Across The Realms

Chapter 13

Edward's eyes twitched for a second as he continued to stare at Kairo while he processed this new piece of information.

"The wolf was my son? There's no way. What have I done? I killed my boy? I can't believe this. I will not believe it." questions turned to false clarity when fueled by denial in Edward's mind

Edward, now under the assumption that this was all a ruse, charged towards Kairo with a knife.

"Whether you believe me or not, is up to you. However, I'd prefer we keep the death count today to just one." Kairo warned Edward as he slid the gun strap across his chest and pulled out a shotgun, cocking it

"Look familiar? This was your son's murder weapon. " Kairo sternly blurted out

Kairo stood there with an advantage in his hands, but it was all an act. He had never shot a gun before. Not a pistol, nor rifle and most definitely not a shotgun. He was not ready to pull the trigger should he have to. Yet, if battles were won with just words, no one would be suffering. So, this was when everything went from bad to worse. If only there had been more time to hash things out. If only Kairo did not try to aggravate Edward. If only Roselle had returned sooner. If only Kairo was not easily startled.

Suddenly, the sound of crunching leaves came behind him, Kairo turned back to look while totally ignoring the danger standing in front of him. Exhaling a sigh of relief as he noticed it was just Roselle amongst the withered leaves piled across the muddy floor. Edward took this opportunity and threw the knife at Kairo, aiming for his shoulder.

Sensing danger lurking closer, Kairo turned back and felt the wind breeze along with a lean metallic blade graze across his left cheek. In reflex, Kairo shut his eyes as he took the cut to the face. But this act also startled Kairo. Startled him enough to squeeze down on the finger that was still stuck in between the trigger guard. The trigger guard of the gun pointed directly at Edward.

Lacking the appropriate stature, Kairo fell to his bum from the recoil of the shotgun. His eyes widened as realised what he had just done. Did he just take a life? Tossing the gun away, he frantically grovelled towards Edward's motionless body.

"Please wake up! Please! Please! I didn't mean to." Kairo begged as he was not ready to bear this guilt

Yet, this was not the worst part.

From behind him, a sickly voice whispered "What have you done?"

Kairo, still in shock, turned his head slowly.

Edgar pushed Roselle aside and snapped "Did you not hear me!? I SAID, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!?"

Running to his father's side, he pushed Kairo away.

"Dad? Dad! It's me. Wake up, please!" Edgar pleaded again and again

"How lucky am I? I get to see the face of my boy one last time just before I go. I love you, son" Edward said gently as his life faded away

Edgar's mind clouded with rage began to morph from a hairless chiseled body into a towering stature of fur and fangs. Nails grew into claws, his eyes turned to a yellowish glow and his body infested with grey and white fur.

Edgar pounced onto Kairo, pinning him to the ground. Growling at him with saliva bubbling through his fangs.

With no attempt to resist, Kairo said "Do it. Just take my life."

Roselle stepped forward and grabbed Edgar by the neck, tossing him aside like he weighed less than a feather.

"Listen here, wolf boy. I don't think you are thinking rationally right now. Yes, he killed your father. However, I know this isn't you. Maybe all that vampire blood has rushed to your head. So, this is my first and final warning. Calm down." Roselle insisted

Edgar responded with a snarl before running towards Roselle. She stepped to the side as he approached her and just as he passed her, she grabbed him by the tail and threw him aside once more causing him to skid across the floor.

Reverting back to his human form, Edgar got up and demanded Roselle offer her blood to his father

"You can feed him your blood, right? Like you did for me? Come on. Do it now!"

"It's not the same thing. I can't bring the dead back. Your life was hanging by a thread when I saved you, but your father... your father is gone."

"Don't give me that crap! There must be something you can do. Don't lie to me!"

"I couldn't even if I wanted to. He's dead. Maybe this is just karma for all his years of killing monsters like you and I."

"If you aren't gonna help, then leave."

"Wait, but what are you.."

"I SAID LEAVE! BEFORE I CHANGE MY MIND!" Edgar snapped at Roselle as his eyes glowed yellow

Fearful that Edgar may act irrationally otherwise, Roselle obeyed. Grabbing the traumatized Kairo by the collar of his shirt, they leave Edgar be.

Hardly minutes went by since they were made to leave, but Kairo fell knees first to the ground. Placing her hands upon each cheek, Roselle stared into his eyes. He was looking back at her, but it was like nobody was home. Roselle closed her eyes, leaned in and... kissed him.

This immediately awoke Kairo from his daze as his eyes widened while jumping back, leaning his back into a tree.

Wiping the back of his hand across his lips he questioned "What are you doing?!"

"You're regretful over what you did. That's normal. You feel remorse, good. But, don't let it eat you up." Roselle replied in an attempt to comfort him

Kairo frowned as he tried to hold back the water that misted over his eyes as he bit his lower lip while it trembled. Roselle knelt down and embraced Kairo in her cold pale arms.

"All I wanted was to go home. Not even a week and I made a mistake I can never take back. What if I end up doing something worse in the next world?" Kairo cried out his worries in Roselle's arms till he passed out.

With a single beam of the moonlight shining upon them, Kairo awoke. Realising he was still being held by Roselle all this while, he stood up embarrassed. With Roselle following suit, she broke into a smile noticing that he seemed better now.

Roselle leaned into Kairo's chest, while playfully tugging at his scarf she asked "Can you tell me something? You told me before that this scarf was what let you travel from this world to the next, but you never told me how."

While facing the night sky, he explained "It's actually pretty simple, all I have to do is pull my scarf from this end on my right shoulder."

Roselle sighed as she placed her right hand on his chest with her left hand on the end of Kairo's scarf. She forcefully pushed him backwards as she held one end of his scarf. As he fell backwards reaching his hands out trying to grab hold of her, his scarf unfolded itself. Going around his neck till the void black wing on his back took shape.

"Why?"

"I'll handle things here, my friend. Don't worry about me. Move forward and better yourself. Till we meet again!"

Before Kairo could let out another word, the dark feathers burst into the air and he was already in the next world.