Void Beast Box Set

by Matthew Jones

  I said Stop!

  Wrex threw TJ off of Torrent, and he went spiraling through the air, landing and bouncing across the grass of the field. There was blood matted to TJ’s fur from where Wrex had dug his claws into his chest. Kyo ran over, rubbing his paws together furiously, and placing them on the open wounds. TJ screamed out in pain but watched as the wounds quickly began to heal, and the blood dried up and fell away. He looked at Kyo and nudged his head with his nose in thanks before standing and walking towards the pile of beast being tended to by Wrex. Slowly Wrex stood turning towards TJ, his fists clenched and teeth snarled. He looked to the wolves on both sides to him and nodded. They took off towards the rooms, but TJ couldn’t watch for too long.

  That’s It. I’ll just kill you myself….and all your little friends.

  Chapter 11: Betrayal

  Explosions sounded in the distance, and the howls of injured wolves echoed through TJ’s head. He was attacking his own camp. TJ looked up as Wrex began walking towards him, his claws gleaming in the moonlight. Across his chest was strapped a chest plate with the full moon etched into it, a giant sword shining from his back. Wrex’s pack specialized in armor, and they used their strength to push their weapons during battle. TJ stepped back and braced himself for the impending battle.

  As Wrex steadily approached he pulled a giant metal bat from his side and grasped it in his titanium hand. He swung back quickly and put all his might into the blow. TJ teleported to the side and winced as the edge of the bat slammed into his shoulder blade. He quickly moved behind Wrex and scratched him across the back, watching as blood trickled down. Wrex turned straight-faced and swiped TJ across the chest with his metal arm, throwing him high in the air. TJ closed his eyes and teleported before landing back in front of Wrex, grabbing his bat and breaking it into pieces with his strength.

  A high-pitched squeal came from the side, and TJ looked over and Kyra was taking blows from Torrent. Before he could turn back, Wrex had reached back, and TJ felt as his solid balled up paw connected with his face, blood flying from his lips. He fell backward onto his back and looked up, rolling to the side quickly as Wrex’s sword stuck in the ground next to him. He kicked Wrex in the chest pushing him backward and sprung to his feet. He let out a deep howl that echoed through the compound and charged forward at Wrex, catching his titanium fist on the side of the head.

  TJ teleported backward to give himself some space and began to pump energy further into his chest. He pulled a glowing black orb from his body and threw it as hard as he could at Wrex’s chest. As if he were laughing, a snort escaped Wrex’s snarling mouth, and he moved to the side, watching the black hole sail past him and crash into the chow hall. The wind began to pick up as the hole grew bigger, sucking the building into its black abyss. TJ could feel his body being pulled directly towards Wrex who was standing in front of the black hole. He shook his head, his ears still ringing from the last blow and clapped his hands together loudly. The black hole shut with a crash, causing debris to pepper the area.

  Without warning, Wrex started running directly at TJ, tired of the games and ready to end him. His speed was faster than TJ had been on his best day and he was too quick for him to react. Wrex’s titanium infused body hit TJ at full force knocking him ten feet in the air. Wrex watched as his bruised and broken wolf body came crashing down in the middle of the field. He undid the armor on his chest and walked over, standing over top of TJ. He waited a moment until TJ’s eyes had cleared from the impact and howled loudly as he held the titanium plate high over his head. TJ’s eyes went black and the th0ught of Wrex’s hatred for him and his father. Energy began pulsating through every vain, and his muscles in the stomach. His fur stood on end as the air flew from his lungs and TJ watched him soar through the air, and land with a thud almost a hundred yards away.

  We have to get out of here. Leave him.

  TJ looked up at the sound of Kyo’s voice. Fire flew from McKenna’s paws showering Wrex’s men with amber and pushing them back. TJ ran from the field to the top of the hill where what was left of Wagner’s pack stood, Wagner and Kyra, covered in bruises and blood. He looked out over the burning compound, bodies of wolves strewn across the grass. Anger began to boil inside of him.

  Go! I’ll hold them off. McKenna cried out to the pack. TJ looked down at Wrex as he struggled to his feet. The Void Beast began to howl, his claws digging firmly into the dirt as he contemplated ripping Wrex’s head from his shoulders with his new-found strength.

  Let him go. We have to save the others.

  Wagner’s voice was stern but forgiving, and TJ allowed his muscles to relax, finding that he would one day get his revenge. Wrex howled in anger as TJ turned his back to him, but he was too weak to chase after them. He held his shield high in the air, and his pack let out a deafening wale.

  Wagner, Kyra, get everyone to my house. I’ll trail the back in case they chase us. We will regroup there, where it is safe.

  Wagner and Kyra howled in approval and took off into the woods. TJ stood there for a moment watching McKenna force waves upon wave of fire at Wrex’s pack. He looked down at the colossal giant and the two met eyes.

  I am not done with you, TJ. By the end, you’ll be joining your father.

  I look forward to it. TJ growled as he sent his final message before turning and disappearing into the woods. His Void began to kick in, and within seconds he had caught up with the pack. He slowed his pace wanting to watch for followers. The sounds of McKenna’s howls struck the running pack in their chests, and they all stopped for a moment to listen further. But there was nothing but silence.

  Come on everyone. We have to put distance between us. With those words from Kyra, the pack began their run once again.

  However, one thing wolves never do is forget. TJ felt the Void Beast stronger than ever, and at that moment, he vowed to not rest until he found revenge.

  Chapter 12: Unstoppable

  The wind moved quickly through TJ’s blood covered fur. His anger had dissipated slightly, and now he was determined to just get everyone back to his house and set up a perimeter. They stopped periodically to check the wounded and make sure no one was following, but it seemed a chase was not on Wrex’s mind today. Kyo did his best to heal the wounds of the pack without exhausting himself to the point where he couldn’t keep up. Though there were some pretty gruesome injuries, none were life threatening. Instead, the heart-wrenching scene of their fallen brothers was stained into every single one of their minds. That in itself was almost debilitating.

  The moon had almost disappeared by the time the pack had reached the edge of the city. Some of the less experienced Wolves were struggling to keep their human form at bay before they reached the sanctuary of the manor, so they picked up the pace. Through the gates each wolf went, a look of exhaustion crossing their furrowed brows. They all waited until they had crested the hill leading down to the house before giving into the rising sun and shifting back into their human forms.

  TJ, Wagner, Kyra and even Kyo had experience in calming their humans, and they stood watch at the doors as each pack member crossed the threshold of the house, taking a blanket from the closet as they moved towards the common area. Once the last person had entered into the house, TJ shut the large wooden doors and locked them tightly. Wagner stood in front of the sealed entrance whispering enchantments that would help protect them until they could get their strength back. Wagner, Kyra, Kyo, and TJ moved into the study after changing to their human form before addressing the pack.

  “We all need some rest,” Kyra said looking at the three men before her. “Mentally and physically.”

  “Agreed,” Wagner said, speaking for the first time since they left the burning compound. “We are going to need food. I don’t usually use magic for these types of things, but I don’t think we have much of an option at this point. I’ll ready a feast for everyone.”

  “And I’ll start making rooms habitable for everyone,” Kyo said looking to TJ for approval. He nodded
his head and tossed him a huge ring of keys that would unlock the trove of unused rooms on the second floor.

  “I’ll attend the injuries,” Kyra stated. “Well, at least the physical ones. The rest will take time.”

  Wagner patted Kyra on the shoulder as she walked out of the study after Kyo. He turned and looked back at TJ, a tired and weathered expression on his face. He walked forward and looked at a picture of TJ’s father on the wall and sighed.

  “You know,” Wagner said slowly. “You were a true warrior today, son.”

  “I had no choice,” TJ said trying not to take praise. “Our lives were at stake. I will avenge every single one of our fallen brothers.”

  “Revenge will only darken your heart,” Wagner whispered. “But it was nice to feel your father’s presence once again. You are your father’s son.”

  TJ sat down at the desk in the study and picked up a picture of his dad and him from when he was a child. He honestly felt his father was with him when he was fighting Wrex. It was almost as if when he took his powers, he took part of his father as well. He sighed and put the picture down, shuffling out into the hall. He could hear the sounds of chatter from the dining room and walked to the door where Wagner had prepared quite a feast. Though the mood was still solemn, it looked as though some food had breathed a little bit of life into the weary hearts of the pack.

  He grabbed a plate of food and walked back out into the hall, picking up a t-shirt and jeans that were sitting by the door. TJ dressed quickly and took his food down to his father’s office in the basement, the place he felt most at home. As he walked around the room staring at different artifacts and books, a new-found understanding of his father’s relics began to become apparent. He hadn’t understood his powers until just the last 48 hours, and now all the books on teleportation, space, and physics made a lot more sense to TJ. His father always was a man who believed the more you knew, the stronger you would be.

  TJ leaned down and picked up a binder from the floor. He still hadn’t cleaned up the mess from when his father was shot. He sat down in the desk chair and took a bite of the turkey leg he had brought downstairs and begun flipping through the pages. They were the same words that were in the notebook from the compound. His father had created a copy of the journal he himself had written at a young age. The information proved to be immeasurable in value to him over the last couple of days, and he knew without it, he wouldn’t have understood what he did about his powers.

  He set the binder down and smiled. His father was always one step ahead of him on everything. He knew TJ would need that guidance when he went to training and he made sure to get it to Wagner before he died. TJ sat wondering if his father had seen his own death coming with his power of foresight. He couldn’t imagine, though, that his father would choose to let it happen if he could have avoided it.

  TJ shook his head and leaned back in the chair, looking out across the field through the window. The sun was coming above the horizon and the morning dew had begun collecting on the leaves and the grass reflecting light like a prism. The fog seeped across the fields, slowly evaporating as it crossed from the shadows into the light. A deep howl echoed through TJ’s ears, and he knew, it may not be today, but Wrex was coming for him. Whatever his father had done was just impounded tenfold by TJ’s actions, and he wasn’t the least bit sorry for it.

  There would one day soon be a meeting of the two. A battle to put in the history books. This time, though, TJ vowed to be unstoppable.

  Chapter 13: The Pack

  The gravel crunched under TJ’s dark black boots as he stabilized his entire body and readied himself to produce a black hole. It had been two weeks since the shifters had arrived at the mansion, and though it took a bit for everyone to get into a routine, the pack now moved seamlessly through the day. Training had started the day after they arrived, the Elders, now including TJ, believed it was necessary since they didn’t know when or where Wrex would attack again. All the training, though, had done wonders for TJ’s ability to control his powers, as well as, learn about the new ones that had developed. He was now at a point where he didn’t even have to shift to produce a black hole, create dark matter, or teleport.

  Kyo and Wagner had stayed at TJ’s side almost every day and allowed him to use them to practice teleporting multiple people at one time. He had gotten pretty good at it, though, the first couple times Kyo’s power of healing definitely came in handy. The long days of training may have seemed monotonous to some, but TJ was more than happy to have the time and teachers to train. He even had discovered a few new abilities like creating objects from out of his dark matter. Whatever the outcome, this time with his new pack was definitely good for TJ.

  As he breaths in heavily and pulls the energy of his body towards his chest, the air around the shifters blows, and the other wolves pull back and watch. TJ is still in his human form and finds that his ability to control his powers without shifting allows him to also wield a weapon, something that will come in handy when facing Wrex again. Though wolves are agile, weapons, if not trained properly can hinder more than help.

  TJ took in a deep breath and pulled the black spiraling orb from his being and threw it to the open space in the field. He put his arms out controlling the size and strength of the hole. It fought him for power, but he blocked each attempt it made to grow wildly out of control. As the power pulled at the shifters around him, he threw his arms to the side and put up blockers. The invisible force fields allowed TJ to aim the massive energy of the black hole exactly where he wanted. He had learned this after accidentally sucking his shed into the dark abyss. The wind picked up and blew the leaves around the shifters, the glow of the moon casting wild shadows all around them.

  “Now!” yelled out Wagner.

  At the sound, TJ swung his arms wide and then slammed them together, the edges of the black hole following until, it too, slammed shut. Everything whirling around the weightlessness of the black hole fell to the ground, and the other shifters stood silently for a moment watching as the energy sank back into TJ’s chest. He opened his eyes and looked up at Wagner.

  “Well done,” Wagner said laughing and clapping. “It seems you have mastered your black holes.”

  The other shifters, now all back in human form, began clapping wildly, mock howling in their human voices. He waves shyly at them and walks over to Kyo, who is standing next to Wagner. He claps TJ on the shoulder chuckling.

  “For a while there I thought we’d all end up dead from your powers,” Kyo said jokingly.

  “Don’t count your chickens, Kyo,” TJ chuckled rubbing his shoulders. He quickly realized how sore and hungry he had become from working all day in the fields and then training until after midnight.

  “Is there food?” TJ asked as the three made their way back to the house.

  “I’m sure Wagner can muster up some of his magic cuisines,” Kyo replied.

  The men went inside, greeting Kyra as she passed them in the hall. Her shoulder was covered in a bandage, and she winced each time she took a step. An unfortunate accident when dealing with some of her own powers.

  “How are you, Kyra?” TJ stopped to ask out of respect.

  “Oh, just waiting on Kyo,” she smiled. “I had a run-in with my own magic today, had a branch fall right on me.”

  “Ouch,” TJ flinched. “Well, I’ll send Kyo up to your room.”

  “Let him eat first,” she said climbing the stairs. “He hasn’t stopped healing us all day. I’ll be okay, I’ve had worse.”

  TJ nodded and walked into the dining room where Wagner had used his magic to whip up a quick dinner for the three of them. While Wagner didn’t seem impressed, TJ chuckled at the fact that he ate better with a bunch of wolves in the house than he did when he lived alone. The men sat quietly as they ate, hunger overtaking them as soon as the smell of the food hit their noses. Once done, the three sat back, and Wagner magically cleared the table.

  “So,” Wagner said sitting back down when finished.
“What are your plans for the rest of the night?”

  “I am getting some sleep,” Kyo answered patting his belly. “How about you, TJ? It’s been a couple of days.”

  “No,” he said leaning forward, lost in thought. “I think I want to take a run, as a human. You think you can juice me up?”

  “Sure, dude,” Kyo replied. “But eventually you’ll have to get some sleep.”

  During some of Kyo’s healing practice at the mansion, he accidentally realized he could re energize the other shifters. TJ was ecstatic about the idea of not having to go to sleep and getting in that extra training. He had asked Kyo almost every night, and probably hadn’t slept for about a week, though Kyo didn’t remember it had been that long. Kyo stood and walked over to TJ, who was still sitting in the chair. He rubbed his hands together quickly and placed them on TJ’s shoulders. A tingling sensation shot through TJ’s body, and when he opened his eyes, he felt as if he had slept an entire 8 hours or more.

  “Thanks, man,” he said to Kyo. “Oh, and please stop by Kyra’s room. She looked like she was hurting pretty badly.”