Crushed Dreams Chapter Three

Stefon awakens in a pool of sweat in a bed, bandaged up. He sits up to see that he's in the makeshift hospital, with many around him.

Stefon then hops out of his make shift cot and runs outside to see wolves dragging hundreds of soldiers and coyotes to a massive grave. "Wes must be pretty strong then." Stefon thinks in his head noticing that almost all of the bodies that passed him were slain with the same weapon.

Stefon walks up to the leader of the wolves' clan and asks, "Where's Wes?"

The leader points the infirmary. "He was wounded soon after the battle began."

Stefon looks around stunned, "They weren't slain by that scythe." He then sees his own blade buried into the cave face, holding up a soldier by his head. "Bu…But, I blacked out."

"You killed then, all of them." The clan's leader slowly says noticing that Stefon had no recollection of the slaughter fest he had created.

Stefon looks around, "Is…Is Faith…?"

"She's fine, I guess you though she was dead. She was just knocked out by him." The leader indicates the man on the cliff face. "I'll have someone get that for you later. So, you have no knowledge of killing all these warriors?"

"No." Stefon says, and looks at the astonishing number of soldiers dead around him.

"I think, just think, you are the one who may finally bring an end to this chaotic time." The leader says, and then starts to lead Stefon to one of the caves where a sweet aroma fills the air. "You must be hungry."

"Yeah." Stefon says barley there.

The walk into the cave full of food and feasting wolves.

"Eat all you like." The chief says, finding himself a plate.

Stefon grabs himself a plate, and feels his stomach grumble, "How long have I been out?" Stefon asks, following the chief around gathering foods as they please.

"Only through the night. I don't think you got my name though, its Darius."

"Nice to meet you, as you already know, I'm Stefon."

Darius and Stefon finally sit down; Stefon looks around to see most of the wolves staring at him, and Darius also notices.

"They all admire you. You're a hero, without you, we would all most likely be dead."

"Hero..?" Stefon moves the though through his head. "They're all looking at me with fear."

"Well, you did go through a whole regiment of well trained soldiers with minor ease, and to add the fact that you remember none of it."

"I…" Stefon picks at his plate, pondering, eating here and there. He finally gets up and leaves.

"You don't have to leave, no one here cares."

"No, I'm fine, just need some air." Stefon exits the cave and heads toward the stream.

Stefon is splashing his face with water when Faith come from behind him, and pushes him in. Stefon stands up soaked with Faith gigiling uncontrollably, so Stefon jumps out of the water and gave her good shove into the steam.

She stands up giving Stefon a deadly look, "Not cool."

Stefon goes into a squat position smiling, "So?"

Faith runs out of the water chasing Stefon. Faith gains on Stefon quickly, and shoves him again into the water.

"Not cool." Stefon mimics Faith pushing himself out of the water, but Faith soon lands on his back, shoving his head under the water.

"Now, what are you two lovebirds doing?"

Stefon looks up to see Wes standing tall on the bank.

"What do you want?" Stefon asks calmly.

"Nothing, just wondering when you plan on leaving." Wes says getting himself a drink.

"As soon as I'm healed a little more."

"Which will be?"

"Around tomorrow." Stefon says looking to Faith who has a scowl look on her face.

"She coming?" Wes asks indicating Faith.

Stefon looks to the water, "Looks like we're leaving late tonight then."

Faith's face lights up and she hugs Stefon, "Thanks!"

"Your father is going to have my ass."

"So?" Faith and Wes ask semiannually.

Stefon just shakes his head walking back to the village with Faith on his back and Wes close behind.

They walk into the village, and Stefon throws his arms over his stomach to block Stan's attack.

"Nice, looks like your getting a little better, but let's go over this one more time." Stan hands Stefon his blade, and they walk to the training ground.

Stefon and Stan stand facing each other, about ten feet apart.

Stefon charges first this time, he makes his attack look legit, at the last second, jerks his blade down to block Stan's move, and then brings the blade yet again to Stan's throat.

"I see, well, you have my approval to leave, you can go at anytime, not saying that you are prepared, just that you have surpassed my help."

The leader of the clan comes up from behind Stefon and puts his hand on Stefon's shoulder.

"I see that you have greatly improved. That is all that we have to offer in terms of training, but you are welcome to stay and do any additional training at our grounds any time you like, and there will always be a bed ready for you."

"A place to call home." Stefon thinks, "Sort of makes me regret doing what I must later." Stefon says looking at Faith.

"As for now, we shall offer you a position in our clan, in our family."

Stefon looks around to see everyone looking at him, not as a monster any more, but as a member of their family.

Faith takes Stefon by the arm and ducks out to a secluded part of the woods.

"Going to be hard to do this, beings that my father's giving you so much trust?" Faith asks Stefon.

"Yea, but I said I was already." Stefon says slowly kicking into the air.

"My father is thinking about giving you the ultimate privilege, one that hasn't been given out in over a hundred years, making you a wolf."

"What? Giving me the ability to transform?" Stefon asks looking to Faith.

"Yea, but there is one problem, the weak can't handle the power, and their souls are taken over first full moon, and they are forever damned to a life of killing innocents."

Stefon thinks about what was said, "Do you think I'm strong enough?"

"If anyone is, you'd be." Faith says admiringly, "We had better be getting back to the village to get ready."

"Ok." Stefon says walking to the village.

Before Stefon reaches the village, Wes comes out from nowhere, "He, can we speak alone?"

Stefon looks to Faith.
"I've got a lot to do, play nice." Faith says and runs off into the distance.

"I'd like to apologize," Wes begins.

"Don't worry about it." Stefon says cutting him off.

"Not about that…" Wes says slowly staring off into space.

"I know, don't worry about it, I don't know why you did it, but I know it wasn't entirely your fault." Stefon extends out his hand for a shake, "We should act more like allies, dragon."

"Sounds good to me." Wes says shaking with Stefon, then the two part, Wes to find food, and Stefon to find Faith and see if there was anything to be done.

Stefon sits to the right of Darius, facing Faith, with Wes to his left.

"Tonight is a special night indeed; we not only have won a great battle, but we shall soon have another addition to our family." Darius indicates Stefon, "So, shall we get the celebration underway?"

At that command wolves came in carrying plates loaded with foods, mostly meats from a fresh kill.

Stefon grabs himself a leg of an animal unknown to himself and begins to eat.

After everyone had finished their meals, they all gathered around the head of the table, surrounding Stefon, Faith, Darius, and Wes. "Shall we start the ceremony?" Darius asks Wes and Stefon, who shake their heads. "Ok, let it begin!" At that a huge fire ignites behind Darius, illuminating the whole cave. "Will you two step forward?" Darius asks waving a way for Stefon and Wes. "Do you two pledge you allegiance to our clan? Our causes?" Darius asks Stefon and Wes, who simultaneously say, "Yes." "Okay, if at anytime you do not comply with that promise, you will be rejected by all who live in these caverns, and will be executed!" Stefon and Wes's facial expressions change little at this warning.

Darius continues, "Beings that you full dragon, you can't participate in this next ceremony." Wes shakes his head knowingly and fades back into the crowd.

"Stefon, what you did yesterday was an action of great bravery, and without you we would of all been slaughtered for sure, so I offer you this, a chance to be one of us, to we a wolf!" Stefon's face lights up, and Darius continues, "I must warn you, the weak die, if you can't handle the power that I offer you, you will certainly lose you will, and will become a demon, one of great strength, so with that warning, do you wish to continue with this?" Stefon shakes his head with and prepares himself for the challenge that is to come, "Before I can give you this power you must enter the cave of demons and retrieve the weapon named, My Apocalypse! Then you shall return. This will be not easy task; you may even lose your life."

"I fear nothing! I will bring you what ever you need." Stefon says standing tall.

"Fine, open the sealed cave!" At that the wall behind the fire begins to rumble and move to reveal a passage way. "I give you one last chance to deny this, there will be no pride lost, we all know that it takes a lot of bravery to enter."

"I shall continue." Stefon says walking toward the cave.

"All I can say now is good luck." Darius steps back and hands Stefon a lit torch.

"Good luck!" Faith yells jumping up to be seen.

"See you when I get back." Stefon says running into the cavern.

Stefon runs down a winding stair case, the sounds of the party die out as he gets farther down into the pit.

He hears little movement around him, so he draws out his sword, just after that he hears a shrill scream, and is knocked to his back, fending of a demon that was trying to tear out his throat. He couldn't see it beings that his torch had flickered out.