4The scene before Aurelia's eyes was dreary. The once beautiful forest beyond her home was now dark and burnt. She could still smell the acrid taste in her mouth, and the heat on her skin from the deadly fire that had almost destroyed her. As she sat on the bench before the Great Window, the sight of the dead forest caused another part of her soul to drift away. These were her last hours, she knew, for the stillness of the air in the house and the forest forewarned her to the impending doom she faced. Aurelia felt cool tears leak from her dry eyes, forging little rivers to flow down her sunken cheeks to her dress.
Moving slowly, she stumbled over to her bed and opened the nightstand's only drawer. Its tarnished brass handle was well worn over the years with hands opening it to reveal the special secrets it withheld. She followed suit, as the women of the times before her had, and pulled from it her only prize possession. The single cross, the dirty, cracked, wooden cross her mother had given her the day she passed on. The tears began to well again, but Aurelia held them back. She held the tiny cross on its thread of a chain in her palms and began to sing softly, her voice cracking with effort.
" Lo Sciko dekaya Etomenay Lakreda Say o kumba talreya tsa Na-bo koo…oo.. la.. sarokta efashoroon."
A loud moaning began to utter from deep within the black forest as she stared numbly at the door across the room from her. The old door was still, with light from the dim hallway attempting to penetrate through the thin cracks.
'Siccokay Atomo Lavonshow Kapaca Deontonisa Rarentica Sambondo"
Loud thuds began to radiate from beneath her bare feet. Crashes and the sound of things ripping added to the noise yet she didn't flinch, but only closed her tired eyes to hide more tears.
" Avon Sheekotikama… Earon Subankodu, Ennderin."
Thumping could be heard up the stairs, each step creaking angrily in retaliation. Growls and screeches began to sound outside her door, and shadows flew the light through the cracks. The door shudder with each sound, and the very floor beneath her feet began to shake.
Aurelia moved toward the windows once again, and stared out. Fog had come from the forests' depths and began to surround her house, dark shadows darting through it. She had never wanted to die this way, but she knew she had no choice. This was her final fight. Putting the necklace delicately around her pale neck, she whispered..
" One last time…
She began to growl, slowly, letting her power build up. It flowed through her blood and her body, energizing every cell. She let the rage take over, the wolf overcome the mortal. She howled in pain as her muscles and bones shifted and grew, her skin ripping only to be replaced by crimson fur. As soon as it had started, it was over. Her final transformation into The Wolf. As she howled against the din, she felt exhilarated, letting her long tongue lick across her knife-like fangs, claws flexing. By now, the shadows were starting to push through the cracks, shoving against the large Window, and trying to course through the floor boards. She bared her teeth and ran toward the Great Window. The Wolf dived through the glass, shattering it away, slicing through the shadows before her. She flew toward the dark ground and landed nimbly on all fours.
Her sharpened eyes could see the Things dancing around her. She moved and bared her fangs at them, roaring down in her throat. There! A shadow darted too close, and she lunged out at it swiftly, impaling the figure with her right claw. The Thing let out a terrible screech, as it dissolved into the fog. The other shadows kept dancing around, unperturbed of their peer's painful demise. The Wolf had had enough. With a mighty roar, she leapt out at the figure in front of her, swiping through it. Black blood stained her claws, and black specks dotted her red fur. Now, the other Things began to enter the fray, attempting the overcome her. But she was too strong. The Wolf shredded through the shadows like a hot knife through butter. 15 minutes later, she had wiped all of them out. She panted with effort, and listened for the next Wave. But she heard nothing. Her fur began to prickle as she looked through the fog, unnerved. The air was still again, and silent.
Suddenly, she picked up a scent. It was not a Shadow Thing but a…. Her thoughts were interrupted as she felt a cool wet drop hit her nose. She looked up, and saw the clouds releasing the Rain holding them captive. It began slowly, and though the Wolf hated the rain, the constant pitter-patter of it hitting the ground felt comforting as it eliminated the raging quiet.
A loud howl reawakened her to the outside world, and she looked around warily. It was Him. The scent of the rain and him mingled together and it seemed he was everywhere. She couldn't focus…or more importantly, find him. The Wolf looked around wildly but could see no dark figure through the fog.
" Aurelia…."
A deep voice whispered. It echoed, sounding all around her. She growled and bent back on her haunches, preparing for attack.
" Aurelia…"
He whispered again.. She growled louder and flexed her fangs in retaliation. Rage began to consume her, and The Wolf felt her pulse quicken, as if the very blood in her veins seemed outraged.
" Aurelia."
As if out of nowhere, a golden blur darted out at her She barely dodged him, though his claws had managed to slightly rip her side. She roared in anger, and looked to revenge the wound, but he had disappeared behind her.
Her eyes darted around, vainly attempting to catch a glimpse of her attacker.
"Just give up…"
The voice whispered again. She growled in her distorted Wolfly human voice,
" Show yourself."
Again he lashed out at her, but she spun around, slashing blindly at the figure that seemed not to be there. Then, she felt the claws dig across her back and slash through her other side. She spun around again, but he had already moved. She roared in fury and then saw the flash of golden claws at her neck. He ripped off the cross, and she fell screaming,, slowly transforming back to Aurelia.
Before her stood the Golden Wolf, his copper eyes cold and angry. She gasped in pain as she finished her transformation and lay at his paws. The ripped chain with her cross hung from his bloody claw. In her human state, the wounds he had inflicted were much worse; she was in agony
"Da-yen—n…" she moaned, reaching for her necklace.
He growled and threw it behind him as he began to transform back to a human. It seemed within seconds he was done.
" Aurelia.. You knew it didn't have to be this way. We could've been happy… we could've been.. together…
And for a moment, his eyes reminisced of their past, their love.. and their child. The love they once had, but lost because of differing opinions over what is Right. Aurelia glared at him, letting her tears mix with the blood beneath her.
"Dayen… I was blind when I loved you….." she grunted, trying to move her limbs to get up "I—I was a fool... to believe you were innocent….." His sad face changed to a mask of fury. He lunged at her and grabbed her throat, dragging her off the ground and holding her.
" Aurelia… I did my job, nothing more. I tried to tell you that, but you wouldn't fucking listen…" He seethed in her ear, watching her cringe away. He threw her down, a smile erupting at the sound of her bones cracking as they slammed against the ground. She let out a brief shriek of pain, and bit her lip.
"You refused to listen….. And let our child die. Do you remember him... Or was he too evil to love as well" he growled, eyes glinting.
"I loved you Aurelia. Androw loved you," he gulped, "And a simple little murder was what drove you away." He was breathing deeply, and leaned down to her ear. " Don't you remember what you did ?"
"Nooo-oo.." she moaned holding her head in her hands, letting a sob escape her lips.
"That was different Dayen…" she sobbed, tears streaming down her cheeks. " I had to… that human was trying to kill me…."
"You fucking hypocrite…" he muttered, giving her a hard kick to the side.. She screeched again, and attempted to crawl away toward her cross. But he put his boot down on the small of her back and pushed down, holding her down.
" I remember when you used came back to me after a Hunt with blood on your face smiling like a little kid who just got a piece of candy. Don't you remember? Then that damn human priest came by, and you changed… into this.." He pushed down harder, smiling as bone cracking sounded.
By now she was numb with pain.. Black dots had begun to form before her gaze, but she fought against the calling unconsciousness. She had to get to the cross.
"Aurelia, I'll give you one last chance. I'll forgive you for your stupidity if only you come back. Rejoin us. Rejoin... me. He pulled his foot away and backed away from her.
She gulped, picking up her head, and slowly moved her broken body onto her back to look at him. She knew that some part of Dayen still loved her… Some part of his mortal self loved her. But his Wolf side was simply too powerful. Any love he had would surely be crushed again by his Wolf's rage and hatred at her betrayl.
" N-no…" She whispered, panting.
His eyes closed for a moment, then opened. They had changed to blood red, the color of murder.
" Fine."
He lunged at her and she moved toward the cross, grabbing it with her left hand off the grass and pulling it in front of her chest..
" FINAL SPIRIT!"
A blinding light burst forth from her palms, morphing into the shape of a wolf. It launched itself at a startled Dayen and slashed through his chest, coming through his back. He stood there, stunned, before falling to the ground in a heap. The wolf stopped where it landed, and turned its head to look back. Its ghostly eyes stared into Aurelia's knowingly before it blew away in the wind.
Aurelia closed her eyes, her breathing ragged, She felt the rain stop and opened them, gazing at the sky. The clouds had begun to move away, and a sun shone through the fog. Its golden rays felt warm on her cool skin, and she smiled. Then, a cloud passed over the rays, temproarily blocking it until a second later the sun pushed through. But by then, she was gone.