This chapter is dedicated to @tink32798 who is celebrating her birthday ;)
****
“Some people don't understand the promises they're making when they make them," I said.
"Right, of course. But you keep the promise anyway. That's what love is. Love is keeping the promise anyway.”
― John Green, The Fault in Our Stars
TEMPLAR P.O.V
Once we reached the docks, Rett hired a white speedboat that he told would take us to Rómvos, the island, he told me, was just forty minutes away.
Jan and Terence had accompanied us. The pack has collaborated with FireLight Pack earlier in the morning and Myron and Keith assured me that they would take care of everything. I trusted them and I knew my pack was safe.
We did not know what Adio wanted but Rett had given him his word and now it was time to live up to it. There was no other option. Adio had helped me a lot and I owed this to him. I did not know what he wanted, couldn’t even think of anything. He was such a silent man and he always had a poker face.
After Rett told me of Adio’s call, we informed the whole pack, booked a flight ticket and now, here we are.
When we were all in the boat, Terence started driving it.
Lowering my head, I looked at the water and smiled whenever the salt water would splash on my face.
“Tem look, that’s the island” Jan said excitedly pointing ahead and I followed her gaze to see the island with tall green trees and big, rocky Mountains. It was a very beautiful view to watch from far ahead and I was mesmerized by it.
“Can you see those tall pillars?” Rett asked me and I nodded. “That’s right in front of their temple.”
“Oh”
My heart beat increased erratically in my chest as we approached closer to the island. I closed my eyes and offered a silent prayer to the Goddess hoping, she would help us in this too.
Terence stopped the boat and I got down along with Jan. While Rett and Terence secured the boat to a jetty, I looked ahead at the continuous rows of trees. Nothing past those thick trees was visible to me. Sighing, I spun to ask Rett where we had to go from here.
“Templar” I heard a familiar voice calling from behind me and I smiled as I saw Tarik approaching towards us with a group, who I suppose were his friends. Just like Tarik, the other boys too had no hair in their head.
Tarik wrapped his arms around me, “Welcome to Rómvos.”
Pulling away, he shook hands with Rett and Terence. “Come on, this way” he told us and we followed after him.
I gasped as I saw their house which was like a palace. But then again, Adio was a billionaire. He owned gold mines, of course he is rich!
As soon as I climbed out of the car, I saw a woman in her late-thirties approaching us. She was wearing a simple floor length gown and she had jet black curly hair. Just like Tarik, her eyes were also gold.
“Mr. Green” she smiled as she saw Rett and shook his hands. When she saw me, she gasped and smiled widely, “The White Wolf if I am not mistaken” she said and nervously, I nodded. “I’m honored to meet you” she said sincerely.
“Same here” I whispered because I did not know what else to say.
“My name is Dalila and I am Adio’s wife” she introduced herself.
“Templar” I told her.
“Come on in” she told us.
The rest thirty minutes, I was in their house, talking to Dalila, her children, who by the way were all elder than me even though they looked like six year olds.
“Where is Adio?” I asked curiously because I had not seen him since I arrived here.
“Baba is meditating” Sabah, the eldest daughter of Adio replied.
“Where?”
“Top of a hill” Rett answered.
“Can I go there?” I wanted to see. The room fell silent after I spoke my wish. “If you don’t mind that is” I told Dalila, who was staring at me with wide eyes.
“Uh… yes, please go if you want to” she told me and I smiled in gratitude.
I went with Rett there after dropping our bags in the guest house, which again was superb. Tarik had accompanied us to show us the way.
We came to a halt at the bottom of a hill. There were stairs in between the rocks that led to the top of the hill where Adio was meditating. My eyes widened in surprise when I saw Adio, who just like me was sitting in a Lotus position while meditating. He had a gold ring around him which was protecting his body while his soul left his body.
There was this sudden unforeseen urge in me to go up and meet Adio. So without any hesitation, I pulled my hand form Rett’s and started making my way to the stairs.
“Baba does not like to be disturbed” Tarik remarked from behind when I climbed the first stair.
“I will not disturb him” I told without looking at him.
Slowly, I climbed one stair after the other to reach the top of the hill. It was almost five in the afternoon and the sun was slowly descending in the sky.
While I reached the top stair, Adio was still meditating. I am sure he doesn’t like to be disturbed but I had a feeling I would get to know more about Adio and what he wants if I step closer.
Nervously licking my lower lip, I took a step ahead and another and another, until was finally mere inches from the ring that surrounded Adio’s body. Closing my eyes, I took that final step.
I was standing over a cloud. At least I think it’s a cloud because the floor wasn’t visible to me. As I looked up, I spotted Adio. He was standing alone and talking to someone… who? I could not see. He was clad in a white robe with a gold belt around his hips.
Their conversation was not audible to me, plus I could not see who Adio was talking with and so, I walked closer to hear as well as see clearly. I gently raised the skirt of my white dress up to my ankles so that I could walk a little faster.
“Let go of this attachment because it is a sin” I heard an unfamiliar rich deep male voice saying to Adio. As soon as I heard it, I stopped in my tracks. “For the welfare of your kind, you have to let go of this attachment. He is a sinner and he deserves to be punished. Time and again, he was forgiven and given a second chance, but yet he never made us of it” the voice continued.
I suspected the voice belonged to Adio’s deity- the Sun God, but I couldn’t see him and I did not know why. I also suspected that whatever Adio wants from us is related to the ‘he’ the Sun God was talking about.
“You should not hesitate now. In a fight between good and bad, you should always support good even if it means standing against your own son” the God said and I gulped.
Is the ‘he’ here a son? Tarik? Or does Adio have any other son elder than Tarik?
“A true chief of the tribe is the one who puts the welfare of others before his own one and I want you to do that my son” the God told Adio. It felt like in some way the Sun God was also advising me on what to do and what not to.
“I understand father” I heard Adio saying. “I will put the welfare of my tribe first and I will challenge my own brother for a fair fight.”
My eyes flew open and gasping, I took a step back.
A jolt of electricity spread over my body and I fell flat on my back, just by the force.
His brother? Adio wants to challenge his own brother for a fight? From what the God said, it was clear that his brother is a sinner and he deserves to be punished.
I knew there was more to this story than what I just heard. I looked at Adio, who was meditating. Gulping, I stood up and started descending the stairs.
Rett was waiting for me and when he saw me, he let out a breath and then striding closer, he wrapped his arms around me.
“You were there for a long time” he murmured.
‘I know what Adio wants’ I told him through the link and slowly, he pulled back with furrowed brows. ‘He is going to challenge his brother and maybe he wants us to help in a fight against his brother’ I continued.
‘How do you know?’ he asked and I told him. ‘If that’s what he wants, then we will help him’ Rett said and I nodded in agreement.
It was just few minutes before dinner that we were called to Adio’s house. Surprisingly, only his wife, Tarik and his eldest daughter were at home. When asked, Adio told me that his younger children had gone to a neighbor’s place.
“I hope I did not create any problem when I called you so urgently here” Adio said after welcoming us.
“No. You did not” Rett replied.
“So everything is fine in your pack?” Adio asked me and I nodded. “That’s good” he said and then took a deep breath, “I know Templar must have already told you that I want to challenge my brother for a fight” he said looking at us and we nodded. “It is true” he confirmed, his eyes turning a shade darker in gold.
“So you want our pack wolves to help you when you declare a war against him?” Terence asked curiously.
“We do not fight like you werewolves do Mr. Wayne” Dalila told Terence.
“Meaning?” I probed.
“Not in a group. If I challenge anyone, I will personally have a physical fight with the person or someone whom I choose and who is willing, will fight that person. It is always a one-on-one fight in our tribe” Adio supplied.
“Uh… so you are going to challenge your brother. What’s his name by the way?”
“Nassor”
“Okay. So you want any one of us to fight against Nassor?” I asked and Adio nodded. “But-”
Adio held up his hands in a gesture asking me to stop talking. I complied.
“Let me tell you a story Templar” he began. “Because I was a bad chief of my tribe, Patricia cursed me and hence after losing all my powers and knowing that I am unfit to be their chief, I asked my brother, Nassor, to take my place. I told him to be everything I am not. By saying so, I meant him to be someone better than me, but he turned out to be worse than me. The power of his position got to him and then he started terrorizing my tribe. Nasoor killed children and called it sacrifice. He had our temples destroyed and he started challenging neighboring tribal leaders. He defeated the other chiefs through deceitful ways and took over their lands. He earned more and more money, but he never gave it to those who need them. My people were so tired by his tyrant rule and unified; they came to a decision to call me back.”
“You refused?” Rett asked and Adio nodded. There was unconcealed guilt in his gold eyes.
“Thirty years ago, my uncle and my friend, approached me and asked me to take my position back. I refused. I did so because I still felt I did not deserve the title. I told them so and in return my uncle just asked me one thing- that I come and see for myself how my people are living. Thinking there is no harm in that, I agreed and I went to my native place” Adio stopped talking, closed his eyes, took a deep breath and then continued, “The land had turn barren. My own people lived like destitute. They had no money to even escape from the tyrant. I was hurt and I confronted Nassor. He pretended not to recognize me at first and then he had me thrown away from what once happened to be my own land. Enraged by his behavior, I challenged him. Unfortunately, my brother has obtained a boon from the devil himself. He could not be killed by a mystic, a human or an animal.”
“That’s where we come… werewolves. Part humans, part animals” I said with a smirk. “So you need one of us to help you.”
“You are not like us. You are neither complete human nor are you complete animals” Adio said. “Only a werewolf can kill Nassor. But there is one slight problem” Adio added and I blinked. “We need a mystic too”
“But how can that happen? You said only one-to-one fight is allowed in your tribe” Jan spoke out just what was going on in my mind.
“That is the problem. My uncle can be killed by someone who is the combination of all three. A mystic, a human and werewolf” Tarik informed.
“How is that possible?” I asked totally confused.
“It is possible” Adio said looking me in the eye and my heart started thudding in my chest. Why do I get the feeling that I am not going to like what he is going to say?
“How?” my voice was barely audible.
“My spirit enters a werewolf’s body” Adio said and I inhaled sharply and so did the others.
“Your spirit?”
“A werewolf’s body”
Rett and I whispered at the same time.
“Oh dear Goddess!” I gulped. I never could have guessed that this is what Adio wanted.
“But you are not dead” Jan pointed. All the mystics present in the room tensed after they heard her, but Adio laughed. I frowned not comprehending what was so funny about it.
“So I am not” Adio said with a smile.
“Then? How can that happen?” Terence questioned.
“B-but what about the werewolf whose body you choose?” I stuttered at the same time.
“The vessel you mean” Dalila said and we nodded.
“Who is going to be the vessel?” I asked Adio. My heart pounded in my chest and my wolf stood up, curious as well as afraid to hear who the werewolf chosen by Adio is.
“The one who had asked for my help” Adio replied calmly. I sucked in a stark breath of despair as my wolf craned her neck and howled in anguish.
No! Not Everett.
“Me” Everett stated looking at Adio.
My eyes welled up with tears and swallowing audibly, I looked at Rett, whose pacific blue eyes were focused on Adio.
“I want you to be my vessel Mr. Green. This is my fee for helping your mate get back her wolf” Adio specified without taking his eyes off Rett.
“No” I shouted shaking my head. “Don’t do this” I told Rett. I felt a cold tremor run down my marrow as I held Rett’s arm and shook my head. Rett smiled softly at me and wrapped his arms around my waist.
“You have given me your word Mr. Green” Adio reminded Rett. I growled not appreciating what he was asking for, with my mate. Adio narrowed his eyes when I did that.
“So I have” Rett said and I shook my head repeatedly.
“Why do you want him as your vessel?” Terence asked with a frown.
“He was the one who came to ask my help. If it had been you, I would have picked you” Adio replied flatly.
“A promise is a promise” Rett told me and I whined softly.
“Is there anything more you have to say?” Jan asked Adio. I spun to look at him.
Adio nodded and clenching my fists, I growled murderously at him. “When Nassor fights with Everett, he will be injured” Adio said and I paled. “If Everett’s body isn’t ready to take more, then I will be forced to remove myself” Adio continued in a deathly calm voice.
“You mean, if I am almost on the verge of dying?” Rett asked amused and I gasped audibly. Catching a fistful of Rett’s dark green shirt, I gritted my teeth.
“I will assure that you do not get hurt Everett” Adio swore.
“But it is still dangerous” I shouted in fury. “Your brother is a mystic and we are werewolves. Our strengths are different” I growled. My wolf scratched inside me, wanting to be let out.
“Lower your voice Templar” Adio said lethally glaring at me. I growled louder than the last time and his golden eyes turned a shade darker.
“I am not going to let you hurt my mate” I snapped in rage. “He is not some sacrificial lamb” I bellowed.
“The first sacrificial lamb will be Adio himself” Dalila said in a soft, painful voice and as I looked at her, I found her crying. I stiffened when I saw it.
“How so?” Jan demanded.
“His spirit is willfully letting go of his own body and entering someone else’s. If your mate loses in the fight, then Adio might split himself from Rett’s body, but he will not be able to enter his own body” I frowned in bewilderment.
“What are you saying?” Rett asked shocked.
“He has to slit his wrists” Dalila sobbed and lowered her head. Sabah wrapped an arm around her mother’s shoulder, but she too was crying.
My wolf slowly started to retreat after hearing Dalila’s words.
Adio sighed and stepped closer to his wife, who immediately wrapped her arms around his neck and cried her heart out.
I took a step back as I remembered Drew whose spirit had entered my body. He had consumed poison and killed himself. Only then he was able to enter my body.
Adio has to do the same. Kill himself. Cut his nerves… Holy Goddess!
“He has to die for this” I whispered.
“No” Adio said and I looked up startled.
“There are a few differences between me and the other mystics, just like there is a difference between a white wolf and the other wolves” Adio began and I blinked. “As a son of our deity means that I can communicate with the beings of all the three worlds. Heaven, Earth and Hell.”
“What about others?” Rett asked looking at Tarik.
“Just the earth and hell. We send the evil spirits to hell but we cannot bring those spirits that have attained peace back to earth” Tarik replied.
“Like Patricia” Rett said and Adio nodded. “Only you were capable of bringing Patricia’s spirit to help us” Adio nodded again.
My head hurt due to jumbled information overload. Shaking my head, I looked at Adio, “Explain from the start”
“I have to slit my nerves at first. When I will be on the verge of dying, my spirit willfully steps out of my body. But it will go to hell because committing suicide is a sin. That is when; I as well as my family will use our powers” he spoke as if he was talking about the weather.
“We do not let Baba’s spirit go to hell” Tarik said determinedly.
“My spirit does not go to heaven either. So I choose Everett as my vessel and I enter his body. I fight with Nassor”
“So we have only ten minutes to fight with Nassor before you die” Rett said.
“Yes. Just ten minutes before my body gives up on me” Adio smiled but I stood frozen in my place. How can he be so calm about this?
“If in those ten minutes Nassor isn’t defeated, your soul will depart to hell and he will be able to kill me” Rett concluded and Adio nodded.
Blood rushed to my ears with a roar of its own and my heart sank to the pit of my stomach as I heard what they were talking. My wolf whined repeatedly and unable to hear anymore, I dashed towards the door and shifting into my wolf, I took off.
After running for a whole minute, I finally found the woods and once there, I stopped in my tracks, craned my neck, looked up at the dark sky and let out a loud, painful howl.
Why does this happen to me? I thought everything was finally fine in our lives and now this… Tears leaked from my eyes as I thought about it. Howling once more, I ran away.
I kept running while also trying to forget what Adio had said. But it was not possible. How could I forget something as big as this? My mate’s life will be in danger. At first, I blamed Adio, but then his own life is in danger. Can I really blame him?
Stopping in my tracks, I closed my eyes and whimpered softly.
I heard footsteps behind me but I did not turn to look at Everett. His black wolf stopped next to me and slowly sniffed my neck. Whining loudly, I nestled closer to him.
He sat down on the ground and I sat next to him, resting my head on his paws.
‘It’s going to be okay’ He said through the link.
‘No. It’s not’ I cried.
‘You don’t trust me?’ he demanded and I looked up, through teary eyes.
‘I do’
‘Then also trust me when I say that everything will be okay’ Rett added in a gentle voice.
I whimpered and then whispered, ‘Okay’.
I have to have a positive attitude on this whole issue because if I keep any negative thoughts then it will also affect Rett because he will constantly be worried about me.
So no…. I shouldn’t grieve like this. I should be confident. I should put my complete faith on Everett as well as Adio.
I know they can do this.
The only person who is going to die will be Nassor!
Jan was waiting with our clothes and once shifting back, I changed, got dressed in a T-shirt and pajamas. Rett, clad only in jeans, walked closer to me. As I looked at his pacific blue eyes, my lower lip trembled and sniffing audibly, I ran towards him closing the distance between us.
He nestled his nose against my neck and inhaled my scent.
“Everything is going to be fine” he murmured, running a hand over my head soothingly.
“How can you be so calm?” I demanded sobbing.
“I have been through worse” he said and I knew he was referring to the day of Eclipse.
Pulling back, he cupped my cheeks and wiped my tears with his thumb, “We will get over this” he swore.
“Together?”
“Together” he assured.
We pulled apart when we heard footsteps. Adio had come towards the woods along with Dalila.
“So, when are you going to challenge Nassor?” Rett demanded pulling down a T-shirt.
Adio took a deep breath and answered, “Day after tomorrow. But first we have to go to my native place Ashur”
****
Hope you liked it :)
Chapter 36 will be posted on 5th April!
Until then please read, vote and comment!
Love you all :):-*