A fanfiction written by Caitlin.
Prologue - In the P.O.V of ???[]
Darkness. Mist. Eerie silence. More darkness.
The moonbeams shine into my face, as I stroll casually around Wikiana. Whilst the landscape incorporates fear into my soul, everything seems unnaturally beautiful. Not even the view in daylight could be as picturesque. I could just stare obliviously into the crisp lakes of the grassy knolls.
However, I mustn't allow myself to become distracted by anything. Not when I have a job at hand. And it's a serious one, at that. Failing will mean the end of my reputation. Everything that I have done in the past will be forgotten, and I will become notorious for the actions that I will perform soon.
My foot accidentally slips on a pebble, sending it speeding deeper into the lifeless bushes ahead. I freeze in my tracks. In the realm of Wikiana, a single sound at night could wake anybody up, due to the deathly silence. But the others are the least of my concerns. There's a larger number of threats. Threats that pose just as dangerous. Just as fierce. Threats that could currently be lurking in the shadows, without me knowing of their positions.
Deep in the distance, something bright shines a ray of light. That ray is headed towards me. In an act of desperation, I pull my cloak to conceal my face. A small slit is left, so that I can see what happens, but only just. From the source of the light, there is a silhouette, which cautiously opens their window. Whilst their facial features are shadowed in by the darkness, I can already tell that they are scanning the area for any suspicious movements. No! No! No! If I was to become detected by them, they would dash after me and inquire on my business. Even though I could lie my way out of it, I know that my fellow Wikians aren't easily fooled. For the majority of the time, that is.
Thankfully, the figure doesn't seem to pick up on my presence. They simply shrug, and turns away. The once luminous light dims to nothing. No longer am I in risk of whoever that was. For once, I am safe from anything and everything. Something in my gut tells me that I'm still not safe, and that there are perils which still linger in this area. I ignore it. Nothing could possibly touch me now! Deciding to act cheekily, I recklessly stomp on all of the twigs and dry leaves.
Suddenly, a low rumbling noise is heard. I spin my head around, attempting to detect where it came from. It must surely have come from one spot? Oddly enough, it isn't the truth. It sounded like it came from all around me, as if I'm surrounded. It's not just the grumble that encases me in what could be a trap. Small yellow dots flicker everywhere, glaring at me. Somehow, neither of these bizarre occurrences unnerve me. Instead, it's the fact that I know exactly what these are
I don't even have time to think of a strategy, as one of the shadows bounds onto my face. The cyber wolves. Why did I even forget about them? Maybe the source of this came from when I avoid being detected by that person. Maybe arrogance grew inside of me at that moment.
Another wolf leaps and lands on top of me, and before I know it, I'm being mauled by the pack. It's like zerg rush - eventually, there's no point fighting a swarm, but you still must try. With one flick of my leg, I fling a wolf a couple of metres back into another wolf. Another one snaps at my face. If only if I could punch it, but they have my arms bound underneath their claws. I roll over, escaping the clutches of the wolves. The same wolf that snapped at my face takes another opportunity to attack, but this time, I'm prepared. My fist meets with the muzzle of the wolf, causing it to yelp in pain. Some of the others back off, except for one. Psychedelic red fur, striking blue eyes, and grim determination on its face. It's Pyro - one of the first wolves to be created in this pack. He won't be as easy to beat.
He starts to scan the area, planning out a battle strategy. If he finishes thinking, then I'll be done for, even if I am immortal. My only shot at surviving is quite risky, but it's my only hope - With a battle yell, I charge straight ahead into Pyro. The impact sends him flying into the trunk of a tree. He yelps in serious agony. The other wolves crowd around him, until they make way for Solar, another of the older members. Not daring to wait and become dog meat, I sprint further into the heart of the forest. I quickly turn my head to see whether or not they're following me. Nothing. I guess to them, pack matters more than anything else.
Eventually, I come across a mystical area, full of gleaming crystals, glowing fireflies, and other spiritual stuff. With success, I silently cheer to myself. There's only one thing left to do -
I pull out a cube from my cloak. It's smothered with Latin, and several symbols as well. All of it is golden, apart from one side, which contains a sapphire gem in the middle of the face. I press down onto the gem, activating a beam of light. It emits high into the sky, which seems quite risky. Now comes the point I must hurry at.
Carefully, I lower the cube into the crystal clear pond, which blocks the ray of light. However, the light blue spreads across the surface of the pond. Had it not been for the fact that not many people come here, this would surely have been suspicious to them.
"Hope you have fun having your life story mixed up!"
Chapter 1 - The dawn of confusion, part 1- In the P.O.V of Caitlin[]
I limply swat my hand at the moment the sunlight comes into contact with my face. With nothing else to do, I force my eyelids open. Once again, it's a bright and sunny day. Couldn't it be dull for once? That way, I wouldn't be blinded by beams of light. Like the one last night.
Yesterday night, lots of strange things happened. First of all, I thought I saw somebody headed towards the forest. Their faces were cloaked, so I couldn't identify them. Next, my wolves started to play up, and haven't returned from guarding the forest. Finally, there was a ray of light in the heart of the forest, which only appeared for a few seconds, before it vanished. Talk about strange... and suspicious.
Suddenly, I hear somebody knock lightly at the door. Even though the knock was almost silent, it was enough to make me jump out of my skin. Once again, the knock returns.
"Come in." I say, quite groggily. Slowly, the door knob rotates a little, until the door is opened. Behind it are two of my favourite people - Eli and Alina.
"Morning mum! I made you some breakfast, like you requested last night!" Alina says, handing me a tray full of toast, bacon and egg. The smell is enough to make me drool, but something seems off - I never asked for Alina to serve me breakfast.
"Thanks Alina, but I don't recall asking for you to make me breakfast," I reply, giving her a slight smile to show I'm not mad. In return, she gives me a bemused look.
"But you did, mum. You definitely did!"
"Maybe you were dreaming,"
"I don't think so! I remember it crystal clear!" Now it's my turn to look perplexed. Alina seems quite sure of my supposed request, yet I'm sure that I didn't ask. What the heck is going on?
"Alina, why don't you leave me and your mother, so that you can go to greet with the other kids, ok?"
"Ok!" Alina swiftly gives us both a hug, before she sprints out of the room. Well, there goes my special little daughter, and only child... Things are never the same without her, even if she's absent for one second.
Eli takes a couple of steps towards my bed, leaning down so that he is level with me. His grey eyes glimmer in the light, which almost hypnotizes me. I squeal slightly as Eli lifts me into his arms, prompting me to wrap my arms around his neck. We stare into each others eyes for what seems like eternity, until I plant a peck on Eli's cheek, causing him to grin like a loon.
"Shall we get going then?" He asks. In response, I nod slightly, clinging tightly onto him as he charges out of the palace. Every time Eli carries me out of the palace, it feels like an attraction at an amusement park - Fast, sudden, and fun. It reminds me of when us Gods were younger.
We nearly ram into Bee, one of my half-sisters. It seems she's decided to visit from Kamelot. Abruptly, we come to a halt, checking to see whether Bee is ok. Surprisingly, her face doesn't show shock, nor panic, but anger. The type of anger that slowly burns inside, until it all detonates like a volcano. I hold my breath, anticipating the eruption.
"Eli, do you know what-"
"Sorry! Can't stay and chat Bee! There's a meeting at the throne room! Erlend called for it at literally the last moment!"
"Wait, what are you-" Before I can continue, Eli speeds off again, leaving a scowling Bee behind. Why the heck does Bee seem so angry? I'm going to have to persuade one of the Gods to go on a quest to find out. After all, it's my job, as goddess of questing.
After nearly bumping into Connor and Billie, who followed us, we eventually reach the throne room, where everybody else is waiting, with the exception of Bee. There's also another spare chair, but I can't tell who is missing. Aria starts counting all of us, trying to spot anybody who might not be there. Billie, Justin, Tyler, Emilia, and the others. Only Bee and Summer are absent.
"Does anybody know where-" Before Nathaniel can continue, the door swiftly opens, slamming into a desk that lay next to it. Bee stands at the opening, her nostrils flaring with fury. Her eyes glaze over us, until they land on Eli. Lividly, Bee lets out a massive grunt in annoyance, before she storms towards Eli. What has he done now?
Her nostrils flare wider with every moment. Everybody stares at her with confusion and fear. Nobody remembers her acting like this whenever she's been mad.
Before she can utter a single word, an inhuman screech sounds from outside the throne room, catching all of the Gods unaware. It's almost like we're being invaded by old foes. It could just be some kind of messenger bat, but I'm not taking any chances. I use my magic to cast my signature weapon into my hands - the avalanche axe. One blow of this, and any foes that meet with its razor-sharp edge will find themselves done for.
"JUSTIN! PARK YOUR BUTT HERE RIGHT NOW!"
Part 2 - In the P.O.V of Justin[]
Fearfully, I look into Summer's eyes as they spark with fury. Confusion clouds my mind as I try to think of why Summer could be angry at me. Me cheating on her? No, she always expects it, considering the fact that I'm the God of love. The many times I tried to get us back together? No, it's been a while since I last attempted that trick. And it led to me falling for a shield. If it isn't either of those options, then I don't know what it possibly could be.
"How could you Justin!"
"How could I what?" I ask, making gestures to show my genuine perplexity.
"How could you decide to have sex with one of the wolves whilst I was in the same room?!" In utter shock, I splutter, some of the spittle spraying everywhere.
"What?! No! That never happened at all! Besides, why would you care so much all of a sudden?!" Everybody turns their heads in synchronization, not making any sense of this. Apart from Summer, who just growls with rage, and stomps to her seat.
"Summer, look. If any of the Gods and goddesses were to have sex with one of the wolves, then I would know. The wolves trust me enough to tell me anything. None of them have ever spoken to me about intercourses. Not ever." Caitlin clarifies. "Are you sure you weren't daydreaming it? It is what you usually do, after all..." I become worried that Summer is about to slap Caitlin round the face when the two have a glare contest. Caitlin does hold a good point, but Summer seems serious about this, being Goddess of sincerity. If the glares continue for much longer, then I pray for everybody's safety.
Eventually, Summer blinks, giving up the glare contest. She then gives a disheartened sigh."I suppose you're right. Justin, I'm sorry if it didn't happen. But if it turns out that you were hiding the truth from me, and you did have sex with that wolf, then I'll forgive you. Forgive you for the last time..." Everybody sighs with relief, even Bee, who previously held resentment to Eli.
"Should we start the meeting then?" Erlend asks, giving us all an unimpressed gaze. We all nod, and wait for it to begin.
Part 3 - In the P.O.V of Bee[]
After the events that happened between Summer and Justin, I completely forgot what I was going to ask Eli about. All I remember is that it was something important to me. If it is super important, as in SUPER, then I'm screwed for.
"Listen up everybody! I'm afraid I have rather... grave news." Those who weren't paying attention, including Marina and Max, turn to face Erlend. Everybody's emotionless faces mask the fear that builds up inside them. "Last night, a precious and dangerous artifact was stolen from the safe. The relic is specifically a box, known as the box of memory. It is currently unknown what power it harbors, but we reckon it has something to do with memories." The majority of the other gods have bored expressions on their faces.
"What is so special about a box that can change memories?" Summer asks.
"Well, Summer. Changing memories can be a blessing, but it can also be nightmare. If our memories change, then we will assume a different role to the ones we currently have. We would be busy developing our powers on the wrong things. And it would create chaos, which would grow bigger and bigger, until Wikiana and Wikiolympus are no more!" Gasps spread across the room. Nathaniel's words have ignited more interest in the bored Gods.
"Not only has the box of memory been stolen, but the cyber wolf pack haven't been seen since last night. We believe that they may have been kidnapped. If they are, then these two crimes could be connected. Currently, everybody is under suspicion. We will be calling in the gods and goddesses one at a time to provide us with information, ok?" We all nod to show our understanding. "Good, now first to talk is Billie! Come with me!" I watch as Billie is led out of the room by Aria, with the other two primal gods following behind.
'And it would create chaos, which would grow bigger and bigger, until Wikiana and Wikiolympus are no more!' Those exact words linger in my mind. If we allow the perpetrator to get away with this, then we could all be dead meat. That's why evidence is vital, and is why I'm trying to think of what I know. I sure hope the Pippycats are ok. Speaking of which, a lightbulb flashes into mind. That's what I was worrying about! Because not only are the wolves and the box gone, but so are the pippycats.
Part 4 - In the P.O.V of Nathaniel[]
From what we've heard so far, the only other useful piece of information we collected was that the pippycats have also vanished. Everything seems to be getting out of hand. At this rate, . we'll never get to the bottom of this mystery, and our home and lives will be lost. Unless you live in Kamelot, like Bee does.
"Caitlin, come in!" I say, trying to keep a friendly tone. For ages, she and her other siblings have had to live with no maternal figure in their lives. It has always been me who took care of them, as well as Aria and Erlend. Without their help, I may not have coped with 7 kids on my own.
Her face is drenched with sweat. Or tears. It could be both, but I'm not too sure. I understand about the tears, because her wolves have vanished, but why is she sweating. Maybe she's nervous? Maybe, dare I say, she was responsible for this? It's impossible to tell with her.
"So, do you have anything to report?" Erlend asks, leaning on the table. He seems to be more interested in this case than anything else from this past, which is unusual. Although he doesn't ignore the younger gods when they come up with something clever, this doesn't sound like anything that he'd be proud of them for. But what truly marks him to be weirder than usual is that he is more willing to hear from Caitlin. I guess he believes she's the culprit.
"As a matter of fact, I do," She says calmly, holding aloft a notebook full of writing. Her and her passion of writing anything. Typical. "It's only a few things, but I hope they aid us well into discovering the perpetrator," Aria nods to show that she's listening. "First of all yesterday night, I was hiding my yggdrasil leaves -"
"Wait, WHAT?! Why would you hide my pretties?!" Erlend shrieks. Oh darn it. Not this again...
"Because they're for reviving chat," Caitlin mumbles something before continuing. "And not for your entertainment. As I was about to say, I heard something weird. I can't describe it well, but it alerted me. So I looked out of the window, and saw a cloaked figure. Their face was behind a hood, so I couldn't tell who they were. I shrugged, and returned to hiding the yggdrasil leaves. The next thing I new, my wolves were howling and growling. I knew of their toughness, so I left them to the battle. But when I heard yelps of pain, I tried to find the mirror that shows their location. Somehow, it was missing, so I became frustrated. Not much happened, until everything became silent. Afterwards I spotted a thin beam of light coming from the forest that we used to visit. It was only there for a few seconds, before poof! It disappeared. And that's it," Aria nods at the notes that she took from Caitlin's account, and dismisses her quickly.
"Wait!" I call out. Caitlin looks over shoulder towards me. "Thank you," At first, she just stares at me, before she bows her head slightly, and exits the room. With new evidence, we're one step closer to solving this case. We're just about to call for Blake, when a door slams open.
"PYRO!!! WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED?!"
Part 5 - In the P.O.V of Emilia[]
I watch on fearfully as Caitlin rushes towards the cyber wolf pack, one of which is in urgent need of medical help. Pyro, I think his name was? That aside, Alina slowly strides towards Caitlin, a grim expression on her face.
"Oh my gosh! Why are the wolves all injured? What the heck happened? Who would-"
"Mum, calm down! We don't know what happened, but we can assume that the wolves got into a fight. Most of them escaped with only slight bruises, but Pyro faces death in the face. He may or may not survive..." Once Alina finishes speaking, the two break down into tears and start to hug each other. Eli joins the embrace, comforting the two. It's an emotional moment - Enough to make some of us shed tears.
"Wait, why isn't Solar here? I know the cyber wolves enough to know some of their powers. Solar could heal him, right?" Blake asks, lightly stroking Pyro's head. We all laugh slightly as Pyro licks Blake's face, breaking him out into a few goosebumps. Despite the small laughter, his condition is still deep in mind. He was the first of the cyber wolves that Caitlin created to protect us, so we respect them.
"I-I don't know!" Caitlin replies. "I never noticed that he wasn't here! I was too busy worrying about Pyro!" Sky and Tyde sit beside Caitlin, accompanied by the other wolves.
Then there is a warm glow surrounding Caitlin and Alina that swarms their bodies. It grows bigger than them, and swirls almost hypnotically. It continues to do so for another 10 seconds, before it slowly shrinks to nothing. Instead of Caitlin and Alina being there, there are two wolves - One white and one golden. It looks like they might be searching Earth for Solar.
"Listen up everybody! Whilst Caitlin and Alina search for Solar on earth, myself, Erlend and Nathaniel will look after Pyro. The rest of you, search for him on Wikiolympus!" The younger gods groan in disappointment, and complain about having jobs to complete. Everything breaks into a large argument, although it looks more like a battlefield. Because it's so loud, I can barely hear howls of the wolves, telling us to stop. But it doesn't.
A huge thud can be heard, which succeeds in bringing silence to us. The Caitlin wolf holds a large hammer in its mouth, alluding that she caused the thud. From the fire in her eyes, it's clear that it didn't want any fights. With that, the wolves descended down the hill onto the bridge to the mortal realm.
"Look, they weren't complaining about Aria's idea, yet they were not impressed with the argument. With you guys, it's vice versa!" Erlend shouts. The gods and goddesses bow their heads in shame. "Now that the wolves have gone, you must complete your task. Report back regularly. The search has begun!"
Chapter two - The search - In the P.O.V of Blake[]
"Harpo! Chico! Nemo?! Plato!" I call out, unable to remember the names of the original four. Besides me, Emilia gives a face palm.
"I think somebody has been watching finding Nemo too many times with the kids again!" We both laugh out loud, forgetting our current woes. Wait, what were we searching for again? Something feels like it is being extracted from my mind. Despite this, there is one recent thing that I still remember - the box of memory. If it can change people's memories, then it means that it has manipulated mine to forget about what I'm searching for. But... nothing was said about it removing memories. Maybe it's exact powers are unknown. Or maybe...
"Blake! Park your butt here and check this out!" I look around for Emilia, but she is nowhere to be seen. Crap! I've lost her! With no other choice, I follow the sound of her voice. It beckons me towards a direction I have never gone before. Or if I have, then I don't recall it. Ugh! This whole investigation is getting annoying as heck! With little evidence and no motives, we're basically screwed for. Why do we even bother?
"Emilia!There you are!" I rush uphill towards her, slightly stumbling over small pebbles that mar the hills. The wind whips her hair back, causing it to flow like a lion's mane. Feeling relieved, I wrap my arms tightly around her waist, leaning my head against her shoulder.
"Blake, why must you be so... inattentive?"
"Uh, well, what do you mean?"
"Just... take a look!" I recoil in horror at what I'm met with. There's no doubt it's Emilia, but she's... different. Her face is crumpled with wrinkles, her once vivid eyes no longer showing the life that I know of. They're now pale white, leaving no iris or pupil, just the ghastly white. Slowly, her hair begins to become paler, until it is smoky grey. The worst of it though is that her once perfect smile is now lined with crooked yellow teeth.
"What the f*ck?!" I immediately take off in the direction I got here from, but it's not long before she teleports right in front of me.
"Once you enter, there's no escape, sonny!" As she steadily approaches me, I begin to back away, until I feel a presence behind me. I risk a small peep, and jump as another elderly Emilia cackles into my ear. Soon enough, more carbon copies appear. My heart pounds furiously, with fear flowing through my veins and blood. There's no way I can escape now.
"Blake, where are you?!" Quite far from where I am, I spot a flash of brown hair. Her face still as youthful - The real Emilia has returned. All the copies disappear, and I hear Emilia calling my name as I fall to the ground, blacking out in the process.
Part 2 - In the P.O.V of Alina[]
My fur bristles against the wind that swirls around me and the pack. Several of the wolves stick their noses into the air, trying to sniff out Solar. Without him, Pyro will die, and so might the other wolves in the future. This is why I cannot allow any of their lives to be lost. That, and I don't think Mum would handle the news well. At all. Literally. She would probably go on a rampage, swinging her avalanche axe or warlords hammer all over the place. And I don't want to be on the receiving end of it by mistake.
It seems like there's no lead, and therefore no hope, until Sky stares towards a snowy forest. Mum takes notice and starts to sprint in that direction, closely followed by myself and the other wolves.
Everything seems like a blur from how quick our running pace is. We zip past all kinds of mother nature, and even pass a deer. Luckily, none of the cyber wolves take notice, and just continue following Mum. It's always moments like this that reminds me that it isn't Sky who's the true Alpha, but Mum. She's the one who leads them, guides them, permits them to hunt. Without her, they wouldn't know what to do.
Suddenly, Mum comes to an abrupt halt. Tentatively, she sticks her muzzle in the air, attempting to detect any trace of Solar. The other wolves follow suite, and so do I. Nothing. If we can't detect Solar here, then what's the point of searching here?
The wolves begin to growl at something unknown. Our view may be blocked by the dense mist that swarms in, but our gut instinct guides us to the presence of a mysterious force. Steadily, we step towards where our gut instinct takes us. Currently, it is the only thing we can rely on.
Glaring red eyes stare at us from the mist, which now descends upon us. Besides me there is a flash, and Mum now wears armour. Courageously, she starts slashing at the eyes, setting off a chain of events.
All the wolves begin to pounce on the menace, snapping at their throats. Even Tyde, who is usually relaxed. The battle doesn't seem that intense, as the cyber wolves easily overcome this obstacle. But then comes an even more intimidating entity: a large reptilian with dragon wings and a human head. He has a beige underbelly, and blue-green scales. What creeps me out though is the bulging purple dome on his head. The one that looks like, if not, is a brain. Only one thought comes into mind as to what this is - Orgodemir.
"Alina! Go!" Mum urges, staring at me with a melancholy look in her eyes.
"B-But-"
"No buts! I don't want to see you or the wolves hurt. Just go without me!" I try to come up with an excuse not to leave her, but instead a peculiar gagging noise is produced from my throat. With great reluctance, I turn tail and flee with the cyber wolf pack.
Several minutes later, I pause and turn towards the direction we was running from. I sure hope Mum handles Orgodemir alright, otherwise I couldn't handle it. And it's not just me. Dad, the cyber wolves and the other gods and goddesses will be depressed. There have been scraps that she has solved, and all the fun. Without Mum, it wouldn't be the same. But then again, the same could be said for any of the Gods.
A massive thunderclap sounds off, and I hear the whimper of another wolf.
"MUM!!!" I take off, only for something to ram into me. Quite groggily, I stare at Sky as he gives me a sympathetic look. A reminder that I mustn't worry. I wrap my arms around Sky's neck, feeling safer under the warmth of his fur. He's always been there for me. Out of all the wolves, I've bonded with him the most.
Once more, another bundle of fur lands onto my head. But this time, I feel something runny. I put my hand to where the thing landed, and look at what is there - Blood. Oh no!
I rush over to the figure, and see Mum bleeding. Wobbly, she flings herself onto her feet, and another swirling light surrounds her. This time she is no longer wolf, but a Goddess again. Her peachy-white dress flows below her knees, her blonde hair flowing down like the angel she is. Her feathery wings spread out once more, as a blue light glows in her right hand. It becomes an avalanche axe.
"Alina! Continue to run! I'll-I'll be alright!"
"You don't look alright though! You need help! There have been too many disappearances, and I don't want you to join the search list! You're the only motherly figure I've ever had in my life!" My words seem to have dug into her like a knife, her eyes widening greatly.
"Fine! Return to Wikiana! That's where I'm headed!" A beam of light streams down from the skies, creating a pathway to our home.
The wolves ascend the heavenly staircase first, followed by myself. Just as Mum is about to join us, a serpent tail whips her, and snatches her from us.
"MUM!!! NO!!!"
Part 3 - In the P.O.V of Erlend[]
Even after all the medical care we've been giving him, Pyro's condition hasn't got any better. In all honesty, all it has been doing is deteriorating. Soon, he'll be barely clinging onto life, and after that... he'll be no more. We can't afford to allow him to reach that stage. He's so much of a use to us. And it was thanks to him that the cyber wolves protect us. Had we not met him, there cyber wolf pack would never have existed.
"ARIA!!! ERLEND!!! LOOK!!!" The panicky tone in Nathaniel's screeching immediately lures us to him, despite Pyro's vital need of healing. His finger points at a beam of light, shaped like stairs. On them is the cyber wolf pack and Alina, staring at something. Their backs face us, so we don't know whether they're being hypnotized by an alluring wonder, or if they're rooted there as onlookers to a horrible sin.
It's only when I lean my head over that I pick up on the bloody scene - Caitlin, freshly draped in blood, struggling in a battle against a green reptilian thing. Whilst she looks like a fresh carcass, the reptilian doesn't have a single scar. Whenever there's a battle like that, the outcome is never good, unless it gets interrupted by a random civilian or that one random extra.
Alina starts bawling hysterically at the sight of Caitlin collapsing to the ground. A large thud is produced as she falls to her knees. All the fight inside of her has been drained. This is the end of her, unless somebody steps in. And it won't be me. She's none of my concern.
All of a sudden, a large beast resembling that of a wild boar stampedes into the area, a deep fire igniting in its beady eyes. Eli.
The reptilian doesn't even notice Eli as he rears up on his hind legs, crushing him beneath his hooves. Caitlin blearily groans as she regains her composure. She weakly smiles at Eli as he continues to kick her tormentor. Just as everything seems to return to normal, the reptilian flings Eli off, flapping its wings. He then proceeds to breathe deeply, which seemingly does nothing. And if something is going on, I can't see it. That is, until I focus my gaze on a small red ball.
It grows wider, and wider, until it no longer looks like a ball. This thing wasn't creating a fireball - his breath is fire itself.
The multiple streams of fire plummet down on Eli, sending him into panic. Even though he's my son, I can't save him. Not even my control over water could save him, as there is none around. There is little I can do but to watch on in horror as Tyde does my job instead, putting out the flames.
"Oi! Orgodemir! Leave my parents alone!" Alina starts to sprint towards this Orgodemir, brandishing a bow. He turns to face her, and easily flicks her away with his tail. Luckily for her, some of the cyber wolves act as a safety net, catching her on their backs. The others rush to Eli and Caitlin, assisting them up the stairs. Unfortunately Eli is too wide as a beast, so he has to shift back into God form. It would drain his energy, but it's either that or dying at the hands of a creature that can easily overpower us Gods.
Orgodemir screeches in fury as the stairs slowly vanish in thin air, leaving him trapped on Earth. Aria and Nathaniel cheer in success, whereas I put my middle finger up towards Orgodemir. It once more shrieks in frustration, causing me to chuckle. What better joys are there than to flip off a monster.
"MUM!" Aline rushes over to Caitlin and embraces her. Tears stream down her face as Caitlin's eyelids begin to flicker. When her eyes do open, they each convey a different emotion. One of relief, to know that Alina was safe. Another one showed sadness, as it appeared that Caitlin knew she might be scarred from this for life. Eventually, there comes one that we wish wasn't there - Anger. There's lots of reasons why Caitlin should be angry - Orgodemir's cunning ambush, the disruption of peace, the fact that Eli and Alina had to endure some suffering.
"I'll see you... when I fully... recover. These wounds... may not be life-threatening, but... I still need to... rest up. Good luck, everyone." Then her eyelids clamp shut completely.
Part 4 - In the P.O.V of Billie[]
"And that's why you need to come here this instant: Caitlin would want support from her only sister! You've got to hurry up! The other Gods will be called in as well!"
"Roger." It looks like the search for Solar has been called off in favour of caring for Caitlin. But won't we need Solar to heal her? That exact question is the reason why I'll search for Solar. I know that my sister would rather have her wolves safe than herself. Sometime soon,she'll have to realize that her life should be on spent on herself, not just us all.
The only thing is that soon nighttime will fall, and I'll have to abandon my current duties to lead the midnight archers into good fortune with their hunting. Even in desperate situations like this, I cannot fail my duties.
"Solar, where are you?" I think to myself, searching through every crook and cranny of the forest. Several leaves rich with autumn colours gently float down, reminding me that it represents what could soon be the end of us. And not just the end of us, the end of everything that we have ever known and created. The thought alone makes me shudder.
My ears begin to play up as several whispers vibrate inside. They're inarticulate, yet they seem to be guiding me. I can't make out many words, only 'follow', 'trail' and 'leaf'. Could these whispers be helping me to find Solar? Or are they attempting to lead me to my doom? Either way, it's worth a shot.
The wind blows some of the leaves to form a route to where I should be going. The unwanted leaves are disposed off by being flung into the distance. With great caution, I proceed to follow the path that could potentially show me my fate and that of Solar's.
The trail suddenly vanishes, yet I still find myself being drawn to something shiny in the distance. So this is what I was meat to find? An ominous aura spreads like a disease, catching me in its hold. Curiosity attracts me towards this thing. No matter how hard I try to resist, my curiosity edges me closer and closer to the item. That is, until I'm close enough to grab it. The light fades to reveal a strange box of some kind. I want to believe that it's the box of memory, but something about it informs me that it's altogether a different box. Whilst the box of memories isn't intentionally evil, this one feels... wrong.
Quick as a flash, my hands clasp around it, the power being too much for me to control. Almost immediately, a force leaps onto me, and starts licking my face.
"Hey! Stop it!" I can' resist laughing at the texture of a tongue that licks my face. Although it feels strange, it isn't why I'm chortling away. Because there is something more important than that: The tongue belongs to none other than Solar himself.
Part 5 - In the P.O.V of Connor[]
Everybody leans over Caitlin's bed as she gives off shallow breaths. Whilst she won't die from the wounds inflicted on her, she will remain under a deep sleep for a while. Not like a coma - Just a deep sleep. The same can't be said for Eli, who recovered two hours ago.
"Caitlin, please, wake up. We're all waiting for you. Please, we need you urgently." Eli begs, holding Caitlin's hand and stroking a circle on it. The only response is that Caitlin's heart rate rises slightly.
"Dear little sister, I know that I've annoyed you before by continuously speaking, breaking the buzz of conversations, leading to you having to start it up again, but listen to me when I say that-"
"Just get to the f*cking point Connor!" Erlend snaps. Crap... I've once more gone babbling off on a tangent. I simply roll my eyes at Erlend, and ignore his sentence as I continue.
"Caitlin, listen when I say that everybody here wants you to recover. All for different reasons. Some want you to stay for the wolves. Others want you for your skills. But you share a bond with all of us. Whatever you do, don't stay like this forever. You've held us together in the past like glue, and we can't have you melting away to shred us apart."
Silence seems to echo around the room as a roar sounds off outside. The majority of us rush outside to become bystanders to a potentially action-packed scene. The only ones who still with Caitlin are Alina and Eli.
Nothing happens for the first few minutes, until two figures, both varying in shape and size, fall onto our the realm of Wikiana. One of them is Billie, who wasn't previously with us when we watched over Caitlin. But the other thing is the one that truly matters - Solar.
"Quickly, back inside!" It's all a blur as the Gods and Goddesses shove each other out of the way, hoping to see Caitlin and Pyro recover fully.
Solar slowly sniffs the air, which leads to his eyes lighting up like two light bulbs. With his tongue out, he sprints towards the bed that Caitlin is laid on. He begins to lick her, and brushes his fur against her. I don't know how Solar heals the wounded, in all honesty, but I have to hope that it will work.
He then moves onto Pyro, and starts licking his fur and brushing against him. I suppose those are the ways that Solar heals his companions. Pyro weakly licks Solar back, and slumps back down. Has it not worked? But I thought it was supposed to work on anything but blindness, deafness and broken hearts...
Pyro starts to stand up, no longer looking depleted of energy. The cheeky look in his eyes has returned, and a small smirk plays on his lips. All of a sudden, he bounds out of the bed, onto Caitlin's. Like he usually does, he licks his mistress, breaking out a slight giggle from underneath. Pyro once more excitedly barks, and paws at Caitlin's face. Howls soon spread across the room, just at the moment Caitlin opens her eyes. Some of us cheer. Some of us cry. Some of us start dancing. But the reaction is the same - everybody is happy.
"Oh Mum! I was so worried about you!"Alina gives her mother a massive bear hug, and starts to release tears of joy. A small smile spreads on Caitlin's face, but then it is replaced by one of puzzlement.
"Excuse me, but am I supposed to know you all?"
Chapter three - All goes awry - In the P.O.V of Aria[]
Gasps spread from one person to another at the speed of light. Those darned powers of that box just had to come and strike now. Now thanks to it, Caitlin has no recollection of us. Great. Just great.
"What do we do now?" Emilia inquires, fearfully gazing at Caitlin. At first, the only reply is dreadful silence. Nobody has any clue as to how to reverse it, or whether there's any leads to it. That is, until Billie speaks up.
"Maybe this could help?" She asks, handing me a peculiar box. "I found it whilst I was searching for Solar. Maybe it's the box of memories?" I carefully hand it to Nathaniel. As the wisest of us, he probably can tell what it is better than me or anybody else here. With a disregardful look, he hands it back to Billie.
"I'm afraid this isn't the box of memories," He begins. "But it can certainly give us a lead towards the box of memories."
"How come Dad?" Justin asks, snatching the box away.
"Well, this box acts a bit like the box of memories. They both manipulate the memories of anybody. But whilst the box of memories can change somebody's memory, this box can take away the remembrances of the victims mind. They'll only remember their personal details at first. Within 2 days however, they won't know nothing. They'll become depressed about not figuring out their lives. When at last they can no longer take the pressure, BANG! Before you know it, they will commit suicide. Thus, this is why this very box that Justin holds is known as the container of death..." Thunder flashes. Good old pathetic fallacy.
"But surely it can't be THAT bad to us. I mean we're immortal for f*cks sake." Blake protests, but I hush him with a glare.
"Blake... that's not entirely the case. The thing is that it is capable of sealing somebody's immortality inside of it. How it does it, we don't know. But it does take a while for the process to start and to finish." Justin starts to holler in fear before tossing the box onto a cushion. With a sigh of relief, he slumps down.
"How does it effect us with suicidal thoughts? Because Caitlin's never held it in her life." For once, Nathaniel seems perplexed by the whole thing.
"To be honest, I don't know... I'd guess it releases some kind of aura of death. And I think I know somebody who could help us with that." Everybody mutters to one another. I still can't believe it though. To visit her would be crazy - She could downright kill us the moment we step into her territory.
"But how will we retrieve any information she has without dying? It's practically suicide!" I screech, cowering in fear. Nathaniel just tuts and gives me a small smile.
"Don't worry, it's not 'her' I'm talking about. It's one of Caitlin's friends down on Earth. You know, the one that always feeds her and the cyber wolves meat. She's actually the guardian of one of the pieces of Delide. The others are all unknown about, but if anybody is brave enough to face her in the danger zone, it's her. And if she can't, we're basically done for."
Part 2 - In the P.O.V of Tyler[]
"Why is it me who has to meet Serene?" In all honesty, I don't want to come face to face with somebody who dices with death on a regular basis. Not even if they were previously a mortal that worshipped us like it was their job.
"Because dear Tyler, you can't just kick back whilst we do most of the work. Sure you assisted with the search for Solar, but you've been pretty chilled throughout most of the events. We thought you might want to get into the action again." Before I can protest, a beam of light surrounds me in a warm glow.
"Have fun nephew!" Erlend waves his hand slightly as do the other gods.
"I hate you all." I mutter. And that is when I'm teleported to another place.
I find myself in a... grim atmosphere. Everything here seems lifeless. The grass has shrivelled and died, now becoming ugly and brown and crispy. Several autumn-coloured leaves mark the ground, leaving the trees bare. A lone stone arch stands amongst it all, creating an image of loneliness. But what mostly dampens my spirit is the sky - Even though it's greyish-white, which is quite normal, I can't help but wonder why it would be like so when evil lurks nearby. I guess it's different from the stereotypical sky - Carmine red and deep.
"Serene? Hello? Are you here?" I start to examine the surrounding areas, trying to find her. She must be around here somewhere, as guardian of one of the pieces. If she's skipping her job, then I'm a monkey's uncle.
"Serene, don't make me send the Justin Bieber fangirls over!" Almost instantaneously, the leaves crunch in response. From behind me. Whether or not it is Serene, I can't tell. Still, I can't help but suspect that a malicious force accompanies me. Then again, the archway does have that touch of creepiness to it.
"Tyler? What are you doing here?" A pale ghost girl with a blue-ish tint slowly floats towards me, her hood covering her hair. But then she starts to glow, temporarily blinding me for a few seconds. It's one of those moments where I wish that we wouldn't glow in our transformations.
"Oh, Serene! I was forced here... by the other gods and goddesses. Look, it's a deeply grave matter which we need info to. And Delide could provide us with some answers!"
"What's going on?" Serene starts to... quiver? It might only be slightly, but I've only seen her scared before she went to the party that ultimately led to her death and her restoration as an immortal.
"Basically, we've come across a box that can eliminate the memories of all and cause them to go crazy. They will commit suicide, even gods can be rid of immortality to do so. And Caitlin is stuck in the very same predicament I just described!" Serene's eyes widen when I mention Caitlin - Of us gods and goddesses, Serene and her twin, Serena, are closer to Caitlin.
"Ok then! Tell me what I have to do!" Grim determination decimates the once terrified look Serene wore.
"Umm, well, that's what they didn't mention. But I guess I have to ask you to ask her about the box of memories - since it was stolen, all this crazy sh*t has been happening. Billie discovered the other box, which was known as the something of something, not literally. That's what's been causing this. I guess you could ask if Delide knows anything about those two things." Damn, I hate having to explain things. But Serene doesn't care as she nods courteously.
"I'll do my best!" She salutes me and strolls right to death's door. Literally.
Part 3 - In the P.O.V of Serene[]
From what Tyler has said, everybody and everything is in grave peril. It's even made my blood run cold just thinking about it. Hopefully, we will overcome this dilemma and save every single person and soul.
As I trek across the field, the wind whispers dangerously to me, blowing against my face. The grass shrivels even more as I increase my distance from the safety area. It's a matter of moments before a barrage of mother nature's withered companions knock into me. Obviously, it's a warning to stay away from the shrine of Delide. But the answers to this mystery won't be solved if we idly twiddle our thumbs and wait for death!
All of a sudden, I'm overwhelmed by bundles of leaves. The force knocks me to the ground and pins me there. Then the grass entwines around my hands and ankles, binding me down. I try to break free from the plant prison by wrenching myself off of the ground. I fail. I try again. Another fail. I'm on the verge of giving up and of allowing the grass and leaves to swarm me when thoughts of the world after death flood my mind. Memories of all the gods and Serena join in, giving me new hope. New strength. New determination.
I tear away the grass that is wrapped around my hands before I kick off the blades that imprison my feet. Using most of my strength to do so, I squirm out from under the leaf pile and sprint towards the shrine. I hear it call for me to return, for me to not enter Delide's perimeters, but I don't stop. Not until I almost run head-first into a door. Nothing is behind me now - Just the borderline of the safe area. The leaves all drop with a small clatter, the grass resisting the urge to pull themselves from the ground. With a slight hesitation, I open the door and enter, only to quickly slam it shut - I won't allow Delide to reach out further from her prison.
I'm Sorry...[]
I don't think I'll be able to continue this. However, I will reveal who the culprit was and what happened to them.
It turned out that it was Erlend who stole the box, because he wanted to make a small joke about how the other gods and goddesses always seem to want to take good care of their items. However, he didn't realize what the full potential of the box was until Nathaniel discussed it with him and Aria in private. However, he saw this as a chance to eliminate the offspring that he didn't like.
And punishment, he was sent to a naughty corner and forced to listen to nightcore versions of 'He who shall not be named' songs.