Nahimena stopped in the woods. He sat on a fallen tree trunk. “Julian, Jack,
we have only an hour, two at the most, before dawn approaches. Once that
happens, they will turn into men and flee. We’ll never find them. They’ve
gathered at the castle, except Phelan. He’s much to smart to go there. We
need to attack the castle and kill them as I instructed you earlier. This is
a dangerous task and I will understand if you choose to go back to the
croft.”
“Not me. I’m with you, Nahimena. These creatures tried to harm those that I
love. I’ve had enough of this trickery and wretchedness from Phelan and his
cohorts,” Julian said.
“I agree with Julian. We’ll do this together,” Jack said.
“Do either of you know a way into the castle that we can enter without being
detected?” Nahimena stood.
“Yes. There’s a cave that leads into the underground part of the castle. We
have to go near the loch and then inside the cave. Follow me.” Jack walked
ahead of the other two. “Here we are.”
The wizard and men crept through the tunnel. When it opened up, they were
inside the castle, far down below the werewolves.
“We have to go up the stairs. I’m sure they’re all in the main room. Have
spears and knives ready. They’ll split up and run when they see us,” Jack
warned. He saw them first. “The pack is together, lying on the floor.
Werewolves have a keen sense of smell. Try not to sweat. If we’re quiet we
can pick them off one at a time.”
“I think you should stay here, Nahimena. You can keep watch and warn us if
one of them stirs. Can you use some sort of paralyzing spell on them so they
can’t move?” Julian put his knife under his belt.
“What a brilliant suggestion!” With the wave of his hands, a line of black
and silver sparks flowed from his fingers, wrapping itself around each of
the werewolves. “Eighteen of them. Go! The spell will only last about
fifteen minutes. Pierce their hearts and once they’re dead, I’ll come behind
you and decapitate them. We’ll cremate them when the job is done.” Nahimena
concentrated on keeping the flow going while Julian and Jack moved towards
the beasts.
Though they were paralyzed, each werewolf was awake. Roars, snarls and
gnashing of teeth burst from their mouths moments before the spears pierced
their hearts. One by one they perished. Growler was last. Jack stood over
him. The sparks popped and snapped around the creature’s arms and legs. He
raised his spear and as he did so, the spell ended. Jack stepped backwards.
Growler looked at his fallen pack. He saw their blood spurting from their
hairy bodies before running into puddles across the stone floor. In a rage
he roared. His mouth opened wide, exposing his flesh-coated fangs. His
purple tongue was covered in blistery bumps. He raised his arms and popped
his claws out.
Jack stood frozen, too afraid to move. Julian hid in an alcove to watch.
“Run, Jack. Run!”
Growler ran around the room, examining each of the other werewolves,
checking for signs of life. None lived. The seventeen creatures, lifeless
and inert, filled the room with a death stench. The one living animal stood
on his back legs. With his arms out in front of his chest he stalked toward
Jack.
Jack held the silver-tipped spear to his side, moving it up as the werewolf
approached. The roars made him cringe with fear. Growler was at least twice
as high as Jack and much more muscular. When he came within striking
distance, Growler stopped. He let out a thundering roar. Jack’s hair flew
out behind him. He held the spear, ready to plunge it into Growler’s chest.
Growler raised his paw and knocked the spear from Jack’s hands. It clanked
on the floor and rolled across the room. Jack’s gaze wandered from the spear
to the werewolf, who stared into Jack’s eyes.
About to leap at his throat, Growler felt something pierce his body from
behind. He glanced down at the silver-tipped spear jutting through his
chest. Surprised and caught unaware, Growler turned to see Julian standing
behind him. The werewolf’s blood spattered on Julian’s face and arms.
Growler tried to roar, but his heart and a lung was punctured. He gasped for
breath, clutched his chest and fell to the ground. His face landed on top of
Jack’s shoes.
Nahimena walked over to the men. “We must cut off their heads and burn them
before dawn.” He pointed outside. The sky was getting lighter every second.
Jack and Julian, though they found it repulsive, cut off each and every head
and carried them to a pile outside the door. Nahimena shot a stream of
lightning gold sparks. The werewolf’s fur caught on fire and burst into
flames.
“Quickly now, bring the rest of their bodies over.” Nahimena observed as the
two men stumbled through pools of blood, dragging the headless bodies over
to the fire. Flames shot high into the sky. Smoke swirled and danced upward,
heading for the full moon as it moved across the heavens and readied itself
to sleep for the day.
The first rays of sunrise burst over the horizon. Jack and Julian stood at
the loch washing the blood off their faces, arms and clothes.
Phelan stopped running. He turned towards the castle and saw the flames and
smoke. He let out a mournful howl.
“It’s Phelan. There’s no more we can do or need to do here. Let’s find him
and end this once and for all.” Nahimena opened a path in the loch and they
walked across the muddy bottom. When they reached the other side, the walls
of water crashed down and the loch once again stood still and silent.
Phelan bounded through the woods. He picked up the scent of the men chasing
him. Knowing the wolf would soon die, he leaped out of its body into a crow
that flew past carrying a rat in its beak.
The wolf, free of its evil occupant, no longer posed a threat. When Nahimena,
Jack and Julian trapped the animal in a cave, the wizard stopped them from
killing it. “Phelan is gone. He no longer occupies this body.” The wolf ran
off, not realizing how close it came to tasting death. They went back to
Mairi’s. |