Beyond The Veil Part Three

By Ahura Werewolf

Note: The Italic writing is Balto talking since he is a disembodied spirit. 

Kodi awoke the next day, stretching himself in front of the large boiler. His fur absorbing the warm heat, he found it usual that not only was his father not who he thought he was but also his dad's spirit resided within him. Ever since his father's disembodied spirit has visited him the previous night, Kodi's mind was racing at what his father had revealed. That Steele who most of the dogs in Nome had assumed left and disappeared from Nome years ago was now dead and had taken over his father's body.  Kodi walked out of the old foundry, and walked towards his mothers house. As he approached, he made sure he was careful not to wake his mother and Steele now residing in his father's body. He looked as his mother slept on near the fireplace, it was odd looking at his father's body knowing it wasn't really his dad.

Balto looking through Kodi's eyes sees his body laying next to Jenna, he silently growls and his ire rises. He thinks, "I have to get my body back somehow?" Kodi can feel his fathers anger spread through his body. He says, 'Dad we will find away to get your body back but until then we must keep a level head and rush into things. Otherwise Steele will catch onto us." Balto replies, "Your right Kodi, we must approach this with a level head but I cannot stand seeing Steele laying next to Jenna."  He continues to look at Jenna laying next to Steele and whines. Kodi says, "Dad is there anyway we can get Steele out of your body?"

"I don't know, my mother never told me how I could switch back with Steele. Short of killing my body I can't think of a way."

"Dad, there is no way we can kill your body, even if that was even an option. There must be another way" Kodi walks away from the window and to the front door. The walks up the freshly dug out path leading to the door, great mounds of snow rising on either side of him.  He paws at the doggy door and waits for his mother to open it.  Jenna's head pokes out from under the doggy door, she looks up at Kodi and smiles saying, "Hello Kodi, what brings you here?" Kodi looks at his mother for a few minutes and says, "I am doing well how is dad?"

Jenna looks from him back to Balto laying on the floor near the fire still asleep. She says, "He is still sleeping, he had a rough night yesterday. I don't think he got much sleep." Kodi nods and steps through the doggy door into the warm house. Looking at his fathers still sleeping body he glups and starts to say, "Mom theres something I need to tell you Dad is...." At that time Steele gets up off the floor and walks over to Jenna saying, "Hey honey how are you?" Steele looks at Kodi and grits his teeth thinking, "Great now the runt shows up, why don't they all go away?"  Steele puts on a false smile and says, "Good morning son."

Kodi replies, "Good Morning Dad, sleep well?" Steele stretches and nods. Balto inside Kodi growls and Kodi can feel his fathers anger flowing through his veins. He thinks, "Dad you need to calm down we will find away to get Steele out but right now you cannot give away the fact you are alive and well"  the anger receeds and Balto calms down.  Kodi takes a deep breath and looks at his mother. He smiles and says, "Mom I gotta go, I am meeting up with the team later for a midnight run so I have to go" Jenna nods and says, "Have fun Kodi" Steele doesn't say anything and watches as Kodi leaves through the doggy door. Once Kodi is outside he says, "Well that was awkward. What do you think dad?"

"I think we better find away to get Steele out soon or my body we become his permenantly!"  Later that day while Kodi takes a nap, Balto paces around outside of the old foundry, just then Aniu appears, Balto says, "Mom is there anyway we can remove Steeles spirit from my body short of him killing my body?" Aniu thinks for a few moments and says, "Yes there is, you must bring Steele to the old totem pole outside of Nome. There the spirits of the totem will cleanse his spirit from your body and you can have it back."  Balto nods and says, "Are you sure that will work, each passing minute I feel like my body is becoming his more and more?"

"Trust in the spirits my son and they will never fail you" Aniu disappears in a swirling mist.  Balto watches as his mother disappears and says, "Well now I know what we have to do, lets hope it works." Balto turns and heads back into the old foundry to tell Kodi.

Kodi awakens as he senses his fathers spirit approach him saying, "Hey Dad, whats up?" Balto replies, "I have a plan Kodi, I know how to get Steele out of my body" Kodi replies, "How?"

"My mother just appeared to me and told me that we must lure Steele to the old totem pole outside of town and there the spirits of the pole will cleanse my body of Steeles presence," Balto replies. "Lets just hope Steele doesn't figure it out before hand."  Kodi nods in agreement and says, "So lets go get him and finish this once and for all" Balto floats back inside of Kodi and says, "Yeah I want my life back."  Kodi walks out of the old foundry and towards his mothers house.

To Be Continued....