Chapter Three: Fight in the Mevara

Russe and Reina looked at each other, their hearts beating with curiosity and fear. They knew that the Keeper was right, there was no turning back now.

They approached the Mevara tree, taking deep breaths as they prepared to transform to enter the realm. Suddenly, a bright light shone from the tree, engulfing them both in its warm glow.

As they opened their eyes, they found themselves in a strange, ethereal forest. The trees appeared to be made of crystal, and the ground was covered in shimmering silver leaves.

“Where do we start?” asked Reina, looking around at the surreal surroundings.

Russe took a deep breath, scanning the forest for any signs of Adelia. He noticed a faint trail of footprints in the silver leaves and motioned for Reina to follow him.

As they followed the trail deeper into the forest, they heard a faint whispering in the wind. It sounded like Adelia’s voice, calling out to them from somewhere ahead.

Russe and Reina quickened their pace, their hearts pounding with anticipation. The trees grew closer together, the crystal branches intertwining above them, creating a canopy that blocked out the sky.

The whispering grew louder, and they could now make out Adelia’s voice clearly. She was calling their names, begging for help.

They followed the sound until they reached a clearing, where they saw Adelia standing in the centre, surrounded by a group of shadowy figures.

Russe and Reina transformed into their werewolf form again, ready for battle. They charged towards the figures, their claws slashing through the darkness.

As they fought, they caught glimpses of the figures’ faces, and their blood ran cold. They were the lost souls of the forest, trapped in this realm and controlled by a dark force.

Russe and Reina fought with all their might, their eyes glinting in the strange light of the ethereal forest. They could feel the power of the dark force pushing against them, but they refused to back down.

Finally, the last of the lost souls fell to the ground, defeated. Adelia ran towards them, tears streaming down her face.

“You came for me,” she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Russe wrapped her in a tight embrace, feeling the weight of her small form against his chest. He could feel her heartbeat, so frail and delicate, but still beating nonetheless.

“We’ll get you out of here,” he said firmly. “We’ll take you back to the world of the living.” They were outnumbered, but they refused to give up. Adelia’s life depended on their success, and they would not let her down.

Finally, after what felt like hours of fighting, the last of the shadowy figures fell to the ground. Russe and Reina rushed to Adelia’s side, checking to make sure she was okay.

Adelia was weak, barely conscious. Russe scooped her up into his arms, and they began to make their way back to the Mevara tree. As they walked, the forest began to change around them. The crystal trees turned into ordinary trees, and the silver leaves turned green.

They emerged from the forest, back into the real world. The Keeper was waiting for them, a smug smirk on their face.

“Congratulations,” they said. “You’ve succeeded in your mission. Adelia’s soul is safe, for now.”

Russe and Reina didn’t respond. They were too busy tending to Adelia, who was still weak and fragile in Russe’s arms. As they walked towards the Keeper, Russe noticed a glint in their eye that made him uneasy. He knew that this was not going to be the end of their troubles.

The Keeper led them to a small cottage on the outskirts of the forest. It was old and run-down, but it would provide them with shelter for the night. Russe carried Adelia inside and laid her down on a bed made of straw. Reina began to gather some herbs and roots to make a healing potion.

As they worked, Russe kept a watchful eye on the Keeper. He knew that they were up to something, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on what it was. Just then, he heard a faint whisper in his ear.

“Watch your back, Russe,” the Keeper hissed. “You never know who might be working against you.”

Russe felt a chill run down his spine. “Uhh...” It was Adelia’s voice, weak and raspy.

“Russe,” she said. “I’m scared. I don’t think we’re safe here.”

He turned to look at her, his heart aching at the sight of her pale, fragile form. He brushed a strand of hair away from her face and spoke softly.

“Don’t worry, Adelia. We won’t let anything happen to you.”

But even as he spoke those words, he knew that he couldn’t promise her safety. There was something about this place, about the Keeper, that made his skin crawl. He made a mental note to stay alert and keep his sword close at hand.

As night fell, Reina finished brewing the potion and gave it to Adelia. She drifted off to sleep, and Russe and Reina took turns keeping watch. The Keeper remained silent, watching them with those unnerving eyes.

Suddenly, Russe heard a noise outside the cottage. He drew his claw and motioned his body. He knew that the Keeper was not to be trusted, and he couldn’t let his guard down. He kept a close eye on them as they worked through the night to heal Adelia’s wounds.

As the first rays of dawn began to filter through the tattered curtains, Russe knew that they had to leave. They couldn’t stay in the cottage any longer, not with the Keeper lurking around.

He woke up Reina and they quickly gathered their things. Russe scooped Adelia up into his arms once again and they started towards the door. But just as they were about to leave, they heard a loud noise coming from outside.

Russe carefully peered out of the window and saw a group of armed men approaching the cottage. He knew that they had to act fast.

“Bloody Humans!” Russe cursed.

“Reina, take Adelia and run,” he whispered urgently. “I’ll hold them off.”

Reina nodded, and they quickly slipped out the back door. Russe turned to face the incoming men, drawing out his claws. “F*&k you!”

He had faced many battles before, but he knew that this one would be different. These men were not like the shadowy figures in the forest. They were real humans, and they were armed.

As the men burst through the door, Russe transformed to his werewolf form and swung his claws, deflecting their blows with ease. He fought valiantly, but he was outnumbered. One of the men landed a blow on Russe’s shoulder, causing him to wince in pain.

But just as Russe was about to be overwhelmed, he heard the howling sounds approaching. A group of werewolves appeared, armed with long, sharp claws. They charged towards the men, cutting them down with ease.

Russe recognized the leader of the group. It was his own Beta, Kaleo from the Teros Pack, sent to rescue them. Russe breathed a sigh of relief as they approached him.

“Alpha Russe, are you hurt?” Kaleo asked.

“I’ll be fine,” Russe replied, his voice strained. “But we need to find Adelia and Reina. They’re in danger.”

Kaleo nodded and they quickly searched the surrounding area. They found Adelia and Reina hiding behind a nearby tree, unharmed but terrified.

As they made their way back to the pack, Russe couldn’t help but wonder about the Keeper’s warning. Who had betrayed them? Who was working against them?

But for now, he pushed those thoughts aside. They had succeeded in their mission and Adelia was safe. That was all that mattered.

As they travelled towards the pack’s habitation, Russe held Adelia close to him, feeling her heartbeat against his chest. He knew that they were still in danger, still being watched by unseen eyes. But he also knew that he would do anything to protect her.

For Russe, it was not just a mission anymore. It was personal. And he was willing to risk everything to keep Adelia safe. Although he wasn’t sure if she would disappear like she did before, he hoped deep down she wouldn’t let go, again.