Chapter 92

The skeletal figure crouched to the ground, his thin body cloaked in a fine red cloak.

The snow dramatically contrasted his dark form as he walked through the trees. He looked back and saw his companion a few metres behind him.

{Hurry up.} He hissed to the smaller figure limping behind him.

"Apologies, My Lord." The hunched creature said.

The taller rolled his white eyes in annoyance with the creature.

The snow was falling at a steady pace as the pair trudged through the cold white.

He hadn't expected this when he'd passed the Fae's border, this feeling of weakness. He'd lost his glamour, the ability to mask his true form. His magic and his ability to teleport.

He grumbled to himself but continued walking, his back straight with the cloak flowing behind him. He had a mission.

The thick trees were thinning out and soon he found himself in a clearing with a parking lot and a low, yellow brick building. All covered with a layer of powdery snow.

He moved forward his feet trailing footsteps behind him that were soon erased by the movement of his cloak.

The small creature still followed obediently behind.

The door was lit and he pushed it open to reveal a concrete interior with a desk enclosed by plexiglass and a small waiting room. A plant stood in the corner and slow Christmas music was emanating from a radio somewhere.

A low growl suddenly puttered from an unknown source.

A Lycan appeared from around a corner and shifted into his wolf.

The tall creature simply waved his hand at the smaller one and the Lycan disappeared through swirling grey smoke.

The cloaked figure moved and found keys to a cell and descended the flights of stairs to find it.

The smell was getting worse but none of it bothered him. The lights were few and spread metres apart.

He took slow deliberate steps to the certain cell and turned the key in the hole.

A cage. A simple steel cage. The skeleton laughed heartily at the bent silhouette in the corner.

A head slowly raised and solid black eyes met solid white eyes.

{El-kor. And why is my general here to visit me after all these years?}

The dark creature stood revealing a build similar to that of the red cloaked one.

El-kor cracked a smile, {Your general? I'm surprised you still consider yourself a leader.}

The small creature stood behind the door, in the dark concrete hallway, hiding himself from the two powerful creatures in the room.

{I am your leader!} He balled his fists which exuded a cracking sound from the black, bony fingers.

{No…} El-kor drawled put while he dusted the back of a wooden chair in the room.

{No?! How dare you commit treason such as this! I am your king!}

El-kor threw back his head in laughter, his greasy, black tendrils of hair moving as he did.

{My king? Hardly. You were chosen to lead us, and you failed.} He straightened, {We're led by another.}

{Him.} The former king hissed looking at the cold cement floor with disdain, {He orchestrated this, didn't he?}

{I've no care for what he did to you, but I do very much care about what he's doing now.}

{And what is that?}

{Can't tell you.}

El-kor moved and sat down on the creaking wooden chair and crossed his leg over the other, his hands resting atop.

{What I can tell you is that you're going to have visitors soon, either tomorrow or in a few days. And you're going to tell them something.}

{Why?} The creature's black eyes surveyed the general skeptically.

{Because I told you to.}

The former king scoffed, {Thresh came to me and told me of your attempt to "free" me. After all these years you actually tried to free me, only as a distraction, which I saw through immediately. What did you need?}

{None of your concern. Now, your instructions on what to say. A girl will come. She will not be a Lycan and will most likely be accompanied by the Beta, or Thresh-}

{Who is she?}

{You'll see soon enough. Now, you will tell her that there will be a girl dropped off at the front gate of the Pack in two months time, and that she's not to tell anyone of this or they will die.}

He cocked his head, his black eyes trained on the Elf.

{Why wouldn't she be able to tell anyone.}

{Because we're trying to scare her. To show her how powerful we are, and that we're stronger than her Lycan guardians.}

{What about the Fae? Is she not able to take your magic away? She can just as easily take mine. How will you convince this girl that you're more powerful than the Fae?}

{Why don't you let me worry about that.} The general's leathery face spread into what would be considered a smirk and he rose to his feet.

{See you again, Ainur.}

And with that El-kor left and the door shut behind him.

His footsteps echoed in the concrete hallway and his little companion was not far behind, his back hunched as he continued.

"El-kor! Is that you?" A familiar voice called him.

He turned and saw only a door, so he continued with walking.

"El-kor, don't you leave me! Don't you leave me here!"

Her screeching grating the walls and his ears, he quickened his pace.

More of the imprisoned Elves began to make a racket at him leaving them there.

~~~~~~~~

His conscious was not pricked as he exited the building, back into the snow.

Instead of returning the way he had come he turned and headed into another section of the forest, his red cloak causing his indentations to disappear. The few scouts the two saw were sent through a portal of grey mist.

Disappearing from the forest.

The sounds of merrymaking and laughter were coming from the edge of the thinning wood. He stood behind the line of trees as he could sense the power of the Fae.

He gritted his teeth in anger at her strength. 'Why had she grown so strong suddenly?'

They'd never been able to enter this Pack but now they could, and she was somehow capable of taking their power.

He spotted in the window the mysterious girl dancing with her Lycan.

A slow smile spread his face as he remembered what he was about to do to that girl.

He turned and exited the Pack knowing that the wolves would soon find him out.