CHAPTER 18 – DARK ATTRACTORS

Mitakahn was startled awake. But upon his resurgence back into reality he immediately started to forget why his dream was so unbearable. Instead, he was wondering what he was doing back out in the forest in the middle of the night. He was lying flat on the dirt and twig, with his buck knife in his hand. He got himself up and failed to notice the words he sketched into the dirt…

Carbon Terra

Mitakahn tried to rationalize with himself. He used to sleepwalk when he was a kid. Axion would purposefully lock him out of his bedchambers when it happened and Mitakahn often woke up in the morning drooling on his own door.

Everything looked different from the daytime. The trees no longer had that red shade. The twilight scattered a muted tone upon the trees. The cold of the night pressed against the hot smog emissions from the mountains and created a dense fog. The speckled fields of lunar light gave a whole new appeal to the forest. Mitakahn started walking back to town. He flipped his knife around by the handle in his hand, never catching the blade.

Mitakahn’s mind wandered along with him through the forest. He thought about his destiny and what his future might bring. He always had big dreams and feelings of greatness. He always thought his life would be significant. But now, in the wake of recent events, everything will change. Like a flip of the coin, he no longer wanted what he knew to be a good life. If anything, he wanted the complete opposite.

Whatever his destiny may be, there was a crucial element missing, Mitakahn’s father. Every time Mitakahn pictured his future, although not specific, Theomitus was always a part of it. And now that he was gone, Mitakahn had to rethink everything, but mostly about whether or not destiny was worthy enough to exist without him; because right now, it was not.

To Mitakahn, if he did not fulfill his destiny it would be a testament to how important and crucial King Theomitus’ presence and influence was in his life. To Mitakahn, this line of logic made all the sense in the world. Nothing and nobody could convince him otherwise. His mind was made up, and that was the bottom line. It almost made him feel better about getting expelled from the academy. Almost.

A frightening howl in the distance startled Mitakahn. For the moment, his attention was averted from self-pity and self-loathing. But as soon as he scouted his surroundings, he went right back to his despair. He never used to feel like this. Optimism and resilience were replaced by pessimism and cynicism. He mocked the universe. He spat on nature’s ways. If everything happens for a reason…“…What possible reason could there be for taking my father away?!” Mitakahn screamed because he knew no one was there. He fell to his knees and his words echoed around him, mixing between the trees.

The howl sounded off again, this time, much closer. Mitakahn gripped his knife tightly and slid over behind a tree. He quickly and most importantly…quietly got back to his feet, still remaining low to the ground. He poked his head out to see if the creature had gotten any closer. He could not see anything. Mitakahn panned the forest searching for movement. What was it with him and getting caught in the night by a predator?

Suddenly there was a rustle in the bushes and a twig snapped from behind him. He turned around but again saw nothing. His heart was pounding within his chest. He felt surrounded. His stress was rising. Mitakahn wished he was back in his tent, no, he wished he was back at home within his city walls. Why did they ever leave? Who knew what was happening back home right now, while they were wasting time here in this small town, collectively licking their fresh emotional wounds.

Another growl, almost whispered in his ear, came from back behind Mitakahn. He turned around, again, to face the same way as the howls, and he saw two massive, glimmering eyes in the darkness staring right back at him. This was no mere wild animal. Something unnatural was hunting him. There was no unseeing what he just saw. To be honest, Mitakahn didn’t need to see it was there. He could feel its presence and it was terrifying. He began to have trouble breathing, as it moved closer. The full moon revealed itself from behind the clouds and casted more light onto the foggy scene.

At the sight of the most frightening beast, he ever laid eyes on, Mitakahn readjusted his knife nervously and it slipped out of his hands. The tips of his fingers tingled, they were numb. A dark, ragged monster of a wolf was staring him down. Its mangled fangs covered a mouth that was larger than Mitakahn’s head. He had studied wolves at school. It was far bigger than the average wolf, rivaling the size of a horse. It's dark black fur was long, unkempt, and altogether unnatural.

As if formed in the fires of darkness and shadow, this beast drooled at the mouth for the taste of fresh blood. Its eyes glowed with disdain, red and black, and in the iris… a pure glowing pale yellow. It looked more like a demon than a wolf. Mitakahn was unable to move. He shivered in helplessness. He wanted to ask the gods for their divine intervention. He prayed to the heavens. He received no answer. He was a dead man.

That was not such a bad option. To be reunited with his father would be a tremendous gift. In his father’s presence he was never a second son. And once again, cynicism consumed his thoughts like a rolling fog, but this time it served as a moment of clarity. He completely forgot about the threat staring him down; the danger he was in. He had accepted it already.

The beast’s magic was strong and Mitakahn now worried if he died, whether or not he would be able to meet his father in the heavens of Afterlight. For there was no doubt that Theomitus was righteous enough to join the gods, but Mitakahn and his newfound principles danced dangerously close to never achieving Magnascension. He cringed at the possibility of coming back to this world as a cursed, wretched beast like the one he was cowering in front of as it circled Mitakahn on the floor; brewing him full of dark thoughts, getting him ready to devour.

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Mitakahn was once again on his knees, practically hypnotized by the monster’s fierce presence. Mitakahn wallowed in the shadow of grief and resentment, just as Queen Adyána did upon seeing Axion and Euphrati dancing at the Festival. Mitakahn, in a lackadaisical daze, had no idea that the monster wolf now stood right above him. His spirit seemed to be an appetizer for the wolf. There was no doubt, now, that the spawn of shadow was enchanting Mitakahn into this desolate spiral.

He was heart-broken, and that was all he could dwell on. His pupils grew dark in sadness. Mitakahn hated his life. His dark pupils stretched across his eyes and pushed the white out. He hated himself. And there was nothing he could do about it. His eye sockets grew in his head, as his heavy black eyeballs took over his face. His veins ran thick and covered his face. He no longer looked like himself. He renounced the gods for selfishly taking his father away from him. And deep down, at the bottom of it all, he resented his father for leaving.

Mitakahn’s swollen black eyes were ready to burst, instead blue flames ignited around them in full blaze. The dark wolf closed its eyes in satisfaction and opened its mouth, ready to bite. A mighty screech echoed through the trees, and Mitakahn felt a shiver of unwelcomed joy rush down his spine.

The familiar screech chimed true in his ears. It was Chronis, the Silver-tipped Hawk. He had come back to return the favor and help Mitakahn. He swooped down low and whacked the wolf in the face with his metal tail. The connection was cut. The dark wolf was temporarily distracted from Mitakahn as he began to come back to reality. Mitakahn looked up. His eyes shrank back down to normal size and lost the color clouding his sight. He shook his head; he could not fully comprehend what was happening. All that fear from the monster was turning his skin white. It was draining the life out of him without making physical contact.

He was in awe of Chronis’ bravery, but it was not over yet. The dark wolf still stood right over him. All he could do was stay still and pretend like he was still under the somber spell. He slowly stirred his head and put on a frown, praying that Chronis was not finished.

Chronis landed on a nearby branch and banged his tail against the tree, giving off a loud ding and deafening dong. The pure tones rang throughout the woods like a bell tower. It drove the wolf mad. The dark wolf jumped up on its hind legs and with a snarling roar, howled once again into the moonlit sky. The moon bulged, tricking Mitakahn into thinking it got closer. It summoned strength in its howl, and turned its attention back on Mitakahn, still huddled before it. The dark wolf licked his chops and went to bite the nape of Mitakahn’s neck.

A spear sailed through the air and pierced the wolf in the side of the chest. As it squirmed, Mitakahn tucked and rolled out of the way. It kicked and writhed in pain. Mitakahn got back on his feet and ran to where the spear was thrown. There, stealthy hidden in the dark, was the village guard Echo; the same villager Mitakahn was so quick to dismiss and insult. He ran over to the guard’s side, mumbling incoherently, giving him thanks and praise, and asking him for forgiveness all at the same time. Echo leaned over and said, “Quiet prince, we are not yet in the clear!”

He pulled a bow out and armed it with an arrow, but the wolf was gone. Echo looked around, he could not find it.

“It didn’t just retreat.”

Echo worried giving the prince that little bit of attention distracted them long enough to give the beast the upper hand. They must get back to the village where safety can be found in numbers.

Another screech sounded off from Chronis, he turned his crisp-feathered body and put his tail in the moonlight, turning the silvery tail and angling the moonlight into a spotlight. The extraordinary bird moved the light to the exact position of the wolf. It was no longer hidden giving Echo the opportunity to fire his arrow. It pierced the dark wolf directly in the head. The monster wolf gave a meager howl and retreated back into the shadows of the forest.

“It’s okay. Your bird saved our lives,” Echo exhaled.

“What was that thing? …some sort of wolf?” asked Mitakahn.

“That was no wolf. That was a monster from the old world called a berserker.”

“A berserker?” repeated Mitakahn in the form of a question.

“Don’t get me wrong. I always thought they were myths. Local legends say they were beasts that survived the days when the gods walked MagnaThora, a mix of man and wolf. Wolf tribesman captured and tortured by the gods of darkness and treated like animals…until they… turned…” Echo explained further, “Hungry for human blood these berserkers took the form of wolves to strike fear deep into the hearts of the bravest men. And then they were set loose on the world. You’re lucky that it didn’t bite you. When bitten you turn into one, and once you turn into a berserker you never turn back. And you live forever as an agent of evil.”

“How do you know so much about them?” inquired Mitakahn.

“I know many things concerning MagnaThoran myth. I keep a library in the basement of my house.”

“I’m sorry I treated you so poorly before. I have been very selfish lately.”

“It is okay, Prince Mitakahn, I can understand what you’re going through. It is very hard losing a loved one. Come…let us return to the village. I suggest you keep this attack to yourself. No one wants to believe such danger lurks so close to home.” forewarned Echo.

“I will, and thank you, once again…” said Mitakahn.

“Don’t worry about it, prince. Plus, it wasn’t just me. Your loyal pet won the night,” admitted Echo.

“Oh, Chronis you mean? I only met him today.” Mitakahn tried a whistle. Chronis flew over and landed on Mitakahn’s left shoulder. Echo lifted his hand to pet the hawk on the back. Chronis did not flinch and did not fly away. He proudly let the humans fawn over him.

“Just met him today and he’s already trained, that’s some bird,” praised Echo.

The three of them returned to the village. Mitakahn and his companions parted ways: Echo went back to patrolling the perimeter, Chronis flew into the trees, and Mitakahn returned to his tent; whether he could sleep or not, he stayed in the safe confines of his room.