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Just before they reached the safety of the trees, there was a loud thump from something large landing in the grass behind them. Before Verik had a chance to turn to look at it, something slammed into his back. He slumped forward and he saw, protruding from his chest was a large blade piercing into his back and through his stomach, the tip buried in the ground. He didn't feel any pain, but he saw his blood gushing down the blade.

A low voice growled from behind them. "You don't know how long I waited to do that. Now you will finally pay for what you did to me!"

All the strength left Verik. He just stood there, his body kept there by the large blade. Nari looked back at him and cried out in horror. Keil, who was still holding Syla unconscious in his arms, nearly dropped her on the ground. David glared and bared his claws, ready to attack.

Nari's fury was so strong that he could almost feel it emanating from her. She let out an angry roar and charged full speed toward Verik. However, a large group of the winged creatures dropped from the sky and blocked her path and engaged in battle with them.

Verik used most of the energy left in him to turn his head to see his attacker. The creature was similar to the other winged creatures, but it was almost three times their height; maybe more. It was also horribly disfigured. There was what seemed to be a huge gash on his body, starting from the left side of his face all the way down to the right. His left eye was gone, his snout was split open ln the top, revealing many broken and missing teeth. His right arm was mostly completely missing. He had a long snake-like tail with a blade attached to it, which was what was piercing through him. His expression was that of a little pup admiring his first felled prey.

Not being able to strain his neck any farther, he slumped back over the long blade, watching his life flow from his body. No._Verik thought. _I can't let this end here. It won't end here. The thought appeared in his mind as if was just a normal fact. It wasn't a wish or a want. Verik knew for a fact that he wouldn't die tonight. This creature was not going to kill him.

Energy surged through him and his mind came back into focus. He reached down and grabbed the edge of the blade with both hands. The sharp metal cut into his fingers all the way to the bone. The pain was intense, but he pushed it away. He could not let pain stop him. He pulled with all his strength and the blade snapped in half. Quickly, spinning his body around the best he could, he swung down with the half of the blade at the exposed part of his tail. The blade went all the way through, as if it was passing through water.

The huge creature roared in pain as the tip of his tail was severed. That roar sounded the same as the one in his dream. Could it maybe be foretelling this event? There was no time to think about it. Verik pulled the remaining part of the blade from his body and held it up to attack the creature with, but his legs gave out and he collapsed on the ground. He had lost so much blood already, his strength was nearly gone.

The huge creature grabbed him and lifted him to eye level. "Is that all you got? I have to say, this conclusion is quite disappointing." He threw Verik hard, sending him tumbling painfully over the ground. Verik got his hands underneath him and began pushing himself up, but the creature leaps into the air and flew towards him fast. As he passed just over, he kicked out his leg, connecting with Verik's side. Multiple loud snaps and the intense pain, told him that several of his ribs were broken.

The creature lands on the ground a few feet away from him. "Who are you?" Verik asked weakly.

"My name is Erebos. Remember that name in your afterlife." His huge hand grabbed Verik's head, almost completely enveloping it. Before Verik could do anything to get away, Erebos threw his hand down, slamming Verik's face into the dirt. He pulled him back up and slammed him down again. After third time, he lifted him up and launched him away again.

When Verik came to a stop, his whole body felt like it was on fire. Probably almost every bone in his body was broken. The wound on his chest was still bleeding badly and his hands were just as bad. He would not be able to last much longer. He looked back at his friends. They were still in combat, but none of them on either sides were fallen. There were many bleeding claw wounds on their bodies and Verik knew that they would not last much longer either.

Erebos let out a deep evil laugh and started walking towards Verik again. Verik closed his eyes and reached deep inside himself, trying to access the power inside of him. He focused with all his strength and the outside world seemed to disappear. All the sounds of battle dissipated, the heavy footfalls of Erebos faded away.

"Vannah, help me." Verik prayed quickly. "I need your guidance." He opened his eyes and everything seemed clearer, as if a fog that was there was gone. Almost out of instinct, he held up his hand toward Erebos and he suddenly stopped moving, frozen in place. He thrust his other hand in the direction of the smaller creatures and lifted up, causing them to raise several feet in the air. They all were thrashing around, trying to break free from whatever was holding them!

Verik twitched his finger and at once, all of their heads, snapped to the side, their necks broken. That hand at Erebos in a throwing motion. All the claws on the dead creatures' hands ripped free and flew through the air like throwing knives toward Erebos. He got enough control over his body to throw his wing in the way. All the knives bounced off harmlessly against it.

The mark on Verik's chest started glowing brightly and he felt his body lift from the ground, floating around ten feet in the air. All of his blood that he lost lifted up with him from the dirt, the blade, Erebos's hand. It all came together and entered back into Verik's body through his chest and hands, closing the wounds behind it, not even leaving a scar.

Verik felt great! Power flowed through him, stronger than anything he'd felt so far. He couldn't restrain himself, he threw his head back and let out a loud howl into the sky. He didn't stop until he ran out of breath. He let himself drop back down the ground and landed on his feet.

Erebos was still frozen in place where he left him. Using his powers, he tossed him hard to the side, sending his body crashing into a thick tree. "Leave this place and never return!" Verik snarled at him. "If I ever see you or one of your kind, I will not hesitate to kill you on the spot!"

Erebos's brow furrowed in fury and hatred. "This isn't over! I will kill you eventually!" Then he took to the sky and flew away.

Verik grinned, "I'll look forward to it." He turned around and joined his packmates.

"Are you alright?" Keil asked him.

"Yeah, I'm perfectly fine! What about you guys?"

Nari huffed in playful indignation, "You think a few oversized lizards can kill a Wolfen? You insult us. These are only scratches. Nothing that a few days can't heal."

Keil nodded, "But what exactly happened back there? You were about to die."

"I was able to access my powers. Honestly, I didn't really have any idea what I was doing. It was mostly just instinct. The elders told me that you would be able to teach me how to use my abilities."

"Yes, I have a very small amount of abilities, but I do know how to master it. Once we get back, I can help guide you, but that's all I can give. Your power is beyond anything that I've seen, but I can help you to control your mind better, which is the most important part."

Syla, still lying on the ground where Keil dropped her, began to stir and sit up. "What's going on? What happened?" Seeing all the bodies of the creatures, she gasped and jumped to her feet.

Verik rushed to her side. "Don't worry, they're all dead." He looked her in the eyes. "What happened to you in there? We were fighting those things and then you kind of went crazy and started attacking me."

Syla's head dropped and she had a look of complete shame. "I'm sorry. There's something wrong with me. Every time I receive The Hunter's Might, the energy we get from a hunt, my mind can't take it. I can't stop attacking. I can't control myself. I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" She was on the verge of weeping.

"Hey, don't apologize! You couldn't control that. Besides, you didn't even land a hit." He chuckled.

Syla smiled, too. "Thank you. I love you so much!" She leaned into him and hugged him hard.

They stood there embracing each other for a few seconds when Syla suddenly backed away from him. "Verik!" She cried out and pointed at the sky.

Verik turned around and saw that in the sky, Erebos hovering there. Between his hands, a large purple sphere was forming. When it was almost as large as a wolfen, he released the sphere and it went flying straight for their position. Verik lifted up his hands and stopped in the air about twenty feet away. The sphere seemed to be made of some kind of liquid. He did not know what it would do, but he doubted it was anything other than deadly.

"I can't get rid of it!" Verik yelled out. "It's too strong, I won't be able to hold it off much longer. I need you all to leave. Get a safe distance from here!"

Keil shook his head, "We're not going to just abandon you to save our own tails!"

Verik growled at him. "Don't be foolish, Keil! There is nothing you can do to help me. If you don't leave, you could very well die for no reason. Now get out of here, NOW!"

Keil looked conflicted, Syla looked devastated, David just watched silently, and Nari held a look of admiration. "You are one of the bravest wolfen I've met." Nari told him. "Thank you." She turned to the others. "Come on, let's go!"

Everybody started heading into the forest, but David stayed where he was. "You go ahead. I have something that might help him."

"What are you talking about?" Verik asked shakily, his strength was running out. With every second that passed, the amount of energy and concentration required to keep this sphere still was increasing.

Without saying a word, David walked up to Verik and knelt down. He slipped a large ring onto his finger and then pressed it hard against the ground. Suddenly a transparent dome appeared around the both of them. "This has not been tested, so I don't know how well it works, but it was designed with great care by the elders."

Keil, Nari, and Syla silently turned and rushed into the forest and were out of sight.

"I can't hold it much longer. Are you ready?" Verik was now trembling all over and sweat dripped down his face.

"I am."

Verik tried to read him, to know what he was feeling, there was nothing to give him any hints. He knew that he was filled with sorrow and anger, based on his brief emotional slips, but he was a master at hiding his emotions.

The sphere finally became too much to hold and he fell to the floor. The purple sphere rushed toward them at blinding speeds and exploded into a black cloud. Exhaustion took over and Verik passed out.

/. /. /.

Verik woke up to something stroking the fur on his head. He opened his eyes to see Syla staring down at him. He pushed himself to a sitting position. "How long was I out? What happened?"

"Only for a few minutes. We saw black cloud appear around you. Once it cleared, we came back. David seems a bit weak. How are you?"

"Tired." That's all he said. After everything that happened that day, he just wanted to curl up in some long grass and rest forever. Around Verik, Nari was standing alertly, scanning the skies for any of those creatures. Keil was with David, helping him get up.

Forcing himself to his feet, he trudged over to David. "Thank you for helping out back there. You may have saved my life."

David, without showing any emotion just nodded. "I was just doing what needed to be done. If you are the only one that can stop this evil, than I must do what I can to help. I don't have the sight that the elders had, but I do know that the fight is not over. Far from it, actually." His eyes suddenly went wide and he looked back toward the fortress.

Verik spun around, expecting to see Erebos or his smaller minions, but there was nothing there. "What is it?" He asked David.

"It's Karthan! He's alive!" He suddenly broke away from Keil and started sprinting away.

Everyone else followed close behind him back into the fortress.

To Be Continued...