Chapter 123 Hugo

(Arthur POV)

"Who is there?" I heard a voice in the darkness. I squinted my eyes trying to focus on the source of the voice. I heard a cough. "What is your name?" It was a man's voice, elderly. "Please say something. I beg you." The voice was coming from the other side of the cave. "What is your name?"

"My name is Arthur. And you?"

"My name is Hugo. May I ask what year is it? Forgive me, Arthur. I have lost track of time hidden in the darkness of this cave. I rarely see light and it has been a while since I felt the warmth of the sun nor seen the stars in the night sky."

"I understand, Hugo. It is year 2022." I heard him start to cry. I heard him sob in between his knees, pitiful, heart wrenching sobs. I tried to say something to comfort him, but his sorrow brought a lump to my throat. I just sat there, waiting for him stop.

He must have been imprisoned here for so long, but why though? This pack exterminates werebears like they were a bunch of cockroaches. He must be very important for them to have been kept alive for so long. I couldn't imagine myself being locked up in the dark without anyone to talk to. I would probably go insane. He was definitely a strong bear, in mind and in spirit. After a long while, his sobs had lessened and I heard him wipe his nose.

"Forgive me, Arthur, for weeping. It feels so very good to finally talk to someone. I have been locked in this dungeon for years. More than four decades to be exact." Again, I focused on the sound of Hugo's faint voice, squinting at his direction. Finally, I saw an outline of a prison cell identical to mine across from me. There in the shadows was an old man. He had, what seemed to be, a dirty white beard, dirty long white hair and dirty rags attached to his nether regions. He looked very thin and he was hugging his knees to his chest, rocking back and forth.

"I wasn't this frail before, Arthur. Once upon a time, I was a strapping young man. I was happy and carefree, living the life of a free bear." He coughed after finishing his sentence. From the sound of it, I knew he was sick and needed medical attention. I could heal him, but I needed to make sure he was telling me the truth.

"Do you have a family, Arthur? A mate or a son or daughter perhaps?", he asked after he stopped coughing. His voice was scratchy, in need of some water.

"Unfortunately, I do not have a mate, Hugo. I do have a great granddaughter from my sister's side. How about you?"

"I had a mate. Her name was Rebecca. She was the most beautiful woman I had ever laid eyes on. When she laughed, it was music to my ears. For a period of time, we lived happily together in a small cabin in the mountains of the French Alps." He pauses and lets out a small laugh. "I can not forget the day when she told me I was going to be a father."

"He was beautiful, Arthur. When I first held him in my arms, I felt the need to protect him with my life. Unfortunately, when he was a small boy, the wolves came barging through our cabin door and I was not able to protect him like a father should. I had failed him miserably." I heard him sniff and I thought he was about to cry again. But he cleared his throat and continued with his story.

"My mate, Rebecca, the wolves killed her in front of me. My son, Henri, was snatched by the wolves just like me. However, while I still live, the wolves have told me he is dead." The old man sniffled and coughed again. I noticed it was cold and damp in the cave, even the summer heat could not penetrate it.

His son was named Henri. Could it possibly be...?

"Henri, the werebear?" I blurted out my question to him knowing it was too late to take it back. I saw him inch closer to the bars of his cell, surprised I knew a werebear named Henri.

"You know of him? Is he still alive? I have been holding on to hope that he is still alive. I am old and dying. I do not know how long I have to live. I have begged these wolves to have pity on an old bear like me and just kill me, but they say they still need me. I do not understand what for, when they have left me here all alone, in the dark, driving me into insanity." The old man weeped.

If he is the father of Henri, and this Henri is Jacques' father, this would mean he is Jacques' grandfather. But it was believed Henri's parents died in the mountains during a raid by the wolves and coyotes. This only meant the wolves had separated the two and had fed them both lies.

"What is the color of your eyes?" I needed to know if he had the same silver eyes.

"Silver. Henri's eyes were also silver. We were the few remaining werebears blessed with silver eyes. If Henri is dead and I follow, the bloodline will become extinct. The wolves have long believed in the prophecy of the werebear king with silver eyes. My silver eyes which has been thought to be a blessing, has been my curse." Hugo started weeping once again.

Could Hugo possibly be Jacques' grandfather? There was only one way to find out. I hope I don't scare the old man. He might think me a dark mage or something.

I quietly open my cell with flick of my hand. The only way I can find out for sure if he was telling me the truth is if I touch his hand. Hugo could be tricking me to know what I know. I needed to be prepared.

I sniff around to see if I could find anything I could use to light up the dark cave. I walk around, feeling my way through the darkness, sniffing for some candle wax or even kerosene. It took me a while, but I finally bumped into a table which had several small candles on top of it. They were all dirty and dusty. Apparently, the candles haven't been used for a long time.

I conjured fire and all the candles became lit, casting a soft glow around the cave. The old man squinted and hid his eyes with his hands, not accustomed to the light. When his eyes finally adjusted, he peeked through his hands and saw me standing in front of him. He immediately backed away from me in fear, as far as his cell would allow him. He was all skin and bones, his spine protruding out of the dirty skin of his back.

"Please don't hurt me. I promise I won't do anything." I saw him tremble in fright and my heart went out to him.

"Hugo, ssshhhh, it's me Arthur. I won't hurt you. I promise. I just need you to touch my hand." I insert my hand in his cell.

"Why? Are you going to break my hand?" He started to cry again.

"Ssshhhh...No. I am here to help you. Just brush your fingers against mine. I won't hurt you, promise. I'll even find you some food and water. Just touch my hand. Please." He wiped his eyes with his dirty hands and hid his face in between his knees. I just couldn't tell if his eyes were silver. He inched towards me with his head down and with trembling fingers, brushed his fingers against mine.

I saw him and his mate, happy, living in a small cottage high in the mountains. When they had their son, both him and his mate felt fulfilled and content. They were a family. They were complete.

It was a sunny afternoon. Hugo was bringing the firewood inside the house, while Rebecca was in her favorite rocking chair busy finishing a quilt she was sewing for Henri. Henri was outside playing, for there was still a few hours of light left until sunset.

Hugo and Rebecca suddenly hear Henri screaming. Hugo rushes to go outside to see what has happened to his son when Henri runs inside the cottage screaming before a wolf snatches him up with its teeth and sprints out. Hugo tries to chase after the wolf and his son, but two wolves pounced on him and impaled him on the floor. Rebecca tried to help him up, but she was hit by a small dart and she fell to the floor, paralyzed.

A red and black wolf walked towards Rebecca and lifted her up in front of Hugo, while a brown and grey wolf, snarled at her, its sharp teeth chomping as it growled. Before his very eyes, his mate was slaughtered, her blood drenching his face while he yelled in horror.

In his anger, he shifted to a bear, but he was struck with a small copper arrow. He shifted back to his human form, screaming, as his flesh burned from the copper.

The wolves dragged him out of the mountains, transported him here and threw him in this cave without him ever knowing what had happened to his son. He never saw Henri again after the boy was snatched by the wolf.

Damn these wolves! I felt my rage started to bubble up inside of me. They have tortured this bear for so long. Well, enough is enough! I will show them.

I open Hugo's cell and help him up. I brushed his hair away and finally saw his silver eyes. His eyes went wide with shock, confusion, but ultimately panic. I had to constantly soothe him to assuage his anxiety.

He was very weak and he looked hungry and thirsty. I remembered I had a chocolate bar in my coat pocket and I knew the wolves threw my clothes in here somewhere. I sat Hugo down and went searching for my clothes which the wolves had thrown inside a clay pot near the door of the cave.

Hugo welcomed the sugary treat. He said it has been a long time since he tasted anything so sweet. I found what appeared to be a mug and conjured some water so he can hydrate himself. I needed him to be a bit stronger so I can help him out of the cave. I put my shirt on him while I put on my trousers and jacket.

"Thank you, Arthur. It has been quite a while since I have told someone that." I looked in his eyes and I saw trust. I smile at him and he smiles back, showing me his black teeth. I place my hand on his arm and try to heal whatever was ailing him. I saw his breathing become more steady and stable and his cough, gone.

"Hold on, Hugo. We are getting out of here. Do not be afraid. I am only doing this so we can escape. Trust me, Hugo. I am a friend of your grandson." His eyes widened at my words. Then he nodded his head in understanding and he smiled once again.

"Thank you Goddess," he uttered under his breath and he stood up, ready to take on the wolves.

I open the copper door and the light from outside came bursting in. I raised my hands to the heavens above, and the sky suddenly turned black. I used all the rage I was feeling and conjured the thickest dark clouds, lightning flickering, bouncing from one cloud to the other, beautiful to watch, but ultimately deadly. A clap of lightning fizzled near the mansion of Alpha Bailey and a boom of thunder made the ground, the buildings and the cave shake.

Hope isn't the only one all of you should fear.