Secret of the Mystic
Chapter 4

The soft breeze of evening flowed through the branches of the tall conifers above, pulling with it a storm from high in the Greyfells. The foothills of these northern mountains rarely see a day without a sudden spurt of rain and thunder, or bursts of snow and wind during the long months of winter. Beyond the northern edge of the Greyfells is the vast sea of Az, so treacherous are its waters and the storms above them that it is nearly impossible to cross. The edges of these storms are often pulled by the powerful winds and spun about in the northern most part of the mountains, making them a very dangerous place to tread.

The forests of the southern foothills are not so daunting, so long as you know where you’re going. As for Tai, he was beginning to learn the twists and turns of the land as well as any of the Njorvik tribesmen of the hills. The tribe had found him months back, alone and injured after the Phoenix had attacked the nearby elvish village. Though the Njorviks rarely take in outsiders, a young member of the clan took pity on him, and convinced the chief to let him stay for a while, at least until he was well enough to take off.

Aback the white beast, Wintar, Tai traveled to the meeting site of the clan, a forest clearing upon the cliff’s edge, near the grand city of Risola. Wintar, like any Grymkell, was reluctant to travel so near to such a massive settlement of people, low rumbles of his disapproval pulsed from his powerful chest as he trotted along.

“Don’t be such a coward, Win. The people of Risola would cower in your shadow, they’re no hunters.” Tai reassured the giant canine. The Grymkell were the size of draft horses, with thick powerful legs, broad skulls with small ears and protruding fangs. Their massive paws were adorned with claws like bears, and their fur short and smooth, with bobbed tails like a lynx. The Njorvik tribes domesticated the Grymkell centuries ago, and the beasts have long been the proud symbol of their race.

“He’s not the only one unimpressed with the meeting location.” The light voice came from a small furred creature, gracefully perched upon the strong shoulders of the Grymkell.

Tai smirked. “I thought the parvim were a less prejudice sector of Fey?”

The parvim tilted her head back at him, her large lavender eyes bright against the cream white fur of her face. “Indeed, less so than the Faun and the enchanters… But that doesn’t mean I get a warm feeling from being on the doorstep of the Victorians.”

“No worries, Lunette. It’s not as if we’ll be going into the city, Njorviks aren’t exactly fond of Victorians either after all.”

Lunette made a soft snort, not convinced. She gazed up ahead, her large tufted ears perked forward like satellites, picking up the muffled sound of voices in heated discussion. As they reached the top of the hill, the other members of the tribe were gathered together, their grymkells lounging beneath the trees nearby. One, a young man just a few years older than Tai, raised a hand to them in greeting.

“Hey, Brandr,” Tai jumped off from Wintar and stepped over to the edge of the gathering, “what are they arguing over this time?”

Brandr crossed his arms with an exasperated sigh. “Dren is trying to give us a good reason to head into the city during the festival. He says it would be a good profit for us. The others aren’t liking the idea, not a bit.”

“They’re making a big deal out of nothing. Dren has the right idea, and besides, it’s only for one night.”

“I know. But you know how they are, the older men have no tolerance for anything Victorian, not even their money.” Brandr smirked, part in amusement and part in disapproval of the foolishness of prejudice.

Tai nodded and made for the cliff’s edge, Lunette climbing up to perch upon his shoulder. He paused and gazed over the side, where the pearly white walls and glimmering golden roofs of the buildings of the city stretched out below. Glowing lights of yellow and orange dotted the scene like stars, and the sounds of music and laughter floated up from the streets upon the breeze. Dren’s voice, issuing his final statement on the matter, broke Tai’s thoughtful daze.

“Tonight is the beginning of the Festival of Zurin. People of all races and from all across the land have been gathering and pouring into the city, it’ll be the perfect time for us to sell what we have left of the precious stones and ironworks. And the smiths will surely find work for the time, with so many horses and wagons and caravans having traveled such long journeys… Don’t be foolish, men. Tonight we will make enough to last through the rest of the long months of winter.”

The clan was reluctant to enter the silver gates and into the splendor of the city of Risola, the capital of the most powerful kingdom in Talmactir. Tai, on the other hand, was quite intrigued. As he passed through the gates, speckled with orange in the mirrored flecks of light, the streets of golden bricks were flooded with a merry frenzy of life. The marble walls of the buildings were lined with paper lanterns, strung from one to the next all around the city. The city was structured in a circular fashion, with towering walls of white marble as the outermost ring, stemming from either side of the colossal castle and meeting at the outer gates. The inner city consisted of five rings, shops and inns of all sorts lining both sides of every street, save for the innermost ring. At the center of the inner ring was a beautifully detailed statue of an angel warrior, his great wings spread and a gleaming sword in his left hand. Beneath his feet was a fountain of water, clear as crystal, where the people of the city would come to draw their water from each day.

Tai gazed at the path ahead, the road that lead straight through the city and up to the steps of the castle. The castle was so immense, like a white mountain itself set against the stone of the Greyfells that surrounded it. It was truly beautiful, he thought, like nothing he had ever seen before. As he glanced around at the festivities enveloping him as he tread through the streets, he noticed such variety in the people and the goods they brought with them. Jars filled with fireflies aglow, crystals and stones of every color and type, silver chains said to be pure crystalized moonlight, even tiny illuminant dragons held prisoner in harnesses of gold and jewels. Witches and enchanters, gypsies and carnival folk all having come together to share in the union of the love of Zurin.

He paused just outside of the inner circle, where the flickering lights danced in the reflections of the fountain streams, and the sounds of vigorous music filled the atmosphere with great energy. The sweet smoke of incense covered the air in a pleasant haze, and as the full moon rose up over the caps of the mountains, the people danced in rings around the statue, playing their pipes and violins and tambourines. Four young women dressed in flowing dresses of patterned satin caught the eyes of the crowd, their beauty and skill of dance was unequaled as they sang in the tongue of an ancient era that Tai could not understand.

“Do you know what they are saying, Lunette?” He asked his knowledgeable companion.

Lunette had been fairly tense, her bright eyes wide and ears alert, swiveling this way and that to the overwhelming cacophony of sound. Her senses too, however, had been pulled toward the central four. “Of course, it is an old Fairen song giving praise to the Lord of Zurin, whose essence flows through the Aether of Aine and brings us the gift of magic.”

Tai gave a thoughtful sigh. “The Lord of Zurin… Is that who this statue resembles? And what are Aether and Aine?”

“They really know nothing in Earth, do they?” The Parvim snorted, more in disappointment of the world’s lack of knowledge than that of her master. “Aine is the name given by the ancients to this realm. Everything in this realm exists within Aine, ‘all that is.’ Aether is the life blood of all that exists, it is the very energy of life itself. Within Aether… there exists a force that both your kin and mine call magic, a force not all can touch. This force comes from the Lord of Zurin, the divine being depicted before us.”

Tai watched as the four danced, such grace and precision in a blur of smoke and motion. One in particular, with fair skin and velvet black curls, seemed to be the most skilled of the group. She glanced at him with eyes as brightly golden as his own, and he noticed the edge of a smile upon her lips before she quickly broke away to continue in the chorus. Tai sighed and looked down at the golden bricks, stained orange and red like fire from the lights all around. He let his mind fall back on the soft, peaceful memory. This time, however, the peace was shattered by the chill of something unnatural, turning its gaze upon him.

He quickly looked up and glanced to the left, where their eyes met. A man, dressed in a flowing cloak of smoky grey, the glow of his deep sapphire eyes stood out against the shadows of his face, nearly hidden in the darkness under the hood of his cloak. Tai noticed the glint of silver from the hilt of his sword, and tied by a thin silver chain to his belt on the side was the golden glow of a star.

“He’s a knight of the Sacred Alliance…” Tai whispered to himself. Just as quickly and silently as the man appeared, he swiftly broke his gaze with the young elf and seemed to all but vanish into the smoke and the shadows, leaving no trace that he was ever there.

From upon his shoulder the parvim trembled slightly. “That man… he is not rokun, nor human of any kind.”

Tai turned his face to look into her large eyes. “Huh, what do you mean? What is he?”

“I don’t know. His illusion is so thick… As if he cloaked himself in a swirling veil of shadow to keep anyone from seeing through, even the fey. He doesn’t want anyone to know who or what he is.”

Troubled by this unsettling encounter, Tai stepped outside of the inner ring to look at a few of the shops, seeking to distract his mind. One to his left quickly caught his attention, for it was lit not by lanterns, but by stars. With curiosity he walked over to the table, where many stars of various shapes and colors were displayed in velvet boxes. The glow of these was soft and dim, and they seemed to be made of clear crystal, like quartz.

“See one you like? The Zurin Stars are of little use to common folk, but make fine accessories to any admirer.” The man behind the table was short, even more so than Tai, with a thick beard of black and grey and a brown pointed hat of soft suede.

Tai gave half a smile, he had never seen a real dwarf, and was amused to find that they were just as he had always imagined them. Still, he was polite and quick to respond. “What are they for?”

“The stars are a pure source of raw magic, which those who possess the mystical power of Perception use to focus and strengthen their own power. Normally the stars do not glow on their own, only when held by one who has Perception, but during the nights of Zurin the flow is strong and they glow with the increase of magic.” The dwarf held up a finger to pause his explanation, and reached for one of the small, decorative cages on the shorter table beside him. He set the cage before him, inside was a fey creature similar to a parvim, but tinier with clear glittering wings and a long tail. “These here are starkeepers. When a star is kept by a fey, it has more power, and the fey will protect the star from thieves. Most fey have an affinity for stars, so as long as you keep it bound with a rune chain and harness you need never worry of losing the star…” He glanced at Lunette, then back to Tai with an amused smirk. “…Though I see you already keep a fey of your own, and with no rune chain. You must be one talented individual to tame a parvim.” With a short laugh, he pushed one of the display boxes closer to Tai. “For you then, here, pick the one that speaks to you and consider it a gift.”

Surprised at his generosity, Tai looked at him for a moment, then down at the box. There were six different stars, all about the size of a silver dollar, the smallest of the available stars on the table. Still, they were beautifully crafted with sharp detail. Though made with clear crystal, each one had a tint of color, which tinted the hue of the glow as well. One was tinted yellow gold, another a rosy pink, another a soft powder blue, one of light emerald green, one of silver and one of deep lavender. It was a difficult choice, but Tai felt drawn to the softness of the blue, and gently picked up his chosen star. To both his and the shopkeeper’s surprise, upon his touch the star began to brightly shine.

The moon was now high within the sky, set within a halo of the same blue as that of the star. The dancers were performing their final song, dancing in a circle around the fountain as they lit the candles upon the stone ring that held the water within. Once every candle was aglow with flame, they stopped and raised their hands to the heavens as the stone all around began to shine with the magic of Zurin. The statue, the bricks of the streets, the walls of marble, even the castle and the great mountains glittered with specks of blueish light.

Tai wished that he could have been so mesmerized by the beauty and wonder surrounding him, as everyone else was. He could hardly see the lovely lights and colors, for his vision spun in a blur. Inside his blood was rushing, his heart pounding against his chest like a bird struggling to escape the cage. Trying to collect his thoughts he staggered back against the marble wall, and for a second took a deep breath and gazed down at the shimmering star in his hand. With an exasperated sigh he shoved it into the pocket of his leather vest and pushed the golden curls away from his eyes. His face was damp with sweat, and all over it felt as though every cell in his body was aching, as if to break apart and change themselves into something else. The feeling was agony, and he could no longer stand there and take it.

As if in instinct, he took off towards the gates of the city, running past the many figures before him with all the swift and agile grace of a wolf. The people were quick to step aside from his hurried path, some with faces of shock and uncertainty, others with a gasp of surprise. Once outside the gates he found Brandr, nearly running him over, and before he could gather his thoughts to explain he heard nothing but the deep growl of what sounded like a grymkell, but of much greater size…

Brandr’s expression was one of deep horror and concern, as though he were looking into the face of a monster. Tai struggled to focus his mind, but all thought and reason swirled together into a vortex of confusion, and everything seemed to shrink around him in the blur and haze. With great frustration he turned and darted off over the hills and into the shadowed forest, running and running past every tree and over every stone and shrub, feeling the wind screaming against his eardrums, the air burning through his nostrils. For the slightest moment he could see the light of the moon, the blue halo that surrounded it, and the magic glow of the earth around him, but soon all began to fade from consciousness, and the light of reason melted away into the darkness…

As the shadows were broken up by the pale, sickening light, shards of fragmented thought came and went through his mind, like images fading in and out of a screen. A giant wolf, black as the night sky, standing amidst the swirling debris of a ruined village, lightning flashing all about in a raging storm.

With a tired groan, Tai pushed away the nightmare and forced open his eyes. The clouded light of early day fell in shafts through smoke all around him. He choked as he took a breath, his lungs heavy from the ash floating about through the air, his head pounding with a splitting migraine. For a while he laid there, collecting his thoughts to try and determine what had happened. He thought about the festival, the lovely dancers, then the man in the shadows and finally… the star.

Reflexively he felt along the outside of his pocket, afraid to touch the crystal itself, and found the outline of it within. The star had done something to him, he thought. For it was after touching this powerful jewel that all of his thoughts fell apart. With a sigh he pushed himself up, and it was then that he realized that he was sitting in the middle of great devastation.

All around was the smoldering ruin of what must have been a beautiful little village. Even the closest trees of the surrounding forest were blown apart in splinters, the ground ripped through as if by some immense force of wind. How could he have survived something like this, he wondered, as he noticed no signs of life anywhere nearby. His heart began to pound with the realization that the people who lived in this village… were dead.

Finally his ears picked up the sounds of something moving through the forest behind, and he quickly stood and gazed through the veil of smoke, hoping to see someone familiar come through to find him. At first he noticed a shadow of what seemed to be a large dog, but with a double tail and two wisps of orange flame. Puzzled, he watched as the shadow changed into the form of a woman, cloaked in velvet black. As she walked through the smoke towards him, he began to recognize her as the dancer who gazed at him.

She paused when she was just close enough to be heard without raising her voice. “You are a force of great chaos, Shifter of Night. And yet you did not know…” Her voice was soft and calm, and her expression filled with curiosity.

“What do you mean? How could I have done something like this?”

“The wolf has much power.”

Tai stared down at the ash-covered earth beneath him, his hands trembling. “…I don’t understand. I don’t understand any of this…”

“Walk with me, Night Shifter.” She held out a hand to him, her golden eyes glowing. Tai hesitated, but the urge to know what she knew quickly overcame his uncertainty. He followed beside her into the filtering light of the forest, the smoke slowly fading the deeper within they traveled.

“So… what’s your name?”

“I am Enya. A daughter of the sector of Kitsune.” She answered, without looking at him.

Tai was impressed, she was a fey after all. “A kitsune? So you can change into a fox?”

Enya gave a half smile. “I can take the form of a human. I was born a fox, as all kitsune are. As we get older, our magic grows stronger, and our tails split. The wisps we carry are an extension of the Aether in our souls. With them we can create illusions and perform other simple forms of magic…” She paused and glanced at Tai. “But let’s talk about you. You have no idea what you really are, thinking that you are a Njorvik tribesman… You are not Njorvik, nor rokun at all, but a fey warrior of legend.”

“How could you possibly know that?” Tai questioned, his expression clearly confused.

“All fey can recognize their kin. We are different from the rokun and the elves. However you seem to have lost all of your senses… Or, perhaps you do not know what they are. Were you raised by the Njorvik clan?”

“No. I came from earth…”

Enya was quiet for a time, and Tai couldn’t tell if she was confused or simply didn’t believe his words. Finally she turned to look at him, her shimmering eyes staring into his. “Then you have much to learn, Shadow Wolf, for you have a great purpose.”

Tai shook his head. “What purpose?”

“That I do not know, I was not the one who brought you here. But someone did. And I have a feeling that he knows something about you that neither you nor I can guess.”

Before Tai could answer her, she paused, gazing off into the distance, her expression alert. It wasn’t long before he heard it too, something moving towards them at great speed. From between the trees he saw them, two grymkell rushing through the forest. One was Wintar, leading the way having caught Tai’s scent, with Brandr following along upon the back of his dark grey beast, Stein.

Wintar slowed his pace and trotted up to his master, his tail swaying back and forth and head lowered in joyful greeting. Tai smiled and gave him a friendly pat on the head and scratched behind his jaw, the young grymkell grumbling pleasantly in response.

“Tai, what happened to you, where have you been?” Brandr leapt off the back of Stein before the creature could even complete his stop. When Tai gave nothing but uncertain silence, his expression became deeply concerned. “…Did I really see what I think I saw last night?”

Tai sighed. “Yeah, I think so. I’m… still trying to process that myself.”

Brandr, having now taken notice of the lovely woman standing beside Tai, nodded towards her and looked back at Tai. “Who’s this?”

The question took him by surprise, for he had momentarily forgotten that he wasn’t alone. “Oh, this is Enya. She was… helping me understand a few things.”

Brandr raised an eyebrow with a mischievous half smile. “Oh? You changed into a wolf and found yourself a girl all in one night? It’s like a whole new you!”

“Shut up. You know you really need to work on your judgment of when it’s appropriate to make sarcastic remarks.” Tai responded, his expression clearly unimpressed.

The young Njorvik man lightly raised both hands in submission, though he couldn’t resist a short laugh at his friend.

Tai narrowed his golden eyes a bit. “You don’t seem nearly as disturbed by all of this as you should be.”

For a moment Brandr was hesitant, trying, for once, to choose wisely his words. “Let’s be honest, Tai. I’ve known ever since we found you that there’s something different about you. You have the bright, golden eyes of a wolf to start, and the pointed eartips of an elf. For another a Parvim chose you as her master. You know as well as I that Parvim do not serve ordinary humans, especially rokun. Believe me, there are more than enough reasons for me to not be too surprised about last night’s occurrence.”

The mention of the Parvim brought sudden concern into Tai’s thoughts. “Brandr, where is Lunette? I lost track of her after I touched that star…”

“I haven’t seen her. What star?”

The young elf sighed. “A dwarf gave me a star, like the ones kept by the knights. The moment I held it in my hand it glowed brightly, and that’s when I lost control and started to change into the wolf…”

Brandr gazed at him, his expression serious with awe. “You have Perception, Tai.”

“He has more than just the Aethersense. He is part fey himself.”

They both glanced towards the woman in slight surprise, for she had long stood apart in silence. Her eyes gazed first at Brandr, then to Tai, then she turned to the north without the slightest change to her emotionless expression. “You must go to the castle of the Mystic, Tai. Speak with him, for his knowledge and wisdom are beyond compare.”

Brandr scoffed, his expression falsely amused. “Go to the Mystic? Are you serious?”

Enya looked back at him, unimpressed with his clear lack of wisdom and inability to perceive the serious nature of the situation. Before she had a chance to retort, Tai interrupted. “The Mystic is supposedly the one who wanted me here. An elf came to Earth to find me and bring me to this world, saying he was sent by someone known as the Mystic…”

“The Mystic is supposedly the most wise being in all of Talmactir, or rather in all of Origynn even. They say he has lived over two thousand years, though no one has ever actually seen him. On the rare occasion he is seen, he is covered by a hooded cloak the color of shadow, and flowing robes that cover his entire body. The Mystic’s castle is far into the north of the Greyfells, and the way to reach it is winding and covered with illusions and storms, it’s impossible to find… Most who try end up journeying to their death.” Brandr responded, his tone discouraging.

Tai looked away, his brow furrowed in confusion. “If all of that is true, then how do you know this person even exists? He’s never been seen, his castle is impossible to find… sounds like myth and legend.”

“The Mystic is far from myth, Tai. He performs many wonders in our world, and is the Grand Master of the Sacred Alliance.” Enya assured him.

“Even the Risolan queen has spoken with him on a few accounts, and all members of the Sacred Alliance must be sworn in by him.” Brandr added, he and Enya actually agreeing in the matter.

Tai sighed in compliance. “Ok, so he’s a real person. Still, the idea of wandering around through the mountains to my death isn’t exactly thrilling. How do you reach a place that cannot be found?”

For a bit the three were silent, each struggling to find a solution to this daunting task. Finally it was Enya who broke the silence. “A place that cannot be found, can only be reached by those who know where it is. A member of the Sacred Alliance could be your guide.”

“I don’t know any of the knights.”

“Perhaps not, but your friend does.” She glanced at Brandr with a secretive smile.

Surprised, Tai looked at Brandr. “What, how do you know anyone in the Sacred Alliance?”

With a reluctant sigh Brandr nervously brushed aside some of his long, black hair. “I may have spoken with a few of them… You know, just on occasion.”

“On occasion, meaning during certain council meetings of the Orders.” The lady added with nonchalance.

Tai smiled, though his expression was one of disbelief. “Why didn’t you tell me? You’re one of the Sacred Alliance?”

“A supporting member, that’s all. I’m not a knight, my perception isn’t strong enough.”

“That’s still pretty amazing.”

“I guess… Anyway, there’s one who may be willing to help, but he will be difficult to persuade. He’s one of the elves of Wyndfell, which is northwest of here, far to the west of Risola.”

“Well, then I guess we better get started. It’s about time I figured out why I’m here and what I’m supposed to do… Should we tell the clan?” Tai questioned.

“No. I have a feeling we won’t be coming back to them.” Brandr responded shortly, then climbed upon the back of Stein. “Let’s go.”

For three days they traveled northwest, skirting passed the city of Risola by keeping to the forest and off the common roads. Once they reached the foothills and began to ascend upon the stony cliff sides, Tai glanced down upon the white city, and was surprised by what he saw. Smoke rose up from the courtyard of the castle, a great cloud billowing into the grey sky above. The city appeared to be in ruin, the flickering glow of embers scattered throughout the streets.

Tai called ahead to Brandr with concern. “Brandr, do you see the city? What could have happened?”

Brandr had paused Stein and was gazing down upon Risola himself, his expression twisted with worry and anger. “I don’t know. It looks like it has been attacked… but how? There are always at least three Knights plus the soldiers of Risola guarding the city…”

From behind, Enya tightened her grip upon Tai’s shoulders and spoke softly. “The Darkness has regained its full strength, they are making the first steps of war.”

“What do you mean, ‘the Darkness’?” Tai wondered.

“The Dark Forces. Loyal followers of the Great Evil, and the Lords of Nostereth, the Shadow Land. For nearly two thousand years they have been waiting, dormant, for one to come and rebuild their empire… One tried and failed, but this new Lord of Darkness…” Tai felt her shudder against him as she fell silent. His mind flashed back to the man he saw at the festival, and the unnerving words of Lunette about his mysterious veil of shadow. Perhaps he was the dark lord who attacked the grand city, he thought.

As night descended upon the forest land, a flowing mist began to thicken amidst the trees, filling the air with a ghastly chill. The waning moon hung high above, though its light dimmed by a veil of cloud, casting deep shadows upon the woodland floor, shadows that seemed to twist and flow within the sea of mist. The air was still and silent as death, and a scent, bitter and metallic, hung upon it. In the few months that Tai had been in this world, the atmosphere had never felt as it did this night, for the mist was not the cool vapors that naturally rose up from the soil of the land, but a carrier by which the shadows of darkness crept within.

The grymkell were restless, the hair upon their hackles standing on end as deep rumbles vibrated from their broad chests. Even Brandr seemed on edge, tightly gripping the bow at his side.

“The shadows are here, we should run.” Enya’s voice was calm, but lined with urgency. Her bright eyes gleamed in the low light of the moon.

“It’s too late to run. They’re all around us.” As Brandr spoke, the shadows all around began to take loose forms, like cloaked figures of billowing smoke. Within their thin, bony hands, each one held a black bladed dagger, a jewel of swirling black and red burned like fire within the hilt of each one. The demons of shadow stood in formation, encircling them on all sides, each one posed to strike. Tai watched them, and as his eyes locked on one it made its move for him.

Like a blinding whirl of smoke it flowed towards him, so swift he had no time to react and draw his own dagger before the sudden force thrust him off the back of the grymkell. He landed hard upon the ground, but it was nothing compared to the suppressive force of the demon holding him down, its shadows pressing upon him as though he were hundreds of feet below an ocean surface. As the demon drew back its dagger, Tai struggled to reach for the one strapped to his side, but the pressure was too great. Unable to move, he tensed as the blade flashed before his eyes, closing them as he felt the rush of air and the sound of metal slicing through fabric. He flinched, ready for the sting of pain, the rush of blood, yet suddenly the pressure was released and his lungs gasped for air.

Upon opening his eyes, he saw the demon recoiling, its shadowy form shuddering and fading out into the atmosphere. He quickly turned his gaze above as a beast of furry brown stood protectively over him. For a short moment he thought it must be Stein, but this creature was not a grymkell. Tai noted its outstretched arm, a blade of quartz gripped tightly in its hand-like paw, a dagger that Brandr had always carried.

Startled, Tai swiftly rolled over and scrambled to his feet, staring in surprised confusion at the creature before him, who gazed back at him with Brandr’s dark brown eyes. The beast was like a powerful brown wolf, but with more flexible arms and muscular legs that allowed him to stand upright like a human. The moment was short lived as the shadow demons gathered around them, the wolf snarling and drawing back his dagger. As Tai was about to draw his own dagger to fight, Brandr snarled, startling him at first. “Get out of here, Tai! We’ll hold them off as long as we can, but there’s too many, and more coming.”

Tai was hesitant, he didn’t want to leave his friends, but a fierce glare from the werewolf told him he had better do as he’s told. With a hard sigh of frustration he grabbed ahold of Wintar and sent him off, having no idea where he was going in the thick mist. The low-hanging branches of the trees tore at his face as the beast pushed blindly forward, struggling to escape the wicked forms that reached from all around them. It all happened in such a blur of suddenness, as Tai felt himself fly over the head of Wintar, who had either tripped over the root of a tree or perhaps been grabbed by one of the many shadows, Tai couldn’t tell. The rush of momentum was swiftly ceased as he felt something hard, like stone, thrust against his back, and the moments slipped away as he was plunged into darkness.

The darkness was thick for a long while, it felt to Tai. The faint sounds of hair-raising howls and swift running paws were slowly fading as the shadows dissolved into the glow of morning, bringing with it the peaceful songs of birds and the breeze blowing lightly around the withering leaves of autumn. The symphony of the forest told the story of life as it prepared to fade into the slumber of winter.

Tai would have liked to allow the sweet melody to lull him away into peaceful rest, but the more his mind awakened, the more restless he began to feel. He finally pried open his eyes and sat up, quickly realizing that he was not where he had fallen the night before. Instead of finding himself deep in a narrow ravine, he was sitting upon the soft moss beneath a grand tree. Puzzled, he got to his feet and looked around the towering forest, at first seeing nothing but trees and foliage, colorful leaves floating down from the canopies high above and glittering in the shafts of soft light that filtered through the branches.

From above he caught the faint sounds of movement, along with the chill of being watched. He tilted his head, searching the large branches of the massive trees, but his eyes found nothing.

“Is someone there?” Tai called, but there was no answer. He sighed and turned to leave and try to find his lost companions, but as soon as he turned around he froze. Before him stood a giant wolf, towering over him at over ten feet in height. The wolf calmly held his place, his soft grey fur lit in patches by the spotlights, and his blue eyes staring down at him with curiosity. Tai’s instincts screamed for him to turn and run, but logic told him he would never outrun this enormous beast. Heart pounding, he watched as the wolf raised his eyes to the canopy, his ears perked forward to the sounds of rustling leaves and something landing upon the soft ground behind Tai.

Afraid to know what may be lurking behind, he hesitated briefly, but curiosity quickly overcame and he cautiously turned and gaped at what he saw. A strange creature, the likes of which Tai had never seen or imagined, crouched a small distance away, watching him warily. The creature was somewhat like a hwervag, though of much greater size. The muzzle was more broad, and the ears more tall, and the creature was covered in short and smooth cream-colored fur. Streams of thick, black curls flowed from the creature’s head like human hair, and the body was slightly more human than that of a hwervag, though still retaining the digitigrade leg structure of a canid, and a small deer-like tail. The hands were almost perfectly human, but the paws were large with only three toes upon each foot, and a long and wickedly sharp dew claw adorned each ankle.

The creature was clearly female, Tai noticed, for the only covering she wore was a band of threaded beads around her chest to slightly cover her breasts, a similar band tied just above her hips. She was crouched upon all fours, her long curled hair draped over her far shoulder and pooling upon the ground behind her. She stared at him for a moment, wild eyes of lavender burning into his very soul, it felt. Finally she slowly crawled towards him, the closer she came the more Tai felt the urge to turn and run, but behind him he felt the soft, warm breath of the wolf. The creature paused just a foot away and gazed into his eyes, for even upon all fours she stood as tall as Tai. She sniffed at him curiously, and he could hear soft rumbles pulsing from her throat and chest. He flinched as she growled and rose to sit back upon her haunches, resting her hands upon her thighs.

After a moment of silence, she spoke to him in a rough language that sounded like a mixture of grumbles and old Norse. Tai hesitated, afraid to say a word, but she continued to stare down at him in expectancy. He nervously gripped his wrist as he carefully spoke. “I’m sorry… I don’t understand what you said…”

She snorted. “You speak the tongue of the rokun, as I had figured. You smell strongly of them, yet… Your scent and aura are like that of a vag.”

“…Vag?”

“The wolves.” She slightly indicated the one behind him with a brief nod.

Tai was intrigued now. “I was told that I am a Shifter, I took the form of a wolf once, a black one. Is that… common?”

For a long moment she stared at him, her wild expression softening ever so slightly with wonder. “You are the first I have encountered, but there are supposedly two. I thought you might be, when I found you in the ravine during the night… But I could not be certain until I spoke with you.”

“So there’s another? Like me?” Tai questioned eagerly.

“Yes. Though my pack has not yet found him. They will be most pleased that I have found you. You and him, you are brothers. Like the sun and the moon.”

Tai glanced down at the mossy earth as he searched his thoughts. If this creature knew such things, perhaps her and her pack could explain to him his purpose for being here. “…Can you take me to them?”

She grumbled. “It was my plan. The pack has been waiting for you.”

“For me? What for?”

Mildly annoyed, the creature sighed. “You know nothing, do you? No matter, the Afen will teach you.”

Before Tai had the slightest chance to question her further, she reached out and picked him up as a frustrated mother would pick up her child, rose to her full height and set him upon the back of the wolf. She swiftly jumped upon his back as well as he took off through the forest, which flew by in a nauseating blur as he leapt over stones and logs, weaving his way this way and that between the trees. The wind rushing past his ears was so loud Tai could hear nothing else, save for the beat of the wolf’s paws against the ground. The ride was rough and jerky, not at all like the smooth gate of a horse, and made Tai feel uneasy. He struggled to ground his thoughts on something, and decided to keep his gaze down upon his hands as they tightly gripped at the wolf’s thick fur. He then noticed the creature’s hands on either side of him, firmly grasping the fur of the wolf’s neck as well to hold on. Around her wrists she had many bracelets. Beautiful glass beads and charms carved from wood and bone were strung upon thick thread.

For the entirety of the ride Tai focused intently on the bracelets, until finally the movement slowed and the air softened, allowing him to hear the fluttering and chirping of the birds once again as the wolf calmly climbed up the side of a jagged cliff. Once the steep cliff side leveled out near the top, Tai saw two other giant wolves lounging upon the stone, keeping close watch over a young brown pup as he playfully “hunted” a small pebble. The two adults quickly turned their attention to their returning pack mates, one, a wolf of light brown and white, rose and stepped forward as she noticed an outsider among them. She growled in the same language that the creature behind him had spoken before, and the creature promptly responded as she jumped off the back of the wolf, then set Tai upon the ground as well. Though at first he was pleased to be on solid ground again, as the giant wolves began to surround him and stare at him with their fierce yellow eyes he suddenly found himself preferring the safer height from the wolf’s back. From somewhere beyond the massive stones that surrounded the area in a semicircle came three more wolves, the last two bearing an aura of authority, for the other wolves stepped aside in respect as they passed. The first of the two was a large male of dark grey and white, a jagged scar cut down over his left brow and down to his cheek bone, though the eye itself appeared undamaged. The wolf beside him, however, quickly drew Tai’s gaze.

The female wolf was as purely white as freshly fallen snow, even the air about her seemed to chill and freeze upon her fur like shards of crystal ice. Her expression was no less cold as her stare fell upon Tai, the left eye of gold and the right of light blue. Though the blue of the right was lovely, the pupil of the left could not possibly have sight, for it was thickly clouded in milky grey, giving her gaze an eerie edge.

The male stepped aside, allowing the female to pass him and continue towards Tai, stopping a few feet before him. She took a moment to quietly look him over, her blue eye seemingly searching for something until it finally came to rest upon his face. Then her icy voice touched his ears. “You are the wolf of chaos, the untamable spirit of the storm. Avira.”

Tai gazed up at her blankly, for though she was speaking his language her words made no sense to him. “I don’t understand.”

“Long ago, there were two wolves, children of Vehnris, the son of Lupus. One was Avira, the black wolf of the chaotic spirit of destruction, the other was Sheraga, the red wolf of the fire of life. Avira is often represented as a storm, while Sheraga as the warming light of the sun. The two are forever connected, for though the storm is fueled by the sun, it covers its light as it rages upon the land, but the sun eventually dries up the storm and shines again, its warmth slowly refueling the storm. An endless cycle of destruction and healing, that is the way of the world, and the two wolves kept this balance for ages until they were caught and bound by the Aethereal Chain. For a long time, with the two wolves chained, the shadows of the Dark Forces took control of the world with the aid of Firebrand, and the Phoenix. Finally the Angel came and forced back the armies of darkness, and with his great power he released the two wolves… however, the only way to release them from the bonds of an Aethereal Chain was to destroy their physical forms along with it. After the war ended, the Angel disappeared and the Mystic was given the Prophecy for the ultimate destruction of the dark forces. Part of that prophecy tells that the two wolves would return and take host of physical forms. And here you are before us…”

For Tai this was all quite difficult to grasp, and felt more like the stuff of legend and lore than something that should be counted as true history. Wolf gods, magical chains, angels and prophecies, none of it made sense in his mind. He shook his head lightly as he struggled to wrap his mind around her words.

At first she was silent, her eyes focused intently on his before she spoke again. “I see you do not believe. The world you came from has blinded you…” Her expression became almost sorrowed, and she turned away from him to calmly pace around the circle of the area. The other wolves watched her, occasionally glancing at one another in concern. Finally the white wolf came to stand before Tai again. “Take your wolven form, young elf. Show it to me.” Though her voice remained calm, there was strong command in her tone, the likes of which none would dare defy or ignore. Still, Tai was hesitant. He remembered the pain and lack of control he had felt the time that he had taken on the form of the wolf. Never again did he wish to feel that, but here he was, at the mercy of a pack of giant wolves, certain that if he were to ignore a direct order from one of their alphas he would likely be ripped apart.

Reluctantly, he reached into his pocket, pulling out the star that he had forbid himself from ever touching again. Its smooth surface felt cold in his hand as it brightly glowed, all of the pack and the strange creature watching with great interest as the hot, uncomfortable tingling began to surge through his body again. It felt as though his very blood were boiling in his veins as his cells burst and rearranged themselves, enlarging and taking the form of a great and powerful wolf of charcoal black.

At first he was unsteady and unsure of this new form, his vision blurred and the sounds of growling muffled in the swirling confusion as his mind struggled to pull itself together. He stepped back and squeezed his eyes tightly shut to ground himself, taking slow, calming breaths. For a moment he blocked out the world around him, but as his heart slowed and his thoughts became still, he felt his senses begin to awaken and become stronger. His ears perked in wonder, for every sound of the forest amongst him was amplified and clear. The birds no longer sounded like a muffled chorus, but an elaborate symphony, every voice distinct from the others. Even the breeze as it caressed his fur seemed to carry a melody all its own. For the first time, he felt he could truly hear exquisite music all around him. His nose twitched as he inhaled, taking in more scents than he ever thought possible. The musty smell of the stone, the rich scent of mossy soil, the faint traces of smoke upon the breeze from some place far amidst the distance, all came to him at once.

With a thoughtful sigh he finally opened his eyes to find all eyes on him, the white wolf gazing at him with dark fascination, as though she had been waiting for this very moment for many years.

“Beautiful… The prophecy is coming to life before my very eyes, at long last. Young warrior, do you wish to learn, to find yourself and understand your destiny?”

Tai raised his head to gaze at her, now able to see her at eye level. His expression was thoughtful as he considered his answer briefly, deciding that now was his chance to learn what he needed to know. “I do.”

The white wolf nodded. “Then you shall stay among my pack, and we shall teach you the ways of the vag, and I shall teach you what I know of the prophecy.”

“I will, then. What should I call you?” Tai questioned, for in all the discussion of the prophecy no one had been formally introduced to one another.

“I am Alastriona, the Afen of the Valr pack.” She turned her head towards the large male who had walked beside her. “This is the Afel, Radjka, my mate.” Alastriona then lifted her head to look behind Tai towards the odd creature who brought him here. “Anima, I would like for you to stay with him. Take him and the pup with you to the river to fish.” With that the white wolf turned and trotted away beyond the stones to the inner den.

Anima sighed as she stepped behind one of the large stones for a moment, returning with a spear and a net. The brown pup, about a fourth the size of Tai, cheerfully bounded up to her, his tail wagging softly. He paused to gaze at Tai in curiosity. “Hi… what’s your name?”

“Tai. What about you?”

“I’m Theos. Uh, nice to meet you!” The pup seemed shy, but curious enough to be friendly.

“Come on then, we need to get to the river.” Anima climbed upon the back of the grey wolf with mild impatience. Tai followed him down the cliff side, Theos stumbling along behind him. The path through the forest was nice, and it wasn’t long before they reached the river falls. The banks near the waterfall were set with large, smooth stones, over which the waters thundered from high above the side of the mountain. Tai could barely see the top of the falls beyond the leaves of the towering trees, glittering in the yellow light of late afternoon. He sat upon one of the stones, absently watching the flow of the river as it carried lost leaves away on its path, wondering about his friends. Not knowing where they were or if they were even alright, troubled him.

With a sigh he looked down a ways to where Anima was skillfully tying the rope ends of the net around the stones on either side of the river, creating a barrier through which the larger fish that tumbled down from the falls could not easily swim through. By sectioning off this part of the river, the fish become trapped and easier to catch in large quantities. Rather clever, Tai thought to himself. He gazed at her thoughtfully as she climbed out of the water onto one of the stones, shaking herself off and then sitting to relax for a bit, pulling her long hair around over her shoulder to ring out the water. The longer he watched her, the more he found her to be rather beautiful and less strange. She was lightly built with nice feminine curves, yet clearly powerful with perfectly toned muscles. It wasn’t until she met his gaze with her burning lavender eyes that he realized he was staring, and quickly looked away in slight shame.

Much to his surprise, she laughed lightly. “Impressed are you, Tai?”

He cautiously looked back at her, his ears still set back in guilt. “Well, it’s just I’ve never seen a creature like you before.”

“Not many have. I don’t even know what I am.” She casually responded, stroking her hair slowly as she gazed off in thought. “The Valr pack found me alone when I was just a pup. Alastriona had just had a litter of pups so she was able to take me in and raise me as one of her own. Felkor is my brother, and Feya, the light brown, my sister. Alastriona has told me that I may have come from the country beyond the sea of Az in the north.”

“I didn’t know there was anything beyond the sea… I was told it’s impossible to cross.”

Anima scoffed lightly. “Nothing is impossible, if you are determined enough. Across the sea is a cold land that never sees the spring or summer, always frozen. But there are people there, grand kingdoms of the children of Aether… It is said that those people not only feel Aether, but can harness and control it, using it to its full potential in greater ways even than the fey…”

Tai smiled in admiration. “That’s incredible. Do you think you came from there?”

“Maybe. I do not belong with any of the people native to this land, not even among the many sectors of fey…” She looked away, out across the river into the hazy orange of late afternoon sunlight, falling amidst the forest. Her expression seemed sad, almost lonely, Tai thought.

“It’s ok, Anima. I don’t feel as though I really belong anywhere either… I was brought to this world from earth with a little boy… I never felt like I belonged on earth, and I had hoped I would feel more at home here in Origynn, but… I don’t, really. I’m not fully elvish, nor wolf, not even fey. I don’t fit perfectly anywhere.”

For once, she smiled. “Maybe we are not as alone as we feel, then. What about the little boy? Your brother maybe?”

Tai shook his head softly. “No. I had never met him before, but he was supposedly sent for by the Mystic, like me. I guess he must have some importance to the prophecy, too… maybe he’s the other wolf, Sherga, or…”

Anima’s expression became alarmed. “Sheraga? You think he might be the fire wolf?”

“Well, I don’t know much about these things, really, but Aniki was brought here for a reason the same time I was. The elf, um, Elwyn I believe, said that he was one of the two warriors in the Mystic’s legend.”

She grinned, her pointed teeth showing in her clear excitement. “This is most important news! Hurry, help me gather up these fish, we must tell the pack at once!” With great enthusiasm, she leapt off the stone into the river and began to untie one end of the net as Felkor rushed into the water, swiftly driving the fish into the trap as a sheepdog drives the herd into the coral. Tai watched for a moment, then followed suit, guarding one side of the river as Felkor took the other. Anima was quick to gather up the net, tying the ends of the ropes together as she dragged it upon the bank, filled with the squirming fish. Their silvery bodies glittered in the light of the lowering sun, enough for the pack to hold over until their next hunt.

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