The Messy Oath

Scott stood still on a road. There was no one there. Just him and the forest on either side of the road. His clothes were shabby, his face messy, his black hair tangled. He was wearing an oversized blue t-shirt that was starting to fade and light brown sleep pants. He looked like he hadn't slept or changed his clothes in days. Scott had a book with him, a book he held tightly in his arms. The street was deserted. Only the occasional car passed by.

With trembling hands, Scott opened the book to the page he had marked. He's nervous. He looked around. Then he took out a small knife he had kept inside the book. He placed the book on the floor and raised his left hand to his chest. Scott took a breath, gaining confidence. With a still-shaking hand, he cut his hand with the knife. Scott let out a small cry. Blood began to drip out. Scott dripped the blood onto the book. Scott took a breath, trying to calm himself.

“I am the Lurvine, a family of supernatural guardians. I summon to fulfill my pact.”

He waited. But nothing happened.

“I am the Lurvine, a family of supernatural guardians. I summon to fulfill my pact.”

He repeated it and waited again. But after a while, still nothing happened. Had he failed?

“Ahh…” The wound on his hand stung. It seemed he had cut too deep. Scott held his injured hand, stared at it, and sighed. It was all in vain.

“This is a very… unusual meeting place,” a voice called out. Scott looked in the direction of the voice. Across the street was a middle-aged man wearing a long white jumpsuit and a stocky build. Along with another man who appeared younger. Their clothing was the same. Scott eyed them warily.

“Indeed, unusual.” Two more men appeared. Their clothes were soaked. They looked as if they had been swimming in their clothes. They were also barefoot.

“Odys... It's a pleasure to meet you again—”

“I'm not happy, and don't speak to me, Mr. Witch,” interrupted the newcomer. He interrupted the greeting from the man in white.

“I just wanted, if I may, to dry your clothes and give you footwear,” the man in white said, still with his usual friendliness.

“No, no need. We're fine.” The man with shoulder-length hair still replied in a curt voice.

“But I'm not fine, father,” a girl next to him replied. The man ignored her.

“I must admit, this is indeed an unnatural place.” Scott turned around. A man was standing on one of the tree branches. “And uhm... (inhales) this smell of blood. Your blood must be very tasty.”

“Come down, Pierre,” said a young man leaning against a tree.

“But it's very nice here. I can see everything.”

The man leaning back shook his head.

“He seems to be getting... Cheerful, Your Highness.” The witch began to greet again.

“Ugh, don’t give him credit, Darius. He’ll get a big head. I can’t stand it anymore.”

“But I learned from you.” The brown-haired man, Pierre, simply jumped from the tree. He landed effortlessly from a fairly high position.

“Seriously,” complained the white-haired man, Nick.

“I was right, Your Highness. Ugh, I’m starting to smell dog.”

“Behave, Pierre,” warned Nick.

Pierre snorted in annoyance. “Okay... okay...”

“Scott??”

Scott turned and was surprised to find Carl there. “Mr. Morrison? (Looks at Ron) Ron?”

Carl took a deep breath and then looked at Ron. They were standing across the street, right next to the witches.

“Whoah... It seems you’re getting taller.”

“Your Highness, Gerrera. Of course not. We can’t grow taller,” replied one of the two fairies who had just arrived. She was two meters tall and dressed in very elegant attire. A long, layered dress made of silk. Scott nearly jumped from his spot, shocked at how tall the fairy was.

"Oh, forgive me, Mr. Human. I didn't mean to scare you," the fairy said, then transformed back to normal human size.

"Is everyone here?"

"Ugh, don't ask. I'm sure the demons aren't coming."

"Again? (Shakes his head.) They have no sense of responsibility," Nick Gerrera commented.

"Are you alone, Scott?" Carl asked. Scott nodded. "Why don't you bring Charlie or Eira? They can be your witnesses."

Scott remained silent, staring at each person there.

"I smell fear and nervousness from him." Nick stood right next to Scott, suddenly making him reflexively walk away. He didn't forget to pick up the book. Nick, with his pale face, white hair, and blue eyes, looked at him questioningly.

"Isn't that normal, Nick? Especially if he finds out..." Pierre bared his fangs, his face turning frightening. Scott was shocked and moved even further away from them.

"You made him stand in the middle of the road, Pierre!" Nick shook his head.

“No problem, Your Highness. I have enchanted this path,” said Darius Ardelean, the witch.

“Hmm, that’s good. And considering you came here yourself, this is getting even more… interesting.”

“You overpraise Your Highness. I just happened to be here, of course.”

“Stop talking nonsense. When are we going to start this?” the man in wet clothes and barefoot was getting irritated.

“Why is that fish so impatient?” Pierre grumbled.

“Y-you… Who are you?” Scott finally spoke. Everyone stared at Scott in confusion.

“He really asked that?!” Pierre half-shouted.

“Scott…” Carl called. Scott turned and looked at Carl. “You summoned us. You have the book. That means you already know everything.”

“I… I…”

“You know who you are, right, Mr. Lurvine?” Darius asked.

“The-the-guardian... The guardian...”

“Supernatural, that's right. By dripping your blood onto the book, it will summon a representative of the supernatural,” Darius explained.

“All of them?”

“Oh, not all of them, Mr. Lurvine. As you've read, well, I assume you've read it, there are many kinds of supernatural creatures. And we are representatives of them.” Darius paused for a moment. “The witches...” he continued. “The witches, Mr. Vattin and I, represent humanity and balance. Over there (pointing to his right) are Mr. Odys and his daughter, Pearliea, they represent the ocean. His Majesty, Nicholson Gerrera, the vampire. (pointing to Nick) He represents immortality. The fairies (pointing to two men standing to his left) represent nature. And finally, the werewolves (tapping Carl on the shoulder) represent wild creatures.”

“Ahh, actually, there's one more, isn't there, Darius?”

“Yes, Sebastian, that's right.”

“Okay, stop all this. If he called us, he already knows everything. Why explain anymore?! What a waste of time!” Odys snorted in annoyance.

“Odys is right. I agree with that.”

“Okay, then let's get started, shall we?”

“I... I...” Scott looked at each person in front of him.

“Uhm... He's getting more and more nervous. His heartbeat is irregular. His breathing—”

Everyone was shocked. Scott lay on the cold road, just like that.

“Scott?” Carl called.

“He passed out.”

Everyone stared in confusion and shock.

“He really just passed out?!” Pierre screamed. Carl and Darius looked at each other.

***

The bell rang. Lyall quickly grabbed his bag and left the classroom. He left as fast as he could to avoid Miro.

“Why are you walking so fast?” Miro asked, starting to have trouble keeping up with Lyall.

“It’s none of your business, and stop following me.”

“I’m just curious. If she’s really your mate, then—”

Lyall stopped walking and glared at Miro. “I know I’m still a teenager, but I’m still an alpha. My bite is deadly for you. So, don’t annoy me.” Lyall turned and continued walking.

“But I’m curious. They are too. You’ve found a mate in your teens! There’s no one like you.”

“Geez, you’re such a talkative person,” Lyall said, still walking.

“That’s amazing. Come on, admit it. She’s your mate, right?”

Lyall was fed up and didn’t want to answer anything Miro said. They were so nosy. It was making him sick.

“Lyall.”

Lyall ignored the call.

“Lyall.”

Lyall was still walking out of the school.

“Lyall.”

“WHAT?! Can you stop calling me?!” Lyall shouted. Several kids were already staring at him.

“I wasn’t the one who called you.” Miro pointed to someone standing behind him. It was a middle-aged man wearing a plaid shirt buttoned to the top. He matched it with a brown velvet jacket that looked old due to fading. It was his history teacher, Mr. Myles, who was also a member of the RaClaw pack. Mr. Myles seemed taken aback by Lyall’s earlier outburst.

“A-ahh… I-i'm sorry, Mr. Myles.” Lyall replied.

Laughing awkwardly, “No problem… Where are you… going?” Mr. Myles asked. He seemed very wary of Lyall.

“Uhmm… Going home?”

“At this hour?”

Lyall nodded. “Yes. Is something wrong? Isn’t it after school?”

“There are tryouts for the five major sports today. Aren’t you going?”

“Uhmm… I don’t like sports,” Lyall replied casually. Miro glared at him. “What? That’s right. I don’t like playing sports at school or with other people.”

“But you have to. You'll be a senior soon. And extracurricular grades will help.” Mr. Myles tried to persuade him.

“I don't think so. My grades are excellent, I think they're enough to qualify for senior status.” Lyall turned to leave.

“But you have to take one of them.” Mr. Myles's words stopped Lyall in his tracks. “That's one of the requirements for seniors. No extracurriculars, no grades.”

Lyall frowned. “I never knew there was such a thing. I thought academic grades were more important.”

“There's a balance, right? If your grades are low, your athletic performance will help you. And vice versa. Just go along. It doesn't matter if your grades aren't perfect or if you're on the bench. The important thing is that you're on the roster. That's enough to qualify for senior.”

Lyall looked at Mr. Myles and then at Miro. Miro shrugged. Lyall let out a shaky sigh.

“Okay,” Lyall said finally.

Mr. Mylas smiled and patted Lyall on the shoulder. Lyall walked back into the school.

“I didn’t know there was such a thing,” Miro commented.

“Just help him out and look after him. We have to keep him busy, remember? That’s the alpha’s order.”

Miro nodded and ran after Lyall.

“So... What did you choose?” Miro asked once he caught up to Lyall.

“I don’t know.”

“There are four favorite sports at this school. Basketball, soccer, rugby, and lacrosse. Who wins the most? Lacrosse and basketball. Rugby? A bit lame. Soccer? Sucks.”

“Then what are you in?”

Miro pointed to some people walking away. The basketball team.

“Ahh, so you’re in that. Wait, isn’t that a boy band member?” Lyall squinted, trying to get a better look. “Welp, yup, there he is. So he’s in basketball?”

“Yeah, he’s the team captain. He’s a real jerk, but he plays really well.”

“Alright.” Lyall walked back, but in the opposite direction from basketball practice.

“Hey! Where are you going? The gym is over there.”

“I didn’t say I was going to the basketball team. Besides, I don’t want to be on the same team as those cheesy boyband members. I’m going to the rugby team.”

“But why? There’s still the lacrosse team.”

“Catching a ball while running with a netted stick? Not my type.”

Lyall continued walking, while Miro paused, glanced in the direction of the gym, and then ran after Lyall.

***

“Don’t tell me we have to wait for him to wake up.” Odys was annoyed by the whole thing. It was a waste of time.

“There’s no other way. We have to wait.” Darius stared at Scott, who was lying on a log that had been enchanted into a wooden bed.

“But you’re a witch, couldn’t you have performed your hocus pocus to bring him back to his senses?” Odys raised his voice.

“That’s not how magic works, sir.” This time it was Mr. Vattin who answered. “It’s best to let him wake up on his own. It’ll be good for him. He seems too shocked.”

“This is so annoying.” Odys stepped away from Scott. He was too upset.

“Okay, while I wait for him, I’ll go get some food. I’m hungry. I want to try something in this town.”

“Your Majesty, you know the rules, right?” Darius reminded him.

“Oh, come on, Darius, I’ve been a vampire for thousands of years!” Nick stared in disbelief.

“But part of your life has been spent inside the castle,” one of the fairies chimed in.

“It’s not that I don’t know anything!”

“I’m just reminding you, Your Majesty. I know you’ll follow the rules,” Darius explained.

“You’re so annoying, Darius.” Nick glared at Darius. Darius laughed.

“Well yeah. I’m an old brat. My jokes aren’t funny anymore.”

“Old brat? What about me? I’m much older than you. I’m over a thousand years old!”

Darius laughed again. “Yes, that’s true. Forgive me, Your Majesty.”

“How rude!” Pierre began. “He’s the vampire king! You should be polite! Ahh!!”

Nick pulled Pierre’s ear. “He’s an old man, should you act like that?!”

“But I’m more—arrggh it hurts!”

Nick pulled harder.

“Forgive him, Darius, he’s still a kid.”

“I didn’t—arrgg!! Stop it!”

“It’s okay, Your Majesty . It’s my fault too.” Darius smiled.

“Then we’ll go and be right back. Or you can call me. I bought a cell phone some time ago.” Nick took his phone from his pocket and held it up to Darius.

“That’s very nice, Your Majesty,” Darius praised.

“Keyra chose it for me.”

“How childish.” A grumble came from Odys, who was already sitting on the wood and folding his arms across his chest.

“Uhmm, okay. We’re going.”

“Wait, wait. Are we going to leave while pulling my ear?”

“Of course. You deserve it.” Nick started to walk away.

“Aaakkhhh, I don’t want to!” Pierre screamed.

“Just do it. What a nag!”

Nick and Pierre quickly disappeared.

“Alpha, what should we do? What if he cancels this?” Ron looked worried.

"I'm worried about that too. The rules are clear. If he doesn't want to be a supernatural guardian, he must die. But he still has Charlie and Eira. They can take his place. We'll just have to wait and see."

"Okay, Alpha."

***

Tadariez