The light dimly illuminated the room, casting eerie shadows on the walls from flickering candles. The air was heavy with intentions and hopes that were strongly intertwined.
Standing in the center of the special room that had been a place to perform rituals was Rowena. She stood alone, looking at a rough wooden table in front of her. On the table were various herbs, crystals, and mystical artifacts, all of which she examined carefully, making sure nothing was overlooked.
Rowena appeared focused as she began the intricate process of preparing the sacred ingredients for the potion. With precise movements, she selected each chosen herb, then crushed them with a mortar and pestle. The aroma of sage, lavender, and wolfsbane mingled in the air, creating an intoxicating blend.
Meanwhile, a small bubbling cauldron sat on a nearby fire, sending dancing vapors into the air. There, Rowena carefully poured the crushed herbs into the cauldron. Her lips murmured ancient mantras as she stirred the potion clockwise with a wooden spoon carved with ancient symbols.
The potion boiled again. Rowena moved on to the next step, taking a bundle of dried herbs tied with leather and smoldering them over the cauldron.
All the steps were completed by Rowena soon after. A bowl of liquid medicine and a bundle of smoldering herbs lay on the table. Rowena took them with her as she walked to the back of her house, where an altar stood as a testament to her magical skills over the years.
Arriving there, Rowena found Vione and Ayla. She paused for a moment, her gaze meeting Vione’s as if to signal her determination to do her best.
Vione and Ayla understood. They stepped away from the altar.
Rowena placed the bowl and the smoldering herbs on the altar, near Usher’s head. Then she looked up at the full moon shining brightly. Usher’s entire body was bathed in moonlight.
Rowena closed her eyes. She activated all her senses, then grimaced in suppressed frustration. How could you have two wolf spirits, Alpha? One of your wolf spirits died, how could you have another?
Rowena waited. Perhaps nature would give her a clue to this anomaly. After all, there had never been a werewolf with two wolf spirits, and this was the first time she had encountered such a phenomenon. Her mind was filled with various perplexities.
Unfortunately, nature remained silent. It did not provide the answers Rowena was looking for. She was left to deal with the confusion, her mind swirling with unanswered questions.
Her eyes opened again. Rowena decided to stop searching for answers. Her priority now was one thing: to try to heal Usher from death.
The ritual began. Rowena began to solemnly chant the mantra. At the same time, she circled the altar, fanning Usher with the smoldering herbs. Then she stopped at the count of seven.
Rowena let out a long sigh. She put the smoldering herbs back on the altar, then took a small knife from her waist.
Vione, watching Rowena take the knife, began to wonder what Rowena would do next. The answer came shortly after, as Rowena plunged the knife into Usher’s chest, aiming for his heart.
Vione let out a cry. Her legs moved reflexively, but Ayla intervened, signaling her to calm down with her gaze.
Rowena was undisturbed by Vione’s scream. Her concentration remained intact as she stared intently at the wound on Usher’s chest. With the knife still embedded, she suddenly twisted it, creating a hole.
Vione closed her eyes and Ayla hastily hugged her, trying to calm her as much as possible.
The flesh tore. The hole gaped. Rowena could faintly see Usher’s heart inside.
Now Rowena took the bowl of herbal liquid. She poured the steaming liquid onto Usher’s wound, letting it seep in and moisten his heart.
Rowena’s expression grew more serious. She took a deep breath, then placed her hand on Usher’s chest. She grasped his heart and squeezed it several times as she continued to chant the mantra.
Rowena’s body shook. Sweat dripped from her forehead, drenching her body in moments. Please come back, Alpha.
A round of chanting brought no results, but Rowena did not give up. She continued to squeeze Usher’s heart relentlessly, chanting the unbroken mantra.
Rowena groaned. She tasted a metallic, salty spray in her mouth and spat out blood. Her body rebelled, feeling unable to continue the ritual. But she did not stop. She ignored the nausea and dizziness that crept in from all sides. The world seemed to spin and her body felt cold. Please. For Vione’s sake, come back, Alpha. She loves you dearly.
With one last squeeze, Rowena could not hold on any longer. At the same time, the air seemed to rage and throw her unexpectedly. Her fingers released Usher’s heart. She was thrown back and finally lost consciousness.
“Rowena!”
Ayla and Vione ran to Rowena’s side. They saw Rowena’s face, pale as a corpse. They were worried, but Rowena’s faint breathing brought some relief.
“Ayla,” Vione whispered, making sure Rowena was not hurt. Her desire to see Usher alive again was immense, but that did not mean she wanted to jeopardize Rowena’s safety. “Let’s get Rowena inside. I’m afraid she’s pushing herself too hard and-”
Vione’s words stopped. The wind caressed her skin differently. Her heart raced with an unusual rhythm, as did her breath.
Vione was stunned. Every nerve in her body was on edge. Her instincts were on fire. So, she gently let go of Rowena’s body and laid down on the floor. She stood up and Ayla looked at her in surprise.
“Vione?” Ayla called with a furrowed brow. Vione’s behavior seemed strange. “What’s wrong with you?”
Vione did not answer. Instead, she kept moving. She approached the altar with slow, trembling steps.
The air caught in her chest. Her heart seemed to stop. Vione could not believe what she saw. As time passed, the scene blurred before her eyes-she began to cry.
There, still lying on the altar, Vione saw Usher open his eyes. Usher looked around with a confused expression, and their eyes met.
“Vione.”
*