Chapter 18

Meanwhile, in the woods, Jasper, meditates alone.

Hekate: Hello, Jasper.

Jasper opens his eyes slowly and stops his meditation. Standing to his feet, he casually turns around to see Hekate standing there.

Jasper: Hekate.

Hekate: What is a young pup like you doing out here all by yourself? Shouldn't you be with your alpha?

Jasper: Hybreed knows me well enough to let me venture on my own. I've matured and grown to be trusted.

Hekate: Trusted? Is that what he told you or something you believe? He can't be trusted. He couldn't even be trusted four hundred years ago.

Jasper: You're wrong. He has lived with that grief every waking second. I can see it in his eyes, and I can sense it in him. If he could go back in time and reverse it, he would.

Hekate remains silent for a moment as she approaches Jasper and leans in close to his ear.

Hekate: Then, why isn't he here defending you?

Jasper feels a sudden sharp pain as he looks down to see that Hekate has stabbed him in the stomach with one of her knives. He falls to his knees as she yanks it out, but the wound is able to heal almost instantly as he stands to his feet.

Hekate: Tough one, you are.

Jasper looks up at her with his bright blue eyes as his heavy breathing starts to become soft growls. Hekate grins at him as she draws one of her spears and Jasper, without hesitation, charges, but Hekate is more experienced and quicker as she is able to take Jasper down. He continues to swat at her, but each blow she dodges with ease, grabs ahold of his arm and throws him to the ground as she breaks it. Jasper yells out in pain and stands to his feet as Hekate throws her spear, but Jasper is able to catch it and throws it back then tackles Hekate to the ground. He starts to throw punches and slashes up her face with his claws until she delivers a leopard style punch to his groin, making him get off. Struggling to her feet, Jasper runs and dropkicks her back down and as he prepares to deliver another beatdown, a sound of heavy, running footsteps is heard and as Jasper turns around, he is slammed into at full force by Barbatos in his demonic viking form. Able to recovery, Jasper leaps to his feet and charges the giant only for Barbatos to catch and throw him, but Jasper uses his claws to catch his landing. Running at full speed, he plows into Barbatos with enough force that he crashes to the ground with a thunderous boom as Hekate leaps into the air with a spear and tries to impale him, but Jasper moves out of the way as she swipes and swats at him with the weapon, but Jasper moves and dodges each one until he catches it, flips over her but is taken down by Barbatos with a punch to the back of his head. He is lifted up by his feet and thrown at full force, crashing through multiple trees that collapse to the ground. As he struggles to stand up, Barbatos punches him hard in the face, lifts him up and punches him again in the side of his face then kicks him with enough force that he lands a few feet from him. Hekate then impales him in the back with one of her spears then uses her power to lift him up and hurls him against the hard ground while Barbatos summons his battle axe and leaps into air then slams the axe down, sending a shock wave that plows Jasper against another tree. Hekate the fires knives that that pin both his arms against the tree then hurls another spear that impales him in the chest. Jasper yells and screams in agony as blood drips from his mouth. Struggling to free himself, Hekate and Barbatos approach him as she leans down to his level.

Hekate: I have to admit, you are very tough. But, not tough enough.

Jasper: You - you can't even - can't beat me without your magic.

Hekate: I'm an enchantress, Jasper. I am free to do as I must.

Then, without hesitation, she impales him with a second spear then impales and pins both his legs to the ground with more knives as Barbatos then uses his club to brutally beat him with it, but not enough to kill him.