Eternal Winter

Needed Remedies: Part IV

I grabbed at the neck of my cloak to help me breath. My eyes darted around the darkness, looking for anything to help me. There was no plan. There was only action as the beast closed the distance.

My hands shot out in front of me and drew the snow up around the beast's legs. I clenched my hands into fists. My teeth were gritted as I held firm. The beast fell with an earth-rattling thud, leaving only 3 feet to spare. I could now make out the furry snout of the beast; its muzzle of the savage Lycanth and its eyes of the cursed human. This was the werewolf of Crysthalia.

I jumped out of reach from a swiping claw. My fists relaxed and the ice shackles fell from its ankles. It looked back at the horses—the helpless, tied up animals—then back to me—the breathless, hostile prey. I could nearly see the process reflected in its human eyes. There was no higher sense to stop, though. It lunged for me again.

My feet stumbled once in the snow, but I found purchase on the beaten streets of the village. No other lanterns were lit in any building save for Crysa's. Calling out would do no good. The loping steps of the werewolf were coming fast. I turned on my heel and pulled the air behind me. A sudden gust shoved its snapping jaws back another few meters.

I righted myself and ran forward. There was little space left for me to run. The village was coming to an end. The forest would offer no protection against a beast of the Earth. Even if I was its child. I risked a glance over my shoulder and saw the werewolf shake its head before taking off after me again. Panicked, I knelt down and splayed a hand against the beaten snow. A patch of ice threw the beast off balance and directed it away from me for the moment.

Underneath my hand, I wiped at the snow vigorously. My eye remained trained on the werewolf until my fingers found purchase in the dirt and gravel. With my fingers arched into the earth, I pressed down and a wall sprouted between me and the werewolf. I let out a quick breath. Then, I took to my feet again and ran backwards, hoping for more distance. I didn't get far when the beast bounded atop my wall. It prowled there for a moment before it launched itself off the other side.

I gave it another moment, a moment I should've taken. Then, I moved. My arms were wild as they whipped in circles. The air around me picked up and the snow was moved. If I couldn't call on Wintha for the blizzard, I would have to do it myself. The beast didn't stop. Instead, it went faster, it galloped towards me. I realized I would be a moment too late.

The beast broke through the adolescent wind wall and landed on me. Its claws dug into my skin. I let out a yell and clenched my fists. Snow pressed hard into ice, swung into the beasts side. It didn't budge. I could do no more. There was no breath. There was no moving. There was no plan.

Sammy was to be left alone in the cold. As I once was.

"No," I sobbed. My teeth gritted and I squeezed my eyes shut. With the little strength I had left, I fought to move the beast that clung to me.

"Begone," a voice commanded from the tree line. A cragged line in the snow began to form, creeping towards me and the werewolf. A small chasm opened up in the rumbling ground. The werewolf eyed the incoming obstacle and released me instantly. It leaned back on its haunches and growled at this new aggressor instead. Now, I was the only one in the path of the earth's maw.

Teeth clamped down on my cloak at the nape of my neck and dragged me backwards. I began to thrash weakly, the energy being sapped out of me by the second. I was dropped, just as the crack came passed, cutting the earth. I glanced up into the slitted eyes of a large cat. Its fur was puffed and its tail twitched back and forth as it crept around me, facing the werewolf in front.

"The staff," the coarse voice shouted again. "Hold the beast with the staff!"

I huffed as the air gradually returned to me. "What?!"

The figure came forward, an elderly woman whose silvery gray hair nearly brushed the edges of her boots. Her hand flew out towards the werewolf and small, salt crystals sparkled under the light from the moon. Moments later, loud popping sounds came from the werewolf. Small points of fire sprang up from underneath it at the same time. The werewolf began to move backwards when it yipped and took to running in the other direction, leaving a short trail of charred pawprints as it went.

The cat tensed beside me, prepared to bound after the fleeing beast. The woman called to it, "Down, Thea. She'll be back before long." Her thick drawl had the cat's ears perk and turn back towards her.

The woman stepped over to me, still half propped on the ground. She offered me a thick gloved hand and a stern glare. I tentatively took hold and got to my feet. She let the silence thicken between us. I was kept from moving back as Thea, the cat, prowled the grounds behind me.

"This isn't what Alius taught you, lass," she quipped. "You should know your limits better by now."

My brows pulled together and my eyes narrowed. "And what would you know about Teacher? About me?"

She stared at me for another minute before she let out a short sigh. Her eyes flashed around, watching the dark tree line and empty streets. Then, she started into the village and waved a hand for me to follow. "Let us return to your lodgings. I'll explain there."

Thea bounded after her and rubbed its head into her dangling hand. The woman absentmindedly brushed the shimmering gray and black speckled coat as the cat walked at her side. Reluctantly, I followed her back to Crysa's house, where Sammy slept.

The back door had remained open with the wind blowing snow into the house. There were no signs of movement until the three of us made tracks. Crysa was still gone. I made my way to Sammy and saw he remained sleeping peacefully, with the fever already on the decline. The woman walked around the room and analyzed the interior as I checked on Sammy. Once I returned, I propped up on the arm of a chair that gave me a view of the door and the woman.

"All right," I began. "Who are you and what do you think you know about Teacher?"

She gave a short laugh. "What do I think!" She scratched Thea at the back of the ears and turned her gray eyes to me. "Lass, Alius is an old friend of mine. My name's Elda. We kept in contact by way of letters. I am not a spy of the current ruler, if that's what you think."

My brows pressed in together. "I...I didn't—"

She waved a hand at me dismissively. "Of course, you didn't know. He went to Olym to make away from people. The fact he found you way out in the middle of nowhere, now that, was a surprise to us both," she admitted. "Still, there is much to be learned yet for you. You are in no condition to release this country from a Great Wizard tampering in the Dark Arts, much less to avenge Alius."

My defenses rose and I replied harshly, "How would you know how capable I am? I've been training for months. With Teacher...and on my own. I'm not weak."

"I never claimed as much," she retorted. She stepped up to me and pointed at the smooth, carved staff I hung with my gear. "You do not even know the purpose of this stick." I leaned back from her gently and pulled the staff free. "You could be stronger. You could be more than a Great Wizard's student. You could be as legendary as the Master Magician himself."

"He's only a myth," I shot back weakly.

"As is a wielder of all four elements in the Art of Nature," she countered. "Yet, here you stand. As he did." I thought about what it would have been like, if the Master Magician had been alive, the legend instead of a myth. "With this staff, your magic will have shape. You could do...anything." She stared hard at me. "You could face against a werewolf or a master of the Dark Arts on equal grounds."