New Abode

 "Find Aria soon, Erin. Before the next full moon." The woman voice sounded like a warning.

Erin's grip on the desk tightened. "What's the hurry?"

The woman's voice dropped to again to him like a whisper. "Aria's no longer the tame wolf you knew inside the Seven Tower gates. Every second she's spending outside is makking her growing stronger, and the curse within her is stirring."

Erin's eyes narrowed. "I know"

The woman's stare at him with her gaze seemed to bore into his soul. "If another full moon rises, the curse in her wolf will grow louder and uncontrollable. By then, no witch or wolf will be able to face her. She'll be unstoppable."

Erin's mind was reeled as the woman's words painted a terrifying picture. He had to find Aria before it was too late.

The woman's eyes glinted with a fierce light. "You have two weeks, Erin. Find Aria, and bring her back to me. I'll help you get the scale off her, but you must act fast."

Erin nodded, a plan already forming in his mind. He would stop at nothing to capture Aria, to harness her power for himself.

As the woman left the house, Erin's mind was spiralled back to the past, memories of his cruel past which he had long buried in his mind. His father's face,which was twisted in agony, flashed before his eyes. The old man had been on the brink of death, his body was wracked with pain.

Erin's laughter was echoing in his mind,with a cold and mirthless sound. "Of course, I served you wolvesbane, Father," he had sneered, reveling in his father's suffering.

But then, his father's eyes had locked onto his, it was filled with a fierce determination. With a sudden surge of strength in him, the old man suddenly stabbed Erin in the stomach with a small, hidden blade kept in his pocket.

Erin's eyes snapped back to the present, his hand instinctively flying to his rotten stomach. He banged on the table,he was filled with rage and pain which were boiling over him.

"Damn you, Father!" he cursed, his voice was hoarse with emotion. "If you hadn't torn out my scale, I wouldn't be rotting like this! I wouldn't be searching for a curse witch like Aria my whole life!"

The memory of his father's betrayal seared his mind, fueling his obsession with Aria. He would stop at nothing to claim her, to use her power to restore his own.

Erin's laughter returned, a dark, menacing sound. "I'll find you, Aria," he whispered.

The soldiers dragged Josh, Lyrien friend who betrayed Lyrien, into the room, his body looked battered and bruised. His eyes look swollen shut, and his lips were cracked and bleeding. He stumbled, unable to stand upright, and fell to his knees.

"Please, Erin...forgive me," Josh begged, his voice barely audible.

Erin's expression was cold, unyielding. "Do you know why you were beaten, Josh?"

Josh nodded, tears streaming down his face. "I should have come to you...instead of reporting to Edgard...I'm sorry..."

Erin's gaze was piercing. "You're sorry? You think sorry will cut it?"

Josh pleaded, his words tumbling out in a desperate rush. "I'll do anything...just please don't kill me...I'll do anything you want..."

Erin's smiled in a cruel way. "Oh, I'm not going to kill you, Josh. You're going to be of great use to me."

He leaned forward and was more closer to him, his eyes were glinting with calculation. "You've been with Lyrien for over a year now. You must know his habits, his hideouts...where he goes, who he sees."

Josh nodded, still trembling.

Erin's voice then became so low and menacing. "If you can locate Lyrien's whereabouts...if you can bring me to him...I'll spare your life."

Josh's eyes were flickeing with hope and assured of been free from the death, and he nodded again, it was more vigorous this time. "I'll do it...I'll find him...just please don't hurt me anymore..."

Erin's smile grew wider as he walked away from him, his eyes were gleaming with excitement. "I promise you, Josh, if you can find Lyrien and bring me to him, I'll set you free. Totally. You'll be able to walk out of here, start a new life, leave all this behind."

Josh's eyes lit up with hope, and he nodded eagerly to Erin. "I'll do it, Erin. I'll find him. I'll bring him to you."

Erin's gaze turn intense again. "I know you will, Josh. You have a week. Just one week. Find Lyrien, and bring me to him, or..."

Josh swallowed so hard, he understandood the unspoken threat of his. "I won't fail, Erin. I'll put my life on track to find them. Just give me a week."

Erin nodded with a cold, calculated smile on his face. "Very well, Josh. You have a week. Use it wisely."

With that, Erin waved his hand, and the soldiers dragged Josh away, leaving Erin to his thoughts. He was confident that Josh would find Lyrien, and when he did, Erin would finally have the upper hand.

The game was on, and Erin was ready to play.

The rain was falling hard, it was drumming against the car's roof as Aria, Erith, and the others pulled up to a grand, olden house. The mansion loomed before them, with her stone façade which was glowing golden in the faint light. Ivy crawled up the walls, and tall windows stretched towards the sky like outstretched arms. A heavy wooden door, which was adorned with intricate carvings, swung open with a creak.

Erith's eyes was widened as he stepped out of the car, his gaze was stuck on drinking in the house's faded opulence. But his wonder was short-lived, as Aria's cry for help cut through the rain's patter.

"Erith, help me!" she called, struggling to support Lyrien's limp form.

Erith rushed to her side, and together they managed to maneuver Lyrien inside. They were welcome with the warmth of the house which enveloped them.

As they entered, a dignified butler greeted them, his eyes were expressionless. "Welcome, miss. I trust your journey was uneventful?"

Arachne shook her head, there were water droplets flying from her hair. "We need help. Lyrien's hurt."

The butler nodded, his face softening. "Of course, miss. Our healer will attend to him immediately."

As they followed the butler, Erith caught on at the sight of others present inside the house. there was a stately woman with silver hair and piercing green eyes who was watching them from a doorway. And a young man with a mischievous grin and a mop of messy brown hair lounged on a nearby couch. there was an older man with a kind face and spectacles perched on the end of his nose looked up from a book, his eyes were twinkling with curiosity.

The butler led them to a cozy room, there was a fire crackling in the hearth. A gentle-faced woman with a basket of herbs and bandages waited, she was there ready to tend to Lyrien's wounds.

As they settled in, Aria felt a sense of wonder and trepidation. Who were these people, and what secrets did this ancient house hold?