Albrecht pulled Evan up from his sitting position. “You've got to decide this one. He’s not getting up anytime soon. I’ve got reinforcements coming. We need a battle plan before they get here. ”
“Reinforcements? " Evan said. “From where? ”
"All over, ” Albrecht smiled. “We got back to the North Country and heard about your war party up here. I gathered an advance group and hopped up to the Winter Wolf Sept; they told me where you guys had gone. I left orders for troops to gather from all over and follow me. They should be arriving sometime soon. ”
Evan looked at his packmate, eyes wide. “But I couldn’t get the other tribes to budge. They all have their own problems. ”
“Still do. But I sent out a rousing call to arms that won some of them over. Not all of them, but enough. Look, ” Albrecht said, facing Evan. “I don’t know what’s happening in the material world now with your camp. These guys might just be the vanguard of more crazed warriors. ”
Evan shook his head. “Then why haven’t others come over yet? No, it was my fault. Every time I shot an arrow at that thing, it hit a Garou in the material world. Don’t ask me how; I’ve got no idea. ”
Albrecht frowned. “Maybe you’re onto something here. ” He looked down at Evan’s knife and arrow, both stuck in the ground. “Maybe you got the heart... or maybe you only got something that looks like the heart. ”
Evan’s eyes widened again and his mouth dropped open. “A ruse? That means its heart could still be somewhere around here. Damn it! It used this thing, " Evan kicked at the remains of the dead heart, “to fool me. It’s so damn obvious! Why would its heart look like a real heart? ”
Albrecht shrugged. “I don’t know. I can’t see what you see. But you’ve got to figure out where it is hiding. ”
Evan nodded, looking around, scanning the landscape. Albrecht walked over to his soldiers. “I’ll be right back, kid, ” he said. “I got to check on my unit. ”
Evan looked at the bodies of the fallen Garou. He wondered if it was hiding in them. Maybe that’s why their rage lasted so long—they were possessed. But if that was the case, why couldn’t he see the spirit here in the Umbra?
He reviewed what the banetender and the ancestors had said, supplemented by Aurak’s discussion. The Heartsplinter had possessed the king-slayer Garou long ago. He remembered Crying Bird’s words: It has been free since the king-slaying. The Uktena only captured its heart. Its tendrils have always touched the descendants of those who participated in that slaying. You are the Healer of the Past. You must set things aright. You must atone for your ancestor’s wrongs.
Evan felt a lurch in his stomach and a chill up his spine as he realized what the ancestors had told him but which he had refused to see. The Heartsplinter touched the descendants of the slayer. Evan had to atone for her wrongs. He was the descendant of the slayer. He could see the Heartsplinter because it was in his blood. He wasn’t its nemesis—he was its progeny.
He looked over at Albrecht and felt a terrible loneliness as he realized what he had to do. He watched his packmate slap his warriors on the shoulders, praising their battle skills and bolstering their morale. He smiled weakly. He would miss Albrecht.
He pulled his dagger from the ground and took a deep breath. Then he stabbed it into the Heartsplinter’s heart, driving it into his own breast.
• • •
“My king! ” Erik Honnunger cried, pointing to Evan Heals-the-Past, who had just driven a knife into his own heart and then collapsed into the snow.
Albrecht bolted over to his fallen packmate, a choking growl of worry escaping his throat. He bent down over Evan and looked at the wound. “Healer! ” he cried.
Hardtooth ran up to Evan and placed his hands on his chest. The boy was already pale and growing cold, his breathing faint. He carefully extracted the knife, which had gone in deep, puncturing an aortal valve, and called upon his spirit power to heal the wound.
The flesh knitted itself but Evan came no closer to consciousness. His breathing grew more faint.
Albrecht howled in anger.
• • •
Evan opened his eyes. The mist was gone. The landscape revealed only snow, marked here and there with prints and the impressions left by combatants’ bodies, but there was no one else near.
He stood up, surprised at the lack of pain in his chest. He looked down and saw that the wound was gone.
A bark of greeting startled him and he looked up to see a gray-furred wolf sitting nearby, watching him. He didn’t recognize her.
She stepped forward, shifting into wolfman form, and Evan realized who she was.
“Thank you, ” she said, shifting into human form. Her skin was dark olive, her hair long and black. “For finally reversing my wrong. ”
Evan nodded slowly. “The king-slayer. What is your name? ”
She shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. My name should be forgotten. You have healed our family’s wound. ” She turned and walked away, gesturing across the snow. “Come. It is time to return to the ancestors. ”
Evan nodded. “So it’s all over then? The Heartsplinter is gone? ”
“Yes, ” she nodded, beckoning Evan. “It died with your sacrifice. ”
He could see four wolves now, coming toward him from the direction she had indicated. Crying Bird, Swift Talker, Ironpaw and the Child of Gaia whose name he still did not know. They stopped, as if waiting for him.
Evan sighed and stepped forward, following his ancestor. He felt a tug at his shoulder, stopping him.
“It’s not your time yet, ” a familiar voice said.
Evan turned to see Mephi Faster-Than-Death, leaning on his staff. Beside him stood a tall Silent Strider in full Egyptian regalia.
“Mephi? ” Evan said. “You’re dead, too? I thought you were supposed to be faster than that, ” he said with a smile.
Mephi smiled. “Very funny, Evan. No, I’m not dead. And you shouldn’t be either. ”
Evan frowned. “I don't understand. I stabbed myself with a big knife. I definitely should be dead. ”
“Yeah, ” Mephi said. “Under any other circumstance, you’d be toast. But Shem-ha-Tau here says it’s not meant to be. ” Mephi indicated the Silent Strider next to him. “Seems your favor for the ancestors gets you a ‘get out of death free’ card. ”
Evan looked back at the wolves waiting for him. They were gone.
He turned back to Mephi. “But if you’re not dead, why are you here? "
Mephi smiled, winking at Shem-ha-Tau. “Silent Strider mojo. I finally got the answer to the big question. " Evan frowned. “What’s that? ”
Mephi shook his head. “Everyone will find out eventually. I can’t say anything more than that. Death has to keep some secrets. Otherwise, it couldn’t fulfill its role in renewal. ”
“That doesn’t make any sense. Start over. ”
Mephi tugged Evan’s elbow and took a step backwards. “Come on. Enough chatter. We’ve got to get back. I’ve got news for Albrecht. ” As said this, the smile left his face.
Evan nodded, confused. “Okay. But you will explain this eventually, won’t you? ”
Mephi didn’t respond. He waved at Shem-ha-Tau, who raised his hand in farewell but said nothing.
Mephi drew a circle in the air with his staff. A moon bridge opened and he stepped in, pulling Evan in with him.
Evan coughed and spit up blood. He wearily opened his eyes, which seemed much more sluggish than a few moments ago. As they focused, he saw Albrecht staring at him with wide eyes and open jaw. The king howled with joy and shook Evan’s shoulder.
“Thattaboy, kid! ” Albrecht yelled. “You fought it! ” Evan sat up, feeling his chest his with hand. A scar ran down his left breast but was otherwise healed.
Hardtooth looked at Evan in amazement. "I thought for sure you had left us. ”
Evan smiled weakly. “So did I. ” He looked around, searching for Mephi. “Where’d he go? ”
Albrecht looked
around. “Who. 7”
“Mephi Faster-Than-Death, " Evan said. “He was just with me. ”
Albrecht frowned and looked at Hardtooth, who shrugged. Albrecht looked back at Evan. “Look, Evan. You nearly died. You’ve been here the whole time. It must have been a dream or vision of some kind. "
Evan shook his head and tried to stand. His legs were weak, so Albrecht stepped forward and let him lean on his shoulder. “I was dead. I went to the place the dead go on their way to the ancestor realms. Aurak called it the Path of the Milky Way, but I didn’t see any stars. Mephi was there. He guided me back, ”
Albrecht looked disturbed. "I didn’t know he was dead. That’s too bad. He was a damn good Garou. ”
“No, you don’t get it, ” Evan said. “He’s not dead. He was alive. It was some sort of Silent Strider magic. There was another one there with him. He—” Evan stopped, a look of shock on his face. "I just realized. The other Strider was dead. He was a spirit. A Silent Strider ancestor spirit! ” Albrecht looked at Hardtooth again, a look of concern on his face. “The Striders don’t have ancestor spirits, Evan. They’re all lost. ”
Evan smiled, slapping Albrecht on the back as he leaned on him, stepping forward carefully, getting his balance. He was a bit dizzy. “Not anymore. I think Mephi’s figured it out. That’s the answer he talked about. The secret of his tribe’s ancestors. ”
Albrecht smiled weakly. “Look, maybe you should lie down again. You’re not making sense. ”
Evan laughed. “No. I get it now! Mephi's in the physical world. He stepped back through a moon bridge, while my spirit went back to my body here in the Umbra. We’ve got to step over. ”
Albrecht nodded. “Okay. We do need to see what’s happening at the camp. Let's do it. "
He growled a command to his soldiers and they all gathered around him. Hardtooth picked up Aurak's unconscious body and went to stand in the middle of the group. Everyone reached out to touch him and he nodded, parting the Gauntlet for them.
They stood in a field littered with bodies and blood. Snow and icy wind cut through the air, forcing them to squint.
Shapes moved toward them.
A figure stepped forward. Albrecht couldn’t make out any features through the fast-falling snow, but he growled, a warning for it to keep its distance.
“Well, well, ” Mari Cabrah said, smiling wryly. She stepped closer, ignoring Albrecht’s warning. “So King Albrecht finally makes an appearance. ”
Albrecht chuckled, glad to see Mari alive and standing. “Yeah, I’m here, Mari. The traffic was a bitch. What happened here? ”
“Mari! ” Evan cried. He rushed forward and hugged her. She clasped him tight. Blood covered Mari’s winter clothes, which were tom to shreds in various places. Only a few of the splatters seemed to be her own; a wound in her thigh looked bad, still glistening around a deep claw mark, but she didn’t seem bothered by it.
A group of figures moved toward them through the falling snow, carefully stepping around the bodies. Mari nodded at them as they approached. Albrecht could now see the features of some members of the Silver River Pack, all of them but Carlita and Storm Eye. Among them were Garou he didn’t know, some clearly Wendigo, others young Garou of various tribes.
“Everybody went bugfuck crazy, ” Mari said. “The Silver River Pack and I arrived back in time to see them freak out. Some of them got hit by arrows that came out of nowhere. Arrows I recognized. " Mari patted Evan on the back and released him. “When they started disappearing into the Umbra, I knew that something more than a group rage-out was up. I peered into the Umbra and saw Evan shooting wildly with his arrows, aiming at nothing. ”
“Not nothing, " Evan said, flustered. “The Heartsplinter" Mari smiled. “I got the idea there was something going on I didn’t understand. All I knew was that my packmate was in trouble. I started to step over but noticed a horde of wild-eyed Wendigo were about to do the same. I couldn’t stop those guys, but I could stop the rest. The Silver River Pack and I did a hit and run—anytime somebody tried to step over, we hit him. They got so damn pissed, they soon forgot about anything but us. "
Evan looked at the pack, growing tension in his voice. “Where’s Big Sis and Storm-Eye? ”
“They’re alive, ” John North Wind's Son said. He had a large bite mark on his side and numerous claw marks up and down his arms. “But barely. We all took wounds while stopping them from stepping over. ”
“You guys did damn good, ” Albrecht said. “But why didn’t the frenzy get you, too? Everybody else in camp succumbed. ”
Mari hung her head. The Silver River Pack did the same.
“We were anointed against it, ” Mari said, her voice cracking, as if she held back grief. “I’ll... I’ll tell you about it later. First, we’ve got to tend to the survivors. Most of these guys are only wounded. ”
Albrecht nodded, looking strangely at Mari. He’d never seen her so broken up before. He whistled to his group. Hardtooth and a group of warriors went out across the field, tending to the wounded.
“Is everybody back in control? ” Albrecht said, looking at the strange Garou who stood near the Silver River Pack, each of whom appeared shell-shocked.
Mari nodded. “Everyone snapped out of it suddenly. I peered into the Umbra again and saw you leaning over Evan. ” She looked at Evan, punching him in the arm. “Gave me a scare there. But he popped up again as I watched. "
Evan smiled and looked around. “Have you seen Mephi Faster-Than-Death? ”
Mari looked surprised. “Here? No. Did he come with Albrecht? ”
“No, " Evan said, walking away, peering through the snow. “He came through the Paths of the Dead. He brought me back. ”
Mari shot a look at Albrecht. He shrugged and looked back at Evan.
“There he is! ” Evan cried, pointing out across the tundra at a figure bent over one of the bodies. It looked to be giving the fallen Garou last rites.
Evan rushed over. Albrecht came right behind him, curious, joined by Mari.
Mephi Faster-Than-Death stood and watched them approach. He nodded at Evan, a silent greeting, and then bowed to Albrecht.
“So it’s true, ” Albrecht said. “You really are here! ”
Evan shot him a furious look.
Mari poked him in the arm. "I didn't believe you either, ” she said with a grin.
“It’s really me, " Mephi said. “I am glad to see you all. With you still standing, we have a chance. ”
Albrecht cocked his head curiously. “Something tells me you’re the bearer of bad tidings. Okay, let’s hear it. "
Mephi cleared his throat and thought for a moment, deciding how to begin. “The army of the Margrave Konietzko and Queen Tamara Tvarivich is no more. They died fighting on the Plain of the Apocalypse. ”
Albrecht gritted his teeth and tightened his fists, shutting his eyes. He heard gasps from the gathered Garou, along with growls and whines from the younger ones. He opened his eyes again, staring steely eyed at Mephi. “You know this for sure T'
Mephi nodded. “I was there. I witnessed the Margrave’s glorious death. He single-handedly slew a nexus crawler. Not just any crawler; this was the biggest one I’d ever heard of. Tvarivich... I didn’t see her die. But she was outnumbered. It couldn’t last long. I’m sure she killed the Wyrm army’s general, though. ”
Albrecht’s eyes narrowed. “Why are you still alive then? ”
Mephi looked away, across the white tundra. “Believe me, it’s not easy. So many people died and I just walked right out of there... Tvarivich demanded that I leave and find you, to tell you about what had happened. To make sure you prepared the last line of defense. "
Albrecht looked away. He nodded. “You did right. I needed to know. It hurts like hell, though. ”
“That’s not all, " Mephi said, looking back at the king and meeting his eyes. “Tvarivich used her Ivory Priesthood secrets to open a portal into the Roads of the Dead. My ancestors were there. I walked with them.
That’s how I found Evan; they brought me to him. ”
Albrecht looked at Evan, a guilty look on his face. “Silent Strider ancestors V'
“They guide the dead to the lands of the ancestors. The roads are threatened by all sorts of creatures, but my ancestors know the short cuts and secret paths, ways to get newly departed spirits to their proper realms. I can’t tell you everything—1 don’t even know everything. I just got a glimpse, really, but I learned some things on my journey. ” He paused, frowning, looking at each of them. “The gates of Malfeas have opened, spewing every last Wyrm minion. Something big and nasty is with them, destroying everything in its path. And I mean everything. ”
Mari frowned. “What sort of being is this? A new Maeljin? "
Albrecht growled. “Zhyzhak. This is Zhyzhak's doing. " He slammed his fist into his palm in anger. “That bitch! She was dancing the Black Spiral. We fought briefly before she chickened out and jumped back into the Labyrinth. We got a note... from Antonine Teardrop. "
“Antonine? ” Evan said. “Where is he? ”
“I don’t know, ” Albrecht said. “But my guess is he’s not in good shape. He was following Zhyzhak, hoping to prevent her from getting power. If Malfeas is emptying out... he must have failed. ”
“The Wyrm creatures are heading for the material world, ” Mephi said. “They’re coming here. ”
Albrecht growled. “She said she’d be back, with the armies of Malfeas behind her. The bitch is looking for me. It’s that goddamn prophecy. She probably actually believes it. "
Evan looked uncomfortably at Albrecht. “What if it is true? What if she is destined to ‘slay the last Gaian King? ”’ “Oh for crying out loud! Not you, too? It’s just a bunch of Black Spiral Dancer propaganda! I almost had her! Another few rounds and she would have been paste. She knew it, so she cut and ran. Had to go get allies to take me on. Well, we’re going to be ready for her. Let her try! ”
Mari smiled. “That’s the spirit, Albrecht! ”
Mephi looked around the field. “Not an ideal place for a last stand. "
Albrecht nodded. “Yeah. We’ve got to move out, find a place to prepare for a fight. They can get us on all sides here. We need a cave or something. ”
World of Darkness - [Time of Judgment 02] - The Last Battle Page 25