Zootopia – Spirit Chronicles

Chapter 10 – Going Primal

A wolf and mountain goat, predator and prey, together they explored the snowy Tundratown within the Spirit World. The sky was a shade of bright green, wisps of small spirits dancing about the snow happily, it was beautiful despite the silence and lack of other animals. Bianca led the way through the snow, she was eerily silent the whole time but Alex didn't mind. He wasn't much for conversation either but he was happy to know someone new who could visit this place. The wolf shyly spoke up, "So how long have you been coming to this world?"

"I've been here many times" she spoke as she continued to lead the way turning back slightly to make sure the wolf was keeping pace. "There is something special about this world...did you know that it affects our reality more than we think?" They were pretty far away from the gate they entered, as they crossed into a snowy forest. She continued, "Though these worlds are separate this place is on a higher plane of existence. Things that happen in this plane affects the lower plane of our world. For example in places were there are a lot of angry or vengeful spirits, I've noticed accidents that are far too coincidental to be normal in our reality. So called miracles in which other mammals claim to see the spirits of their dead relatives or cases where one can hear the voice of a lowed one that passed away are just one of the many ways this plane is affecting ours."

"Hmm that does make a lot of sense...I've had that experience, one of those vengeful spirits, a Grudge, dragged me and my friends into this place. It was so strong but we somehow managed to win thanks to the primal spirits!" he said happily adding to the conversation.

The mountain goat smiled as she stopped and gazed at the wolf analyzing him up and down. "Primal spirits you say? That would be the only way you would have been able to fight against something on this plane. You see I have been blessed as well, by the primal goat spirit Pan. I conjecture that their power allows us to more directly interact with this plane and give us the power to defend ourselves. I am sure that the better we are in tune with our souls the stronger we can become in this place."

"Wow I am learning so much! This is so cool! You are amazing Bianca!" Alex said amazed wagging his tail. Thoughts such as how come this woman knows so much about this place, or why is she telling him this never crossed his mind. Oblivious he continued to talk to her, "I agree, I feel a lot stronger in this place all thanks to the primal spirit that blessed me, Fenrir. This might sound strange but the reason I want to explore this place is...well...I want to help these spirits move on. I don't want them to become Grudges, those monsters and kill other animals in our world...I was almost the victim of an attack and I don't want anyone else to almost get killed like I was."

"A noble goal and a lofty one at that but what if there was another way you could help?" Bianca said smiling wryly, her gaze becoming cold. "Those grudges are strong...strong enough to affect our reality as you have witnessed. If we could capture them and use their energy we could break the boundaries between this plane and ours."

Alex took a step back a bit shocked at that kind of response. "Break the boundary? What would that do?"

"Imagine it my dear wolf...If we can make this plane and our plane one...it would such a wonderful world. No more fighting between predator and prey. Only those strong enough to be blessed by a primal spirit would rule over everyone else. No more segregation between species... a world where as long as one has a strong spirit they can be stronger than anyone regardless of the species they were born."

Alex thought about what Bianca was saying. It sounded crazy to him but he could see her point. If animals had the power to wield weapons born from their souls then there would be no more hate between predator and prey. "Well I guess that is true but those who have strong souls and blessed by primal spirits...they might abuse their power even kill. Not to mention those Grudge monsters would run rampant in our world causing so much chaos and destruction."

Bianca looked coldly at Alex, colder than the sharp blizzard like breeze that just blew past them. "So? Who cares if the weak die out? They were never meant to live in the first place if they can't survive. Sure it would be chaotic at first but those who are blessed by primal will take control! We will provide order and build a world where only the strong survive just as nature intended!"

Alex stepped back, he was genuinely scared of this conversation, he backed up into a tree like a cornered prey as Bianca inched closer and closer towards him. "Th...this is crazy... is that really what you want to do?"

"Of course...and we would like you to join us Alex... you have a very strong soul...you would be a valuable asset to our group and the world we are trying to create." she said offering her hoof.

"And...if I refuse?" Alex said shaking nervously.

"Then I will kill you of course..." she said plainly. "Stop your nervous shaking and twitching...your actions are getting irritating...I hate weak people but you have the potential to become very strong...so we would like you alive if possible."

The killing aura this woman was emanating was chocking. She felt so powerful, like her very soul desired him dead. Yet Alex knew what she was saying was crazy, such a world shouldn't exist...and he wasn't going to let them do what they wanted. "S..sorry I do believe a world like that is needed... I know that things aren't the best between predator and prey but we come so far! We live in Zootopia for crying out loud! So many predator species and prey species are living happily side by side. We may have our differences but we work through them!"

"Such naive talk and idealism! You do not understand the true cruelty of Zootopia or the world for that matter... but you leave me no choice... I will give you a sporting chance... draw your weapon...and I will show you just how pathetic you truly if you believe you have a chance against me!" Bianca said as her soul visibly raged from within her body. The glowing of her soul concentrated withing the center of her body as a ball of malicious red light appeared. Grabbing it she produced her weapon, a large gold pan flute.

Alex didn't want to back down from this fight. Even though he was scared he had to stand up for himself. He finally realized this was all part of her plan...finding him, taking him to this world, luring him out in a forest far away from the gate they entered from. Alex had little chance of escaping and his only choice seemed to be to fight and survive. Deep down he didn't want to hurt her but perhaps he could disable her and make an escape.

As Alex drew the broadsword from his soul he gazed at her weapon, the pan flute. It was his first time seeing such an unconventional thing as a weapon. Based on his logic Alex assumed that it would use sound based attacks that would affect him greatly due to his sensitive wolf ears. It seemed his only choice would be to charge in before she could use it.

Gripping his sword he yelled as he charged up to her. His goal to swing the pan flute out of her hooves. His body felt the power of his soul coursing within him, that familiar burst of speed and adrenaline, the feeling of strength that Fenrir blessed him with. He swung his sword in an arc in front of him but Bianca quickly jumped back dodging it completely. She then charged at him with her head first, her goal being to use her natural horns to hurt the wolf. Alex didn't have time to react and felt intense pain from the mountain goat's horns on his torso. The force of the impact sent him flying backwards, hitting a nearby tree with a thud. It was the first time he had gotten hurt in the spirit world. While the pain was intense he felt like he was recovering quicker than he normally would if it happened in real life.

As the wolf tried to get up, Bianca took the opportunity to continue her assault. Placing her mouth on the pan flute horrible sound emanated in the air. It hurt Alex's ears just as he thought it would as he covered his ears to try to dull the sound, dropping his weapon in the process. This was a big mistake as Bianca took the time to run up and kick the wolf right in the jaw.

Alex was taking a heavy beating as he tried to get back up only to get knocked down again over and over. Alex started to taste blood in his mouth... his body was getting banged up by her attacks. "Such a weak and pathetic wolf...is this all you can do? I'll give you one more chance... join us or else..."

Spitting the blood out of his mouth and onto the pure white snow he managed to grab his sword and stand upwards using it as support. "No... I won't let you create such a world!" he said in a faint voice. There was no way to get close to her without hearing the noise of her flute, he was on the verge of defeat. His vision blurry, he could feel his body wanted to shut down. It didn't help that cold was starting to get to him as well as his fatigue.

"Pathetic...I guess I should stop going easy on you and just put you out of your misery..." she said as she quickly charged at him head first knocking him away from his sword once again. She played her malicious melody once again. This time it wasn't affecting his ears but his body. It felt like the very wind was being manipulated and cutting him deeply like blades. Small cuts appeared around his body as she started to bleed from the wounds. The fabric of his clothing were being torn apart by the melody the goat played. He tried to get up with all his strength but he couldn't get up, his breathing heavy he became scared. Was this really how he was going to die?

Soon the goat stopped playing the melody and seemed satisfied with her work. "I think I'll let you bleed out and die a slow painful death... like the weak vermin you are... so much wasted potential..." she said as she slowly walked away.

Alex started to cry... even though it was pain to, his lungs were on fire, his body in intense pain. Small screams escaped from his mouth. He cried out from his soul, "I don't want to die... I don't want to die... I don't want to die... someone...please...save me..." The vision of the snowy trees he saw laying down in the snow soon started to fade to white...

"You can not die here my child!" a voice rang out in his ear. "Find your desire... your will to live and embrace it... feel the power of the wolf within your veins... it will grant you power... a dangerous power but it will let you live..."

The voice was none other than Fenrir communicating from afar directly to his mind. The power that he is goading Alex into tapping into, he knows the risks it has on the living. Neglecting to say that it might shatter his mind, that it might break him, and damage his body. Also not mentioning that he would not be able to determine friend or foe, that he might never recover. It was a dangerous gambit and not wanting to make the wolf doubt himself into using the power he is omitting these important details. For whatever reason Fenrir wanted Alex to live and overcome this trial.

Alex soon felt it, he felt the intense spirit of the wolf...the spirit of Fenrir. His wounds started to heal rapidly. His eyes snapped open with the eyes of a beast, a hunter. He growled viciously, his fangs bared as he turned over on his side standing on all fours as his ancestors once did. Claws planted firmly on the ground with a crazed look in his eye as he spotted the mountain goat, his prey, in the distance. Growling loudly, drool dripping from his mouth, the scrawny wolf was looking at his next meal. He was truly savage looking, tapping into the primal power of the wolf within his soul. He let out a loud howl causing Bianca to turn back in shock as she gazed at the wolf she thought was on his death bed. Alex let out a loud howl, a powerful howl that pierced the very soul, a signal that the hunt had just begun...