Three versus Two

The soldiers sent by Daemon, led by Frey, were open to little success in their mission to take back the slaves. The fight was a terrible one, and many wolves died in the process.

In the end, they were only able to take a few of the humans away from the spot.

"Ten of them!!" Frey yelled to his men. "We need ten of them!!"

They fought the mysterious human theives with much fierceness. But they were much stronger. And they fought from within the shadows, hiding beneath camouflage and smokes while pressing through with their attacks. It was a bloody encounter.

Meanwhile back at the palace, it had been well over five days. Daemon had secured the two claws which were with Shereena. He had taken them from her, and he had taken control of their powers. But it remained the last two.

"The claw of lightening!" Daemon said as stared with deep desire at the box of power, admiring his collection of claws so far.

"Frey warned me of its power. He said that the slave boy used it against him, but I did not listen. Because I trusted my daughter. The most stupid action I have taken in decades, trusting my daughter".

In his presence was his figurehead ministers. He had called for today's meeting because he needed them to see what would befall anyone who dared to betray him.

"And the claw of invisibility..." He continued. "I have never seen this one in action before. But that is the whole point of its existence. Just so it cannot be seen. Anyone who has control of this might be anywhere they want to and people would not know. They might even be here now, planning to take my box of power away from me".

Everyone looked around in suspicion. But there was no hope that they would notice anyone using the power of invisibility even if the person was indeed using it.

"But whatever powers they have. Whatever strengths they have, I have three!! I have three!!!" He laughed hysterically, sending a fidgety reactions across the room. No of the people present would dare to say a word, but they all talked in their hearts.

Ever since recovering Shereena's claws, he had never the claws of power out of his sight even for a second. He had always kept it close, and always kept it near. Also, he had stopped any of the servants from ever touching it again. If anyone of them did, they would lose their head. He believed that if someone as lowly as Clingy could harness its powers, then anyone of these low blooded things could as well.

"A message for the alpha!"

A letter was brought to Daemon. As he read through, his face shaped into another roar of laughter. Whatever the content was, there was no doubt that it made his heart glad. And he did not hesitate to share with the people around.

"My prisoners have been retrieved! Now all that remains for me to claim the infinite power of the great box is nothing but the last two claws!"

He faced his closest minister. "Any news about the forsaken princess and the slave boy?"

"Nothing, your majesty. Since the last time you encountered them, we have not heard any news about them."

A few days ago, Daemon himself had gone on the search of Nathan and Alorea. And he found them trying to run away. It led to a battle, they were well beneath his level of combat. And with three claws of power, he was much too powerful for them.

But in the end, he failed to capture them. At a point, the powers of the claws turned against him. Even though he denied it till now, there was no other explanation to the escape of Alorea and Nathan. The box of power did not choose him, instead the box of power had chosen the slave boy.

He did not want to hear this. He did not want to believe it. And if anybody spoke about what happened on that day, he was sure to have their head even if it was Shereena herself.

Once Shereena mentioned it, he promised that she would not live another day if it repeated itself, saying "The box of power may have chosen him, but by the time the sages of darkness cast their spells on the blood of humans, I shall harness the powers of the box whether it chose me or not!"

As he thought about that, another announcement came from outside.

"Your majesty! The sages of darkness are here!!"

"Of course they are here..." Daemon knew what they had come for. He had been waiting for them. Since it was the sixth day already, they were here to threaten that they would leave. Well, he had no more fear for that. The human sacrifices were on their way, the only thing missing was the last two claws.

The sages entered with their pride as usual, something which constantly made Daemon fume inside. It was only a matter of time. Once he attained the power of the box, he would make them pay for all the series of disrespects.

"Your majesty," they began again. "The five day span that we gave to you is over. Have you not gotten the sacrifices still?"

"The humans are on their way here. Just a few more hours and you will find them laying at your mercy."

"That is good." One of them said.

"But there is somethnng else." Said another.

"We heard of the drama that took place in your palace".

"Between the king and his daughter."

"By the ears we have, we know that you do not have the complete claws of power".

"How do you intend to harness the power of the claws when you do not have it all here."

Daemon fumed. "I know quite well that I can harness the power of the claws regardless of they were here or not. I have three out of five. The presence of the claws is not a necessity, it is just for ceremony. Unless you all are not up to half the sages you say you are."

"It is true that the presence of the claws is not a necessity. But it could be very important. The spell of harnessing has not been casted in a hundred years. We do not how it would react to the new order of things. It may be best that we have all five claws present".

Daemon hit his throne in annoyance. He thought hard with anger running in his veins. Then the door of the throne room opened and in came his daughter, Shereena whom he had lost trust in.

"Father, I know where they are. Alorea and the slave boy. I can take you to them".