Travelling with Kalos had definitely been... entertaining. However, there was an element of serenity that she got only when in solitude.

The wind was no longer shy to whisper secrets to her, the herbivorous animals not scared by a carnivorous wolf. It was also something she was used to. A Spirit could not expect to make companionships with mortals as eventually, they would fade away and become like the dust, mingling with the soil whilst the Spirits danced for eternity with the Stars.

Lykiana was guided solely by the winds of the South, towards the river of Moira where she hoped to find Lykos. She wondered if he would harbour any resentment towards her, the one who stole away his eyesight, his position and his family. She definitely would struggle to look into the eyes of the one who murdered her soul companion, Eros, even though he was under the influence of Dark Magic. To her, it was inexcusable. To suffer for eternity on her lonesome was a burden too difficult to bear and there could only ever be a soul companion so no one else could fill in the looming void inside her. Everything she had taken away from Lykos could be returned but he could never reverse the murder of her beloved soul companion. It filled her with a bitter feeling with an undertone of jealousy. Even the Moon Mother had companions - the Spirits and the Stars.

Though nature was present, the lack of Spirits was very unsettling. Normally there would be the chatter of other Spirits, flitting in and out of the Earthly realm to visit their people but now, there were none. Lykiana knew it was the doing of the Dark Magic user. Had she managed to awaken by accident? Would they now target her, the only Spirit free who was roaming around the Earth so carelessly, an easy target?

The idea was terrifying, an emotion that she had never really felt before. The possibility of a traitor in the Spirit Council and one she had mingled with was barely believable. Amongst all the Spirits, they had a Spirithood of some sorts. Even if there was animosity, it would only be a small drop in the ocean of time. There was no room for hostility in forever. Skirmishes were frequent but forgotten. Lykiana pondered and pondered why a Spirit would resort to such evil but she drew up blanks every time. What would they gain from such an event? If the Spirit was caught, not only would they be punished, but their people would too if found guilty. The Moon Mother was fair and equitable. So what would lead to this? Was this traitor also stuck in the Spirit Realm or were they able to access Earth?

She didn't feel particularly worried about the other Spirit's safety but for the inhabitants of this Earth. Spirits were strong enough to defend themselves, but their people were not. Some would try to take advantage of other species and cause trouble.

Like my people, she thought bitterly. The ones who have over-hunted and become tyrannical to other animals.

The only thing she could rely on was the Moon Mother's orders so that is what she would do. She knew about how to combat Dark Magic as she had fought during the Dark Reign but everything seemed more dangerous. Tactics that she thought were not possible - such as sealing the Spirit Realm - were being used. And Amidst all this mess, she was being held back by her mortal body. Lykos was her only lifeline to return to the Spirit Realm as he could put an end to this chaos and restore order as prophesied.

The journey was already turning long and arduous. She felt limited by her frail body which was heavy, weighing her down with every step. She wasn't sure if it was worth it, feeling such exquisite sensations only to feel hunger and exhaustion hold you back from soaring like a leash.

As she walked on, she felt the ground beneath her feet turn harsh and unforgiving. The grass felt coarse and brittle with little vegetation. The sky darkened an ominous shade, grey clouds overshadowing her travels. The wind had now deserted her in fear and she continued in silence feeling the sting of the cold on her exposed skin.

It was clear, however, that wherever Dark Magic was strong and prevalent, the darkness caused the greenery to wither and fade until it could no longer host any life. She had noticed as much when visiting Skia's part of the pack but when she visited the rest of the pack that had split off, there was ample nature. It seemed as though a symptom of the evil was death and decay, a clear warning that it was clearly innately wrong.

Frowning, she glanced up at the sky. Above her was the constellation of Alpeoudes, the cluster of the Fox. That would mean that she was nearing the territory of the Foxes. An unspoken rule was to ask for permission before entering another's territory. It was simple diplomacy to prevent accusations and respect the people of the other Spirits. But who could she ask?

She hesitated at first but continued on through their territory. There was a chance that the foxes would be unreceptive to her presence - especially as the Wolves she was representing had been wreaking havoc - but the easiest way to reach the South was this way only. Additionally, she and Alepou were allies since two millennial passings so he wouldn't be too angry with her trespassing.

Would he even know?

The once bustling, lively grounds were now barren and empty. It seemed like a land of ghosts, the shadows thick and heavy. The moon had been bright but there was an everlasting sense of darkness, stretching and wrapping around the territory. Their territory was once large but it seemed to have receded so much so that she was standing on an empty expanse of land that was once part of their border, now guarded by withered, gnarled trees. There, in the distance, was the fastest hint of civilisation, paltry amounts of smoke rising to the skyline, barely noticed against the black backdrop. The surviving Foxes appeared to have huddled together in the centre of their broad territory, leaving the rest defenceless. None would steal it anyway; the land was barren, unfertile and poisoned by evil.

It was alarming, seeing a once powerful ally become so weak, so defenceless. The land - once lush - used to be filled with energetic cubs running about and young Foxes playing games. They were hospitable and kind. Whenever she visited, she was treated well, looked up to even.

Lykiana knew her people - the ones that strayed - had to hold part of the blame. She saw how reckless they were and how carelessly they ignored the ancient laws that have never been broken since they were set with the first ancestors. She would have to pay a price for their arrogance, even if they were manipulated.

Walking through the once luscious woods - the quickest way to her destination - almost with a touch of melancholy at how much it had ruined, she continued. There was no time for a visit to the foxes right now, she had to get to the River of Moira, urgently. The atmosphere was even harsher here, biting at her exposed skin, roots nipping at her ankles. Her bare feet crunched through layers of decay and debris. It was something akin to a nightmare. She noticed the further she delved into the woods in the territory, the more the darkness had taken root.

Shivering, she continued using the little light in her surroundings, brushing back thorny brambles and nettles threatening to sting her. An animal flew above, its large golden eyes bling down at her owlishly. It let out a warning cry, almost screaming for her to turn back and flee but she couldn't. As soon as her back had turned, the forest had seemed to close behind her, encircling her in never-ending rotten decay. The smell was pungent and overpowering, stifling her nostrils, making her choke on the heavy air. The deathly silence seemed to foreshadow the true danger that lay ahead, as the broken trees held their breath in anticipation the further she travelled.

It was almost a one-sided fight. The natural healing light she emitted warded off the darkness but it was tiring. The currents of darkness were too much, almost overwhelming, a constant tide of evil-doing. It seemed to enshroud her, barely held at bay due to her light, its tentacles reaching forward at every chance it got.

Lykiana persevered. The light was stronger than the dark. The dark existed because of the absence of light. She shone brightly, her silver tresses glowing in hues of silver and her rich skin in glimmering bronzes.

The trees slowly started to thin out, becoming more spaced apart. She must be nearing the end of the forest, she thought in apprehension. She was immortal and it was impossible for a spirit to die but one could get wounded or incapacitated. There was little time for healing right now, not when she could see how dire the situation was.

As fast as the darkness had arrived, it had disappeared, slithering off like black mist, retracting away from her. The air, however, was still heavy and thick, meaning that the danger was still present. Lykiana frowned. Had it realised that it couldn't hurt her badly as she was a Spirit? Or was it planning something? She sent a silent prayer to the Moon Mother for those who could not escape such a fate and succumbed to this darkness. She would could only survive due to her Spiritual nature.

There was a break in the skeletal trees so she hastened her pace, almost eagerly. She could feel her energy sapping away by being in such a filthy blackened atmosphere and needed to be back in the moonlight to recharge.

Lykiana stopped in her tracks, unsure of what she was seeing. Despite the break in the forest, the clearing was black, such an ebony black that it was almost impossible for her to see. She sent out a pulse of light by flicking her fingers forwards quickly. Despite the potency of Spirit light, the darkness did not banish, merely flinching back and quickly falling back into place. She flicked her hand out again, with more vigour this time and a larger, brighter ball of light flew out.

The darkness hissed and moved back, slinking away from the light. In the centre of the clearing was a rune encased circle, etched with dirt and blood. It was like a black void, sucking in any light such that Lykiana could not see what was inside the circle. She strode forward, ignoring the relentless angry whispers from the darkness till she nearly stood in front of the circle. Casting a hand out in the air, she willed the clouds above her to part using all her might and a fraction of the concealed moonlight escaped.

She basked in its warming strength, gathering all her energy to break through the barrier. The hisses grew incessant in the background, angry that she interrupted their evil ritual but she ignored them, casting a circle of light flames around her to ward them off from attacking her as she tried to break through the circle of Dark Magic.

Lykiana assessed it, her heart heavy as she picked up the subtle dance of a weakening heart. There was some animal inside, used as a sacrifice for this dark ritual and judging by its slowing beat, it was dying.

There were wails of anger surrounding her as the darkness tried to breach her barrier but she held it strong as she focused on the runes. Glancing up at the clouded night sky, she gathered her resolve, tapping into powers that had lain dormant for centuries because there had never been the need to use something so powerful. Not since the Dark Reign which was millenniums ago.

"Lupus, aid me your strength and Moon Mother, guide my light", she murmured, angling her face to the sky. Her silvery eyes seemed to glow, resembling the full reflective moon, emitting bright silvery light. The clouds parted further and the constellation of Lupus shone luminously, casting down its power that Lykiana had called out for. With a shout, she directed all her power onto the runes, crying out as the unfiltered strength of the Stars travelled through her body from her eyes, down to her fingers and reaching out for the runes. The rush made her heady almost as she channelled the pure Starlight on the runes which steamed up violently. The darkness tried to fight back but it was futile against something so ancient, so majestic. It would be like all the ocean's water putting out a candle flame; the flame could fight, but the power of currents were far too strong.

It hissed and sizzled under the full force of Lupus, the Star's sheer magnitude overpowering it and then it tried to recoil back, slinking away from the light.

She could not let it escape and create more evil. She would have to destroy it. Her mouth opened in a silent cry, her eyes shining so bright, they would be seen as twinkling Stars from miles away. The pure intensity flowed through her body, directed at the dark runes until finally, they melted away, wailing in agony as they went. As the runes were burned away, the shadows that she had held at bay with the flame circle, also vanished, seeping back into the ground.

Suddenly, the runed circle exploded, almost sending her flying backwards but she dug her heels in the crumbling ground. The shockwave sent her reeling, instantly slamming throughout her surroundings. The old trees snapped back, nearly breaking under the force of air, debris swirling in its own hurricane. Lykiana was in the eye of the hurricane, the pent-up winds swirling around her furiously, tearing through the landscape. Cracks echoed through the air and the thin trunks snapped in half under the pressure and brambles were ripped away from their deep roots in the ground. Her hair whirled around her face in a frenzy, almost obscuring her vision. She was the only thing that was still standing as the wind howled and raged expelling the corruption.

As fast as it occurred, it ceased, dissipating softly.

The runes dissolved into nothingness, leaving a void behind in Mother Nature which Lykiana filled using the Starlight, mending the unnatural gaps in the environment. The colour slowly returned, in place of the darkness.

As she looked down, she gasped in anger at the sight of a young cub, no more than half a decade old curled up like a foetus where the circle of Dark Magic was. His hair, a colour that was supposed to be rich and tawny, was dull and limp. From the corner of his eyes, nose and mouth leaked blood, thick rusty droplets trailing down his face. He was scrawny and thin, almost a skeleton and on death's door. His breaths, frail and weak were stolen time. It seemed fruitless for him to continue but he did, wheezing in and out, fighting a losing battle. Marks and scars ravaged his body, proof of the illicit ritual that he suffered from. He had most likely been stolen away from the other foxes and used as a sacrifice or for feeding. His soul was weakening as his body trembled violently.

For the first time in a millennium, Lykiana felt a strong wave of sympathy and regret overtake her as she gazed wistfully at his declining body.

Spirits were not allowed to interfere with death or illness. It was the first rule she had learnt as a newborn Spirit. And now she was about to break it for an animal that was not even one of hers.

"Oh, Moon Mother, forgive me for meddling in the affairs of another Spirit", she said, the torment evident in her voice. "But this poor soul was stolen and fights on dearly even as death comes to steal him away".

She knelt by his fragile body and tenderly cradled his body in her arms. Pushing back his matted hair, she delicately caressed his paling face, his tanned skin a deathly white. She leaned her head down and gingerly brushed a kiss on his frozen lips as she placed her forehead against his. She breathed out into his open mouth and dust as pure as the finest snow drifted slowly into his mouth, settling slowly. Closing her eyes, she cast a healing light over his body, providing heat to the cub.

The light poured out her every pore like a never-ending stream, a gentle tide sweeping over him, again and again, until finally, the pallor of his skin gradually returned to its sun-kissed colour. His hair began to gleam again, his locks once more representing the red flames of a fox. His trembles subsided and his breathing relaxed as his body began to heal.

Lykiana closed her eyes, fatigued by the usage of her power and her body being used as a vassal for the powers of the Stars. She cast a sphere around them, one to ward them away from the dangers and another to keep healing the cub. Then, she closed her eyes.

So I am back :)

I've decided this might be my new updating day (every Thursday).

Question for Today:

What is your favourite mythical creature?

Let me know what you think of this story or any theories you might have.

Thank you to everyone who is reading so far ❤️.

Please Vote, Comment and Follow me (on Wattpad or Insta - I have Insta now lol. It's alphaholic1 or click on the link in my bio hehe)

Xx