Chapter 61: Chapter 61

THE SECRETS OF THE PATH

The Secrets of the Path

The Tundra, Arctica

Aku stared at the girl's still form. Suddenly, a white light surrounded her, picking up her body, and taking it in the air. Out of nowhere a little opening appeared, getting bigger and bigger as the girl's body approached it. The wind began to pick up as the body went higher and higher until it reached the opening. With one final burst of wind, the body was sucked up into the hole, leaving the top of the cave completely unmarked.

Aku looked back at the newcomer. She looked familiar, but he couldn't quiet put a finger on where he had seen her before. She had her face pointed upwards, as if she was smelling the wind. She turned slowly and smiled at them. "I know you have many questions, but you must get ready."

Raakel frowned. "Ready for what?"

"Danger is coming," was all the woman said.

Lydia blinked. "Oh, no!"

Ovikki stepped behind Eelis, a movement that earned many eye rolls from the other females present.

Raakel looked at Lydia. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"The Rogue!" Lydia exclaimed.

The woman simply nodded. "Ah, I see you are familiar with this creature."

Aku frowned. He had heard many things about what a Rogue wolf could do.

Growling filled the tunnel. Aku found himself drawing in a deep breath and actually taking a series of small steps backwards. There in the darkest part of the tunnel, he could see its red eyes staring back at him, the teeth were so large that they actually stood out against the darkness.

"That's the thing that nearly killed me," Aleksander muttered.

Aku looked at Aleksander for a brief second, but in that brief second he lost so much time.

In a burst of dark and deadly energy, the Rogue charged forward.

Sebastiaan flung an arm out, sending a wave of powerful magic toward the Rogue. The Rogue actually bowed, letting out the smallest of yelps. It kept trying to get up, trying to escape what Aku assumed was a round of endless pain, but Sebastiaan kept his death pull on it.

Sebastiaan closed his eyes, almost like he was trying to block out the horror that he was causing right in front of their eyes. "Do it now," he said, his voice shaking. "I know don't how much longer I can hold."

Aku looked at the Rogue. It was no longer just letting out small yelps, but full out screams of pain. It sounded like an animal that was being torn down by a pack of enemies. It reminded him of those war movies he used to watch.

The Rogue bares his teeth.

"Now!" Sebastiaan screamed, almost begging. "I can't hold on for much longer!"

A few people toward the front start to advance, their weapons drawn. Gunshots fill the air, but they don't really seem to be doing all that much damage. Aku supposed that there probably was nothing a lot worse than Sebastiaan's endless rounds of pain.

The Rogue arched its back, almost as if its' very skin was being peeled away. Its' front paws seemed to be reaching its' chest as it struggled to find and get out the source of pain. Every once in awhile, it would reach for its' eyes, digging into its' sockets.

Aku stood and watched in both horror and wonder. This all just served as a reminder to never get on Sebastiaan's bad side. If he could this to a Rogue wolf, what could he do to a human or normal wolf?

Markus pulled a sword out from nowhere. Aku watched, remembering the damage that Markus had almost done to him when he and Eelis ran him out of the Kitee Pack. His sword flew forward in a deadly arch. The Rouge barely had time to react before the sword makes contact. It wasn't a killing blow, but it's enough to draw blood.

The Rogue turned in Markus's direction, teeth bared. Markus just stood there, watching it, not breaking eye contact.

The Rouge started to circle them, baring its' teeth and growing. Aku looked over at Sebastiaan, who still clearly had a little bit of a hold on the Rogue. It wasn't as strong as it had been a few minutes, but it was still there nevertheless.

Markus swung his sword again, this time a little bit of a different angle. It struck the Rogue in the side, causing it to let out a series of cries and shrieks. The others fired their guns, sending even more pain through the Rogue's body. Aku really didn't see how it was even still alive, how it could live and actually still be moving through everything that was being thrown at it.

Suddenly, the Rogue lunged forward. Its paw wrapped around Markus's sword hand in a grip that was sure to break bones. Markus dropped the sword as he struggled to get free from the Rogue's grip. Even from the distance, Aku could hear the breaking of bones and Markus's gentle whimpering.

The Rogue looked up at them, smiling almost as it drew Markus in closer. Aku wanted to close his eyes. He knew what was going to happen. It was going to kill Markus right in front of their eyes. Its teeth were getting closer and closer to Markus's head. Markus was doing everything in power to keep the Rogue from driving its' teeth in, but it wasn't doing any good. The Rogue was simply too powerful, too strong.

Aatu was moving closer to them, but each step only seemed to make the Rogue tightened its' grip on Markus.

If only they could Change…If only they could Change…It would certainly even up the fighting ground a little bit.

The gunfire had stopped. The way that the Rogue was holding Markus, there was no way they could keep shooting without their shots reaching Markus. In his human form, the bullets were almost bound to kill him.

Aku just stood there, not able to do anything to help. He didn't even know where to even begin with helping. He looked over at the others, who were also unmoving. How do you help someone when you know that helping them will actually get them killed?

The Rogue's grin just widened as it watched them; its eyes just seemed to gaze right into them, like it was actually enjoying its self, putting them through this hell. It knew it had the upper hand, it knew it had them right where it wanted them.

The silence between them was almost deafening. Aku wished the Rogue would do something, anything, just give them a sign as to what its next move was going to be.

The Rogue drew another claw across Markus, not drawing any blood or anything, but enough to make them aware that the game was not over yet. The others all held their breath, but Aku found himself doing the opposite. He was breathing so hard that he feared his heart and lungs were going to just explode right out of his chest.

The Rogue kept looking at them, almost daring them to come closer, daring them to shoot, daring them to make any kind of movement. Markus kept trying and failing to reach for his sword. Aku did have to give him credit, he didn't give up very easily.

Suddenly from deep within the paths, there was a call, almost like a cry. The Rogue dropped Markus, its' eyes alert. With a turn, the giant wolf leapt off into the darkness.

Markus quickly got to his feet, grabbing onto his sword.

"Are you alright?" Eelis asked.

Markus nodded. "Yeah." He kept staring down the darkened tunnel. "I wonder what that was all about."

"It's just trying to mess with us," Raakel said.

Sebastiaan slumped hard against the wall. "We just need to keep moving. I don't think that was all there is down here."

Aku looked at Sebastiaan out of the corner of his eye. The other wolf really didn't look so good; it made Aku wonder how he was even going to be able to keep up with the group. Aleksander moved to Sebastiaan's side, looking concerned. If Aleksander was worried, then they probably all had something to worry about.

"Let's go then," Eelis said, giving Markus one final look.

Aku stayed right behind Aatu as they made their way through the winding paths. The ice above them glittered in all its prime. Aku only wished that it provided light instead of beauty. They kept going, deeper and deeper or so it seemed. Aku could only think it was possible that they were underground. He had never seen anything like this above ground.

The newcomer seemed to stay to the back of the group. She really didn't speak, but there was no denying her presence. She had an aura around her that casted a sense of mystery to her-the kind that made her seem otherworldly.

Her eyes kept shifting up to the ceiling, making Aku follow her movements. He didn't see what she was looking at, but he couldn't shake this feeling that there was something there, something dark watching over them.

They kept pushing through the never ending winding paths. The wind still pulled at them, almost like it was leading the way. Aku kept looking around at the others, wondering if they could feel the wind's tug. It reached right into his very core, sending little shivers racing through his body. However, none of them were showing any signs of the wind's effect on them. Maybe it was just in his head, maybe there really wasn't anything going on with him.

They came to a fork in the road, pausing as they looked down them. Well, they didn't have the wind here to help them, because it was coming out of both directions. They just stood there, taking it all in, wondering what was going to happen.

"The wall," Vuokko breathed. "There's something on the walls."

Raakel went over and looked at the walls. "I think it wants us to touch them."

"Touch them?" Aatu said with a frown. "Why would we want to touch them?"

Raakel didn't answer as she laid her hand out on the wall.

Aku felt a pull as the world in front of him transformed.

!

Sevi placed a bullet into the handgun. There was no other way out of this. They had to pay for what they had done to him. He knew that Aro was so close to figuring out that he was the murderer. Sevi had to make sure that none of the evidence was left out in the open. He could not have everything put together.

He knew that he would be the one to go to jail, not the ones who had killed him. They were the ones who had done the actual crime. He had just been trying to make sure that justice was rightfully served. He was just doing his job as a good citizen.

Who cares if a few innocent people got in the way and got hurt?

Who cares about that newborn baby was going to be an orphan?

Who in the world truly cared?

No one had cared whenever he had died and now it was his turn to repay the favour. He did not care who died in the process. All he cared about was revenge. There was nothing sweeter than revenge.

The snake demon slinked up beside him. Sevi reached down to pet the top of its' head. The kanima was the only thing that truly got him. There was this special bond between them. Of course, it could have something to do with the fact that Sevi controlled it, but let us not look too much into the details.

Sevi thought about what he wanted. From the inside of his car, he could see a young, night guard inside the police station. If he was going to enter the presences, she could be somewhat of a problem. He cracked his fingers and watched as the snakes moved outside of his car and inched toward the police station. It slide into the front door.

Sevi pictured another clear image of the night guard. This time she was laying helpless on the floor with her heart ripped out. He knew that it was rather cliché, but he was one for the classics. A few seconds, later the woman had disappeared from sight. He saw the kanima stand on top of the desk and stare at the car, waiting for its' master.

Sevi checked the gun for one final time and stepped out of the car. It was now or never. He crept into the police station and followed the sound of voices. He knew who the voices belonged to. They were discussing him and how to blame him for what had happened. If they were looking for the murderer, they were wrong. Sevi had not committed the murders himself, he had just simply ordered for them to take place.

He rounded the corner and pointed the gun at Aku, Aleksander, and Deven Aro. None of them looked surprised to see him. It was as if they had been expecting this.

"Sevi," Deven Aro said putting his hands in the air. "It does not have to come to this."

Sevi did not lower the gun. "Oh, I think it does." He could see Aku dialling on his mobile. "I also suggest that you do not try to call anymore, like Aku is."

Aku looked up at Sevi with an innocent look on his face.

"Drop them," Sevi ordered in a soft voice. "Now."

"Do as he says," Deven commanded as he dropped his mobile on the desk. The two boys followed.

Sevi opened his mouth to give another command, but gunshots erupted and blew the glass out of the windowpanes. Everyone in the room ducked down. While under fire, Sevi exited the room and sent the kanima images of being shot at. He hoped that was a clear enough message and that the demon would kill who ever got in the way.

Sevi charged out of the police station. He did not want to be seen here. He felt someone grab a hold of him and drag him away from the station. He hoped that this person was a friend. He was drug down to the water and forced under it.

No, this could not be happening for the second time! It was not meant to end this way. Sevi struggled to stay alive, but could feel his body shutting down. Whoever was holding him was much stronger than he was.

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see someone just standing there on the bridge watching him die. Sevi turned away from the person. No one was going to save him. It was just going to be like last time. The way he saw it was that the swim team was going to get revenge on him. Their secret would be safe forever.

Just before darkness overcame him, Sevi saw the goddess watching in horror. The creature could not approach the water. Sevi groaned. His last thought was, "Someone must serve the goddess."