Determination

KB and Prophet awake from nightmares and their brother is missing.

 

 

Tess walked back towards their camp which resided to the side of a highway, deep into the trees that are usually blocked off by wires. Her and the rest of the surviving werewolves marched through the night carrying prisoners. The sun was slowly rising over the horizon as she got back to camp. She entered camp and watched Light carrying a body. She thought to ask the vampire lord what she was doing, but decided she didn’t care all that much. “Well Silverius’s champion has returned” a werewolf yelled out. Tess walked into camp with her head held high. She grimaced as she thought of the comrades she had lost, but she must save face in front of her people. Tess called out orders to followers as she made her way past the deer skin tents. Silverius met her outside his tent and signaled her inside.

“Hail Tess, did you manage to capture those other soldiers? Silverius asked as she closed the tent flap behind her. The smell of meat assaulted her senses. She looked at the fire pit in the center of the tent and stared hungrily at the meat. She was starving after spending the night fighting. The pilot’s heart was a snack and it didn’t last long. Silverius looked at her for a moment and laughed. He knew that she must be hungry.

“I captured them” Tess said loud enough to cover the sound the sound of her stomach growling.

Silverius still heard it. “I have something to show you” he told her as he walked out of the tent. She followed close behind him wondering what was going on, and when she was going to be able to eat. Silverius stopped outside a tent at the edge of camp. As she walked up beside him she gasped.

“What happened to Maim and the others” Tess asked. Maim was hardly recognizable. His chest  was caved in, his face was hardly recognizable, and his guts sat out beside him. The werewolf to his left looked less beaten, but with the huge garish wound in his chest there was little doubt if he was living or not. The werewolf to his right well….. His head wasn’t connected to his body.

“They were defeated in a Envig by humans” Silverius answered her.

She stared at him “There is no way humans did this.”

“Want to see them?” Silverius asked her smiling.

“Sure” she answered while still staring at Maim. She hadn’t known him very well but she respected his strength. 

“Well they are unconscious after what Light did to them, and their whole world will change from this moment forth, so we’ll let them rest for now” Silverius finished with a smile. “I think we might have found our way out”

One Week Later

 

“Mom what’s wrong with grandma?” KB asked his mom while he looked at his grandmother. She sat in a chair and didn’t move no matter what KB did. He stood there perplexed for a moment. “KB” his mother screamed. Kb turned and saw a portal had opened behind her. Claws had reached out and grabbed at her hair. KB heard laughter as he tried to wretch his mother free from their grasp. From the portal darkness spilled into the room grabbing at him. He twisted and jerked trying to free himself while still holding his mother inside their house. He couldn’t fight them for long and soon found himself flying into the portal.

KB woke up violently. Cold sweat dripped down his face and he fought to catch his breath. When he finally calmed he looked around at his surroundings. The fire pit in the center of the tent gave enough light for KB to take note of Prophet sleeping in the cot next to him. “We are still alive?” KB thought to himself as he rose from his bed. Sharp pains ran up through his body from inactivity as he rose and stretched.  “How long have I been sleep?” KB asked himself aloud as he felt his neck. Suddenly the last moments hit him. Everything from the werewolves to that woman who had defeated them came clear to him as he felt the two wounds on his neck. “Where is Karmic” KB asked as he tried to shake Prophet awake. Prophet tossed and turned sometimes muttering the name Danyael. “Prophet is having nightmares too” KB thought to himself. Finally Prophet woke with wide eyes filled with fear. He finally settled down and looked at KB confused.

“Where are we” Prophet asked as he coughed. His throat felt dry and his body ached.

“I don’t know but we should start moving. I don’t see Karmic anywhere.” KB answered as he rose. Soon Prophet and KB threw on some clothes near their beds and exited the tent. As they did eyes fell upon them and a very short man walked towards them. He was the height of a child but his voice told his age.

“Glad to see you are awake. Come with me.” The little guy told them as he turned and walked off. Prophet and KB looked at each other. Both of them unsure but with no better ideas chose to follow him. “Hold on” the little guy said as he stood before a tent. He disappeared inside and soon enough gave them the indication to follow. Kb and Prophet walked inside to see Silverius, Tess, Maria, a woman, and man sitting down.  Prophet felt as if he had seen the man and woman somewhere before but couldn’t put his finger on it. Suddenly the woman jumped at Prophet. Her right claws reached for his face. Instinctually Prophet ducked out the way. KB introduced his fist to her face while Prophet followed with a kick to her stomach. She fell back dazed a little. Before she could strike back, the man wrapped his arms around her.

“They killed our son!” she screamed vehemently.

“It was a trial by combat and our son was defeated. Do not dishonor him” the man said as he glared at Prophet.

She instantly became limp in his arms “I know” she cried out sobbing. The man held her tight against his chest never taking his eyes off of Prophet, and then it occurred to him why they looked familiar.

“Your son was a great fighter who pushed me to my limits” Prophet said to the man. Their eyes locked as he spoke and he raised his left arm. The scar from the chain was still there. Deep white lines were wrapped around his arm from where the chain after it was infused with energy had burned him. The man looked upon the scars and stared into Prophets eyes again, nodded his approval, and carried his wife out of the tent. Everyone remaining in the tent stared at them.

“Never a dull moment with you two is there?” Silverius asked them.

“Not when everything keeps attacking us” KB said back without hesitation.

“Where is our brother?” Prophet asked Silverius while looking into his yellow eyes.

Silverius opened his mouth to speak but no words came forth.

“Where is our brother?” KB yelled with clenched fists.

Tess and Maria snarled “Calm down everyone” Silverius said to them all. “Light chose him and so he is off in our world.” Silverius said as he looked KB and Prophet square in the eye. “He is gone.”

KB and Prophet fell back as if Silverius had punched them, and if given the choice they would have chosen the punch. “No it’s not possible” KB screamed.

“It is possible and it has happened. I am sorry for your loss” Silverius said to them with sympathetic expression. KB punched the nearest beam to him breaking it. The tent shuddered a little but stood strong. “Please don’t bring my home down around me” Silverius said to him. His voice had drastically changed. The Ethiopian accent totally left and was replaced by a deep voice that sounded as the harbinger of death. KB stopped and looked at him. His face was mixture of frustration and anger but he refrained from bringing the place down around him.

“There must be a way to save him” Prophet finally said though like KB he was shaking.

“You would be no match for her. You have already been defeated by her once. Would you really forsake your world for a losing battle? Your world is under attack by an evil you cannot comprehend. We are just the first of the forces to make our way here.” Silverius stood as he spoke taking off his glasses. He stared into the flames.

“So we just have to go to your world, defeat this evil, and save our brother. That doesn’t sound that bad” Prophet said to Silverius. Silverius looked into Prophet’s eyes. He could see a spark there and as he looked into KB’s he saw rage.

“I still think you both our being foolish. Your world could very much be destroyed by the time you come back. Silverius said to them.

“I’m sick of listening to this s**t” KB said and walked out of the tent. Silverius stared at after him.

“These two just don’t understand. They should just be happy we haven’t turned them into werewolves” Tess spat.

Prophet looked at her and she looked at him back. Silverius could swear something passed between them in that moment. “It’s been a long day” was all Prophet could say, but as he walked out Silverius said something that made him pause. “You understand but you have forgotten Prophet. You aren’t of this world.”

 

KB walked out ignoring the stares he knew he was receiving. “Was that dream a sign?” KB thought to himself as he stared at the stars. His mind flashed to thoughts of his family back in New York and of Karmic.

“What the hell is Silverius talking about? Of course this is my world” Prophet thought to himself as he walked out of camp and found himself at the edge of a river. Fireflies flew around lighting this area particularly well. Prophet thought of what Light last said about him. “He is the son of Anansi’s wife” Prophet thought to himself. He thought of his mom when his thoughts were interrupted by footsteps. He turned to see Tess standing behind him.

“Maim was a friend of mine” Tess said to him as he turned to look at her. Prophet stared at her for a long time. “Why do you keep looking me in the eyes like that? Are you challenging me? she asked him somewhat irritated.

Prophet shrugged “I was seeing if there was malice in your eyes” and went back to looking at the fireflies.

“Why” Tess asked as she sat beside him staring into the river.

“To know if I was going to have to kill you or not” Prophet answered so matter of factly that she stared at him.

“Do you think you can?” she asked. Prophet could tell by the way she asked that she was more curious than anything.

“It really doesn’t matter what I think. Either I would die or you and that’s all there is to that” Prophet said as he looked deeply into those icy blue orbs of hers.

“You are a weird human” Tess laughed.

“Humans think that about me also” Prophet joined in with her laugh. His mood lightened with the scenery of the sun rising over the hills, the serene river, and even he had to admit the wonderful company. “I think my mom was hiding from something” he said to her suddenly. She stopped and looked at him waiting for him to continue. “One day I came home with blood all over my shirt. She ran to me screaming what had happened, but I couldn’t get it out. The look on her face scared me more and I finally blurted out that my dog had gotten hit by a car. She sighed in relief and held me for I don’t know how long.” Prophet suddenly looked very sullen. “The next day she was gone. I think she” before Prophet heard footsteps and turned to see who it was.

“So you are the one who killed Maim?” Christian asked.

I guess and who are you?” Prophet asked the man.

I’m Christian. I would have thought Tess would have told you about me.

“Why are you her lover?” Prophet asked.

Christians face turned red after Tess answered with an “ummmm NO.”

“I’m part of her crew that’s all” Christian said trying to recover.

“Yo Prophet” KB called out.

“Hey little brother what’s on your mind” Prophet yelled back to him.

“I’ve decided lets go get Karmic” KB said to prophet. Prophet could tell that KB was determined.

Christian looked at him” You plan on getting him back from the queen of darkness? 

She has vampire bodyguards and political power.”

“It doesn’t matter” KB told him.

“She has magic at her disposal which is why she can survive in sunlight” Christian said to KB trying to dissuade him.

“It doesn’t matter if your whole world turned against me because it doesn’t matter. Prophet please tell him that quote from one of your favorite books so he understands.” KB said annoyed that Christian would try to talk him out of it.

“First protect the people you love, then yourself, and then everyone else. If innocent people must be harmed on your way then so be it.” Prophet stood as he finished the quote with a smile on his face and fire in his eyes.

“You two are determined then to see this through?” Tess asked as she looked at them. The sun poked its head above the stars and shone brightly through the trees. The fire in their eyes could not be doused and so the sun like their spirits arose.

Reviews

[Reks]

It seems your writing is slowly getting better. Your tense usage has improved my friend. Couple of mistakes, but it doesn't interfere with my understanding of the work. Good Job so far.