Chapter 11 #2
A thick layer of ash and dirt blanketed the ground, leaving no trace of the crystal-clear streams and verdant meadows I imagined existed here long ago. I shuddered at the sight of the deep scars etched in the tree trunks, as if they had fought battles.
The moss-covered ground beneath our feet was no longer soft and inviting but unstable terrain. It was black in color, as if tainted by the dark magic that filled the air. I clenched my fists at my sides, anger boiling up inside me. How could Cordelia do this?
Suddenly, it struck me. I paused, concentrating on the thrum of energy in the air. It was faint but unmistakable—a dark, twisted power that made my skin crawl.
"Magic," I whispered. "Dark magic, like Cordelia's, but unfamiliar."
"Stay close," Torin said, his expression hardening. "We need to get out of here as quickly as possible."
As we ventured deeper into the sinister fairy realm, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was watching us, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. My wolf spirit growled low in my chest.
A cold wind sent shivers down my spine as we delved farther into the tangled forest.
“What is that?” Robert pointed at something in the distance.
My gaze followed his outstretched hand to the contorted branches above, where flickering orbs of sickly brown light floated aimlessly. These ghostly lights reminded me of fireflies, their movements slow and sorrowful and their light dimmed.
"Even the fireflies have been tainted by Cordelia's dark magic," I said and sighed, my heart aching for the innocent creatures. “If we give her back the athame, I wonder if we can plead with her to restore the realm.”
Torin scoffed. “I doubt it. Although, she’s been different lately.”
As we continued, the air grew thick with an otherworldly mist, casting a supernatural glow on the twisted branches that loomed overhead. Disturbing whispers emanated from the shadows, as if they were threatening or warning us.
I halted as I strained to hear the faint sounds coming from the dark spots of the forest.
"Do you hear that?" I asked.
Robert and Torin exchanged uneasy glances before nodding.
"It's coming from over there," Torin said in a strained voice, pointing toward a dimly lit grove.
The strange noises intensified as we stepped into the heart of the woods.
The moment the first growl pierced the silence, I knew we were no longer alone. My heart pounded in my chest as I scanned our surroundings for any sign of movement. A thick gray-ish mist swirled around us like a living entity, obscuring our vision and amplifying every sound.
"Anna…" Torin's voice sounded low and tense. "Do you see them?"
"Not yet," I whispered, clutching my golden bracelet tighter.
The familiar weight of it gave me a small measure of comfort amidst the encroaching shadows.
A sudden flash of red caught my attention, and I realized with a jolt that it wasn't just one pair of eyes watching us from the darkness, but several. As if sensing my discovery, demonic dogs stepped out from the mist, their fiery gazes firmly locked on us.
The monstrous creatures encircled us. The same ones Cordelia had unleashed in the werewolf kingdom. Filth matted their mangled fur, and their jagged teeth gleamed menacingly. These were the fire-breathing beasts I’d hoped to avoid.
Robert’s sharp talons elongated, and Torin drew the hilt of his enchanted sword out of his jeans’ waistband.
The ethereal light glowing from the blade made me inhale sharply. The sword came from the fairy realm, and Willa had gifted it to my dad. Back in the human realm, it never illuminated so brightly with soft, pulsing magic.
Perhaps the sword had found its home again, unleashing its full potential. As the blade moved, it cast shadows across Torin’s hardened face.
I placed my hand over the golden material on my wrist. The familiar surge of adrenaline coursed through my veins as I willed my golden bracelet to extend into a whip.
The first demonic dog lunged at us with a snarl, its massive body a blur of gray fur and gnashing teeth. Robert stepped to its side and slashed its stomach with his sharp talons.
"Anna, behind you," Torin shouted, and I whipped around just in time to crack my whip at another charging beast.
The golden whip wrapped around its neck, halting its attack as it yelped in pain.
I yanked the rope as hard as I could to tighten the golden material.
The gigantic dog thrashed and pulled on the rope, but I willed my weapon to squeeze around its throat tighter.
Groaning, I barely held on until the beast dropped with a loud thud on the ground.
I panted, feeling the frantic pulse throbbing in my ears.
I lashed out with my golden whip again, the enchanted weapon slicing through the air and wrapping around the neck of another demonic dog.
As the creature cried and stumbled, Torin's sword cut through another, its dark blood spilling onto the scorched soil.
These creatures were like hounds with red glowing eyes, spiked backs and heads, and gray fur that covered their muscular forms. Their long tails, also lined with spikes, whipped through the air with deadly precision.
I crouched as I dodged a swiping razor tail.
Living so close to the portal could make these creatures the gatekeepers of the fairy realm. They could be protecting their territory.
More dogs emerged from the shadows, making my blood run cold.
The demonic dogs snarled and lunged at us while we slashed our weapons at them. But with each beast we destroyed, more took their place. Wherever I glanced, an endless sea of fiery eyes, sharp teeth, and mountain-sized bodies surrounded us.
It quickly became clear we wouldn’t be able to defeat all of the beasts—at least not by using our weapons. We could retreat. Dad had taught me that to win, I needed to know when to fight and when to run. And we needed an advantage that would give us the edge against these relentless monsters.
"Shift," I said, my voice strained with effort. "We'll be faster and stronger as wolves. We can use our speed to outrun them."
Robert grunted, slashing another dog before allowing the wolf within him to take over. Ripping through his clothes, his body morphed, becoming a large, powerful, silver wolf.
Torin retracted his sword, dropping the hilt on the ground. He followed suit, shifting into his own silver wolf form, tearing through his clothes. His silver wolf was slightly larger than Robert’s.
The wolf picked up the hilt of the sword in his mouth, and his crimson eyes settled on me as if urging me to start my own transformation.
Until now, I hadn’t thought about my bracelet, which transformed with me since I was part witch and part werewolf. Torin’s wolf had to carry the hilt, but I didn’t have to carry my bracelet. I hesitated for a moment, waiting for my golden whip to wrap around my forearm.
I hadn’t practiced shifting other than that one time with Torin and when I had to protect myself from Hayden, but Dad had taught me that the transformation would be instinctual and natural.
I focused my mind on my wolf spirit, imagining the blue lights forming the silhouette of a wolf’s head. With each breath, the wolf’s supernatural energy intertwined with my own.
My body tingled with an electric energy, and my consciousness merged with my wolf’s.
As my muscles and bones started to ache and twitch, I welcomed the sensation—a sign that the connection to my animal was awakening.
My skin prickled as fur sprouted along my arms and legs, and my bones shifted, adjusting to accommodate to the new form.
The bizarre feeling of limbs elongating and muscles reshaping washed over me.
The cracking and popping subsided as my senses sharpened.
A powerful surge of energy passed through me.
I was now in my true form. There was something liberating as I shed the constraints of humanity.
Now my supernatural senses exploded on high alert.
The silver wolves took off, and I followed. We maneuvered through the dangerous terrain with ease, outpacing the monstrous guards of the portal. There was something strange about the hounds’ forms that was at odds with their unnatural agility and grace.
My heart hammered in my chest as my paws pounded against the cold earth. My hearing sharpened, allowing me to pick up on every rustle of the leaves and every snapping twig.
The scent of the tainted forest with charred earth and decay filled my nostrils, and tracking the demonic creatures that pursued us became easier. My night vision allowed me to see the danger before me.
I marveled at the speed and grace with which I was able to keep up with the silver wolves. Once in a while, the larger silver wolf would send me a glance as if making sure I was okay.
Panting, I realized every breath was a gift, and I silently thanked the Fates for granting me this wolf spirit that coursed through my veins like lava. The thought of losing it to Cordelia tightened my chest. There would be time to figure it out later. Right now, we needed to survive.
I glanced back, catching sight of the demonic dog creatures. Their snarls grew louder with each passing second. I didn’t know where we were heading, as long as it was out of the dark forest, and I hoped to find shelter in a village or city of sorts.
My mind raced as I searched for a way to outsmart the creatures. I veered sharply to the right then quickly cut back left, praying that my sudden movements would confuse them. The silver wolves must have noticed my movements because they started changing direction, following me.
For a moment, it seemed to work. The dogs’ snarls grew more distant, but then a howl echoed close by, sending shivers down my spine. When I glanced behind me, the pack of demonic dogs looked like it had multiplied.
Torin’s wolf ran faster ahead of me toward a cave entrance. As we neared, I could hear the faint sound of water trickling somewhere within—perhaps a hidden underground stream. We darted into the shadows, my pulse racing, a surge of energy flooding my body. My sight adapted in an instant.
Trusting Torin, I knew we couldn’t run forever. We trotted deeper into the cave until a glow appeared in the distance. As we drew closer, I could see the light at the cave exit.
Legs burning with exhaustion, I rushed out of the cave and into a field, dirt and gravel crunching underneath my paws. The trees began to thin, and the scent of ash grew stronger.
Soon, the forest gave way to a city in ruins, reduced to rubble and sorrow—as if a war had swept through.