There, before me, was the head of the beast of legend; his head, from beneath the earth. But none of this made sense. The creature was dead? Was ‘death’s amulet’ the head of loup-garou? My arm was hurt badly and the effects of the water were beginning to ware off; for this short time though, I was able to focus my strength and use my powers. It was then I heard cries, pleading for help. They were coming from the White Rock, and it was Ababa’s mind sending them! I rushed out of the hole forgetting the severed head, reaching and climbing with what strength I had. I reached the top. But now I was sure things were not as they seemed; and standing before me, unless my eyes deceived, was my friend Ababa. He was alright.
“What are you doing here?” I asked.
“I was waiting for you. Did you find it, did you retrieve the head?” Ababa was too calm, something wasn’t right.
“It’s in the hole. Where did you go?” I protested.
“I was stretching my legs. Go back and get the amulet.”
I broke my promise. I entered Ababa’s mind to understand the mysteries set before me. And what a discovery I made.
“You’re not Ababa.” My scream echoed the trees. The impersonator merely laughed.
“The question you should be asking yourself is when did I assume his form?” He paused. “I own Addis. Nothing happens without my knowing. And so, on the first night you came to town, you demanded money from me while I waited for a drug dealing scumbag to be released. I was his brother, or least, he thought I was, until I devoured him. You controlled my actions for a moment. I knew you were special, just like me. That night I became Ababa. It was I who gave you the diary. I wanted you to go exactly where you have gone.”
I responded with a trick of my own, “You’re more clever than I thought, Alastor?”
He became furious, “No man knows my thoughts! Not even God has such a privilege. Alastor is dead, along with his monster loup-garou; it is I, who master the Lycans, not that mindless monster.”
“Care to share how the story really ends?” I offered.
“Before I killed the beast with my sword, he tore apart my chest. I had lost a lot of blood, and I was near death. I sent my Suri home to safety, and followed the dying beast into the forest. I found him prostrate on the ground, unable to move, but that was more my doing than his. You see, I realised on my 24 birthday, that I had a great power. loup-garou surprised me, he was quick to strike. After cutting the beasts head from his neck, I lay next to it, starring into those red eyes, the eyes of death. I heard a voice, not Suri, not my own, but the voice of the dead creatures spirit, he offered me a way out, to cheat death.”
“So you became the monster you killed.” I retorted.
“It was too seductive to refuse. Starring into those eyes was like looking into the universe itself.” He wasn’t telling me everything.
“I thought ‘love is best’?”
The sword that killed garou was pure silver. And touching the head of loup-garou, for Alastor, was like dipping his hand in acid. He and I were the same, our powers the same, but I knew I could not beat him. I went back down into the pit to find the head and bring it to him, hoping that maybe he’d spare me or that I’d find time to make a plan. I tried to pretend my life didn’t matter to me, but he only proceeded to threaten Ababa’s wife and daughter. I couldn’t bare the thought of him killing an innocent child. I offered him the amulet, but he retracted.
“Remove the sword tip, and you will be sparred.” He muttered.
I did so, and threw the piece to the ground. I understood my lot. I had already lost enough blood to be dead; the stream water was the only thing sustaining me. I offered him the Head of loup-garou, and fell to my knees. He threw it to the ground, and in a single moment, the head mysteriously burst into flames. His eyes were void of any human sense now; living like an animal in the forest for the last century had made him barbaric, and he had forgotten his humanity. He now walked over to me, and reaching down with his hand, I noticed Ababa was no longer standing before me, but in his place, a creature, large as a bear, but up-right standing like a man. He pulled me to my feet. He said no words. But his mind touched mine; he had lied, he was going to kill me. With a huge thrust he stabbed me with his hand, breaking threw my ribs, coming close to my heart. He screamed aloud with an inhuman cry as if he were hurt. He fell to the ground before me, and I collapsed. Blood was now flowing from my chest as well as my shoulder. I was done. But Alastor was also hurt. He had stabbed into the flask in my coat breast pocket. It was silver. He grabbed me.
“You’re smarter than you seem.” He told me.
“No, I’m just lucky.” As I said this, I saw George standing but five feet from me, his jaw dropped, and the gun in his hand was shaking. The soldiers too were dismayed to behold the true form of the fabled creature. They began shooting.
Alastor was repelled by the bullets, but not killed. After the first fire-burst was over, he rose to his feet, leaping forward like a jaguar, he mauled the first soldier. He wasted no time moving to the next. He had now killed two men in a matter of seconds, the remaining two continued firing. I couldn’t help but laugh; “you should have stayed by the path George.” I reached my hand out, trying to drag myself away. Useless. My hand felt around a smooth sharp object, “the Sword tip!” I held it so tightly in my hand, blood dripped from my fingers. The mangled flask was in view, I brought myself to it too, while Alastor had moved on to George now, ripping the man’s face off him; the cries were horrible. Alastor ripped George’s heart straight from his chest, and ingested it before my eyes.
He turned on me. I raised my arm to guard my face, but he bit my hand. I swung my other arm around with great speed, jamming the flask into his throat. Alastor fell on his back, convulsing and chocking. He was now in such great pain; suffering dozens of bullet wounds, an injured hand, and a throat burned out from my silver flask. It was just enough to weaken his power over me. But I could feel the world fading away, as the air became stale, and my body cold. I dragged myself over to the beast, and considered for a moment how the hero of Addis was now the one terrorizing it. What sorrowful tale. Gaining the upper hand, he was no match for my power. I entered his mind, and paralyzed his limbs. He spoke his final words before feeling death’s sting, and those words will forever follow me, “love is best,” he said. And with that, the swift thrust of the silver blade cut his head from his body. It was finished. He was dead, and I was to follow him shortly. I heard a voice, like a whisper on the wind, commanding my will to chose the take the power of the loup-garou. I rolled over and reaching through the creature’s neck, and with what strength I had left, ripped out the heart. Lying there, with Alastor’s still beating heart in my hand, I understood what he meant; it was seductive. The power flowed from it, like blood from veins, and I had to make the ultimate decision. Die now or live forever. I’m no monster;
“Die loup-garou, forever.” I stabbed the silver blade into the heart.
The world became dark now, and I fell into a quiet sleep. Such peace surrounded me. I closed my eyes, and took in my last breath. I died.
With sudden magnificence, I was witness to a dramatic display of power. I remained in the forest, but my body was no long on the ground beside the crater; instead I had somehow been transported to the Great White Rock. As if an earth quake had shaked the foundations of the earth; so the Rock shock violently, breaking down its centre, like an egg hatching new birth. With it, great light shone all around. “Was this heaven?” I wondered. From the Rock’s shell emerged a whole host of creatures, some humanoid, others looking like ordinary people. They walked about, as if discovering freedom for the first time. Then I saw Ababa; he rushed over to where I lay, and putting his hand on my wound, called out in a loud voice, “Here, I’ve found him, the one responsible for all this!” I thought for sure I was in trouble. But I couldn’t be more wrong. Now standing next to Ababa was a tall man, with shining blonde hair, and a large scar across his eye, he stooped down to me.
“It seems like we owe you a debt of gratitude.” He chuckled pleasantly. And standing back to his feet he continued announcing to all.
“This is he! The man we’ve waited for all these years.” And turning back to me, “Ryan, standing before you are the souls of those trapped by loup-garou; for over three thousand years, he has collected victims, some powerful, others ordinary, keeping us imprisoned here, in the White Rock. But no matter, you have saved us all, and for the first time in history, someone has resisted the tempting power of loup-garou, and one better, you destroyed him.”
“I don’t understand. I’m dead.” I reiterated.
“Yes. Indeed you are. But your journey does not end here; it cannot. You have proven yourself worthy of ‘the blessing of the gods.’”
I hadn’t a clue what this meant, only to know that my wounds were healed. I stood to my feet, and in gratefulness, thanked them all. What an assortment of beings. Centaurs, mortal men and women, mages, and yes, even gods; all were victim of deceit. They started their journey home, slowly heading towards the middle of the forest. I wanted to follow, but I felt a great purpose in my remaining. I was commissioned for a greater good; I was a real hero. You’d think that I would feel excited and confident, but I was every bit as confused as when I first set out on this journey.
I called out to the man with the scar, “What now? What am I supposed to do?”
He turned his head back, “I don’t know really. Go home. I can assure you, things won’t be the same.”
“And my power?” I was concerned. “What about that?”
“I’m afraid that’s gone forever. You died Ryan. You’ve been given a new gift, a new name, and a new purpose.”
“Who am I?” I posed to the stranger; the question all mortals ask of their divine masters.
“I was hopping you’d name yourself after me. You deserve a hero’s name, because you did what I could not. See you around kid.”
“Alastor?” I returned.
And with his words, he was gone, along with the great host. I stood there, with a baffled look on my face. Ababa put his hand on my shoulder; he smiled and told me, “Welcome to the Heart of Africa, this is where it all begins.” I smiled back, for my second home would always be Addis and Africa. I remembered Ababa, and wrote him often after I left. I returned home after only being in Africa a few days. Few would ever know the details of my journey, and only in the days to come would I understand what the blessing of the gods was, and discover my new Power!
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