The Amulets (An 'Amulets of Andarrin' tale) (20 page)

Jack was lying on the ground in pain fearing for his friends when he heard muffled voices coming from inside the shed. He got up slowly and, mustering all his strength, he limped towards the sound of the voices. As he made his way down the dark, cold steps of the bunker under the shed he heard Delaius’ voice. “Why did you not go?” he was saying.

“There wasn’t time…had to get James…William…where” Hobbins mumbled to Delaius as if remembering William.

“What of William. Did he go with them?”

“No…he stayed, He fought valiantly…but Sabula….” He shuddered.

Jack rounded the corner and saw Delaius kneeling over Hobbins.

“Hobbins!” Jack cried as he joined Delaius. Hobbins’ eyes flickered from Delaius to Jack.

“I’m sorry Jack” he said.

Jack turned to the other wall and saw James’ lifeless body hanging from it, the words carved into his body. He filled with emotion. He couldn’t imagine the pain he must have gone through, but he knew Hobbins was in the position he was in now because he’d tried to save his brother. He couldn’t check the tears that welled as he fell to his knees at the sight of his brother.

“Delaius tell my wife…I…” Hobbins stuttered.

Delaius interrupted, “shush” Delaius whispered “I will not lose you as well Hobbins.” he said reassuring him.

“It’s too late…too late for me” Hobbins said, “
you have to find them.”

Delaius’ hand moved across Hobbins’ wounds and moments later they began sealing shut. But Hobbins was still too badly hurt internally and Delaius’ healing power could not save him, he needed professional aid.

“Jack, I need you” Delaius said authoritively.

Jack was still in tears in front of his brother’s body.

“Jack I’m sorry about James but we need to save Hobbins whilst there’s still a chance.” Delaius said urgently.

Jack rubbed the tears from his eyes and turned back to Delaius and Hobbins. “What can I do?”

“I need you to keep him awake, do not let him sleep” he told him.

Delaius got up and rushed to the exit leaving Jack with Hobbins. Hobbins turned to Jack sympathetically “I’m sorry for your brother Jack, I wasn’t strong enough” he coughed.

Jack wiped another tear from his cheek. “You did what you could. And I thank you for it.” Jack said truthfully.

Jack sat there, tears pouring down his face, hopeless and useless, Hobbins was in this state so that his friends could escape and yet he could do nothing for him. “I won’t let you die Hobbins I swear to you, just stay with me. Think of your family, they need you” he said hoping to give him strength.

Hobbins coughed up blood and gripped Jack’s arm. “If I die Jack, tell Delaius to watch over them. I know…” he coughed up more blood but paused and stared at Jack as if recalling a distant memory “you have…have a good heart…just as your…”

“My what?”
Jack urged but Hobbins’ head fell back, his eyes began to flicker shut “Hobbins!” Jack shouted, he put his hand on his face and lifted his eyelids “Hobbins, wake up, you can do this” he shouted. Hobbins’ eyes flickered open but only momentarily before they shut again.

Footsteps sounded at the top of the shed and Delaius came rushing down with a steaming mug. He rushed to Hobbins’ side. “Hobbins, Hobbins! Delaius shouted, slapping his face. Hobbins’ eyes flickered open and Delaius moved the mug to his mouth

“Drink” he said pushing it to his mouth.

Delaius forced the drink down Hobbins’ throat and then placed the empty mug on the floor. Hobbins slumped, his body looking lifeless. Delaius placed a hand on his head and muttered some words under his breath that Jack couldn’t understand, he then checked for a pulse before picking him up and carrying him like a child.

“Where are you taking him?” Jack asked not knowing whether Hobbins was alive or dead.

“I cannot help him further, he needs serious medical attention. Aria may be able to help. I will return momentarily. Stay put.” he said. Suddenly he vanished in a cloud of dust which flew up the stairs and outside.

Jack was sad for Hobbins, he seemed like a good man and he had been good to him when he’d first met him at the festival and now he had given his life for his friends, he prayed to the heavens for his health. Beyond that there wasn’t much Jack could do and he filled up with emotion at the thought of his brother still hanging in the chains. He moved over and took James out of the chains that held his lifeless body. He knew there was nothing Delaius could do to save him. Tears pouring down his face, he lay his brother on the floor “how did this happen” he cried to himself. “It’s all my fault…I’m so sorry James” he cried into his brothers chest. Suddenly he felt something move on his brother’s body. He quickly lifted his head up and noticed that his brother’s wounds, where the message had been carved into him, were slowly healing. Jack didn’t know what to think, what was happening? Moments later his brother came round and his eyes flickered open. He looked at Jack “Jack” he said dazed.

“James!” Jack said smiling unable to control his relief.

“Jack, what ah…argh” James screamed, his body went into uncontrollable spasms. “Jack…argh!! What’s happening!” he screamed painfully.

Jack looked horrified, he had no idea what was happening to his brother nor could he do anything to stop it. Suddenly James’ veins started pulsing and Jack remembered something similar had happened to Aaron before he’d appeared to die last weekend. But the similarities ended there because his brother’s arms began expanding along with his legs and body. His muscles were becoming enormous; the hairs on his body extended and became thicker and darker. Jack was powerless to stop what was happening. He tried to hold his brother down but he was too weak. James cried in pain, “What’s happening to me!” as to Jack’s horror, James’ face began changing into the features of a werewolf. Jack had seen this before, when William had changed in Delaius’ garden only he had turned back into a man and even then he had done it with ease and without pain. Here his brother’s screams echoed through the cellar and there was nothing Jack could do to help him.

“James.” Jack cried. But his brother seemed gone; in his place was a huge black wolf. James got to his feet, his back turned to Jack.

“James.” Jack said cautiously.

The werewolf turned to Jack and roared. Jack fell back against the wall, pinned there in fear. His brother seemed gone. James sprang at him, slamming his huge clawed paws into the wall above Jack. He stood there and sniffed Jack. “James, it’s me, Jack.” Jack pleaded, hoping he could be understood. James’ large black eyes met Jacks brown. Again he sniffed. Suddenly he roared in Jack’s face making his hair blow. James then turned and charged up the stairs. “James!” Jack cried. He ran as best he could up the stairs but by the time he got out of the shed his brother was gone. “James!!!” he cried again forlornly.

Something made Jack turn around, only to see Delaius looking concerned “Jack. Are you alright?” he asked.

“James! He, he turned into…he’s gone” Jack muttered unable to get a sentence out.

“He’s alive” Delaius said incredulously.

“He’s not him, he’s like William.” Jack said.

“Ah, he’s a werewolf.” Delaius said, more calmly now.

“You say it like it’s a good thing” Jack said unsure why Delaius seemed unconcerned.

“He’s not dead is he?” Delaius replied.

Jack didn’t know what to think. “What will happen to him?”

“There is still time to help him Jack. We cannot change him back but he can still live a fulfilling life, with the right guidance, just as William does.”

“What happened to Hobbins?” Jack asked suddenly remembering “is he ok?”

I can’t say. His wounds are bad but he’s in good hands.” Delaius told him. “For now we can only pray.”

“Where is he?”

“He’s with a friend; she’ll do everything in her power to save him. She specialises in werewolf ailments but she is unparalleled in the knowledge of magic and its effects on the human body. If she cannot help him, there is no one that can.”

“And what about my brother?” Jack asked hopeful.

“There is time to help your brother, but first we need to focus on finding your friends. They are in much more danger than he is. Hobbins nearly died to give them a chance to escape. Let us not let his sacrifice go to waste. Come.” Delaius said sternly.

Jack continued to stand still, looking out into the dark forest for his brother but he was gone. He couldn’t just leave him in the wild.

“I wish I could help Hobbins, I really do and I couldn’t respect him enough for what he did but we can’t just leave my brother out there, alone. He probably doesn’t even know what’s happening to him. I can’t leave…” but Jack stopped short.

A rustle of leaves and cracking of twigs caught his hearing. Something stirred at the edge of the forest. Footsteps dragging on the ground were slowly coming closer and closer. Delaius stepped in front of Jack to protect him from whatever was out there. He squinted for a better look but it was too dark. As the footsteps drew nearer the clouds separated and the woods were lit by moonbeams; there they saw William limping out of the woods.

He was injured but he was tough and his body healed as quickly as any vampire. The pain still took its toll on him though.

“Delaius” he said coming to a stop, slumping to the ground in pain and exhaustion.

Delaius and Jack rushed over to him and helped him up until he lent on the low bricks of the water fountain. Delaius checked him over.

“They got away but Sabula…”

“It’s ok we know” Delaius told him.

“But how”

“Hobbins”

“He’s alive!”

“For now, but I’m not sure how long he’ll last.”

“They’ll never survive, Delaius, Sabula will kill them all.”

Delaius ignored William’s comment; instead he moved over to the stone bird on the shoulders of the statue and muttered something Jack didn’t quite catch. Within moments the stone bird began cracking and broke open revealing a glistening brown eagle, identical to the stone carving which imprisoned it. The eagle shook its wings to rid itself of the rest of the stone dust. Its wings spread and it beat them as if in joy at being released from its stone prison. Jack was in awe. He had so many questions but now wasn’t the time, his friends were in danger and they needed to do something. Delaius whispered to it again and, without warning, it shot off the pedestal and headed south through the sky leaving the echo of its cry
in the air. Jack watched as the eagle disappeared in a white flash, it looked almost like a shooting star as it vanished into the distance.

“Where did you send it?” Jack asked.

“To help Helena, though I only hope it’s not too late.” he said, moving back to the house.

“What can a bird do to help?” Jack asked doubtfully.

“An eagle is a powerful ally against the Fraeir, which is what is pursuing them. They fear eagles and this eagle is one of the most magnificent I have ever come across. It was bound to a friend, now it is bound to me. It is also the best tracker I know.” He placed a hand on Jack’s shoulder “If it’s not too late it will be able to save your friends” he told him. Before Jack could ask about his friends and what the Fraeir were, William interjected, “What about James?” William asked.

Delaius started telling William what had happened with James but Jack stepped in and told his side of the story. When Jack took over, Delaius headed into his destroyed house, climbing over the debris that now littered the floor of the house. Delaius ignored the mess and moved into the living room, heading for a small mahogany cupboard with a glass window. He opened it to reveal twenty or more vials neatly placed in rows. There were no labels, but Delaius knew what they contained because each of the vials was a different shape. He edged his hand to the back and pulled out a small diamond shaped vial, the liquid it held was as clear as water. He began searching the cupboard again and after little inspection he grabbed another more rectangular one, the liquid inside this one was a turquoise.

“I’m glad you’re ok and I can’t thank you enough for what you did but I can’t just leave my brother. Can you not talk to Delaius?” Jack was asking William who was sat next to him on the small wall of the fountain.

“He was bitten by Balzac and Balzac left him for dead. It is the worst fate for a new-born.”

Jack recalled what Hobbins had told him during the festival about what happens when a werewolf turns. “So he’s gone in search of Balzac?”

“It is the only thing he can do but Balzac is an alpha and he is strong. If he doesn’t kill your brother then you have to remember he’s alone and, if he succumbs to his anger and rage, he’ll become Noru-Varem.”

“We need to help him.”

“And I will send someone, just as soon as we get to a safe place.” Delaius said coming out from the destroyed house and handing William the vial with the turquoise liquid in. “Here, drink this. It will aid in your recovery and give you energy.”

William happily obliged and drank the liquid in a gulp.

“Balzac will kill him if we don’t hurry.”

“James has the same blood as you, which will make him a rare wolf and a strong one at that. He has the blood of a guardian though his destiny has now changed.” Delaius said thoughtfully “I have no doubt he will be able to best Balzac, once he’s ready.”