Fort nodded at Daphne's comment and continued the training. They fought and sparred for hours. Daphne had become quite adept with the rapier. However, the sword was giving Fort an odd feeling. He would inspect it later.

After both Daphne and Fort became exhausted they decided to end the training. Daphne looked through some weapon crates and found a sheath suitable for the rapier and strapped it to her side. Fort smiled, it looked good on her.

Fort walked out of the room with numerous cuts that were already healing and Daphne was just sore all over from punches, slaps and smacks from the flat of Nasher's blade.

"I'm going to check in on the Doc." Fort said as they walekd towards their rooms.

"Ok, im going to get some intact clothes."

Fort looked at her shredded outfit. He was tempted to follow her to her room again, but he did not have the time.

"I'll look for you afterwards. I think its time. Inform Crispin." Fort said. Daphne nodded and opened her door as they reached her room. Nothing more was said. The calm before the storm was intense.

Fort went to his room first and showered. He put on a new pair of combat pants and a fresh tactical vest. He didnt strap any of his slayer equipment to it however, he just needed to see the Doc. He left his room with Nasher on his back, he never went anywhere without it.

Fort went to the room next door that was Doc's room. He knocked and opened the door.

Pale fumes spilled out of the room and swirled around his ankles. Fort rolled his eyes. The Doc had all his incenses and weird concoctions brewing. The room had undergone a cmplete transformation. The Doc had filled it with all his various charms, trinkets, statues, books, candles, markings and other odd things. There were several insences burning and a small cauldron in the center of the room. It had a bright blue swirling liquid inside it and the Doc rose from the fog and shadows behind it and filled a large vial of the blue liquid and stuck it into his sash after putting a cork in it.

His sash now had a vial of the blue liquid, glowing pink liquid, a disgusting looking green liquid and a fourth vial with what appeared to be.....nothing. It was empty.

"De Balor Lord jou tol' me bout iz only preying on peopol who ah alone no?" The Doc said, lifting the cauldron and tipping it into the drain in the sink.

"Yes. I'm going to be the bait." Fort knew Griggs would do it too, but he couldn't vouch for him now.

The Doc raised an eyebrow and looked at Fort and he put the cauldron back.

"Bery well. Pick de area where jou would like to fight the demon. I am prepared. I will subdue heem for jou, yet one of jou must kill it. My magics cannot." The Doc said while sitting down in a chair. "Round up de wolfies, wookiemon."

(Everybody ready? Its probably going down late tonight or tomorrow.)

Johns cell rang, he pulled it from hsi pocket and answered. "Yeah?" He grunted, he was still stuck to the tree. "Get ready, it'l be in a couple hours."

"How many?"

"Three to five."

There was a hint of another voice in the background, female. "Alright. Have fun with your freind" He said hanging up.  He put the phone back in his pocket, and grabbed the sword by the hilt, yanking it out. He looked at the sword then the wound in his shoulder. "(censored) ruined my OzzFest shirt." That didnt matter much though. He headed home, to get the AK-47, keeping the sword with him, it was nice.

(its not like hes going to use it.....Unless he fights someone...but then he would be better with the knife/pistol....or the AK...:D)

Nikoli stepped into the mess hall, Loxley turned his head "Took you long enough."  Nikoli looked over.  "You would look good with a silver bullet in your brain." Loxley shut up. Nikoli looked around, many of them were there, all ready to fight, and Nikoli knew, die for their pack. By coincidence Daphne was across from him. Nikoli looked at her, taking no notice of Fort, who was looking around to see who was there. Nikoli looked away, trying, not to sucsefully to think.

Fort pushed Daphne behind him, much to her protest. He stood between Loxley and Daphne and unsheathed Nasher. The sound resonated in the messhall and all the werewolves turned and looked at Fort. He looked at them and cursed inwardly. That was not a wise move, yet the Luna Eclipse made him very protective of his mate.

The werewolves surrounded Fort and Loxley. Yet they didn't make a move, unsure whether to attack the slayer that was threatening one of their own or to allow Fort to defend his mate.

Fort looked back at Loxley whos eyes were burning red. Loxley looked back and the red intensified. Fort leveled Nasher and prepared for a duel.

(Its up to you Mel)

The need to fight burned deeply in Loxley, he knew the source of his anger and it was not from the slayer in front of him. The demon was near, he was coming and he was consuming the emotions flowing from Loxley.

It had been his price to live while Thomas had lay dead at his feet. Loxley ignored the slayer and turned to Daphne, “There’s more to the night that Thomas died.” He said as he dropped to his knees, his hands going to his own throat as if to pry away the hold of an unseen enemy.

“What do you mean?” Daphne said as she moved to Nathaniel’s side.

“He told me not to go with him. He told me to stay behind to watch over you. But Thomas was my friend and I stayed as his back despite his wishes.” Loxley said as he rose to his feet with a strange grace that belied his current state. He continued, “I followed Thomas and that’s when the demons arrived. The large one killed Thomas while the other one toyed with me.”

“What?” Fort snarled wanting to know more.

“The one that toyed with me wanted more, he wasn’t satisfied with the death of one werewolf, he wanted to kill us all. His pet, after all, was hungry.” Loxley told as he shook his head violently. “I told the demon I had to live because I’d promised Thomas that I’d look after Daphne if he were to die. The demon laughed at me then seemed to get an idea. He placed a burning had on my chest and something has been wrong with me since.”

Daphne blinked, it all made sense. Loxley had never been emotionally volatile until after Thomas’ death. She had assumed that grief and guilt had been responsible for his change in character. “What did the demon do to you?”

“I don’t know but it’s almost like it feeds my anger, my rage and all other explosive emotions within me. Perhaps it feeds from them but I really don’t know.” Loxley said as he grasped his own head and let out a scream of pain. “It comes and it wants all of us dead,” he screeched before passing out cold.

After speaking to Crispin, Daphne took a moment to examine Loxley. He seemed okay physically but the more she thought about the past the more she realised just how changed Loxley was. When she’d been with Thomas, Loxley had been funny, thoughtful and sometimes a bit wild. However he’d never shown any of the possessive angry characteristics that now seemed normal for his behaviour.

How had she missed the bleedingly obvious signs? Because you were grieving Thomas and because you were so busy trying to avoid Loxley’s strange obsessive behaviour that you didn’t take a minute to think why he was doing it. She answered herself.

Loxley wasn’t a monster, well no more than any other werewolf, he was the victim. “How can we help him?” she asked Nathaniel.

He looked at her with a possessiveness that was flattering rather than scary. “I don’t want you near him. He poses a danger to us.”

Daphne wondered if it was jealousy that guided Nathaniel at this moment rather than sense. “He’s a victim, Nathaniel. Remember that,” she reminded him.

She turned to Nikoli who stood near, “Can you carry Loxley back to his room?”

Nikoli didn’t look pleased with the idea but he roughly picked up Loxley and moved away with the unconscious wolf.

Fort sheathed Nasher and rubbed his eyes. Things were just getting worse. He wanted to end the Balor Lord threat as soon as possible and then worry about the greater demon. He turned and faced Daphne.

"Alright I'm not too familiar with dealing with possession. I've come across it many times but I've never been able to actually fix it without killing the one who is controlling the being. Right now, I doubt we're going to find the demon affecting Loxley around the corner and be able to kill him right away. We gotta take him to the Doc." Fort told her. "After he sees Loxley and does what he can I want to stay on schedule. We need to kill the Balor Lord as soon as possible. With or without Loxley. If he can't fight then he stays here. I'm going to see the Doc and take him to Loxely. You can come if you want."

For then turned to Crispin, but faltered momentarily. He was still a little shocked that he was his grandfather. This new problem didnt make things easier.

"I need you to brief the werewolves on whats going to happen. Were going to stage the fight a little deeper into the forest outside of the conclave at a clearing there. The Doc is going to use some enchantments that should momentarily daze the Balor Lord out of the greater demons direct control and attract it to where we will be. When that happens, he ambush it. The Doc will have a number of spells ready to weaken it and help us in the fight. But still, many will probably die. The Balor Lord will fight furiously. I need to see the Doc now and ask him to see Loxely."

Crispin nodded, "Very well." was all he said. He was somewhat uneasy about talking to his new grandson as well.

Nikoli had pulled a chair over, setting it across from Loxley's door. He wasnt going to let him out of the room, he might be dangerous. He sat in the chair, testing the blade of the Machete, knowing he wouldent be able to use it on Loxley. Some one came around the corner, it was Daphne. Nikoli stood up. "Is he awake?"

"Far as I know, if he is, he isnt making much noise, and he hasnt tried to get out yet."

Paul was astonished after Loxley told all.  He was shocked.  How could he have not noticed?  He was too busy wallowing in self-pity obviously.  He was ashamed of himself.  Michelle noticed this and put her hand around his shoulder.

"Don't worry Paul.  No one saw this coming."

"But we should have."

"Like the saying goes hindsight is 20/20.  Sometimes you get caught in the moment."

"Can we go talk?  I'm itching to have a good conversation with you.  And can we go to your place?"  He smiled bashfully.

"Sure."

She led him to her place.  He sat down on the couch and she sat right next to him close.

"So what was it that Loxley was talking about?"

"He was just planting thoughts in my mind.  I wasn't stupid enough not to see that.  But they still crept in.  And I listened.  I'm so sorry."

"It's okay.  As someone once said the beginning of wisdom is found in doubting; by doubting we come to the question, and by seeking we may come upon the truth."  He smiled.

She chuckled.  "That sounded very smart."

"I have my moments.  Do you know what?  I want to go check on Loxley.  Just to see how he's doing."

"Well he was possessed...  You may not get to talk to him."

Paul shrugged and got up.  "It's worth a try."

He made his way to the door and Michelle followed casually slipped her hand into his.  He looked at her and smiled.  And she smiled back.  They walked over to Loxley's finding Anita, who was packing some serious weaponry, Daphne, and Nikoli, who was staring at Daphne.

Nikoli sat back down in the chair, he pulled the claymore from its sheath, it could use some sharpening. Only problem with that was the lack of a whet-stone around here. He would need to take care of that later. He was bored, but Daphne had asked him to make sure Loxley didnt get out. He would wait.

Crispin stood in the main hall ,with the vast majority of his clan surrounding him. He stood at a podium, made from goblin bones, that Crispin had builty himself.

"My friends, my brothers and sisters, my comrades in arms," He began, gripping both sides of the podium with clawed hands.

"As you all know, we are faced with the challenge of defeating a Balor Lord, lest it bring the fight to us and exterminate us one by one. It is with a heavy heart that I must inform you that the beast is not alone, and has been manipualted by an unknown demon of far greater power."

Many werewolves gasped in suprise at this.

"But to counteract, we have brought forth a..." Crispin thought about how his pack would react to knowing a witch doctor would protect them. "...skilled warlock to help combat these supernatural foes. Now I know that even with our new friends' help, this battle will be the most difficult battle we will ever partake in, and many of you may die defending the conclave. But know this:

"When we succesfully slay the beast and its master, the glorious story of this pack's ferocity and power will spread through the underworld like wildfire. Those who are part of the pack will be feared and respected world round, for helping to slay not only a Balor Lord, but one who could control it.

"So if your heart wavers, and you doubt your resolve, do yourself a favor and either take your life or take your leave and never return. If you flee you will be spared the war, but you will also be spared the glory. I do not doubt any of you. Do not doubt yourselves."

With that last inspirational note, Crispin stepped down from the stage to find his daughter, her son, the witch doctor, and all their ilk.