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Lykos Redemption

\\\Act 2//////////

Ch. 3: La Tempête Approche

Coulter DarkClaw

"Wake up, brother!!!!" yelled Melaeneus through the pous*-thick magical barrier. Then chuckled as Nyctimus flinched awake. "Sleep well?"

"Good Morning to you, too, Mel. I did indeed, until someone so rudely woke me from my slumber." Nyctimus replied pointedly, a little grogginess in his voice. He turned his head upon hearing the sound of knuckles wrapping against a surface. He realized that the barrier had lasted even through his slumber.

"Could we, possibly get out now, Nyk?"

In reply, Nyctimus stood and grabbed his Shepherd's Crook. He tapped it once upon the ground. The barrier dispelled. He watched his brothers exit the clearing and begin walking toward their home. He noticed some of them were in the nude. As they exited he also counted them, just to ensure that nobody had been left behind.

As he counted, Demeas walked by him. He looked into Demeas' eyes. He looked in them and noticed the slightest glint of malice. He had to do a double take. He couldn't believe that Demeas may be reverting to his old ways. "Demeas, you are to stay behind with me. The rest may go on to the house. Demi and I have some things to discuss."

Demeas merely grunted before reversing his direction and taking the few steps to stand by his youngest brother. The others headed to the house as was asked of them. Nyctimus waited until the last one was out of human earshot and then asked, "Do you bear ill will toward one of our brothers? Answer me with the truth, and you may go."

Demeas eyed Nyk with an air of impatience about him before sighing and saying, "Mel. He should not be alpha. He is too kind-hearted."

"Ah, I see. And you think that you would be a better alpha?"

"Yes."

Nyctimus looked all but disappointed in his brother, "You challenged him, did you not?"

"I did..."

"You lost..."

"I did."

"Then I will hear no more of this. Melaeneus has proven his right to lead the pack to you. You just want not to concede that he may be a better leader of our brothers than you ever were," Nyctimus answered matter-of-factly. Then he sighed, "Look Demi. You are still on thin ice with the gods. I am not sure you in charge is a good idea. Prove to us that you have changed who you are and maybe then I will allow another challenge."

"No, brother--" Demi tried to argue.

He was stopped when Nyctimus held up a single finger and slammed down the Shepherd's Crook. "No, you. Brother, you tread upon dangerous ground. Drop this from your mind." With that, Nyctimus turned toward the house and started walking away. Demeas flinched every time he heard the Crook clack against the ground.

***

With his twenty-six brothers gathered around him in the main room of their humble home, Nyctimus held up a wooden cup filled with wine. He looked upon his brothers with pride and mirth. "How fitting it is that I stand here today with all of you. Our father condemned us to damnation with his cruel upbringing and Zeus exacted that punishment. And I stand here the mechanism of our redemption, or rather that is what I hope to be. The wolves you once were are still a part of you. But you should not let them define you." At this Nyctimus paused and looked around the room for effect. "Understand that no matter what happens, I love you all. I am your brother and nothing that the Twelve can do can change that. Cheers!"

And cheer they did. They drank their wine and made merry. Nyctimus left the party midway through when Apollo made an appearance. "Love, come with me. It is important. A prophecy has come to me..." Apollo asked of Nyk.

Nyctimus looked at his love, his god, with concern. He followed Apollo out of the house to the pavilion. Once at the pavilion Nyctimus asked "What is wrong, love?"

"The prophecy I gave to you at the beginning of this journey, it came to me again. Last night. With more than before:

Thirteen dead,

Darkened skin bled.

The youngest fled

A reunion of brothers

All else this love smothers

Wolves and man in one.

Two leaders rise,

To meet in battle

Under dark skies.

A mournful howl hurled

To be heard throughout the world

As Hades threat

Takes their last breath.

Now Fifteen in Hades meet

And there they soak their feet

Wolves who haven't bled,

To ruin or glory are led."

Nyctimus looked at Apollo, mouth agape. "This, This was your prophecy? Why did it not come to you in this way before?"

"Ah, if I had all the answers, my love, I would be mightier than my father. I may be the god of prophecy, Nyk but that means not that I know the way in which it works. Not even Chaos himself can tell you that."

"What does it mean? I mean, we know who has died already. Thirteen of my brothers are indeed dead. And according to this two more will join them. I do not wish to see any more of my kin buried."

"My love, there is nothing that I am able to do. No matter how hard we try, we cannot veer from the paths the fates have determined for us."

"I know, love. It is just hard to accept that I will lose more of my family and only have a chance of a happy ending to our story."

With this they headed back inside to return to enjoying the evening as best they could with their spirits dampened.

***

Perseus looked upon the city in something akin to utter contempt, though that did not quite cover how he felt about the city. He looked around to the many hills and mountainsides upon which the city was built. It had been a while since last he set eyes upon this cesspool of civilization, and as he'd predicted little about the city had changed. Though, he did notice that upon one of the hills opposite the acropolis was a new, wooden building that from his estimates looked to have been finished within the last year and a half. He wondered then who lived there and who among them had built the humble hovel.

*I wonder if the rumors I have heard were true. Is there indeed a family of demons here masquerading as humans? I intend to find them and kill them if they do.*With that thought in mind, Perseus set upon his way to inquire about the whereabouts of these so-called 'demons of the night' and find them.

As Perseus faded into the distance the spot upon which he first laid eyes upon Athens played host to yet another foreigner. Though this one hailed not from any earthly origin. "It is not without regret that I send him, my son, but he must learn what it is to which he swore himself." The foreigner said to no one in particular. He had dressed simply in a silken, dark grey chiton** held up by a brooch in the shape of a lightning bolt. He had gold laurels upon his crown and definitely carried himself with an air of regality. Yes Zeus sat there watching as Perseus strode toward his son's lover's home. He'd apologize for it later, but for now he'd just observe.

***

Demeas walked up to a guard and without warning transformed and bit the man. Then walked away. He walked down the street a little and found a woman in her mid-thirties and strode up to her and grasped her wrist. "It is not wise for a woman to be out on her own so late. May I be of service in helping you home?" He asked putting on his gentleman act in a bid to gain her trust.

She gave him a weary look. Sighed heavily, and said angrily and with much vigor, "Hades take you, you royal, rapist brat! I am not in the least bit surprised that you remember me not. After all you never looked upon my face. But I knew by whom I was raped. You filthy, bottom-dwelling lout, leave me before I call upon the guards."

Demeas' anger flared and with it he changed. His skin darkened to an almost midnight black before his nose upturned itself and his mouth and his nose both pushed out from his face. His canines lengthened, his tongue flattened and he grew a pair of mutton chops. The tips of his ears grew into points and his eyes turned a brilliant, red-tinged amber. "I will not be belittled by a peasant bitch. I am still a leader and I am still above you. Unfortunately, for you I am in need of more followers and you just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time." He parted his jaws and brought the woman's arm which he still held in his talon-like hands to his mouth. He slammed down his jaws and crushed her bones. He walked away and transformed back into his human form.

As he left, he heard the moaning from the two whom he had bitten and chuckled to himself. They'd know of what he'd done to them soon enough. He'd figured this little trick out in part due to the help of the goddess of revenge, Nemesis. And the rest had been patient experimentation and observation.

In part he was glad that what his family had was contagious. It meant that their kind would carry on long after even Nyctimus had died. Possibly long after the fall of Greece. Though, he tended not to think that far ahead. Unless it was he who did the bringing down. He noticed that when he bit someone that it took only hours for the bite to completely heal itself without scarring. He guessed that eventually they'd get angry enough that the wolf would show itself. So he kept constant observation over the twenty or so that he had bitten so far; he didn't want them to attract attention to themselves before his plan came to fruition. And he did indeed have a plan.

~~~

*1 pous=12.13"=308.2mm

**Chiton=Grecian tunic