Two Sides of The Moon - Chapter 29: Chapter 29

-Arch-
I watched Jack as he slept on the couch, curled up under heavy blankets. I couldn't take my eyes off him. I feared something would happen to him if I did.
I never should've left him alone. I should've walked him to his door. I'd smelled the dead animals but thought nothing of it as the hunters' headquarters was so close. That place always smelled like death after their hunt.
I should've followed him to the door...
If it weren't for Fenrir, I would've just walked away. When he suddenly stood behind me on the pathway, telling me to hurry back to Jack, that something was wrong, I never gave a second thought to why that guard had caught up with me so fast, or how he knew Jack was in trouble. I just acted out of pure instinct. I was so goddamn happy that I acted, or I would've hated myself even more.
But his spirit still broke again. How bad it was this time, I dreaded finding out. He had been doing so much better already... He had been healing. He had been stepping out of his shell. He was finally letting me in!
And I didn't follow him. If I had followed him, maybe we could've avoided damaging his spirit.
Jack moved in his sleep, slowly changing his position. At least he looked peaceful under the covers. His dreams were gentle on him. At least I hoped so.
After Jack stopped moving, Aurora let out a silent breath behind me. She, too, was staring at him, watching over him like only she could. She had carried his human spirit, just like I had carried his wolf, and I could feel she was connected to him like a mother connected to her child. And then there was the god outside. Jack clearly knew him, but it was obvious he hadn't known the god's name either.
Maybe Jack knew he was well-protected now. Maybe that was why he slept so peacefully.
I hoped so. I would never let him get hurt.
I wondered if Jack would ever let me close enough to reveal his secrets to me. He hadn't even told me about the bullies. I wished I had known. I wished he had told me, so I could've taken care of it. Maybe he would have if we'd had more time to get closer.
A car stopped in front of the house, and both Aurora and I stood up and listened in silence, ready for anything. But it was Jaden, Tilly and Oliver. I made sure Jack was still asleep before I went to open the door.
My friends were staring at Fenrir by the car. Fenrir stared at them, but stayed lying down.
"That's..." Jaden spoke.
"Another god," I said, gesturing for them to come in. "Fenrir."
The god in question laid his head back down.
"Okay then, sure, why not," Jaden said, and all three of them made their way around the massive wolf.
"Oh, no," Oliver breathed out when he climbed up, staring somewhere behind me. "His spirit..."
"How bad is it?" I asked, but Oliver didn't reply to me.
He walked straight past me to Jack, and the rest of us followed in silence. Once we were in the living room, I stopped to stare at Oliver, who kneeled down next to the couch and rested his hand on Jack's shoulder, closing his eyes.
"It's badly damaged, but..." he paused for a moment as he studied Jack's spirit. "It's already stopped breaking. I can sense dozens of new cracks, but it's not weaker. He hasn't lost any pieces. He was in great pain, but he's already healing."
I wanted to sigh in relief, but that wasn't good news, was it? His spirit was badly damaged.
"This never should've happened," I nearly growled, looking around. "Helios! I need my ability back!"
Silence filled the cabin. The god didn't arrive to explain why it was taking so goddamn long to fix my gift.
I was so frustrated. Again, there was absolutely nothing I could do! There was no physical enemy for me to fight! Even the bullies were just unfortunate bastards who got possessed. If I could at least sense the danger again...!
"They're trying to find out how people are getting possessed," Oliver said quietly, stepping away from Jack. "We should let him sleep. He needs all the energy he can get."
"I'm not leaving his side," I told him.
"Fair enough," Oliver breathed out. "But you need to keep your voice down then."
"Did you hear anything about the possessed people?" Aurora asked her daughter.
"They're still looking," Tilly said quietly. "But apparently they've left the territory."
"Natalie and others are trying to find out how they were able to pass the wards, but so far, they haven't found anything. Every single ward is still up," Oliver told her.
"What is going on...?" I muttered, staring at Jack. "Could it be someone got infected by Thorns while they were infested?"
"The group was walking around the territory while possessed," Oliver said. "I or any other Spirit Walker could've easily spotted them."
"Then why didn't you?" I asked.
"That's the scariest part," Oliver muttered. "We didn't even though they were right under our noses."
"They are using something," Aurora guessed.
"Something old world," Tilly agreed.
"So basically there could be hundreds of them all around the territory?" I asked.
Oliver shrugged with a worried look in his eyes.
"Then any of us could be possessed too," Jaden muttered.
"Great," I sighed, sitting down on an armchair. "That's just great."
"I feel like this is one of the reasons why they broke your Vision," Oliver said. "You could probably tell who is dangerous."
I didn't reply to him.
The silence continued for a while, but then Jaden broke it.
"So... the god outside...?"
"Fenrir. He said Jack is his champion," I said.
"A champion?" Oliver asked with wide eyes.
"Yeah..."
"So... he's the Son of Fenrir?" Oliver continued.
"I... yeah?"
"A spirit from the old world."
"I... Uh-huh."
'Wow...' Cedric suddenly spoke and appeared in the room. 'No wonder the enemy wants him.'
"And no wonder they couldn't destroy his spirit, no matter how hard they tried," Oliver said, smiling down at the sleeping Son.
I was so proud of Jack, but if he really was the Son of Fenrir...
"That means his spirit is older than most," I muttered. "Stronger than most."
"Almost as old and strong as the gods," Oliver nodded.
I stared at Jack in sadness. "What kind of things do you have to do to such a spirit in order to make it so weak and fragile it fits on the palm of my hand?" I asked quietly, thinking about that small, purple being that was his spirit right after we freed him from Henry's grip.
No one said anything. The horrors Jack must've endured, trapped inside his own body, unable to defend himself... I knew it had been bad, but this... I knew we all were thinking about it.
But a knock on the door interrupted the horrified silence. I didn't move from my seat, so it was Jaden who went to open the door.
"I have news."
I jumped up when I heard Fenrir's voice and turned around to see him step into the living room. His yellow eyes landed on Jack, looking tired and worried, and his long, gray hair made him look even older than he was.
"Good news?" Aurora asked.
Fenrir nodded. "My Greek cousins have found the possessed children. They have been set free."
"Are they all right?"
"Broken spirits, but they should be fine eventually," Fenrir said as he walked to Jack. "They meant no harm, but our enemy is disgusting, using the young, fragile ones as weapons. I wish to know who is behind all of this. They will feel the wrath of the mighty Valhalla once we find them."
His voice was filled with anger as he spoke, and the strength of it made me shiver.
"So he is your champion," I spoke, and he nodded. "Your Son?"
"He was just as important to me as Hati and Sköll. He was a strong, capable warrior with a just heart. I gifted him my strength and ever since, his spirit has been bound to me as my champion."
He touched Jack's shoulder before turning to face me. "The enemy fears them. The Sons and Daughters became the strongest after we took our resting places in the realm of Spirits at the end of the old world. Our champions took our place to protect this world after we were gone. Whoever the enemy is, they do not want them to walk the earth."
"But you're now here too," I said, but he shook his head.
"We are spirits now. We only have a sliver of the strength we used to possess. You knew this already. You have one of the thousand gifts since Helios can no longer use it."
As he fell silent, Jack moved again, and we all turned to look at him.
"Did you see how weak he'd become?" I asked quietly.
"I did, and they will pay for what they've done," Fenrir growled quietly.
"Will they attack him again?"
"Yes. They will keep trying to corrupt his spirit and turn him against us, like they've done to too many others."
"What can we do to protect him?"
Fenrir turned his yellow eyes to me. "We need to find them and destroy them. But you have another job, and that job is just as important."
"What is it?"
"Exactly what you've been doing: help him heal," he said almost gently. "He has always relied on the strength of his loved ones. He has always drawn his own power from the love he has received. His spirit needs a place where he belongs – that's why they attacked where it hurts the most."
"His home," I murmured.
"And before that, they hurt him by making him hurt others," Fenrir added. "The shadows in him keep invading his dreams, to show him horrible things that never happened. Things that hurt him the most."
"What kind of dreams?"
"You don't want to know," Fenrir whispered. "I've tried to save him from those dreams several times. That is how they still can steal his strength."
"When can we get rid of them?" I asked, but Fenrir turned to look at Oliver.
He let out a sigh and turned to look at Jack. "The damage is bad. If I try now... He wasn't strong enough as it was."
"So it will take even longer now?" I asked, the misery and frustration returning.
"Perhaps," Fenrir spoke. "But it depends on him."
Another car pulled up just outside the door before he could continue, and we all turned to look out the window.
"It's Rayleigh," Oliver informed us, when the doors opened outside.
Aurora went to open the door this time, and soon Rayleigh and Ryder stepped in.
"How is he?" Rayleigh asked when they joined us in the living room.
"He's... We need to wait until he wakes up," Aurora spoke quietly.
Rayleigh nodded and turned his attention to Fenrir. "Fenrir," he greeted with a nod, and the god returned the gesture.
So Rayleigh knew...
"You found the possessed kids?" Aurora spoke, and the Alpha nodded again.
"They're in a bad shape, but the Spirit Walkers are with them now."
"And the wards?"
"Nothing. It'll take time before they're all checked," Rayleigh said with a tired voice, and stopped to stare at Jack again for the longest time. None of us wanted to hurry him, so we waited patiently. "Those cowards," he finally hissed. "Attacking us through our kids and not showing their faces."
"Their hides will be ours," Fenrir spoke.
"If we can find them," I muttered.
As long as our enemy was out there, they would keep using Jack. They'd keep hurting him.
And I couldn't allow it.
-Cameron-
I watched Cedric closely. He was so close it was difficult to contain my anger and hate, but I had to. I was still not done deciding what I'd do to him once I got my hands on him. I needed equipment too, something to bind him to one place.
Patience was not my virtue, but attacking now would be pointless.
Especially with the Harbinger present.
I glanced at the young boy. I wasn't afraid of him, but I wasn't stupid enough to disrespect his power. He was Hades' Harbinger, the bearer of his power. I was not going to challenge him without knowing what exactly he could do.
So I turned to look at the Son of Fenrir. Stupid minions had screwed things up by attacking him in a rush. Master claimed he knew our power, but his henchmen had still pulled this stupid little stunt... Of course his spirit couldn't be broken that easily, especially when his Echoes were close by.
How annoying... Now I was forced to make my move. It would be only a matter of time before they'd find out about my presence. The gods knew their gifts, and one of them would soon think of the Shroud I was now using. They'd find out how to see past it to find the shadows still hiding in their lands.
"Are you all going to stay here?" Rayleigh asked, looking at the kids in the room.
"You're all welcome to stay the night," Aurora said. "I think it's safer for now."
"I'll stay with Jack," Arch said sternly.
"And we'll stay with Arch," Jaden said, and Tilly nodded. "Oliver, too."
"Well, I have to ask Natalie first," the Harbinger spoke.
"You should stay here until we've found out what's wrong with the wards and fixed it," Rayleigh said. "I'm sure she agrees."
"It'll be easier to protect you all if you're in one place," I spoke with a nod.
"Agreed," Aurora said.
"I will stay here," the god, Fenrir, said. "And so will Valhalla. The enemy can't step a foot in this house."
I wanted to snort at the fool, but stayed silent.
"Stay here, do not go anywhere until I give permission," Rayleigh spoke and turned to me. "Go find Ezra and meet me in the Hall."
"We'll be right there," I said and left the house.
Stupid minions... Now the kids were all in one place, protected by gods... I couldn't afford to wait for too long. I had to make my move really soon.
'Let me out! You son of a bitch!'
"Oh, you're awake..." I muttered in amusement.
'I'm not letting you lay a finger on them! Do you hear me!!'
I shook my head as I headed to his dear partner. 'Give up already. You can't do anything to me.'
'Fuck you! Get out of my fucking body! You piece of shit!'
I ignored him. There was nothing Ryder could do. He wasn't the weakest spirit, but definitely too weak to challenge me. Possessing him had been easy. I was surprised that he was able to fight back into consciousness, however.
No matter, this job would be finished soon. After that, I'd start looking for a binding box or something for Cedric.
I'd make him suffer... I had plenty of ideas on how to make him suffer. He had no physical form any longer, true, but no I had the eternity to punish his incorporeal ass.
Ryder kept yelling at me the entire time I walked, and it was getting annoying.
'Do I need to remind you how to behave?' I asked as I approached Ezra, who was talking to guards up ahead.
'Get the hell out of my body!!'
"Ezra," I called for the blond man.
He turned around and gave me a tired wave. He turned back to speak to the guards, who then left. I stopped next to the Beta and took a better look at him.
"Are you all right?" I asked quietly, nudging his arm to get him to follow me between the houses on our left.
"I'm worried," Ezra muttered. "How did they get in?"
"I wish I knew," I spoke, maintaining a similarly concerned expression on my face, while the real Ryder kept screaming at me.
As soon as we were behind the building, I grabbed Ezra by his arms and turned him to face me. He looked up at me with question in his eyes.
'He sure is pretty,' I spoke to Ryder as I lifted his hand, placed it on Ezra's neck and caressed his cheek.
'Don't you fucking touch him!!'
"Ryder?" Ezra murmured the name quietly.
"I'm just glad you're all right," I whispered, leaning in to kiss him while pulling out a silver dagger from the holster on my belt.
'Did you have something to say?' I asked Ryder as I pulled his secret mate closer, deepening the kiss and bringing the tip of the knife closer to the back of his neck.
'Please, no...' Ryder begged me now.
'Then shut the fuck up,' I said, hiding the knife again before breaking the kiss.
"What was that for?" Ezra asked with a faint blush on his cheeks.
"Anything can happen now," I said, rubbing his fingers, just like the real Ryder always did.
"Don't say stuff like that," Ezra whispered back. "We'll find them and kick their ass."
I smiled at him. "If you say so."
Again, I had to hold back an amused snort.