Chapter 17: Last of the Man-Wolf

Cornell followed Ada's scent closely to a room filled with clocks. The tick tock sound that they made annoyed Cornell so he broke each one of them. From the room he was in there were only three ways he could go. Back the way he came, or through two different paths. Oddly enough, Ada's scent seemed to come out of both. Cornell ran down the one from which the scent was stronger. He roared with anger when he found it lead to a dead end. He quickly turned around and ran through the other. The other path led to a platform, which instantly began to rise when Cornell put a foot onto it. It rose until Cornell found himself standing on the roof of the execution tower. Standing on the far edge of the roof is Ortega in his wolf form. Holding in his hand is a piece of Ada's dress. Ortega laughed as though he had never ceased from the last time they met. Cornell in his current state of mind inspected him closely as a potential threat. The hairs on the back of his neck rose as though some buried memory was trying to break through.

"Well, well, look at the mighty Cornell. Reduced to the mentality of an animal." Cornell growled at the sound of his mocking voice. Although Cornell could no longer comprehend his words, his tone gave away his gloating.

"You see Cornell! This is the result of your actions. Because of the seal you had placed on us we can never go back to what we were! At least not by normal means."

Cornell continued to growl and walked closer to Ortega. Ortega began to circle around him as Cornell got down on all fours.

"You planning on attacking me? Oh that's right! You swore to kill me didn't you? And you always keep your promises don't you? Like you probably swore to save Ada? Well you're too late, Cornell. Why, you've lost before the fight has even begun."

"Ada" Cornell growled in an inhuman voice.

"Forget about Ada! Now is the time for us to settle our feud once and for all." Then a glow began to surround Ortega. The glow was identical to the one Cornell had seen at the castle wall except this one was more intense. The glow seemed envelope him. Then it shone so bright that it hurt Cornell's eyes. When Cornell looked again the Ortega that he had always known no longer stood before. The creature that now towered over him had three heads each one a different animal, and had large feathered wings. He stood on four huge legs with an aura still surrounding him. It pulsated ominously like a heart beat.

"Oh, yes. There was a time when you were quicker than I. A year ago when we fought your eyes were as cold as the moon. They were eyes that saw a weaker opponent. Even after all our years hunting together you did not respect me. You were always the better one! But the man you see before you today is a changed man-beast. Forever changed from that time. Changed I say!" One of Ortega's heads suddenly shot a burst of flames, which narrowly missed Cornell. As it shot the flames the other two heads roared with laughter.

"Are you truly ready to do battle with me?"

Cornell roared himself and walked closer to Ortega. Ortega rose slowly and began to hover above Cornell who was till on all fours.

"Good. Now that you have broken the seal I can fight the true you. With everyone else dead you and I can finally battle to be the ultimate man-wolfto be the last and greatest of our kind!"

Ortega dove down and breathed flames from his mouth. Cornell rolled to the left to avoid them. He got up and leaped after him as he flew by grabbing onto one of his wings. Two of Ortega's head turned and tried to swallow him whole but Cornell fired again and again. Finally Ortega flipped upside down and hit the ground with his backside, Cornell still hanging on. Cornell howled in pain and let go. Ortega instantly got back on his four feet, his head roared and hissed all at once. Cornell fired bolts as he literally flew into Ortega. Cornell landed and grabbed hold of one of the heads and began send the energy into the snakelike head. It's long tongue lashed out hysterically at anything it could grab. The tongue seemed to have a life of it's own as it even wrapped itself around one of the other heads. Soon Ortega's new body seemed to be fighting itself. Finally the energy that Cornell was sending into the head was too much and Cornell suddenly felt himself being thrown across the rooftop along with the remains of the snake-head. Blood splattered over the rooftop and the other two heads roared. Cornell quickly got up again and instinctively pressed his advantage. He jumped onto it's backside and bit into one of it's wings. Then something caught Cornell's eye. Even in his primal state her could not overlook what he saw. Very slowly the sun was going down and the moon was coming into view. The moon had a special significance for Cornell. It would be a blue crescent moon. It would be his moon. As it came into view it began to rain. As it began to rain it's light reflected on the puddles that began to form throughout the rooftop. Suddenly something clicked in Cornell's mind. Gradually he felt himself returning. With a bright flash of light Cornell felt himself once more in his human form. His primal anger faded into the cool coordinated state of a true warrior. Cornell leaped onto the back of one of Ortega's heads and wrapped his arms around it. He squeezed with all his strength. The head jerked around hysterically as it became short of breath. Within moments Cornell felt as the pulse of the beast faded and the aura that had surrounded Ortega returned, this time it threw once across the rooftop. But unlike other time when Cornell merely felt the hard stone roof, Cornell threw his arms out desperately trying to grasp the edge of the rooftop. He dangled over the edge and made sure not to look down. Finally he pulled himself up and watched as the roaring shape of Ortega's beast form dissolved into his human form. Cornell kept his distance from the figure that lay before him. Although the figure seemed to be injured beyond help and blood sprouted from his shoulders and chest, Cornell remained cautious. Still not comprehending his own current state he almost had no memory of what he had done to Ortega.

"Ortega" Cornell said almost whispering.

"It appears that I am still not the match for you, Cornell. I thought that with these powers I could surpass your strength, but your heart is pure and with purpose. The old chieftain was rightno defeating that" Ortega panted. Cornell merely stood there unable to summon up the words to either forgive or condemn his old friend and pack brother.

"I left Ada in the clock tower. She has not been sacrificed yet." Ortega smiled. "You will, as always, keep your promise. I wanted to settle this score even if it meant disobeying Dracula. So I have no regrets, now that I have fought the true you. I only regret what I did to the villagers, but it is too late for that now. It is too late for me, pack brother. I let my envy of you turn into hate and that hate will now consume me" Ortega stood up from his fetal position and clutched his chest. The aura around suddenly pulsated once more.

"You are the last of us, Cornell"

"You don't need to go on, Ortega."

"Get away, Cornell. My power is going out of control. I can't stop it." Ortega broke out and began to run for the edge. Cornell ran after him yelling but he could not catch up. Ortega leapt into the air just as Cornell reached the edge. Cornell looked down as he fell. The aura faded into the mist and clouds until finally a bright light shone and Cornell saw the explosion. The tower itself shook.

"Ortega" Cornell said without sorrow or anger.

Cornell looked behind him. Beyond the clouds and beyond this tower lay the clock tower that Ortega spoke of. The rain was heavy and Cornell stared through the raindrops to see the face of the enormous clock tower. Cornell ran toward the platform that had taken him here and as he touched it began to lower. As the platform went down, drops still struck Cornell's head. He stared up and saw the blue crescent moon shining down upon him. Cornell closed his eyes and pondered this portent.

One last moon for the last of the man-wolf.

Chapter 18: Keep of Secrets