The Wolf King

That Next Morning

I woke up that next morning to a bright ray of sunlight in my face, I groggily got out of bed and left my room. I left my room, walked into the main hall and into the kitchen. I grabbed a bowl and a plastic cup, opened the fridge, grabbed the milk and cereal. I made myself a bowl of cereal and a glass of milk, sat down and began to eat. After a few moments of eating in silence Marcus walked in with Emma in toe,

"Morning cap, We're going to go look for some supplies on the nearby coast." Marcus said.

"Go for it, just make sure you land the ship in a good spot with some cover." I replied.

"Will do!" Marcus said.

I could feel the ship changing course and stopping, I finished eating and walked out onto the main deck, just in time to see Emma and Marcus leave in the distance.

I watched as they walked out of view, then I grabbed a fishing rod that was leaning against the wall nearby. I hopped onto the ledge and dangled my rod in the water. I knew I had no bait on the line but I had luck fishing this way in the past so I figured I'd try my luck again. That thought hurt, I remembered where I had that luck. I was fishing with mom. I was twelve and we were out fishing in Lake Erie. I had surprisingly caught thirteen pitch black Salmon. When i asked my mom why they were black, she replied,

"Black was your father's favorite color, it's a sign" She said, a huge smile on her face.

As I remembered I felt a large pull on my line, I reeled it in and nearly cried. What I pulled up on my line was a pitch black salmon, I didn't even know they could be found near South Georgia Island. I pulled it closer and began to cry, my mind flashing with images of my mom's smiling face, and the face of her dead in my arms. I could barely contain my tears, I could feel my anger and sadness rise. I hopped off the ledge, my darkness swirling around me. I lowered my head, the final image of my mother i was seeing was her lifeless face , it was like it was burned into the back of my eyelids. I collapsed to my knees and let out a low wail, tears flowing from my eyes. I was in the middle of my wail when I saw out of the corner of my eyes that Jason was watching me, he slowly crept closer. I wiped my eyes and waited for him, as he drew closer he tried to speak,

"Why.. you… cry.." He asked.

I collapsed against the ledge before he sat next to me,

"My mother took me fishing one day… I caught only black salmon, and when I asked why they were black she said, ``It was dad's favorite color." I said, my voice weak.

I hesitated a moment before i continued,

"Now both my parents are gone, and I'm all alone."

"What… happened…' he said quietly.

"We're hunting a bad guy… he's threatening our way of life…. He's also the guy who killed my mom.." I said, tears trickling down my face.

He didn't say anything, I assumed he didn't know what to say. I opened my mouth to speak but a blood curdling scream echoed from the island, I threw down my rod and raced forward, Jason following. Once we located the source we stopped, it was Emma and Marcus. Marcus was on the ground, covered in bites and scratches, all of which were bleeding, Emma was standing over him, a shocked expression on her face.

"What happened?" I asked.

"I don't know, I just found him like this." Emma said, her voice shocked.

"Lets get him back to the ship," I said, picking him up.

"You're not going anywhere, prey." A deep gravelly voice replied.

I tossed Marcus to Emma and drew my sword,

"Show yourself!!" I barked.

"The King of the Wolfs is HERE!!!" The same voice howled.

As if on cue, a massive pack of huge wolves slowly emerged from the bushes, encircling us from all sides. I rapidly began to count the wolves that encircled us but I couldn't count fast enough, they just kept coming.

"Go! Get Marcus back to the ship!!" I barked.

Emma and Jason raced off back towards the ship, three wolves breaking off to chase them. I looked and saw that they were clearly focused on me, then it hit me.

"You're working for him, aren't you?" I barked.

"So it appears you're not as dimwitted as you look.." The gravelly voice responded from the shadows.

"Show yourself!" I barked.

"Fine.. if you insist.." The voice said.

Then from the shadows behind me emerged a half man half wolf beast, then I knew who this was.

"My my.. I am blessed to be in your presence, King Lycaon.." I said, a tone of mockery in my voice.

"As you should be, boy." He retired, snarling his teeth.

When he fully emerged from the shadows I got a good look at him. He had the head, arms and legs of a wolf, but his torso remained that of a human.

"So.. I guess you've come to kill me." I said.

"Indeed, you will feed me and my pack for a good while.." He said, licking his chops.

"Why? Why side with him?" I asked, slowly readying myself for an attack.

"Being we have you completely surrounded, i guess i'll tell you.. He has promised us a new era where monsters can do as they please.. A new lawless age, where we can kill and eat our fill for eternity!' He barked, laughing as he spoke.

"I see.." I said, my eyes lowered.

After I said that one wolf who was behind me attacked, he launched himself in the air, but before he could land on my back I drew my sword and stabbed him without even looking. In a flash I began to fight my way threw his pack,

"Dark Zone: Rapid Ei Slash"

I began summoning as much darkness as I would need to rapidly push out and keep reading where every enemy is and where they are attacking me from, every wolf that flew at me was cut down instantly. I could feel Lycaon circling me, waiting for his moment to strike, but I kept cutting down his packmates. By the time I was finished I was surrounded by a circle of wolf corpses, they were up to my knees. I was panting and my darkness was fading. I could barely feel Lycaon anymore but I knew his general direction, he was behind me.

I waited until he emerged from the shadows, then I turned around.

"I must say I'm surprised, you've managed to kill off my entire pack.. While that saddens me deeply it matters not.. They've done their jobs' ' He snarled.

"Enough talk… come…" I said, my voice weak.

"With pleasure, boy.." he growled.

With that we rapidly began exchanging blows, he rapidly began to cut me everywhere he could get his claws on, but I did the saw with my sword. I knew i had to get the advantage, i tried to summon my darkness but every time i tried to focus on it he always jumped on the opportunity to attack me. I engulfed my sword in flames, a small fire that covered just the outer edges of my sword.

Lycaon grabbed me and threw me before I could attack with my sword, my body hit a tree and I could feel my brain shaking in my skull. I couldn't move, I could barely see as Lycaon slowly walked towards me, a huge smirk on his face. I feebily tried to fight him off as he grabbed me by my shoulders, but I couldn't stop him. I slowly watched as his fangs got closer to my neck, I closed my eyes and waited, hoping for a miracle.

As soon as I did that I felt someone grab Lycaon and throw him, I slowly opened my eyes and saw that it was Jason. He was now engaged with the beast, and he was holding his own. I clenched my sword and tried to get up but I collapsed in the dirt. I could only watch as Jason got cut on every inch of his body. Jason was slowly losing, he couldn't match Lycaon's speed.

I feebly tried to speak, "Jason… run…"

"Prepare to die!!" Lycaon howled.

Lycaon grabbed Jason by his shoulders and bit him in the neck, Jason let out a wail of pain.

"NOOO!!!" I screamed, reaching out my hand.

Jason fell down and slowly began to twitch, I knew what was happening to him. He was turning into a werewolf, a bite from the king was enough to turn a human. I could only watch as he rapidly began to grow fangs and claws, his skin turning into white fur. I could only watch as Lycaon took a step back as if to admire his work, I could barely move my arms or legs still. I could only hope that everyone else would get here in time, as Lycaon was slowly walking towards me.

"Damn it.." I said, my voice shaking.

"Don't worry, you'll be dead soon enough… but know this.. Your friend will live the rest of his life as my servant.." He whispered.

That pissed me off even more than I already was. I could feel my darkness boil up but Lycaon began to toy with my body. He picked me up and slammed it into the tree again, the force of the impact cracking the tree in half. I couldn't control my darkness with my body in this condition, I just layed there and prayed to the gods that someone would save me. Lycaon picked up my lifeless body by the neck and slowly began to squeeze, I couldn't see anything except a blurry image of Jason on the ground. In a flash the white shape moved and attacked Lycaon, slicing off his arm in a single strike of his claws. I collapsed to the ground and watched as the white blob backed Lycaon into a corner and attacked him so much that he forced the king to retreat. I watched as the white mass stood over me, and then as it disappeared into the darkness. As if faded into unconsciousness I could tell why Jason stood over me and saved me, it was his way of saying thank you.

My eyelids began to close as I saw someone else race closer to me, I knew who it was, Emma had come back to save us, well now only me….