by Brandon Chen
King Reimos upheld his promise, having sent a reasonable force to assist in holding the ground. That day a force of five thousand soldiers had flooded onto the land bridge, fully armed. With them came caravans with much-needed supplies of weapons, ammunition, and rations. Upon their arrival, the Iradian warriors began to set up silver barricades and fortifications to hold back the werewolves. Once they were established, most of the beasts would be trapped. Although Moriaki was a bit skeptical about whether the barriers would be able to hold back Faelen.
Moriaki scanned the sea of soldiers for their commander. He had to inform the man that a female werewolf had escaped several days ago and that he needed to chase after her. With her speed, she could’ve already infected multiple villages over the last few days. The druid gritted his teeth, recalling the cloak that she had been wearing. It belonged to the Bount organization. There was no doubt that she had ingested a Phoenix Heart. Her swift actions and ability to wield her chain whip was proof that she wasn’t any ordinary werewolf. Even if Moriaki caught up to her, he wondered whether or not he was strong enough to defeat such a fearsome opponent. It doesn’t matter. I need to stop her and anyone she’s infected thus far.
There was a loud groaning sound, and gasps suddenly spread throughout the surprised Iradian force. Moriaki turned around and saw that a small door had suddenly appeared in Zylon’s magical wall. The druid watched as the door creaked open.
Standing in the entrance was Zylon himself. The immortal was covered in bruises, but was still in one piece.
Zylon smiled at the hundreds of rifles that were pointed at him. “I’m back,” he said jadedly. Directly behind the man was a myriad of werewolves, led by Faelen himself.
“Moriaki! Come forth,” Zylon hollered, standing in the doorway. The immortal didn’t walk forward; he stayed exactly where he was. There was no look of fear on his face. Instead, there was simply exhaustion. He looked as if he were about to collapse.
Moriaki slipped through the confused ranks of the Iradian soldiers, moving towards the magical wall. The druid met Zylon’s gaze and continued forward, greeting the immortal with a tight embrace. “What’s going on?” he said, indicating the werewolves behind Zylon.
“I’ve made an accord with Faelen so that I may be freed,” Zylon said with a weary shrug. He glanced over his shoulder to the Bount, who simply nodded. The man stared at the legions of tamed werewolves that stood behind their alpha leader. “I am about to ask you to do something, Moriaki, that you may find odd at first. But I will explain to you why it is necessary afterward. I will only be freed once the task is complete. Do you trust me?”
Moriaki looked at Faelen and saw that the werewolf was at least twenty feet behind the immortal. Regardless of the distance, even if the druid pulled Zylon through the doorway, he knew that Faelen would be able to strike one of them down in that time. The beast was not one to be challenged. The elf let out a sigh. “Looks like we’re in a predicament, huh? Okay, tell me what to do so we can free you.”
***
Tanya had invaded two populated villages with ease, infecting most of the population. The elderly and children were all slaughtered, since she had no need for weaklings in her army of ferocious beasts. She hadn’t yet sent the werewolves off to spread the infection throughout Escalon. The beasts still instinctively followed her. They recognized her as the strongest and therefore considered her their leader.
The Bount had traveled deep into Northern Escalon, having gathered a force of almost a thousand werewolves behind her. There was no doubt that Iradia had already noticed the pack of rowdy beasts, but she didn’t care. No human army would be strong enough to face a force this big, not with her at its head.
Tanya intended to disperse the werewolves once she reached the border between Escalon’s mainland and Lichholme. She would take a few companions into the dangerous territory with her, but the rest of the beasts could be scattered throughout the continent to spread the infection.
The Bount had just reached the top of a hill and could see the massive glacier that marked Lichholme’s border. She glanced over her shoulder and saw her army of hairy creatures scampering about behind her, waiting to see what she would do. They would mindlessly follow.
A pounding headache suddenly assaulted Tanya, feeling as if a mace has just struck her skull. Wincing, she collapsed onto one knee and gasped. This was no ordinary migraine; she could sense that arcane magic was involved. She could feel her mind being infiltrated by the presence of a stranger. “Get out,” she growled, grabbing her head in agony. The fortifications of her mind crumbled before the mental incursion, the layers of her cerebral defense peeled back until her mind opened up to the stranger. Every thought, every secret was free for her intruder to browse, like an open book. Whoever had magically entered her mind was powerful, Tanya acknowledged that. But she noticed that they did not rummage through her mind. Instead, they only left a message.
A voice spoke, sounding like Faelen. Tanya, I have made an accord with Zylon. You will not let those werewolves loose on Escalon, at least not yet. For now, you will take whatever infected beasts you’ve accumulated and lead them through Lichholme to the Oblivion Portal. I will not be able to leave Horux’s territory as planned. Instead, I want you to go to Oblivion in my stead and retrieve a particular Sacred Treasure for me.
Tanya listened to the rest of Faelen’s message, frowning at what he was asking for. Faelen wanted to put off Junko’s plan to uphold this accord that he’d made with the damned elf and the magician? How preposterous! Then again, in exchange for delaying the domination of Escalon, Faelen had received priceless information — an incantation that would allow for one to enter the Oblivion Vault.
She’d heard of the renowned vault, a sealed place where countless Sacred Treasures, forged by the gods of death, were stored. In there were items that could easily lay waste to an entire continent. And yet, Faelen specified that he only wanted Tanya to take one item from the vault. A potion, one with mysterious properties that he hadn’t specified. What were the effects of consuming the liquid? Would it grant omnipotence?
Tanya sighed, turning to look at the army of werewolves staring at her, awaiting her command. Originally, she’d only intended to find the portal. Entering such a perilous place as Oblivion had never been on her agenda, but this was indeed the opportunity of a lifetime. Power was something she’d always sought. When Faelen had turned her into a werewolf, she regarded the transformation as one of the greatest gifts one could’ve granted her. But within that vault … she could obtain limitless strength. “Faelen, I’ll fetch your potion,” she said gently to the wind. A sly smile cracked across her lips. “But I cannot promise that it’ll be the only thing I take from that vault.”
***
The next day, Yuri still felt extremely fatigued and weak. He could barely walk, but he managed to lumber his way over to an ice balcony that had a grand view overlooking Lady Amara’s territory. In all directions, snow coated the ground and the pine trees that were sprinkled across the land. Mountains loomed in the distance, and the sun beamed its morning light on the snow, making the whiteness shine brighter than diamonds.
For a wasteland known for being home to the undead, Yuri found that the landscape itself was quite beautiful. He’d never seen this much snow before. Looking down, he saw that several Frozarian warriors were leading half a dozen reindeer to the front of the fortress. He watched as Senna, Kura, Terias, and several Iradian warriors were given mounts. So that’s the group that’ll be heading to Etaon.
Terias glanced up and caught Yuri’s gaze. He smiled broadly at his friend. “Hey, what are you doing up? Go back and get some rest! We’ll be waiting for you at Etaon.”
“Make it in one piece,” Yuri called down.
“Could say the same for you when you come,” Terias shouted back with a sly smirk. He mounted one of the reindeer with a Frozarian manning the reins. None of the humans knew how to ride the reindeer efficiently, so Lady Amara was kind enough to se
nd several guides that would lead the party of messengers to Etaon. It looked like a dozen people were embarking on the journey, six humans and six Frozarians.
Yuri watched as the group rode off on the reindeer, sprinting across the snowy lands. He squeezed the icy railings of the balcony until his knuckles turned white. The cold air bit at his reddened cheeks and he let out an exasperated sigh, staring helplessly at the snow.
Many troops had to stay in Lady Amara’s Fortress to tend to the wounded. Most of Kura’s warriors that had fallen through the ice into the Lake of Eternity had been saved. Everyone was still recovering from the magical waters, and the traumatic experience of losing many companions.
Kura had already been distraught over the loss of several comrades when they had fought the undead in the glacier. She was particularly upset over the death of her close friend, Oma. When she saw that the Frozarians were pulling survivors from the Lake of Eternity, she’d hoped to see that her right-hand man, Tassan, had survived. But the knight had been crushed in the hands of the frost giant. There was no coming back from that.
The previous night, the Frozarians had held a ceremony in reverence to those who had passed over during the last couple of days. The robust Iradians and Horuxians had attended, but victims of the Lake of Eternity’s chilling waters couldn’t be present, since most of them were still paralyzed.
Violet had returned later that night to tell Yuri of the ancient ritual. She described how Lady Amara had used some type of magic to create hundreds of tiny blue lights that floated into the night. The small orbs were meant to represent the spirits of the deceased that were moving on to the afterlife.
Yuri now watched Lady Amara, who was standing at the entrance to the fortress. She waved to the departing messengers as they rode away. For a complete stranger, she was very kind. She’d offered the hospitality of her home, saved the lives of dozens of knights from the Lake of Eternity, and brought down the frost giant, thus saving the lives of everyone in Yuri’s group. But there must’ve been some alternative motive, Yuri had a feeling that the Frost Mistress wanted something in return for her benevolence.
“Up and moving already?” Violet asked, walking from the room to the balcony. Since they’d reached the fortress, she’d been spending a lot of time with him. Nearly every hour, actually. Sometimes she would go to talk to Senna, but for the most part she stayed with Yuri. They would talk for hours, eat meals together, and last night they even slept beside each other. Not that anything else happened, though Yuri wouldn’t have minded if something had.
The boy grinned at the princess, scratching the back of his neck. “Yeah, after lying around all of yesterday, I was excited to move around again. It’s still a little difficult to walk, though,” he said, glancing over his shoulder for a brief moment. In his peripheral vision, he caught sight of a forest in the distance. A foolish idea sparked into his mind. “Hey, do you want to go on an adventure? Just the two of us.”
Violet blinked, astonished that Yuri would even suggest leaving the fortress. “What? Shouldn’t you be resting? I doubt that it’s healthy for you to move around too much … and this is Lichholme! It would be imprudent for us to leave the Frozarian fortress without escorts!”
“If there’s any danger, I’ll sense it coming,” Yuri said, pointing to himself with his thumb confidently. “I’m a werewolf, remember? I’m sure that I’ll be able to protect us if something happens. Come on, who knows when we’ll get a chance like this? Would you rather sit around inside this fortress, waiting until everyone else has recovered?”
“But you haven’t even recovered yet,” Violet murmured.
“Werewolves heal a lot faster than ordinary humans, I’m fine!” Yuri insisted, knowing that it was partially the truth. He could move a lot better than the rest of Kura’s knights, who were still paralyzed. But it would still take him another day or so to return to his normal self. His body still ached. He extended his hand to the princess, who gave him a questioning look. “We won’t go far, I promise.”
A tiny smile creased Violet’s lips as she reached out and took Yuri’s hand. The boy pulled her close to him, taking her up in his arms. “Hold on,” he said, leaping off the side of the balcony. The werewolf slammed heavily into the snow below, surprised that Violet hadn’t screamed. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw that Lady Amara was watching him from the fortress’s entrance. Two Frozarian warriors stepped forward, about to halt Yuri, but the Frost Mistress held out her hand. The guards stopped, looking to their superior.
Yuri put Violet down and shot Lady Amara a broad smile before pulling the princess away. The two rushed towards the distant forest on foot.
One of the guards gave Lady Amara a perplexed look. “How is the werewolf even moving? He’s only had a day of recovery from the Lake of Eternity’s waters,” the soldier said. “Lady Amara, are you sure that you should let the two of them go off on their own?”
“We are not their guardians,” Lady Amara said. “This fortress is not a prison to keep them locked up. They are free to leave when they choose.” The Frost Mistress turned around, walking back into the building. “Let Archerus know that the pair left. They are of his concern.”
***
Yuri and Violet walked for an hour through a nearby forest of snow-covered pine trees, talking as they went. The two learned a lot about each other, and Yuri found his interest in the princess burgeoning as they conversed. Violet was an intelligent woman of many skills, some of which were unexpected, such as cooking and sword fighting. Not many princesses needed such talents, since they had loyal chefs and warriors that were subordinate to them.
Violet was also one of the smartest people that Yuri had ever met; her extensive knowledge of Terrador exceeded that of most scholars. She’d spent countless hours in Horux’s royal library, studying. Even in her free time, she loved to learn. The princess told Yuri of faraway lands that were in Horux’s records. There were continents with vast deserts that covered thousands of miles, while others were filled with exotic beasts that did not exist in Escalon.
Hours went by as the pair wandered the forest, walking wherever their feet took them. They were too lost in each other’s words to care for their destination. Violet’s incredible tales of floating islands and frightening dragons captured Yuri’s mind. His whole life, he’d been limited to the city of Horux, without wondering what else was out there in the world. After talking to Violet, Yuri came to realize that he had only adventured through a speck of Terrador. There was so much more that he hadn’t seen yet.
Yuri brushed aside some bushes as he led Violet out to a frozen pond where he saw a pair of penguins sliding across the ice on their stomachs, skating around playfully. Instead of black coats, these penguins had silver hides, making their bodies camouflaged by the snow. However, their beaks were still bright orange. “Wow,” he drawled in awe. “I’ve never seen a penguin before.”
“These penguins are native to Lichholme, so you won’t see them anywhere else in Escalon,” Violet said, tucking some hair behind her ear. She giggled when two of the penguins bumped into each other, spinning on the ice. “Gods, they’re adorable.”
Yuri wanted to go out onto the ice and join the animals, but he had no intention of walking over frozen water after what had happened at the Lake of Eternity. The boy pointed to a massive bear that sauntered from the forest on the far side of the pond, stepping onto the ice. The penguins looked at the beast, but clearly did not deem him a threat, because they continued to skid around instead of fleeing. “I’ve never seen a bear with white fur like that!”
“Some in Escalon call it a polar bear,” Violet said. “Others call it a ghost bear.”
“Ghost bear? That sounds intimidating.”
“Well, it’s just a name,” Violet said, watching as the beast began to roll around on the ice with the penguins. The princess smiled. “After all, it doesn’t look like a threat to anyone.”
Yuri grinned, temporarily mesmerized by Violet’s beauty. Suddenly, his e
yes caught an ominous glow that flashed from a cave behind the princess. His eyebrows went up and he walked past her, moving towards the mysterious grotto. A blue light was intermittently shining from the inside of the cave, giving off a bright glow every couple of seconds. “What could that be?” he said curiously.
“Don’t you want to find out?” Violet said, grasping Yuri’s hand as she pulled him along. “Let’s go!”
Yuri’s eyebrows went up, realizing that now she had taken the reins of the adventure. He laughed heartily as he followed her to the mouth of the cave. The shimmering light reflected off the grotto’s stone walls, but its source came from deep within the cavern. To his surprise, the princess boldly ambled into the cave. She admired the glistening lights that flashed across the stone.
Yuri followed her carefully, his senses on full alert. But there did not seem to be any danger lingering about this cave. The two adventurers journeyed deeper into the grotto, until they finally came across the source of the flashing lights. A pool of water filled a dome-like crater in the floor, the liquid glowing. Beneath its surface was a mystical rock that glowed with arcane energy, releasing bright flashes of blue that radiated throughout the cavern.
“It’s … beautiful,” Violet said in awe, taking in the view. The color of the water was almost turquoise from the stone’s light. Whenever the rock stopped glowing, the cave would temporarily be swallowed in darkness.
Yuri looked at the smiling princess. “It is,” he said, releasing her hand. He rolled his pants up to his knees, tugged off his boots, and stripped off his shirt. He walked towards the pool. “Stay right here.”
“W-What are you doing?” Violet exclaimed, blushing slightly. Her gaze wandered over his skin, across his muscular build, and finally fixated on his grinning face.