There's no hunts without traps
A week after the fight
The morning sun rose with a beautiful fiery veil, banishing the night and sleepiness away. Fluffy and stark white clouds were lazily floating along the azure sky, ushered by the warm and pleasant wind of the last day of June.
"Do you think it's gonna come back soon?" asked Shalidor, while they were looking on a map of the territory, projected by one of Spectrale's crystal.
"Probably not so soon, we hurt it damn good. But, we don't know how fast it heals." answered Spectrale, looking at the map, absentminded.
"Let's go down to the feeding grounds, to see the wolves. We'll come back after, won't be any use to anyone to just stare at this shit." shrugged Kharazim. The others nodded and went outside.
"It's still very skilled in operating in secret." said Spectrale, frowning.
"Finally might've found your match." laughed Lara.
"I know, and I hell like it. It's a challenge." smiled the Nightingale.
"Love the attitude." chuckled Fannaeras.
They met the wolves at the feeding grounds.
"Hello." said Lilly, but she still looked quite sad.
"Hi." answered Lara, as she and Mithrandir hugged the she-wolf. Ithilden and Shalidor also hugged Kate. "We're very sorry." they added.
"Thanks… means a lot." smiled the wolves.
As they talked about the situation of the pack, and other problems, Shalidor thought he heard his name. Very quiet, but definitely there. He listened carefully, and turned around. From the distant bushes, he could hear sounds. Incomprehensive voices. He continued to stare and listen, until Ithilden tapped him on the shoulder.
"Alright, friend? What are you doing?" he asked, intrigued. Shalidor raised up a finger, and the night-elf fell silent, just like the others, now all looking at the human. The whispers were gone.
"Dammit. I could hear something there." He said , pointing. "Nothing understandable, but definitely voices." he finished, and started towards the dark bushes. The other mages and the wolves quickly followed him.
Spectrale quickly cast a spell.
"Something was definitely here." he said. The Archmages quickly looked around, casting spells, while the wolves watched expectantly.
"Fucking nothing." cried Lara exasparated, after about five minutes of continuous casting.
"Told you this thing knows what it's doing." said Spectrale.
"I'll go look in a tome, just remembered something." said Shalidor, clapping his hands. He teleported back to the tree-house.
"Does he usually just do that…?" asked Garth, slightly confused.
"Yep. You get used to it, though." laughed Fannaeras.
At the tree-house
Shalidor swore viciously after perusing an old tome, entitled "The most peculiar cases of monsters". He didn't find what he wished for. He put it back on the shelf, still annoyed. Then, he gasped, as another book fell, apparently out of his shelf. It was "Mister Babadook". As flames burst out of the human's left hand, the book disappeared.
"Fuck!" he swore out loud. And he froze, as he heard voices , this time from his quarters. But this time they were clearer:
"Shalidor… Shalidor…"
The mage entered his room, ice spikes in one hand and lightning blots in the other, ready to fight. But he saw nothing.
"Come and fight me… At midnight… Alone… Where the earth and sky meet… On a rocky path…". Shalidor made a lightning explosion throughout the room , but nothing was hurt. The cold voice faded away.
"Alright… Where the earth and sky meet… On a rocky path… The top of the mountain, ain't it? Can't wait." said Shalidor, narrowing his eyes, and strode back out to his friends.
Back in the feeding grounds, about half an hour later
"We must set a trap. Can't pass the occasion. It won't know what hit -" started Mithrandir, the instant Shalidor finished, but was cut off roughly by Spectrale.
"It will know EXACTLY what hit it. We must mask it very well, it will expect it for damn sure. I'll come up with something, give me a few minutes." He walked away, whispering to himself.
"Spectrale's right, this thing ain't no idiot. We must expect that he knows, and counter that." said Fannaeras, nodding.
A few minutes later, the Nightingale returned, smirking.
"This is the plan. Think it should work." he said, and started explaining.
About 10 minutes later
The seven Archmages went up the mountain to set the trap, all invisible. Spectrale detected invisible runes and signs in the middle, and they encircled it with their own runes and enchantments, to trap the Babadook's trap. They walked away silently, satisfied and hopeful. But they never saw the figure of a tawny-brown she-wolf that watched them silently, and then walked away without making a sound.
That night
Shalidor walked along a rocky path to the top of the mountain, seemingly alone. But the rest of the Archmages were just slightly further behind him, invisible, using some of Spectrale's special spells. Also, Kate stood in her den, eyes wide open. Even if the mages told them specifically not to interfere, she wouldn't let them face the monsters completely alone.
Shalidor felt the cool night's breeze through his cloak, and the bright stars winked at him from the jet-black sky. He reached the top of the mountain, took a deep breath, and stepped inside the circle of the Babadook's circle, memorizing their location.
Immediately, a black and grey sphere surrounded the human and threw him forwards. He instinctively shielded himself, and was lucky to block the Babadook's first swipe, and throw him backwards, also shocking him powerfully.
On the other side, tentacles and spikes impaled and ensnared the Archmages, so quickly they barely had any time to react. They quickly started trying to free themselves, but their magic was being drained away by the bindings. They then heard Garth shout from outside the barrier:
"Let us in, we can help!"
Spectrale scoffed and managed to open the barrier. Garth, Kate, Fleet and Stinky appeared. They immediately tried to bite at the Archmages's bindings,which unexpectedly, was working. The Babadook apparently neglected any other aspects but draining magic.
As the Archmages were being helped by the wolves to free themselves, Shalidor was fighting with the Babadook, two atronachs at his side. He kept dodging its swipes, while he shot fire showers, lightning blots, and ice spikes at him. But finally, the monster landed a swipe and Shalidor fell to the ground, and the Babadook wasted no time in falling upon him. He quickly shielded himself, creating a fire cloak, which burned the monster. He conjured a sword in his hand which he impaled it with, and threw it off him. The atronachs meanwhile, kept shooting fireballs and lightning blots at the monster, weakening it.
Kate managed to free Fannaeras, Garth Mithrandir, Stinky Spectrale, Fleet Lara, and Spectrale freed Kharazim and Ithilden. They quickly started to heal themselves, but Eve suddenly fell upon them and bit Lara's arm and Ithilden's leg. Fannaeras drained her of energy, and Ithilden ensnared her with roots he rose from the ground. Then Fannaeras shouted:
"Shalidor, shield yourself, quickly!"
Shaildor began to shout: "Feim Zii - " but then the Babadook materialized behind him, and cut his back powerfully with his claw, cutting his breath out. When he regained it abruptly, he yelled out the last word: "GRON!". His form faded slightly, and Shalidor became a transparent, very much like a ghost, but with a black mark on his back. Fannaeras, hearing he finished the shout, knowing it's short-lived, crushed a stone in his hand. The second trap they placed took effect: a massive explosion took place inside the Babadook's circle. The blasts went on for a few seconds before everything stopped. The two spheres faded, and the Archmages lowered their hands.
Shalidor's form appeared within the smoke, and Ithilden started cheering, but he was cut short when a lightning bolt hit him square in the chest, knocking him down.
"What the fuck - ?" shouted Spectrale.
"FUS!"
Spectrale quickly dodged the weak, but still damaging Unrelenting Force shout.
Shalidor almost hit a fireball on Garth, but Lara deflected it with her sword. He then aimed at Mithrandir, but put his hand up abruptly and released a lightning bolt.
"SHIELD AROUND ME!" he yelled, and shot an ice spike towards Kharazim, who caught it and smashed it in his hand. Fannaeras quickly obliged, and created a transparent, yet powerful purple barrier around the Archmage.
Shalidor still struggled with himself madly, sending destruction spells to his right and left, while managing to not fully charge the shouts the Babadook was trying to make him cast, releasing only one, at most two words. Fannaeras was holding the shield tight, not letting the spells break a single thing. Shalidor kneeled and sat still, for quite a few moments.
"Shalidor … ?" asked Fannaeras tentatively, starting to deactivate the barrier.
"YOOL, TOOL!"
The two words managed to escape Shalidor's mouth before he could stop the Babadook, and Fannaeras reinforced the barrier too late; the shout got out and burned Eve's bindings. She shot out and slashed Kate across her left eye, and Garth managed to push her away, with a strong shoulder charge. She pounced again, but her course was altered by a powerful wind blade sent by Lara. Kharazim quickly managed hit her a glowing fist and headbutted her powerfully, then Lara bound her again, with her own spell.
"What the fuck are we supposed to do?" yelled Ithilden, while he was healing Kate's wound.
"I don't know!" screamed Lara.
"I've got an idea!" shouted Mithrandir. He rushed towards the barrier, and raised his right hand. His ring started shining with intense orange light. The other Archmages and wolves suddenly felt inspired, hopeful, to counter their previous sensations of despair and hopelessness. He then spoke loudly:
"Possessed soul, hear my voice!
Fight the spirit that possesses your body,
Free yourself of its malicious influence over your mind!"
Shalidor stopped struggling and started glowing himself. He then stood up, and turned his back to them, but smoothly and not struggling at all.
"Fannaeras! Open the barrier there!" shouted Kharazim. The blood-elf obliged.
Shalidor then got all his power and shouted so loudly, that the echo carried over the mountains and through all of the forest.
"FUS, RO DAH!"
Black slime was thrown very powerfully out, but a hand suddenly appeared out of it, and claws latched on the edges of the mountain. The Babadook quickly reformed out of it, growling angrily. Shalidor fell to the ground, exhausted and his back bleeding profusely.
He charged towards the injured Shalidor, but was stopped by Kharazim. Ithilden, meanwhile, encased himself and Shalidor in thick roots, so he could heal him. The monk struck him with very fast burning fists and glowing kicks. He then jumped seemingly behind, disappeared, but reformed behind the Babadook and landed a powerful burning kick right in the middle of the monster's spine. The creature cut his arm, but Kharazim teleported back where he disappeared, before he could be injured badly. Fannaeras and Lara took their chance, and the blood-elf drained him of life-essence, while Lara struck him with her sword. The Babadook then vanished, and reappeared at a short distance. It put his hands together and quickly released a wave of energy, which didn't damage badly, but it did something else:
It created five clones of himself.
All of the clones charged at different Archmages, while the real Babadook freed Eve, because Ithilden was focusing his magic on healing Shalidor, and couldn't stop him. The possessed she-wolf then tried to pounce on Fannaeras, who was busy fighting, but was stopped by Garth. He bit her left back-leg and threw her down. Stinky and Fleet managed to pin her, and the Babadook started towards them, his claws shining in the moonlight, but Kate and Garth jumped on his back biting down his arms. The monster then flipped sideways and sent the two wolves smashing to the ground. He was about to charge again when another shout was heard:
"MUL, QAH DIIV!"
The roots fell to the ground and revealed a surprised Ithilden standing behind Shalidor. But he didn't have his normal form. A bright scale texture enveloped his body, spikes circled the base of his neck, and horns grew on his head.
"Ready for round two, bitch?" he asked, in a strong voice.
The Babadook made a sign towards Eve, and her eyes grew even redder. She knocked Stinky's paw away, bit his muzzle and threw him off her roughly. She then headbutted Fleet, and kicked him powerfully in the stomach, chucking him towards the edge, where he barely clinged on. Eve then charged at Ithilden, while the Babadook turned towards Shalidor, who had already conjured an ice atronach, and smiled horribly, revealing all his teeth. The other Archmages started to overcome the Babadook's clones.
The monster charged, but Shalidor was now qick enough to dodge it, and fireballed him right in the face. The ice atronach then hit him from behind, with an ice hammer formed out of its left hand.
"YOOL, TOOL SHUN!"
A great barrage of fire hit the Babadook before he could dodge it. The atronach stood next to his master and sprayed the monster with ice spikes and cones, as Shalidor conjured a bow, and shot him with fire and lightning coated arrows. His spells were much quicker and stronger, and almost impossible to dodge. The Babadook managed to teleport behind Shalidor, but hit only his new wyrm-like armor. Shalidor turned and formed a battle-axe in his hand, with wich he cut the Babadook's raised arm. It reformed a short way from the Archmage, clutching its stump.
Fannaeras drained all the life-force of the clone, Lara slashed her enemy in two sides diagonally, Kharazim smashed his clone's head open with a powerful kick, Mithrandir burned his to ashes, Spectrale shot it through its skull with his bow, and Ithilden raised a rock-golem which knocked Eve out and he healed Stinky, while Garth helped Fleet up. The Babadook was surrounded, but it had one last trick.
He took off his hat with his other hand and revealed his full face, and opened his mouth wide, which shined blindingly, and screeched deafeningly. It stunned all the Archmages, and knocked out the wolves, who weren't able to look at it for more then a few seconds. Bats came from inside his cloak and stormed the mages, but they managed to shield themselves good enough to not be hurt. The golem crumbled into dust, as the Babadook grabbed Eve, and took flight.
The next morning
The wolves woke up back in their den, stroked by the gentle sun rays of the very first day of July. They looked around confusedly, and saw the Archmages standing by the entrance.
"You're awake! Good, luckily that effect of the Babadook's spell wasn't very strong because of how hurt was it. Else it could've killed you." smiled Lara.
"What…?" asked Fleet weakly, but was stopped by Claudette kissing him passionately. Ann did the same to Stinky.
"I am so glad I didn't lose you, baby… I don't know what I would've done without you…" moaned Claudette.
"I don't ever want you that close to leaving me again, my precious one…" whispered Ann.
"Well, that was a powerful spell of stunning, but he couldn't do it properly, 'cause we hurt it damn good." explained Shalidor. "And fuck me, I almost got us killed." he added bitterly, rubbing his still aching back.
"You didn't, you managed to fight it well." said Kate firmly. "Unlike Mom." she added sadly.
"We'll free her somehow Kate, we promise. We're gonna figure it out somehow." said Fannaeras reassuringly.
"Thanks. You guys really are amazing." smiled the she-wolf, a small tear leaking out of her eye. Humphrey took her in his forepaws and hugged her tightly.
"Have hope, Kate." he whispered.
"Thanks, dear." she answered and nuzzled him lovingly.
"I was lucky to be able to heal you while the fight was happening." nodded Ithilden. "Now, if you rest for this morning, you'll be completely fine."
"Thank you. Very much." grinned Garth.
"It is our duty to fix this shit, and keep as many of you alive as possible." said Kharazim. They then left the den, where the Royal Family was waiting, to thank them.
Claudette suddenly ran out and threw up over a ledge.
"I've been feeling like this all morning!" she said loudly and annoyedly. "Did I eat something bad, what happened?!"
"Unless…" said Lilly thoughtfully. "Can you lay down, please?"
"Alright…" nodded Claudette, as confused as everyone else.
She felt her belly gently, and started laughing.
"You didn't eat anything bad, you're pregnant!" she shouted happily.
"What?!" cried Claudette. "But… but… I'm not in heat! Not even mating season!"
"There's a very small chance you can get pregnant even outside of the season." smiled Lilly.
"Are you sure?" asked Humphrey, mouth agape.
"Yeah, all the signs are here. Remember, I may be leader now, but I did become a Pack Healer." answered Lilly.
Claudette hugged Fleet tightly.
"You're a father now!" she screamed.
"Yeah, and I can't be happier to be a father with you as my mate!" he shouted back, as he hugged her back. Kate and Humphrey also hugged the couple, while Runt, Stinky, Ann, and the Pack Leaders were grinning widely.
"Well, congratulations, congratulations! I hear we have a new family going on in here!" shouted Fannaeras.
"We congratulate you too, we are sure you shall become a happy family, just like your parents' family." smiled Queen Bear.
"But now, not to interrupt, but there's a few matters that need your attention." said King Bear, while he looked at the new Pack Leaders, Garth and Lilly. They nodded and quickly followed them. In the wake went Stinky, Ann, Zoe, Canue and Brent who were standing quite close to each other…
The Archmages, grinning at each other, teleported back to the treehouse, and Ithilden promised Shalidor another ointment, while the human just sighed exasparatedly. The sun rose with its stunning fire coat across the azure bolt of the heavens, now finally announcing a peaceful day…
The Babadook was overlooking on the valley from the silent forest, regenerating himself and his servant. He had underestimated the alliance between the mages and wolves, and he was sure he wouldn't make that mistake again…
A/N: Yey, Claudette's pregnant! :D Now I need to think up really good names for the pups, shit… Anyways, Fannaeras will be able to keep his promise, right? Um… Right?