A Lycan's Legacy: Chapter 49

I look down at the newly transformed amulet around my neck in awe as I hold it in my hands, examining the beautiful markings engraved into the bone of my father’s wolf tooth as I look back at him in confusion.
“What exactly do you mean by ‘linked’? What have you done?” I ask sternly, not once expecting my dad to come out of the blue and just fuse our minds together. If that doesn't spell ‘creepy’ then I don’t know what does.
“You might want to bear with me son… It’s kind of complicated” he says in reply as he places his hand on my shoulder, noticing the rapid flashing emitting from the amulet slowly dying down as it returns to its regular pace. Reflecting my calm heart beat as I anticipate yet another one of the old man’s deranged stories.
“This amulet of yours. It’s extremely powerful if you hadn't realised it already” he says jokingly as the werewolf towering over him lets out a quick laugh. Truly happy for all of the powers the simple pendant gave it. “You see these tattoos engraved into it? That is the mark of our proud race…”

“The tribal markings of the wolf”.

He says with pride as I try to envision what my ancestors would have looked like, wearing jewellery and amulets like mine. All donning the same legendary mark that I had come to embrace.
But just as I was about to ask him about the origin of the tribe he suddenly takes the pendant in his hand. Running his finger across it as I look at it intently.
“But that’s not what makes it special. What makes it truly unique is its ability to be made even more powerful when fused with a certain aspect of another wolf. A tooth for example…” he smiles at the canine dagger that dangled around his son’s neck. Trying to envision it inside of an enormous pair of jaws as he looks back into the beautiful yellow eyes of the grey furred lycanthrope.
“As soon as these two items are fused together as one the wearer of the amulet and the owner of the tooth will be permanently linked. Both physically and mentally” he holds the amulet firmly in his hand as it flashes slightly. Recognising the touch of the second person that was linked with it. “For example, say I got shot. Naturally I would feel the full force of the impact but thanks to our fusion… You’ll feel a bit of it too” He says happily, only to be put off by the look of disapproval on the massive werewolf’s face.
“Hey hey hey! Hold the phone!” the furious lycan barks aggressively as it stares at the old man coldly. “You’re meaning to tell me that not only are we linked through our minds but also through pain?!” I shout in anger, watching as the grey haired man staggers backwards. Noticing the amulet beginning to flash rapidly as the huge lycan enters an enraged state.
“Please calm down! You don’t want to transform into that… ‘thing’ again now do you?” the intimidated man says hesitantly in an effort to calm the angered wolf. Letting out a sigh of relief as it suddenly comes to a stop, only to become worried again as it lifts one of its massive claws. Staring at it with evil intentions.
“Oh really?! I’ll like to see how you’re amazing plan works out!” I call out smugly, pressing my razor sharp claw against my chest as I cut across it, opening up a large wound as I wince in pain. Smiling as the old man does the same.
“Stop it! I'm not in my wolf form you idiot!” He cries out, the pain feeling more intense for him in his weak human form as he growls under his breath. Staring coldly at the blood coated werewolf who had just proven his point.
“That wasn’t very smart on your behalf Einstein…” I say jokingly as the edges of my gaping wound start to slowly knit together, sealing off the horrific injury as I let out a sigh of relief. The only evidence of the ordeal being the blood that painted my fur as I try my best to wipe it off. Licking my talons hungrily as the appalled lycan shakes his head in disappointment.
“I admit it wasn’t the best of ideas. But everything else makes up for it. I can assure you” the unamused werewolf says in between his ragged breathing before getting to his feet gradually as the unexpected pain slowly subsides.
“And how’s that?” I ask curiously, wondering what other ‘great’ things he had to tell me.
“Well first of all, we can see each other’s memories in physical form. Say, if you walk into a room that I've been in before you’ll be able to see a mirage of me. A figment of your imagination cast in the yellow light of your amulet” Logan explains firmly as I hold onto it tightly, looking over his shoulder as I see the ghostly imagine of the man standing before me fighting off an invisible target…

My dark form at the time.

“Not only that but we can communicate with each other from any distance at any time”. He lets out a sigh of despair as he wonders whether to tell me about the rest of this so called ‘gift’. “And when I say at any time… That even accounts for when we’re both living…”

“Or dead”.

With that I suddenly stagger backwards as I instantly take the amulet off from around my neck, staring at it in horror before looking back at the old man with an unreadable expression.
“So… You’re telling me that… If either one of us dies… We’ll be haunting each other?” I ask nervously as I almost feel like throwing up. The thought of having my dead father following me around all the time striking a sensitive nerve as the formation of a tear swells up in my eyes, the older man standing before noticing this as he struggles to stand up high enough to wipe the muzzle of the overly emotional wolf. Smiling happily at me as I struggle to find what was so funny.
“If you want to look at it that way, then yes… We’ll be haunting each other” he nudges me on the shoulder as I growl at him slightly. Feeling yet another gift he gave me turn into a curse…

As if turning me into a blood craving werewolf wasn’t enough.

“And anyway, at least you won’t be bored. You’ll have me nagging on in your ear all the time. Talk about lack of conversation” he jokes loudly, trying his best to ease the tension between him and the lycanthrope as he suddenly becomes alerted to the distinctive ‘pitter-patter’ of droplets of blood hitting the delicate snow, his son clenching his clawed fists tightly as they begin to bleed through the mental pain that was tearing him apart.
“You know what old man?! If you carry on revealing all this dark stuff about it… I might just consider throwing this damn thing away!” I say coldly as I open up my palm. The amulet in my grasp covered in blood as I stare at in disgust. Wanting nothing more than to disown it and the powers it bestowed upon me.
“Wait!” The concerned man grabs me by the wrist as I raise it high into the air, staring down at him sternly as I growl at him aggressively. Flashing my razor sharp teeth at him as he tries to reason with the quick tempered werewolf.
“You can’t throw it away! Without it… You’ll just transform into that thing again!” he shouts at me as I silently chuckle under my breath. Grasping the amulet hard as the squelching of fresh blood rings clear in my ears.
“My dark form? Yeah right, how come I transformed when I was still wearing it then?” I ask coldly as the old lycan lets out a sigh of despair. Admitting his defeat as he forces open the bloody palm of the werewolf towering over him before holding the amulet in his hand.
“I know it sounds bad but please. Hold onto it…”

“It’s the most important thing in the world to me”.

He says desperately as I turn to look at him slowly. A smug smile on my face as I pick up on his efforts to sway me from throwing away the cursed pendant.
“Oh, let me guess… It’s one of those ‘It’s the last of its kind’ scenarios?” I say sarcastically as the man I had come to know as my birth father suddenly lowers his head. Realising yet another lie that he had kept hidden from me.
“Well, It’s funny you should say that” he laughs nervously before letting go of the amulet, watching as I grasp it firmly once more in a display of impatience. “Technically it is ‘the last of its kind’. But what you don’t realise is that the stone inside of it used to be part of a much bigger one”. Logan turns his back to me as he looks down at the ground. Lost in thought as he recalls the origin of how our race had come to be.
“Back in the times of the Ancients, your ancestor, the Lycan of the Ancients, was the only werewolf to walk the earth. That is until one day he came across the first female lycan. The woman that he would populate our race with” he says firmly as a sick thought suddenly pops up into my head. One of which was also detected by my disgusted father thanks to his mental link to his sick minded son.
“Well, she was certainly a lucky wolf…” I say slyly before being punched by the unamused man standing before me. Shrugging my shoulders in a ‘what?’ fashion.
“You sick pervert” he says jokingly before turning back to the story at hand. “Of course, from what you just said, these two were really close. So close in fact that the first Lycan was willing to break apart his amulet, splitting the precious stone in two to give the other half to his wolf mate. Connecting them forever”. He concludes as I become lost in thought along with him. Staring down at the canine tooth in my hand as I place it back around my neck.
“So there’s another half to my amulet out there?” I ask curiously, noticing the hesitance on his face as I quickly turn back on my question. “But of course! You don’t know where it is…” I say smugly, expecting to see the all too familiar look of defeat on my father's face. Only this time being met by the formation of a wide smile as he looks back at me. Returning the smug grin.
“Oh, I do know where it is. I should know…”

“Because it belonged to your mother”.

He says softly as he looks back at the unreadable expression on my face. Watching as I suddenly sit back down on the log, trying my hardest to envision the woman that I couldn't even remember.
“So… If the two wearers are connected… Then that means that you're connected with mum?” I say lightly before suddenly jumping up to my feet. Grabbing the old man unexpectedly as I start shaking him violently. “Then that means you can hear her! She can talk to you!” I shout out happily as the wise lycan couldn't help but smile at seeing his son so happy.
“Yes, she can talk to me. But I…”
“I have to hear from her! Please!” I bark out joyfully, resitting the urge to go all out feral and start licking him to death.
“Just be patient young pup. It’s hard to connect with her sometimes”. Logan struggles to break free of the crushing embrace he found himself in, the werewolf hugging him with all its might as it lolls its tongue out from its mouth in excitement. “But before you expect to hear her voice in person… I'm afraid it doesn't work like that. I can only relay what she says onto you through my own…” he says calmly, surprised that the agitated wolf hadn't mauled him to death already as he slowly approaches it. Placing his hand on my shoulder as he closes his eyes softly before delving deep into his conscience in search of his wife.
“Elizabeth… I think it’s time you met your son…” he says quietly as I suddenly become overwhelmed with emotions. Just the thought of being able to talk to the mother that I never knew lighting me up on the inside.

I was just about to nudge the old man in concern, realising that it had almost been over a minute yet he was still standing there, just waiting with his hand on my shoulder as he stays unmoving.
But that was when all of a sudden I feel his grip on my fur tighten as I look at the grey haired man in anticipation. Watching as he slowly opens his eyes. Staring deep into mine as they widen in surprise.
“Hello…”

“Son”.

My father says softly, his causal low voice doing nothing to break the truly awe inspiring moment as he slowly raises his hand to touch the side of my face.
“I hope you've been a brave wolf for your mum…” he says happily as I suddenly break down into tears, feeling him run his hand up and down my muzzle and I nuzzle into it warmly. My tears of sheer happiness and grief soaking my lush fur pelt as I stare back into his eyes.
“I… I have. But I… I really miss you…” I struggle to say through my shattered emotions as I begin to cry out profusely, howling in grief before looking back at the man who was smiling at me.
“I miss you too baby. Last time I saw your face you were just a little pup. Now look at you… My big strong wolf. And an Alpha at that” he says lightly as he embraces the presence of his long lost lover. Tears of his own swelling up as he hugs the shivering lycan warmly.
“That’s down to dad here… He was the one who bit me” I tell her the news, completely forgetting that I was really just having a conversation with my father.
“I'm glad he was the one to do it… But I have to ask, how did it feel… Your first Change?” he asks silently, part of his actual conscience not wanting for me to answer through the grief he would surely feel at hearing his son suffer because of what he did.
“It was… Painful. Really, really painful” I reply hesitantly as I stare deep into his eyes. For a moment seeing the beautiful eyes of the woman in the photograph as I smile faintly. “It hurt… It still does…” I say coldly as the guilt-stricken man hugs me tightly, mirroring both his own thoughts and that of the woman who was trying to comfort me from beyond the grave.
“I know son, I know… I felt like you did when I was first turned too…” he runs his hand across my furry face as he wipes the torrent of tears away. Holding the wolf’s head down as he stares deep into my majestic yellow eyes. Detecting the sorrow that was built up inside of them.
“I… I love you…” the words fall from my mouth like the tears that hit the soft snow at my huge feet, breaking the delicate surface like the woman’s kind words were breaking my heart. Knowing that I would never be able to talk to her in person was ripping my insides apart. The mental equivalent of a physical Change.
“I love you too…” he says happily, detecting the woman in his mind directing it at both of her brave wolves…

“Don’t ever forget that”.

I slowly nod my head as the sudden jerk of the hand on my shoulder alerts me to the inevitable. The opportunity of a lifetime slowly fading away as I stare back at the tears running down the old man’s face before he looks up at me one last time.
“I have to go now my love…” he struggles to say weakly, easing his hold on my fur as I begin to panic. Holding out for the woman who wasn’t physically there.
“No… No! Please… Stay with me! I don’t want you to leave!” I shout out through my tears, feeling a hatred of myself build up for not being able to prevent my caring mother from leaving me for the second time in her life.
“I’ll always be with you… Right here” the wise lycan places his hand on my large heart as he feels the connection weakening. The one lifeline that was keeping his desperate son from losing control through grief.
“You have to be strong for me Callum… You have to grow up and be a big wolf like your dad…”. He flinches slightly as he feels the werewolf’s grasp on him tighten, wanting nothing more than for the spirit of its mother to stay by its side. To be fused with it forever like its father was.
“NO! DON’T GO!!!” I shout out in desperation, the gentle yellow flashing of my amulet turning into a rapid lightshow of exquisite emotions. The last words of the woman I loved driving me over the edge as the old man relaying her messages stares up at the saddened expression on the lycan’s face.
“Goodbye my son…”

“I love you”.

And with that the presence of the world’s most caring person disappears as quickly as it had reappeared. Leaving the broken werewolf in a heap on the floor as it falls to its knees, letting out a deafening howl of grief and misery as it collapses on all fours. Growling aggressively to itself as it roars out in anger.
“COME BACK!!! PLEASE!!! I LOVE YOU!!!!” I yell out at the starry night sky. The calm yellow light from the pendant flashing a violent red as I start to fall under the influence of my dark form once more. The entity of evil that could sense my weakened state of mind. The opportunity to take full control of its pathetic host which was crying profusely. Cursing both itself and the man standing before it.
But just as I was about to give into it completely the disorientated grey haired man grabs onto me tightly, embracing me as hard as he could as he feels the formation of my dark aura pass through his body. Sending a shiver of fear and pain down his spine as he stares deep into my eyes…

Flickering red with hatred.

He had already seen this once before. The rebirth of my dark form. The corrupt side of my negative emotions consuming me all together in the flames of death and misery. His one and only son would soon become the depiction of evil. Destruction personified. The devil incarnate. And he for one wasn’t going to let that happen…
“Please son! Listen to me!” he shouts out in my face as I begin to shake violently. The soft flickering in my eyes replaced with a burning flare of fiery red as the black fur forming on my chest starts to spread. The dark fluid that lay dormant in my bloodstream slowly spreading as it takes over me one body part at a time.
“NO! YOU LISTEN TO ME!” I quickly retaliate as my mind begins to betray my feelings, grabbing the frightened old man by the throat as I flash my teeth in his face. Feeling them thicken and sharpen even more as they become larger than ever before. Perfect for severing his head clean off his shoulders.
“SHE’S GONE! SHE’S NOT COMING BACK!” I stare deep into his eyes as my thoughts turn in on themselves. Manipulating the image of the man in my grasp and turning him into my sworn enemy. The enemy that I was going to kill. “IT’S ALL YOUR FAULT! IT ALWAYS IS!”
I suddenly drop him on the ground as I hold my head in hands. Pulling at tufts of black on my face as I roar out in agony, trying to suppress the oppressive force that was slowly taking over my entire body. Using it as a weapon against my will. Both physically and mentally.
“YOU DID THIS TO ME! YOU TURNED ME INTO THIS THING! NOT ONLY ME… OH NO, YOU HAD TO DO THE SAME TO MY MOTHER! THE MOTHER THAT I'M NEVER GOING TO SEE AGAIN!!!” I howl in a combination of grief and hatred as I feel my entire muscle mass begin to expand. The physical part of the prophesized Change washing over me as I begin to grow on a drastic scale, my thick black fur pelt masking the veins that were coursing with darkness as they bulge out from my rippling skin. The pulling sensation in my bones stretching and breaking them all at once as I continue to undergo the grotesque transformation into the monster that I fought so hard to contain.
The black beast of death suddenly arches its back painfully as its spine literally tears through the flesh and muscle. A fountain of blood spewing out from its overly muscular back as the bones stick out at a sickening angle, ripping straight through the body that it was so desperate to escape from. To fully unleash the monster that not even hell would take back.
The demon that had taken form continues to cry out in agony, the waterfall of tears cascading down its distorted face slowly being replaced with a river of blood. The poor creature under its influence suffering from every pore possible as it feels its spine protrude even further out from its back. The white bone in direct contrast with the pitch black coat that layered it in darkness as it continues to grow even larger…

Taking on a much more hideous form than ever before.

The crimson encrusted bones that poked out from its back begin to sharpen at the tips, turning the main support for the monstrosity into a weapon itself as they continue to enlarge and thicken along with the rest of its body. Easily surpassing over ten foot tall as it howls out in anger, it’s finished and newly altered dark form staring directly at the man who had ruined its life in more ways than one. Unleashing its enormous claws to their full length as the enraged beast swipes and tears at the air in front of it in a desperate attempt to rip the pathetic creature apart like its dreams of seeing its beloved mother again…

But just as the terrified old man staggers backwards to avoid its vicious attacks he suddenly bumps into a large furry object. Turning around slowly in fear of what he saw standing before him…

A massive black furred werewolf towering over him…

A werewolf that he had never seen before in his entire life…

A werewolf that was craving for blood.