Alexa
Two years ago…
I opened my eyes and saw the high white ceiling, the white walls, and the small bed. Ah, I must have been in the hospital. I recognized this room from how often I had been treated here since I was a child.
I raised both my hands, and they were back to normal. I forced myself to sit up. My finger clutched the hospital gown that had been put on me. I peeked through it. My brows furrowed, as there were no bruise marks at all. All the scars from training had disappeared.
The moonlight waned, reflecting from the gaps in the window. When I glanced at the clock, it was already three in the morning. No, it wasn’t a dream. It had been a week since my dad passed away, but I still couldn’t call on my wolf.
Why I couldn’t shift to my wolf's form, just like other kids? Why didn’t I remember any of it? My ritual must have miserably failed.
The door to the room opened, making a small cre
Alexa“Brenda, is this home?” I asked.“Of course,” she answered as she took withered flowers from the vase. “You won’t find me anywhere but home.”“Where’s Harlow?” I asked, still in groggy.“His Majesty is on his way here with the doctor. I informed him about you since you called out his name in your sleep. I called the doctor too.” Brenda left the room with dry flowers on her arms.“Alexa!” Harlow burst into the room, panting. “Thank Goddess,” he rushed toward me and hugged me into his tight embrace.“Harlow, you’re alive,” I asked as my eyes flickered many times into his dark brown eyes.“Yes, Alexa, yes. I’m alive. And so are you,” Harlow cried with a wide smile, only to hug me again.“Something’s wrong, Harlow. I’m so tired and Mythril doesn’t answer my call,” I said as I recalled the image of Mythril’s face by the lake.“It’s okay. The doctor will come soon. You’ve been in a coma for a week with a high fever. Thank Goddess, you’re awake,” Harlow murmured as he pressed our foreh
Alexa‘What do you mean? Don’t tell me…,’ Mythril the Lycan murmured.‘You know what I mean,’ I said as both my hands gripped Harlow’s.Our joined hands formed a circle. After this, it might be the last time I saw Harlow again. That thought hit my mind and fear crept into the corner of my heart. That was when a mass of black air passed in front of me.No, it wasn’t ordinary air. Because that puff of black smoke, though faint, blew toward my face as if trying to seep into my nose, mouth, and ears. For a moment, my mind went blank, and I found myself again in a dark and terrifying vision.‘You…,’ I said to that figure of darkness.Without a single word spoken, the black smoke swirled as if speaking to me. Something evil, like a spark that could burn the world to ashes. It was also a powerful energy, intense, destructive. That energy felt enough to wake Harlow without me having to die sacrificing myself.‘Alexa, watch out! It’s Lucifer’s energy,’ Mythril warned.I woke up from the shadow
AlexaI tried to stand up. My body was trembling, holding back fear mixed with anger. My legs were numb, and I struggled to support myself against the wall behind me.‘Come on, Alexa, you’re still strong,’ Mythril encouraged me.‘I can’t move. I’m too weak,’ I whispered, my heart still pounding uncontrollably.I hadn’t expected the seer ritual to drain nearly all my energy. My body felt like it was tied with barbed iron wires all over. Especially my eyes and legs, which wouldn’t move like I want. Meanwhile, Harlow in front of me was struggling with weaker movements.‘Come on. Fight it! We were so close!’ Mythril once again called for resistance from within me.‘I… I can’t transform,’ I groaned in the middle of tears.No matter how hard I tried to change form into Mythril’s body, I could feel my energy vanishing as fast as I drew it out. Like a matchstick repeatedly struck against the box, the spark never caught fire. I groaned as Harlow became limp in Alastair’s grip.‘Alastair’s ener
AlexaI jumped to the side to avoid his energy attack. My body rolled on the floor. The bedroom door was flung open and slammed into the hallway wall with a chilling crack of wood. The door leaf split apart with reddish marks along the edges of the crack.‘His power was that strong?’ Mythril screamed in panic.My breath was ragged, my body trembling in fear. I almost shared the same fate as the door. Before I could even process everything, Harlow took advantage of Alastair’s distraction. He lunged at Alastair again with his super speed and bit into Alastair’s shoulder.Not to be outdone, Alastair struck Harlow’s chest with his enormous fist. Harlow was thrown to the floor and Alastair launched a few barrages of punches on Harlow’s face. Luckily, Harlow dodged some and landed a few clawed counterattacks. They grappled at a speed that was no longer predictable.‘We need to do something. Anything to help him,’ Mythril panicked.‘But I couldn’t target Alastair. They were too fast,’ I said
AlexaHarlow extended his hand and helped me climb the last ledge of the cliff. I was panting, and sweat dripped from my temples. My braided hair was damp along the edges of my face.We sneaked back into Silver Moon through the western cliff. Alastair still seemed unaware that this cliff was actually a labyrinth. Even if he knew, he didn’t seem to care because the western forest was so dark and empty without a single soldier guarding.“Wasn’t this too quiet? Last time Alastair fought us in front of Mrs. Geeny’s house. Shouldn’t he place guards here?” I whispered to Harlow.“Stay alert,” Harlow said.He pointed to the light in the distance that moved wildly. Strange roars boomed from far, and piercing howls echoed incessantly. The troops led by Julius had begun the battle at the front gate. They all hoped their sacrifice would open the way for us to penetrate straight into the enemy’s core.“Come on,” Harlow patted my shoulder and walked ahead, treading the darkness of the Silver Moon
Alexa“Lucifer, the Lord of Darkness, or whatever other names he used, but we called him Lucifer. We believed he had kidnapped our queen along with the heirloom of the Dragon King into this world,” Marlon explained, still with a calm face.“He kidnapped the Dragon Queen? How was that possible? He even had to possess Alastair just to manifest in this world. That only happened last week,” I still asked, curious.“We believed Lucifer used the power of the heirloom and the Dragon Queen as the key bearer. But our wizard saw a vision that he couldn’t withstand the power and shattered into fragments scattered across the world. Each fragment tried to rise and gather an army. When Mr. Moris contacted us, I came as an envoy.”“And you knew all this from your wizard’s vision?” Jack asked slowly, incredulously, with a look of disbelief. Marlon answered with a firm nod.“And Lucifer was gathering an army?” Jack reconfirmed his thoughts. His eyes flickered between Harlow and Marlon, as if he had me