The Last Umbrian

by Jason Buckland

  The world comes into focus and I find myself stood in the forest where everything began. The air is bitterly cold and frost clings to the ground and trees, the leaves shrivelling into crisps. Confusion sends me spinning wondering how on earth I got here and what happened to the weather. “Hello?” I shout receiving only a strange echo back, my voice twisted into a voice without emotion. “hello” a voice says behind me and spinning around I fall over my feet only to look up and be glad I’m already on the floor as I find a pair of red eyes peering into mine. The red eyes belong to a black wolf larger than any other I’ve seen but it’s faded like a ghost. The trees visible through its body. “Where am I?” I ask it not afraid just confused. Lost “you’re in purgatory” it says calmly as if death is no big deal “I’m dead” I gasp devastated. It can’t be over for me. Not yet “dying. There’s a difference” the ghost replies coolly and I’m lost for words. “So that’s it then. I have to wait here to die” I shout distraught at my early exit.

  “

  The world, the real world slowly comes into focus and just from the smell, sterile and full of chemicals I know that I’m not where I was a moment ago. Slowly sitting up I feel a pull on my arm and looking down find a small plastic tube connected to my skin. My first thought is to pull it out but I hesitate as I look down at my leg but I don’t find it. Instead I find my wolven leg only slightly covered by the hospital gown in in its slightly smaller than normal with my toes ending in claws instead of toes and I’m about to freak out when I remember what umbra said there is a price to paid. Looking around me trying to work out where I am I find myself alone in a room so white it makes my eyes hurt. The only furniture the bad I’m lying on and a door that blends into walls almost invisible. Unnerved I spring into action ripping out the tube and standing up and standing far easier than I had expected. My lycan leg a perfect fit “It’s good to see that you are awake” silver says walking through the door sounding genuinely concerned for my wellbeing. “Where am I?” I ask him certain I have nothing to fear from him “back home. I’m telling you it wasn’t easy to get you here.” He says smiling as if joking with a friend. His eyes though he tries not to keep falling on my leg. “ here put these on” he says picking up a bundle of clothes that escaped me before turning around to give me a bit of privacy as I pull on the clothes he gave me. As I do I get a chance to get a better look at what has become my leg. From toes to groin it’s now a lycans leg. “What happened to my leg?” I ask him already knowing but if I didn’t ask it would look strange “I don’t know. When you changed back your leg didn’t. I think I might be because of the damage that wolf done to it so it needed to heal.” He replies still facing the wall as I finish pulling up the pair of black combats he handed me surprised by how comfortable they are “Why save me? I’m the one that you wanted to get rid of” I continue confused by the change of heart as I pull on the perfectly white t-shirt and light brown leather jacket. “We haven’t been trying to get rid of you. We have been trying to help you. We sent alpha and Connor to try and stop them changing you. We sent them to keep you alive, to protect you” he says and I shake my head wildly “No. it can’t be...I stood by and watched them…..I helped…..” I scream. “You were lost, confused and that was our fault. Alpha and Connor knew the risk, knew the danger that they had put themselves in.” he says sadly the news of his death obviously arriving. “Connor’s alive. I let him go” I protest and silver smiles “I know. He’s the one that told me what happened. He’s also the one that rescued a couple of friends of yours” he says and I look at him shocked. “What? Who? ” I ask feeling terrible I hadn’t thought of my friend till now. “They are waiting for you outside. They haven’t moved since we brought you here, sat outside the door refusing to budge till you woke up.” He says and I get the feeling that there is something he isn’t telling me “how long have I been unconscious?” I ask dreading the answer “you’ve been here for two weeks Jason. We thought we had lost you a few times. You lost a lot of blood and even healing as fast as you do it was close.” He says and I’m overwhelmed. Two whole weeks of my life gone. Opening the door silver waits patiently for me to walk through and I’m just past the door frame when I’m wrapped in the familiar arms of Lucy sobbing into my shoulder and I want to return her hold so much it hurts. Looking over her shoulder I see Luke stood there dark black bags under his eyes. “I thought we had lost you” Lucy sobs over and over again each time breaking into a new set of tears “I told you. I’m not going anywhere” I sooth trying to calm the hysterical girl that’s stolen my heart but even as she lets go tears roll down her cheeks. “It’s good to see you awake” Luke says the tone of his voice hard but the look on his face and the bags from lack of sleep say a thousand words. “Where’s Emma?” I ask looking at silver who stands behind me “who’s Emma?” he asks confused “the baby I had put in the car.” I tell him afraid that they had left the poor child there. “She’s with Connor and Elizabeth. She’s fine” he says and I breathe a sigh of relief. “What’s happened while I’ve been gone?” I ask eager to try and get up to speed on events but as the others exchange uneasy glances I get the feeling that it’s not good. “Humans and wolven kind are at war. First they took our own island attacking town after town, city after city turning everyone they could, killing those that fought back turning it into their own stronghold. The humans where slow to react first not believing it was real then debating and deciding rather than acting as your brother built an army. It took only a week for them to take the island then they started on the rest. Lycans and werewolves worldwide joined the fight attacking people in the streets believing they were following an Umbrian. Some countries didn’t even bother fighting and just accepted the demands eager to become more powerful.”
“And what were the demands?” I ask silver butting in the news shaking me to the core. “That everyone would submit themselves to become a lycan or werewolf.” He says and I surprised “but what does he gain from that?” I ask “everything. Everyone thinks he is the last Umbrian and will follow him blindly.” silver says sounding more intimidated than he would have liked to have let on “So what do we do know? We have to stop them” I declare thinking of all the people that are suffering. “We can’t stop them. It’s done or will soon be done. They have control of armies, police and media. All hunters have been branded criminals and rewards are on all our heads. They patrol the street looking for anyone human or any of us. We have tried to fight back. We failed.” Silver says dejected, resigning himself to his fate

  “We are leaving. There’s one tunnel that they would have missed the one Connor and alpha took to the forest. From there we can run find somewhere to disappear” silver says and I’m outraged. “You’re going to run away. The world is falling to pieces and you want to bury you head in the sand? Fine but I’m fighting” I declare and for one I see a smile one Luke’s face. “But it’s hopeless. Your brother has an army eager to gain his favour. There is only thirty of us” silver argue refusing to be made feel guilty. You can change people you know. You should build your own pack. The wolf ghosts words echoing in my mind and I realise what he meant. This is what he meant. “We have thirty Umbrians” I say under my breath and all eyes fall on me. “You said I’m the last pure Umbrian so if I turn anyone they will be umbrians too” I say and all he can do is nod “then let’s build our own army. It’s time to fight back” I declare “they might not want to.” Silver says still wanting to run “then that’s their decision not mine.” I reply not fussed at his objection. “Fine then you better come with me then ad tell them the news yourself” he says leading the way towards what is to become my army. Walking into the room they go from talking and joking to standing in attention waiting for orders from silver but they don’t get them. I break away from the group walking down the troop lined path. As I walk I can feel their eyes on my leg but it doesn’t bother me. “You all know who I am, what I am. You are here because you want to fight back. Defend humanity yes?” I shout to be met with a deafening “yes sir” their voices hard and powerful full of determination “I can help with that. I can make you invulnerable to silver, stronger than any other werewolf or lycan. What do you say do say? You want to become an Umbrian? Do you want to stand at my side and fight back?” I shout and for a moment no one says a word till one man steps out “it would be an honour to fight at your side” he says saluting at me in resect. Slowly more and more of them step forward without a word the action saying it all till every single person has stepped forward ready. “I will too.” says Luke stepping forward something I hadn’t expected “and me” Connor declares and I’m stunned but who am to refuse them. “What about us?” asks Lucy referring to herself, mum and Emma. “Stay here lock yourself in somewhere. We will come and get you when it’s safe” I tell her not leaving any time for questions as I change straight away leaving her to run and find the pair. The clothes silver gave me change with me the long black combats becoming shorts, the sleeves on the jacket disappear its fabric tightens clinging to my body like a second skin. No one move only rolling up their sleeves and holding out there arms ready I go from one to another in quick succession and one by one they fall holding their arms scrunching their eyes in pain as my blood battles with there’s. Even as they see the others fall no one falters determined. When I get to Luke I hesitate and he smiles softly “do it. For Ryan” he says and I see a glimmer of rage in his eyes as he says his fallen friend’s name. Without warning I drag my claw through his skin and like the rest before him he falls and then there is only one. Connor. “Bit of a mad journey we have been on hey” he says smiling though his arm is shaking with nerves. I don’t reply with words just nodding before changing him like the rest and for a few minutes all that fills the room is groans, moans and sobs of pain then one by one like caterpillars becoming butterflies they change. Their eyes a darker red than mine and their fur just an iota lighter and as they stand there all thirty two of them growling adjusting to their new found bodies I change back only my leg stays the same the way it will for the rest of my life.

  “Do not attack till I say so. With luck they might be smart and realise who I am. Any death that can be avoided is welcome. But if they do fight, if they refuse to stand down then show no mercy” I say voice full of authority and I’m sure they will obey. They are my followers and I am their alpha. I am the alpha. Marching down the hallway towards one of the many exits I lead the way with Luke and Connor just behind me on either side only our footprints and the sound of hundreds of claws on the hard floor grace our ears and as I reach up to open the door I hesitate. Pressing my ear to the door even through the metal I can hear them on the other side. Two at the sides making small talk. Laughing about some man that had been stupid enough to fight back. “What is it Jason?” Luke asks wondering if somethings wrong. “Move back” I tell them and they step back a few feet leaving me enough room to move. Pushing the open switch the door opens with a hiss of steam and I can hear the pair on the other side jump to their feet. The door disappears and I don’t move stood there staring down the pair in front of me as they raise their guns. “ hands behind your head” one shouts a boy, barley an adult trying to sound strong but the tremble in his lip and the sweat rolling down his brow tell me a different story and I don’t move only rattling him further.
“ I said hands behind your head!” he shouts again thinking by raising his voice it will make me more compliant but I have no intention of surrender. “Look at his leg Chris! He’s some half breed. The alpha will want to see this” the second says and I move my gaze to him and he falls silent. Behind me Luke and Connor start to move forward I slyly signal them to stay there before then fly into action ripping the guns out of the pairs hands and knocking the pairs heads together only knocking them out before waving them forward as I move out the building and into the front garden looking out onto the rest of the estate that was once my home and find a crowd already heading our way maybe a hundred or so armed and fight hungry lycans and werewolves

  A vulgar man his stomach peeking out of his far too small filthy top. His hair is long shabby and greasy and as he walks towards me the air fills with the stench of smoke. “What are you? Some half breed?” the man laughs his breath smelling of smoke so terribly it makes me cough. “Are you the alpha of this pack?” I ask him ignoring his jibs but all he does is laugh a deep throaty laugh and jeer “you been living under a rock for the last few weeks. There is only one alpha. I’m just his humble beta” he laughs the crowd behind him laughing among themselves jeering and giggling like a pack of hyenas. “I’m going to give you this chance. Stand down. Let us leave and we will let you live” I say calmly but firmly and the man smirks his arrogance bigger than his common sense “ you are going to let me live?” he sneers getting right into my face his spit coating my face “ maybe I should just kill you now” he sneers and moving quickly he pulls a small silver knife from behind him and swings at my neck expecting it to slice straight through and to see me fall but when the knife hits my skin it doesn’t break the skin. It snaps in two. The blade snapped cleanly at the middle the fracture hitting the floor with a faint ting and everything freezes for a spit second and I hope that it’s enough to prevent a fight. That they will see that fighting will only end in one outcome as everyone else comes into view all armed all ready and panic fills the eyes of the once captures now prisoners. Some lose their courage and flee for the doors. A couple fall to their knees and beg for mercy but more dive in to fight. Human, werewolf and lycans charge at us the beta charging straight for me in werewolf form and all around us fur, claws and fangs fly. And blood. Lots of blood. the beta leaps at me flying through the air and without changing balling my human hand into a fist I punch straight timing it as he just gets into range and beneath my fist I can feel bone and fangs snap under my fist, the obnoxious beta laying in a crumpled heap at my feet. “Who’s next?” I growl the adrenaline rushing to my heart diving into the fight, the fight to begin the war.