Weary Traveller (Open)

"Calm down, and think. We need a real plan." Duke sat down with her legs crossed and pulled out a knife. She sat there fiddling and thinking, but coming up with nothing.
"I say we wait for Lock. He'll know what to do. He always has a plan." She said finally

"To bad me and Graham already have something planned. And it involves you and Lock staying here along with Jenny and the rest. It will just be me Graham and Greg." Ash said not meaning to sound rude.
"Sorry Duke but its the only thing, to keep you guys safe," Graham said.

"I heard that Ash" Lock said as he came stumbling into the room
"We're coming and thats final, Duke needs her vengeance and I need to complete my end of a bargain, Long story short if I dont my soul will be taken and Melanie will die, all thanks to that stupid promise she made 'If you die I die too', what was she thinking"
Stunned looks met this statement, as usual he wasn’t explaining things clearly. He sighed and began explaining.

"My power of regeneration is astounding dont you think? I mean Im not a demon, a werewolf or anything else. Im fairly normal. Well as it turns out I received this power by making a deal with a death god, I was allowed to seek out Melanie and protect her and in return my soul was taken when it suited the shinigami. Well it came to collect so I made another deal, the details arnt important but what we do need to accomplish is to put Erik and his followers in a position where they think they are about to die. Thats my end of the bargain"

He left out the part where his soul was taken anyway, Melanie would receive a small fraction of it and she would live. No need to unnecessarily worry everyone.

Graham almost threw a punch at Lock but Ash held him back. "SHE DID WHAT!" he roared. "This is a lie! I'll kill you human!" Graham said forgetting the fact that Lock was his friend and not an enemy.
"Actually he is telling the truth. And I would'nt worry about that Shinigami, when he comes I'll make a deal with him. I am more powerful and he will have no choice to accept, you are safe Lock." Ash said looking at Lock calmly his voice getting deadly. Then he spoke to Graham, "And as for Melanie... she is in need of dire punishment since all she can do is sacrifice herself to others. Am I not correct, Graham?"
Graham wanted to yell at Ash he knew Melanie needed someone to get it through her head that sacrificing herself was going to hurt others one day, but he had no clue what kind of Punishment Ash had in mind.
"Don't worry Graham, I'm not going to kill her, maybe just showing her what it's like to be a wolf for eternity is fine though."
Graham's heart stopped and he was at a loss for words. "Wha-? That's impossible she's a nymph and she already is an immortal."
"That's not what I meant."
"So your saying turning her into a.... BUT THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE! There is no such thing as a female werewolf!"
Ash smirked. "My dear boy, there's a first for everything is'nt there. But that will be her punishment to lead my offspring as the first female wolf. When I go away. I'll let her know what's it like to be me when I die."
"Die..."
"You think I wanna be on this earth anymore? This disgusting place? There is nothing here for me! You and her will take over and you both will be the new mother and father of my children understand? If you refuse you leave me no choice but to let Erik in! Do you want that?"
Graham only stared into Ash's eyes. "I understand," he whispered. He was afraid if the world was taken over by Erik. Every human would die and werewolf's would take over... and Erik would force Melanie by his side and God knows what Erik would do to him or his kid....
"Good now as for you Lock... it's safe you stay here and as well as Duke if not I can knock you out again. I sense Mitch around it wouldn't be safe for you if Mitch is siding with Erik again but I doubt that. I think he's there for Melanie."
Graham was confused Mitch... Mitch Klainicksh? Erik's brother? He heard Mitch had a little war with a guy named Lelouch over his wife Anna. Mitch was just like Erik always forcing women it was good that some Guy jumped in and saved Anna. But now why would he want Melanie.
"Seems your in your own little world Graham here let me explain. Melanie is friends with an witch named Nina and it seems Mitch ain't a bad ass anymore and gone softhearted. So as a favor for his girlfriend Nina he's going off to save Melanie for her," Ash said smirking.
Graham sighed. "Stay here, please Lock... if you got hurt Melanie would do something drastic I mean she must have done something for Erik since he didn't kill you while he was here..." Graham said a bit heartbroken just thinking about what could be happening to her right now.

"I dont think you understand Ash, as powerful as you may be you are not more powerful than a God of Death. I doubt its going to be beaten by a mortal"
He coughed up some blood, he had hit that wall pretty hard
"At any rate I pretty sure this particular Shinigami was a girl not a boy. And as for you"
he looked at Gregory and ash
"Since when is it a crime to be altruistic? She is the most genuinely kind individual I have ever known, and you wish to punish her?"
He straightened his back and stared levelly at them
"You could all kill me in a heartbeat, I wouldnt stand a chance, but if you EVER try and do ANYTHING to Melanie I will stop you or die trying, and where would that leave her?"

(side note: altruistic means to do things purely for the benifit of others for no personal gain whatsoever)

Ash smirked. "Well if you don't stand a chance don't say those words. Whether you like it or not it's happening."
Graham looked at the ground sadly. Knowing he couldn't do anything to stop Ash. This was a final decision and he couldn't change it.
"Now we need to leave as soon as possible, Greg, Graham let's go." Ash said walking out.
Graham only stood there frozen his father walking out to follow Ash. Graham's face was pale but soon he finally started to walk past Lock and out the door. He could feel Lock glaring at him

"Come on Duke, we arent letting them off that easy" He followed them out of the cave entrance at a distance, if they tried to stop them they would be in for a fight, and they didnt have time to waste so he hoped Graham and the others would simply regard them as a nuisance and deal with it. "This could end very badly for us Duke, are you prepared for what is to come?" he and Duke were in this together, she was the only one who he had told the full extend of his deal.

"I'm in it to the end. Those bastards won't get off easy for what they've done to me. And the fact that they destroyed my family just to get your attention..." She was shaking with suppressed rage.
"It's just wrong. They will pay, by my hand. I've heard they don't die too easily, that’s good. I want to make them suffer a thousand deaths before they burn in hell." Lock looked shocked. He hadn't seen this side of Duke before, and neither had she.

Graham turned feeling like they were being followed. "Ignore it dog, if they want to die that's there problem." Ash said.
Graham didnt like Ash's mood and knew he was up to something. What it was he did not know.

(back at erik's cave)

Mitch threw a punch at Erik. "Bastard die already," Mitch growled.
Erik only smirked. "Really now is that a way to treat a brother?"
"Hell yea." Mitch said about to hit him again but Erik quickly moved over towards Melanie fangs forming in his mouth.
"Come closer, and I'll rip this child right out of her stomach."
"You sick bastard..." Mitch snarled.
Erik grinned. "Why brother you use to be like this to. Don't it bother you when I do this?" he said kissing Melanie's lips. "I mean you use to be like this."
"Yea so that's then not now!"
Mitch then flashstepped quickly pounding Erik's face in the ground.
"Enough!" Mitch heard someone yell. It was Ash.

"We'll hold back for a moment, we will need to access the situation before dashing in, particularly in the state Im in" His ribs were still broken, but they were healing. "Ill give you covering fire, you take your revenge. I trust Graham to look after Melanie"
He looked directly at Duke
"We'll show them that humans arent weak, just stay out of Eriks way and leave him to Gregory, I think he has a prior claim to revenge"
They exchanged a look of two warriors going to a battle by rights they shouldnt win
"Give them hell Duke"

"That’s exactly what I was planning to do." She had a look in her eye that told him she wasn't joking. She dropped her chain whip, dagger, throwing knifes and unstrapped her hidden blades leaving her with only her swords. She needed to be light on her feet so she was dropping the excess weight. Besides, she wouldn't even need the other weapons.

Erik smirked. "Nice of you to join us Ash. And Graham... and Gregory? How's Jenn doing I did'nt mess her up to badly did I?" Gregory Phased not able to control himself attacking midair. Erik Phased into his wolf form as well fighting Greg. A few of Erik's clan members attacked Ash but he was able to handle them. Graham ran for Melanie. "Melanie?" She was unconciouss rope binding her. He quickly picked her up trying to get her out of the war area but a knife plunged into his back, he fell screaming in pain. Erik was there in a matter of seconds trying to kill Graham. Graham let Melanie go quickly hitting Erik and Phasing into his wolf form. Mitch helped Ash fight the other clan members phasing into his wolf form as well. It looked like a bunch of overgrown wolves fighting each other. It was a complete slaughterhouse.

Duke ran into the cave and attacked the first wolf she saw. It was Erik’s right hand man. Lock was in immediately after her giving her cover from behind, but she was no longer aware of anything, or anyone, around her. All that mattered was the fight. It filled her vision and her senses and became music. The clash of her swords on its teeth and claws, the blades digging into its flesh, the spraying blood was like art. This was what real battle was about. Her ferocity was intense and her focus was unbreaking. The werewolf didn't stand a chance

Lock was almost in shock, Duke wasnt even getting a scratch on her, she was simply too fast. The werewolf's big clunky swings couldnt keep up let alone land a hit.
It was over in a matter of minutes.
Duke looked up at Lock with a stony face before dashing off to find her next victim.

Lock in the meantime saw Erik drive a dagger into Grahams back and Graham strike back. He was strong but Erik had the upper hand and it wasn’t going well for Graham, Lock weighed his options, levelled his collapsible rifle at Erik’s head and fired.
It had the effect of a stone striking him, it didnt cause much damage but it certainly stung. He turned to look at Lock.
"You’re just asking to die arent ya punk?" he said as he knocked Graham back a few steps.
Lock's response was to load a ballistic round into the chamber "remember this one puppy?"
He fired as Erik lunged towards Graham, the explosion tore a tennis ball sized hole into his abdomen. The wound began to heal immediately but it had gotten his attention.
"Thats it Lock, you are dead meat!"
He charged at him with a howl of fury, lock pulled out his pistol and knife and met the attack.
The initial impact of Erik's strike was devastating, his claws burying themselves into his sides, his teeth crushing one of Lock's wrists. The other hand however still held a gun. Lock immediately fired three rounds into the side of Erik's head, causing him to release his grip. Another four rounds followed in quick succession, this time to the not quite closed wound in his stomach.
Lock threw away the empty pistol, he was spent. One arm useless and multiple serious wounds to both his sides. It was up to Graham to save Melanie now. He just hoped he had bought the damned brave, kind, stupid fool enough time.

Graham smashed the back of Erik's head with a rock making blood slpatter everywhere. But it did'nt matter how many times Lock shot him or Graham trying to attack him. Erik kept healing too quickly. The bullets fell out of his body the wounds sealing up like nothing had ever happened and now the blow to the back of his head was healing. "Damnit all," Graham growled. He saw that Lock was half dead on the ground, Ash and Mitch and Duke fighting off Erik's clan... and his dad... Graham looked over at a non-moving wolf form. It was curled up in a ball blood oozing from his mouth. No.... he can't be dead. He just found out his father was alive...he can't die now... He then saw Gregory's limp form try to move and knew his father was still alive but badly wounded. He then saw Melanie... she was awake.
Graham almost ran to her but noticed what was happening. She was untied now but clutching her stomach and gasping she met Graham's eyes and gave him the look he knew all too well. This was too soon one month early.. it wasn't right. Not here...in the middle of this... Graham's heart started to race feeling a wierd bond start to form. He knew that's what all alpha males felt when thier heirs were about to be born. Erik was fully recovered now and he knew he had to make decision. Keep fighting or get Melanie the hell outta of there.
Melanie was hyperventalating now and that was enough to give him his answer. Gregory was back on his feet now Mitch right beside him. "Take her and leave, I'll make sure your friends get out of this alive..." Mitch growled. Mitch then attacked Erik trying to bite into his neck. But Erik was not even bothered by his brother he was coming at Graham with a killer look in his eyes.
Graham jumped to his feet and ran scooping Melanie up in his arms running past the waterfall. Erik tried to catch Graham but two wolfs appeared attacking Erik. It was Graham's best and favorite Lackey's Miko and Matt. Graham nodded towards them and ran he had to get to Melanie's birth place. That would be the safest place for her was by her bonded Peach tree.
As a nymph she was born from a peach tree and whatever was happening to Lock and her bond with him wasnt going so well. Lock was dying...that meant she would die too... and the baby was coming.... dear God no...Graham could'nt live without Melanie. Graham ran as fast as he could to the grove of peach trees outside the woods. Melanie was limp in his arms she was back to unconciouss but her body was twitching as if she was having mini seizures,
"Come on babe stay with me," he whispered.
Once he reached the grove he layed her under her birth tree. A bunch of nymphs boys and girls came to her. One of those boys stared at him angrily. "He's a night creature..." the boy hissed. "Looking at him is stinging my eyes."
"Shh, we have to help this girl.." a young tree mymph girl whispered. The girl looked at Graham, "I have to take her into the tree for the birth or she will die."
With that the boy and girl dragged Melanie towards her birth tree and like a flash they were gone the tree swallowing them whole.
Graham stood there in shock, his heart pounding. Melanie wasn't going to make it... his Father was injured... Lock was on cave floor dying, Duke, Ash Mitch, Miko, and Matt were still fighting but they were outnumbered.... so outnumbered... Was this it... everyone would die and Erik would win... it was'nt fair. Graham sat by Melanie's tree holding his knees and rocking back and forth like a crack head not knowing what to do with himself. Soon he started to cry something he had'nt done in forever since the incident with the witch doctor when he thought he was going to lose Melanie now for sure he really was going to lose her.

The battle had turned to Erik. His followers were almost gone and he was fighting almost everyone. Duke finished of the last minion and was cleaning her blades on the fur of a dead wolf. Erik was distracted and it was time for her to move.
She lunged at his back with her blades slicing in an X pattern. If he wasn't distracted she wouldn't have even gotten close to him, but he was being attacked on all sides. Before he had time to become fully aware of her she followed through her attack by slicing off his hands. Erik fell the ground and she smashed his face into the dirt. He lay broken but healing fast.
"Why did you kill my family?" She hissed.
"T-they were bait for L-lock." He spat out the words along with a mouthful of blood. "Nothing more."
"Wrong answer." The words dripped for her lips like poison.
Suddenly Erik flew onto his feet, quick as lightning, and attacked. They moved with grace and elegance, the dance of battle, the song of clashing teeth and claws on metal. She heard the music and moved to its beat, not stepping out of place. Erik clawed her arm, but it hardly fazed her. She was in a world of her own, and wreaking the vengeance she had sort after for so long. It was beautiful. She felt so alive; it all seemed natural to her, so clear. She was made for battles like this.

Mitch quickly phased to his human form picking up Gregory. Greg's whole side was ripped out blood spilling from his waist. Ash was helping Duke take down Erik and soon Matt and Miko were right beside Mitch.
"Mitch?" Miko asked shocked. "Dude what are you doing here?"
"Question is why the hell are you helping us your no better than Erik!" Matt growled.
Mitch glared at him. "I'm not here to fight! Just to make amends and then I'll leave," he snapped. "Now if you excuse me take care of Greg for me!" Mitch put Greg down and then quickly phased back into a wolf helping Ash and Duke out on attacking Erik. Finnally Mitch had Erik phase back into human form and so did he. He put Erik in a headlock. "Yo girl!" he snapped at Duke "here's your chance of revenge, I'd take it if I were you!" Mitch said keeping a hold on Erik waiting for Duke to make the final blow that would kill Erik.

Graham was sitting on the ground for what seemed like hours until he heard the tree opening and a baby crying. He thought he was going to be dizzy, It was real this was actually happening, he was a dad now. The nymph girl came through holding a baby wrapped in a quilt. "It's a boy," she said handing Graham the quilt bundle.
"Of course it is," he whispered.
"Not necessarily. There's a girl... first of your kind..."
Graham could'nt breathe what was this girl saying? "What are you talking about?"
The girl looked at him shocked. "You did'nt know Melanie was carrying twins?"
Now it was Graham's turn to give this girl a shocked expression. "What?"
Now the tree reopened and the nymph boy came out with another bundle. "And here's the girl," he said. "Her eyes were golden when she came out but now there a perfect blue, sure sign she's a monster like you," the boy shook his head.
The girl only sighed. "Please don't be mad at my brother, Melanie has always been our friend when the wolves took her away from us we were sad for a long time."
"I understand," Graham whispered. Now both the twins in his arms. One girl. One boy. If Erik knew there was a girl... he'd take her in a heart beat... Dear God no... he couldnt go back... not until Duke or Ash or somebody killed Erik.
He did'nt expect this. Any alpha male would be out of his mind if he didnt try to kidnap this girl who was half lycan... the very first. He knew he had to protect his daughter and his son with all his strength now. Then he thought of Melanie. Where was she?
"Where's Melanie?" he asked.
The girl nymph whimpered backing away but the boy stood his ground giving Graham a disgusted look.
"Where's Melanie!" he almost screamed but he did'nt want to frighten the twins that were quiet now in his arms.
The boy glared at him. "Can't you tell by her tree!" he snapped.
Graham looked up, all the peach flowers and leaves were turning brown and the tree was starting to shrivel up on itself. "She's dead..." the boy whispered... "Or at least almost..."
There was only one small white flower left on the tree and that was slowly starting to turn brown too...

(Back at the cave)
There was a slight bubble in the universe, a rippling as it rose to the surface.
That bubble was the Shinigami, it was here for Erik's soul.

It was obvious that Lock and Duke were the only ones witnessing the Shinigami as it bent down to Erik's level and whispered something in his ear, Erik hastily nodded in reply, grinning at the power he thought he would soon possess. And then his soul was torn from his body.

Lock could actually see the true nature of Erik, the physical embodiment of his soul as it was stolen from this world, he saw the terror in his eyes and for the briefest of moments he almost felt pity for him. He turned away from the scene, it was sickening to look at.
Then the Shinigami turned to Lock Thanks for the souls Vincent, I managed to get at least 5 today. Oh and one more thing, would you mind if I took all of yours? Since Melanie is dying anyway I figure you have no need for it
"What did you say?"
I said she was dying, so can I have it now?
"I need to see her..."
I figured youd say something like that, fine. Ill take you to her but you dont have long. Im a very busy person

Lock felt the Shinigami wrap its arms around him and pull him through the world into the void between this realm and the Shinigami realm. It felt like dying.

(At Melanie's tree)

Not long after Graham heard the news Lock seemed to fade into existence beside him. Needless to say it was a shock.
"what the hell...?" Graham could see right through him, he looked like a spectre.
"I figure I dont have long left Graham, where is she? I wanted to see her myself, to see if what the Shinigami said was true. It told me she was dying"

Graham looked at him highly pissed off. The two nymphs had tooken the twins away from him so he could have time alone by Melanie's tree but now that he saw Lock he wanted to kill him.
"This is all your fault! She's dying because you are! Because of what ever pact you made and whatever promise she made to you damn it!" Graham roared tears bursting from his eyes. There was only a few flowers left on the tree and still they were starting to fade away too.
"Are you dying now? Are you going to live? Cuz' if you do she may live to! Whatever pact you made tell them to break it off before she does die!" Graham screamed in Lock's face. "This is what Ash was talking about... she made some promise to you did'nt she! And now that your alive and she's so close to death she just may... if she dies I'll kill you..." Graham growled his eyes flashing red. "Then I'll kill myself. So whatever you can possibly do, do it now, because she can't come out of that tree! Not until she's healthy.. they said. But she's..." Graham could'nt hold back no more he crumpled to the ground sobbing. "Whatever deal you made... I can make one too I'd sacrifice my life for her to live," Graham whispered.

Lock didnt know what was happening
"I promise you that this isnt because of me, its true Im dying but the Shinigami promised to hand over part of my soul to Melanie so that she can continue to live. This shouldnt be happening to her, I was allowed to come and say goodbye but I dont have very long left. The Shinigami was always coming for my soul, I sold it to him over a century ago! No one can take my place"
He stood there eyes staring into nothing, a furious look on his face
"I cant think of anything that could be causing this, childbirth is traumatic but she is strong enough to over come it"
He walked over to Graham and pulled him to his feet
"She loves you, she needs you. Go and speak with her, she needs something to hang onto in this world, if she saw you fighting Erik maybe she thinks youre dead, prove her wrong and guide her back to us. Damnit she cant die!"

"And how the hell do you think I should go to her! A demon can't enter the nymph realm!" Graham snarled.
The boy nymph appeared glaring at Graham. "If I brought her to you will you jerks promise to keep the noise down."
Lock and Graham nodded. The boy dissapeared and reappeared with Melanie in his arms. She was wrapped in a bed sheet, while her body was covered in sweat and her skin was awfully pale. It looked like she herself was turning brown and shriveling up like the tree. Graham took her from the nymph boy who left right away once Melanie was in Graham's arms. She was barely breathing and her eyes were closed but she was awake.
"Graham?" she asked in a hoarse whisper unable to open her eys.
"Yea it's me... Lock is here too."
"Oh... tell him I'm sorry this is'nt his fault or yours... before even Mitch showed up...I struggled with Erik... and he stabbed me... thank-fully nobody noticed..."
Everyone would notice now blood was pooling from her lower stomach area. Graham was furious... Erik always found a way to hurt Melanie.
"Did the babies make it? My friend said there was two... a boy and a girl."
Graham could'nt help but cry. "Yea there both fine," he said shakily.
"You should name them. I wanna know before I go away..."
"No, no, no," Graham sobbed. "Your naming them, I'm bad at that stuff, but your not doing it now, your going to live damn it."
"But... I have to... I can't fight anymore...it hurts..." Melanie whimpered her hand gently grasping Graham's shirt. She felt like she was going to let go of life at any second.

“Melanie…” he could not finish what he wanted to say, she reached out a hand a touched his. He didn’t have to.

Tears appeared in Locks eyes, the last time he had cried was when she had been taken from his life the first time.
He bent towards her and kissed her on the forehead and then turned to Graham and said in a voice only loud enough for him to hear "Do not end your life to join her, the world needs a kind werewolf now more than ever. Live on for her children, live on for her"
He whispered his final farewell to Melanie, words only for her, and waved goodbye to Graham. He did not need to say anything to him, they were both people whose life Melanie had touched and they knew each others grief.
A hand appeared on Locks shoulder and pulled him out of this world for ever.

A note addressed to Duke fell to the ground, but Graham would not notice it until much later, at this moment all that existed in his world was the fading Melanie.

The note reads:
Duke,
I don't have much time to write, but you've been a good friend. One of the best and I'm glad I knew you. You witnessed things that no normal person should see, and it changed you. Now that you have experienced the hollow victory that vengeance brings, learn from it. It wasn't something that I could teach you, it was something that you needed to learn. Do not become a monster consumed with hate for Erik. He's dead, its over, time to let go. Live happy.
WARNING
DON"T TRUST SHINIGAMI.

Graham watched as Lock disappeared then looked back down at Melanie but when he did he screamed in anger and sadness. Her eyes were open but lifeless and vacant. "No...please don't leave..." he sobbed. But nothing happened her limp hand that was clinging to his shirt slid down his chest and fell to the ground. The tree shriveled up and in one last try to gasp for oxygen it fell into ashes. Now the tree was gone and so was Melanie.
The nymph girl had promised to bring the two children to the cave so all he really had to do was take Melanie's body back to the cave. He stood up and started walking.

Johnny was clutching to the baby boy and girl still in shock that Melanie was dead. The only girl who was like a mother figure to him. Duke had sat there with him. They had made it back to there own cave leaving Erik's now they were back in the mountains. Mitch had left knowing what he had to do was done and had left without even saying a word. Jennifer was trying her hardest to heal Gregory and the only person who stayed was Ash. The rest of Graham's clan had left Johnny and Duke be.
After almost an hour Graham had came in with Melanie's body. Johnny put the twins back in the crib that Melanie had made awhile back and ran up to him.
"Bubby is she really..." He did'nt need to finish to know that Melanie was dead.
Graham only looked at his brother and sighed. "Name the girl Marianne, and the boy Vincent, okay Johnny, I want you to take care of them, okay be there father, because I can't."
"What! Bubby what are you going to do!"
"What do you think... I'm going to kill myself. I can't live in this place without her, so the only option is to go to her."
"But what about the twins... they'd be sad to know they have no parents... not even a real dad because he wanted to kill himself!" Johnny said almost hitting Graham.
Graham didnt say anything for a long time. "Good-bye Johnny... and Duke.." he said looking over to her. "It was great meeting you. I hope you can move on with your life."
Graham started to walk with Melanie towards his bedroom. There he had a dagger hidden under the bed he'd stab himself till he bled to death like Melanie did. Graham layed her on the bed and was about to take his own life until Ash came in.
"I would'nt do that if I were you," Ash said.
Graham spun around dropping the dagger. "You..."
"Yes me... did'nt I say I would punish her?"
"So you let her die!" Graham said angrily.
"Who said I have'nt punished her yet?"
Graham was confused at what Ash was saying. "What?"
Ash did'nt answer instead with a wave of his hand Graham fell to the floor gasping for air. It felt like his lungs were on fire.
"I told you Graham I did'nt want to live anymore, I'm at fault for thousands of deaths and I've been alive for billions of years, It's time for me to go, so now you and Melanie will live on for more billions of years for me. I will make you both a God and a Goddess. You'll be immortal as well as your children and there grandchildren and so on. So now you must take on the form of a God wolf. That is if you make the phase."
Graham screamed in pain as every bone in his body began to break, and he felt power surge through him.
He saw Ash walk over to Melanie and lean over and bite into her throat, blood going everywhere. "No! Stop it!" Graham roared but he could'nt get up to help her the bones in his back started cracking in half.
Melanie gasped waking up, just a few minutes ago she was in a complete black abyss all alone but now she was back into the world with one bite to the throat. Her insides started burning as she saw Ash. She quickly looked over and saw Graham and screamed. Graham's body was twisted in a sick inhuman way and then with one more bone snapping he phased now a giant black wolf the size of a pick-up truck. In his wolf form Graham was unconcious. Melanie thought he was dead it would be impossible for him to have survive that, but there he was still breathing. Ash had dissapeared and now the same thing that happened to Graham was happening to her. "Johnny! Duke!" she screamed. "Help!"
She did'nt even know if they were even in the cave she just hoped someone would come soon. She wished Lock was here and almost called out for him but she knew that it would be useless. She could only hope that Duke or Johnny would show up. Melanie felt every bone in her body snap and then the world went black.

Duke was not in the cave. She had left a while ago and was heading home. She wanted to start up the guild again, and she needed to bury her friends. Even though she couldn't bring back her family, she could become family to those it needed it. She had once lived on the street, but the guild had saved her. If she could return the kindness she would. Bring life to people who were just like her, people who had nothing to lose and everything to gain. She would help them.