 times that of a normal man such as strength, toughness of skin and speed. It also amplifies the effectiveness of their five senses making sight, hearing and smell acute and sensitive. The only bargain is that it only lasts for not more than an hour and can only be triggered by adrenaline, if adrenaline is not gained upon partaking then it is useless. How he wished that the thing they have been hunting for so long would not appear to where they now waited. They lured it there after all, of all the places they sought and they've been, their final battleground is the one where they first started their journey for revenge. Home.

III

He was sitting there, waiting. Their main door was left open and his father together with Atheros were just inside not far from him doing the same. All was silent and none of them dared to speak. Atheros was sitting cross legged on a chair leaning against the open door, his eyes closed and his hands clasped together in a prayer and did so in his mind. Atheros never looked different; never aging a day, except that in this time he was wearing both his gauntlets that end for both hands with the caestus. He was still in all whites and his silver hair combed slick to the back.

IV

The atmosphere of the moment was heavy, it always was when waiting and anticipating for death. None of them spoke, all are together but they felt alone, for which, all people truly are. Rodan tried to lift his spirit: he stood up from where he sat and walked slowly with a catlike grace towards the fireplace, his seven senses were on alert and active, especially his hearing. He stood six feet and an inch tall, with a muscular build that was emphasized by his tight long sleeves and denims. His two guns holstered to his sides are both Springfield XD (M) 5.25 inch in a black matte finish with modified silencers, which he named Ortega and Ortiz. The bullets are of mercury and silver mix that he himself made. His black hair was cut short in a crew cut style, and jaw sporting a short stubble. He looked powerfully built with a swimmer's frame and sinewy muscles; he looked his prime at his age of forty two. The fire warmed him as he approached. He grabbed the small picture frame that stood atop the fire place slowly to avoid making even the lightest sound.

He looked at the picture of a beautiful woman grinning with long brown hair tied into a pony tail which rested on her right shoulder, his eyes heated threatening to form mist on his eyes.

"What must have you suffered, my love."

He said while feeling along the face of the picture with his thumb. Remembering how they first met. He raised his eyes and he caught his son looking at him over his shoulder, a look of sadness and weariness on his face knowing it was his mother's photo his father was holding. They looked at each other for a moment then Samuel looked away and returned to his watch.

"I looked at him and I see your eyes, lass. If you could only see how handsome he's grown." He said affectionately. The only sound that night was the rustling of trees surrounding their property, the ticking of the clock, and the crackle of the fire place. It was also the time where the night was at its darkest.

V

During all the while he took over from Atheros, Samuel has been enveloped in fear and tried hard in searching his thoughts that would give him strength and bearing, conditioning or conning his mind into believing that all would be okay, that they would survive the night. His anxieties only worsened when he thought about the drink's effects fading before the battle is ended.

If that shit of an animal is not contained before that kool aid's effect has gone then we'll surely be fucked in what ways unimaginable. Dad might be strong, but he will surely be feeble as a human again after the drink has faded, he said in his mind. But that was the training was for, he thought suddenly. To have them fight at their best and act as a single unit. If they performed well then surely they will win before the effects last, and if the training and plan work they would finish within twenty minutes, the drink's effects would still be effective in plenty of time.

He thought of their weapons being dipped in silver juice in preparation; his knives, Atheros' caestus, and his father's bullets. Hell, he fought many times during his years but this is on a very different level, he was not sure if all that training would pay off tonight, but if he panicked he was sure that IT would smell his fear, and he would be dead even if his father is with him, we are truly alone after all in our own lives, he thought. He was envious of Atheros,

Why this man ain't even nervous, is he even human? He looked odd with all those white dyes and white clothes and shit. He thought as he observed Atheros once. He knew he was nervous, he felt such a coward of himself; he's been commanding his heart to keep still. His heart would not even follow him and keeps pounding as if the sound would resonate from his chest. All these doubts are such a trouble. Finally he pressed his head to his palms and sighed. then he turned. And the reason he needed to give him strength and purpose, enough to drown his doubts and fears, was standing at the fireplace holding a frame on his hand, his father leaned against the wall while looking at the photo of his mother.

For someone so strong and firm as his father, Samuel was treated by him with tender affection. Even during training, he was never harsh and his voice was always gentle and kind. The only drawback to him is sometimes, he would shyly broach subject about their clan's magical genes that one day soon he would accept his place in the family. How can blood have magic? They're just sticky and odd smelling. Every time Rodan tried to persuade him, his face would express discomfort and would click his lips, Rodan would see this and he would stop continuing. There would be silence for a short while, then he would say.

"At least get yourself familiar with the basics, like medicine and healing. Could you do that for me?" And his reply is a smug "okay".

But events that happened forced him to tap into their blood's talents yet he still refuses to accept and delve too deep, he would be fine on being an assist. He hated his lineage, and can't wait to be away from all this, far away from this world of darkness. Rodan finally noticed him and reflected the look he gave, of sadness and grief. For a moment, he forgot his fear at the sight of his father and he sighed the heaviness in his heart, then he looked away and continued his watch. The rustle of the trees suddenly stopped, the fire on the fire place flared calmly, then for some mysterious reason their clock stopped at 3:15 am.

VI

A burly image silhouetted by the night alerted every fiber in Samuel's being. The image before him imposed such a threatening impression that he didn't let his eyes blink even once since that moment. Samuel stood up slowly and warily, eyes ahead and focusing. The cause of the sudden stillness of his surroundings finally coming into view before him. His eyes widened and his breath stopped, the hairs on the back of his neck and arms raised as cold terror gripped thru him. All of him screamed of warning and danger, to get away as fast as possible. Suddenly his father's face flashed in his mind and what it reminds swiftly followed, causing a wave that is fighting the fear crawling thru him. As vengeance drowned fear, his blood surged and screamed for battle, the adrenaline in his blood rushing, igniting the drink in his stomach to effect. All those years of hunting, finally it led them to this final moment. It occurred to him that this is not the time for fear or over thinking.

A strong yet gentle hand landed firm on his shoulder and without looking over he knew it was his father, with Atheros following behind his back, cracking his metallic knuckles. Rodan stepped forth onto the field. The winds started to howl and the trees danced in anticipation as the three bravely walks towards their deaths, it was in that moment that Samuel found out, that the moment one is faced with death, and accepts it, is the most liberating moment in one's life. It is there, that one experiences true freedom. They started to jog, farther from each other and yet closer to the enemy.

The battle began.

VII

They spread out in a trident formation, with Samuel charging from the center. Atheros half closed his eyes, a scowl on his face. he draw his right hand against his chest, his fingers: the index and the middle straightened and the remainder were enclosed, then he muttered something inaudible and roared.

"Hummm haa!" he was the first to make a sound.

For a moment a dim blue light flickered from his center and spread throughout the area before fading into nothing. He conjured a shield specialized for the enemy's containment. You contain the area, you control the battle.

Samuel, completely forgotten the fear that previously enveloped him, bowed low and directly lunged at the creature. His bolo knife licking out from his side, he gripped the handle tightly and swiped at the adversary aiming for the neck, the creature ducked, his long horns deflecting the blow.

Samuel looked below at the ducking demon, leaving him open for a counter. It lifted its head and they both locked eyes, it glowed yellow and looked thru him menacingly. The irises, were like a deep crevasse with no end, as he looked into its eyes he felt as if he is gazing into a deep void. The face, an abominable mixture of goat and man, lines formed from the corners of its mouth curving up to the ears giving it a look as if it is smiling, while it's feet ended in hooves. Samuel was open and defenseless for a strike, which the demon took advantage. It formed its hand like the tip of an arrow, long serrated claws racing towards Samuel's open hip.

Just as it about to hit, Rodan pushed his son away with his strong left shoulder and at the same time deflected the incoming thrust with his forearm. Rodan drew first blood. But he was too focused to care, with the arm he used to deflect, he maneuvered it to a round move ending in a grip of the demon's forearm, it grunted and struggled loose, but Rodan gripped tighter and locked it against his side, then he clenched his right fist and surged an uppercut towards the creature's jaw. As it connected he felt a crack, he smirked and watched the creature hurled from its hooven feet. Rodan roared.

"Now, son!!"

Samuel charged, his gazed locked on the demon at mid-air, bolo knife on the ready.

He raised his right arm high over his head till the falling creature touched his middle finger then the whole of his palm. Its skin is as hard as concrete when he felt it on its cold chest. He slammed the creature down to the ground, amplifying the impact of the fall upon landing. With his palm still pressed against the demon's chest, he swiftly raised his knife high above his head to gather momentum for a powerful stab to the heart, but at his peripheral he saw his father trying to gesture something to him, then he remembered what he said during their training.

Samuel closed his eyes and fought the urge. Instead, he landed the blade on its right arm, a few inches above the elbow. It penetrated through the whole arm breaking the bone, and locked into the ground beneath, just as it was meant to be.

"Not so hard now, are ya bitch!" Samuel gasped.

It roared an unholy roar and all his fears returned weakening him swiftly. The roar delivered a very deep sound imposing an impression of its deep and ancient power, its abilities although unknown, the roar was enough to signify that's its capable of great and dangerous feats.

Atheros never wasted a moment, he raised his hands in front of him, the incantations ready in his mind. And as he moved to join them in a clasp, two, whip-like chains spurted from the ground on his left and right side, the sound splattering as it whirled around Atheros' resisting arms. Constricting it and hindering him to finish his spell.

"Impossible!" he said aloud.

Atheros grimaced as he summons all of his strength to break the chains that bound him, but the more he resisted the tighter it wrapped individually around his arms. The metal of his gauntlets pressing in against his skin as the magical chains tightened its grip with every second. Atheros closed his eyes and gasps in pain.

"Atheros do it!" roared Rodan across the field.

"I, I cannot!" shot Atheros.

His metallic gauntlets began to creak as it started to cave in on his arms. "Ro-Rodan! The chains!"

Rodan drew both his guns and shot at Atheros' bonds but the bullets only bounced back. Rodan looked at the creature his son struggled to pin on the ground, it was thrashing wildly, he was appalled at how strong it was. Both him and Atheros had come to a theory that spirit beings, once manifested in the physical plain, was only capable of physical feats since their powers are left in the spirit realm. As Atheros was a living proof. He was shocked at how this demon had proved them wrong. Rodan started to gallop towards his son. Desperate to throw himself between him and the demon. He extended his hand towards Samuel, desperate to close the distance.

"Sam!!! Get a-!!"

He was blown back halfway by a powerful wave and slammed him towards a nearby tree, when he opened his eyes; at a short distance was Samuel laying on his back, both hands raised to his face and farther was Atheros trying to get up. All of them were hit by the force that blasted from their adversary; the knife pinning it on the ground flew away. The drink he brewed was supposed to help them get stronger enough that they should have pushed thru that wave. The brew did help, but it was not enough.

Rodan felt the tides turning against them.

They thought themselves prepared. How wrong he was.

The beast roared his unholy roar. Signifying his turn. The demon leaped to the person nearest him. Samuel was quick to respond and evaded by rolling to his left as it's hooves landed and shattered the ground. Samuel thundered up and kicked the enemy square in the face. It grunted awkwardly. As Samuel regained his footing he swiftly followed with another horizontal swipe of his other blade. The creature ducked again using his horns as his defense. It began to throw slashes by alternating its hands, Samuel picks up speed and moved to deflect them all with his blade. Successful in a few exchanges but not for long as the demon slashed faster and faster with each strike, Samuel began to take hits and started to bleed from the wounds that the demon successfully inflicted. Just as Samuel was about to be overwhelmed by its speed, Rodan speared the demon's side and was thrown from it's offensive assault against Samuel. They found themselves facedown in the dirt, Rodan was quick and he grabbed the demon's ankle with one hand, then threw the demon to Atheros' area. Samuel's jaws dropped at seeing his father singlehandedly lifted the monster from its ankle and threw it away with such force. So that's the effect of that brew, he thought. For which observation he is mistaken.

While it was flying Rodan drew his guns and with his heightened sight, he shot his target furiously at mid-air all the while evading the critical parts such as the head, the heart or spine. He then stopped shooting when it was close to Atheros. The chains had mysteriously weakened and Atheros, with his strength, broke himself free of his bonds. Atheros crouched low and caught the incoming enemy and slammed it in a suplex making sure it hit the ground hard head first. The ground shook. It pounced to its feet like nothing happened and slashed Atheros on the chest before he could even deflect with his gauntlets. Atheros screamed trying to cover his bloodied chest with one hand; he went down on one knee and parried another incoming attack from above with his left, he countered with a punch from his right caestus, pushing the demon away from him. It tumbled back a few inches just enough distance for Atheros to steer clear from Rodan's storm of bullets. Rodan roared furiously as he fired.

While Rodan reloaded his guns Atheros struggled to his feet, panting. His eye closed with blood pouring from the left of his temple.

"That punch should have blown a hole to his side; this demon's flesh is too hard even with the metal of my gauntlets." He huffed. "If we had only found it earlier while, I, I'm still close to the source, I, I could have taken him down alone, but oh, the search really took its time and, and the longer I am away, my connection grew weaker." He said in his mind.

Atheros straightened his back and gathered all his remaining strength and charged to join the incoming Samuel in the flurry of exchanging attacks. Samuel was fast on his feet and quick to turn on his steps on difficult maneuvers, making him best at evading attacks. Yet the enemy is formidable, demonically fast and unnaturally strong, and if engaged in blow for blow by him or Samuel alone, they would end the fight sooner in sliced pieces. Both Atheros and Samuel fought with all the fury they had. Locked in combat, two against one powerful demon, surging the blood on their veins into their muscles. Atheros throwing punches with his caestus and Samuel, now both his blades drawn, yelled his battle cry while he slashed and defended from all angles with a manic rage. It was a hard fight for all of them.

The handicap was to engage this merciless killer without killing it. For all of them it was like being tasked with breaking the barrel without spilling the wine. The demon slashed Samuel on his right collar bone, blood sprayed and Samuel went down kneeling on one knee, coughing blood. As Samuel was occupied with his pain the demon spun on his heel swiftly towards Atheros. Atheros wasted no time.

"Check mate!" he said seeing the opening as he launched his left caestus straight onto the demon's unprotected face.

"Aushii..." muttered the demon in a calm and deep voice.

Shock widened Atheros' eyes. As his power punch was about to make impact, it was stopped by an unknown, invisible wall a mere inch away from the center of the demon's grotesque face. And before he could make another strike he was hurled from his feet by an upward slash that flayed his chest, his blood splattered his beaten face as he landed on the ground. While both are down Rodan began shooting again, this time on both the beast's shoulders, Rodan trying to cut both arms from its body with the thick rain of silver bullets. It roared in pain. Its mouth began to open wider and the lines from the corners of its mouth broke into a wider opening making its roar louder and hellish.

It charged forward when Rodan stopped shooting to reload.

Seeing the oncoming rush, Rodan reloaded quickly. When it neared him it ran on all fours, charging its horns. Two, deep black twentythree inches horns arched forward with the intent to impale him. Rodan widened the gap between them by backing away to a tree, prolonging his shooting. With the help of the effective enhancements of the brew, in that split second the horns were about to ram him, he holstered his guns, timed perfectly and grabbed both horns while evading from his side, guiding the horns towards the tree behind him.

The demon immediately struggled to free himself as it was stuck on the trunk.

Atheros saw all this as he clambered to his feet. An opportunity, his mind alarming like a bell. He arched his hands wide and rushed to join them in a clasp. No chains this time, the demon was trapped. He muttered the incantations for stunning the demon in place, but before he could finish, to his surprise, he suddenly coughed blood. He looked down on his stomach.

"No!" screamed Rodan and Samuel in chorus.

Atheros saw a large and bloodied hand protruding from his side. His blood slobbered the hand that stabbed him from the back, its claws longer and more twisted in the scarlet shade. He catches his breath. Then all was black. Samuel lay on the field panting heavily, both his hands still holding his knives (the other he used to lock the demon on the ground, flew towards him as they were blown away earlier in the fight). He realized that their strategy had failed. How long has it been since the fight started, almost an hour? How can he know the effects of the brew had faded? He looked at his watch.

If he's correct, they have nine minutes more since he timed the adrenaline ignited the drink to effect. This was no beast, it's a demon. It knew that Atheros was the key to ending him. Therefore it attacked him more furiously. Remove the most powerful, and you're left with the weak ones. Without Atheros' spells, the chains of binding could not be cast. The fight will go on and would only stop once they are dead. Nine minutes would not be enough to contain such a strong enemy. Not with this unnatural creature not even weakened.

They would surely die.

He saw his mother's face flash in his mind. At least he would miss her no more. But will he have the face to show her? He failed to avenge her. He pushed himself to get up. He breathes heavily as he struggled on his feet, and when he finally, his knees shook but he still managed to form a defensive pose; Crouched a little and blades lifted near to his face in a reverse knife grip. Rodan thought that they would finally have their enemy. Until he saw it disappeared from the tree it impaled itself from and appeared from behind Atheros, stabbing the silver-haired from his back. Rodan hoped against all hope that Atheros was still alive, and thankfully his son luckily was. He didn't waste any more time and reloaded. He rushed towards their ultimate adversary. Surging his strength to his muscles, roaring his fury; the demon did the same and roared his unholy roar. It sounded like a screech and a howl at the same time, a deep, joined voice of a man and the hoarseness of an animal.

Man and demon clashed.

They converged in a dance of battle. Exchanging blows for blows and countering attacks and striking from all angles, one with guns blazing the other with claws slashing. Rodan birthed his speed and strength to match the enemy from the memories of his wife, his vengeance. Amplified by the brew he was able to match it in the flurry of exchanges. Seven minutes. The demon with his gaping mouth and long claws slashed ever faster, his claws colliding with the guns' metal whenever Rodan meet it to defend himself. Five minutes. Rodan deflected a swipe with his gun Ortega. He countered by shooting the opening over his left shoulder with Ortiz. Continuing in a few exchanges. Four minutes. Rodan shot and stroke with his guns at melee range. The demon found a split second opening and slashed him in the stomach. Rodan recoiled of the pain, just as another slash landed from above he was able to form an X formation with his guns atop his head and defended himself.

The guns only slowed it down and he struggled against its strength as it slashed downward.

It scratched his forehead down to his left eyelid; Rodan stumbled away awkwardly.

Three minutes.

The demon attempted a head-butt; Rodan deflected it with his gun Ortiz and countered a pummel with the butt of Ortega, momentarily stunning the demon. He found an opening in its moment of recovery and launched a Spartan kick on its chest, distancing himself away for more than a meter.

Two minutes.

His guns alternating fires furiously. He roared until his voice became hoarse, with the faces of his wife flashing on his mind. The beast screamed of agony. Rodan's shots exhausted and damn he needed to reload. But before he left himself open he backed away swiftly.

One minute.

He felt the brew's help starting to fade, he begins to feel humanly tired, his calves begin to burn, his shoulders heavy and he felt his legs about to give way. There was no other choice, yet still. He reloaded his guns, smoke still flowing from its mouths.

Thirty seconds.

The demon rushed towards him and as he raised his guns to shoot, his hands were slapped sideways and his guns slipped from his hands. The brew has completely faded from his system. The demon grunted. Rodan swore it just chuckled. Rodan groaned as he fell on his knees, exhaustion quickly followed with the absence of the brew's effects. He raised his head awkwardly to look at the monster that was about to kill him, his vision blurred with the redness of the blood trickling down his eyes. Two very long horns black and sharp. Eyes glowing yet blank of expression; looking down on him as if he was an object. Its ears are that of a goat's and the nose is of a big cat, its mouth is the same of a human's, but with lines starting from the corners and ended before the ears. Its long black beard ended in a trident form. It puffed like a horse when it breathes. Its mouth opened until the lines from the corners split into a wider opening of the jaw, fangs lined numerously, his mouth salivating to devour him head first.

Rodan finally enveloped with exhaustion, eyes half closed, blood dripping from his head and mouth, bowed his heavy head and readied to accept his fate, beckoning his wife to welcome him in the afterlife.

"I am so sorry my love." he whimpered.

Fifteen seconds.

Out of nowhere Samuel roared and leaped like a lion with his bolo knives.

"Sam? Sam!" He said as he looked up at his son, startled.

Samuel stabbed the demon as he connected, both landed on the ground. He quickly followed with another powerful stab. The demon screamed of pain. He grabbed Samuel hard at the face and threw him towards a broken tree. Miraculously, he was caught by a recovered Atheros as they both fell down. One second. Rodan's strength left him and his vision began to blur of exhaustion. "Oh, forgive me, Sam." he gasped. He had one last option. One that his only boy never favored of even accepting. Why the important decisions are the hardest ones? His mind asked.

VIII

Atheros looked up and noticed the sky grumble, it sounded from afar then grew increasingly louder. Then thunders echoed after another followed by bursts of lightning illuminating for a second behind the clouds. Suddenly, a flash of lightning thundered from the sky. He recalled Rodan telling him about this, and only to him. Should their plan fail. There was a plan B. As the lightning struck the area of the Jargen family, it was followed by a bright light then a slight continuous shudder of the ground, the winds howled and waves of gust rushed across the entire field. This is it. He laid the fainted Samuel gently on the ground and got up panting.He grimaced as the wound on the side of his stomach pierced him painfully, yet he needed to fight the pain for the urgency of the situation. Without him, there is only one end for both Rodan and Samuel. He pulled the beads he wore from his neck and rolled it around his left fist.

"Fathers, who rule the heavens. Forgive me for what I will have done, and deliver us from this princes of darkness." he muttered as he rolled the last thread of beads around his fist. He raised both his arms to shield himself from such light and the wind's force as he stood by.

IX

Rodan felt the surge of supernatural power from the sky and blasted into his core, it struggled to get out of his skin and it did: in the form of thick silver furs and mane protruding from his flesh, his heart was growing larger trying to accommodate the surge of magic in his blood, his spine grew thick to keep up with his widening rib cage. This powerful, mystical energy hulked in every vein of his body, burning but never hurting. It extended his body parts as it travelled along inside his body; long, sharp claws growing from his lengthening hands, he grew even more muscular, as if layers of nylon fiber lay upon his hardened muscles. His height and build extended ten inches from his normal height courtesy of his legs transforming into that of the hindquarters of a four legged animal. He grew larger and his snarls began to thicken and deepen, his breaths blowing in puffs. His eyes grew larger and bulged; his sight more acute than the brew enhanced him with. Jaws and nose cracking into a wider and stronger form, adjusting for growing fangs and neck muscles. His heart enlarged four times and beats faster to pump the rush of energies across his new form. The light that enveloped him faded to finally reveal him. Signifying the transformation was complete. Atheros lowered his arm to see well. And he beheld a most magical and ancient sight his eyes have ever seen, for the first time in his life.

"I don't believe it." he said slowly in awe.

Rodan's head was completely transformed into that of a feral beast. His chest wide and broad like a wall, his arms long and muscular ending in fingers with long sharp claws. And he noticed last the bushy tail. His main color is gray and he glowed silver in the fading light. His breath huffing in clouds of fog.

The beast that he became, opened his gaping maw and roared at the demon.

The roar was deep, louder and purely bestial. The demon answered with an unnatural and hellish scream. Its human like mouth opened with yellow fangs licking out, the corners of the mouth opening until the jaw to a wider gape. As the demon saw Rodan charging towards him he waved his hand and black chains erupted from the ground and slithered towards Rodan, halting and constricting him. To the demon's shock, Rodan flailed his arms and body and the chains broke easily. Rodan was too fast in his sprint that the demon canceled his second spell and decided to meet Rodan head on. A situation he is most uncomfortable with since his kind excels in treachery and deceit.

Wolf and Ram clashed. And it was such a sight.

They slashed at each other, their snarls echoing in the night, neither one giving ground. Blood splattered as they bit into each other. Rodan sent an upright slash into the ram's chin, spinning him around, Rodan grabbed the opening and he leaped high, landing on his target with a bash to the temple. It fell fast. The ram recovered instantly and charged his horns towards the attacking foe as it tried to get up; it slashed Rodan between the shoulders. Had he was not quick enough to evade; the horns would have pushed through, jutting out from his back. Rodan countered with a right uppercut, yet the demon held its ground and spun on its heel to regain some footing.

Rodan sent a swift slash of his left that the demon evaded quickly. Just as Rodan pulled his arm back the demon lunged its head and bit into the wolf's retreating arm, blood spouted from the flesh. The demon formed its right hand into like a spear; claws straight and standing for a thrust. Rodan stopped it by catching the wrist as it launched towards him. Then he twisted the demon's hand sideways, the pang of pain loosened its hand from its arrow form and his bite slacked around Rodan's forearm. Rodan loosened the demon's head off from his arm by swaying his hand aside, but the demon quickly followed up by a slash from his free hand. Rodan grunted in pain.

The demon charged, pointing his horns fast. Rodan side stepped and grabbed the horns with both hands, then he started spinning the demon around twice and threw him towards a larger tree. It slammed against the trunk, the tree breaking as it caught the force of the impact. It was quick to recover from the pain and rushed forward towards Rodan.

Atheros saw the crack on the trunk making the tree lean forward. An idea flashed in his mind and he left the unconscious Samuel on the field and hurried towards the tree keeping his distance from both warring beasts. When he arrived, he punched the crack to widen it then punched it some more until it broke in half, he shifted his position towards the front and caught the trunk as it fell on his arms. The tree was tall and large enough to cast a shade covering a wide area for a few people to gather under. He then laid the tree gently, and looked at the wide stump that is still connected on the ground; the tree's remains ended in a large and sharp broken trunk. He wiped the bits away and smirked in triumph. This should be enough to hold that thing down, he said to himself.

X

The wolf huffed and roared. He pressed his forearms to the ground and charged as the ram rushed towards him. He is wary of the horns. They clashed and they rolled in a ball that ended with the wolf biting the demon's ankle, it bled furiously as Rodan's fangs ripped into a vein. The demon roared in pain and smashed the head of the wolf to loosen its bite around its ankle, but no matter how hard he smashed again and again the wolf didn't budge and it continued to lock its jaw around its limb, harder and deeper the fangs dug with each hit of the ram's fist. Blood gushed as the wolf bit deeper, just as the demon was to land another bash to the wolf's skull; the wolf caught the incoming jab and held it by the wrist. An awkward position.

Then his jaws snapped.

Blood sprayed like a fount as the demon's feet was detached from his legs. The demon screamed a horrendous scream, one that is of pure agony and suffering. Rodan sent a swift jab at the demon's groin, then he grabbed its throat and lifted the demon from its feet, raising it high to the moon. The demon continued to scream, it grabbed the arm that choked its throat with both claws, scratching the muscles as it bled, desperate to inflict damage and turn the tide of battle to its side. Rodan roared at its bovine face louder, opening his jaws ever wider to drown that of the ram's abominable scream.

"Rodan, to me!!"

He heard Atheros, he saw the man trying to show him the broken tree trunk. He understood. Rodan sent a right cross at the face of the ram to shut it up. He rushed towards Atheros while still gripping his horned enemy by the throat. Then he leaped high as he neared. He slammed the ram against the sharp trunk as he landed. The broken trunk speared easily from the back and poked out through the demon's right chest, a good measure away from the heart. It screamed again, louder and more agonizing, its pain unimaginable. Blood flowed from the trunk sticking out of its chest as he struggled to claw at Rodan's bestial face. It screamed, registering the pain. Rodan moved his lupine head aside, evading easily. For my wife, he said in his mind. He bit the flailing hand at the wrist and snapped, pulling his head away in the finish. Blood spurted from the stump that is now its hand. It screamed again now even louder. It looked pitiful being impaled on the broken trunk of the tree, its body drenched in blood from the battle's wounds and bleeding heavily from the stumps of both its right hand and feet.

"Quickly, before it dies." Atheros huffed as he looked at the magical beast that is Rodan.

The wolf's body suffered numerous slash wounds and bruises, but little compared to its beaten foe. His snout and claws red with blood and dripping, but it was not his own. His chest rising and falling as it puffed its breath in tiny fogs. There were slight splatters of blood on his gray mane and furs. Atheros was lost in the moment as he awed the image before him. It made perfect sense, he realized. He moved his mind from distraction.

"Tenefin Veol, Creaoof fyurtenna. Zen jinn, Avraga."

As the chant ended, the immediate surroundings of Atheros and Rodan glowed and an upward wind blew from the ground that raised and flurried their hairs, with the creature before them impaled on the trunk. Rodan reached to its right horn then snapped it in two. With the pointed end, he raised it atop his head and drove the severed horn straight to the heart of his beaten foe. Chains of gold materialized out of nowhere and slithered towards the demon impaled. It latched on to every part of the demon's body while it growled and struggled. The last chain slithered, binding both severed and whole feet. Before it glowed and disappeared into the light, the demon looked at Rodan one last time, so focused and hateful, a promise of remembrance and revenge for it's shameful defeat in combat. Then his whole body glowed brighter and disintegrated as the light started to fade. The horn of the beast stayed physical, and Atheros grabbed it with both hands as it rolled down on the trunk.

XI

Samuel woke up and saw that the demon has been impaled. He suddenly felt relieved at such a positive sight, his mind excited of the incoming victory. He struggled to his feet, his knees shaking a bit and his left arm was hanging limp on his side as he cradled his stomach to ease the pain. He looked on. It was struggling. Atheros stood before it with another across him, a figure he couldn't make out. But as he walked slowly towards them he stopped knowing finally what it was or who, rather. It was his father, in another form. Then all the pieces connected in his head.

The super strength that he thought was the brew… That was something else. The uppercut that sent the demon flying to the air. The "seven" senses that he tried to lie his way about, that was not the brew's special effects because he is a father, that was a lie. His sudden powerful presence that was odd, Rodan looked heavy whenever he came around, that too, was something else. That was this. He finally gave in to the temptation. And Samuel felt betrayed and disgusted as ever in his life. He witnessed the process of binding the demon to imprisonment forever, without them noticing him from where they are. As the creature faded into the invisible realm of the spirit, the large head of the wolf tilted up and turned to him, looking at him as if he knew he was watching all along. It was not even surprised. What sense is this? The 6th?

Fuck this shit.

Its breath forming clouds as it huffed; it looked at him face to face. As if trying to say something to him, or explain. Samuel felt betrayed by his father, his love drowned by disgust and hate. If he could only replace the blood coursing through him he would in that moment, he would give anything to rid of the blood that birthed him. That's how sickened he was of the truth. Sickened by what he realized, and repelled by what he saw. He felt in need of a shower, a million times of it, he thought bitterly, which he will do soon after.

"I am not an animal, and you are not my father." he said to himself.

He closed his eyes and turned his back. With the intent to never return, he ran and ran. That was the last time he would see his father, as the animal instead of the man. And he would remember him as such; the hulking animal he laid eyes upon, replacing the image of the man that is his father, whenever he remembers him in silent moments.

XII

Rodan looked at his son turning his back, never taking his wolf eyes from him as he looked smaller the farther he ran away. He wanted all in the world to rush to him and stop him, but how can he? How can he face him, would he grab him at his wounded arm by his rough and hairy claws? What will he say? What CAN he say? That it was all he could do?

He heard himself breathe, felt the power coursing through every fiber of him, seeing everything, feeling everything, felt the large heart pounding in his chest in another tune, that of guilt and shame. The furs brushing on his thick skin and the tail behind his buttocks sunk low and seemed lifeless. His wolf eyes tried to see farther to his running son, trying to get close to him as much as he can in what way he can. And felt the greatest sadness as he was finally gone from his eyes, from his life. Like a part of him was stripped painfully with him unable do anything but feel the pain. Atheros heard the wolf's low whimper. Samuel easily conveyed what he tried to tell, what he felt and what he thought and it hurts the heart that any parent could easily relate to. Atheros gripped the horn tighter, the owner of this twisted piece the cause of all their suffering. A demon it truly is, he concluded. He bowed his head and looked away. Rodan looked in pain more than what his human face could express; eyes shinier and tears pooled at the corners.

There was no victory, there never was anyway.