Chapter 12

"It is not you're time yet." A voice interrupted the snippets of my life. "You shall not die here today."

The voice was neither male, nor female. It was strange. The words sounded like they were sung. Hummed even.

A bright light covered my sight and I closed my eyes against it. It felt warm, especially against my back. The power felt familiar. It was the same warmth of the fireflies back when Sanji was bitten.

"There," the voice hummed, "that should feel better."

I opened my eyes again. A white space stretched out in every direction. The pain in my back was gone. I traced my hand across it, feeling the slights bumps of a scar. I studied my fingers as there was no blood.

My clothes were gone, replaced by a light white dress held together with golden chains. The dress reached the floor and covered my bare feet, though the fabric was slightly see through at the bottom of the skirt.

"Were am I?" I asked. "How am I not dead? Am I dead?"

The voice laughed, it was so soft, like a feather pulled over bare skin. "No. You're not dead. As for where you are. Even I do not know."

"Then who are you?" I asked, moving in a slow circle.

"I am known as many things. Some call me lord, others god. But my name is Aloqueligo, but you may call me Quel."

"Are the other alright? And why am I here, Quel?"

"Your friends are fine and holding their own quite well." The voice said. "I have chosen you to right a wrong from so long ago. Are you willing to listen to my story?"

"I am willing." I answered after a moment of thought. I was curious to their story. It is not every day you meet a god and are able to hold a conversation with them.

The white room morphed into a forest scenery. Through the leaves and trunks an old village was visible. They looked so primitive to our modern time.

"This is your village six-hundred years ago." Quel explained and the scenery changed.

I now stood in the plaza of the village. People moved about, doing their jobs or converse with their neighbours.

"It looks so peaceful." I said.

"That is because it is so. This is before the disaster."

"What disaster?"

Quel scoffed, "One nobody could anticipate."

Day turned into night. The villagers all had gone to their homes and to bed. All was quiet when the sky lit up in the night sky as millions of stars crossed the ink black background. It looked so surreal. Lit rocks fell on the straw roofs and set them alight. Nobody noticed, except one.

A young man, light brown hair and hazel eyes stared up at village that was consumed in flames. His yelled for everyone to leave, but the people didn't listen. Instead they kneeled on the ground and started to pray, even as the flames burned their neighbours.

"Why didn't they leave?" I asked Quel.

"They had so much faith in us that they believed that their prayers would be answered and their homes would be spared. The worst thing about it was we could do nothing about it. This was out of our control." Quel said. "We didn't command the sky's or the earth. We sought balance and peace. We could not influence the people directly, or help them. We could only advice through dreams."

The scene changed again. The village burned a bright white behind the young man. I recognised him now as Okami Erat. He was covered is blue soot and barely able to stand on his legs.

A yell in anger tore through his throat. It awoke the animals in the forest as they scuttled away in his rage. He cursed the god and looked angerly at the full moon above him.

"My faithful servant went to check on him. I hoped it would calm him down and help rebuild his village, but he didn't listen. He kept cursing me and in my rage towards the man I ordered a curse be placed upon him." Quel said.

"Lycanthropy." I whispered, understanding the curse that was cast by the servant cloaked in deep blue robes speckled with silver. The light was bright and without mercy as Erat was changed forcefully. Now a dusty brown werewolf stood in front of me.

"Yes," Quel said, "it took a long while for my rage towards the man to simmer. But when it did I asked my servant to remove the curse if Erat had regretted his behaviour towards me from long ago."

A mountain rose across from me. Erat stood proud in front of a group of werewolves, saying some kind of speech. When Quel's servant appeared, he didn't even have to time to say a word. He was torn apart by the wolves. Erat just stared at the carnage with a grin from a distance.

"I felt my connection to my friend weaken." Quel spoke again in remembrance. His tone saddened and heavy.

I had noticed his words change from servant to friend, but did not comment on it. Instead I showed my own grief for the pain Quel must have gone through. "It must have been difficult to lose someone you care deeply about."

"Very, and I am still not even healed from it." Quel agreed. "In a moment of haste I also went to the mortal plain. The biggest mistake I could make in my life."

A masculine like being with massive wings on his back descended from the sky. He was well tanned and his white-blond long hair floated in an none existent breeze. He looked heavenly. His chest bare, his legs clad in a white low cut pants.

The wolves around Erat growled, but were held back with a single gesture from Erat. He was in full control over them. Now that I looked closer their eyes seemed empty, glazed over.

"What happed next?" I asked, as I observed the still painting around me.

"Something wicked." Quell spoke and the scenery started to move. Erat jumped at Quel and pulled him from the sky. His wings were torn from his back. Pieces of flesh flew across the rocks. The wolves jumped on them in starvation.

Nothing but bones and feathers littered the rocks of the mountain. Erat laughed maniacally and the wolves joined with their howls.

"I was able to save a bit of my power and send it to this place, awaiting somebody with a howl that was so powerful it could stop everybody in their tracks. You are that person, my dear Y/N."

"So what now?"

"Now you right the mistake I could not solve in time. I will give you the remaining bit of my power. It should be enough to counteract the wicked side of the curse."

"But won't you die then?"

"It is about time anyway. A new era is about to unfold and it has no place for us outdated gods. I will join my brothers and sisters in the afterlife."

The scenery faded into the white space. Now a ball of blue light floated in front of me.

"Go on." Quel encouraged kindly.

I reached out to the light and my fingertips danced over the surface. It felt comfortably warm, like an embrace. The light faded as it was sucked into my chest. It glowed there for a little while, before it faded. Like it was never there in the first place.

The white room warped and I felt dizzy under its movements. The ground below me shattered and threw me into a cold river. I gasped for air, but only inhaled water.

It took me a moment to realize that it was blood I inhaled as my senses returned. I coughed it up and out of my lungs. The air was frigid, the white space must have been warmer than I thought.

As I got my baring, the battle was still halted. Erat was still on his way to kill Sanji.

And Sanji looked so lost, so broken at the thought of me dying. The will to fight had left him. I never wanted to see that look of despair on his face. Never again.

I got my feet underneath me and noticed my clothes had changed. I wore a long black satin dress, a black fur was draped neatly over my hips and shoulders. The top was corseted and silver and blue jewellery adorned my skin.

What surprised me more was the sight of fur on my arms. Even my legs were paws. I wasn't certain, but somehow knew I was a wolf, standing on two legs.

Time started to start up slowly. The sounds of battle rang in my sensitive ears. They flicked at the sound, but I ignored them. My priority was to stop Erat from reaching Sanji.

I stopped behind him, my claws traced over his back. The same way he had done to me. From shoulder to hip. The skin split underneath my fingertips. Silvery bits clung to the edges of the wound. And I knew, this would be fatal.

Time returned in full swing. Sanji stared at me in shock, uncertain if I was still me. "Y/N?"

"Yes, love." I smiled. "It is me"

Erat coughed and fell to his knees. It caught the attention of us both.

"So you have met that damned god." Erat said after another violent cough.

"Yes. I met Aloqueligo." I said. "He gave me a task to finish what he stared."

Erat laughed. "So he told you his story."

"He told me so much more. He told me about the star rain and the destruction of this village six-hundred years ago. They may have been gods, but even that was out their control. They could only give advice through dreams."

"So I cursed him unjustly." Erat said, his tone filled with sorrow. He understood his mistake and saw his flaw in his thoughts. "I am sorry for what I put you through. It was stupid of me to desire that kind of power. I know it is too late to ask for forgiveness, but please accept my heartfelt apology."

I smiled. "I accept your apology, but forgiveness is not possible. You have damaged me far to greatly to even began the route of forgiveness."

Erat nodded, his body giving out and he fell on his side.

I was quick to catch him and lowered him to the ground gently. "You have now earned your eternal rest. Spent it wisely and make amends with those you have wronged as well."

"I will." Erat spoke. His body started to wither and disintegrate. It didn't take long for the ashes to be swept up into the sky, away from everything and on its way to wherever.

The wolves were still in battle with the crew. Most hadn't noticed the rise of their new master. Those who did bowed to me. Fearful of what I would do next.

I sighed, knowing I would have to break them up one way or another. With a deep breath I howled. It echoed across the buildings and halted everyone in their tracks. All their eyes were on me.

Through the pack I could see the crew, their hands over their ears.

"ENOUGH!" I bellowed. "Your master is dead."

The wolves looked between each other. They didn't know what to do, but followed the example of the first few who acknowledged me as their leader. The group bowed collectively.

I saw the crew stare at me. Confused or excited about my new form.

My chest lit up with a blue light, I pulled it out and allowed it to float in the air. My wolf form faded, but the dress stayed. The ball of light popped like a bubble and fragments found their way to the wolves. Their curse still there, but now in their control.

"Return to your homes and live your lives in peace. The curse will no longer control you." I said to the wolves. They transformed, their hunger satiated for forever. They were in control of their transformation.

The group of humans stayed bowed. Their voices merged into one. "All hail the Alpha of werewolves."

They dispersed quickly after that, returning to their normal life. Or as normal as they could make it.

The crew made their way to me and Sanji, but my body started to feal heavy and I started to sway.

Sanji steadied me, allowing me to lean against him.

"I'm sorry for making worry." I whispered through the haze. My eyes were slitted under heavy eyelids.

"Never do that again." Sanji said firmly, but not without kindness.

"I promise." I whispered before I fell asleep.