The Silver Guardian Bk. 02 Ch. 08

A minute later an almighty woomf and BOOM shook the night air as the doorway into the facility vaporized. With the dust still swirling in the light from the facility Dante charged in with Lily and his wolves hot on his heels. Just as he came through the shattered remnants of the doorway he slammed his lead foot down and shot his right fist forward as a great beam of lightning went shooting down the hallway in front of him. Anything unfortunate enough to be in the beams way simply vanished as the hallway and flickering lights suddenly were painted in blood red. Living bodies tend to explode, whatever isn't vaporized of course, when that much energy runs through them. Dante was single mindedly running down the hallway so Lily rallied the troops.

"On me my wolves! Watch our flanks and follow our King! FORWARD!!"

Lily was only a few steps behind Dante as they broke into a large open area and gunfire erupted. Several line's deep in front of them were more of Dmitri's lycans pumping fire into the doorway they had just come from and kept all but Lily and Dante pinned down. Lily quickly came to Dante's side as the emerald shield became more opaque as she poured her own reserves into it to firm up her defense.

Dante spread his hands in front of him and a bass thrum hummed in the air before 10 smaller arcs of lightning went shooting into the enemy ranks disrupting their concentrated fire. Astrid and Freydis were the first through followed by a constant stream of wolves behind them. Astrid and Freydis formed up in front of their King and Queen, kneeling down as the seconds ticked by as Dante and Lily's forces quickly overwhelmed the enemy line and within a minute had mopped up the remainders. Dante and Lily's supernatural abilities combined with the sheer weight of firepower they brought along quickly overwhelmed any opposition they came across. Dante and Lily had some walking wounded with them but so far that's all it was.

They continued making their way deeper into to bowels of the facility encountering less and less resistance as they went. They descended down a heavily reinforced and narrow corridor ending at a heavily reinforced door. This was clearly what could only be central command and Dante knew that this demonic entity that was Dmitri was inside.

"Prepare another package. We're blasting our way in. This can only end one way and I'm not letting that demon slip through our fingers!"

They retreated part way back up the stairway as the shaped charges were set. Freydis went sprinting past Dante and Lily clearing the blast zone as another great woomf and blast shook the building as the door disintegrated and what pieces were left were blown inside. Dante went headfirst into the smoky cloud where the door was with Lily right behind him. Just as he breached the cloud of debris, Dante caught a flash of a roiling inky black jet of flame coming at him!

LILY BRACE!! Dante screamed through the bond.

Lily stopped in the doorway as her powers surged and an opaque emerald green shield encompassed her and the hole where the door used to be, protecting herself and those behind her. But Dante was already in the thick of it as his powers surged and lightening raced like a cage over his body. It didn't completely stop the infernal hell flames but it did save his hide and his life as he went rolling through it and came to his knees as his armor and tactical gear smoked heavily. He saw the demonic Dmitri smirking at him as smoke poured off of his body.

Not wanting to give him a chance to continue that onslaught Dante leapt towards Dmitri quick drawing Twin Moons in a cross slash across his body, but instead of feeling the blades bite into Dmitri's body they were stopped by his clawed hands as his smirk grew.

"Now now Dante, that's quite enough of that- OOF!"

Dante took advantage his small distraction and drove his knee into Dmitri's stomach and realized he would be quickly overpowered unless something changed. The light in the room flickered and dimmed and Dante flipped backwards mid transformation as Lily crouched out of sight in the corner as more wolves and Hellhounds filtered into the large command center, Dante holding the demons attention. By the time Demitri recovered his smirk died away. He did not know about Dante's hybrid form and his smugness was evaporating. Dante stood to his full 9 foot tall height as silver and blue fire danced in his eyes and mouth. Dmitri quipped, "I see I'm not the only one who had changed... shame, this might actually be a challenge."

Dante and Dmitri collided with a resounding crash as Dante put his shoulder into Dmitri's chest pushing him back. After that few in the room could track and see what was happening as both were moving too fast for even most lycan eyes to track. Sparks were flying when their claws crashed together and hisses of pain were heard occasionally as they both ripped into each other. It was currently a stalemate and neither could overpower the other. Dante managed to slip a black lightning charged fist past Dmitri's guard snapping his head back before Dante suddenly roared in pain! A quick glance down saw a demonic claw sticking through Dante's left arm writhed in inky and sinister black flame as Dante's blood began to sizzle and Dmitri was upon him!

Lily hadn't been idle, she was slowly but unnoticed by the rest slipping along the walls preparing for her own opportunity to present itself. As Dante roared in pain Lily tensed in preparation. Dmitri wrapped his claws around Dante's other arm. A chithonic voice slipped through the air.

"Time to die Champion, then it's your fam- AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!"

Unseen by anyone Lily chose that time to strike and drove her empowered daggers up and into the kidneys and behind the rib cage of the demon as he arched like he was being electrocuted! Foul black smoke rose from the holes in his back before Dante ripped Demitri's clawed hand clear before clawing his way across the demon's chest.

"CLEAR!!" Dante screamed out as Lily leapt back leaving her daggers in the beasts back. Dante in a blinding flash sank his right hand forward into Dmitri's chest before finally getting a reaction from him. Dmitri hissed in pain and choked and where his blood came into contact with Dante it spit and sputtered and made an audible hissing sound as smoke poured out of his chest. Dante was clawing his way through his rib cage at his heart, but just before he reached it he saw Dmitri's mad twisted smile through his blackened and razor sharp maw as fetid diseased blood ran down his chin. There was a blistering flash of light and then it was over.

Dante's clawed hand hung in the air where it had just been buried in the demon's chest. The putrid black blood still sizzling and smoking on his hand and arm as silence fell in the command center before a pair of clinks brought their attention to Lily's daggers clattering onto the concrete floor. Dante dropped to a knee as his arm hung limply at his side. Both Astrid and Freydis were immediately at their King's side with hands on their shoulders as Lily was enveloped by Dante's massive Devil form. Dante hissed in pain as he tried to bring his other arm up but Lily stopped him.

"Don't move love, I've got you and I'm working on it. It's over baby, come back to us."

As Dante slowly shifted back, an emerald green cocoon had enveloped Dante's shredded arm and as they all stared at it as the muscles and flesh began to stitch themselves together. Astrid took charge and began barking out orders.

"Secure the room and hallway! Send runners back to Alpha Maria and have my mate and our other computer experts get in here. Sweep and clear the rest of the facility and stay sharp! We don't know if that demon can come back or where he went dammit!

Everyone broke into a flurry of activity as Astrid and Freydis lead Dante and Lily over to one of the few remaining chairs in the room to recover and keep watch over them. Dante reached out and held Lily's hand.

"Thank you for saving my life my love. You always have my back." Dante said tiredly.

Lily just squeezed his hand tightly her love and ferocity and determination pouring out of her smile.

"Always love. Always." It was so simple but so much more was communicated in those brief words. Their love and relief shinning to each other across the bond.

***

An hour later and everyone was gathered in front of the cleared facility outside. The night was warm and relatively silent with little talking. Occasionally you could hear snippets of conversation or orders being passed out, but it was surprisingly peaceful now. As Dante and Lily and their contingent made their way to Alpha Maria and her mate under the moonlight of the waxing moon. Dante went to speak when an unnatural silence fell over them all and the sky lit up with a shaft of pure silver moonlight lit up the clearing they were in. Dante and Lily turned into the oncoming beam and kneeled before Dante's voice rang out.

"Lycans KNEEL and welcome our Goddess as she comes to us!"

Everyone assembled kneeled and dropped their heads in supplication. Dante and Lily looked up to see their Goddess descending unto them. It could have been seconds or minutes or hours, in that undefinable time period the Goddess Luna made her way descending in front of Lily and Dante before she stopped and floated above the ground, her delicate feet never touching the ground. For only the second time in this world Dante and Lily heard the lyrical and pure voice of their Mistress ring through the air with such clarity and power. Looking at Dante and Lily with a loving smile on her face.

"Rise and greet me my children, come to me."

Dante and Lily rose hand in hand and stepped into their Goddess Luna and embraced her together and made enveloping Luna in their love and affection. Her smile grew as she rested her head on Dante and Lily's.

"You have both done so well my Champion and my child. I am very proud of you both and you are walking the path I laid down before you. But this is just the first step and a long journey awaits you."

Luna let go of Dante and Lily and they stepped back. Luna looked out across the sea of her children's faces staring at her in rapture and wonder.

"I'm so very proud of you, of all of you who still follow in my ways, in my Champion's way. Dark times are ahead of us and a new enemy is at our gates. But the light of the Moon shall never fade as this world lives. And it is that which you must band together and protect. My beloved Champion and his Mate, along with their Pack will guide you all through this darkness. But beware, this evil comes without stopping and comes for all sentient life on this world and it's energies. It is as great of a threat as has ever been known before and it's coming for us all."

Luna closed her eyes as her essence pulsed out across the clearing.

"I feel it in my bones, I feel it in the air, I feel it in the very fabric of our existence... change is coming. Im making my move with my Champion and my children, but others are moving as well."

Dante and Lily's eyes shot to their Mistress' face as her pure silver eyes opened.

"Yes Dante, others... don't look so surprised my children. We are not all that goes bump in the night. Some few may have already known but most are just now beginning to open their eyes. Other Gods, other Goddesses, other races, and things that should never be named. We all exist or existed throughout time but our newest foe threatens us all and with it our very world and existence. My wolves have always been very insular, like I am myself and as the Moon we need nobody else and stand apart from it all. But the Earth and our world cannot exist without the Moon and with it ME. Life will always be watched over by the Moon on Earth and our fates are forever tied together. My children were for myself and myself alone. To wolves nothing exists outside of our territory and outside of tomorrow. They live in the very moment and exist as a whole. My children have always stayed apart from the rest of the world. But times have changed and grown drastic. With it I have changed and so too do my children with my Champion and his family leading the way. We will no longer stand apart and we will stand strong and fierce inside of the greater world we are now upon."

Luna glided up to Dante and Lily. "Sorry my child Lily, this must be done."

With that she quickly grabbed Dante and surprising everyone there she pulled him into a deep tonsil tickling kiss. As their lips met and the Goddess' tongue invaded Dante he tasted pure sweetness before something slumbering deep inside of him unlocked and woke up. As She gently pulled away Dante was thunderstruck and frozen feeling this new power surging throughout him. Luna smirked at Lily who was dumbstruck and open mouthed just staring between Dante and her Mistress. As Luna slowly glided over to Lily she reached out and closed her mouth, snapping Lily back into the here and now.

"What is done to my Alpha King must be done to my Alpha Queen..." and with that pulled Lily into one more deep kiss as their mouths moved together and Lily too felt the Goddess' divine tongue massaging her own and that perfect sweetness invading her senses before feeling deep inside something unlocking, like a perfect key was turned inside of an ancient lock, and a new slumbering power came alive inside of her. After a while Luna pulled back smirking once more at Lily and Dante who had both blushed brightly. Luna spoke to the gathered crowd but also to Dante and Lily.

"My children must grow and evolve. Once they were the apex predators of the wilds, once more they shall be so again. Dante and Lily, you must grow and lead these changes and I have unlocked inside of you a new potential, the wider world of magic is now open to you."

Luna snapped her fingers and a light silver wave quickly raced over everyone and into the distance as a single perfect ringing note echoed out in the world ringing in the ears of every lycan in the world as silver colored dust settled over everyone softly.

"I will be much more involved while my Champion is on the field, no longer just watching and guiding as before. Inside of you and Lily is a new and great potential, and with that little action earlier it will grow in the rest of my children. Lycans are already children of magic to be able to transform and do what you have always done. But now, you are all much more. Explore and learn and grow. Some will seek out teachers in the wider world, others will become your own teachers. The deities and races of this world are banding together against this great evil and the world will change with it. My Champion, I task you to build a community and presence that is strong enough to stand fiercely on the world stage. I charge you to blaze a path strong enough and fierce enough to stand along, and if needed against, the humans and the rest of the world. In time the humans will no longer be able to remain ignorant and in time there will be no need to have these secrets any longer, their purpose will become unnecessary and a hindrance. That is not yet now, but in time it will be. You, my Champion, and your family, will be ready when the world is ready. A new balance is to be found and in time an acceptance and a peace among the inhabitants that call this world home. This is a decision made by us all. Humanity will have to adapt, even if it's at the tip of a sword in the beginning. The future and your growth and abilities my Champion and his Great Love, are only limited by your determination and imagination. Make me proud!"

Dante and Lily bowed to their Mistress and in one voice stated, "Yes my Mistress! Your will be done. We will not let you down."

Dante asked, "What about the rest of the lycans out there? How will we make them believe?"

Beautiful and lyrical laughter rang out before She spoke.

"It's magic my children, I am magic and as you will find out soon enough there is very little that cannot be done with magic. I only wanted to say this once and used this visit as an announcement as well. My children and wolves the world over have seen and heard this alongside you all. Whether in a waking dream, or deep inside their subconscious as they slumber, all of my children now know this and have had more of the world's magic open to them. One of my gifts to help my children survive in this new world we are embarking into. You my Champion have confronted and even banished this new evil's Champion away from here this very night. The War is not over but here in this land you have broken its back. But this is not your path right now. You have changed things here tonight and for some time will have a reprieve from direct confrontation as Morgoth and his Champion bide their time and recover. Your journey and Lily's is out there. Learning and growing and building an empire. There will still be battles and wars, and at times you two will be involved. But for now your path lies elsewhere. Grow the Guardian's Council and have my children Victoria and Odin lead the way on it here in North America to clean up what remains for now. They all will still report to you, but you are going to be hands off for some time to come as you seek out others in order to learn and evolve."

The Goddess Luna took a deep breath and came floating back to Dante and Lily who were still kneeling. She had been moving about slowly as she spoke to them and the rest of the wolves around.

"My time here grows short. Before I go I have one last gift for my Champion and his Great Love."

Luna put her hands out in front of her and a roiling ball of pure magical energy grew into existence between her fingers about the size of a beach ball. Dante and Lily looked into the seething mass of energy as the colors of the rainbow poured out of it, though silver was a very strong color that seemed to be radiating from the very core of it. Deep inside they could she something spinning and swirling as it grew and was formed but they couldn't make out precisely what it was. Luna pulled her hand away twisting her fingers around in a circle.

"Arise my Champion and be crowned."

As Luna manipulated the energy forge a fierce looking yet elegant crown came out of the roiling mass of energy. Made of what appeared to be silver and diamond, it was a thick metal band that had what appeared to be metal wolf canines growing out of the top and ringing the crown with some large canines pointing down and a double crescent moon in diamond at the center with two delicate wings flailing up and away at what would be Dante's temples floated in the air. A flick of Luna's fingers and it descended onto Dante's head where some of the large canine teeth in this mystery silver metal dug into Dante's scalp holding it in place. Using a fingernail Luna quickly placed a small cut on her finger as silver blood slowly began to pool on it. She pressed her finger and her divine blood to the front of the crown and crescent moons and there was a silver flash as the crown molded itself to Dante's head and all of the diamonds pulsed and glowed with a silver radiance. The diamonds, some as big as a golf ball had a shining core of pure silver that danced in their facets and into the night. The mysterious silver metal seemed to give off wispy tendrils of silver moonlight having been blessed and in small part made and infused with the very essence of the Moon and the Goddess Luna herself.

"I crown you the Silver King! To all denizens of this world you shall be known. May your rule be just and mighty for centuries to come."

Tears of sterling silver ran down Dante's face in the splendor of their Goddess' grace and love. Luna moved over to Lily kneeling on the ground beside her mate.

"As I said earlier, what is done for the King must also be done for the Queen. Rise my Queen and be crowned."