Corrupted Era {Not Your Omega Book 2}

Chapter 16, And So It Begins

Maxie, Lloyd, Atlas, and Athena rode horseback on their way back to Gravestone.

They had only made ¾ of the journey back.

"Are you soon at least going to tell us how you can pretty much master the mist?" Atlas had questioned Maxie as she slowed down her horse.

"No, it will make better sense when we make it to your home, Athena" Maxie responded.

Atlas clicked her tongue telling the horse to move forward.

The regular clear fog became apparent as they neared Gravestone Town.

They had made their way to Athena's warm home and saw Damien in his human form sleeping inside the barrier.

"Guess the struggling took a lot out of him but, here's what I have to say. This form he's not fighting as much. He's cooperating with it" Maxie told them whispering to wake Damien up.

"Then why did he attack us? You?" Atlas asked her.

"I don't know all that much. During the night of the cave, he had what I'm going to call a 'corruption attack' or CA. But, during it, his eyes weren't an eye color of Iris it was black. And I don't know how but he's like an Anti-Iris" Maxie tells them with a little less of an assuring look.

Damien slowly woke up and looked at the group.

He sat there his knees to his chest as he raised his head his eyes were black and his face was calm.

"I think I know how it works. When he's calm his eyes are black. When he's calm his eyes are black but when he gets shocked, scared, etc his eyes turn red. When his eyes are the corrupted color it just means he's in a very protective state" Maxie explained looking a Damien with a reassuring smile.

"Athena let down the barrier" Maxie commanded.

Athena nodded her head and closed her eyes focusing on the barrier as she slowly shrank it out of existence.

"He gets corrupted in those kinds of moments. In Cleorta he ranked me and said, 'Oh look it's Iris' That triggered his other side. He witnessed Diana. Trigger. He lost his mom and Dad. Trigger." Maxie said toward the group.

"How did what you said not trigger him?" Lloyd asked.

"Simple. It has to be during that one moment to corrupt" she responded, "It's like if something happens at a high emotional state" she finishes answering their questions.

Maxie hadn't noticed the fact that by this time Damien bad stepped away from where the barrier previously was.

She looked around and saw him sitting on a desk crisscross.

Maxie walked to him, "No more wandering off today" she says with her intimidating face.

Damien looked almost scared for a second and his eyes flashed red for a second.

Mac is sighed, "It's okay, Damien," she says looking down and walking away.

"We gotta attack soon. If we don't we could miss our shot" Maxie said with a stern face.

"How? There are only five of us. Iris has the strongest animals on her side" Atlas almost yelled.

"Yeah, but we can fight fire... With fire and gasoline" Maxie says pointing to herself and Damien.

"Who's the gasoline?" Athena chuckles as she got up.

"If your fighting another war Maxie, you need some backup," Lloyd said lifting his hand in a bit of a halt formation.

"What kind?" Maxie asks her brow raised and she stood straight.

"The packs. The meeting has been over with by now. We still need more firepower" he looks at Atlas and Damien, "Azzie, Lucasta, Aaron, Dawn, Dusk. Many people who would still be willing to save this forest" he finished.

Damiens ears perched up as he heard a noise. He slowly walked toward it in curiosity. To not scare it he shifted to his panther form as everyone looked at him and where he was going.

Damien soundlessly wandered to the source of the noise. He looked and saw the same snake that had led him to Diana.

Trigger. His eyes flashed as he grabbed Maxie with his jaw in animal form bringing her to behind the counter where the snake slithered.

He did a deadly stare at the snake.

'It's Iris's!' Maxie shouted in her head.

When the snake realized her identity was known, she lunged her eyes sharp, her movements quick, and her teeth like razors.

"Watch out! It's venomous!" Maxie warned the group with fear in her eyes.

Maxie quickly grabbed her spear and with the blade lifted the snake up and tossed it out.

It wasn't long before the snake had hissed and Iris showed up.

"This place... Isn't suit for a conversation" Iris said innocently and snapped her fingers.

They were transported to an area in the forest. Unknown to the group. Yes.

"Perfect now. You all need to hand over the panther and I'll let you live through this" she said blandly but with an innocent but fake smile.

"He's not an OBJECT Iris" Maxie shouted, "He's our friend, a son, a warrior, and..." She froze trying to admit the words, "a lover" she said.

Everyone around was surprised but kept their stern face.

Iris burst out laughing, "You? Loving the panther" she co continued laughing but finally stopped, "That's a laugh" she said in a serious tone.

"Also I liked your little game with my shadow beasts. Clever. Now. The panther" she says almost in an eager tone.

"I see what you're doing Iris. Your own creation is stronger than you and you're scared it will take over?" Macie says menacingly slowly walking toward Iris.

"Either we make a deal or we have no choice to fight," Maxie said as the other slowly drawn weapons.

"I guess it has to be old-fashioned. You have until tonight's eclipse to prepare defenses. The wolf pack is that way" Iris says and before anyone could say blink she was gone.

"We have to hurry to the pack" Atlas said shifting to her animal self.

"Alright. Offer me a ride, Damien?" Maxie asked him.

"Athena! You wanna go horseback or are one of you fine if she rides with y'all?" Maxie asks them.

"She can ride with me," Atlas says.

It was settled. Athena went on Atlas' back and they rode off to the pack.
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Sup chids. Can I please get a round of applause for Daxie halfway sailing. If you do ship it or if you wanted Datlas to happen idk. ANYWAY,

~Bye my Wolf Pack