The Bane of Existence

Published: 24 Apr 2017

Seeing the two wolf-like creatures emerge from the cave caused the two strangers to stop in their tracks. The older of the two called out again, “We don’t mean you any harm.”

Zane couldn’t shake the feeling that he should know the owner of that voice and stepped out of the shadows.

“Zane!” shouted the younger male as he started to dart up the hill. A deep-throated growl from the two guardians brought him to a halt mid-stride.

“Don’t you recognize us, Zane?” called up the older male. “Zander, are you here, too?”

The blonde vampire squinted into the low riding sun but couldn’t make out the features on the two visitors. He motioned for Rogan and Radesh to hold still and let the strangers approach.

“Your voice sounds familiar. Come on up where I can see you,” answered Zane. “But walk slowly. My guardians don’t like quick movements.”

The older spokesman for the duo put his hand on the younger’s shoulder to keep him from rushing. Then slowly and deliberately they ascended to the three figures waiting in front of the cave. When they got where Zane could see them without peering into the sun he gave a gasp of possible recognition.

“Zach? Derek? Is it really you?” Zane asked moving forward. “You’ve both grown so much since we were here before.”

Derek could contain himself no longer and darted up to Zane only to find that at eighteen he now towered over the teen who had saved his life several years ago. The smaller teen laughed at the disconcerted look on Derek’s face, grabbed him around the waist and hoisted him off the ground. With that reminder of Zane’s strength despite his size Derek returned the favor when his feet were back on the ground and the two hug each other fiercely.

“I missed you,” admitted Derek setting Zane back on the ground.

“What about me?” questioned Zander stepping out of the shadows now.

“Zander!” Derek screamed as pulled him into a huge hug too.

“You look so much like your dad,” stated Zane looking him over. “Only . . harder.”

“Hey, bro,” Zach greeted Zane quietly when he arrived. “How’ve you been?”

“Doing okay,” answered Zane looking up at his half-brother who nearly as tall as their dad had been. “You doing alright?”

‘I’m fine. Learning new tricks,‘ Zach sent his thoughts to Zane laughing at the shocked look on his brother’s face.

‘When? How did you learn to do this?‘ Zane thought back.

“It’ll take a little time to tell,” Zach switched back to using his voice. “Is there someplace we can get more comfortable?”

“Come on in,” replied Zane wrapping his arm around his brother’s waist.

Zach draped his arm over Zane’s shoulders as they walked into the shadows of the cave. Zander and Derek mimicked the other two and followed them. Rogan and Radesh looked at each other still in warrior mode and wondered what they should do.

“Relax and join us,” Zane called back to his guards. They returned to their human forms and fell into the line entering the cave.

“Whoa! Cool!” muttered Derek seeing the transformation. The wolves smiled at the teen’s reaction.

Everyone gathered in the common room and made themselves as comfortable as possible. When they were settled, Zane signaled Zach to start his story.

“Well. it’s like this. After you and Zander were here the last time and had the big battle with all those Rogue vampires and human gang members, I worried about what would happen if more came after us without you to help us.”

Zane and Zander nodded their understanding.

“So, I looked into our ancestry to see if we might have any magical heritage that might be of help. It just so happens that our biological father’s family hails from a long line of Norse seidrs and shamans. Seidrs were primarily women and I wasn’t interested in learning to weave which was what much of their magic was involved in. I found what I could on the Norse and Germanic shamans which wasn’t much but I found that I could learn any magic since it was in my blood.”

“What types have you studied?” asked Zander leaning forward. “What can you do besides mindspeak?”

“I’ve found a little Celtic and a little Romani on the web. I also bought a book on Norse legends and magic. Derek found it more useful than I did but we’ll go over that later.

Besides mindspeak which Derek can do some as well, I can create fire and wind, a force punch and simple illusions and I’m working on a fireball spell right now. If you’re going to be here for some time maybe you could teach me a few more spells. Please?”

“I don’t know for sure how long we will be here,” hedged Zane. “But I do plan on this being our base of operations. We still have preparations to make and people to contact. So I think your magical education can be advanced since there are four practitioners of Romani magic living here. Now, what is this about Derek?”

All eyes turned toward the eighteen year old waiting for him to speak. Silence stretched out as the teen’s face turned scarlet at the unaccustomed attention. Finally, Zach took pity on him and spoke up.

“First, you should know that Derek didn’t like having to be protected and not being able to help in the last fight. So he talked dad, uh, that is Donnie, into letting him take martial arts. He started with the local Isshin-Ryu dojo and in a year and a half had earned his black belt. From there he went to a kenpo school in the next town over where he was top of the class within a year. By this time a Tae Kwan Do school had opened for business here. It took Derek about a year to earn another black belt. Then he worked on his own and with me learning to mesh all three types of martial arts into his own unique style of fighting.”

“That explains the ripped hard body he’s sporting,” stated Zander.

“But what does it have to do with him getting more use out of the book of Norse legends and magic?” questioned Zane. Rogan and Radesh remained quiet observing and listening to the newcomers’ tales.

Zach looked to Derek to see if he wanted to chime in now but a quick shake of the head let him know that Derek was okay with him telling the story.

“In the book, there was a section on totemism where a warrior identifies with an animal and gains strength for battle from the animal’s spirit. For the Norse it was either the wolf or the bear. Derek tried but couldn’t connect with either of them and was about to give up on being able to use magic of any kind. We did a check of his ancestry and found Native American blood in his past. So he combined Native American totem quest with the Norse version. His totem is the cougar. It can be frightening when he let’s it loose.”

“Has he been able to actually shape-shift yet?” Radesh spoke up for the first time.

“No, not completely,” Derek finally chimed in. “I did produce claws once though.”

“I have a suggestion,” added Rogan. “Why don’t Radesh and I work with our young ‘cousin’ here to see if we can get him able to shift into a cougar and you two work with the developing mage?”

“Sounds good to me,” agreed Zane with Zander nodding his approval of the plan.

“Works for us,” Zach gave his endorsement after checking with Derek. “I can come after work and Derek after school.”

The four spent some time in small talk and relaying how Zane and Zander came to meet and be living with Radesh and Rogan. The two humans were especially interested in hearing about the battles both physical and magical. When they had finished and stepped out of the cave they found that night had fallen.

“I don’t want you walking back alone in the dark,” stated Zane firmly. “We’re in the middle of a struggle between good and evil. There could be Rogues out there.”

“We’ll be careful and hurry. It’ll be alright,” Zach tried to argue.

“If I could interrupt a moment,” Zander spoke up. “Something just occurred to me. Why did you come out here? You were expecting to find something or someone, weren’t you?”

“Yes, we were,” admitted Zach reluctantly. “Because of them.” He pointed to Radesh and Rogan. “There were reports of wolves being spotted. We don’t have any wolves around here.”

“What about red wolves?” asked Zane. “Some could have wandered away from the national park.”

“You’ve been gone too long, bro,” returned Derek with a light chuckle. “That project failed. They couldn’t sustain numbers; their birthrate was too low.”

“Just proves I’m right to worry about the two of you walking back in the dark,” maintained Zane. “Besides, there’s a faster way. I can take you.”

“What?” “How?” The two brothers questioned looking at the others confused.

“It would be nice to see Donnie and Simon again,” Zander declared.

“Do you think you’ll need us with you?” queried Rogan.

“What are you’ns talking about?” Zach practically demanded.

“Teleportation, of course,” said Zane off-handed.

“For real?” asked Derek in awe. “You can do that!”

“Yes, I can do that,” Zane let a smile creep into his voice. “Do you still live at the same house?”

“Yeah. I even still live there,” answered Zach cautiously.

“Good! That makes it easier,” announced Zane happily. “I will still need both of you to visualize an open space in your yard for me.”

“Do you need us with you?” repeated Rogan.

“No. I wouldn’t think so,” considered Zane thoughtfully. “Zander’s going and we’re just popping them home and saying hi to their dads. Then we’ll be right back.”

Zander laid a hand on the wolf’s shoulder as he moved to stand close to Zane and said, “You’d best wait at the mouth of the cave. Zane will pop us right back to this spot.”

Rogan nodded his acceptance and taking Radesh by the hand led him up to the cave’s entrance. Just as they reached the cave the other four disappeared with the words, “At-augjan ga-motan,” lingering in the air.

Zane, Zander, Zach and Derek arrived with a barely audible pop in almost the same instant they left the woods. Derek let out with an excited whoop causing Simon who had run out to his car to retrieve his briefcase to jump around with a curse.

“Sorry, Pop,” called a more sedate Derek. “Didn’t mean to startle you.”

“Derek? Is Zach with you?” asked a relieved Simon. “Y’all were gone a long time.”

“Yeah, he’s here,”Derek replied. “And more . . .”

“I guess the two of you went looking in the forest, didn’t ya?” questioned Donnie stepping onto the porch from the front door.

“Yeah, dad. But wait ’til you see . . .” defended Derek.

“I told you I don’t want you takin’ chances out there,” interrupted Donnie.

“They were perfectly safe with us, Donnie,” called a familiar voice from the darkness behind Derek and Zach.

Donnie stopped, cocked his head to the side then his jaw dropped, “Zane!? Is that you?”

“Yes, Donnie,” replied Zane laughing.

“I’m here, too,” called out Zander.

“Come in, come in. Both of you,” invited Donnie eagerly. “It’s been, what? Five years or so?”

“Yeah, there abouts,” affirmed Zane stepping into the light. “Married life seems to agree with you. You’re looking fit . . . for an old man.”

“Ha, ha ,ha! Not everyone gets to remain sixteen forever, ya know,” Donnie grinned at his childhood best friend and the teen he almost killed because he was fighting who he was. It was also the guy who showed up out of the blue about five years ago and saved the lives of his biological son and his adopted son who happened to be Zane’s half-brother.

“You’re looking good too, Simon,” expressed Zander as he came into the light of the front porch.

“Thanks,” acknowledged Simon. “I must say you two literally haven’t changed a bit. Please, do come join us.”

“Dad, Pop, we met a couple of werewolves!” enthused Derek as he came bounding onto the porch.

Donnie stared at his younger son in disbelief.

“Really, Dad. We did.”

“It’s true, Dad,” Zach verified as he joined them on the porch at a slightly slower pace than Derek’s.

“Ah, hell! Why not!?” Donnie exclaimed opening the front door. “Let’s go sit down and talk about it.”

“Are you saying you believe them?” Simon queried as he ushered the others into the house.

“Well, Simon, think about who we just invited into our home,” explained Donnie.

“You do have a point, ” admitted Simon closing the door behind them. “This should be an interesting story at least.”

After everyone was seated Zane and Zander soon explained that the guys did indeed meet two werewolves and that they were friends. The Z’s gave an edited version of how they came to be there and told that they would be living there for some time.

“Rogan and Radesh are going to teach me to shift, ” an excited Derek revealed.

“You mean that cougar thing is real?” asked a stunned Simon.

“Yes, it is,” answered Zach before anyone else could speak. “And Zane is going to help me with my magic.”

“Does he really have some talent for it?” queried Donnie shifting forward in his chair.

“I believe he has quite a bit of ability there,” replied Zane candidly. “I look forward to helping him develop it while we are here.”

“How long will that be?” Donnie wanted to know.

“I’m not really sure,” hedged Zane. “It depends.”

“You said this area will be your base of operations. Will the boys get caught up in what you have going on?” was Simon’s concern.

“I hope not but my mom may not let them alone,” Zane confessed worriedly. “She’s already gone after them once.”

“Aunt Erika!” yelled Donnie involuntarily using the name he had called Zane’s mom when they were young boys. “She’s the one who sent those monsters after my boys?”

“Yes,” Zane answered. “And she’s who we are pitted against now.”

“You found her?”

“Actually, Donnie, she found us with a troop of Rogue vampires,” Zane sighed heavily. “I’ve been hiding for five years trying to deal with the shock. I’m over it and ready to oppose her army of vampires.”

“Donnie, Simon,” inserted Zander before either could begin what they wanted to say. “The boys will be safer when they are with us and learning the skills they will need if they are attacked again than just staying at home.”

After a bit more persuading by the Z’s and cajoling by Zach and Derek, Donnie and Simon agreed to let them meet and train with Zane, Zander and the two werewolves. Although both youths were of legal age they still lived with their dads and had promised listen to their parents.

Zane and Zander rose from their seats saying they should get back before Rogan and Radesh started to worry since they had said they would be back in just a few minutes. Handshakes, hugs and promises to not be strangers were passed around by the six men. The Z’s walked out into an open spot in the front yard and winked out of sight as Zane teleported them back to their home in the cave.

The two vampires apologized to the two werewolves for taking longer than they had anticipated but explained the effort it took to convince Zach and Derek’s dads to let them come train with them.

During the next four weeks the brothers came as often as they could get away from school, work and chores at home to learn from and workout with Zane, Zander, Rogan and Radesh. The two made good progress in their respective fields although not as much as they had hoped.

Zach’s studies with Zane were going well but it was soon apparent his magic was not as strong as a vampire’s or a Romani’s. Still he was a hard-working pupil and was able to learn all the spells Zane had set for him to this point.

His time with Zander was more profitable as he picked up the new martial art moves quickly and soon had them integrated with what he already knew. Zander also spent time teaching him about herbs and potion making. Zach was an apt student and surpassed his teacher’s original expectations.

It would be hard to decide who enjoyed the time spent together more; Derek or the wolves. Rogan and Radesh loved having a young cub to instruct and Derek absorbed all they would teach him. He soon was able to bring forth paws with razor sharp claws in place of his hands at will and had even managed to transform his feet on more than one occasion. But for all his eagerness and diligence in following their instructions, Derek had yet to fully morph into a cougar.

One Saturday afternoon with the weather unseasonably warm Zach and Derek found themselves with free time and immediately headed to the cave in the woods. After sparring for an hour Zach had gone into the cave for a session with Zane and Derek was directed to commune with his cougar spirit in meditation.

About twenty minutes into his trance Derek’s head shot up and he began to sniff the air. He turned his head in the direction of a thick stand of trees near the bottom of the hill where two figures could be seen loping toward the cave.

Hearing the low rumbling growl coming from their student Rogan and Radesh looked in the same direction. All three realized what they were at the same time. Vampires!

Radesh ran into get the Z’s as Derek rose to his feet and sprouted claws at the ends of his arms. Zane followed by Zander emerged from the cage just as Derek’s growl reached roaring level and he leapt down the hill after the two vampires.

It took Zane only a few seconds to ascertain who they were and screamed, “Derek! No!”

Are you enjoying Jeikor’s tale? Let him know you are reading: Jeikor at CastleRoland dot Net

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