The Quest

Chapter Thirty Five - Sword of the High Priest

"The first wilkolak," the guardian explained in his ear. He had crawled onto Tom's shoulders once more. "He searched me out after the High Priestess cursed him."

"What did he want?" Tom looked towards the cat. He grew up hearing about the first wilkolak, but there was only one story and they had never written it down. He wasn't even sure if he remembered it correctly.

"Looking for a cure to his curse. He felt it was unjust. Unfortunately, there was no way to reverse it right then and there. He needed to fulfill a debt before anything could be done." The cat batted at the ball, the image changed to show the wilkolak forcing his help on others. "He didn't understand how to repay the debt and his first transformation happened."

Tom continued to watch. The wilkolak transformed and was instantly consumed by bloodlust. Tom shivered. He had heard of the bloodlust as part of the transformations. His family, thankfully, had never been plagued by it. It was terrifying to watch. This man turned into a feral beast almost instantly. He howled in pain as the transformation broke his bones and replaced them to fit his new shape.

Tom couldn't imagine the fear that he had most likely gone through. Not knowing what was happening or how long it would last. He watched as the first wilkolak went to nearby forests, murdering entire clans of mythicals.

Finally, the first rays of light for the next day poked through the trees. He stopped ripping apart his newest kill as the rays splashed on his face. He slowly transformed back into himself, sobbing from the horrors of that night.

The orb flickered, then showed the man living in a cabin, a forest surrounding him. He looked out the window to see the rising moon. He clutched at his head as he screamed at the sky. Wishing for his life to end. He went into a rage in his confined space. The door locked from floor to ceiling to keep himself from hurting others.

"He finally got his rages under control." the cat brought Tom back from the horrors he was witnessing. The cat's tail tickled his nose. "Found a wife, had some kids, and they continued the line. They became known as protectors of the less fortunate. By doing this, the blood rages lessened until they were nonexistent."

"Wilkolaks fathered werewolves too." Tom wasn't sure if he wanted to know the truth about this one, either.

The cat nodded sagely. "The first bite victim... they no longer expand that way. There's enough of them to grow their numbers without hurting others."

Tom took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. "Why are you showing me this?"

"You need to know what you're leaving," the cat replied. "You came because you wanted to save someone... correct?"

Tom looked towards the yarn ball to see Tess cowering in a dungeon cell. Chained to a wall, as she cried his name. "Tess," Tom gasped, his heart speeding up at how scared she was.

"My, my, how she's grown since then," the cat chuckled.

"What do you mean?" Tom asked, not sure if he wanted an answer. The scene changed once more. Tess was walking down a cobbled hallway, slow and dignified. It took Tom's breath away at how graceful she was. Her hair was brought back into a loose, low bun gathering at the base of her neck. Her hair shimmered in the low light offered by the torches she passed.

She turned through a door and went into an outside courtyard and was greeted by a woman. They exchanged a quick embrace; the woman whispering something into Tess' ear. Tess looked into the distance to see another woman with an umbrella held open against the sun's rays. A troll standing underneath it. Tess looked back towards the woman, who said something else. Then pointed her outstretched hand towards the troll. No emotion on her face.