The Adventures of Iron Wolves: Book 1 - Alpha

Anima shot up in bed with a start. The morning light filtered through the window scattering spots of sunlight all over her room. What was that? She walked over to her dressing table and brushed her hair. A cold feeling crept over her. She slowed and put the brush down. Why?

Opening the door to her room, she placed a hand on the wall and followed it down not sure where she was going. Feeling someone near her, she moved to place her back against the wall. “Who’s there?”

“Anima,” A deep voice replied. “I’m glad you’re safe. Stykes would have my head if anything happened to you.” She stepped forward and touched the person’s chest. Lightweight material met her fingers. She ran her fingers up, the material changing to a heavier material wrapped around his neck.

“Dusk,” she said slowly, glad she couldn’t see the Assassin’s scarf. She was very sure the red colouring would dazzle her too much. “Where’s Nemia and Crystal?” Dusk didn’t respond. “Dusk?”

“Nemia is with Kuros,” he said slowly extending an arm for her to take a hold of. They walked for a while towards a small chapel within the headquarters. “Crystal… Is no longer with us.” He led her into the chapel where light jasmine incense filled the air. Anima could see the outline of the altar, the candles and their bright flames, and a coffin. “She died from a Gun Mage’s bullet as you two approached the walls.”

“I don’t understand,” Anima said softly placing two hands on the coffin. “She was with me up until we reached Headquarters.” Not hearing Dusk reply, she asked quietly. “Explain to me how that makes sense.”

Deep down, she knew it made sense. Crystal had jerked as if she had been hit. She had stopped Anima examining her. She had lied so she wouldn’t worry. Anima clenched her hands tightly into a fist.

“She was set in bringing you here,” he replied in an even tone that angered Anima. He sensed her anger, ploughing on regardless. “Before she died, she wrote two letters for you. One is about what happened at Lunarias Castle. The other,” he swallowed hard not wanting to bring it up. “Is regarding the question she said you’d have for her when you awoke.”

“Notes…” Anima barked a laugh and banged a fist on Crystal’s coffin hard enough to make Dusk wonder if it could wake the dead. “I can’t bloody see!” she screamed at him. “I haven’t been able to see anything. I wake up cold and scared for no reason, and now I find out that not only my Father is dead but the Oracle is as well.”

She rounded on him, her eyes open and blazing. Dusk stepped back, even though he knew she couldn’t see him. He didn’t want to have to protect himself against her.

“Where is Stykes?” she asked through gritted teeth. She knew that with his strength he would have been back by now.

“Stykes hasn’t come back yet,” he replied taking a few more steps back. Anima growled low in her throat. Dusk felt it best to leave her alone for now.

Nemia sat holding Hana’s hand. Her voice echoing through the dark room to her small audience. “I see a wood, small but dense. Our Prince is there, hurt and alone. I see four go and six return.” She closed her eyes. “Stykes is in danger.”

“Four?” Hawkeye asked looking at Blade and Aruna before staring back at Nemia. “There’s only three here unless you’re coming too.”

“Not me,” She lifted the hand Hana held. Hawkeye’s shocked gasp reached her ears. “You will need Hana to find Stykes.” Hana jumped up and into Hawkeye’s arms. “She’s the only one capable of finding him in his present state.”

“She’s just a child!” Hawkeye cried hugging Hana worriedly. “Why can’t anyone else find him?”

“Because,” Nemia replied patiently as if explaining the very basics of life. “She is Anima’s apprentice.”

That news shocked Hawkeye into silence.

Stykes laid staring at the sky. His body still feeling heavy. Something worried him. Mariel had mentioned that Anima had the same stew that he did and didn’t like it as well. A herb that paralysed him would kill a human. Unless Mariel lied, Anima isn’t totally human... He had lost count how many times the sun came up and set. He felt like he was going to die here, alone and severely paralysed. His stomach rumbled loudly and a smile crept over his face at the strangeness of feeling hunger more than fear. Anima’s going to murder me. He thought attempting to lift his arm, failing miserably.

From his limited viewing range, he could see Mariel was no longer with him. I wonder where she went to. He laughed, surprised that he could laugh as loud as he could. I should be more worried on her coming back.

“Are you alright?” A little girl leaned over him. A small dagger sat on her left hip with the Iron wolves crest stamped into the tan leather sheath. A pouch, similar to Anima’s, sat on her right hip. “Anima said that you have a good eye for spotting potential Alchemists,” she added, hoping that would make him feel better.

He recognized her and smiled. “What are you doing here? You would have been safe if you stayed in Didea.”

The little girl disappeared from view and came back with a blanket. She pulled it over his naked body and then came back to his head with a smile. “How did you find me?”

“I used the tracking device Anima taught me to use,” she said brightly. “Nemia said I could find you faster than anyone else.”

She put her fingers to her lips and whistled the long, high pitched whistle followed by three short and then a long, low whistle that Stykes recognized as the Iron Wolves call.

“She said you were going to need help.” He heard footsteps approach behind her. “Plenty of help.”

“You look a mess,” said a familiar voice. “No wonder Nemia told us to find you.” Two assassins came into view to stand at his right. A priest, who had picked up Stykes’ clothes, appeared on his left.

“Hawkeye, Blade,” he said quietly to the assassins. “Aruna.” He looked at the Healer. He tried to hide his happiness in seeing them. He knew well that he couldn’t hide his feelings from at least Hawkeye and Aruna. They could read him like a book if they wanted.

“Mariel’s not around?” They shook their heads. “Add her to the list.” he said angrily attempting to sit up but only managing to tense his muscles to lift a little off the ground before falling back.

“What happened?” Hawkeye asked placing a hand securely under Stykes’ shoulders and sat him up. “You’re lying here, as weak as a newborn babe, without a stitch on.”

Blade handed him Stykes’ jacket and together they carefully threaded his arms through the holes. After the three completely dressed him, they propped him against a nearby tree.

“Mariel isn’t who she seems to be,” Stykes said quietly. He could manage to move his hand to pull at his jacket. “I trusted her completely because Anima trusted her. But Anima has a bracelet, that lights up when Mariel is near. Maybe it’s a binding on Mariel.” The three looked at each other confused. Stykes continued to mumble randomly about things in his head. Aruna sighed and placed her hands onto his shoulders. Hawkeye and Blade watched the pale yellow glow surround Aruna’s hands.

“He was fed a paralysing agent. It hasn’t released its hold on him yet.” Aruna sat back onto her heels and lifted Stykes’ chin to look into his eyes. “I can remove some of it but it would take time.”

“I want to move,” Stykes replied focusing on her eyes. He wanted something stable to keep his mind from drifting again. “Whatever it is keeps giving me lucid moments amongst all the fuzz in my brain.” She nodded and released his head. Coming to the little girl, she smiled. “Hana, can you find me a bright bluebell flower?”

“A flower?” She ran to take Blade’s hand. “Come! Let’s go find a bluebell.” Blade got up and followed Hana into the forest.

Hawkeye watched them go before looking back at Aruna. “You’re going to kill him if you use that method. You killed his father using it.” Aruna shook her head and made the trill sound of a bird. “You’re going to use a familiar?”

“I didn’t have a familiar for his Father when the same plant was used to paralyse him,” Aruna said kneeling next to Stykes. “I do now because I had a feeling I was going to need one when Nemia mentioned poison. This little dove will be his familiar.”

Aruna placed the dove onto Stykes’ lap. She pressed her thumb against Stykes’ neck, breaking the skin with her nail, blood flowed down his chest. She lifted her finger and the trail of blood rose upwards to wrap around her finger like string.

Stykes’ eyes widened, the thread of blood becoming thicker, back arching against the tree, his body shaking violently. Aruna touched the dove, letting the thread of blood drape over it. The blood seeped into its body colouring the tips of its feathers red.

“That should be sufficient for now.” She pressed the wound in his neck with two fingers and a touch of her power, healing it completely.

Hawkeye caught Stykes as he slid sideways. His pointed ears twitching at a distant sound. “We have company.” Aruna sat up straight, her own pointed ears twitching. “And I don’t think its Blade and Hana.” Aruna nodded in agreement.

Hawkeye moved Stykes back to lean against the tree. Drawing his daggers, he listened carefully to the sounds around him.

Stykes raised his head and stroked the dove. “It’s probably King Ian with his entourage. There’s one of Anima’s bodyguards who I’m meant to rescue but I’m having second thoughts.”

“You know that if you don’t rescue her,” Hawkeye said keeping a sharp eye out. “Anima will probably attempt it herself. Her eyes still haven’t healed, so you know how reckless that would be.”

“But what if she turns out to be another person like Mariel,” Stykes asked. His serious self deep in his conscious snapping at him angrily for the childish thought. “Mariel was my maid at the elven palace. If Miyako turns out to be another person from my past, I might not be so lucky this time round.”

“Mariel is an elf? Mariel was your maid?” Aruna asked incredulously. “I thought the elves in the Iron Wolves were the only ones who came out when you escaped. I didn’t know more came out into this dimension.”

“My brother, Shiro, is selling his blood in the form of red collars,” Stykes said pulling his legs under him so he could try to stand. “I think he was the one who brought Mariel with him,” He stood shakily before sitting back down hard. “He probably brought an entire court with him like I did.”

“But there’s a difference between being the chosen Crown Prince and an exiled Prince,” Hawkeye replied exasperated at this piece of information. “In any case, Shiro wouldn’t have been able to make it out of the gate with many other elves.” He paused, his eyes gaining comprehension. “Anima…” Stykes looked up at him. “What about Anima?”

“What’s wrong?” Stykes asked standing more steadily with his hand on the tree for support. “Anima should be safe in Lunarias where I left her before coming here.”

“Mariel isn’t here,” Hawkeye said slowly, looking clearly at Stykes. “If she still isn’t here then where is she?” Stykes’ eyes grew wide, his body wobbling from lack of concentration. “The herb she fed you to paralyse your elf side, kills humans. So unless Anima is half elf like you, which I am pretty sure she isn’t, she’ll die.”

Hawkeye’s words were like a confirmation to Stykes. Anima wasn’t truly human. But that leaves two potential situations. She either knows and is hiding it or she doesn’t know at all.

Stykes watched as Hawkeye’s eyes narrowed as if to tell him something he knew all along. “Your mother, Queen Elaina, was human and was slipped the same plant that caused her death.”

A click sounded in Anima’s ears. “You came back,” Her voice didn’t sound pleased at his return. “I was wondering how long it would take before your sense of duty made you come back.”

“I don’t have much of a choice,” Dusk replied, his jaw tensing. “Either I get murdered by you while I keep an eye on you or murdered by Stykes for leaving you alone.”

“And you feared the latter,” Anima’s voice bubbled with anger. “That’s why you came back.”

Dusk searched for something to say. Failing to find anything suitable, he said. “Mariel has returned.” He realized this piece of information lessened her anger. “Do you want me to take you to Mariel?”

Anima nodded her head and waited for Dusk to come back and offer his arm to her again. “But, I want to see Nemia as well.”

Mariel stood staring at the target about fifty paces ahead of her. Her long ivory bow held tight in her hand. Her mind zeroing in on the task at hand. She could feel Anima’s presence behind her and refused to acknowledge she was there. Acknowledging her would replay the scene with Stykes in her head again.

“Mariel,” Anima’s voice sounded calm to her ears. “Face me please. I know you’re trying to avoid speaking with me.”

She slowly turned around. Stykes’ voice flooded her head and she paled. Dusk moved forwards, fearing she’d faint.

“Stykes and I had a fight,” Mariel said saying the lie she had been rehearsing from the moment she stepped into Paetus Village until now. She waited in surprised silence. Anima made no move to touch her.

“You believe me?” she asked, her voice much higher than she had anticipated.

“You haven’t lied to me before,” Anima’s tone sounded suspiciously like annoyance. “Why would you start now?” Mariel mentally breathed a sigh of relief. Anima use to always touch her when she said something.

Anima nodded and gestured with her hand letting Mariel know she was free to go back to her Archery practice. With a pat on Dusk’s arm, they left leaving Mariel feeling there was more to that encounter than she knew.

The next day, Anima sat in Kuros’ study with his guards situated everywhere in and out of the building. Nemia and Dusk sat with her their ears in tune to every sound around them.

“So you sent Hawkeye, Blade and Aruna to search for Stykes,” Anima said quietly repeating Nemia’s words.

“Mariel poisoned Stykes?” She leaned against the wall. “Why would she do that? What reason?”

Nemia touched the point in her ears and looked at Dusk who nodded. “Anima,” Nemia said softly. “Stykes is the Crown Prince of the Elves.” A crash sounded and before the two could catch her, Anima sat hard on the ground. Her doubt at Relo’s words melted away. But the renewed knowledge and the shock, the truth still hit her like a ton of bricks.

Nemia came over knelt beside her. “The dimension where the Elves lived was being destroyed piece by piece. We don’t know who was doing it. Stykes and his elder brother, Shiro, were being protected with their parents by the palace guards and those of us common elves who were left.” Her voice caught in her throat.

Anima felt Dusk touch her cheek. “Suddenly the Royal Family began dying off,” he said quietly. “First Stykes’ mother was killed. Aruna said it was poison. We knew because his mother was human that some plants that were in our world were poisonous to her only. Then his Father was paralysed by the same plant. Aruna tried to heal him but the amount of the plant was so much that he died as well. Shiro was pronounced the Crown Prince. No sooner had he become ruler, he became cruel. He sent common elves, those who supported him, those who admired him, to fight the unknown enemy. He knew that his parents stopped sending armies against it because no elves ever returned to tell them what was destroying their world, and yet, he began to send them again. We pleaded with him to stop, but he refused to listen to us. Elves lost faith in him and turned to Stykes, who was now the last of the royal line.” Nemia placed a hand on Dusk’s shoulder. He smiled and nodded to her.

“Stykes decided to flee the Elven dimension,” Nemia continued, picking up where Dusk left off. She smiled when she sensed Anima’s anger calming. “He battled Shiro for the red scroll and the Dimensional Katana, thusly exiling his brother in the process. Those of us who were loyal to Stykes followed him to the gates that were sealed shut for many years against humans. He used the katana to open the gates, allowing us to escape our crumbling world. The Iron Wolves is made up mainly of the Elves that came with Stykes on that day. We took the land surrounding the mountain we had appeared on, made it our territory and followed our new ruler proudly.” She paused sensing Anima’s now peaceful but worried emotions. “Stykes used that katana to destroy the gate on this side to prevent the thing in our dimension to come here and destroy this world.”

“What does this have to do with Mariel?” she asked a little scared at what she might hear. “Mariel didn’t come through the gate with Stykes, did she?”

“Mariel was Stykes’ maid in our dimension,” Nemia replied softly. “Not many people know that. Mariel was also one of Shiro’s most loyal followers. On his orders, she was the one who poisoned his mother, paralysed his father that lead to his death, and attempted to kill Stykes as well before we could stop her.” Anima reached out and grabbed Nemia’s wrist tightly. “She disappeared before we left that dimension.”

“She was in my service for many years before I met Stykes,” Anima said formulating her words carefully.

“Neither seemed to react to each other when they rescued me from Tokan. Nothing at all.” Her grip tightened until her hand whitened and shook.

“Stykes denies his elf side,” Nemia replied in pain. “He stays as a human more than he does as an elf. His memories of the other dimension fade when he’s human for long periods of time. He must of subconsciously blocked his painful memories of those events leading up to our escape.” She paused then added. “Mariel would have recognized him though.”

Anima said nothing. Fear crept up her spine. “Then who was Siel?”

“She was Stykes’ first wife who was murdered by the Sukonians,” Nemia said quietly. She could see confusion on Anima’s face. “Five years ago, the Sukonian royal family were all murdered. After a war, one person ascended to the throne.” Anima froze, her mind providing the answer before Nemia did. “Shiro has become King of Sukonia.”

Stykes braced himself against the tree, his white wings outstretched. His eyes followed his opponent, an albino centaur wearing a similar top to Anima to cover her full chest. A red collar stood out prominently around her neck.

He glanced at Blade, Hawkeye and Aruna who fought their way through the mass of guards round King Ian’s carriage.

“Be strong,” Hana whispered from where she sat in the tree above him. Blade had placed her up there for safety when he returned. “You can stand now. It’s a start.” Stykes held his daggers tightly and darted towards the centaur. His speed not as fast as he would of liked. His dove flew above the battle, giving him a bird’s eye view as well of everything.

“Why are you fighting me?” he whispered passing by the centaur when she dodged his blade. “I can free you and you can return to Anima.” The centaur’s eyes widened and pulled her bow taut aiming at his heart. He could see a silver bracelet looped around her wrist, its light distracted him slightly. “You don’t want to go back to her?”

“What I want or don’t want doesn’t affect my actions,” the centaur said calmly. “I can’t control what my body does anymore. If you can free me, then do it.” She released the arrow. It whistled through the air, plunging deep into his left wing.

Stykes spun drinking in the pain, fuelling his speed. Lashing out fast, he flew towards the centaur, his hand outstretched with the hilt of the dagger held tightly by his thumb. The centaur reared, legs ready to kick Stykes out of the air.

Gracefully, he flew around her legs and closed his hand around her throat. The red collar liquefied, seeping into his skin. He floated to sit, like he was going to ride side saddle, on her back.

Moving his hand from her neck to raise two fingers, he let the remaining liquid pieces of the collar twine around his fingers and hand like a ribbon.

“Feeling better?” he asked with a smile. The centaur turned her head to look at him, then at the two rings on their necklace around his neck. “You’re Miyako correct?” She nodded only once and looked at him in the eyes. “Anima’s waiting for you.”

“I knew she would be,” Miyako replied not smiling. “But much has changed hasn’t it?” Stykes nodded, his fingers touching the rings. “You were chosen by her?” Stykes smiled and tilted his head slightly.

“Then,” She lent him a hand and helped him to the ground. Bending one of her front legs, crossing one arm across her chest and bowing low to him she added “I am at your service.” She raised her head once more to stand tall before bringing her head down to touch his forehead with hers. “Much hurt in your soul. If you need, I will sign your red scroll as proof of my loyalty.”

Stykes pulled away and raising his hand to his dove. It flew down, alighting onto his wrist. He stroked its feathers, his voice quiet when he finally spoke to Miyako.

“I don’t require you to sign. But I want you to understand that, because I was betrayed and violated by Mariel, I cannot trust you. She was held high in Anima’s trust, just like you are. I don’t know if you are truly who you appear to be or not.”