Hidden Fantasy-A Werewolf's Obsession

Chapter 45-Alessia

After slowly walking into the cave, I could hear a noise calling for my attention. It appeared to be a good size, not too big and mysterious. There was a dry floor and at the cave's end, there was an artefact coated in dust, but it was too distant to view properly. I started heading towards the beautiful engravings on the cave walls that described what life was like in the Order of the Old Leaders and the cataclysmic conflicts that had occurred. Each carving, each painting, had its own memories, a narrative to tell that completely enthralled me. A wolf roared behind me as I started to examine the engravings, with an expression I knew didn't imply anything positive.

"Guys why is the portal appearing?" He inquired as the wolves began to retrace their steps back out of the cave opening and toward the wolf guiding them. I hurried out of the cave with a slight stroke of disappointment, wanting to return and discover the mysteries that had been preserved here. As we got closer to the waves, the gateway reappeared, but something wasn't quite right. It was opening but flickering erratically as if it were unstable, and suddenly it hit me like a tonne of bricks.

"GET DOWN!" I roared just as the gateway began to expand and exploded into strands, forcing all of us to plummet to the ground as a result of the force that had been revealed. Unfortunately for me, the explosion knocked me into the ocean. I've held my breath before in a pool, but this isn't the same. It's as if someone held a pistol to my head and commanded me not to let my heartbeat. Of course, it will beat. And, just as my heart must continue to beat, my lungs will take in air or salty water. I know I'm already dead the instant the chill rushes in. I'll drift like seaweed in a matter of seconds, nothing more than flesh and bones waiting to perish in the currents. I want to be rescued, to be dragged back to life, back to the world I know. My saviour emerged just as I was ready to pass out, but not the one I had hoped for. Aiden came just as my body began to sink to the ocean's depths, and with his strength, he began dragging the two of us towards the shoreline, groaning and struggling constantly. I breathed as much oxygen as I could as we arrived at the side on the seashore, attempting to restore my body back on track, but it was ineffectual. The damage was already done. When I turned to face the gateway, hundreds of vampires greeted us, each with distinct eye colour wearing long black cloaks as they were all part of some kind of blood cult, and I immediately recognised them as members of each faction all ready to destroy both me and the pack. Off in the distance, we all heard a disconcerting crunch. We stayed still for a few seconds, sinking further into the sand, waiting for another sound to soothe our worries. Instead, there was a deceptive quiet. Aiden yelled at his wolves, raising his hand to indicate that they were armed. As this was a choreographed conflict, the Vampire groups began forming up, each in a specific location. Each one showcasing their abilities and revealing their actual identities, each one poised to strike. I just stood there unmoving, trying to comprehend the magnitude of the situation. A roaring howl rippled across the island, causing a rumbling to explode around us, indicating that this was only the beginning. Unexpectedly, the Vampires brandished their weapons, and I realised the war had already been lost before it had even begun. As a bullet struck a wolf's neck, blood poured forth. His descent to the earth seemed gradual as if he was sucking all the sound out of the air. The tremendous crackling of machine-gun fire boomed around us as the wolf's body splashed into the waves. Chests began to rupture all around me, spilling blood and filth everywhere. A few others tried to flee but were engulfed by the grenade's inferno. For a while, I was evading bullets until a swarm of them slammed into my leg, ripping my thin flesh apart. My vision was immediately distorted by the agony, but with the anguish came rage. Such rage that I couldn't even put into words at the time. As I began to unleash a massive surge of energy, the clouds began to become a grey silver colour. As if an unrestrained beast had just been unleashed with a pure expression of hunger, lightning began to strike all around the island. As I began staggering, I cried as violently as I could, and a massive burst of energy began shooting everywhere, disintegrating Vampires nearby into bits so small that they were no longer identifiable. The Vampires proceeded to back away and approach the wolves, still with horrified expressions on their faces, which became terrifying to see. 'Run!' and 'take cover!' were shouted, each with a sense of discomfort and panic. The bullets were essentially atmospheric, not travelling through the air. I concluded that attempting to flee would be futile and that fighting would be equally silly. Then, all of a sudden, an idea and a realisation came to me. If the Vampires had devised a structural plan, then by annihilating one pack, they were effectively annihilating the whole werewolf race, which had to be the intention. However, there was a weakness. What created supernatural beings must be able to kill them...Right? My mind went blank at that point. From nowhere, a Vampire crashed down on me, tossing me to the ground and grazing my skull. He tried to bite me right away, but I continued pulling him away with all my power, but it was pointless since he had the upper hand. Just then, I snatched a dagger from my straps and ripped a gash in his face, squirting massive amounts of blood all over me. I began drinking the blood automatically and quickly choked. I was astonished when most of my wounds began to heal swiftly without leaving scars. Just as I was going to walk away, the Vampire began scrambling around with a dagger piercing his face, writhing in agony, however, he approached me from behind just when my focus was shifted. The assault was fast and unexpected. My left side was slashed up to my heart by the sword. As I stumbled forward onto the knife, which I violently wrenched out, my chest ruptured and my ribs fractured. My eyes bulged in disbelief as I gasped. Sounds of gurgling and spewing emerged from my open mouth. I desperately wanted to scream for help, to shout my misery and fear to the people around me, but I couldn't obtain any volume. Without saying anything, my perpetrator turned and walked away, intentionally, with no sign of terror, only pleasure. I attempted to get to Aiden undisturbed, despite the screams of rivalry coming from all directions, by staggering gently and clasping my palm around my wound to keep my body stable. I didn't make it very far. I pulled myself across the shoreline, first to my knees, then to my hands, approximately a body length away from Aiden, who was fighting in front of me. "Aiden..." I said haltingly. My life ebbed from me and my senses dimmed as I slumped face down and lay quiet with a spluttering gasp.

I awoke with a scream, stunned by what had occurred and the realisation that I had just died. I looked around my surroundings and realised I was in a beautiful flower garden. It was large and open, softly sloping down to a turquoise river. On one side, a forest of cypress pines bordered me, while on the other, a clump of tranquil beeches stood guard. The apple trees in the garden's centre projected a lake of claw shadows onto the grass. A rich green meadow stretched forth into the distance beyond the river, with a dragon-backed mountain on the other side. Honeysuckle festoons the hedges with its ladylike aroma, while lipstick-pink peonies adorn the garden's margins. The scent of geosmine wafts around the atmosphere. The potpourri of fragrances registers as a lovely blend of jasmine, grass vapour, and blooms if you inhale deeply enough, and it immediately began to melt me. I sat on a bench that has seen each of the four seasons. While watching the sun gently rise over the nearby mountain, one could see the accumulation of those happy years in its layers of varnish. At first glance, the lonely peak appears to be impeding its climb and resembles a torc of gloriole-gold. Then it exposes its full splendour, soaking the garden in the effulgence of its grin. I could see the sun chasing the apple trees' crab-shadows across the hot grass. A blackbird lands on a nearby limb and begins singing an aria. Within seconds, a deluge of bird songs followed him, shattering the morning's calm. It's a much-welcomed breach of the peace. A grin appeared on my lips as I began to move in time with the song that was engulfing me, a sweet tune reverberating throughout my body, sending thrills up and down my spine. I gulped as I turned to find Noah approaching me with a wicked smile on his lips and a bright glint in his eyes. Was this my heaven…?