Chapter 138 – Jumping Ahead

  “I feel like my parents just said ‘we’re not mad, just disappointed’.” – Jade on the very long walk home.

  “Do you have any idea what you have done?” Jay asked Jade after they had all taken seats in what appeared to be a theater of some sort. He stood with his arms crossed, staring intently at her.

  “I-I did what felt right?” She half asked, half answered, stuttering briefly but holding his gaze, none the less.

  Jay snorted. “’Did what felt right…’ No shit, you fucking lycans and instincts will be the death of me.” He then turned to Kurt. “I thought you would have known better after our little run in with the old man.”

  Kurt bristled. “What was I supposed to do?” he asked incredulously. “No, seriously. What am I supposed to do? This is all new to me and there isn’t exactly a fucking instruction booklet for this particular Lego project.” He growled the last words out, feeling the urge to shift but suppressing it. Still, some of his lupine aspect came to the fore.

  “Noted. But you should at least be warry about divine energies flowing around. You can see aura now and I know you have experience with mana pathways and faith channeling.” Jay pointed out the obvious.

  Despite that being the elephant in the room, Kurt didn’t back down. “Then how about you enlighten me as to what just happened, oh wise one? You have been around as long as human civilization, I’m in my thirties.”

  “What happened? You made a fucking saint, you dumbass. And a real one, not the poser ones that some churches proclaim.” He swiped his hand down his face. “Seriously I thought you would have recognized that after playing D&D.” Jay then pointed at Jade. “She was borderline a cleric when you all had your melee with the bugs. Yeah, I heard the chanting and prayers.

  “Then she literally used your divine essence and will to smite something, forging a relic in the process, also a major deal. Remember when she went limp after casting it? Yeah, she died then was instantly resurrected by their faith and your will.” He pointed at the row of werewolves. “Just look at her aura, she isn’t mortal anymore.” Jay slammed his hand on the edge of the stage, vaporizing part of it. “You stole that from her because you were curious!”

  That hit Kurt hard but before he could respond, Jay kept going, steamrolling him. “Her eternal rest, her final reward is gone forever because of this! You can’t do anything about it either because if you renounce her as YOUR saint, her soul will be shredded, cast into the void to die fractured and in entropy.”

  “I-“ Kurt began but was cut off by the person in question.

  “Then so be it.” Jade said in a calm, flat tone that seemed to ripple outward, touching their very souls. “I serve willingly. For now, and into eternity.” Her face was set in a mask of stern calmness. “While the sire may not have known, or rather was willfully ignorant, I knew exactly what I was doing.”

  Jay was struck dumb as he openly gaped at her. “Nonononono… You’re one of the devout?” He suddenly summoned a binder and began flipping through it. “But your profile… there is nothing about that in here. Hell, you are only third generation…” He stowed the folder in his ring and grabbed at his hair in frustration. “Gah, I should have known when you asked for the special posting.”

  Kurt had absolutely no idea what they were talking about and looked to the girls for any hints. Kristi had a frown on her face and her jaw was clenched. He could feel the anxiety rolling through her in waves. Val was nodding along with an expression that said she knew more than Kurt on the subject.

  “Why do I get the feeling you know what’s going on?” He asked through the implant.

  Val smiled softly but only spared him a glance from the corner of her eye. “Remember those stories I told you I read? Yeah, they mentioned a certain congregation. That’s where I first heard about the alphas.”

  “And you didn’t think to mention this?” Kristi asked.

  She shook her head slightly. “No, it kinda slipped my mind. I relegated it to old legends and myths. Besides, I never expected there to be an actual religion based around it.”

  They returned their attention to Jay and Jade as she stood, summoning her staff and tapping the butt of it on the ground. The effect of the darkened room being flooded with amber light was only slightly ruined by the ridiculous phrase to change the weapon’s shape. Though she only had to mouth it, rather than speak it loudly.

  “… By his will I yet live and serve. Should I have been cast to the abyss, I would not have said a word against it as I seized this for myself. I fed the fires of their hearts, whipped up the flames of faith into a blazing inferno of divine essence. And yes, I held it, hoping to carry it for a while, to be anointed by its presence despite it trying to unmake me. When I saw the opportunity to use it, to actually complete the cycle myself, I couldn’t help but let my instincts guide my hand.

  “So, while he may have been ignorant, I was not.” Jade’s voice rang like a bell, high and clear. It seemed to banish the shadows of the theater as she spoke. “Thus, I refute your claim that I am a victim. I was always devout and now will be forever more. For the Wolf, for the Blood. By the Gift, by the Bite. I serve.” Kurt noted that some of her words seemed to carry extra weight to them.

  “And them?” Jay nodded to the rest of her squad, his nostrils flared and his eyes shifted to their red iris’.

  “Converts.” Jade said and looked to the werewolves. “Though I expect they’re now devout members of The Pack.”

  Jay looked from Jade to Kurt and then to the werewolves. “Fine. But you are all on stand down until further notice. Work your side projects but you do not leave your territory or our training areas until I say so.”

  “But-“ Kurt began, wondering what his territory was. He assumed his hometown but wanted to be sure. Unfortunately, before he could get more than a word out, Jay interrupted.

  “She isn’t going anywhere, and neither are you until you talk to the Baron.” Jay said. “He has… experience in this matter and you clearly need adult supervision.” Then, as an afterthought, he added on to his parting words. “TC and Petoskey is your limit. If you two come within the Order, you will be escorted by Penny at all times.”

  “Understood.” Kurt nodded once. He didn’t really want to push his luck. Years in the Army had taught him to take what he could get the first time, and this seemed oddly familiar in tone.

  Heaving a sigh Jay let his expression ease a little. “I am not mad, but this was not something I expected to happen so soon. I hope you understand that what you need now is to get ahead of this. Now, go get some rest and I will talk to you tomorrow.”

  Jay opened a portal and waited. A moment later, Penny stepped through, and Jay filled her in on their restrictions. He then promptly left, the portal snapping shut behind him.

  “Well, this is suboptimal.” Penny said, frowning at where the portal had been. “I wasn’t expecting a walk. Come on, I’ll get you home.”

  *****

  “You have been a busy boy.” Kurt’s wolf said as he stood up and stretched in the clearing he normally arrived in.

  “Yeah, and apparently it caused some issues.” Kurt grunted after shaking out.

  His wolf followed suit, standing and stretching with a slight whining yawn. “I see you made a saint. It has been quite some time since I have seen one.”

  “But you have seen one, right?”

  “Oh yes, but we didn’t always call them saints. That is a modern term.”

  Kurt frowned and ran his clawed hand through the ruff of fur around his neck. “What did you call them?”

  “We called them many things over the years. War Priest, Hunt Master and more terms that likely don’t translate nicely. Regardless of what they were called, they had always had a different path than most of the Alphas.”

  “Yeah, how does that work?” Kurt wondered as his wolf turned and began walking up to the cave while he followed.

  The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

  “It’s because she is an alpha that she even lived. If she were a common, absorbing all that energy would have killed one of her.” His wolf explained. “Think of it this way, instead of an alpha that only guides werewolves on a hunt, they guide their souls through life as well.”

  “So, she is a priest?” Kurt was trying to tie it to things he was familiar with.

  His wolf stopped inside the cave and gave Kurt a look that said he wasn’t close. “Yeah, in the same way that a semi-truck is a bicycle because they both have wheels. Honestly, I think you will learn more when you talk with Alexi but let’s see what we can do here.”

  With that, the murals began to light up and play their familiar scenes. Kurt walked over to where they left off and had to wait as the panels rearranged themselves. From a couple dozen yards away, he saw one light up and then lift away from the wall before sliding toward him. When it arrived, it settled into place with barely a whisper, like it was afraid to disturb the scene that began playing.

  The first scene lit up and showed something Kurt wasn’t expecting. Unlike the previous panels, this one was depicting a city, or rather, a busy street where a man and woman were begging a group of guards, pleading as they turned away while the couple openly sobbed. From further down the street, walking with the flow of traffic, came the Origin. He paused upon seeing the couple, the frown on his face softening as he knelt before them to lift them up.

  The next scene showed the Origin wandering the city at night, a different part if the architecture was anything to go by. He strolled with absolute confidence, occasionally slowing to sniff at the air. As he passed an open window, a light from within cast his shadow against the opposite wall, depicting a stylized outline of a werewolf.

  Kurt turned to the next scene and saw the Origin standing over a pair of children who cowered behind him in a corner as he faced an unknown threat. As a shape stepped into the frame the Origin shifted, turning into a werewolf who pounced on whatever it had been. He then returned, standing between the children and whatever danger was present.

  When the next scene lit up it showed the children reunited with the couple from earlier. As the man embraced his kids, the woman abased herself before the Origin, reaching out to touch his robe while her face held an expression of awe. For his part, the Origin still had the soft and sympathetic expression, even as he walked away, refusing any payment. As he walked, disappearing into the crowd, the parents and children turned to the curious onlookers and Kurt got the feeling they were spinning quite the tale.

  Another panel from farther away than the first lit and slid down, once again settling in place before lighting to reveal a scene that Kurt wasn’t expecting. It showed the inside of a building where there was a gathering of people huddled together. Outside, Kurt saw that there were flames and he swore he could hear the clatter or weapons and armor. Standing among the people, notable for standing while others cowered, were a handful of werewolves.

  The next scene showed the same interior but with the werewolves forming a line and holding off a wave of monsters that assaulted them. In the back line stood another wolf, an alpha based on his height. He was doing as his kind were wont to do, directing the fight. He had to step in a couple times, handling larger opponents that were a little too much for a regular wolf. Beneath his feet, the crowd stared up with expressions Kurt didn’t recognize. What he did recognize was the whisps of amber tinged mana rising off them.

  Another scene showed a similar situation but with a town square rather than a building. Hundreds of people were packed against a wall while a line of werewolves stood in their defense, this time against men instead of monsters. Kurt recognized the alpha from the previous scene as he directed a wide arc of the defensive line.

  The same amber energy wafted off the people near him and slowly it spread through the crowd. Eventually it began to condense and accumulate, flowing into not only him but the Origin before being spread among the defenders. He saw the similarities as the alpha began to glow, his body radiating an aura like Jade’s had.

  The next scene showed a pivotal moment in the fight where the attacking men dragged a large beast into the street and turned it loose at the line of werewolves. The alpha turned, facing the creature head on and charging as the Origin pointed at it. The scene ended as the wolf made contact with the beast, a flash of light spreading from the point where his claws made impact.

  A third panel slid down and joined the first two. It picked up where the last one left off, showing the point of impact and the alpha being thrown rearward as the monster dissolved into ash. His body landed amongst the very people he was guarding. An older man reached out with a gnarled hand and touched the burned body of his savior, his face having an expression of hope while brushing the ash away. The alpha’s eyes suddenly snapped open, and he howled into the night as amber energy raged within his aura.

  A second later, Kurt moved to the next scene where that very alpha was now standing, as a human, talking to a group of people as they sat before him. He seemed to be talking to them in the same square they had been in previously. On the sides, watching with interest was the rest of his pack.

  The next scene showed the Origin walking up, a curious tilt to his head and expression of bafflement as the crowd began to grow excited at the sight of him. Kurt could still see the faith streaming off of the people and even the werewolves as he arrived. The only one that was different was the one Kurt now knew was a saint who was tethered to the Origin by a seemingly solid beam of amber energy.

  Another scene change showed that the Origin was once again in the woods, standing above the gathered werewolves. The only difference was that between him and them was one figure, the saint. That one was doing something with the faith and divine mana, acting as a sort of filter that concentrated faith before feeding it to the Origin. In return, the divine aura he got from the origin filled him and allowed him to… something. Kurt wasn’t sure what the saint did with that energy, but he felt it was to be used, like it contained a will of its own, demanding to be spent in a certain way.

  “I remember him.” Kurts’ wolf spoke, touching the image of the saint with his nose. “I remember his pain and fear. I also remember the utterly unshakable resolve he had in his soul when he sacrificed himself. There was a black spot after that, like a page missing from a book before he returned to me.”

  “That was when he died?” Kurt assumed that was the case.

  “Indeed. But fate and in this case faith have an odd way of interfering in the natural order of things.” His wolf sighed. “I knew him well as he lived a very long time.”

  “What happened to him?”

  The wolf turned to face Kurt, eyes locking on his. “The same that will happen to Jade if you fall. Your saint is linked to you, for better or worse, saints are with you for life and will follow you into death.”

  Kurt swallowed hard past the lump in his throat. “Any advice?”

  “Bring her here when you can. She should learn our history as it happened.” His wolf said. “If you can, meditate with her and connect your aura. She can come here with you as the sponsor. But it will be painful the first time, fair warning.”

  “Kinda used to pain at this point.” Kurt huffed a sigh. “How is grumpy going to take it?” He pointed out toward the woods.

  “He will probably be nicer to her than he has been to you, if he even shows himself.”

  Kurt snorted and turned away from the dimming mural. “Course he will.”

  *****

  (POV – Jay)

  “Jay? Honey what’s wrong?” Dalia asked as she came into Jay’s study and saw him unceremoniously flop into an armchair.

  “Kurt.”

  “Did something happen?” Her tone sounded like she was worried. “Was he hurt or killed?”

  Jay sighed and sat up a little. “No but he did something, or rather, was apart of something that is going to bring a lot of attention to him in ways I know won’t always be good.” He wasn’t trying to be vague, but he was incredibly stressed about the turn of events.

  If Jay were being honest with himself, he was actually rather impressed with how things had happened. He figured that Kurt would spend years trying to collect enough faith and divine energy to push himself further up the rungs of the godly ladder. He had hoped that he would have enough time to steer the others into their own paths too.

  ‘At least Kristi is close to taking the first step’. He thought to himself. Sure, he could just flat out tell his agents what he was trying to do but it would cause problems. “It will all be fine in the end, but it is going to accelerate a lot of plans that I had for down the road.” He said, trying to ease his wife’s worries, she was an empath after all and could sense his emotions.

  Dalia reached over and took his hand, gripping it firmly in both of hers. “Is this one of those projects you are working on? The ‘great injustices’ as you called them.”

  “Hmph, you could say that.” Jay huffed a laugh that held zero humor. “It’s mostly going to be a problem for him but he also dragged in another person. Remember that wolf gal I told you about, Jade?”

  “The one who wanted to only work with Kurt.” Dalia confirmed while massaging the meat of his palm.

  “Mhmm. That’s the one.” Jay said, stifling a shudder as she ran over some of the ancient battle scars that lay beneath his skin. “Turns out she was one of the devout. Believers in humanity’s ancient defenders.”

  “What do you mean ‘was’?”

  “She died.”

  “What! Oh, no. That’s awful.”

  Jay smirked, he couldn’t help but set this up. “Don’t worry, she got better. Haha-owWWWW!” he yelped and pulled his hand away as she suddenly pressed the tip of a fingernail into a pressure point.

  “That is not funny, Jahamet.” She put on a pout. “I was genuinely concerned, but if you are going to make jokes, I guess you don’t need any sympathy.”

  “Sorry, sorry.” Jay said while rubbing at his palm to get rid of the tingling sensation. “I couldn’t help myself and figured that was the best time I could use that joke. Besides, she is a saint now, so kinda an upgrade.”

  Dalia gasped, Hand flying up to cover her mouth. “A saint? To who?”

  “You’ll never guess.” He said in a sing-song tone.

  “To Kurt” Liliya said as she walked into the room.

  Jay groaned. “Oh, come on. Can’t I have this one?”

  “Not when you were just teasing Dal.” Liliya said with a frown. “Besides, it sounds like you should quit moping around and figure out what to do about that little godling of yours.”

  “Which one.” Jay grumbled aloud, thinking of the other agents.

  “There is more than just Kurt?” Dalia asked, her innocent face the picture of surprise.

  Nodding, Jay turned back to her. “Val, Kurts first wife-“

  “He’s not married.” Liliya butted in.

  “His first mate.” Jay corrected. “Had a little run in with Inari. I think Kristi, his second, is not far behind but she just needs a little push. She is missing something but I am not sure what.” Oh, he had his suspicions, but he didn’t want to voice them. He had been around long enough to know that sometimes it wasn’t wise to put things out into the universe like that.

  “Well, it’s late. Why don’t you come get something to eat before bed and you can tell us all about your little pet project.” Liliya said as she hauled him to his feet.

  “Ugh, the abuse I put up with.” Jay snarked as he followed them out of the room.

  “If you want abuse, you should see what Regina is planning for after supper.” Dalia whispered as she fell in behind him. “We have been missing you in bed these last few days and you have some catching up to do.”

  Jay just smiled as he followed his wives into the kitchen where he got out the leftovers from dinner. For all the chaos in his life, he at least had something good to come home to.