The Magiverse Chronicles: Love & Silver

Chapter 4

"This way." The soft voice of Elder Koro beckoned. Diego obliged the old man, as he had for the past few minutes, and continued to follow him wherever he wanted. When Liz had explained the Elder wished to speak with him the day before, Diego was confused, but otherwise went along with everything. That included walking behind the old man through the criss-cross of streets and legions of traffic that was in the Silver Fangs pack.

Clad in a grey denim jacket, red shirt and grey jeans, Diego followed Koro with his hands clasped behind his back. "Where exactly are we off to?" The Mexican asked as he weaved between wolves. "Also, any timeline on when the lab will be ready?"

Elder Koro took Diego's arm and led him to the right. "In a week, the lab equipment won't take long, but the security and safety systems will take time. Also, we are here to answer a question I have." The Elder waved at anyone who recognized him, giving them a warm smile.

"Oh, is it about my research?" The two took one final turn and ended up in a place Diego recognized. The hospital of the Silver Fangs, where he got patched up a near decade ago. This place raised his hackles and spurred his suspicions. "What is this?" He asked as Koro started down the path to the entryway.

Watching the old man's back as he followed, Diego awaited his answer, then the old man cleared his throat. "I wish to see, rather than be told. I wish to know; do you truly understand what it is you brought us? If you do, then I'll understand what is in your heart."

Diego gave a curt nod as they neared the entrance. "Some do not trust me. Expected, but the Alpha approved this?" Koro's momentary flinch gave Diego his answer. "I see."

The Elder sighed at his response. "Please do not let this reflect on her, it was the rest of us who supported this. I am sure this has no bearing on how she feels about you." The man's defence of his leader made Diego purse his lips.

"Aye, there's no need for that. I already know how she feels by now." He finished soullessly as they entered the hospital. The ones at the desk greeted the Elder with smiles, told him they were expecting him, and let them through.

Diego and the old man navigated a maze of patients, creamy white corridors and medical professionals. Most were like those at the desk, greeting Elder Koro with smiles. Diego understood why. The man has made substantial headway in the research of many werewolf diseases and his health programs yield results worthy of unending gratitude. With his genius, the vaccine might exist today, Diego wondered why that was not so.

Elder Koro stopped at double doors bearing a biohazard sign. He urged Diego forward, opened a panel on the side of the door and removed two yellow hazmat suits. "Wear this. Remember, keep your hands to yourself, I don't want to get accidentally infected." The old man kept his voice low.

Complying with him, Diego took the suit and put it on, and with Elder Koro, went beyond the doors. The sight before him was not something one would be prepared for. The walls were lined with beds, patients in various states of pain or catatonia lay upon them. Teams in hazmat suits worked on them, easing their pain, and draining pus mixed with blood from the painful black mounds on their skin. Diego felt struck by the horror of this scene and felt sick to his stomach. "Ah, we are in luck." The Elder spoke over the pained moan of a child.

Seeing a little kid like that had Diego clutching his stomach. "There is nothing in the world to suggest this as lucky...Dios mío." His heart broke a bit as he saw another old man crying as a medic sliced into the mounds on his skin. "This is the final stage, right? How the Lycanthro-Phage Virus kills people." The bile in his throat was barely held back.

Koro observed him skeptically, and then nodded in approval. "We're lucky because unlike normal Virus driven transformations, none of them need silver injected into their blood. Their minds are somewhat spared from that madness." His heart twisted as he remembered times when that was necessary. "All this, caused by the Lycanthro-Phage Virus infecting and mutating cells. Like a hideous combination of the Bubonic plague, Cancer, and rabies. What a mess humans got us into." The deliberate jab at humans didn't even make Diego flinch.