24 The darkness of the shadows

"Is she dead?" Michael asked coming next to Quintin, Quintin paused before answering, he knew she should be, but secretly he didn't want her to be.

"Im not sure, that trick she uses is beyond me" Quintin said.

"Its the realm jump" Michael said "She draws her body into the shadow realm, hiding there nothing in reality can touch her, and she can attack there from out any shadow, even the one that clings to your body, this is why shadow elementals are some of the most dangerous assassins, and of all elementals the hardest to kill"

Quintin looked at Michael, then at the helicopter which came down nose towards them and landed, the rotors powered down and the cockpit hatches opened, Quintin saw Frits and Koos inside.

"You?"

"Yes frikkie, howzit feel to be one of them?"

Quintin looked at his claws, how high above the ground he stood, he was even bigger than Michael, who was the biggest werewolf there "Wierd"

Koos and Frits laughed, but something caught Frits's eye, he drew his pistol but was too late, Claire came into his face and soaked him with her tongue

"Fok! Am i really being licked by a werewolf right now!?" He panicked defending as best he could

"You two saved me! im so greatfull!" She said shifting to Koos, he was laughing as well untill he saw the pink tongue.

"O fok!" He defended but she easily parted his arms and made his face wet aswell.

"Blleaag! Ok ok! its our pleasure! for petes sake!"

"It seems you two just found a new pet" Michael laughed.

"Shutit Michael! im no one's pet! im just showing my gratitude!" Claire snarled.

"What is this thing?" Quintin asked looking at the Rooivalk.

"Its that Red Buzzard Ezbar was working on, we found out Cleopatra had built one to help with this battle, but then we stole it" Koos said, not wanting to climb out between all these werewolves.

"Sly bitch!" Quintin growled.

"That wolf we tried blowing up, was that Cleopatra?" Frits asked.

"No, thats Naomi"

"Your girlfriend?"

"Yes, well, was"

"Im sorry boet"

"Its ok, so? what are you going to do from here on?"

"Were bussy with upgrades for the Ratel, were going to make it alittle more effective, And you?"

"Return to Ezbar i guess, and wait"

Koos nodded "Well stay in touch boet, see you later" he said as Frits started te helicopter up again, the wolves stood back and watched it rise then turn to fly south.

Michael started laughing "So they did come to help after all, in a weapon they stole from Cleopatra! That what i call good luck for us"

"Yes, but it was those three who killed off Naledi's pack" Quintin said.

Michael looked at him stunned "F... fuck, rather be on their good side right?"

Quintin agreed "So, the war is over for you lot now, where to next?"

"A vacation! dammit!" Michael answered "With most off Cleopatra's pack down, we can rest easy for now, come Dianne, lets go" he said walking off with his pack.

"Now we can enjoy this victory by ourselves" Claire said looking at Nina, who nodded a smile in return.

Quintin was happy for them, six years later, their war comes to an end, or did it just start? who knows, he felt a tingle up his spine, then his scin crawled almost visibly on his muscles, it was that bloodlust feeling again "MOVE!" he roared and lept up high, but Clair and Nina didn't make it.

***

"The... cursed... wolf... this is what we call a human, who became a wolf through a bite or blood transfer. We call it a curse, because the human will never be able to fully control the wolf, without the master being close, the master being the one who bit him" Cleopatra said slowly walking around Naomi. Naomi knew a harsh punishment laid ahead of her, thanks to her lead, the pack was now dead, all but a few Anubis members remained.

"But what do we call you Naomi?" Cleopatra stopped infront of her.

"A failure"

"More like a mistake!" Cleopatra hissed and continued walking around her.

"You were given the opportunity to make a name for yourself, instead you caused us the greatest defeat in years!"

"All odds were against us my Queen"

"Then why not withdraw!?"

"I... I have no excuse"

"Then what am i to do with you? As much as it pains me to say this now, executing you will still be a loss to me"

"I will accept any punishment deemed necessary my Queen"

Cleopatra still strolled around her thinking, then she flicked ther fingers. Two Anubis men came and took her by her arms, then walked with her down the hall of the catacombs, but instead of turning left at a point towards the dungeons, they turned right, towards the sacrificial chambers. Cleopatra followed close behind, When Naomi realised where they were headed, she semi started to resist, kicking back ligtly, but the men overpowered her.

"Where are you taking me?" She asked unsure.

"Silence, you know where this leads" Cleopatra said.

they entered a large room with a stone altar in the centre, the men strapped Naomi down in the belts that were nailed into the rock, she faught vigorously against it but was useless. Cleopatra came and placed a silver choker around her neck, like a leach it was tied to the altar by a long chain.

"Blair placed us Anubis in charge of removing the wolf from the body as soon as it was needed, but Blair isn't here anymore, and she's been gone for a very along time..." Cleopatra said taking up a rod the size of a knitting pen, and it had a sharp tip shaped like a fish hook point.

"Transnasal craniotomy was always the best prefered method we used for mummification, but it wont work on a werewolf now would it? your brain would just heal again... but this rod has been silver plated, so it will be a diffrent story with you won't it?"

Naomi panicked "No, no please! not that! I beg you!" She yelled but Cleopatra slapped her face so hard the noise echoed through the stone hallways.

"One Amarok can stand against a pack of werewolves, now what damage do you think an amarok can do, if it cant even be killed?" Cleopatra hissed at her. Naomi, dazed by the hit Cleopatra gave her, couldn't understand what she ment.

"Since Blair isn't here anymore, i altered her laws alittle! instead of removing the wolf, i will remove the human in you! you will be nothing more than an animal! A trained dog who will follow my every command!"

"No! no you cant do this to me! I'd rather die!" Naomi begged again but Cleopatra grapped her hair and jerked her head backwards, Naomi tried to realm jump but it failed on her, Cleopatra noticed her aura stir at the attempt then laughed.

"This silver collar i placed around your neck blocks you from using your element, a little secret only a few werewolves know of" She lined the rod up "Oh, and one last thing Naomi, i wouldnt have told you otherwise, but since this is the last time you'll be able to reason, i guess its ok for you to know..."

Cleopatra came close to her ear "You were the one who killed Quintin's parents"

Tears started to flow "Why? how could you?"

"It was for the purpouse of having him, but that doesn't matter now does it!"

In a quick jab Cleopatra struck the rod into Naomi's nose, and broke the thin bone in the top of her nose cavity, allowing the rod to enter her brain, Naomi screamed of agony as Cleopatra started digging her brain out piece by piece "Instead of thinking of the pain Naomi, try and remember the good times, because soon, you won't remember anything at all"

Naomi screamed her breath away, untill she could only gasp for air, it was true, she could realy feel her memory slipping, with each painfull spike, it felt like she dwindled back in time, forgetting all she learned, like reverting back to a child again, where she was? what she was doing there? her clan? who's this woman hurting her like this? Quintin!? Whos Quintin? who is she? her name? is this pain she felt? what... is... pain...?

Cleopatra placed the rod down and took up the bowl of brainmatter she dug out, with a spoon she started eating it "It wasnt all a waste, i do enjoy the brain the most after all" She sighed looking at Naomi now blankly staring at the roof, a line of blood ran from her nose down over her cheek.

"You might not understand me anymore, but what i did, was remove your Frontal cortex, which is responsible for problem solving, language, memory, judgment, impulse control and reasoning, Basically the part that makes you fully human, i only left behind your hindbrain and medulla, which focuses on instinct, aswell as your cerebrum, which allows movement of muscles. Now my dear, you are not human anymore, you are my wolf!" She said loudly making Naomi's body twitch. Slowly but surely she started to shift, claws grew from under her nails, fur grew like gloves up to her elbows, and like socks up to her knees. fangs in her mouth, wolf ears grew to the top of her head, Naomi started to grunt and rumble, then sat up, but the restraints kept her back so she got angry, hers transformation continued, a tail grew from her lower spine, and her feet lengthened, giving them half the look of the double jointed hind legs of a wolf, her muscles grew larger until she managed to brake the leather restraints. She stood up and scanned the room, growling, the white in her eyes black, lifeless, unforgiving, she turned and saw Cleopatra, then snarled, exposing her fangs.

"Theres a good girl" She said and pointed down "Sit!"

Naomi obeyed, Cleopatra came over and petted her "You'll be the one to rip Quintin's throat out my dear, but to make sure you dont fail me again, there's one last step to be taken"

Cleopatra stood back and waved a hand "Lunar black sand" she spoke and the black smoke like dust, sparkling like onyx came floating out of the shadows and enveloped Naomi, who was confused at this, but then again, what wolf wouldn't be. Cleopatra held a hand to Naomi's face "Mummification hibernation" She spoke again and Naomi's eyes shut, going into the sleep. "Lunar limestone catacomb" Cleopatra spoke a last time and the onyx like dust formed together a large black tomb, the sand holding Naomi up lifted her, Cleopatra took the silver collar off her neck and allowed the sand to lower her into the tomb, more sand brought waves of ribbon cloth and inveloped Naomi until she was completely covered. Cleopatra then made a lid for the tomb and allowed it to shut.

"Sleep now my dear wolf, grow your strength, for next time i release you, you might mot remember them, but they will never forget you"

***

The black sand inveloped both Nina and Claire, Quintin landed a few yards back "Naomi! stop this!" He yelled.

"Naomi in is there anymore..." He heard a different voice, out of the plume of smoke and sand she came out like a ghost, the Egyptian attire and glowing blue eyes confirmed she was Anubis, but shes not shifted into a wolf, and he has never seen her before.

"Let go of them!"

"No"

"Forget about us! Run heathen! she is very powerful!" Nina yelled above the sand, the woman waved her hand and all the smoke, with the wolf and hyena, aswell as herself, disappeared like they were never there.