CHAPTER 22

DAWN

Olose arrived at Tavnazia just as the sun was rising in the early morning. He breathed calmly and slowly, relaxing his mind. Slowly he felt his muscles compact, the fur begin to turn inwards, into his body and his face and body shrinking becoming human once more. He stood for a moment, calmly, his eyes closed, until he felt that he was fully human again. He began to walk into the city, before realising he was completely naked. He quickly reacted by pulling down a nearby flag and wrapping it around himself, and hurried towards Arcadia's estate.

He ran in the door to see Andrew reacting with a shocked glare.

"Who the hell are you?" He cried. Olose paused for a moment in confusion.

"It's me! Olose!" He explained. Andrew's face erupted in shock.

"Olose?" He bellowed. "About time you got here!"

"Damn. I'm too late, aren't I?" Olose spat.

"He took her in the night." Andrew explained. "The authorities tried to stop him, but he killed them all." Olose paused, angrily.

"Did he say where he went?" Olose inquired quickly.

"No. But there was a message in her room, addressed to you." Andrew told him, and Olose shot up the stairs quickly, without saying anything else.

He ran into Arcadia's room and spotted the note instantly. He held it up and began to read.

Olose. I know you'll come. And I know you think I'll kill Arcadia. Rest assured, she will die, but you will watch. I shall make you. You shall see her die, and then I shall kill you.

This is truly the twilight of the immortal. Our final days. For that, there is only one location.

Olose paused. He knew exactly where he had gone. He scrunched up the note angrily and began to leave, before spotting something. Hanging up in front of Arcadia's bed, like a reminder of who he had been. Olose's old battered brown jacket. He smiled. He quickly slipped it on, and grabbed some clothes (old clothes of his own, that apparently Arcadia had never had the heart to remove). He slipped into the torn and beaten black trousers, and the old, dirty white shirt, threw his jacket on and left.

Andrew watched as Olose burst out of the house, looking much like he used to, despite the different face. He made a silent prayer that he would return safely, with Arcadia at his side.

Olose ran down the path and swung quickly into the nearest armoury, grabbing a sword and rushing into the darkness. He could assume his werewolf form, but he would loose his gear and he didn't have time for that. He could run quickly anyway, and he knew the way better than he knew the path anywhere. He rushed across the fields, disappearing from the view of all.

Andrew sat down awkwardly in his home, knowing now that he could but wait. He sat like that for well over an hour, when suddenly a group of people burst into his house. He rose quickly in shock.

"Damn. He's not here." Nadia grumbled. Andrew looked over the gathered group of rogues in shock.

"Have you seen the Captain?" Phabrizoe quickly asked a shocked and confused Andrew.

"Captain?" Andrew asked curiously.

"Yes! Captain Sampson!" Phabrizoe sighed, rolling his eyes.

"O-Olose?" Andrew stammered, still clearly puzzled. "He's gone after my daughter, Lady Arcadia. She's been kidnapped."

"Damn." Spat Nadia.

"H-He looked at a note left by the kidnapper, and then left. I can't figure out the location from it, but he clearly could." Andrew tried to explain, despite being baffled. "Who are you?"

"We'rrrre his crew." Smiled Suse.

"Right. Check that note!" Nadia ordered. Trevia nodded.
"I'm on it." She said, rushing up the stairs.

"We have to be able to figure out where he's gone from it. We have to find him." Nadia explained.

"What are you going to do?" Andrew asked.

"We have this." Nadia smiled, pulling out a long silver spear. "Abaj is immortal, like Olose. Only this can kill him."

"If Abaj gets a hold of that-" Andrew warned.

"We know." Phabrizoe snapped. "We won't mess up."

"Found the note!" Cried Trevia, running down the stairs. "I can't figurrrre it out. It says something about being at the one place that suits the twilight of the immortal. Wherrrrrre could that be?" The crew paused, looking puzzled.

"Oh come on! It's obvious!" Suse suddenly chimed in. The others slowly turned to stare at Suse in shock. Nobody could quite believe she'd of figured anything out on her own. "Abaj and Olose arrrre werrrrewolves. So their immorrrrrtal. Abaj is planning to make this theirrrr final battle, so the twilight of the immorrrrrtal. And wherrrrre would they do that? The one location that's imporrrrtant to them. Abaj told me all about it. I know wherrrre they arrrre."

Olose came to a stop for a moment, in reflection. He was stood on the same path where he had first met Arcadia. He smirked to himself, it had been hot lately and the ground was solid. Arcadia would prefer that, he knew, compared to the circumstances they first met in. He paused, in reflection and thought. Arcadia was in trouble, and he wasn't entirely certain he could find her quickly enough. He bolted up the same bank they had scrambled up to get away from the path and paused, a grin on his face. He could smell her scent. She was definitely alive. And, judging by the direction of it, exactly where he thought she was.

Arcadia shuffled awkwardly, the tight robes rubbing against her bare shoulders. She struggled a bit, and gave up with a grunt. She felt like she was getting rope burn, and that was all she needed. She was tied to a pole that Abaj had erected in a large and empty cave. She had no idea why she was being held in that specific cave, or how she had got there. Her head hurt, badly. She had been knocked unconscious, a particularly nasty sensation considering she wasn't really used to taking blows. She moved her head gently to follow Abaj, trying not to move it too fast in case the pounding got any worse. Abaj was pacing up and down in the cave, clearly deep in thought about something. He was now wearing heavy black metal armour, presumably some kind of back up against Olose, which Arcadia didn't fully understand, as she expected him just to turn into his werewolf form anyway. She liked the idea that it was to protect him from her, in case she had woken up before they reached the cave, but had to admit that it was unlikely. She tried to move again, letting out a small grunt as she felt the rough ropes rub against her own smooth skin. Her grunt gained the attention of Abaj, who turned around, laughing.

"Sit tight, sweetheart, it'll all be over soon." He grinned manically.

"I am sure it will be." She muttered. Abaj walked, lighting some torches to brighten the otherwise very dark cave.

"Convenient that the torches are still here." He observed. "The elvaans ripped everything else to pieces."

"What is this place?" Arcadia asked, deciding if she couldn't escape she should at least make conversation.

"My old home." Abaj smiled. "Home of the werewolves. Our last refuge, as it were. Olose escaped from here, that's why he hung around in the woods in this area. That's also why that village nearby got destroyed so many years ago. You're hero Olose is a murderer."

"Olose would never do that!" Arcadia cried defiantly.

"Oh, I think you know that he really did." Abaj smiled.

"It was not his fault." Arcadia stated, frustrated. Olose had come clean about that particular story a long time ago.

"And that makes it acceptable?" Abaj questioned. "I know you people of a higher class usually miss the suffering of us lowly peasants, but you're morals are seriously questionable."

"How dare you?" Arcadia cried. "You! Of all people! You're a murderer."

"Yes, yes. I know." Abaj laughed. "I killed this lot." He held his hands out around the cave. "Well, at least betrayed their location. Now, nobody can harm me, and I can rise through the ranks without effort. Hence how I became such a powerful crime lord. Nobody could defy me. Being the last of the werewolves has its advantages."

"Only one problem!" Came a cry. "You aren't the last one!"

Abaj spun around to see Olose Sampson stood defiantly in the cave entrance.

"Olose!" Arcadia cried out in joy.

"Sampson. Pleased to see you." Abaj smiled. "Like the new face. I'll make sure I do more than just rip it off this time."

"This ends here, Abaj." Olose growled.

"I couldn't agree more." Abaj grinned. "I'll kill the girl, then kill you."

"If you harm her, your life is forfeit." Olose warned.

"I was under the impression we were going to duel to the death anyway." Abaj laughed.

"Dammit Abaj! You've taken everything from me! You betrayed our race and had them wiped out, you caused me to grow up without them, it was you who led to the destruction of my home and family." And Talia, but he kept that silent. "And then you do this. For what? Revenge? Revenge for what? Because I defeated you once? You gave up without a fight! If you were so high and mighty, you could have fought your way out, being immortal."

"Boy, I had my reasons." Snarled Olose. "Do you really think the higher up powers in this world don't know what I am? Those troops outside were carrying silver weapons, and I find I work much more effectively alive. Thanks to you I lost my empire, my money and three years of my life!"

"You replaced it quickly enough." Olose spat. "Yet thanks to you I lost my family, my foster family, my entire village, every last friend I had, and the girl I cared for the most!"

"You replaced that quickly enough." Abaj countered with a grin, wrapping his hand around Arcadia's neck. She froze, even her heart felt as if it had stopped beating.

"You've taken enough from me, Abaj. Spare her." Olose tried to sound calm, hiding his boiling rage.

"No." Abaj stated, beginning to tighten his grip. He was slightly surprised when an arrow thudded into his back. He turned around to see Olose having drawn a bow and shot him. Olose smiled. He had picked it up when he grabbed a sword, and strapped it to his back, under his jacket. "You're a reasonable shot with that thing, boy. Been practicing?"

"A bit. They come in useful." Olose answered casually. Abaj removed the arrow from his back. Olose fired again, but this time missed.

"I apologise. I was mistaken." Abaj smirked. "Clearly you are not a reasonable shot. You missed."

"No I didn't." Olose shouted back. Abaj turned to see Arcadia raise to her feet, the ropes that had tied her to the pole broken by the arrow. Abaj grabbed her, pulling her around in front of him.

"What now, boy?" He cried over her shoulder. "Will you shoot at me, risking hitting her?" He grinned evilly.

"Yes." Olose answered confidently, much to Abaj's surprise. He fired the arrow and hit Abaj square in the face. Abaj cried in shock, and Arcadia ran from him, reaching Olose. Abaj ripped the arrow out of his own jaw, and his face healed quickly, leaving just a stain of blood. Despite her adrenaline, Arcadia was beginning to feel quite queasy. Abaj ran to get her, but Olose drew his sword. Abaj drew his too, and the two clashed weapons.

Abaj was clearly trying to fight to Arcadia, but Olose attacked quickly, frequently hitting Abaj to no effect. His hits at least kept Abaj way from Arcadia, but Olose knew he couldn't win in a sword fight. It was impossible. Abaj seemed quite skilled with a sword, moving quickly and jabbing into Olose as often as Olose jabbed into him. The two swung at each other, and grabbed each others arms. Olose and Abaj wrestled, spinning in a circle as they tried to get the other to drop their sword. Abaj suddenly kicked outwards, catching Olose in the chest and sending him sprawling to the ground. Olose crashed down with a thud, but quickly went into a back roll, coming up on one knee and firing another arrow. He hit Abaj in the chest, which stalled him for a second.

"Run!" Olose commanded. Arcadia nodded, knowing that she was more of a danger to Olose sticking around. She had come to terms with her existence as a bargaining chip for Abaj, and was determined not to give him that choice. She fled as Olose grabbed his sword and hit Abaj back, stopping him from following Arcadia.

Olose turned to make sure Arcadia was safely gone, feeling Abaj slice him across the back as he did. He came back to do it again and Olose blocked that from behind, spinning around and slicing at Abaj's head. Abaj blocked the blow and stabbed Olose. Olose retaliated by stabbing Abaj. The two paused for a moment, and drew each other's swords out of their chests. Olose ran in, blocking away Abaj's sword and hitting him with an elbow to the face. Abaj went down to the floor, and looked up with a grin.

"So what now, Olose Sampson? Are we to be two immortals locked in an epic battle until judgement day and the trumpets sound?"

"Oh no. Rest assured, you will die Abaj." Olose countered, swinging down at Abaj. Abaj blocked overhead and then sliced across Olose's legs. Olose jumped backwards as his wounds healed and spun his sword. Abaj held his out, ready to duel further.

"A lucky slice across the head and you will be dead." Abaj reminded his enemy.

"The same goes for you." Olose said calmly, tightening his grip on his sword.

"Then either one of us can win." Abaj smiled, knowing that he still had the ace of his transformation up his sleeve. He was still unaware that Olose had gained the same ability.

"It will be me, Abaj. You will pay for everything you've done, with your life!". Olose lunged at Abaj and the duel began once more.

Author's Note: Sorry to be a pain and leave a cliffhanger in the middle of the battle, but it was always my intention to have the battle in the next chapter. There's actually more of it here than intended.

Oh, and I'd like to point out the line "So what now, Olose Sampson? Are we to be two immortals locked in an epic battle until judgement day and the trumpets sound?" is blatantly stolen from Pirates of the Caribbean (I love that movie!) with the line "So what now, Jack Sparrow, are we to be two immortals locked in an epic battle 'til judgment day and the trumpets sound?" (can you see I've watched that film too much?), which is basically the same. Originally I even had Jack's counter of "Or you could surrender!" for Olose, but removed it because that was too much of a rip off, even for me.

I'm also aware that the dialogue between Olose and Abaj is truly terrible, especially before they fight. I wanted a dramatic, but drawn out exchange. Instead I ended up with a corny melodramatic bickering, so sorry about that. That went a bit wrong, but I can't really write it much better (I've said many times, I'm not very good at this) so I've had to keep it. But sorry for the poorness of that bit! Bit of a shame really, since it's pretty much the pivotal moment in the whole story so far…