Matthew took a step back.
The being before him was his father. That-That man right there was his father. Standing right there in front of him. Sixteen years of his life have gone by without even knowing what he looked like and know he knows. That mystery of wondering what he was like was going to be answered right now.
Hercules slowly backed away to give the two some privacy, giving Matthew a small pat on his shoulder before he left, and then disappearing into the underbrush. Leaving Matthew and the white wolf alone. "Do not be frighten of me." His father said, his voice low and deep sounding. He padded up to the shore and shook out his neck. The fur along it and his back were longer than a normal wolf's coat, even in the winter months. His claws kneaded the grown as he changed and shifted slowly into his human self.
He was the very picture of a prefect warrior. Strong broad shoulders, muscles bulging through his stomach and long built legs. His feet were bare as he stepped up to the grassy area of the shore and looked up at Matthew. His skin was the same color as his, pale and smooth, expect a little stubble on his chin. Matthew stood quietly in his place as he examined his father. Long white hair was tied back into a long ponytail at the base of his neck, pieces of it flying around in the wind and hitting his strong jaw line. A long white furred cape was draped over half of his body, which was covered in rusting silver body armor. "I'm not frighten of you." Matthew said softly. This caused his father to laugh and hold his side. "Good to know my boy." He said loudly, his voice echoing of the trees. "I have some questions that I would like answered." Matthew said.
His father gave him another chuckle and smiled down at him. "I'm sure you do. Let's sit down and have an ol' father-son talk! My bones are too strong as they used to be." He told him. Matthew watched his father sit down underneath an aging tree in the shade and sighed happily. Slowly he inched towards him, still keeping his distance and sat down in the soft, lush grass. "Alright, what's your first question Matthew?" He asked him, crossing his arms behind his head and closing his eyes. "Um...well..." Matthew didn't really know what to start with. "Why couldn't you live with mother and me, d-dad?" Matthew asked awkwardly. "If you feel more comfortable, my name is Calumet. As for your question, us gods can't mingle with mortals for long periods of times. Our pure souls will start to long for the normalcy on earth instead of here," he waved his hand around gesturing to the area around them with his eyes still closed, "in the spirit world where we are meant to live. I know the hardship you went through not having me there with you, spiritually I was and still am with you." He told him.
Turning his head away from him, Matthew pulled his knees up to his chest, and rested the bottom of his chin on them. "You still weren't there when I needed you most." Matthew said. Calumet opened one of his eyes and half smiled at his only son. "Really?" He asked him, an invisible force pulling a few different strands of Matthew's blonde air up and tugging them gently to get his attention. He looked back in awe at his father, "So those times on the ship-" "That was my soul reaching out to you to protect you from harm." "No wonder I couldn't do that again." Matthew muttered. "Don't worry, you'll be able to do great things soon enough. I'll teach you everything I know so that when I finally pass on you'll be able to take my place." He said to him. "What do you mean? Take your place!? I can't do that!" Matthew said, a shocked look entering his features. "I thought you knew? That's why us gods can only mate once in our life time. I mean sure we can have sex with as many fine ladies as we want but-" "Okay too much information!" Matthew said folding his ears against his head and placing his hand on top of them. "I understand!" Calumet smiled and ruffled his son's hair. "Don't worry everything will work itself out in due time. Men, women or both I don't mind, so long as I get a grandchild." He winked and gave a hardy laugh. Matthew blushed deeply but shook it off.
The two continued to talk, Matthew would ask him a question, his father would answer him and add a perverted comment or two, then they'd get off track and Matthew would ask another question. "What happen to the rest of my pack?" Matthew said suddenly. "How many are still alive?" Calumet looked over to his son and wrapped an arm around his shoulders, bringing him closer to him. "Look." Was all he said, as he waved his hand out in front of them. The air around it became distorted and showed them hunters and wolves walking around in a village Matthew had never seen before. "More than you think area live and well." Calumet said. "I've been watching over them and protecting them as much as I can." He added. Matthew sat silently and watched as he remember familiar faces, going about their business and living. "Is that-" "Yes, that's Alfred." Calumet cut him off and showed him a clearer picture of him. Alfred was working at cutting up some deer meat with a bunch of other warriors and hunters at a table. Alfred was talking, but neither Calumet or Matthew could hear what he was saying, no doubt something loud and annoying.
In the picture he was smiling and laughing while he worked away in his new pack. "He's got all the makings of a great leader." Calumet commented as he closed his eyes. Just then Alice came into view from behind Alfred, her baby bump was big and noticeable. "Alice is due within the next two weeks, you'll be an uncle." He said. "Half uncle." Matthew told him, looking over his shoulder at him. "If Alfred is such a good leader, why not he take my place?" Matthew asked him. "He'd be more confident and better at it than me. I've never lead anyone or anything in my life." He told his father. "That may be true, but I want you to take my place. It is true you need to be strong and confident in yourself when you're a leader, but you also have to show compassion as well." His father said. "But what if I can't do this whole great spirit thing!?" He asked him and stood up quickly. "Maybe I want to stay on earth and live out my life living by my own rules and-and doing whatever I want!" He exploded and turned around to his father, who was wearing a goofy grin...which weirdly reminded him of Gilbert's. It freaked him out a bit.
'Gilbert...' He thought. "You can do whatever you like on earth, but once your time on earth is over, your soul will come here and take my place, so that mine may finally rest and be reborn." Calumet sad, getting up slowly. "Now, have you asked all your questions?" His father asked him. "For now I believe." "Well then now I have something to tell you. A warning." Calumet said, his face becoming serious. "As you know, all of the great spirit have come to visit you, but one. The Bear spirit is no longer residing in the spirit world, where he is suppose to be." His father said as he walked over to the water's edge, passing Matthew. Turning to trail his father he walked over beside him. "So that means he's somewhere on earth, right?" Matthew spoke up. Calumet hummed deeply in response. "The Bear spirit has fallen from our order and had decided for himself he does not want to be just another spirit. He wants more strength and power in his hands. He wants a dictatorship in this world, which it has never seen before. The other spirits declined that idea and he became furious with all of us. I took it upon myself to try and calm him down, but it didn't go as plan." His father explained to him, looking at their reflections in the water. "So what happen?" Matthew asked him. "We fought, both sustaining serious injuries, but in the end he escaped and went to earth, he has yet to come back." Calumet told him.
Matthew looked up at his father before looking back down at the water. "So? He's out of your hair now. Why not just let him be? How much damage has he done?" Matthew asked. "More than you think. Matthew...I don't know if you realize this, but you and the Bear spirit have already met." "Woah, woah, woah! What!?" "It's true, you see the current Bear spirit has only recently taken the place of the old one. Only because he forced his father into submission, never done before in the history of all of time." Calumet said to him. His son looked up at him in shock. "Who is-" "Think. Who have you met recently that is very strong or would seem like to kill his own family member?" At that only one person's name came to mind and immediately felt like throwing up. Matthew covered his mouth and tried to will himself to stay calm. "Ivan." Matthew mumbled through his hands. "Ivan Braginski." His father spoke up. "He plans to take you Matthew, I don't know why but I do know that." "You must be careful around him and warn that demon Gilbert about him." His father added, looking down and seeing Matthew's distressed face. "I need a little bit more rest, but I will try my best and help you as much as I can from here." Calumet said and patted his son's shoulder, bringing him in for a hug. Matthew coughed from the tightness of the hug and his father laughed loudly again. "Well, you must be going now. If stay here any longer your soul will get stuck here and you'll take my place sooner than you should." Calumet laughed.
A rustling behind them made Matthew turn around to see Hercules appearing again, his lop sided smile on his lips. "I'm here to see you off." He told him yawning, no doubt just waking up from a nap. "Alright." Matthew gave him a small smile and turned back to face his father. "Until next time Matthew." His father said and cupped his cheeks with his hands, smiling. Calumet gave his son a kiss on the top of his forehead. "Be brave, and believe in yourself and others around you, and remember we are all with you." Calumet said to him. Matthew smiled up at him and nodded his head.
He headed over to Hercules and both hugged each other as they walked away and out of view. A rustling and the sound of someone wadding in the river came from behind Calumet. "I was surprised that you didn't want to see him." Calumet said still looking at the spot where Matthew disappeared. "You're wrong, I did want to see him but I would think my presence here would throw him off." A voice came from behind him, he turned to see the love of his life and Matthew's mother standing there smiling. "Is that why he didn't ask for you?" He questioned her.
She nodded slowly and walked over to him, placing a hand on his chest. "Temporally I made him forget about me, but I'm sure once he wakes up, he'll be kicking himself for not remembering." She told him. "Sneaky little snake you." Calumet chuckled at her and kissed her. "Well, now that the children have gone away, it's time for the adults to play." She hummed and shifted into her wolf self and trotted over to the water, waiting for her love. "You still have that young heart and spirit of yours." He smiled and shifted as well and chased after her.
"Gilbert!" Francis, Antonio and Roderick yelled together as the Grand Duke finally awoke. Gilbert shot up right on the couch back in his study room eyes wide and heart heat off the charts. He looked around at everyone staring worriedly at him. "Gilbert, what happened?" Roderick asked him. "Ahh..." "Yeah, mi amigo you opened the door and then collapsed. You've been asleep for two full hours." Antonio said at the other end of the couch. Gilbert scoffed and rolled his eyes as he got up. "I'm fine, now if you'll excuse me I need to go see Matthew right now." Gilbert said and headed towards the door. "Wait Gilbert but Pandora's-" "I have to see Matthew right now, I'll talk too you guys afterward." He snapped at them, silencing them.
Quickly exiting the room he slammed the door behind him and walked down the hallway at a fast gate. Once he got up to the second floor he stopped towards the top of the stairwell, and clutched his chest tightly. His breathing became uneven and his mind swirled around with mist for a moment. Shaking his head he stood upright and continued walking. As he did, Gilbert clutched the key in his hand, shoving it into his pocket a scowl formed on his face.
Pandora's box was not what he expected it to be, but he was gong to make sure no one else would enter it using the key. Those damn screams were still ringing in his ear, the heat and sweat of blood and tears still lingered on his skin and the smell of rotting flesh in his nose and mouth.
Inside Pandora's box Gilbert's senses where shocked at the sight. Miles upon miles of dead bodies fresh and old decaying everywhere he stepped. To be honest it freaked him out for a moment, but seeing death and gore was not something new to his eyes. He walked around stepping over bodies and hearing the squishing of flesh and snapping of bones underneath his boots until he found the demon that lived inside it. He was a troll, the miniature kind, the size of a ten year old child. He asked him why he was here and Gilbert said he wanted to know what Ivan's plans were and how he could stop him. The demon laughed at Gilbert who growled up at him. The troll had a featured-quill in his hand and had been etching records of wars into his arm. Every single war to ever happen anywhere was written somewhere on his body. Gilbert asked him again and the troll snapped his head over to him. "Here inside Pandora's box is all the information in the world, past, present, and future. You want to know the future, correct? Or do you want to know the past?" He asked Gilbert. "Why would I want to know the past?" Gilbert raised an eyebrow at him. The troll let out a choking dry laugh, tearing the skin on his arm open wide.
Gilbert could see the red muscle and veins pumping, but he could also see black ink dotting inside and on it. "Do you want to know why your father left? Or do you want to know how to save your little mate?" He asked him. "What!? What's wrong with Matthew? He's save in my care!" Gilbert barked up at him, moving closer. "Tell me right now!" He demanded. "Future it is then." The troll chuckled to himself. "I shall tell you." He said, placing the skin back on his arm and patting it there. The troll then moved his elongated nails up to his eye and plucked the left one out of its socket. Blood started to drip down his face but the creature didn't seem to mind it at all. "Ivan Braginski will capture Matthew because he wishes to keep you save, because of his action you cannot have Matthew but you will live. Matthew is going to save you by going willing to Ivan-" "I won't let that happen!" Gilbert interrupted the troll, who frowned at him. "Alright," he said looking down into his ripped out eye. "If you stop Matthew from leaving, Ivan will try to kill you but end up killing Matthew. Either way Matthew will not be with you in the future." "Lair!" Gilbert growled throwing himself at the troll. He pinned him down and yanked the eye from the troll's hand and squished it in his. Gilbert's eyes were brimming with shadows and hatred, his pupils dilating into tiny slits.
His teeth and nails sharpen themselves as his hands sunk into the troll's flesh. Long, spiral, black horns protruded from the top of Gilbert's head and shadowy tendrils surrounded him, pointing their lethal edges at the troll. "I will have a future with Matthew, I don't care what it takes!" He growled menacingly at him. "Matthew and I will be together, he will be mine, and mine alone. Ivan will die by my hands and I will save Matthew. Do you hear me!?" He yelled opening his mouth to show him his jagged teeth and serpent like tongue hanging out. "You cannot change fate, it is absolute." "We'll see about that." Gilbert chuckled darkly. The tendrils around him shot forward and pierced the troll's flesh and he screamed, but his screaming slowly faded into laughter. "A stubborn one you are, demon." He coughed, choking on his blood.
Gilbert laughed hysterically at the troll and sat back, placing a hand on his chest. "That's right! I'm stubborn! I'm stubborn, I'm arrogant, I'm selfish, I'm prideful, I'm terrifying, I'm evil, I'm a monster! I'm everything that makes a demon!" He laughed. "That's why I'm the devil's favorite demon! That's why everyone fears me! Not even Ivan will stand in my way! I'll kill everyone who tries and takes away my Matthew! I'll-"
"I love you."
"What?" Gilbert looked down at the troll, who was pointing over in the distance. Gilbert followed to see the image of him holding Matthew closely, only a few hours ago. "I love you. I love you. I love you." His voice kept playing over and over again, like a broken record. Everything seemed so gentle and fragile at that moment. "Can you save him?" The troll asked him, yanking out one of the tendrils in him as Gilbert continued to stare at the memory. "I mean, he is a wolf, he's meant to be free, can you live with that? Keeping him in a cage for the rest of his live-" Gilbert wrapped his hand around the troll's throat without even looking at him. "I'd never do that to Matthew, to someone like you, yeah. I'd kill you without a second thought in my mind." Gilbert said softly, and slowly dragged his eyes down and over to the still bleeding troll. "That's why Matthew's and my fate are going to change." His grip tighten around his neck before letting go and standing up. "I'll come up with a way to save the both of us." Gilbert told him, as he turned and walked away. "Even if you die in the process?" "Even if I die in the process." Gilbert responded without missing a heart beat.
"Whelp, I see, so that's settled!" The troll said sitting up, producing another feather quill and marking up his skin. "Bye-bye Mr. Grand Duke, for now." The troll hummed. Gilbert felt a force push him down and when he awoke, he was in his study room.
Gilbert stopped again in the hallway towards his room. How was he going to save the both of them? Could he tell Matthew? No. He'd have to lie to him, just once, just to protect him for now. Gilbert started walking up to his door, the moment he opened it, a running Matthew flung himself into his arms, knocking them both over. Coughing, Gilbert sat up on his elbows as Matthew rubbed his head, looking up at Gilbert. Before Gilbert could open his mouth Matthew kissed him deeply, wrapping his arms around him and grabbing him, almost...desperately. But like hell was he going to complain about something like this. Gilbert kissed back with just as much earnestness. Matthew pushed him down to the ground and nipped at his lip and oh god when could Matthew be so seductive? His nails clawed at his shirt and started to open it up, nipping, licking, and kissing his neck and shoulders. "Gilbert..." Matthew groaned and started to rut against him.
Gilbert got a whiff of a sweet alluring scent on him and opened his eyes to look down at him. Matthew stopped his stimulation to look up at him as well. Gilbert could see how clouded his eyes were through his a skewed glasses and how his mouth hung open slightly so he could see that cute, little pink tongue. He couldn't help himself but lick his lips. But before he could devour his Matthew, Matthew was yanked up to his feet by a white gloved hand. "I'd appreciate it if you two didn't go all the way in the middle of the hallway." Vladimir said and revealed a small pouch from his pocket and opened it up skillfully with one hand. Whatever it was, was dumped over Matthew head and face and caused him to sneeze a few times. "Honestly of all times for you to go into your first heat!" Vladimir scolded him. "Though I guess it's not your fault." He sighed and let go of Matthew. Gilbert fixed himself and picked himself off the floor.
"What the hell was that?" He asked him. "Just a little something to delay Matthew's heat for a few hours." Vladimir said, placing it back in his pocket. "Ah, sorry..." Matthew mumbled shyly and flatten his ears against his head. "It's not your fault Matthew so don't blame yourself. It's natural for your body to feel the way it does." Vladimir gave him a small smile before turning to Gilbert. "Though I expected a little more restraint on your part." He said, raising his eyebrow. "I'm sure you'd do the same if it was Aleksander on your lap like that." He teased him. "I suggest that you sleep in different quarters until Matthew's heat has passed. Besides you still have work to do, correct?" Vladimir said and guided Matthew over to him. "Matthew will sleep in the same room as me." "Like hell!" Gilbert butted in. "Besides I-" "I'm sure whatever you have to say can wait a little longer. Plus you don't have to worry about me jumping your Matthew." Vladimir said with a smirk. "I'll also be able to run a few test on him to make sure he's fine. Since I was recently informed what had happen." He told him. "Ahh...well..." Gilbert trailed off.
"Don't worry, I'll watch over him, just focus on your work." He said as he guided Matthew away from him, who was still sporting a small blush. As they walked all the way to where Vladimir's room was Matthew looked up at the warlock. "Actually do you think I could go see Gilbert real quick I really do need to tell him something." Matthew mumbled. "Matthew, please understand that both of you have been to realms recently and your bodies need rest, traveling spiritually puts a lot of strain on a person's body mentally and physically." "Wait, how do you know about that?" Matthew asked him as they entered his room, which was surprisingly a lot clearer than the last time he was there. Vladimir told him to rest, and climbed up on the bed and snuggled underneath the covers. "We'll have a meeting and bring everything together tomorrow, but for now rest." He hummed softly and out a spell over Matthew to have a restful sleep.
Getting up from the bed he stretched his arms out and went over to desk and sat down in the chair and opened one of his many books. It was going to be hard to find information on how to kill a god, since not many people have down it. After hours of researching he found some useful information, Vladimir heard the sound of his door opening and closing behind him. He sort of smiled to himself and continued to work and search through his books.
He didn't even have to turn around to tell that Matthew had left to go and see Gilbert.
(Review? Please?)