| CHAPTER NINE, Here There Be Monsters |
"Sorry, don't let me interrupt you," Deucalion said. "It's been too long, Scott," noting the look on the true alpha's alarmed expression.
"Who is he?" Angelo asked.
"This is Deucalion. He calls himself 'the Demon Wolf.'"
"Or 'Death, Destroyer of Worlds,'" Isaac added.
"So you're here now," Scott said, ignoring the three of them. "Why?"
"What is it you and Derek said to me?" Deucalion posed. "That I'm a 'man of vision?' I must admit, I don't take very well to losing." Several of the wolves stirred. "But it's been several years, and I've seen a number of disturbing things. Things that have outweighed my…disdain."
Scott glanced back at Derek for a second, but it was Stiles who began the interrogation. "And we're supposed to accept your 'com to Jesus' moment?"
"Stiles…" Scott began.
"No, I'm serious. I wanna' know where this psychopath has been since he rained hell on us. Or did you forget that he's responsible for Erica and Boyd not being here?"
"He's also responsible for Jennifer not being here," Scott added.
"Who he practically unleashed on us as well," Stiles argued.
"And here I was ready to let bygones be bygones," Deucalion said, smirking at the younger emissary.
"Are you actually here to help?" Scott asked.
"Is that really so surprising?" Scott only made a face. "Fair enough. Yes, I'm here to join your little rag-tag 'Rebel Alliance.'"
"Did you seriously just make a Star Wars reference in front of me?" Stiles said, stepping forward, his hand moving to his sidearm.
"Stiles," Derek warned, gripping the druid's shoulder.
"I'll put it to you this way: you need me in this fight," Deucalion stated. Scott made to ask when Deucalion answered. "It's more than a simple numbers game, Scott. Any 'weapons' you think you may have, I'm the only weapon that will ensure your victory. But if you don't want me here, I'll be happy to return to my own pack. And yes, Stiles, I have another alpha pack."
"I'm surprised you didn't bring them," Derek offered.
"Who's to say I didn't?"
For a moment Scott and Deucalion only exchanged stares. "And after the fight?"
"We all go home."
"No games. No turning on anyone. You or your pack. We fight together. We leave peacefully."
"That's not really nec—"
"I need your word," Scott demanded.
"You have it, then," the older alpha said, eyes looking to the twins.
Scott looked back to them and then to Isaac. He could sense their apprehension, but turned forward again. "You're in."
"Excellent," Deucalion remarked, stepping closer to the group. "What's next?"
"Patrick, you had a suggestion before we set up the meeting place?" Scott said, turning to the Mclair pack's emissary.
"You mean the valley of death?" Stiles remarked, eliciting more glares in his direction and Gage even placed her hand over his mouth.
"The legend goes," Patrick began, "that the war between the hunters and the werewolves stretches as far back to Lycaon's grandson, Arcas, who is said to be the first and greatest hunter. Since, werewolves, like others in the supernatural world, have become a world-wide phenomenon, and with it the war has followed. In its most vicious form, you've seen it manifest in Kate and Gerard Argent, Araya, and now even in Alexei Ostravos. While these are modern incidents, the worst have been in the past, primarily focused in central Russia where the most superstitious and God-fearing hunters have lived. And in certain instances, this has forced packs to band together, much like this very night."
"You're talking about the bodark legends," Deucalion commented.
"Indeed."
"Bodark?" Scott said.
"The Russians have had many names for werewolves—as I said, the most superstitious of men. None of them carry any true weight because we all know how werewolves come into being. But the Russians have these names regardless. The wawkalak is one punished by the devil. The vlkodlak is one transformed by magic. But there is a third, they call it the bodark: one who desires to become a werewolf. And like any legend or myth, the name bears some truth hidden beneath it. Certainly, one can argue that someone like Jackson is a bodark…by simple definition. But the real bodarks, the way the term has been used amongst the packs of Russia, the meaning is entirely different. While it is one who desires to become a werewolf, it means the desire to become a supreme alpha." He looked around, noting many confused faces save for a few.
"As I said, packs have banded together in the past when circumstances have been dire enough, and to fight off their enemies they would elect a bodark as their leader. The alphas would choose one among them and cede their alpha strength to them to create a 'super-alpha' if you will. A being more powerful than even Deucalion. In return, the other alphas would become betas temporarily until the threat no longer became dire. The pay-off would be the near-invincibility of the bodark, whose dramatic speed and strength could overpower the pack's enemies with ease."
"Did you know about this?" Stiles asked, looking at Deaton.
His former mentor didn't answer.
"So you're suggesting we create one of these bodarks," Austin posed.
"The only condition to create one is the intention; everything else is all in order. I wouldn't suggest this play if we didn't have our friends from the East Coast and Deucalion. The last bodark, 'Managarm,' was the sixth and he was killed by Frank Lawton seven years ago; the strength surrounding their specialist is far grimmer than you've been led to believe. But yes, Mr. Rush, I'm suggesting you elect a bodark."
"What do we have to do?" Angelo asked.
"There are eight alphas here, and I'm assuming you two share one spark?" Patrick said, addressing Ethan and Aiden, who promptly nodded. "In order to conduct the ritual, five alphas are needed: four to sacrifice their spark to one. But the power transfer needs to be more balanced, discounting Deucalion."
"You can count me out," Austin said immediately.
"You started this so you're gonna' help finish this," Derek said to his cousin. "If we decide to go through with this ritual, you're participating."
"How does it work?" Scott asked. "Will we be able to get our 'sparks' back?"
"You will—unless the bodark dies," Patrick offered.
"You can definitely count me out, then," Austin confessed.
"If you can keep the bodark alive," Patrick added, "which should be simple but for Lawton, I can guarantee the sparks' safety from the anchor point…and there is an anchor point."
"And that protection is…?" Angelo inquired.
"Two separate barriers: whitebeam and mountain ash. One to keep the hunters out, and the other to keep any greedy werewolves out," Patrick answered, looking at Austin.
"In that case," Derek said, "Scott should sit this one out. He's the only one we can trust not to go after the anchor and if need be, he can break the mountain ash barrier."
"Derek, I—" Scott tried to interject.
"It's alright, Scott," Ethan said. "We got this." Aiden nodded.
The true alpha nodded and looked around at the other accepting faces when Derek rounded on Austin again. "You're doing this, understand?"
"That leaves the question then," Scott began. "Who's gonna' be the bodark?"
— | BYW | —
The company walked through the forest in search of an oak tree that Patrick deemed suitable for the ritual. "How does this work, Patrick?" Deaton said as the clouds above unveiled the full moon above them, forcing Scott to place extra attention on the newest addition to his pack; Max had yet to experience a full moon until now.
"The six of you," Patrick said, addressing the participating alphas, will stand here with me. The rest of the werewolves need to stand in a circle around us," he said. "Alan, you and the non-werewolves need to stand outside the circle. And since we have two extra alphas, Mr. McCall you should try and stand directly north in the circle, and Deucalion, directly south." Everyone began to shuffle around into positions, Max wedged between Scott and Cooper at the northern curve of the circle.
"Alright, Mr. Lupoli, you stand here at south," Patrick continued, pointing to a spot only a yard from the oak he'd selected. "Mr. Hale, here at east. You two should go ahead and merge and stand here at north. And, Mr. Rush, you stand here at west. Rhona, come with me and stand at south against the tree." Once the twins were merged and the now five alphas were each in place, Patrick commenced for a second time. "I will lead you all in an incantation, or as the Russian druids call it, a 'zagovór.' Each of you will have four lines each and as you speak your line, you will receive the copper dagger, and when you near the end of your lines, you will pass it on clockwise. On your fourth line, you will take the dagger and make a blood sacrifice in the left palm of your hand; try to do this as fluidly as possible. Mr. Rush, you will start and, Mr. Lupoli, you will conclude. When you make your sacrifice, pass it on to me—Rhona and I have already discussed this before so we will handle it from there."
Angelo nodded but Austin still had his doubts. "How do we know this isn't some trick?"
"You don't, Mr. Rush, but if you've been listening to my heartbeat, you'll know I've been telling you the truth. And if that isn't good enough, let me be the first to assure you that if you don't follow through with this, your chances of surviving this little war you've instigated are little to none. Now, shall we proceed," he said, retrieving an older looking copper dagger from the inside of his coat, "or do you have anything further you'd like to add?" Austin Rush shook his head. "Excellent."
"Repeat after me: in the ocean sea, on the island Buyan," Patrick said, handing Austin the dagger.
"In the ocean sea, on the island Buyan," Austin reluctantly repeated.
"In the open plain, shines the moon upon an aspen stump," Patrick said to Kale as Austin passed 'him' the dagger.
"In the open plain, shines the moon upon an aspen stump," Kale replied as best he could.
"Into the green wood, into the spreading vale," Patrick said to Derek.
"Into the green wood, into the spreading vale," Derek replied, receiving the dagger and passing it.
"Around the stump goes a shaggy wolf," Patrick addressed Angelo.
"Around the stump goes a shaggy wolf," Angelo replied…
"Under his teeth are all the horned cattle."
"But into the wood the wolf goes not."
"In the vale the wolf does not roam."
"Moon, moon! Golden horns!"
"Melt the bullet, blunt the knife."
"Rot the cudgel."
"Strike fear into man."
"Beast, and reptile."
"So that they may not seize the grey wolf," Patrick said.
"So that they may not seize the grey wolf," Austin affirmed, slicing open his left palm with the dagger before passing it on.
"Nor tear from him his warm hide," Patrick cited.
"Nor tear from him his warm hide," Kale recited, slicing open 'his' palm with the same edge.
"My word is firm, firmer than sleep."
"My word is firm, firmer than sleep," Derek said, following the motions.
"Or the strength of heroes."
"Or the strength of heroes," Angelo concluded, cutting open his palm before handing Patrick the knife. He received the dagger, sliced open his right palm, and handed it to Rhona. She looked around at the three alphas in her sight, and then in the background at the surrounding packs before dipping her head back and letting the blood on the knife slide down her throat. Stiles grimaced in the background before her head levelled out and she drove the dagger through the trunk of the oak. It was at that point that the ground beneath them tremored slightly and Ethan and Aiden were instantly forced apart. The former alphas' eye were all forced to glow, each of them glowing blue save for one pair of yellow. As they looked at Rhona, she finally revealed her own eyes…her copper eyes.
"Everyone back up now," Patrick said, even addressing Rhona to do the same. The six gathered several yards away and Patrick formed a mountain ash barrier around the oak. "Mr. Lahey, Alan tells me you're experienced with this," he said, holding up a back that Isaac could only guess was whitebeam. Isaac stepped forward and created a second, outer ring barrier, exchanging a look with Scott when he was done, mostly directed at the inner ring.
"How do you feel?" Richard Mclair said as he stepped up to his older sister.
"Powerful," she said, grinning at him.
"If I end up having to break the barrier," Scott began, walking up to Patrick, "and I'm the only one around, what do I need to do?"
"You simply remove the dagger and snap it in half," Patrick answered. "Think of it like a fang of its own: it holds the alpha sparks within its body, and if broken, those sparks will return to their original hosts."
"It's similar to a kitsune tail, Scott; one that's physically manifested. You remember what Mrs. Yukimura showed you at the school those years ago, right?"
Scott nodded. "So that's it? We don't need to wait or anything do we? Let her powers adjust or anything?" Patrick shook his head. "Then there's one last thing I wanna' do before we head out. Chris, why don't you go ahead and send them the location we discussed. I need to talk to Lydia before we leave." Lydia and Scott stepped aside. "Lydia, what do you feel? What do you hear?"
She shook her head. She was certainly pale, and everyone that knows her knew it wasn't all from the colder air. "It doesn't feel right, Scott. I can feel death," she whispered, "as if he were standing right next to me. Holding my hand, even. And the voices, they're usually more hushed. But this time…"
"What is it, Lydia?"
"They're incredibly chatty. They know something's wrong; they can feel it, too. This isn't going to end well—I don't know for who, but it's not."
Scott nodded and pulled her into a hug. "Go home. Drown them out." She nodded and Scott looked first at Aiden before he looked at Stiles. "Take her home. In fact, Patrick, Deaton, go with them. You don't need to be here, and you don't need to be on the battlefield. Get somewhere safe."
"I hate to do this to you, Max," Cooper added, "but, Scott, I think you should consider sending him with them." Isaac nodded and Scott followed.
"If you wanna' be part of this pack you can't be a killer," Scott said, "and since this is your first full moon, I can't risk that…for the pack or for you. Is that fair?" Max nodded and Scott turned to Stiles. "Will you look after him, too?" Stiles nodded. "Then we should head out…we've got some walking to do."
"My brother just responded," Argent said. "They've agreed to our terms."
