Malia's brow furrowed in concern. "I thought the Hellhound was the guardian of the supernatural," she said, her voice laced with skepticism. "I hope this Guardian Wolf isn't a Hellhound who got tired of the Wild Hunt and decided to return to possess Progress."
Eli's eyes widened in surprise, and Dr. Deaton's expression turned thoughtful. "That's an interesting theory, Malia," Dr. Deaton said. "But let's not jump to conclusions. We need to learn more about Progress's abilities and the nature of the Guardian Wolf."
Talia spoke up, her voice filled with determination. "Maybe my parents might be able to help. They know a lot about supernatural creatures."
Malia's eyes narrowed slightly. "What makes you think they'd know anything about this?"
Talia hesitated for a moment before responding. "My parents are...hunters. They try to keep it from me, but I've caught on. They've been sneaking out at night, and I've seen the way they talk about certain things. I think they might know something about the Guardian Wolf or the Hellhound."
The room fell silent, with everyone looking at Talia in surprise. Dr. Deaton's expression turned thoughtful. "Hunters, you say? That could be useful. Would you be willing to ask them for help, Talia?"
Talia's eyes locked onto Malia's, a hint of a smile playing on her lips. "Only if you accept. It'syour house after all" she said, her voice firm.
Malia let out a heavy sigh, her expression wary. "Fine, I'll accept...but the moment they aim a crossbow at my face, I'll rip them apart."
Eli, on the other hand, didn't seem surprised by the revelation about Talia's parents being hunters. He leaned back in his chair, a knowing look in his eyes.
Progress's eyes widened as he looked at Talia's sword belt. "That explains the sword belt," he said, a hint of amusement in his voice.
Talia chuckled, a sheepish grin spreading across her face. "I stole it from my mom's wardrobe one day when I couldn't find my belt...I had no idea it was a sword belt, though."
Dr. Deaton nodded, a warm smile on his face. "Alright, I think we've reached an agreement. Talia, you can call your parents in the morning and see if they can help us understand more about the Guardian Wolf and its connection to Progress."
Talia nodded, a determined look in her eyes. "I'll call them and see what they say."
The group fell silent for a moment, each lost in their own thoughts about the future and the secrets that lay ahead. Dr. Deaton stood up, signaling the end of their discussion. "Let's get some rest and tackle this tomorrow. We have a lot to learn and not a lot of time to waste."
Morning.
Talia's parents, Eddie Rodriguez, a ruggedly handsome Latin man with a strong jawline and piercing brown eyes, and Susan Rodriguez, a stunning light brown-skinned black woman with a warm smile and afro-textured hair, walked into the room. They exuded confidence and authority, their body language radiating a sense of quiet strength.
Eddie's eyes scanned the room, taking in the assembled group, before settling on his daughter. "Talia, what's going on?" he asked, his deep voice tinged with concern.
Talia held up her hands, a gentle smile on her face. "Mom, Dad, sit down first. There's something I need to talk to you about."
Eddie and Susan exchanged a curious glance, but they took seats, their eyes fixed on their daughter.
Talia took a deep breath. "I know what you are. I know you're hunters." Her voice was steady, but her eyes sparkled with a mix of emotions.
Eddie's expression turned cautious, while Susan's eyes narrowed slightly. "Talia, how did you...?" Eddie began.
Talia waved her hand. "It doesn't matter how I found out. What matters is that I need your help now. I'm trying to understand what's going on with Progress here." She gestured to Progress, who stood beside her.
Susan's gaze turned to Progress, her eyes assessing. "What's going on with him?"
Talia's eyes locked onto her parents'. "He's a Guardian Wolf. But I need to know more about what that means. What's a Guardian Wolf? And who is the true Guardian of the supernatural?"
Eddie and Susan exchanged a weighted glance, their expressions serious. Eddie leaned forward, his voice low. "Talia, we need to be careful about what we discuss. The world of hunters and supernatural creatures is complex, and there are those who would rather keep these secrets buried."
Susan nodded in agreement. "But if you're involved, Talia, we'll help. Let's start with the basics. A Guardian Wolf is a powerful supernatural being tasked with protecting the balance between humans and supernatural creatures."
Eddie's eyes turned intense. "And the true Guardian of the supernatural...well it'scomplicated. "
"Dad, please. We need your help." Talia said.
Suzan, seeing her daughter in distress decided to talk. "It all stats with the first pack."
Eddie tries to stop her, but she tells him it's fine
She continues. "Lycaon, who was among the Greeks who worshiped the Titans rather than the Gods of Olympus, invited Zeus to a feast at his home, where he attempted to trick him into eating human flesh. Zeus was so enraged by this prank that he cursed Lycaon and his sons by turning them into wolves."
Malia interrupts by saying she knows all of this. But everyone looks her with a annoyed look as she says fine....Suzan can continue.
She continues "From there, Lycaon and his sons sought out the Druids, as they were rumored to have a gift for shapeshifting and Lycaon hoped that they could help them undo the curse. Though the Druids were unable to remove the curse, they were able to help Lycaon and his sons shift back and forth from human form to Werewolf form. Due to their assistance, some Druids elected to work with Werewolf packs, helping them maintain their humanity and guiding them through their lives as lycanthropes, which led them to become called Emissaries."
Dr. Deaton nodded respectfully, his eyes shining with interest. "All who are in the superhuman world know this story, Ms. Rodriguez. The tale of Lycaon and the Druids is a foundational myth for many supernatural creatures. However, I'd love to hear more about the specifics of the Guardian Wolf's connection to this mythology."
Susan's eyes seemed to gaze into the past, her voice filled with a deep understanding. "The first Guardian Wolf was a man who lived 300 years after Lycaon's time. He was part of the Guarani tribe in the Amazon rainforest. After their tribe was attacked by a wolf pack, five members of the tribe, including this man, drank water from the Alpha wolf's footprints."
Dr. Deaton leaned forward, intrigued. "And what happened to them?"
Susan's smile grew wider. "Unlike Sebastien Valet, who became the Beast of Gévaudan due to his hatred and twisted personality, these individuals had pure hearts and cared deeply for their environment. When they drank the water, they didn't become mindless beasts. Instead, they became the first Guardian Wolves."
Progress eyes sparkled with interest.
Susan's voice continued, her words painting a vivid picture. "The Guarani tribe, fueled by anger and a desire for justice, tracked down the wolf pack and took revenge. But after they had their retribution, Zeus appeared to them, his expression filled with regret."
Deaton's eyes were wide with interest. "Regret? For creating the werewolves?"
Susan nodded. "Yes. Zeus had not anticipated the chaos that his curse would unleash. Seeing the destruction caused by the various creatures created by the gods as well, he decided to intervene. He gave the Guardian Wolves a new task: to protect humans from these supernatural creatures."
Eli's voice was filled with awe. "And that's how they became known as the Guardian Wolves?"
Susan's smile grew wider. "Exactly. Zeus tasked them with maintaining the balance between humans and the supernatural world. They were given the power to sense and track these creatures, and to defend humans against those who would harm them."
Malia's curiosity got the better of her. "If the Guardian Wolves are tasked with protecting humans from supernatural creatures, what about the Hellhound? Isn't it supposed to be the true Guardian of the supernatural?"
Eddie's expression turned somber, his voice taking on a darker tone. "Ah, the Hellhound. Its origin story is tied to the Guardian Wolves, but it's a tale of betrayal and curse."
Susan nodded for Eddie to continue, and he took over the storytelling. "About 1,000 years after Zeus made the Guardian Wolves, Prometheus, with his cunning and trickery, manipulated four of the five original Guardian Wolves into fighting their leader. The leader, realizing what was happening, managed to kill the other four, but at a great personal cost."
Malia's eyes were wide with interest. "And then what happened?"
Eddie's voice dropped to a whisper. "Zeus, enraged by the betrayal and the violence, cursed the four Guardian Wolves to burn eternally in hell. But here's the twist – despite being punished, they were still bound to their duty as Guardians. They became the first Hellhounds, forever trapped in a cycle of fire and obligation."
The room fell silent, the weight of Eddie's words sinking in. Progress's eyes were wide with wonder, while Dr. Deaton nodded thoughtfully. "So, the Hellhounds are essentially Guardian Wolves who were cursed to continue their work in a different form."
Eddie nodded, his expression still somber. "Yes, that's why both the Guardian Wolves and Hellhounds don't necessarily need to bite someone to transform them into one of them. They both possess a soul, and the transformation is more complex than just a physical bite."
Malia's eyes sparkled with understanding. "So, it's more about the essence or the spirit being passed on, rather than just a physical transfer?"
Eddie nodded again. "Exactly. The soul is what carries the essence of the Guardian Wolf, and when someone is chosen to become one, it's because they're meant to fulfill a specific purpose or role."
Dr. Deaton leaned forward, intrigued. "And what determines who becomes a Guardian Wolf?"
Progress's eyes lit up as he remembered his vision. "When I passed out, I saw the wolf in my mind, and she said something about being truly close with nature can one be chosen. Maybe that's why I became a Guardian Wolf?"
Talia's face lit up with excitement. "That's interesting! According to what my mom said just now, the first Guardian Wolves were truly close with nature. Maybe your ancestors are from the first Guardian Wolf tribe, Progress?"
Eddie's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "That's a possibility. If your ancestors were connected to the Guarani tribe or had a similar connection to nature, it could explain why you were chosen to become a Guardian Wolf."
Susan nodded, her expression thoughtful. "We should research Progress's ancestry and see if there's any connection to the Guarani tribe or other indigenous groups known for their connection to nature."
Eli's curiosity got the better of him. "Do you think there are more Guardian Wolves out there?"
Eddie's expression turned skeptical. "We doubt it. The last Guardian Wolf perished many years ago, and we've never seen any signs of others."
Susan nodded in agreement. "Yes, buth with this one poping up, we might change how we think. But where has it been all this years? I wonder."
Progress's eyes locked onto the group, his voice firm. "The wolf claimed she was trapped in something called a nemeton."
The room fell silent, with everyone apart from Talia looking shocked. Malia's eyes widened in frustration. "Every time something bad happens, it's always that stupid tree."