Chapter VI: Abduction


Huddled around her while she wept, Night’s students were still recovering from the repercussions of the things they had seen, but more importantly trying to comfort Night. Though many meant well when they offered to hunt him down and have him answer for the things he had done, not so much to Fang, but what he did in front of their children and Night, Night merely shook her head and said no. At least she had the comfort of knowing that now she had people who cared how she felt; heaven knows that was not the case ten years before. But then perhaps that was just how time worked on people, the slow, and gradual but with certainty, change would happen. It was a war she fought over with herself, a hard won war though not without its share of casualties of which she had kept count, each and every one. Though the real hubris to all this was that it was all because of what Omega had done that she was able to climb from rock bottom to the top of the mountain. Omega on the other hand had taken a much slower and longer path. He had mentioned before that he had gone to war in that time. And like all wars, it changed people. For her, Night’s war had tempered her, making her the stronger person she was today, while Omega on the other hand had gone in the other direction. His decent into the dark morass of the same madness she had climbed out of and was plummeting ever precariously toward the bottom. So in the end who was she to judge? She had gone from monster to teacher whileOmega was now going from teacher to monster, and perhaps it was her turn to equal out this imbalance by helping him as he helped her in the past in hopes that history would not irreparably repeat itself.
“Who is he?” asked a teen mountain lioness who was recovering from the gruesome scene she had paid witness to.
“I don’t really know anymore...though I don’t think he knows either.” Night whispered forlornly with a sigh as she stared at the ground.
“Want us to smash his face in?” asked a teenage bear who popped his knuckles and bearing his fangs, Knowing that she need only say the word, he would tear this creature apart. Night only shook her head.
“No...I know you mean well, but there is nothing on this earth that could stop him, or help him except for me. I know he seems like a monster, but the Omega I know, the one I know he still is, is gentle, and smart and kind. He just doesn’t understand our way of life or maybe he’s just forgotten who he was.”
“He’s an outsider, he can’t be trusted!” said an inquisitive yet contemptuous fox who held to his younger kit brother.
“Now don’t say that, after all was I any different? If you recall not too long ago ,I was a frightened little girl who was the victim of a monster; you all said the same of me at the time. But then I changed, the monster was gone like a cancer. In time, together, you all and I, we mended what was broken and we became such good friends. In all that time, we made a vow, not so much in words as in our common idea, that we wouldn’t be quick cast judgments on others based on what we see in first impressions. I am sure he is just as scared as I was and doesn’t know any better. I will be the first to say that I had forgotten that vow, and though what Omega did wasn’t right from our point of view, he only did what he did because he felt a need to protect and that was how he did it.” Night said with resignation of regret that she was too quick to shun Omega, something he had never done. What a fool, what a hypocrite she had become. That in the ten years she had been freed, she had forgotten where she’d come from. In becoming complacent in her stringent rituals, her rules and her relationships, she had developed a holier-than-thou prominence, turning Omega away from her sight instead of helping him realize what he had done and explained the rules she had founded in her new life. Would she now turn him away after everything he had done for her in the past? Perhaps now she would never know, for he could already be on his ship and flying away and he would fly far, far away where she would never see him again...which was the real tragic irony, that when they first met she feared he would flee from terror of the Beast...perhaps now he had fled feeling betrayed, disgusted, and heartbroken.
Suddenly she was snapped out this train of thought when a young husky tugged on one of her wings in much the same way as a child tugs on a teacher’s dress to get their attention.
“Miss Night, maybe we can go find him together. Maybe he needs a hug so he won’t be so mean.” Said the white and grey husky pup. His large, brown eyes full of innocence and in a way, wisdom that only a child could conjure forth to which Night looked to the pup with a sad smile as she clasped her hands on his shoulders.
“You know what, I think you’re probably right. Maybe all he needs is a hug.” She said as she stood up, wiping the tears from her eyes as she looked to the class.
“Would anyone else care to follow? You can think of it as a tracking exercise if it’s any consolation.” She said as she waited for takers.
Very few stepped forth, obviously many were still afraid of this alien and what powers he possessed, and after all they had their families to think about. For those that did join were very young, naïve and a few whom felt they were invincible or at least enough to take on Omega if they got a good enough start on him. Others like a brash young mountain lioness, an idealistic fox, and the little husky who stood to see what they could do to help Night in what she wanted to accomplish. Within a few moments they set off into the woods, Night already getting a scent on Omega and the others followed her lead. The scent was different and a tad faint for it wasn’t organic or had some kind of natural odor or musk that could be easily tracked...it was a faint artificial scent, something more akin to the odor of ionized air akin to the odor after a lightning storm ionizes the air or a live wire being fried. So while it was strange, faint and the trail was a bit dodgy, they continued to bound onward, perhaps in vain as Omega could’ve already left but Night had to take that chance, giving up on Omega after waiting so long would be a mistake she’d find hard to live with if she at least didn’t try to find him, she could only hope that it might not be too late to mend things.
Though suddenly there came a scream, the young mountain lioness yelped as if she were in distress. Night knew this mountain lioness, she wasn’t one to be easily frightened, so for the moment she had to postpone her hunt to tend to one of her students, only to hear the cries of the others as they suddenly failed to produce themselves before Night suddenly was grabbed from behind. Night struggled and unbeknownst to her attacker, Night had a greater advantage of strength in both her arms and her wings as they forced themselves open in unison, creating a tension that broke her assailant’s grip over her as she quickly took further advantage of the moment while her mugger was dismayed by building momentum and unleashing it in a roundhouse kick, using the claws on her feet to inflict further damage. Though what should have been around where a face would be, it instead was in the chest which followed with a loud howl as she finished her rotation to discover who had snuck up on her. It was another large wolf, no doubt affiliated with Fang’s pack who grasped at the slash along his chest where she had scratched it as if to attend to the wound momentarily only to look to her with a snarling and growling face, a face she knew all too well, he would be out for blood now for sure. She knew the reputation of this pack, the horrible things they did, a powerfully notorious crime family like this would be expected no less. Fang was just an initiation, this one had been in for some time and it was obvious that the same trick wouldn’t work twice, he would not be fooled.
“Well well, pretty birds got some fight. That’s fine, I’ll have more fun when I clip your wings so pretty bird can’t fly away.” the large wolf sneered with eyes full of malicious intent.
“Where are my students? Tell me where you’ve taken them!” Night demanded as he circled her, she knew this maneuver. It indicated that he was getting a good look at her, partially for the looks of her sleek bodice but more than that, it was to find a weakness, a vulnerable spot he could take advantage of and put her in a scenario where the odds of escape were low. Night of course knew that unlike most predators or in this case prey, she had several contingency plans in such a scenario, her wings would make sure she made good in her escape without a doubt. But for the moment she had to play the wounded card, lull him into a false sense of security, perhaps he would tell her his plan as he figured she would either die anyway or end up in some other dismal fate and to her credit, her plan was beginning to pay off.
“Oh don’t you worry yourself none over them, we’re taking good care of ‘em. We’re taking them to the compound where they’ll make fine slaves or tasty snacks for the Boss I’d wager. But today’s your lucky day, see we have orders to take you in without a scratch, though that all depends...” the wolf said with a sickening smile.
“Let me take a wild guess, either I come along quietly or your boss can settle with me damaged. Though if that’s the case then why should it matter how I show up? I assume he has the same plans for me either way.” Night said crossing her arms, not allowing herself to look away from him for a moment as it would only take a moment’s lapse in judgment for him to make in on an attack if he so chose, the smell of bloodlust was almost overwhelmingly palpable with only retaliation the only deterrent at the moment.
“I’d be lying if I told you I’d prefer to let you go in one piece...all I need is just the wrong look, I’d take one quick swipe and I could tear you apart. The only reason I won’t is ‘cause our Boss would skin me alive if he found out I took a little bite.” He said, finding it hard not to drool at the very thought of sinking his teeth into Night, tearing a good chunk of flesh off of her. Obviously this pack had no problem with cannibalism so long as it sated their instincts and their hunger.
“So you are afraid of him then. Then you know your place then runt! You are talking to an Alpha-Female, you would dare threaten me?! If you think he is a problem, you haven’t seen me hunt!” Night growled as she rushed toward the wolf, though larger than she was, the giant was able to be brought down by her overwhelming kick to the solar plexus, knocking the wind out of him as he fell to the ground gasping, he body now in a crumpled heap as he was on his knees struggling to fill his deflated lungs with live giving air to which Night took a moment to kick hard at his throat, allowing for a crackling sound of his windpipe presently being cracked as he choked and wheezed in complete pain. It wasn’t that the windpipe was broken beyond repair, but the muscles in the windpipe contracting from inflammation. So it was apparent that he would die unless he got medical attention soon.
“I know you can still talk even after I almost broke your neck, and I might be willing to call an ambulance if you tell me the location of the compound.” She said as she waited impatiently for him the answer. But even while in excruciating pain, the wolf still relented, not willing to betray his master in knowing that the punishment for doing so would be worse than anything Night could dish up.
“Fine then, have it your way. Guess you’ve made your peace, hope Hell isn’t any worse than what your Boss could dish out because eternity is a long, long time to suffer for.” Night said as she walked away as the wolf now was having an almost religious intervention, fearing for his soul and how horrible it would be if he did die here alone.
“Wait!” the wolf strained. “Ok Ok! I’ll talk!”
“I knew you’d see it my way, now where are my students?” Night asked with her arms crossed, showing no emotion though in her heart she was already afraid that every second was making it closer to being too late to save them.
“At the abandoned Pool Hall at the east side of town in the outskirts! That’s all I know I swear!” The wolf wheezed, knowing that it would be too late either way, that was until he felt a sharp pain on his throat as something pierced through the layers of fur, muscle, membrane and cartilage as a tube like a pen casing was jabbed into his neck, allowing air to go in and out of his lungs with a sucking sensation through the small reed.
“That ought to keep you alive until you reach a hospital. We’re even now and you best hope we don’t meet again.” Night said as she left, now feeling slightly sick that she was now stooping to Omega’s violent ideology. The Id, the beast part of her thought that Omega had the right idea, that this was the only way to deal with people like these...but the other part of her, the true part of her knew that violence and vengeance only made people worse in the long run and that she would be no better than those that do the hurting. She could feel something dark in the pit of her soul arguing with her...it was the Beast, only now it was sentient. It could think and it had very dark thoughts indeed.
“Come now my sweet, we both know what you felt...it felt good to put that twerp in his place. Maybe your little boyfriend and I aren’t too different. Funny, at first I thought he was all pomp and circumstance, but I never would have imagined the little guy to tear apart Fang...oh, that was hot. Makes me wish I could’ve done that myself. He’s such a bad little boy.” Said a voice, a beautiful, silky, seductive yet evil voice...a voice to a face Night knew all too well...the Beast...only now she had changed. Instead of a brutish monster, she had evolved into a seductive version of Night, spawning red hair instead of purple and she had a more distinct bodice with wings resembling more of a dragon than of Night’s feathered variety, one that seemed to come straight from Hell’s second circle of lust. Night was somehow not surprised; she had long feared the beast may return, only she never anticipated something like this.
“No, we are nothing like you. We had our reasons for our violence; Omega’s was for my honor and mine for my children. Omega and I would never stoop so low to your level.
“Oh please dear, quit lying to yourself, you can’t deny that you secretly enjoyed that little spat. And incidentally, while we’re on the subject of our favorite Lhi’aan, in case you haven’t gotten your wake up call, your sweet little Omega’s changed darling. He’s seen an entire universe or haven’t you been heard? He’s fought in wars and you and I both have enough of a history to know what those pretty little wars do to people. It messes with their heads, makes them into pretty little blood-soaked monsters like me. War, destruction, chaos, it’s everywhere and in everyone sweetheart, and yes even in someone like you. You’ve only been denying the fact that I still exist under the assumption that you could put aside the past, but let’s face facts, I’m still here, in fact I was always there. All you did was just lock me with the other skeletons you’ve been hiding in your closet, pretending that when you locked me in your body that I simply didn’t exist. You thought after swallowing the key that it would just be a simple case of out-of-sight-out-of-mind. Yet while you’ve been living all content in your happy place with your little friends, I’ve been watching and I’ve been learning. I know lots of fun little secrets that you don’t.” she said at the last with a sing-song voice, taunting Night who knelt to the ground, holding her hands over her ears, her wings covering her body as she cried out.
“Stop it! Just stop it! You’re not real! I am the one in control here! You have no right, no reason to linger on! Why can’t you just die and leave me alone?!” Night grimaced, wanting to cry.
“Oh you know why, you just kept lying to yourself, thinking you could turn a blind eye to me. Sorry to say hun, but you can’t get rid of me because in the end I’m you. You need me, you can’t live without me because I belong to you...and you belong to me.” The Beast whispered in her languid, lithe voice that was smooth like silk but her words burned like acid as she walked around Night in her slinking gait. She had changed since Night locked her away; in fact looking at her was like looking into a mirror. “Like it or not, I’m here to stay my little sweet and won’t the world love me when I make my comeback. When I get finished, everyone will love me and you, well, you’ll be the one locked away in a dark corner of our psyche, but don’t fret, unlike you, I’ll visit from time to time and have a party, oh and you’ll be providing the music when I get to listen to you cry...you have such a pretty voice when you sing just like a jailbird.”
“Shut up! I am in control here, not you! Go back to the dark!” Night yelled out, wanting to get on with her life, wanting to move on and find her children and most of all, find Omega.
“Fine, I can take a hint, besides I’m bored anyway, you’re no fun. But before I go, just as a friendly reminder, I’ll still be watching you; maybe I’ll find a few more little secrets on your little boyfriend I can use, wouldn’t that be fun? Anyway, been nice chatting with you, glad we could catch up. We’ll keep in touch.” The Beast said as she turned to walk away, fading into the darkness.
Night was left alone at last, though she couldn’t say she was relieved, as a matter of fact, she was distraught with terror that chilled down her spine and made the hairs down her back and neck stand up on end. Night had speculated and long feared that the Beast would one day return; it was inevitable. As if the shock of her coming back this soon wasn’t bad enough, there had been a drastic metamorphosis. It was as if the stupid but destructive monster had evolved into a devious, manipulative demon to which if there were any indication that if there were a pecking order from one to ten of how dire things were now, she’d easily be at eleven. But now wasn’t the time to allow the crisis to distract her now, as bad as things were, she couldn’t forget that there were her students she needed to find and Omega, she had to find him.
Straining her willpower, she forced herself to get up, shaking off the last vestiges of fear as she began to try and find the scent of her students who had been kidnapped. Though that had been stopped short as suddenly she felt a sharp blow to the back of her head and her world spun and then went black...the last thing she saw were two large figures...they were probably the wolves sent to capture her...unfortunately for her, it worked.