Chapter 138: A Storm's Approaches

The night passed in utter silence, yet behind that silence, Reika sat beside the fire in the temple of the witches. Her heart was still pounding hard inside her chest as it struggled to take in all that Elira had told her about her fate. Outside, the wind began to howl and the trees, rustling leaves in the forest-as if even the earth below her were cluing to her. Her powers were getting stronger, but how to combine into one the wolf and witch inside of herself, how to balance within herself the powers of two worlds in ceaseless strife. Elira had left her to her thoughts, but within that silence, they grew ever loud. She stared into the flames as they danced, swirling, often leaping higher-as if chaos danced inside, a wolf inside stirred, his power were restless; magic softly hummed at the very edge of her witch senses. She closed her eyes and breath. It just wasn't that simple. All the moonstones, all the ancient magic of bloodline roots-the training of witches piled on her so fast. And she must learn to handle it-to control it, not only for wolves and witches but a promise of worlds yet to be. A soft knock, and the door opened without her having said a word. Elira stood framed in it, her eyes unsmiling. "Reika, I think you should come with me," she said in a low tone. Reika nodded, rose from her chair straight away, "What is going on?" "There is someone you have to see. A messenger from Alpha Lleus," Elira returned. Reika's heart hitched. She followed Elira through the twisting, labyrinthe hallways of the temple. This was one peculiarly unique place: ancient, almost humming with the power of time itself. There, right at the end of the temple, lay an enclosed chamber; and Reika was surprised to find a figure in the shadows-a man clad in dark robes.Clearly, all that could well be seen were his eyes: sharp and piercing. "Who are you?" Reika said, attempting to make her voice invariable, while her heart pounded against her chest. "I am a messenger from Alpha Lleus," he said, his tone even yet weighted with importance. "He has sent me to deliver a message to you, Reika." Reika's breath caught in her throat. Alpha Lleus was alive? How could this even be? All these months she had thought him still in a coma but with those words deep within her brain courtesy of this stranger, a burning began to blaze inside her. "Alpha lleus," she breathed back hoarsely with heart trembling. "What did he say? How did he send you?" The figure without a word handed her a scroll, it read from a scroll that was actually an invitation sealed within small packets of thickly embossed parchments adorned with the sigil of a wolf's head against the figure of a new moon. Given the seal and with her hands quivering she opened the inside-the writing in that letter flowed along like the language of the poets:. "Reika, my love, I know that this is a big responsibility, but I really do believe in you. You may have it in your powers to heal our world someday. As I said somewhat earlier during the time this prophecy began to get its fulfillment, this is the moment when our two peoples are going to get together once and for all. Not to carry these words, I send this messenger to you, but he is to lead you at the opportune time. One you are not, Reika, in this struggle-it is you and the wolves, standing with you-yet there are many that would like to see your failure. Of the witches, which you do feel you can trust, not all have great powers. We should be ready for what's coming, together. Time won't stay on anyone's side." With every word deep pushing down against her chest, Reika got to her feet. Alpha Lleus-he lived and wanted more of her time; she needed to get prepared for a reason, a war which was coming closer than one wished. Prophecy just got that serious now. "You have to come with me," he said, the voice of the figure, the sound ripping her from the daydream she was in; "Alpha Lleus has ordered me to bring you to the fortress of the wolves. We do need you at the fortress, Reika. Time is almost late, as time to join these worlds comes out of their very elements. Reika just nodded, a quiet determination settling into her features. She was alone, and if she was to find any answers concerning what the prophecy meant and where that placed her in that war, it had to be with him. But then, as she turned to go, a distant, faint stirring tugged on her brain. A low rumble of stones. Elira stood silent as stone by the door, her head whipped suddenly back to her with wide eyes. "Do you feel that?" she asked in a tight voice. But in an instant, Reika was taken up, and it seemed the earth beneath her feet shuddered softly, a wavelet running hissing through the air. Actually, howling started to rise from outside winds just then. A storm was brewing, and she instinctively knew it was not only the weather that stirred. The messenger gave Reika a serious look. "We don't have much time. The battle has already begun." The words uttered, "What do you mean? What battle?" had made Reika's heart jump. "Ariadne forces," he returned, the grimness of his face showing. "They have begun to prepare, and we are already running out of time." Reika fisted her hands as anger swelled in her veins. She had little choice but to go with him. The wolves needed her, and Alpha Lleus-her past, her destiny-was calling her back. No more hiding in safe confines for the witches' temple. "Prepare yourself, Reika," Elira said softly, "The world is changing. And you are at the heart of it." Reika nodded at the messenger. "Lead the way." They finally made it to the outside of the temple by night. The winds howled louder and stronger, fiercer with every passing moment. Somewhere distantly, the battle drums went off, their echoes across the valley signaling war-a war that would seal the fate of werewolves and witches alike. Meanwhile, all that time, the pulse of her heart in her chest was real, not a prophecy afar, but one that was coming for her.