Chapter 26 | With You
"It is so hard to leave—until you leave. And then it is the easiest goddamned thing in the world."
-John Green, Paper Towns
My eyelids flutter open but, close at the brightly lit surroundings. I was dressed in a white one shoulder tunic with intricate silver weavings on it. As I hear the whispering of voices, I walk in that direction.
An elderly man with snow-white beard, his features strikingly resembling my grandfather's, was standing next to a woman.
The woman was in a white tunic styled robe.
Her braided dark brown hair was on her right shoulder.
Her features were prominent with an hourglass body figure. But her face was not visible.
A white veil with lace appliques was covering her face. Something giving off bridal vibes. But her features and stance were godly. Like a goddess...
"My children are dying. How can I accept this?" the elderly man utters, his voice defeated and grief-stricken. "What can I do, Drake? They're my children too. They pulled this on themselves," she replies, her voice like wind chimes.
"But mother, you promised us happiness, contentment. My children are killing each other. You promised that as protectors we would be able to control this destruction."
"Drake Archer," the woman speaks. Archer?
"Evil will definitely stagnate its hold on the innocent but the good will rise one day. And that day this world will be saved," the quietness in her tone speaking lengths. "But mother, when will it all happen? The good? When will it rise?" he asks empathetically. Mother?
"Ages past the fair one shall rise, Archer. I swear to you. In your family, the next girl born into it, will rescue the wolves from all misery. She will be me. I will be her. She will be your savior," her gentle words of motherliness now reflected a warrior's strength and vigor.
"Do you know who I am?" she asks, her voice back to a melancholy.
The bearded man fades away and then do I realize that she was indeed talking to me.
"Blythe Reyna Archer," she calls. "Do you know who I am?" She repeats. Godly features, stance like a goddess, formal eloquence. The Moon Goddess...
"The Moon Goddess?" my words a question, her hearty laugh an affirmation.
"But why am I here? Am I dead?" I ask looking down at my hands and run them down my arms, hugging myself. "You're not here, dear. This is just a vision. As for your second question, I'm afraid I have no answer," she states amused.
"What?" she turns around at my whisper. Her veil falling undone at her feet. And my breath stops.
Her face. It bore a striking resemblance to mine. The same emerald eyes, same full heart, dusky lips. Her skin though slightly paler than my own tan.
"You?" I frown as I touch my own face confused.
"You answered that I was the moon goddess when I asked you who I was, but that was not the answer I expected. We're not much different, Blythe," she walks to me and places her warm palm on my cheek, caressing it.
"Do you recognize the man, you just saw?" she asks me. I nod at her, "I think I do. He looks like my grandfather."
"He's your grandfather's father,' she notes.
Then was I the one they were taking about?
"Yes, my dear Blythe." Me? A savior?
"Yes, dear. The savior."
"But I'm just a werewolf?" I remark.
"Do you think 'just' any werewolf would have telepathic powers?
Would be
strong enough to bear both the dark and light magic in her?
Would be emotionally stable to work like you?
" she asks me. "Any other ordinary werewolf would be driven insane if they had your power.
You're a part of me"
I take a huge gulp at her words.
"But as you were saying is the world's evil gone because of me?" I ask her.
"Evil?" she laughs. "Blythe, evil will exist as long as there is good. Just like shadow in the light and just like the death of an individual. It could be either good or bad depending on that individual."
I gaze at her, as her green eyes pierce mine.
"Your brother, he was evil. Purely malignant. But do you think you were the reason for that?" she queries. I don't reply but avert my gaze downwards because I think she knows the answer. I did think that I was the reason.
"If there was light in his aura, he would've seen all your victories as one of his.
Not as his failures. Competition is good anywhere, but only as long as it doesn't turn into jealousy and malice.
It was not your fault. Just as I said wherever there is good there will be evil.
And I'm not an exception to that either," her voice sounds slightly gloomy.
"I made a grave mistake once as a result of a rash decision." I raise my eyebrows at her revelation. "I cursed upon the Alpha line of the Rapscallion pack. It turned them more evil. Xandro is a living example of that."
"Although some take it as a choice. Darkness and evil as a choice. Just like your brother, Aaron. It was purely his choice. However, in the end it is definite that Good will conquer the Evil. Though that will not expel the Evil. It will be there. Just powerless. Like your brother lost his life."
"Xandro?" I ask.
"He's not dead, my dear. His spirit is unstable. His malignance was not a choice. Evil tarnishes only those who choose it. I'm afraid he will live," she remarks quietly. "But the curse is now lifted. It was lifted the moment your knife touched him"
"Because I'm a part of you?"
"Yes, that too. And that leaves us just one last question. A choice."
"A choice?" i question.
"Your destiny. Your fate now," she clarifies.
"You're in the status just as Xandro now.
Your spirit is uneven in the abyss. You have a choice to make.
You could either go back to the mortal world to stay with the same bitter memories of your lifetime but you would lose your powers.
Your telepathic powers would be stripped off you.
Magic that stays with you would only be what you learned.
There will be occasional destructions and immorality.
Or you could stay here, with me. With your powers.
An eternal happiness," her voice suggesting and at the same time promising.
Eternal happiness. No more wars or destructions. Powerful. Everything at the snap of my finger. Wow. It seems so happy. Something relaxing at last.
But, what about Rick? My living family. I've fallen in love with him. His words. His thoughts. His imperfections.
I don't want to lose anything else in my life.
"Mother, you are the one who proposed that evil will exist wherever good is. But are you now suggesting that I should stay back and watch the world end up in ruins?" She shakes her head with an amused expression at my question.
"I never said that you should, dear. I said you could. It is your choice."
"Why am I a part of you, mother? You made me like that to save the world from evil.
To save an Alpha line from a curse. The werewolves from war.
I need to live up to that. I don't need a choice.
I want to go back to the mundane world. Where there maybe evil but that is where my family is. Where my future is."
A warm smile spreads across her face. Her surroundings too now seem to be glowing because of her pleasant aura.
'Wisely said. You have spoken like a Queen. Just the way you are. I'm proud of you, Blythe. You deserve happiness. Let me give you a little token of appreciation," she says, extending her palm and the crescent locket appears in her hand.
"I don't think there's a need for this," she says with a smile and the locket vanishes into thin air.
"If the locket is not needed, does it mean that the prophecy is fulfilled?" I wonder out loud.
"'Ages past the fair one shall rise,' your white wolf had risen.
'Thy passion and rage testify, Put to misery by thou kin,' your brother was the one who made you miserable at last. 'Live the life of honor and sin, Wrath of thee, thy mate in despair,' your sudden anger caused you and your mate to be separated.
'He shall leave thee lone and fair. Bloodshed of thy rival,' Aaron was indeed killed.
He turned out to be your enemy at last. 'The dark shadow upon thee fatal,' the skies darkened and underneath a great storm did you finally accomplish.
'Reunited with thy heart's desire,
Beneath Selene's gaze shall ye conquer,' your choice to be reunited with Maverick has indeed fulfilled the whole prophecy," she enlightens.
"Now it's time, my child. You will return blemished and scarred but with contentment and happiness. May you be blessed," she touches my cheek softly and kisses my forehead.
I close my eyes letting her warmth engulf me.
Suddenly I find hard to breath, gasping for air, my eyes fly open. I am met with a familiar pair of blue eyes.
I'm in the field, I fought with Xan and Aaron. My searching eyes meet Rick as he engulfs me in a hug.
I was at home at last. "The girls?" I croak. "At the pack hospital," he assures me. "Aar-" I couldn't bring myself to say his name but, Rick grits his teeth and shakes his head. No more...
"Xan?" "With the medics."
"You?" I ask. "With you."