Every step closer makes it harder to breathe, the pull growing unbearable. It’s magnetic, impossible to resist, yet saturated with an undercurrent of something dark and foreboding. My wolf trembles beneath the pressure, but she doesn’t stop.
We reach a patch of deep purple flowers nestled against the wall, their petals trembling in the still air. My wolf sits back on her haunches, her eyes locking onto the bricks with unnerving precision. Her ears are flat, her gaze narrowed as she focuses on a single section of the wall.
She blinks and then…
We see them.
They’re faint, nearly hidden beneath layers of dirt from years past and the ivy that’s begun to creep up the walls. But there’s no mistaking the soft glow—a whisper of light pulsing from the base of the wall.
These are ancient runes.
My wolf goes taut, her body rigid with a mix of fear and fascination. My own chest tightens as I stare at the symbols, the energy emanating from them crawling along my skin like tiny, charged needles.
Let me see.
She relents, and the shift back is almost immediate. My body tightens and stretches as the change overtakes me, the air sharp against my skin when it’s over. I steady myself, smoothing my hands over my dress that clings once more to my body as I inhale deeply. It makes me cough as something rough, almost acrid, invades my lungs.
Something isn’t right here.
I focus on the runes again, brushing away more ivy to reveal additional symbols etched into the stone. It’s been over a century since I’ve encountered magic this potent, and even then, it was nothing like this. My palm touches the warm surface. This is…dark.
Repulsion moves up my spine and gets stuck in my throat. I want to vomit, to run, to tear myself away from whatever force is radiating from this wall, but my curiosity anchors me in place. My wolf was right to lead me here. Whatever this is, it’s significant.
My hand trembles as I push more ivy aside, uncovering more of the faded symbols that seem to have been burned into the stone. The runes are intricate, their lines curling and weaving into shapes I don’t recognize.
My wolf stirs restlessly, pacing in the back of my mind. Her instincts scream that this is wrong, dangerous even. Yet, neither of us can ignore the pull.
I lift my hand, hesitating for a heartbeat before pressing my palm against the largest rune.
The effect is immediate.
A jolt surges through me, piercing and unforgiving, racing up my arm and slamming into my chest. I gasp, stumbling back, but my hand remains glued to the stone as if some unseen force refuses to let me go.
The air thickens around me, heavy with energy that crackles like distant thunder. My pulse pounds erratically, my vision blurring as a heat unlike anything I’ve ever felt floods through me.
Then the images begin.
Chaotic and fragmented, they flash through my mind like shards of glass: a pair of piercing eyes, stormy and filled with anguish. Chains rattling in a darkness so absolute it feels suffocating. A voice—deep, raw, and drenched in desperation.
Help.
The singular word sends a shiver down my spine. The voice is unfamiliar, yet it resonates within me, intimate and undeniable.
“Who… Who’s there?” I whisper, my breath hitching as the energy around me shifts again.
The glow of the runes intensifies, spreading out across the wall like veins of molten fire. The fervor is overwhelming, yet I can’t bring myself to pull away.
My wolf howls within my mind, clawing for control. The force of her emotions is overwhelming—fear, confusion, longing.
The voice comes again, softer this time, but no less pleading, bordering on commanding.
Find me.
The pressure releases suddenly, and I collapse to the ground, gasping for air. My hand trembles as I press it to my lips, my heart racing as the glow fades, leaving only the hazy etchings of the runes behind.
I stare at the wall, trying to make sense of what just happened.
Help. Find me.
