The mountain troll stood in their path, the warts all over its body were pulsating in time with its heartbeat, its blood red eyes staring at them.
"Leave and we no harm you." Chrysler yelled at the troll, hoping it would understand, for trolls are notoriously stupid.
The troll seemed offended that Chrysler was underestimating its intelligence.
The troll started to run at them yelling at the top of its lungs, "RAHHHHHHHHH"
Sky spared no time on shifting to attack the beast. As he went to stab his arm through the troll's chest he was swatted like a fly.
"Sky!" Chrysler shouted.
"I'm fine," Sky wheezed from the ground.
The troll lifted up his foot to step on Sky, which would kill him for sure.
Chrysler sent a fireball at the troll's face, distracting him and allowing Sky to roll away.
"We can't beat him. We need to run away!" Sky said. He ran over to grab Lance and Chrysler.
As the group was running the troll recovered from the fireball to the far and swung his arm towards them.
The arm struck nothing but Chrysler's backpack, ripping it off of his back and destroying the contents.
Chrysler didn't even notice in his haste to get away from the troll.
When they finally felt safe they realized what had happened.
"Where's the potion?" Sky asked Chrysler for the potion had been in his backpack.
"I don't have my backpack and the potion was in it." Chrysler said, already thinking about what he could do.
Sky slumped down on the ground, "What do we do know?"
"I don't know. The council did say that there's two different ways we could save him. We failed the first method. I'll try the second way. Stay strong for me." Chrysler said sadly.
"No! There has to be another way." Sky said, standing and lunging for Chrysler to save him.
"There is a different way." A low voice said, rumbling through the clearing. The voice reeked of power.
"What the f-" Sky started.
"Please don't use such vulgar language in my presence, mortal." The voice said. When Sky looked at the source of the voice it was a handsome man, standing on a purple cloud.
"Who are you to call me a mortal?" was the response to the command.
"Someone who has transcended being a mortal. I'm offering you a proposition because I find your situation funny. I'll help you right now, and one more time in the future, but you'll owe me a favor of my choosing when I choose it."
Sky didn't care at that point. The ups and and downs of Lance getting injured, getting the potion, and the loss of the potion had broken him.
Chrysler yelled at him to not accept it but his pleas fell on deaf ears.
"I accept."
"Alright let's get this done! When you want my help in the future simply yell my name, Luther." Wit that he clapped his hands, sending the purple cloud under his feet into Lance's chest.
The recipient shot up like he'd been electrocuted, taking his first real breath in days.
"Lance!" Sky yelled running to him and hugging him.
"Well I'll leave you to it." Luther dissolved like the Cheshire Cat into the air.
"What happened while I was... out?" Lance asked.
"So, so much. Let's get back to the manor and I'll explain what happened." Sky said helping him up.
Chrysler shook his head in the background, not approving of Sky's methods, but a wry smile snuck through.
When they arrived at the manor 2 days later a scroll was on the front door. It read, 'Dear servants of the manor, your fae's heir and his mate have perished in battle.' was all that it said.
"Why would they think we're dead?" Lance said reading the scroll.
"It might have to with the battle ground that you left at the pack grounds. Not many people could do that much carnage themselves and walk away, so..." Sky said.
"Well we shouldn't leave them knowing a lie should we?" Chrysler said, "Give me a minute to grab my wheelchair as the splints are failing and we'll head over."
When Chrysler went inside he left the two mates to talk.
"That's what it was!" Lance exclaimed suddenly.
"What's 'it'?" Sky asked.
"I remembered hearing the word mate in school. Oh, oh that changes things." Lance said.
"What does it change? Tell me!" Sky demanded.
"Well in werewolf culture, it's the fated person for them. Their... significant other if you will."
The realization left both of them speechless.
"Is that why I felt those sparks when I shook your hand for the first time?"
"Yes. Mated couples describe the first skin to skin contact as amazing and um, the reproduction is even better."
Both of their faces heated up at the last part of the statement.
The door creaked open and Chrysler wheeled out, his chair still making the squeaking noise.
"Let's be on our way then, shall we?"
As they walked through to the packlands Sky told Lance about the council meeting, the mountain healer, and fighting the mountain troll but ultimately running away.
When they arrived at the packlands, no one was there to greet them so they continued on, finding more of the same. Nothing, it was as if it was a ghost town.
"What happened here?" Sky said under his breath. He knew that the area would look a little rough as a reminder of the battle, but this, this was complete removal.
"Sky? Is that you?" A familiar voice said from the side.
"Chris? Yeah, it's me. What happened here?" Sky said moving to fist-bump his friend.
"The alpha of the nearby pack said that you and Lance perished in the fight, good to see you as well, Lance."
Lance nodded in reply.
"I was just grabbing some stuff from my house but heard you guys arriving."
"Where did everybody go?" Lance questioned stepping forward.
"Well, since our alpha died we're all getting moved to Gabriel's pack. It's that or death as rogues." Chris explained.