Void Beast Box Set

by Matthew Jones

  Yasenia moved quickly, lining the Ravagers up in ranks and telepathically barking orders to them. Korvo watched his troops fall into formation and walked over next to Yasenia. They stood looking out over the sea of wolves they had managed to recruit, smiling at their accomplishments.

  “It’s time that we ended this feud,” Korvo whispered to Yasenia.

  “I couldn’t agree more,” Yasenia responded, her jowls dripping and a growl coming from her chest.

  With that they began their march through the woods, the moon looming high and bright overhead. The sounds of claws digging into the leaves echoed through the canopy of the trees. The wind blew through the forest and out into the cityscape beyond them. The zombies began to form into ranks and march along, guided by a mysterious force they didn’t understand, but never questioned.

  Back at the mansion, the wolves trained from sun up until sundown, knowing that it wouldn’t be long until Korvo returned. TJ’s body was calm, lying on his bed with Kyo at his side wondering when he would return. Wagner stood on the balcony of the mansion watching the wolves train, an eerie feeling seeping through him. He looked up at the unguarded moon and took a deep breath. He could feel the Ravagers growing closer, and he knew if TJ didn’t wake up, he would be lost to Korvo’s grasp.

  The war was coming to TJ’s doorstep, conscious or not.

  Chapter 21: Thirst and Revenge

  Denise moved her arms into the motion of the zombies, testing her abilities out while trying to find a way to increase their skills. Sweat poured down her forehead as the afternoon sun beat down on her. Ever since her change, she didn’t take the sun too well, just like the zombies she was attempting to control. They didn’t seem to like the heat, and she had a difficult time keeping all of them in sync as they sought to move towards the forest. She let her arms fall to her sides and watched as the zombies stopped running, still caught in her force.

  She walked toward the mansion, more tired than most since the wolves seemed to be able to carry on for longer periods of time without rest. The mansion was cool, almost frosty cold and she wrapped her sweatshirt over her shoulders as she moved into the kitchen to grab some water. Kyo looked up, sleepy-eyed from his cup of coffee and nodded at Denise before standing.

  “Hey buddy,” Denise said, trying to be comforting. “Taking a break?”

  “Wagner is up there,” Kyo stated wearily. “I was just going back up.”

  “I’ll join you,” Denise said, grabbing a glass of water and walking quietly alongside Kyo.

  Denise moved to the side, right inside the doorway and nodded at Kyra who was standing next to Wagner. The room was silent, and the four stood watching TJ, an odd look of peace spread across his face. Wagner waved his hand over an empty bowl, using his magic to fill it with water. He dipped the cloth in the water, wrung it out, and placed it back on top of TJ’s head.

  “He doesn’t seem to be fighting,” Kyra stated, looking down at him. “That’s a good sign, right?”

  “It depends,” Wagner said turning to the wolves. “If Korvo is on the hunt he is coming for TJ. Wherever he is, he is not alone. We need him to come back.”

  Kyra and Wagner turned quickly toward the window at the sound of a massive crash. The walls shook, and the lights flickered. Outside they watched as Korvo teleported into the compound, scraping his large gloves against the magical shield, and watching it crumble and crack, disappearing into the earth. The large metal gates flew open, and Yasenia stood on the other side, hordes of Ravagers standing behind her. The shifters practicing in the field ran toward the mansion, unsure of what the next move was. Wagner turned calmly toward Kyra, Kyo, and Denise, taking a deep breath before starting to speak.

  “Kyo, I want you to stay here with TJ and keep an eye on McKenna next door,” Wagner said, looking around for Denise who had already run from the room. “Kyra, get the wolves ready, we fight and hope beyond hopes TJ can pull himself from this spell.”

  Kyra nodded and closed her eyes, transforming into her wolf and telepathically calling out to the wolves downstairs. Wagner ran from the room, changing as he stepped, letting out a deep growl as he approached the front door. Kyo raced to the window and looked down as Korvo stood in the middle of the yard, his long sworded gloves glimmering in the sunlight. Yasenia had made her way to the front of the house, and Denise stood on the balcony looking down at her, her arms stretched out as the zombies moved in closer.

  Kyo growled, having turned into his wolf in case he needed to fight to protect TJ. The sound of Korvo’s voiced echoed through his head, and Kyo watched as the other shifters looked toward the cloaked Ravager. He put his arms high into the air, readying his troops.

  “I have come to finish what I started,” Korvo bellowed. “By the end, TJ’s heart, and all of his powers will be mine, and you wretched little wolves will never stop me.”

  With the end of his words, Denise leaps from the balcony and lands in front of Yasenia, looking up with a small smirk on her face. The zombie's snarl and gurgle around them, moving in closer and closer to Yasenia. Denise puts her arms out to halt the undead and Yasenia smiles, crouching into a fighting stance.

  “Well let’s get on with it. I came to finish what you started,” Yasenia stated through gritted teeth.

  "I don’t know about that, you sure?” Denise said, standing and brushing her hands together. “You did a terrible job last time.”

  Yasenia growled low, and the zombies moved in for the attack. She swung out, using some of her Ravager strength, in human form, to push them back, and sever their heads from their bodies. She reached back behind her back and pulled two silver swords from their straps and cut through the zombies.

  “Oh, nice, you brought help this time,” Denise said laughing, drawing in zombies faster than Yasenia could cut them down.

  Denise stood back and watched as the zombies began to crowd Yasenia, her human form too slow to take them on. Quickly she was overcome by the hordes, and her face faded from view. Denise stopped, looking into the crowd, cautious of what she would find. Suddenly a burst of energy shot out, and Yasenia shifted into her Ravager, throwing the piles of zombies from her and cutting their heads off as they flew. Denise, too close to the crowd, tripped backward and put up her arms as Yasenia smiled her gnarly toothy grin and swung her sword down, sending Denise’s head rolling from her shoulders.

  The zombies, no longer under Denise’s control stopped immediately and dispersed toward the woods. Yasenia wiped her swords against her fur and growled as she moved toward Denise’s headless body. As she approached, Denise’s limbs began to twitch, her muscles spasming and contorting. One arm reached forward through the blood and grabbed the severed head, rolling it toward the gaping wound on her neck. As Yasenia watched, her large wolf eyes growing bigger, the skin moved over the tattered flesh on Denise’s neckline, reattaching her head to her body. Denise bent her arms and placed her palms on the ground, lifting her reanimated body from the pool of blood beneath her. She slowly turned toward Yasenia and opened her ice blue eyes.

  “Huh, didn’t know I could do that,” Denise said tilting her head from side to side, stretching her neck. “Guess your father went above and beyond.”

  Across the field droves of shifters run forward, leaping toward Korvo. Wagner watches as he teleports from side to side, touching the shifters on the shoulders and stealing their powers. As he turns back toward the wolf who he just acquired the gift of wind from, he pushes a gust of air from his chest, hitting the shifter and sending him spiraling through the air and into the side of the house. He retracts his gloves, chuckling as the young wolves continue to push forward, falling to their fate at his hands.

  A large black wolf takes off across the field, moving quickly toward Korvo. He possesses the power of strength and reaches his large hairy arms out as he gets closer, attempting to plow Korvo off of his momentum. Korvo growls playfully, teleporting to the other side of the wolf and tapping him on the shoulder, stealing his power. The wolf turns around
and watches as Korvo rears back and punches the wolf in his shoulders creating a blast of energy and driving the wolf into a crater in the soil below him. The wolf looks up at Korvo in fear as he realizes his powers are gone. The Ravager kicks dirt in the wolf's face and walks forward teleporting left and right, and growing closer to the mansion with every move. Wagner looks up at the window where Kyo watches.

  Kyo slams his furry paws against the glass and howls out, transforming back into his human form. He runs to the bed and begins to shake TJ, yelling loudly. TJ’s face starts to contort at the motion.

  “TJ,” Kyo yells out. “Wake up. We need you. Korvo is here. Wake up!”

  The energy and sound waves from Kyo’s pleas echo through the air and into the distance. He looks down at TJ’s motionless body and begins to whisper in his ear. Kyo doesn’t know what else to do, but he knows if he doesn’t wake TJ from his unconscious state, he will be doomed to Korvo’s metal grasp.

  Chapter 22: Breaking the Force

  TJ rubbed his eyes and looked around at the bulging energy. His father stopped mid- sentence, noticing the violent change in the movement of the realm around them. TJ dropped to his knees, pulling his hands to his ears, as voices, growls, and whimpers echoed through the space. He recognized the voices immediately as his pack and looked up as his father who seemed bewildered. Kyo’s voice sprung from the muffled sounds, his outcry for TJ piercing TJ’s thoughts.

  “Wake up,” Kyo’s voice said, traveling along the now red and blue energy waves.

  “He’s there,” TJ said, standing and looking at his father. “Korvo, he’s there.”

  “He is coming for you,” his father shouted above the noise.

  “I somehow got here, there has to be a way back,” TJ said racing forward toward his father. “Think, dad. What could be so compelling as to allow me to pierce the void.”

  “Son, you’re talking about power stronger than death,” he said, backing up and shaking his head. “There’s no power greater than that. You cannot stop it, and you cannot change it.”

  “That’s not true,” TJ said stepping forward. “Korvo can bring people from the brink of death. We can fight death and beat him at his own game. We are stronger than him, or he wouldn’t be trying to steal my powers.”

  “That’s not power it's trickery,” TJ’s father said walking quickly back toward the gathering of his family. “Wait. That’s it.”

  “What? What is it?” TJ ran behind his father as he moved quickly, gathering the others into a large circle.

  “We may not be more powerful than death, but the realm holds the key,” his father said, speaking once again in riddles. “If we can gather our power together and pull from the void realm it may be possible. If we could push Korvo back to your world, we should be able to do it for you.”

  “Let’s do it then,” TJ said standing up straight.

  “But son,” TJ’s father said, putting his hand on his shoulder. “We don’t know what it could do. It could kill you, or trap you between worlds.”

  “If I die I end up back here. If I go somewhere else, well at least we tried,” TJ said with a soft tone. “I can’t sit here and let Korvo take my powers. The world will be over if that happens.”

  “I’m proud of you son,” TJ’s father said, a tear in his eye.

  “It’s time,” TJ’s grandfather said, stepping forward and nodding at TJ.

  TJ’s father nodded back and turned back toward TJ, who was looking around him in fear. He grabbed TJ by the shoulders and pulled him close, hugging him one last time. TJ grabbed on to his father, not wanting to leave him behind, but knowing this was the only way.

  “Be strong,” his father said quickly. “And know, I am not gone. I am here watching you, sending you any help I can. We will meet again one day.”

  TJ nodded his head and took three steps backward, watching as his father joined the others. One by one they shifted into their wolves, TJ’s dad’s looking almost identical to his. They nodded one last time to each other before the group began to muster their powers, pulling the energy of the Void Realm inward toward them. TJ braced himself as the strength of the force field they were creating attempted to pull him inward. Slowly a large swirling ball of light began to grow above their heads. It lifted high above them, incandescent streams trailing down to their outstretched arms. Their eyes began to glow brightly, and with the light of the orb, all that could be seen were shining eyes looking back at him.

  TJ braced himself as they began to sway, moving the circle back and forth to pick up momentum. A loud growl burst from the group as they heaved back one last time, shooting the ball forward toward TJ. He watched as this massive swirl of energy flew toward him and at the last minute he reached his arms out wide, taking the orb in the chest. He braced for pain but instead only felt power as his feet lifted from the ground and he flew backward with the ball of light. The force pushing against him was almost unbearable, and he let out a growl as he sped through the Void Realm, watching the glowing eyes of his ancestors fade into the distance. TJ thought with the pushback he would begin to slow, but instead, the orb began to move faster and faster.

  TJ managed to turn himself around and watched as energy pulled from the dark spaces around him, adding to the magnitude of the ball. Faster and faster he sped through the space, the pressure so high he began to lose a conscious understanding of what was around him. Suddenly a hole began to swirl in front of him, reminiscent of the black holes he used to fight with. TJ screamed out, putting his arm in front of his head as the ball of energy released him, throwing him into the swirling black abyss. As soon as his hand touched the edge, everything went black.

  ***

  “TJ, please. TJ wake up,” Kyo screamed, watching through the window as Wagner lurched toward Korvo in the field below.

  Kyo set his hand down on the window sill as he peered out the glass, watching his brothers and sisters throw themselves into the fight. There were wolves everywhere; some were injured, licking their wounds, while others lay unconscious in the grasses of the field. As Korvo moved to strike against Wagner, the ground began to shake. The wolves stopped in their tracks and looked around as the faint screaming of TJ could be heard echoing through their minds. Kyo looked up at the shaking light fixture and over at TJ. Suddenly a burst of energy moved outward with a loud crash, and TJ sat straight up in the bed.

  Dust floated through the air, and Kyo picked himself up off the ground, the burst of energy having knocked him down. He walked carefully across the floor toward the bed and stopped, waiting for the dust to fall and TJ to appear. As the rays of light showed the dirt floating downward, TJ stood next to the bed, his eyes still closed, his muscles bulging. He opened his eyes and looked at Kyo with a blank expression.

  “TJ,” Kyo said running forward and hugging him. “Man, I am happy to see you. Are you okay?”

  “Better than okay,” he said calmly. “I feel more alive and powerful than ever. Now, where is this pathetic Ravager.”

  “He’s out front, kicking our butts,” Kyo said looking over at the window.

  TJ walked over to the window and watched as Korvo teleported around Wagner, playing with him. Luckily Wagner was able to stay just out of his reach, allowing him to use his magical powers as a defense. Below them, Denise drove hordes zombies toward Yasenia, whose Ravager looked angrier than ever. Across the field Kyra, with the help of some of the other wolves, battled Korvo’s Ravagers, sending them flying into the fences. She was backing up as a group of Ravagers began to circle her, growling and snarling. Everyone had a look of determination, some driven by revenge, others by survival. Even the zombies seemed to tear and scream with a stronger passion than normal.

  “Make sure McKenna is safely locked in her room and then get out there and start healing,” TJ said, turning to Kyo. “And thanks for watching out for me. I’ll explain everything later, but right now I have a Ravager to take care of.”

  “It’s good to have you back,” Kyo said before racing off towa
rd McKenna’s room.

  TJ stood in the middle of the room grasping his fists and taking in a deep breath. As he closed his eyes, focusing on his powers, he could hear his father’s voice. He didn’t know if it were real or just a memory but, as always, he knew just what to say.

  “We work for all mankind, remember that TJ,” his father’s voice echoed.

  TJ opened his eyes and stood still for a moment before taking off toward the window in his room, the energy still attached to him, sending shockwaves with each step. He flew headfirst toward the glass grabbing his hammers, shards falling around him, and diving toward the ground. He rolled across the grass, coming to a stop on his feet. Korvo was standing over top of Wagner, the pointed tips of his gloves pressed against his throat. As the energy surged from TJ, Korvo looked up at him bounding from the glass covered grasses in front of the mansion, staring deep into his eyes. Korvo backed up and dug his feet in, ready for battle.

  “I’m getting what I came for, puppy,” Korvo growled from underneath his golden mask.

  “Then come and get it,” TJ responded.

  Chapter 23: Battle and Futures

  As TJ stepped forward, he followed Korvo’s eyes to his left, where a shadow aura floated next to him, ready to fight. TJ didn’t know if he had brought some of the energy of the Void Realm with him, or if the Realm had opened his powers up, but he felt stronger than ever. Korvo retracted his gloves and bent down, using his stolen powers to begin the battle. The wind began to swirl around him as he rose, lifting his arms high into the air and pushing a blast toward TJ. The shadow aura moved quickly around the gust and TJ teleported to the side, missing the blow. Korvo snarled and moved back, watching as TJ began to surge toward him.