Chapter 7 C7

REID:

As I try to settle in, I notice how the interior of the building is nothing in relation to the structure outside. The edges inside were smooth and not some oddly shaped design with no definite explanation. Feels like a roundhouse inside a square-shaped structure.

Where we are now is plain. And when I say plain, it truly is. Nothing of quality to show for it as they seemed to neglect anything that would make the room stand out.

I just have to overlook all that as I focus on the Elder who is comfortably seated and looking right ahead of us through those eyes that seem pretty dead. The pupils were not even part of the regulars and if I had any other conviction, I would say he is blind.

I'm totally uncertain about what to do. I have no idea if I am to speak first, judging by how the settings around here were. One thing I know now is that I have got some serious explaining to do once my father finds out that I visited the Elder.

'Hunter, should I go ahead and speak?' I mind-link Hunter who looks just as uncertain as I am.

'Don't know,' he responds, shrugging in reality as he does so. 'Perhaps we need to wait for him to come around,'

'Before you brought out the idea of coming down here, didn't you make enough research on this place?'

He gazes at me after my question. And I do not need him to respond to it because judging by his expression, he made no research. Goodness me, I wouldn't mind killing the bastard if things go wrong here.

I have to go through the safe path. So what I'm going to do is just sit and observe. Maybe it would kick into the Elder to speak to us first.

My patience runs out before it even began. And so I find myself speaking out, "Elder Griffith, may I speak?"

The Elder blinks continuously. And just after that, I notice that his eyes come alive. What state he entered now, I do not know.

"Alpha Reid," he calls my name, nodding slowly. "You may speak."

"Before I go into why I came here, how did you know I was going to show up here? Your supposed head warrior, Diana I presume, mentioned that while she was escorting my beta and me down to this place."

Being too observant, I notice how the Elder suddenly taps on his legs before he says, "Nature works in many ways. And I have a special connection with it. It was a gift the moon goddess bestowed upon me since the day I found a purpose in this life,"

"I see," I say, finding it a little sublime but choosing not to show it in my expression. I decided to put his gift to the test, though. "Since you knew I was coming here, then you should know what I came here for?"

He hums. "Just get on with it first,"

Okay, maybe I shouldn't be testing him. And with how Hunter stares at me when I look in his direction tells me that I shouldn't have done that.

"Well, Elder Griffith, I came here with my beta because there seems to be an issue beyond my reach. An issue that is definitely mysterious with yet no knowledge on how to deal with it. So after deliberating what to do, my beta suggested that we come to meet you because he believes you could help us out with it. And I am convinced as well that you could help us out with it,"

The silence that ensues after I state my 'yet to be explained' reason to him is filled with a lot of awkwardness. Especially judging that I have to go through a phase of personal conviction that I am doing the right thing.

Nervously, I adjust the jacket I have on. I just hope I do not get a change of mind before the meeting gets to a midpoint.

"I am sure you believe you are running ahead of your time,"

When the Elder says that to my hearing, I pause for a brief second to process that. Did I just hear him well? I guess not.

"Can you say that again?" I request, hoping he would adhere to it.

"You are a young alpha, Alpha Reid. So even if you do not want to admit it, you are going through a lot of speculations right now on whether or not you are doing the right thing by coming down here to seek advice on how you could go about the issue your pack is facing. If it was left to you, you would try to solve it yourself but then it is beyond your reach,"

The words came out slow. But they were enough to sum up just how I feel at the moment. How? Just how does he know all this about me?

"How can you tell all these about me?" I ask, obviously still confused about the whole thing.

"Never ask a gifted one like me about my source. Instead, ask how you will be able to gain from the source,"

At this point, I need nothing to tell me that I should not go on with presenting my pack's issue to him. So I proceed to start to explain to him.

"A few days ago, something otherworldly occurred. A whole household suddenly went missing with nothing to pinpoint their mysterious disappearance. At first, we thought it just happened to be that they were on an outing, but after listening to revelations from those around them as well as doing some investigations, we realized it has nothing to do with that."

"And how do you know it wasn't that?" Maybe I was overthinking things because I seem to notice that the Elder's voice was a bit shaky. Why would it be when I have not even given out a definite explanation?

"Well, Elder Griffith," I start to say, "the whole household was about to have a family dinner when the inevitable happened. But I wish there was evidence for us to establish what really happened to them,"

"Because there cannot be evidence!" as husky as the Elder's voice is, I could sense the terror in it.

And like that, I could see it now. The Elder was not being himself. His body was trembling so badly that I was starting to believe that he is convulsing.

Just as I am about to stand up to help him out, I feel Hunter's hands on me as he pushes me and holds me back from getting up to my feet. When I look at him, he shakes his head at me.

"What do you mean by that?" I ask as I look back at the Elder who is certainly going through a phase that I will not understand even if the explanation is presented to me.

"The prophecy..." although silent, I heard that clearly from the Elder.

"What prophecy?" I inquire.

"It is here. It is finally here. We have entered into the dark age and there is no way we are getting out of this," the panic in his voice is much too evident that it leaves an ounce of worry in my system.

But just as it comes in, I push it out. "Are you sure you are not thinking it the wrong way, Elder Griffith? What dark age have we gotten ourselves into?"

The Elder shakes his head at me violently. "You are too naive to understand what is going on,"

"I am not being naive here. I mean, what does a prophecy have to do with this? It's just a wipeout that we are trying our best to solve. That is why we are here because we believe you can help us with this,"

"You want my help, yet you choose to question my justification. I do not think you really need my help, Alpha Reid."

A sigh makes its way out of my lips. "I'm sorry," I apologize for my insensitivity. "Please carry on,"

"What is coming your way is bigger than what you think it might be. You think the mysterious disappearance happened just because of a little act or something. But I am telling you now that it is something you have no idea of. Something much bigger than your understanding,"

"Then bring it to my understanding, Elder Griffith. Make me understand what is going on."

And like that, the Elder slowly goes up to his feet. When he does I notice that his eyes seem dead like they had been when we had first arrived in here with him. And frankly speaking, I have no idea what is going on here. Or what might be the issue on ground. Did I come here for something bigger than expected?

The Elder eventually speaks. "It is too late to make you understand because it is upon us now. And right now, I can feel it. It is out of its hiding place, ready to create havoc on the unaware. Ready to devour on the weak. And ready to wipe out the existence of those that come from Selene, the moon goddess."

If this was meant to make me scared, it was working because I am shit scared at the moment. An unimaginable aura starts to overwhelm me and maybe it is just me but I feel like a weight was right on my shoulder.

I turn to look at Hunter to see that he is reacting the same way I am. The fear was apparent in his eyes. The fear of the unknown. And what if the unknown becomes known, how will he cope? How will I cope?

"It is here..."

Right after when the Elder says that in all eeriness, I get mind-linked. And by where it was coming from, I could tell it was by the pack's head warrior.

'Alpha... Alpha... It has happened again!'

'What are you talking about, Ryu?' I ask, sensing the panic in his voice.

'Another disappearance has happened. And this time, we might know the reason for it!'

I gape in surprise. And not at the fact that the mystery was in motion, but that it seems the Elder might be right.

Something bigger than what I think is upon us.