[17/02/2030 | Salvatore Boarding School]
The subtle coldness of the morning striked Dorian's nerves, with him slowly drinking his coffee to wake up for the day and do his work. After all, for him, his work stopped only on a single day of the year, and this sunday wasn't this day.
Right about now, everyone but him was sleeping in the school.
John, who normally spent nights awake at his own room studying, decided to sleep after much insisting from Hope, with both of them sleeping tightly in the girl's room.
Josie and Lizzie were tired as well. Spending the entire day yesterday with their mother, before she was driven by Alaric to the airport, where Caroline took a flight to South Africa.
The same applied for all of the school. From students to staff and professors, it already became a sort of a habit of everyone going to sleep as long as they could the night before the full moon so they could rest plenty. After all, during the full moon, the wolves would experience the worst pain of their lives, while the rest suffered under the anxiety and fear of being killed by a wolf who escaped from their bunkers.
So, right about now, at 8:00 AM, Dorian Willians was the only person awake at school. And that would probably continue for the next few hours.
He went to do his things. Drink his coffee, eat something to endure the morning until lunch, take a quick look at the library and then head to the archive room, a restricted area for students.
The archive room was just as its name suggested, a place where the school kept certain items archived. There, there were artifacts rescued from the destroyed Armory, grimoires from witches kept away from students for their safety and magical devices that helped the school.
One of these devices was placed in one of the corners of the room, with nothing else but it around.
The device was a globe, almost the same height as an average human, with great details, showing every single capital of a state or province in the world.
The magical device was simple. When the globe was spun, it would be turned on, and then the device would display every single supernatural being under the age of 19 across the world.
Sincerely, Dorian himself didn't know how that was possible. He only knew that Hope did it and it worked properly, helping them scout students all across the world when possible.
The only problem surrounding its usage was that the school didn't have enough staff to scout so many students. Even considering the other schools which were built around the world, all of them for witches, there were still many vampires, werewolves and unaffiliated witches around the world left for them.
The only staff of the school who normally scouted students were Caroline Forbes and Jeremy Gilbert. Besides them, Alaric Saltzman only acted when none of these two were available and these possible students located in the states nearby.
Now, to not overload the staff, and as news about the school was much more scattered, with the necessity of using the globe less and less as the young supernaturals would come to them, the device was not often used. Nowadays, it would be used only on days of full moon, so to ensure the school's staff would be able to react in time in case a packless werewolf was found.
So, when Dorian spun the globe and countless brightful points of lights appeared across the globe, imagine his expression when seeing a new point nearby.
Atlanta? Dorian thought, looking at the capital of Georgia. By the size, it must be a wolf. But there are no packs in Georgia. All moved to Florida or New Orleans. Then it must be a young one. I have to tell Ric! With no delay, Dorian put his mug of coffee down and ran out of the archive room, going to the professors' dormitory.
In no time, he found himself in front of Alaric's door, knocking on it incessantly. "Ric!"
A few seconds later, the door opened fast, with the man opening it barely keeping his eyelids open as he tirelessly stared at Dorian.
"What is it, Dorian? It's almost 7:00 AM." Alaric said, pressing his fingers against his forehead, rubbing it slightly.
"There is a possible young werewolf in Atlanta. Without a pack." Dorian said, his words not sounding rushed, but delivering his worry.
When listening to the librarian's words, a little of the tiredness in Alaric's expression went away, his eyelids opening up more.
"Are you sure?"
"We can only confirm if we go there. But there is a werewolf in Atlanta, and the city has been out of wolves for years now. It is either a young stray or a new one. Either way, I think I should inform you." Dorian explained, saying what he knew.
To that, Alaric nodded, agreeing with him. "Okay, I will prepare myself to go. We still have more than enough time to go there before the moon appears." Alaric said, wanting to press his head against the door and use it to sleep. "Do me a favor, all Hope. We'll get there in time, but not enough to come back if it really is a new one. I will need her help when it turns and something happens."
"John is probably with her. Want me to call him too?" Dorian asked.
"Yes, please. His help would be good too." Alaric said, rubbing his eyes. "Now, if you excuse me. I have to take a very cold shower to wake up or I will fall asleep." He said, closing the door.
Now, Dorian had one more thing to do. Wake up two teenagers.
[Scene Break]
Knock! Knock!
Listening to the dull sound coming from the door, John's eyes opened slowly. But before he even extended his senses beyond the room to learn who was knocking on the door, he made sure to enjoy much more the touch felt against his whole body.
On his face waved strands of light brown hair, their sweet and familiar smell a comfortable way to wake up in the morning.
Now, on his chest, laid a head full of this hair, with her eyes closed. The hot air coming out of her nostrils hit his skin, giving tranquility to him as he watched her sleepy expression. With her arms tightly around him, her breasts pressed against him as Hope went to sleep shirtless. The warmth of her skin and body makes his mind give a thousand runs with thoughts. Not to mention one of her toned and supple legs over his, keeping him in place so he would go nowhere else.
Seeing all of this, John couldn't help but smile, pushing a few strands of hair from her face. "Hope, someone is at the door."
"Hm…" Was the only thing John listened to, chuckling as she tried to adjust herself, only to end up on the same spot.
"Wake up, Hope." John said, finally using his senses to see who was on the other side of the door. "I need to see what Mr. Williams wants from us." John said, pinching her slightly on the side of her breast.
"Let me sleep…" She said, returning to her sleep, changing her hand's position. From crossing his torso to laying it on his chest.
Looking at this, John knew that there were few options left.
Sliding his hand under the blanket covering their lower bodies, John found Hope's waist, he quickly finding a piece of fabric around it.
And with a little push…
Slap!
When Hope felt the fabric of her own underwear hitting her, she finally opened her eyes and lifted her head slightly. It seemed like the newly risen moon had met the midday sun. "Couldn't you just let me continue to sleep?"
"You were really attached to me." John said, looking at her holding him.
"You could easily get out of this situation." Hope rebuked.
"Yes, but I prefer this way." John said, smiling.
After a short silence, both looked at each other before Hope climbed up a little higher, kissing John briefly. "Good morning." She said, her voice mellow and sweet.
"Good morning." John replied as well.
However, at the end of his words, more knocks were heard coming from the door. This time, with shorter pauses between them.
"I will see what Mr. Williams wants. I will make sure he sees nothing." John said, kissing her forehead before rising from the bed. Wearing only a pair of black shorts.
Approaching the door, John opened it slightly, covering all the space with his body. "Good morning, Mr. Williams."
"I certainly can say that you are having a good one." Dorian said, smiling. "However, I'll have to interrupt your little fun. Dr. Saltzman wants both of you ready. He'll take you to Atlanta." He said, his words obviously directed for not only John.
However, when the word 'Atlanta' was processed by John's mind, his expression shifted subtly. "What is there in Atlanta?"
"It seems a new wolf or a young stray is in the city. We have to verify which one of them it is. If it's a new one, we have to help it go through its first full moon." Dorian explained. "Go prepare yourselves. Be quick to grab something to eat on the road. I'll try to see if I find something about a murder in Atlanta the past month." He said before walking away, rushing to his room.
Closing the door, John had a thoughtful expression on his face. A few thoughts running in his mind.
Even after I prevented the car accident, Rafael still killed someone? How is that possible? What are the chances of another scenario of the same person killing someone? John thought, intrigued with the situation. Unless, it isn't Rafael… No, who am I trying to fool? This year, month, day, the moment, everything aligns with the beginning of Legacies's main plot. It very probably is Rafael. The question is: What are the chances of something like this happening? Very low. If, I don't consider a few concepts that, although not much sure of its existence, are probably true. It seems I will have to run a few tests and see if the "Fate Restoration Phenomenon" is really something.
Within the time frame of one second, all these words ran through John's mind as he turned around to meet Hope's eyes.
"Want to go shower first?" She asked, covering her upper body with the blanket.
To that, John smiled broadly. With Hope reacting with a chuckle as she lowered and shook her head slightly.
"Thought so."
[Scene Break]
Hours passed, with the sun rising from the east, crossing the sky. The once chilling morning was now a rather warm late afternoon.
The scenario changed as well, with the historical landmarks of the Old Dominion long left behind and replaced by the brightful and illuminated tall buildings of the capital of the Peach State.
Looking at the high buildings near the road, John's mind was now calmer than when he started this trip despite the noise of a big city like Atlanta.
He had thought of things, on how everything still happened despite his interference.
He remembered Dorian's words earlier, when he got the information on who possibly could be their werewolf.
Our possible werewolf is a young man named Rafael White. He is 18 years-old. Two weeks ago, he got himself in a car accident with his girlfriend. The girl died, but he survived without almost no injury. Besides that, I couldn't get much but where he studies. Downtown Atlanta High. He seems to be one of the main players of the team.
These words seemed to light up something in John's mind, the meaning behind them coming to him.
Resuming… John thought, thinking about this situation for the umpteenth time. Very probably, Fate restored things to what they should have originally been. Rafael kills Cassie, turns into a werewolf, the school notices him, comes to rescue him and, very possibly, alongside it they meet Landon, who triggers Malivore when it touches the dagger. And then, restoring the original storyline of this world. However, what intrigues me more is that even the way Rafael killed Cassie is the same as it originally should have been. If the Fate Restoration Phenomenon is real, which very possibly is considering everything, it works to the point of such details? Or… Ah, that makes more sense. It worked in a way Rafael would meet the school in a not so problematic way. If he had killed someone in some other way, he could have gone to jail. Which would make things much harder to contain him during today's full moon. And if he killed someone purposefully, the school wouldn't accept him either, disrupting the original story. So, Fate chose the best option to align things again, the original way things should have happened if not for my interference. That is such important information. I will really have to run some tests in the future.
As the young man thought of these things, the car suddenly came to an abrupt halt, stopping in front of a school, on the other side of the road.
"This is the place where he studies." Alaric said, turning off the car's engine. "Who wants to do the honors?"
"Leave it to me." John said.
"I'm going with you. I can't stand too much longer in this car." Hope said, getting out of the car alongside him.
"Then, let's go." John said, putting his arm over Hope's shoulders, walking to the school's entrance.
Due to the time, the school was practically empty, with John's senses noticing only a few presences around.
Passing through the door, Hope and John took a quick look through the school's main corridors, they easily noticed their target.
"I almost forgot what a normal school looks like." John commented as they walked to their goal, having some time until there at their current speed.
"I know you don't miss being normal. But do you miss it? A normal environment like this school?" Hope asked, looking up at him.
"There were good moments, yes. But not because of school itself. Everything depends on who you are with." John said, his hand moving slightly to rub Hope's cheek. " And right now, I have the best company I could ask for." He smiled, a very light and warm smile.
"Idiot." Hope said, chuckling at him as she herself smiled.
After these brief words between them, both of them arrived at the place they intended to go.
Right in front of them, in front of one of the school lockers, was on display a myriad of flowers, candles and objects carrying certain emotional value apparently.
Bending down his knees, John took in his hand a portrait. In it was a picture of two young people, a couple. A decent-looking but apparently animated girl and a tall and strong young man, who seemed friendly and kind-hearted.
"They seem like a happy couple." Hope commented, looking at the picture over his shoulder.
"Yes. Unfortunately, destiny had other plans for them." John said, only he knew the real weight of his words. "Want to do the spell?" He asked her, his expression a little more serious than previously.
"What do you have in your mind?" Hope, taking the portrait, asked. She could notice the small shift in him.
John just shook his head. "Just once again contemplating how much mortality is prone to tragedies." He said, standing up.
"Well, if my family's history tells us something, it's that immortality suffers the same." Hope said.
Listening to her words, John stayed silent for a few moments, but nodded afterwards. "Maybe you are right. At least, we can use them as examples and try to avoid these tragedies."
"I agree with that." Hope nodded. Then, she muttered a few words as she held the portrait, the magic within her acting.
With his eyes, John could see something around the portrait lighting up. Something that reacted with Hope's magic.
After a brief moment, Hope nodded to herself. "I got it. Let's go."
"Ladies first." John said.
[Scene Break]
The sky over Atlanta darkened rapidly, shifting from dusk to night. The moon is starting to show up more and more in the sky, its pale glow replacing the fading sunlight. And under this sky, two friends walked over the sidewalk, their talk intensifying with every step they took.
"Rafael. Seriously, it's not right." The shorter of the two friends said, trying to catch up with his friend who walked faster than him.
He was at the average height for his age, with a very pale skin and a lean physique. He had short dark brown and slightly tousled hair. His facial features were still somewhat soft, remnants of the not completely passed puberty, with a warm and youthful expression highlighted by his dusk green eyes. He wore a jacket over a simple shirt and jeans, a normal and typical attire alongside the bag on his back.
The other young man by his side was different. He had brown skin, with a tall and strong physique, developed through his natural inclination to athletic exercises. His hair was short, with it neatly styled in a clean cut. He could be said to be handsome, with a strong jawline, high cheekbones, intense and deep brown eyes which currently hide his normal gentle and confident self. He wore a gray long-sleeved sweater and brown gray pants.
As both walked the sidewalk, the tall young man wanted to roll his eyes at his friend's words despite considering him his brother.
"It is what it is, Landon." The young man named Rafael said, passing under the light of one of the light poles as night approached.
Within him, he felt somehow angry for his brother's words, but kept it to himself, knowing he just wished his best.
"You're not Catholic." Landon said, his expression reacted to one to show that what his brother was doing made no sense. "You shouldn't have to confess your sins." He said right after.
"Look, bro." Rafael suddenly halted in his steps, turning to Landon. "I tossed a lawnmower through the patio doors. If apologizing to God gets Hector and Maria off my back, then that's fine." He said, breathing out at the end of his words. His expression turning a little contemplative. "Also, if by any chance talking to God helps me even a little bit easing this pain, I'm more than willing to go to the church." He added, his words clear to his brother.
"Rafael… how many times have I told you? Cassie's death was not your fault. It was an accident." Landon said these words for the umpteenth time to his brother. But it seemed no matter what he did, he couldn't help Rafael deal with this guilt.
And as expected, at his words, Rafael remained silent for a short moment before resuming his way. "Then why it seems it is?"
Looking at his brother's back, Landon walked up to him, saying not much more until they arrived at the church.
When pushing through the church's iron doors, Rafael and Landon looked at the three people within it, their foster parents and the priest of the church, all standing in front of the church's altar. The place was dimly lit, as all of the light was provided by flickering candles and weak yellow lights. And if not to enhance the solemn mood, they could clearly hear their footsteps echoing across the church.
"Buenas noches, Father Pietro." Rafael said, approaching the religious man.
"Buenas noches, Rafael." The priest said steadily. However, someone with very good senses and knowing how to use them would notice the man wavering slightly. "Por favor, pray with me." Said the priest of obvious latino heritage.
Kneeling down on the floor, Rafael stood before the priest, who was holding a rosary in his hands, slightly rubbing the beads in it.
When seeing one of his foster sons ready for the prayer, the man of also latin descent looked at his other son. "Landon, you can leave now. It's okay, we can take it from here."
"I'm good, Hector." Landon said, not wishing to leave his brother.
Seeing this, the woman walked to Landon, holding his hands slightly. "Landon, this is between Rafael and God, okay?" Maria said, looking at Landon's eyes.
Knowing his brother would probably continue insisting, Rafael turned his head slightly and talked to him. "I got it, bro. Just wait outside." He said with a nod of his head to say everything would be fine.
With these words from his brother, Landon took a last look at him and nodded, walking out of the church. His foster parents followed him a few steps behind.
When opening the door, Landon took out his earphones and put on them, tapping his cellphone a few times before music started to resound in his ears.
Taking out a book from his bag, Landon sat down on the church's stairs outside, deciding to wait for Rafael while writing and drawing.
Through the glass in the door, Hector saw Landon distracted and looked at Maria, both acting immediately as they took some iron chains hidden nearby the door, locking the doors with these chains.
Rafael, who was still kneeling, could hear the metallic sound coming from the door, but thought less of it, thinking it shouldn't be anything important.
"With me, Rafael." The priest said. "In nombre del Pai, hijo, espíritu santo, amém." He said, taking his hand to his forehead, than his torso and last both shoulders.
When done with that, Rafael started another prayer.
"Hail Mary full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou…" However, amidst his prayer, Rafael felt a wet touch on his forehead, with the priest doing a cross sign on it with what seemed like water.
What the? He thought.
His surprise and confusion was even more enhanced when Rafael heard words unknown to him coming from the priest's mouth. And the unknown origin from them shifted part of his emotions into a small fear
"Deus, cuius natura natura semper est misericors et ignoscens!" The priest once again wet his fingers with holy water, moving them to Rafael's forehead. "Suscipe deprecationem nostram ut hic servus tuus discedat!"
Seeing all of this, Rafael started to become wary of things around him, as the fear was occupying more of his mind. "What's going on?" He asked, slowly raising off his knees.
However, the priests didn't answer him.
"Suscipe deprecationem nostram ut hic servus tuus discedat!" With every word said, the priest's tone intensified.
"What? I don't understand…" When trying to stand up, Rafael felt the hands of his foster parents grip on him, pushing him down to stay on his knees. Unfortunately for them, neither had the strength to do it but keep him in place.
"What are you doing?!" He growled.
"Tum, sceleste, discede!"
For two long minutes, the priest continued to recite the exorcism as both foster parents held down Rafael. But that only lasted this much time. After all, the full moon took the sky. And from there, pain Rafael never felt before coursed through his body, at the same time a strength not natural entered his veins.
"Arghh!!"
[Scene Break]
"I think our friend is already feeling the full moon." John said, his eyes locked on the celestial object in the sky as his ears heard the scream.
It was interesting to John. Although the moon was far from its zenith, as soon as it fully appeared in the sky with the night darkening completely, the curse would be triggered. Leading for what were once normal humans to feel a pain which would turn them into mindless beasts. And the more the full moon rose, the harder it became to resist the transformation.
"Stop right there!" Hope said, pointing to the church. That's where the spell led them.
Doing so, the car stopped abruptly, with the three of them getting out of the car.
On the church's entrance, the boy sitting on the stairs lifted his head when noticing the car stopping nearby. And when he looked at the girl getting out of it, his surprise was obvious to see.
"Hope?" He blurted.
Hearing her name called out, Hope lowered her head slightly, noticing the boy on the stairs. "Landon?"
"You know each other?" Alaric asked.
"Long short story." Hope said, quickly changing her sights as she looked at John who was walking up to the door.
Feeling her stare, John chuckled inwardly. It will be fun to have that conversation later. John thought, calmly trying to open the door even though the screams inside were getting louder. "It is locked."
"What is happening?" Landon asked, his face shifting into worry as he listened to the screams of his brother when taking out his earphones.
Without answering, John made a small gesture with his right hand, the metallic sound of the iron chains falling coming to his ears as he opened the door.
Inside the building, John watched as Rafael pushed his foster parents away. They didn't have the strength to contain him anymore. Meanwhile, the priest tried to continue the exorcism, although the wavering in his eyes and the sweet pouring over his forehead was any indication of the fear in him when seeing Rafael have all his bones broken.
"Rafael!" Landon shouted, running towards his brother.
Uncaring of it, John looked at Hope and Alaric. "I will set up a barrier to stop the screams and future howls from coming out." He explained, quickly acting out.
Nodding, Hope and Alaric understood his intentions and ran to the turning werewolf.
When seeing the priest trying to keep the exorcism and both adults rising from the floor, Hope acted quickly. "Ad Somnum." She said, all three falling unconscious on the ground.
All the while, Alaric put his bag down, taking out the necessary items to lock down the turning werewolf. Steel chains.
Landon, now near his brother, looked at him with worry. "Rafael, what is happening?! What is-?!"
"Get away from me!" Rafael shouted, pushing Landon away, although he tried to restrict himself more than with his foster parents.
When hitting the wood benches, with the right side of his ribcage particularly hurting, Landon groaned in pain. But even then, he tried to stand up. However, when he saw the girl and the unknown man putting chains around the heels, wrists and neck of Rafael, he momentarily was out of reaction before shouting. "What are you doing?!"
"Relax." John said, coming from behind and holding Landon in place with a hand over his shoulder. "It is for his own good."
"Locking him in chains?!"
"Although hard to believe, yes." John nodded, patiently answering Landon. "You will soon see." He added, looking at the scene ahead.
When Hope and Alaric finished their job, they distanced themselves as well, with all four of them now watching from a certain distance the young man having all his bones broken and rebuilt. Until, before them, there was nothing more than a beast with black fur standing on all four, with golden eyes that released pure bestiary intent.
"Roar!"
With immense strength and speed, it tried to attack the group of four.
However, the steel chains locked around him, connected to the poles inserted into the floor, held him back, stopping him from attacking.
"Rafael…" Landon muttered, looking at what his brother turned.
His words got a reaction out of Hope. Looking at him, her eyes displayed worry.
And John saw that, but didn't care much.
Looking around, John sat down on one of the wooden benches. Uncaring of the constant howling of the werewolf. "We will be here for a few hours, it is better for everyone to sit down." John said.
It seemed everyone but Landon listened to him, as he kept staring at Rafael.
Hope, slowly, walked to John, sitting down by his side. She was silent as she made her way to lay her head on his shoulder.
Looking at her, John just chuckled as previously, passing his arm behind her head, his fingers wavering through her hair.
He was like that for some time, until he moved his eyes back to Rafael, who started to try to destroy the chains with his fangs and claws.
But John wasn't worried about the chains breaking. After all, they were previously fortified by magic so they could hold down any normal werewolf. Right now, his mind was set into something else.
Okay, time to see the limit of Fate. John thought, his mind racing with ideas.