Jadze: The Blessed Curse

by Juuchan17 (based on the fanfictions of Rotramel the Writer)

ACT III – MATURITY

(Author's Note: There are some quotes taken from a few of RTW's fics, so I shall give credit where it is due. Also, this is only the first chapter of ACT III, and I might post them like this because each chapter is getting really intense and LONG.)

Chapter XI

Everything was darkness yet again. Was it the real world or was this just a fantasy? – there was no way to know for sure; she couldn’t see a single thing around her, not even her own body. The only sounds audible within the black night were rapidly-panted breaths and the thumping of a heartbeat. But she knew she was not alone . . . no, there was another presence that caused her bones to nearly shudder with mortifying fear at the chilled wind of doom that whipped invisibly around her.

Shade . . . The name of the dark lupine immediately came to mind. She didn’t need to see him to know he was watching her, mocking her, waiting to end her life for good once again. However, unlike her reaction to the vision of a few mornings ago, the quarter-wolf seemed no longer afraid for facing him – her belief was far stronger than he, she knew that well in this world. “I know you are here . . . Show yourself!”

With a series of low chuckling, the once and still burnt-black wolf showed himself to her, shedding an ominous scarlet light around himself. The red-orange glow was like smoldering ashes in a weakening bonfire; however, it was his invisible aura of evil that proved he was not as frail as he appeared. His scent was worse than before, but somehow she managed to avoid feeling sick to her stomach – although she could still feel the smell lingering around her nostrils, trying to taunt her limitations. She remembered when he imitated those that she loved and cared about so dearly – her rodent spirit guide Muru, her first love Alai, and even as the white wolf Aniu herself – but she was sure that the presence would not present such a petty trick this time. She could see through his deceptive tactics easily now, even though it had been a while since he last tried it.

“Well, well . . . we meet again, Aleu . . .”

She gulped nervously at the calmed yet malicious tone of the demon lord, but lowered her ears and clawed into the unseen darkened floor. “You . . . you don’t scare me so easily anymore, Shade . . . Aniu is still on my side . . .”

“Ha!” The maggot-infested skin and what was left of the once-ebony fur of the wolf shook as he laughed. “I’m afraid you jest, O Chosen One . . . Aniu is weak, and soon . . . oh yes, very soon, she and the rest of her Clan shall fall, burning in the depths of Hell for all Eternity . . .” A devious cackle howled from his lifted muzzle. He seemed confident and satisfied with what he saw from the female’s reaction to his words.

“No . . .” The quarter-wolf growled under her breath at the thought of what he had planned. It was strange for him to remind her of the title she was given the first time she had encountered him within the cave, but to remind her of that eternal furnace known as Hell, she shook away the thought immediately. I’ve fought him in that horrible place once, and there’s no way I would ever want to return there! “No! There is no way that the Talbourne will fall to you, Shade!” She lowered her front legs and body in defense, prepared to spring forward and attack him. “I may no longer be the Alpha, but I shall not let you destroy Aniu’s mighty Clan!”

A thick, dark mist surrounded Shade, causing him to disappear from in front of her; still, she could sense him behind her, hearing his low tone echoing into her ears as she clenched her eyes shut.

“It is too late, Aleu . . . My plan has already begun . . . There is nothing you can do to stop me this time, especially since I know your weakness . . .”

“Weakness?” She scoffed, despite her bristled fur giving away how fearful she really was at the moment. She knew from rough experiences that Shade had the power to hurt and destroy her, especially since they were face-to-face like this once again. He could affect her condition away from this place, and even though she had learned many tactics to defend herself, the quarter-wolf could not bring herself to do so. It was almost as if she knew it was not necessary at this time. “I’m stronger than you think I am, Shade! You may have defeated me last time, but I shall not be taken down so easily now!” She growled back at him, but the words he said next only made her scream afterwards, not being able to control her emotions in front of him any longer.

“Oh, but I will destroy you, Aleu . . . I know Aniu can’t save you again when I do . . . I’ll send you and all of your precious family straight to Hell . . .”

Aleu awoke with a scream, lifting her head from the ground to catch her breath. Her body was still in violent shudders, almost as if the dark presence remained faintly around her. She didn’t vomit this time – at least not yet – but once Aleu settled down, the now awake form of Shadow had already noticed how tense his mate was beside him.

“Aleu? Are you okay?” Shadow asked her quietly, so as not to wake their sleeping two-month-old daughter near them. Little Jadze was softly smiling in her sleep as she lay near the much larger forms of her brothers and sister, completely unfazed by the terror that Aleu had witnessed. He leaned his nose towards hers, sensing the tension in her eyes.

“Oh, I’m fine,” the gray-brown female reassured him, returning the nuzzle sweetly. “It . . . it was just a dream, that’s all.”

The red wolf only lifted an eyebrow, not believing her for a moment. “Come on, Aleu. I know you mean well, but you don’t have to hide the truth from me – it was a nightmare, wasn’t it?”

Aleu let out a deep sigh, lowering her head onto her front legs in defeat. “It was. I encountered Shade again.”

Shadow’s ears pricked up suddenly at the sound of the demon lord’s name. “But . . . but I thought . . .”

Aleu already knew what he was thinking, quickly interrupting his sentence. “I know, Saba and Aniu took care of him when she was brought back to life several months ago, but somehow . . . somehow he’s come back . . .” Aleu was almost in tears as memories of the encounter with the putrid-smelling lupine.

“Well, we can still stop him,” Shadow licked the salty tears from her cheeks, hoping to lift her spirits. “Now that we know, we can take care of him for good this time, Aleu. I promise.”

She sniffled, looking at her mate with her wide almond eyes still drenched wet with tears. “I . . . I don’t think it’s that simple, Shadow.” His sky-blue eyes were quite serene and filled with hope, but still it wasn’t enough to soothe the anxiety from what she learned as she slept. “He . . . he already knows about me not being able to come back to life . . . and he’s after not just Aniu and the Talbourne, but also our family – my family.” Her body shook at the thought of Shade’s words to her again. “Just because we were able to defeat him whenever he attacked our people doesn’t mean that we’ll be so lucky this time.” Her voice was obviously panicky – he had never seen Aleu act like this before. “Shade will do whatever it takes to destroy us all, but even with my act of bravery in front of him, he said that Aniu was weak and completely intimidated me. Trust me, Shadow – he’s not one to take so lightly.”

“I know,” The scarlet lupine sighed, comforting her once more. Aleu had already told him about her previous vision of Shade’s wave of destruction, and he had knew what damage he was capable of. “I’ve lost you more than once to him, but this time around, I’ll risk my own life to fight him in your place.” Shadow was confident about what he told her, but a trace of worry remained in those blue eyes of his. “I promise, Shade will not harm you as long as I have breath in me. I love you too much to lose you, Aleu.”

“Oh, Shadow,” Aleu leaned up against him, her tears vanished along with her doubts. She was not in the mood to argue against being protected, but the former Alpha admired his loyalty and trust to their family as she began to feel comfortably drowsy by his side. “I love you too . . .” Her voice softened as her eyes fluttered back into sleep.

Clearly, nothing should go wrong now . . . Aniu is protecting our family and our Clan, and Shade’s plan will not come to pass . . . Things will work out in Aniu’s will . . .

The pain was worse today than before, Jenna noted to herself as she rose to her feet, beginning to start her morning the way that she always did before. Her belly had grown larger over the days, easily revealing her secret to the world – she was pregnant with pup . . . and they seemed due any day now.

She sighed at the thought of how she had come to be this way, remembering her days in the wilderness when she was exiled from Nome for the attempted murder of her former boyfriend and Keeper of the Law’s son, Jason.

I was so upset about losing Everest again after he and Saba defied their punishment . . . I couldn’t believe that Drake would allow to kill him like that . . . but when I learned that he was alive and well, it was already too late . . .  

I had done something horrible . . . I nearly