It was suitably foreboding, or at least I believed so. What is it with demonic entities and rocky, dark places and caves? Are they physically adverse to sun and open space? Once more I doubted my own thoughts. In fact, I was more willing to believe that armies of psychotic creatures seem to spawn in blackened pits because they fear open war, because they do not know how to survive in the harsh reality of the world. Thusly, they tuck themselves away to fester like an infection in a cut, spilling out only when numerous enough to do so. They know they could never survive on the open plains nor walk in the sun like those of us who are, let us say, successful. Either way I was unwilling just yet to give up on my Ruvindra, the white Queen I had befriend early in her reign of Mirovis before inviting her to live within my own pack when she fell. She had proven her use and her worth and had seen herself rise nicely amongst my ranks before the fall of the sky and indeed, call it nostalgia or the last attempts to salvage a female I had seen as almost a friend, but for whatever reason I found myself tramping through the rocks and caves of the western crater. I paused, studying the descent once more before summoning the energy that remained within my limbs still, leaping nimbly and swiftly down the side of the cliff to land soundlessly atop the soft soil that surrounded the small falls.

Violet eyes turned towards the crystal pool a moment, studying my own rather exceptional reflection within before turning towards the task at hand yet again. I had heard of Ruvindra’s play for power once more and indeed I had no issue with such a thing. What I had was an issue with the wolves she was recruiting and indeed the reports I had heard of the murder of children. Now, I am hardly Moladion’s private police force. I am however an assassin first and foremost and my purpose upon this earth is to rid it of the vile, demonic creatures that feed upon their own kind. Did Ruvindra truly think I wouldn’t hear about it? I have ears and eyes everywhere. I know almost everything worth knowing and all my apprentices survived the sky fall and within them lies my own way of life, my own teachings and my own private army willing to fight as I command. If what I have heard is true then I will take Ruvindra and her little pack apart piece by piece, destroying each and every wolf who fed upon the flesh of another. They are a vile sin upon this earth, a sickness, a disease and those of us born to Angels, those of us of The Art and Blood will see them destroyed. I have already chosen Malina to carry on my own personal work and with Ava, Azrael and Letum beside her she cannot fail. Each one alone is a force to be reckoned with. Each alone has been chosen because they are exceptional in this life. Just as I was chosen so many years ago.

Yet, for the sake of the wolfess I once knew, the wolfess I once fought beside and shared my meals with, whose children I watched over and sheltered beneath the red cliffs of my empire I am willing to give her a chance to speak, to hear her deny these things or speak them truthfully. I am giving her a chance because I do not wish to believe she could be so weak as to fall apart and become...Jaidah or Fatality. These wolves were born broken like Tobias, they cannot be cured, but Ruvindra......is there no hope left for her? I do not wish to tear open her throat and yet if she gives me reason it will be done, perhaps not now or even in a year, perhaps not even by myself. Yet they will come, the assassins and, they will end her. I strode onwards, mind turning each thought, examining it easily as I followed the mismatched trail that lingered between the trees and stones. I would know her scent anywhere, an alpha does not forget and indeed I was curious as to whether Vague was with her or not. Surely he would not follow her into this descent of supposed madness. I snorted, irritated at the absurdity of a world I have grown tired above as I pressed on, sliding deeper into the world of cold stone and dark jungle. Ears remained held forward, nostrils tasting of the air as the violet of my gaze scanned each tree and outcrop with apparent lazy ease. I did not expect attack, but that did not mean I was unprepared for one. I paused once more, taking a seat atop the large flat stone. Her scent is thicker here, closer. Let us see if she still answers the summons of her King.

I threw back my head and howled, a cry for her and her alone, summoning her out of wherever she hid to speak with me this day. Surely she knew I would come. I always come.


h e y e l
The King