Chapter: 43.******Rafa and Leon arrived at the valley of shadows just as dawn was breaking over it. The ground was soft, covered in a thin layer of snow. They hadn't been there for long before the first rays of sunlight lit up the dark horizon, bathing their path in bright light. They climbed the first hill to survey the situation before they continued with their search. It wasn't hard to spot the little cabin, perched high on the mountain. Their target. The cabin had clearly seen better days, as the structure was leaning badly to one side. Its front left wall hung open to the sky. The door was hanging by only one hinge. No window. It seemed like it had either been abandoned or blown out during a tornado. Even in the low light, the walls were blackened from fire damage.A thick layer of frost clung to the outside of the walls, leaving them almost translucent to the touch. It didn't look like anyone else had lived there in some time, but the cabin itself stood on its own like an old m
Chapter: 44.******Caleb growled and flung him aside, Rafa flew backward and crashed into the side of the cabin, hitting the floor hard, the sound echoing loudly through the area, and leaving a large gaping hole in the wall behind them. Rafa sat up, his vision swimming. He coughed hard several times before pushing himself onto his knees, trying to regain control over his body. He gasped painfully and staggered, falling to his hands and knees as his legs failed to support him any longer. He whimpered weakly, his limbs trembling uncontrollably. He squeezed his eyes shut as another wave of dizziness passed. His breathing grew harsh, the pain becoming unbearable, his throat burned as if he swallowed a firewhisky, the scent of copper and iron filled his nostrils, and his mouth tasted bitter. He opened his eyes once again and looked up at the sky, the clouds were thick, dark, and heavy, threatening to pour down more rain, lightning flashed across the darkened horizon making everything look
Chapter: 45.******Dr. Creiff jolted awake when he heard the loud bang at his front door. Knowing there's only one person in the whole of River Bay who would make such a mindless entrance, the Doctor sighed, sat upright, and pulled his night robe from the hanger by his bed. He threw the robe on, wrapping it around himself, and sighed again when he heard Rafa roaring his name downstairs. Creiff slipped his foot into his plush slippers, and threw the door open, dashing down the stairs this time. Upon arrival to his living room, he met emptiness, but there were blood splatters across the floor and on his favorite rug. He frowned and peered over the armrest of the sofa near the fireplace, where he saw Rafa sprawled out, face first, with blood dripping from his hands. The Doctor knelt beside him as gently as he could, and put a hand against Rafa's forehead. "Rafa?" He asked, his frown deepening further.Rafa exhaled and snapped his eyes open as if awakened from a deep sleep. He was unsta
Chapter: 46.******Little feet pattered along the ground in a flurry of activity, running through the forest with excitement, and in his hands was a little white bunny. It was his first hunt and he could not wait to show it first to his father and then his mother. Dressed in only a black short, his chest was covered in mud from his journey into the woods, his hair sticking up in all directions from all the running and tumbling he had done in the bushes. Little ears peeked out of his dirty blonde locks and his brown eyes were alight with excitement as he ran through the trees and over the roots that hung from them in the forest floor like vines of a vineyard. He had been in this part of the forest almost every day for weeks now, just exploring and playing and getting a bit lost.But he did not have the time to get lost today. Today, he was going to be on top of the world when he showed the bunny off to his father, and the people at school tomorrow. He had a smile stretched on his face
Chapter: 47.******Caleb stopped in his tracks and watched until he had lost him into the night. His father disappeared and he was lost. He couldn't find his way home and after wandering deeper and aimlessly into the forest, the boy picked a rock and fell asleep on it. He woke up to the sound of his name, and his mother's calls. A Weretiger carried him into his strong arms and took him back home, his mother in tow. He was tired, and his little feet ached. When his mother ushered the helpers out and shut the door, she mounted the stairs and came to sit beside him on his little bed.She waited until he had fallen back asleep or so she had thought before she began to cast her spells. Light glowed around him, filling his room with a faint white light that illuminated the room in a strange glow as she worked silently and carefully. Her hands moved through the air slowly, and he watched as her fingers danced across her palm before finally resting on his forehead, her fingertips glowing whi
Chapter: 48.******Conri chased him around the fountain, the sound of his little giggles was like music to his ears, and remedy to his aching heart. The little guy was all smiles as he took off in circles, jumping up and down on the fountain’s stone. As much as his life was miserable these days, he knew that even with the pain in his heart, these feelings wouldn't change. The child's laughter was like the sweetest melody he ever heard, it could heal him, mend his broken heart all by itself. His smile had been like the sun rising from behind clouds from the moment he set eyes on him. Holding a striking resemblance to him, the boy often reminded him of himself when he was a mindless little kid, pure and innocent, unaware of how truly unfair life could get. It made him want to protect him and keep him safe. He wanted to be with him, to watch over him every second they were together. You never know what ugly fate pokes around the corner, and by the Goddess, he was ready to protect him unt
Chapter: 49.*****Mariana sat behind the house, listening to the birdsong with the breeze ruffling her hair. She took a sip of her tea and sighed happily, enjoying the summer heat and the fresh smell of the flowers outside. Months have passed since her fight with the Witches, and slowly she has almost nursed herself back to health. She could walk around on her own without help, and her burnt skin was no longer painful to look at, although sometimes when she walked into a bright light it seemed like it still hurt, so she would take some ointment for that, but otherwise, she could move about freely. She was glad with her progress, and in truth could not wait to be able to go about her plans once again. The Witches may have caused a pause in her efforts, but she was glad to know that her son hadn't completely lost it to the Lycan since she could still use his energy to get into the Lycan's head. She picked up her teacup and brought it to her lips, but frowned when she noticed it was em
Chapter: 50.******Longing. So much longing. Rafa panted, stumbling around confusedly. His hands searched for support, something to grip onto, to steady his steps. His vision blurred, and his mind was hazy. He could barely think straight. Everything was a blur, but he was so cold, like ice inside his brain. All the while his body shivered uncontrollably and sweat ran down his forehead. His skin burned with a fever that had no explanation. It felt as if he had run through miles of hot summer sand, all the way here, without stopping or changing direction once. Every muscle in his body ached, from the heat, from... everything. His lungs were on fire, and yet his heart hammered like a war drum inside his chest. His stomach churned angrily, making him feel queasy. His head throbbed, sending sharp pain into his temples, as though an earthquake had just struck him and shaken him violently. And he was tired, tired beyond measure. The world seemed distant to him, almost unreal, as though i