REJECTION PART 2: THE CURSED ONES

5

How could I speak with that man again? How could I even face him?
"Are you afraid?" A weak voice from behind a curtain whispered. I came back to Sicilia.

"I should not have told you this. You should rest." I was about to stand up, but a frail hand caught my hand. He is old, the King. He has been a good king but time has taken its toll on his mortal body.

"They need you." His voice is evident of his age.

I sat back down.

"Why did you not appoint a new king?" He does not have an heir or a new mate. Sicilia is slowly fading with him.

"You should be the King." He has been telling me this whenever I visit. But I never wanted to be a King, I don't even deserve to be a guardian. I know, we planned to overthrow him in the past, but my plan was to take myself down with the council. I thought the rumor about the guardian not coming back was true but then, she arrived. And all my plans, crumbled in front of me. I don't want to hurt her. But I did.

"Do not blame yourself. But who am I to say the same when I do blame myself, too. Duke is gone and soon I will." I cannot say otherwise. I can sense his fading life. "But you, you will stay. Lainey will not want you to live in vain."

"I know." Even so, I couldn't make myself to accept that role.

"I miss her. I wish to see her even once more. Her face is only a blur that I couldn't even picture her smile. Even if I close my eyes... I wish to see her. If only..."

*Cough.* * Cough*

"You should conserve your energy." I stood up. I can't do anything anymore. No medicine can cure what is brought by age.

"Terra." I called and his caretaker came in. "Make sure he takes a rest."

She nod.

"Guardian..." His weak voice called out, "you have been chosen. Do what you think is right." And I stepped out.

What is right? What I want to know. Did she die so I can be a guardian?...

"Look who's here." His voice is laced with memories I refuse to remember "I know you'll come back." Each words are pictures of the past I wish to forget.

This dungeon is beneath the prison of Sicilia. Away from the moon, away from power. There are no regular guards visiting this floor. Only to check if the prisoner is dead. Almost everything is laced with silver but I have developed an immunity with it. And this is supposed to be his death sentence. Yet, he is still alive. His eyes are blindfolded as his whole body is covered with silver chains. For some reason he managed to resist the silver air she made. He is also unbelievably alive with this amount of silver.

"Won't you thank me? You are now a guardian. Our dream of eliminating the weak can now be done." He laughed maniacally. The years of youth has come back. He has been planning this for who knows how long.

"Why are you quiet? Are you cursed of silence?" Cursed. He knows about it.

"Do you know about the curse?"

"Finally. Of course, I do. Know the weakness of your enemies. Didn't you learn? We were only waiting for the day you reject her."

What does he mean?

"Such a long wait it is. Seven mates to love but none of them who loves her back. Such a tragedy."

"I don't understand."

"She was right about all this. Well, seers are useful for something."

"Who did you talk to?"

"And you'll find her? That is useless. She is probably only bones at the bottom of that rainy lake. Such a beautiful scenery to be only watched by the moon. All are destined to reject her, and lucky are we that you are the last one." I am the last? That day I rejected her, the council stepped up their plan. I never thought about it. Then,

"You used me."

"Oh don't say that bulls***. I did not order you to do so. It was you who did it." I hate it. I hate it that he is right.

"You owe me everything you have now."

"You---" I couldn't contain my rage as my hand choked his throat. Lifting him in the air.

"It... is.... your sin." My anger boiled that I threw him away. "Don't tell me that is mine alone, you are the reason why she died." I felt my claws extending, wanting to let out the power. Wanting to kill.

"Do not blame your fault on me. Ingrateful!" I heard his voice changed; his wolf coming out. Silver is burning.

My head throbs with the sudden wave of my nightmares.

"If it wasn't for me, you are nothing. So, don't you dare put the blame on me!" Silver chains. Blood moon. My head is spinning. Was it the smell of the silver, no. What is happening?

"I.CREATED.YOU." His voice changed, I can hear the chains snapping. I backed away, my head is spinning. I merely avoided the single torch in the room. "YOU.ARE.NOTHING." Snap.

Silence.

I tried controlling my breathing.

Growling.

A large figure came out of the shadows. With two feet, and... this is not a wolf.

It's canines are sharper, with it's saliva dropping from its foul mouth. A face of a wolf. This is not my father anymore. It's body is covered in fur and blood with some chains still tied around.

"What are---?"

"I am powerful." It whispered in the mindlink. "I am more than you." It continued stepping forward. It's head reaching the ceiling. "I am a soldier of the moon. Growl!" It's claws about to slash me but...

I felt power surging around me, through me.

'Anyone who oppose me,' This voice. 'Will answer to me.' It stopped. As if constricted. Then, it choked. Silver oozed from its mouth, from its wounds. Like it is coming from his insides. 'Anyone who oppose will die.'

Burning. The silver burns it as it tries to move.

"A---ackk..." I watched the silver melts it. It tried to reach for me but slowly, it collapsed and continued melting. Until it does not move anymore.

Those words. That voice. It was hers. But how?