Chapter 35: Maze

“Jon, we need to think about this, we cannot go on any stupid mission he sanctions and forget about our own well being” Donald said as he walked with Jon who was walking towards his horse.

“We don’t need to think about anything Donald, our king has instructed us on something and we have to do it, he is our king and we should be loyal to him” Jon said trying to give justification to the deadly mission Skylar put them up to.

“Do you know whose lands we’ll be walking into?” Donald said trying to remind him of all the dangers.

“Yes, the white stone pack lands” Jon replied as he still maintained the pace he had.

“Claudia’s lands, if it was Randall’s we would’ve said we had a good chance. Claudia will skin us alive the moment she notices that we are working for Skylar” Donald said still trying to talk some sense into Jon.

“Claudia is not a problem Donald” Jon replied as he prepared his horse.

“What do you mean by that? What are you going to do? Fly over her lands?” Donald said rhetorically.

“Donald, no one’s forcing you to be here, you have a choice to come along or stay behind because if you do not shut up now, I will go back there and convince Skylar of how much your loyalty has swayed” Jon said and Donald finally shut his mouth and got on his horse.

They rode towards the south towards the red pack lands that no one was containing at the moment, and from there they rode east. Jon knew that this was the most he had ever risked his life and was beginning to ask himself if it was worth it.

On getting to the great gate of the impenetrable wall of white stone pack, they identified themselves as travelers who were going east of the white stone pack lands and they were going for a special mission to heal a plague that was spreading.

The white stone pack allowed them safe passage and they moves through the village without any suspicion, they got to the other side of the wall and continued their journey from there.

“I wonder why they’re called the white stone sometimes and the yellow stone the other time” Donald said when they were past the wall.

“It is because their stone doesn’t have a definite color, it is either yellow or white” Jon replied and Donald nodded in realization.

They continued their journey, not stopping to take breaks and not letting their guard down. They finally got to the temple of the witches of the old gods, from outside they already felt the aura of fetish practices that the place exudes.

“You need to stay here, only Donald and I will go in” Jon said to the other men that followed them and they all nodded their head in agreement.

“Donald, carry the body we’re going in” Jon said and Donald obeyed immediately.

They both walked into the place that looked so quiet like there was no living soul that dwelled there. They continued walking around till they saw a dim light they followed the light and it lead them to a room, in the room they saw a woman seated still on a chair with her eyes closed as she faced the window.

“What brings you here?”she said with her eye still closed like she was still meditating while talking to them.

“We come in peace, we come to bring the body of one of your priestesses, Meredith Balinor that fell in the hands of a runaway prisoner” Jon spoke up with a shaky voice.

“The one who killed her is no prisoner at all, Meredith fell to her own death when she decided to serve a demon werewolf” The woman said still very still where she sat.

“Skylar is a king not a demon werewolf” Jon said in Skylar’s defense.

“Keep your mouth shut to things you know nothing of, as we speak someone is looking into his past and when they do, to destroy him will be an easy task” she said this time opening her pitch black eyes and staring back at them.

“We have come to ask that you bring Meredith to life so she can help us complete a mission” Donald was still brave enough to speak up.

“You both are just minions in the hands of a demon, he will use you for his selfish purposes and when it is time for your reward, you will pay with your blood” the woman said staring deeply into their eyes.

“I can assure Skylar is not who you think he is” Jon said still in defense of Skylar.

“What are you doing vouching for him like that Jon, how can you be sure so certain that he is not what she say he is” Donald said looking confused as he was sure that there was something behind Jon’s blindness.

“ I know him Donald, he is not one to kill unnecessarily” Jon said still trying to defend him.

“Then why did he try to burn down the pack house with a full knowledge that a lot of werewolves lived there, they were cubs in that house” Donald said the pain evident in his voice as he had been carrying the burden in his chest since the incident that he had been on the wrong side all this while.

“He did it to capture Elaine” Jon replied.

“All he had to do was kidnap Elaine from her room but instead he threatened the life of many werewolves and only few escaped with their life. Is that the same that you said he won’t kill unnecessarily” Donald said and Jon didn’t reply this time he was deep in thinking, he knew Donald was right but it was so hard to accept that the one man you’ve served all your life turns out to be a very evil man that will do anything for power.

“I cannot help you, but if you want to change sides and go to Edgar Knight, tell him Skylar’s plan” she said and stopped for a while.

“Edgar will kill us immediately he catches our scent, Skylar destroyed everything he had” Donald replied.

“But…” they tried to say but she raised her hands to stop them.

“When you go to him his stone will forgive you” the woman said.

“Now leave” she said and they both turned to leave.

“And what about that forest it is a goddamn maze? How will we know our way?” Jon said and Donald was relieved that he has changed his mind.

“You’ll know your way once you get there, get going now and don’t let your new loyalties sway” the woman said and they both walked out the room without any further questions.

“What will we tell the others” Jon said as they walked out of the place.

“Meredith is alive and she told us to go without her, she will be there as soon as she gets herself prepared to face another lifetime” Donald replied and they both agreed before they got outside.

“Where is she?” One of the men said as soon as they walked outside.

“She’s going to be on her way soon, she’s getting prepared for the battle” Jon replied and they all nodded.

“Let’s get going then” Donald said and they all mounted their horses and rode back to the north.

They got closer and closer to Skylar’s camp and they knew they had to do something to divert into the forest or they will never be free from Skylar’s grip.

“You all should head for the camp, we have something else to do in the forest, tell the King that we will be back as soon as we’re done with it” Jon said coming down from his horse and handing it to them, Donald doing the same thing.

“You wouldn’t need your horse?” One of the men said looking concerned.

“No, we won’t be needing it, you should get going now” Jon said and they all obeyed him as he was the right hand man of the king, the most trusted amongst all his knights.

“Aye sire” they all replied simultaneously and rode in the other direction while Donald and Jon stayed at a place with their horse till they were out of sight.

“Come on, let’s go” Jon said and they both ran with their full speed into the forest, they didn’t need to worry about the maze because it became clearer to them as they drew closer.

They ran through the forest like they’ve been running through it all their lives. In no time, they were on the other side of the forest with the blue stone pack house in sight.

They continued running towards it when they were stopped by the patrol guards.

“Stop there” the guard said and they obeyed and stopped immediately.

“What brings you here?” the guard said.

“We’re here to see the king” Donald replied.

“We have no king, just a queen and she cannot take any visitors for now” the guard replied.

“We’re talking about the other king, the king of the red stone pack” Donald replied and the guards paused for a while.

“I’m pretty sure that a red stone pack accent” another one said.

“Where are you from?” the guard asked.

“Just arrest us and take us to our king, he knows who we are” Donald said nonchalantly and they bound them in ropes and took them into the house.

***

“Edgar, there’s an emergency outside” Brandon said as he walked into the room where Alex sat by the bed holding Elaine’s hand who had been unconscious for three days.

“What is it Brandon?” Edgar said with a weak voice.

“Jon and Donald just walked in through that door with changed loyalties” Brandon said and Edgar’s countenance changed to that of rage.

“When did they get here?” Edgar said with rage evident in his eyes and Brandon knew that he was going to take out his anger on them.

“Edgar, you need to calm down, they might be of use to us” Brandon said and Edgar did not give him a reply.

“I will strangle them and watch life slowly leave their bodies because what they’ve done to the woman I love is unforgivable ” Edgar said with a low icy tone that sent shivers down Brandon’s spine.