Chapter 6: Whispers Beneath the Ivy

~Eira

The sky was bleeding.

I stood at the edge of a crumbling cliff, wind whipping through my silver hair, the ground beneath my feet fractured and charred. What had once been a valley of lush forests and crystalline rivers was now a blackened wasteland—skeletal trees twisted like broken fingers, soil cracked open like a wound.

And the screaming. Gods, the screaming.

Below me, the earth split and groaned, coughing fire into the air like it had a soul to purge. Shadows moved within the flames—giant, hulking shapes with limbs like serpents and skin made of molten bone. Their eyes glowed blue—no pupils, no mercy—just that dead, ancient blue, like frozen galaxies.

Revenants was what they called themselves. They spoke in a language that was foreign but for some reason I understood them perfectly. They were telling me that since I refused to cleanse the world, they’ll do it themselves.

They tore through what was left of the land, their massive forms crushing buildings and bodies alike. One of them turned its head—its skull exposed, veins of glowing red weaving through its flesh like a living furnace—and looked straight at me. I couldn’t move. Couldn’t breathe. But I wasn’t scared. It felt like I was the one controlling them and no matter what happened, they weren’t going to hurt me.

I wanted to move, to try to stop them. To do something, anything. But my body refused to obey.

A village crumbled beneath the Revenant’s clawed hand. Another tower fell. I watched people—wolves, witches, children—burn beneath their feet. For a split second, I felt fulfilled, like this was what I was supposed to do. I felt powerful.

The ground trembled as one of the beasts howled. Fire rained from the sky. Black clouds twisted overhead like dying gods.

My legs still wouldn’t move. My hands stayed clenched at my sides.

A crack opened beneath my feet.

I began to fall.

I gasped awake.

My chest heaved, lungs dragging in air like drowning lungs clawing for breath. Sweat drenched my skin, matting my hair to my face. I blinked rapidly, the shadows of the room sharp and jagged under the moonlight filtering through the slatted walls.

My birthmark was burning.

I glanced down. The crescent on my neck pulsed with pale blue light, beating like a second heart. The air in the room buzzed—no, vibrated. Cups trembled on their shelves. The table rattled softly. Even the floor beneath me felt… wrong.

I sat up slowly, pressing a hand to my throat.

What the hell was that?

Then I noticed it.

The door.

It was cracked open.

Not fully—just enough to let in a sliver of moonlight. A breeze curled through the gap, cool and whispering.

Curiosity bloomed like ice in my stomach. I rose on silent feet, pulled my cloak tight, and stepped into the night.

The village was asleep—or pretending to be.

The huts were dark, and not a single footstep disturbed the paths. But in the distance, near a grove of hanging ivy trees, I saw them. Few elves. Like eight or so in number. Hooded. Still talking.

I moved carefully.

My boots barely brushed the ground. I kept low, close to the walls of the huts, slipping behind root-covered structures and mushroom-shaped homes like shadow on shadow. I crouched beside a barrel, then slid silently beneath a hanging curtain of vines.

I was close enough now to hear.

“…the order came straight from the king,” one of the elves whispered, voice sharp as flint. “He wants them shackled before sunrise.”

“But they’ve eaten the silver, haven’t they?” the second murmured. “They won’t fight back.”

“They’re already weaker,” said the third. “Sleeping like pups. Just walk in, bind them, and be done with it.”

“The girl especially,” the first added. “There’s something about her that frightens me. I walked into her room and found her glowing. Do werewolves shimmer?”

“I’ve never heard of a glowing werewolf.” Another elf replied.

“If she starts glowing again… just end her.” The first elf said flexing his fists.

I went still.

My heartbeat was a war drum in my throat. My breath caught. I didn’t wait to hear more.

I began backing away—slow, steady, careful.

One step. Another.

Almost there.

Snap.

A twig cracked beneath my boot like a bone breaking.

I froze.

All eight of the elves turned at once.

They saw me. We both froze for a few minutes staring at each other as if waiting for someone to make a sudden move.

“RUN!” I hissed at myself and spun, cloak whipping behind me as I sprinted across the village, wind tearing at my face.

Footsteps pounded behind me.

I tore through the paths, dodging low branches and carts, heart a wildfire in my chest. I didn’t look back. Couldn’t. I ran until the hut came into view.

Caelum’s room.

I didn’t knock. I burst in and slammed the door behind me, panting hard.

“Caelum!” I hissed, rushing to his bedside. I shook him roughly. “Wake up. We have to go. Now.”

“What?” he mumbled, eyes fluttering open. “Eira? What’s going on?”

“No time,” I snapped. “Get up—”

But the door exploded open.

The elves entered—spears raised, eyes cold.

Caelum sat up fully, startled. “What the hell—?”

“Behind me,” he said instantly, pulling me behind him.

He took a breath and reached inward—calling the wolf.

But something went wrong.

His body spasmed.

“Caelum?”

He fell to his knees, coughing violently. Blood splattered the floor.

“No,” I breathed. “No, no—”

He looked up at me, horrified.

“What’s… happening,” he whispered, voice trembling.

“That’s what I wanted to tell you. They poisoned you. You can’t shift.” I replied.

The elves smiled like they’d already won.

I decided to test my luck by trying to shift—called my wolf forward—but all I got was a searing pain through my spine. My legs buckled. I coughed—then again—until blood hit my palm.

They moved fast.

The first elf struck Caelum in the side with a blunted spear. He grunted, trying to shield me, but a second blow knocked him back.

I lunged to reach him—but hands caught me from behind. I kicked, screamed, fought like wildfire—but my strength was fading.

Another blow landed behind my skull.

The world turned sideways.

The last thing I saw before the darkness claimed me was Caelum reaching for me.

And the silver shackles.