Gabriel Elder book II of the Warlock Series

Gabriel awoke just as the sun was coming over the peaks in front of him. He knew Breena was curled up under his right arm and covered by his long black coat. He couldn’t help but wonder what this day would bring. It made him smile to think the Scythian Council might try to kill him in just a few hours. Gabriel had never been afraid to die. He smiled because he couldn’t help but feel blessed for having found Breena and Apollo.

As Breena had pointed out the night before, he had lived a lonely, loveless life until he met them. Now, if it was to be his last day, he could smile knowing he had found love before he died. It wasn’t until that moment he realized how important it was to know he was worthy of someone else’s love. It made him feel more powerful than anything he had ever experienced. Yes, it might be a good day to die.

The young couple ate a sparse breakfast and sat and talked the morning away. It was late afternoon when Apollo came racing into the small clearing next to the entrance of the clan’s cave. Gabriel stood up quickly, followed by Breena.

“What is it?” he asked the grey wolf.

“They come,” Gabriel heard in his mind.

He turned to ask Breena what they should do, but she wasn’t there. As he looked around, he saw the faintest wisps of black mist headed for the treetops next to where they stood. As Gabriel looked into the forest in the direction Apollo had come from, he reached down and laid his hand on Apollo’s side.

“This might get pretty bad,” he explained. “The council is coming to kill me, possibly Breena too. There’s no use in you getting hurt, I think you should leave us now.”

“No, we kill,” Gabriel heard the wolf’s response in his head.

Had he looked down, he would have seen the bright blue light dancing in the wolf’s eyes. He could feel the resolution in the wolf. No matter what happened, his adopted brother would be with him until the end. Even though he had said he wanted the wolf to leave, Gabriel wouldn’t want it any other way.

As he watched, more than a dozen men and two women stepped out of the woods and into the clearing. The one in the middle was every bit as big as Grandfather. In fact, except for the wild golden hair flowing down from his head, he looked a lot like Grandfather.

As the council walked up to the clearing and began to encircle both Gabriel and Apollo. Gabriel put his coat on. As he sat down, he crossed his legs, and flipped the long tail of his coat back behind him. Apollo moved to his right a few feet away and sat his hind legs down as well. Both were sitting quietly, and calmly, when the council arrived.

“Where’s the female?” one of the smaller men demanded.

Gabriel never answered. He was a firm believer if someone wanted respect, they should show some in return. He wasn’t going to respond to demands or intimidation.

The speaker was an impatient Scythian. He was used to ordering others around and getting his way. That’s why his clan had shrunk to only a dozen members since he had taken the leadership role as elder just two years before. He had already made his mind up and was determined to eliminate this half-breed from the ranks of the true Scythians.

He stepped forward and leaped at the seated Gabriel. In mid-air, he turned into an enormous black jaguar. He flew at Gabriel with both front paws outstretched, his claws were extended and aimed at the young warlock’s throat. Gabriel and Apollo didn’t move.

Just as the jaguar reached Gabriel, the young elder dropped straight backward and his left hand flashed in the air. There was a spark of blue and green as the jaguar sailed over him. Gabriel continued his backwards momentum and rolled right on through until he was now standing on his two feet and looking back at the rest of the council.

On the ground behind him was the jaguar crying in pain. Blood was pouring from the right front paw where Gabriel had thrust one of his silver coated knives. As three other council members started to step forward, Apollo stood and with the hair on his back straight up, began to move toward the closest council member.

Before he could attack the three council members, a black mist descended upon them from above. They were barely visible through the black mist, but each one was holding his throat and trying to breath. Breena had removed the oxygen from the air. Their lives were now hers, she could allow them to live, or just as easily, allow them to die.

There were sparks of every color flashing in the air. Breena’s blue energy was clashing with the other elder’s energies. There were gold, green, and purple sparks all along the edges of the elder’s silhouettes where Breena’s black mist and her blue energy was in contact with them.

“Enough!” the golden-haired giant commanded.

Everyone stopped where they were. It was easy to see he was in charge of this council. Gabriel stared at the big man with the golden hair. This had to be the one called Yellow-mane. Of all the council members, Gabriel knew this one would be the most dangerous. If Yellow-mane decided to join in the fight, it would go very badly indeed.

“Please release the council,” Yellow-mane requested.

As quickly as it had arrived, the black mist vanished. Only Gabriel and Apollo knew what had happened, although Yellow-mane had a very good idea. The council leader was also keenly aware none of the three elders had sensed the black mist descending upon them, nor its danger, until it was too late.

None of the elders had been able to change forms to escape her either. It was clear from the sparks, Breena had the clan’s gift. Yet, she was still able to use her form against the other clan elders. All of this was evidence they were dealing with a new kind of Scythian, one with powers unlike any ever seen within the Scythian ranks.

“Grey-Swan, help Elijah with that bleeding,” Yellow-mane was talking to the council now, “The rest of you need to relax. We came here to talk to the new elders, not to provoke them.”

“I came here to eliminate them!” the one called Elijah seethed.

He was back in human form and he was nursing a cut which went all the way through his right hand. Yellow-mane took a step forward and once in front of Gabriel he turned his back on the young elder and faced the rest of the council.

“Does anyone else plan to challenge the new elders?” he asked.

He took a long look at each and every one of them as he waited for a reply. No one answered.

Yellow-mane continued, “Does anyone else plan to break the law and attack the new elders unprovoked? Does anyone else plan to go against the decisions of the council?”

None of the other council members said a word. They simply stared from the jaguar, to Yellow-mane and back at Gabriel. Yellow-mane stepped behind Gabriel and addressed the wounded Elijah.

“You are stripped of your authority to lead your clan. You have broken the law and attempted to murder another elder. You did not invoke the right to challenge and therefore you are subject to being sanctioned by the council. You will return to your clan and make arrangements to pass the gift along to one who is worthy, if not, it will be taken from you. Either way you will die. Will it be with honor or with shame?” asked Yellow-mane.

“I’m not afraid of you! You can’t force me to pass the gift along, I don’t have to listen to this council either, I…” Elijah began to retort.

In mid-sentence, Yellow-mane the man was gone and in his place was a giant saber-toothed lion. Gabriel guessed the beast must be at least ten-feet long and weighed more than a thousand pounds. The fangs extending down from the corners of the creature’s mouth were more than a foot long and ended in sharp, shiny white points of death.

Elijah instantly turned back into a jaguar and tried to pace back and forth in front of the prehistoric cat. Every time he tried to put weight on his right front paw though, he would almost fall over. Quickly, the jaguar rolled over onto his side in a sign of submission and whimpered.

Yellow-mane returned to human form and turned his back on the injured cat. He walked to where Gabriel was sitting and slowly sat down just in front of him, crossing his legs and placing his hands on his knees in a relaxed pose. In that position, he looked exactly like Grandfather. He sat and waited.

The rest of the council members began to move forward and one by one they too sat on the ground in a large semi-circle facing Gabriel and Apollo. All of them except Elijah and Grey-Swan. The female was placing moss on the wounded elder’s hand and wrapping it in a bandage, careful not to touch the rival elder. All the while she was listening intently to what was going on behind her.

“I am sorry. We did not come here to destroy you, we came to talk to you and to determine what Grandfather did,” Yellow-mane began.

“Is it true he split the gift between you and the female named Breena?” asked the second female.

Gabriel wasn’t sure how to answer, or even if he should answer. At the same time, he was wondering where Breena was and what she was doing. She had obviously decided against showing herself and giving the council another target. Her attack on the three council members had helped prevent an all-out battle between the two groups. One which would have surely ended with quite a few deaths, something the Scythians could not afford.

Still, Gabriel wished Breena were here to answer these questions. He didn’t fully understand the ways of the Scythians or all their customs. Breena never showed herself, so he took that as a sign she wanted him to do the talking for the clan. After a few seconds, he decided if he had to answer them, he might as well tell them the truth. At least the truth as well as he understood it.

“Yes, it appears Grandfather split the gift between Breena and myself,” Gabriel answered.

There was a murmur among the other clan members.

“How is that possible if you are not a Scythian?” asked the female.

“I believe I am at least half Scythian, or I should say Grandfather believed I was. I was injured when I first met him and he was able to heal me, afterwards he said I was his grandson, the son of his only son,” Gabriel Answered.

Again, there were murmurs among the other council members.

“I have also assumed the form of a fire being when I was attacked by one of my own clan’s people. I don’t believe anyone else on the planet can change forms except for Scythians and shifters, therefore, I must be at least part Scythian,” Gabriel added.

“And what of your mother?” the female asked.

Before Gabriel could answer, Yellow-mane spoke up.

“Why are we here? Do we intend to intervene on the elders of this clan?” he asked of the other council members. “We already know Gabriel was chosen by Grandfather to receive the gift. We know he is in fact a Scythian…”

“Part Scythian,” one of the males interjected.

“Since there has never been one who is only part Scythian, we must agree to treat him as a Scythian and nothing less!” Yellow-mane insisted. “I do not know how to explain what he is or how this came to be. He has the powers of a Scythian and he was able to receive the gift, therefore he is a Scythian.”

“Does he truly have the clan’s gift,” the female called Grey-Swan asked as she stepped toward Gabriel.

She slowly reached down and tried to grab his arm. Just as her hand was about to touch his forearm, there was a large spark of blue and silver as she was thrown back nearly thirty feet toward the opening of the clan’s cave. Before she hit the ground, she turned into a beautiful, enormous grey swan. The bird quickly beat its wings and just managed to avoid hitting the side of the cliff above the cave entrance.

There was no longer any doubt about the fact Gabriel did indeed have the clan’s gift. It also seemed like none of the other council members wanted to challenge Yellow-mane on the need to accept Gabriel as a full Scythian.

“But what of the rest?” another council member asked.

“Yes, what of his other forms?” the other female asked.

“Are we going to sanction him for what he might become?” asked Yellow-mane, “Are there any here who did not see the impending destruction of Elijah’s clan under his leadership? We all knew he was unfit to lead, but he was given the gift by his father. A good leader but blinded by fatherly love and family pride.

We all knew what would happen and yet, no one insisted he be sanctioned. You all agreed he would be given his chance. He had it and it caused the end of one of our few remaining clans. Our numbers grow ever smaller and yet, he was not sanctioned.”

“But he was never a threat to the entire world,” the female began.

“So, you seek to justify treating Gabriel differently because he might destroy the world? Or is it we still harbor some sort of prejudice against him because he isn’t a ‘true’ Scythian? Have you ever even thought about the consequences of what you are suggesting?” Yellow-mane asked.

“We are only thinking of the worst-case scenario. Our thoughts are based on the information we have been given, nothing more,” one of the council members responded.

“I don’t think you are thinking at all,” Yellow-mane began. “What if Gabriel never takes his animal form? We would have committed our most heinous crime, the murder of a clan elder! Worse yet, what if he only assumes his animal form because we throw our combined strength at him and force him to use his final form to save himself? Then we would be responsible for the death of all life on the planet, not Gabriel,” Yellow-mane pleaded.

Gabriel couldn’t help but think Yellow-mane would make a great lawyer. His argument was well thought out and very persuasive.

“Are you sure you aren’t just showing a preference for Gabriel? If he truly is the grandson of Grandfather, then that would make you his great-uncle,” said one of the elders.

Gabriel was shocked! If what the elder said was true, then Yellow-mane and Grandfather were brothers and he was indeed Gabriel’s great-uncle. How many other family members did he have? In a matter of a few days he had gone from an adopted orphan with no true family to finding out he had several members of his family still alive and well.

“It is true, I am his uncle, but that does not change the truth of my argument. The black mist who nearly took your life was none other than the other clan elder, Breena. She was the adopted granddaughter of Grandfather and she was groomed to become this clan’s elder. She believes in Gabriel enough to fight for him and to oppose the council to protect him.

There can be no doubt as to her right to lead the clan, or her status as a Scythian. She is perhaps the strongest Scythian we have seen in a very long time, maybe of all time. Grandfather chose well when he selected her. We should not only allow but invite the members of Elijah’s clan who have been driven away by his lust for power, to join this clan,” Yellow-mane declared.

Once again there was much murmuring among the elders. They were each trying to come to grips with the fact there was now, for the first time, an elder who could attack another elder with force and not be repelled by the energy within. What would happen if Breena chose to challenge them all and take their clans for herself?

“And if we choose not to accept Gabriel as a clan elder, or as a Scythian, then what?” asked Grey-Swan.

“I have stated the facts as we know them; there is no logical argument for not accepting him as both. He has the gift and he was legally chosen by the former clan elder as his successor. We will be violating all our own laws if we chose to ignore the truth and sanction him based entirely on our own prejudices.

Right now, all of you are worried about what will happen if Breena chooses to challenge you or just decides to kill you. The energy within you, will not protect you from her, she is far too powerful. But, she will do neither of those things. Under the law, she would be wrong. Grandfather chose her because he knew she would not break the law as easily as you would. Without the law, we are no better than the humans we loath and if we don’t obey it we will end up acting like the shifters we hate!” Yellow-mane answered.

Once again there was a murmur of conversations going on between the clan elders. Most seemed swayed by Yellow-mane’s arguments, but several, including Grey-Swan, seemed to want to find fault with the new clan elders regardless of the facts. Yellow-mane sat quietly and watched as the other elders came to a consensus.

“We have decided,” announced one of the men, “We will conditionally accept these two as co-leaders of this clan if they meet certain conditions.”

“And why would we agree to any conditions?” Breena asked, loud and clear for all to hear.

Startled, they turned quickly to see the young woman standing just five feet from them. None of them had even known she was there. Apollo knew, but no one else. Not even Gabriel had realized she was there until she spoke up. She waited until they had all turned before continuing.

“What conditions did any of you have to agree to to be accepted by the council? Why would Gabriel and I ever accept being treated differently? You either accept us, unconditionally, or not at all!

Grandfather warned me about you. Many of you are weaklings, unable or too afraid to lead your clans properly so you take every chance you can to try to exert authority where you have none. That is why the clans in the Americas are shrinking. It’s not your people’s fault, it is yours. You no longer know how to lead. When you are faced with something new or different, you try to kill it or to hide from it. Fear will be the end of the Scythians on this continent,” said Breena.

“What do you know of our ability to lead, you’re just a child?” asked Grey-Swan.

“Indeed, what do I know? Perhaps I have spent the last four years coming to each of your clans and watching. You would never know I was there. I might have seen clan elders breaking the laws and they never knew I was watching. I know each of you has spies and messengers within your clan and you waste their talents by keeping tabs on each other. Your lack of trust disgust me!

I know each one of your powers, your strengths and your weaknesses. I know which of you are worth listening too, and which are worthless. You’re too blinded by your own weakness, or perhaps it’s stupidity, to know the real threat to each of your clans. Whether you accept us or not doesn’t matter, without us you will all be dead soon enough,” Breena answered.

“What do you mean?” asked Yellow-mane.

“What she means is, you will all be dead soon unless you wake up and open your eyes to what is going on in the world,” Gabriel answered.

“Why would we care what goes in the world of humans? We are not of that world, nor do we answer to them,” declared Grey-Swan.

“Then you will die!” shouted Gabriel, “You came running when Banchara declared I was a threat, but where were you when Grandfather died? Do you even know how he came to his end?”

“No, but I would like to know what happened to my brother,” Yellow-mane said softly.

“He was killed by mercenaries who were working with shifters. Humans and shifters working together to take down your strongest elder! I wonder why you weren’t worried about that? Instead, you seem glad the strongest among you is gone and rather than honor him, you come here to challenge his successors? We were chosen by Grandfather to keep this clan safe and to lead them for decades to come. You have no right to question us, nor any right to endorse us. You gave up that right when you chose to ignore the laws of the Scythians,” Gabriel declared.

There was silence, several looked back at where Breena had been standing, but she was no longer there. Each one looked around nervously but none could discern her whereabouts.

“Your words sting, but it does not make them false,” said Yellow-mane, “I know you do not need my endorsement, but you have it. I will pledge my clan to you and if you have need of me or my people, we will be there for you.”

He stood before the other elders. He took a good long look into each of their eyes.

“Some of you don’t like the newest clan elders, some of you don’t like accepting you’re wrong and always have been. If we start to remove you because of it, it would mean the end of all the Scythian clans. Therefore, our only choice is to learn to change. We will start that change by leaving here today and returning to our own clans. Once there, we will put our own houses in order before we attempt to fix the house of my nephew and adopted niece.

From this day forth, you will find my clan aligned with theirs and any transgression upon them is a transgression upon my clan as well. In the coming weeks, I will visit each of you and we will discuss the events of this day and how we can rebuild the Scythian clans to be able to withstand the combined might of the humans and the shifters if they choose to move against us,” decreed Yellow-mane.

After he spoke, he walked toward the cave entrance and never looked back. Slowly, the other clan elders stood and headed out of the clearing the same way they arrived. Gabriel watched as Grey-Swan transformed and flew southward at the same time another elder assumed the form of a giant condor. It took several bounding steps before leaving the ground as it slowly rose into the sky and flew toward the sun.

Gabriel watched until all the elders were out of sight, then he followed Yellow-mane into the cave. Apollo moved into the cave but stopped just inside the entrance and guarded it. The two elders were in stark contrast to each other. Yellow-mane was much older, but only slightly larger than Gabriel but they had a very similar build. Narrow waisted, broad shouldered and heavily muscled without appearing muscle-bound like most body builders. Gabriel’s hair was as long as Yellow-mane’s but was as dark as the night. As they walked into the darkness of the inner chamber, Yellow-mane’s hair caught just the smallest amount of light streaming through the cave entrance and lit up around him. Gabriel, on the other hand, disappeared in the darkness of the cave.

“We should wait for Breena,” Gabriel said as he lit the candles in the desk.

“She’s already here,” Yellow-mane answered.

As if on command, the darkness at the top of the chamber slowly descended and coalesced into Breena.

“How did you know?” Gabriel asked as he lit the candles to illuminate the cave.

He was genuinely surprised Yellow-mane could tell where she was.

“Among our kind there have only been a few like me. Grandfather was like me. He could not be taken by surprise. He knew things even before they happened. I have the same ability,” Yellow-mane answered, “I was acting when I appeared to be unaware of Breena’s whereabouts in front of the other elders. It helped make them believe she has special powers no one can perceive.”

Breena went to Yellow-mane and wrapped her arms around him and hugged him. He also embraced her and slowly stroked her dark black hair. Gabriel couldn’t hear her cry, but he could see the way her shoulders were rising and falling and he knew she was sobbing quietly into the chest of her adopted uncle. Sparks flew from each of the elders, but neither one seemed to mind. Gabriel watched silently as Breena slowly regained control of her emotions.

“I am so sorry I wasn’t here for you, or for my brother,” Yellow-mane began. “If I had known I would…”

“No, he never would have allowed it. Somehow, Grandfather knew we would survive the attack, but he sent the rest of the clan away. He said anyone else who stayed when the village was attacked would certainly die. I’m not even sure he had to die. A part of me believes he allowed them to kill him so he could pass on the gift to the two of us,” Breena interrupted.

“He has struggled for years with what to do with the gift of your clan. It has grown too powerful for just one person to carry it. He knew if he gave it to you, he would be giving you a death sentence. It would eat you alive from the inside, and end your life in much pain. He could never bring himself to do that. I received a letter from him just yesterday, explaining what he was planning. Even I didn’t believe he could manage it, but he did!” said Yellow-mane.

“Once he realized Gabriel was his grandson, he changed. He spent every minute he could, here in this chamber, consulting the scrolls. I didn’t understand his urgency,” Breena stated.

“That’s because you didn’t know about his vision. He’s been having the same one for months now. Each time there was a giant white shifter standing on top of a mountain. The mountain was not made of earth, but of the bodies of every human and Scythian on the planet,” Yellow-mane started.

“The white Alpha!” Gabriel and Breena exclaimed at the same time.

“How do you know of this creature?” Yellow-mane asked.

“It killed my grandmother and infected my mother with the shifter virus. It almost killed me in a cemetery in Vancouver. Breena saved me and brought me to Grandfather, that’s when he healed me,” Gabriel explained.

“So that’s why he sent me to the cemetery when he did!” Breena exclaimed. “He knew you were going to be attacked and you could not defeat the white Alpha.”

“Not yet he can’t, but in the future, he will be our only hope,” Yellow-mane explained, “The last two times Grandfather had the vision, they were different. The white shifter was no longer standing on a mountain of bodies. Grandfather believed the arrival of Gabriel foreshadowed a new ending to the vision.”

“Why didn’t he tell me of this? What did he see in his new vision?” Gabriel asked.

Yellow-mane didn’t answer. He looked at Breena and then at the ground.

“Is it because he saw me, in my animal form, destroying the world instead of the white Alpha? I’m tired of people lying to me and keeping things from me. I have a right to know,” Gabriel demanded.

“I cannot answer that question for you Gabriel, if my brother did indeed see what you are suggesting, I believe he would have killed you himself. At least, he would have tried. I do not know what he saw in the last two visions, but I do know they were both very different in how they ended. He believed the only way to stop the white shifter and to save the planet was for him to pass on the gift to the two of you. He knew it had to be done now, not later,” Yellow-mane answered.

Gabriel was mad, frustrated and hurt. He wasn’t sure why, but he was. It seemed ever since he got the gift from Grandfather, a lot of his repressed feelings were coming out. He didn’t know if he should believe Yellow-mane or not. He didn’t even like the fact Breena had gone to her uncle for comfort, rather than to him. Jealousy of any kind was not in his nature, but it was what he was feeling.

Unable to process the onslaught of feelings and the frustration which came with them, Gabriel stormed out of the cave, Apollo following close behind. Breena turned to go after him, but Yellow-mane kept hold of her hand, the sparks growing larger.

“We must talk without Gabriel here,” he explained to her.

“I will not keep secrets from him,” Breena responded.

“You must, if you want to save him,” said Yellow-mane.

That stopped her. Gabriel was in danger? What did Yellow-mane know that he wouldn’t tell Gabriel. Breena slowly stepped back from her uncle and looked him in the eye.

“I love you uncle, almost as much as I did Grandfather, but if I must choose, I’ll always choose Gabriel. Before I choose the clan, or the whole of the Earth, I will choose Gabriel,” she insisted.

“I believe you,” Yellow-mane began quietly, “That’s what Grandfather believed as well. It seems he managed to do the impossible. Not only did he break the clan’s gift up, but he managed to change the polarity of the gift as well. He gave Gabriel fully one half of the gift, but your half, he divided up by giving you all the positive and none of the negative aspects of the gift. Something no one would ever think was possible, and yet he did it.”

“What are you talking about?” Breena asked.

“When I was young, I always looked up to Grandfather. Even before he was an elder, he asked questions no elder would ever consider. He had a theory about why elders couldn’t interact with each other. He knew there was a time when the elders would wage war on each other in order to claim more energy from the gift of those they defeated. Then it all changed.

Grandfather believed long, long ago, one of the elders was able to find a way to turn the gift into an electrical charge. Like touching two live wires together, the results were catastrophic for both parties. It stopped all the in-fighting among the clan leaders almost immediately. Unfortunately, if the scrolls are correct, the elder had to sacrifice himself in order to do so.

Grandfather wondered if the process could be reversed. He thought it could, but only by an extremely strong-willed elder. It would also have to be one who was willing to do so. We can touch, you and I, because even though it is difficult, it is nothing compared to touching Gabriel. It’s because your charge has been profoundly changed. That’s also why you can still touch him, in fact, if anything, you are even more attracted to him now…physically speaking,” Yellow-mane answered.

“But what happened to the rest of my energy? The part of the gift Grandfather removed?” Breena asked.

“He gave it to the only other living being the two of you trust. That’s why he can have the gift as well and yet you can still touch him with no ill effects,” Yellow-mane explained.

Breena thought for a moment…who could Grandfather have trusted that much?

“Apollo!” Breena whispered excitedly.

“Yes, I sensed it in him when I arrived, but it wasn’t until I entered the cave and brushed up against him I was sure. He does indeed have a portion of the clan’s gift. He will need it, if the two of you are ever forced to stop Gabriel,” said Yellow-mane.

“I’ve already told you, I will never agree to hurt Gabriel, no matter what the circumstances,” Breena declared.

“Not to hurt him, but to save him,” Yellow-mane insisted. “Grandfather believed the only power on the planet which could stop Gabriel’s animal form was not force, but love! The only two recorded accounts of this creature in history, involved two complete loners. No family, no friends, no one to love them. When they changed, it almost destroyed the life on Earth because they had no reason not to,” the elder explained.

“Gabriel was a loner when I met him as well. He lived and trained with others, but he was still all alone. It seems like a character trait for his animal form. I was a lone wolf until Grandfather adopted me, but not like Gabriel, he was completely alone and preferred it that way,” Breena answered.

“Grandfather believed with the power of the gift and your genuine love of Gabriel, you and Apollo could stop him from either destroying the planet or himself,” said Yellow-mane.

“I don’t know. This is just so much to take in all at once. How will we do it? How can we stop such a creature with just love?” Breena asked.

“Breena, I know you are a young woman with much to learn, but my dear, there truly is nothing that cannot be accomplished with love. Grandfather loved you so much, he could do the impossible. He found a way that might save his only grandson, his adopted granddaughter and the entire planet, including the Scythians.

Per his letter, he was happy with his decision to sacrifice himself, not just the two of you, but he wanted to save the world as well. Don’t waste what he has sacrificed for you and Gabriel. When the time comes, you’ll know what to do,” said Yellow-mane. “Now, I must go talk with Gabriel. There are things he must know as well.”

“Are you going to tell him of his final animal form?” Breena asked.

“No, he probably wouldn’t believe it anyway, but the truth is it wouldn’t change anything if he knew it. There is so little known about this creature, he will only find out myths and legends and few facts. No, I hope he never has to find out,” Yellow-mane answered.

“Does Apollo know he has the gift?” Breena asked.

“I don’t know, I’m sure he knows he’s different now. You can’t have the gift and not feel the power surging through you,” Yellow-mane answered.

“How come neither Gabriel or I could tell he has it?” Breena asked.

“That is a mystery only Grandfather could answer. Somehow, with all the things he did to the gift when he passed it on, he also managed to shield its presence from the two of you. I doubt if anyone except Grandfather and I could ever detect it within the wolf.

One thing about my brother, he never did anything half-way. I’m sure somewhere here in this cave, there is a record of what he did and how he planned to do it. He was always a believer in adding to the records of the Scythians. No matter what he did, whether it worked or not, he would have recorded it,” Yellow-mane explained.

Breena had a sudden thought, if that was true, then the truth about her parents was written somewhere in this cave as well! As soon as this fight with the Alpha was over, she vowed she’d find it.