Chapter 3: Into the Shadows

After a brief scolding from my teacher, I was sent to assist the librarian. The library was a sanctuary of towering shelves and soft whispers, its grandeur unexpectedly breathtaking. The scent of aged books and polished wood wrapped around me like a comforting cloak.

Wandering through the aisles, I stumbled upon a dimly lit corner that exuded an eerie presence. A single book stood out—its cover blank and edges charred.

Curious, I picked it up. "Weird," I muttered, flipping through its brittle pages. My blood ran cold when I saw my name inscribed on the last page.

Before I could react, a sharp pain shot through my finger. A single drop of blood fell onto the page, and the air around me shifted.

The ground trembled, the shelves rattling violently. A howling wind filled the room as the book glowed in my hands, its light blinding.

I tried to close it, but my hands wouldn’t obey. The light grew brighter, enveloping me in its searing embrace. My thoughts scattered, panic surging as I felt myself being pulled into the unknown.

The last coherent thought in my mind as I was consumed by the vortex was a desperate plea: What have I done?

When the blinding light finally receded, I found myself standing in the middle of a dense forest. The air was cool and fresh, filled with the earthy scent of pine and moss. Towering trees stretched endlessly upward, their branches interwoven to block out most of the sky, leaving only fractured beams of sunlight to filter through. For a brief moment, I was mesmerized by the sheer beauty of the place. 

But the serenity shattered as a low growl pierced the stillness. 

I turned just in time to see a red fox leaping toward me, its teeth bared and glowing eyes filled with an unnatural malice. Instinctively, I stumbled backward, raising my arms to shield myself, though I knew it was futile. My heart thundered in my chest, every instinct screaming at me to run, but my legs felt frozen in place. 

The fox lunged closer, its snarls tearing through the air. Then, out of nowhere, Dale appeared. 

With a single fluid motion, Dale’s sword cut through the fox’s charge, the blade glinting as it caught the fragmented sunlight. The fox fell to the ground, blood pooling around its still form. Relief flooded me for a fleeting second—until the body began to convulse. 

I stood rooted to the spot, my breath hitching as the fox’s fur receded, its body twisting and snapping grotesquely. Bones elongated, reshaping with horrifying clarity, until the creature on the ground was no longer a fox, but a man. Pale skin stretched where fur had been, fresh scars crisscrossing his body. His once glowing eyes now dimmed, replaced by an expression of agony and fear. He gasped for breath, clawing weakly at the ground as though desperate to hold on to life. 

I stumbled back, bile rising in my throat. My mind refused to process what I was seeing. 

“Anne!” Dale’s sharp voice snapped me out of my stupor. “We need to move! Now!” 

I turned, and my stomach dropped. More foxes emerged from the shadows, their glowing eyes locking onto us. They advanced slowly, their movements deliberate and predatory. 

Dale reached into his jacket, pulling out a card that shimmered faintly with an otherworldly light. Chanting under his breath, he tossed the card into the air. A sudden gust of wind roared to life, pushing the foxes back and clearing a temporary path. Without missing a beat, he grabbed my wrist, his grip firm and reassuring. 

“Run!” he shouted, pulling me with him. 

We sprinted through the forest, weaving between trees as the snarls of the foxes followed close behind. My lungs burned, each breath searing my chest, but I didn’t dare slow down. The sound of paws pounding against the earth grew louder, and I could feel their hot breath on the back of my neck. 

Dale pulled out another card and chanted, his voice steady despite the chaos. A crow made of shimmering light burst forth, its wings flaring wide as it took to the sky. 

“Find Harold,” Dale commanded. “Tell him everything!” 

The crow let out a piercing cry and disappeared into the canopy. 

We ran until our legs could carry us no further, finally coming to a rocky outcrop that loomed before us like a dead end. Dale cursed under his breath, pulling out yet another card. 

“These aren’t ordinary foxes,” he said hurriedly, his eyes scanning the area for an escape. “They’re part of a clan that’s been at war with the wolves for centuries.” 

He held up the card, and its surface began to glow with a faint, ethereal blue light. “Thou respond to my call, for who am I your owner. Lend me strength—come forth, Ari!” 

The card disintegrated into sparks, and in its place appeared a girl whose form shimmered like a mirage. She merged with Dale, her energy flowing into him until his body was encased in a suit of radiant armor. His sword, now glowing with an intense blue light, hummed softly as he took a defensive stance. 

“Stay behind me,” he ordered, his voice carrying an authority I hadn’t heard before. 

The foxes hesitated, their glowing eyes narrowing as they assessed Dale’s transformed form. One lunged forward, breaking the tense standoff. Dale moved like lightning, his sword slicing through the air and leaving a trail of light in its wake. The fox yelped, retreating, but the others quickly filled the gap, encircling us. 

“Why are they after us?” I asked, my voice trembling as fear threatened to overwhelm me. 

“Because you’re connected to the wolves,” Dale replied, his focus never wavering from the advancing predators. “And you’re the key to something everyone fears.” 

“What does that even mean?” I demanded, panic rising in my chest. 

Before Dale could answer, the foxes attacked in unison. Dale fought with a precision and speed that seemed almost inhuman, his sword a blur as he fended off their relentless assault. Despite his efforts, the sheer number of foxes began to overwhelm us. 

Suddenly, the ground trembled beneath our feet. From the shadows, a pack of wolves emerged, their eyes glowing with fierce determination. They charged at the foxes, their powerful bodies colliding with the smaller predators in a flurry of snarls and teeth. 

One wolf, larger than the rest, approached us. Its deep, resonant voice echoed in my mind. “Get on,” it commanded. 

Dale lifted me onto the wolf’s back before climbing on himself. The wolf bolted, its powerful strides carrying us away from the chaos. The wind whipped past us, and I clung tightly to its fur, my mind racing with unanswered questions. 

As the forest blurred around us, I allowed myself a moment of fragile relief. But it was short-lived. 

Without warning, a red fox leapt from the shadows, its claws sinking into my neck. Pain exploded through me as I was ripped from the wolf’s back, the force of the attack dragging me into the depths of the forest. 

I hit the ground hard, my vision swimming as I struggled to regain my footing. The fox, now shifting into a man, stood before me, his eyes burning with fury. 

“You’re going to die for what you’ve done!” he snarled. 

“What did I do to you?” I rasped, blood trickling down my neck as I pressed my hand against the wound. 

“Don’t play dumb!” he roared, lunging at me. 

Instinct took over. Years of training with my master guided my movements as I narrowly dodged his attack. My body screamed in protest, pain and exhaustion threatening to overtake me, but I forced myself to keep moving. 

Each step grew heavier, my vision narrowing as blood loss and fatigue took their toll. The man caught up easily, his hand tangling in my hair as he yanked me back with brutal force. 

“You’re nothing but trash!” he spat, dragging me along the ground. 

I tried to fight, to break free, but my strength was gone. My vision darkened at the edges, and my body went limp. As consciousness slipped away, a single desperate thought filled my mind: Help me