SWNOVELS Chapter 11
The mist-shrouded highlands loomed before Lyra and Fenris, a stark contrast to the dense forests they had left behind. Jagged peaks pierced the low-hanging clouds, their snow-capped summits barely visible in the gloomy twilight. The air here was thin and crisp, carrying the faint scent of frost and ancient stone.
Lyra paused at the base of a steep incline, her breath forming small clouds in the chilly air. She pulled her cloak tighter around her shoulders, grateful for the warming charm she had woven into the fabric before their journey. “According to the grimoire, the temple should be just beyond that ridge,” she said, gesturing to a particularly forbidding outcropping of rock.
Fenris nodded, his amber eyes scanning the treacherous terrain. “I don’t like it,” he growled softly. “The wind carries strange scents – old magic and something… else. Something not quite natural.”
“Well, we are looking for a haunted ruin,” Lyra reminded him, trying to inject a note of lightness into her voice despite her own growing unease. “I’d be more worried if it didn’t feel a bit off.”
Fenris shot her a sidelong glance, a hint of amusement flickering in his eyes. “Your optimism is admirable, if somewhat misplaced. Just stay alert. I have a feeling this ‘first challenge’ of ours isn’t going to be a simple smash and grab.”
As they began their ascent, the mist thickened around them, reducing visibility to mere feet. Lyra found herself relying more and more on Fenris’s enhanced senses to guide them safely up the treacherous slope. His hand on her elbow steadied her when loose rocks threatened to send her tumbling, and more than once, his quick reflexes saved her from a potentially disastrous misstep.
“I’m starting to see the advantages of having a werewolf as a partner,” Lyra said after a particularly close call. “Though I have to ask – wouldn’t this be easier if you were in wolf form?”
Fenris shook his head, his expression grave. “Easier in some ways, perhaps. But I need to be able to communicate clearly with you, and…” He hesitated, a flicker of vulnerability crossing his features. “And I’m not sure how much I trust myself in that form right now. The wolf… it’s been restless lately. Agitated.”
Lyra frowned, concern etching her features. “Is it because of the prophecy? Or something else?”
“I’m not sure,” Fenris admitted. “Ever since we left the Whispering Woods, I’ve felt… off-balance. Like there’s something tugging at the edges of my consciousness, trying to pull the wolf to the surface.”
Before Lyra could respond, a bone-chilling howl cut through the mist. Both of them froze, instinctively drawing closer together.
“That wasn’t a normal wolf,” Lyra whispered, her hand going to the crystal pendant at her throat.
Fenris shook his head, his entire body tense. “No, it wasn’t. We need to move, now. Whatever made that sound, I don’t want to be here when it finds us.”
They quickened their pace, scrambling up the increasingly steep incline. The howl came again, closer this time, followed by another answering call from a different direction. Lyra’s heart pounded in her chest, fear and exertion leaving her breathless.
Just as she thought her legs would give out, the ground beneath their feet leveled out. The mist parted like a curtain, revealing a sight that made both of them gasp in awe and trepidation.
Before them stood the ruins of an ancient temple, its crumbling stone walls glowing with an ethereal blue light. Intricate carvings covered every surface, depicting scenes of celestial bodies and long-forgotten rituals. At the center of the temple complex rose a tower that seemed to defy the laws of nature, its impossibly thin spire twisting up into the clouds.
“The Temple of the Moon,” Lyra breathed, her eyes wide with wonder. “It’s real.”
Fenris’s expression was more guarded. “Real and very likely dangerous. Look there.” He pointed to the base of the tower, where a shimmering barrier of energy pulsed and writhed. “Some kind of magical defense. It won’t be easy getting inside.”
As if in response to his words, the howls sounded again, much closer now. Shadows moved at the edge of the mist, forms too large and misshapen to be natural wolves.
“I don’t think we have much choice,” Lyra said, her voice tight with tension. “Whatever those things are, I’d rather take my chances with the temple’s defenses.”
Fenris nodded grimly. “Agreed. Stay close to me, and be ready to cast any protection spells you’ve got up your sleeve. I have a feeling we’re going to need them.”
They approached the temple entrance cautiously, Fenris’s enhanced senses on high alert for any sign of immediate danger. As they drew closer to the shimmering barrier, Lyra could feel the raw power emanating from it, making the hair on the back of her neck stand on end.
“Any ideas on how to get past this?” Fenris asked, eyeing the magical field warily.
Lyra studied the barrier intently, her mind racing through every scrap of magical knowledge she possessed. “I might be able to create a temporary opening, but it’ll take all my concentration. You’ll need to watch my back.”
Fenris nodded, positioning himself between Lyra and the encroaching mist. “Do it. I’ll hold them off as long as I can.”
Taking a deep breath, Lyra raised her hands and began to chant in the ancient language of her coven. Blue-white energy crackled around her fingers as she wove a complex pattern in the air. The barrier before them pulsed and rippled, responding to her magic.
A snarl from behind made Lyra’s heart leap into her throat, but she forced herself to maintain focus. She could hear Fenris’s low growl, followed by the sounds of a scuffle. Still, she didn’t dare look away from her task.
“Lyra,” Fenris called, his voice strained. “Whatever you’re doing, do it faster. We’ve got
company!”
With a final burst of effort, Lyra thrust her hands forward. The barrier parted like a curtain, revealing a narrow opening. “Now!” she cried. “Go!”