CHAPTER 8: The Past's Shadows

As Selene returned to her cottage on the outskirts of town, the sky above was painted in rich shades of blue and gold. The day had flown by in a blur of haunting chatter and wary looks—from Elias and the villagers alike. The forests around her now extended in a familiar but quiet manner, with towering, shadowy trees and leaves that murmured quietly in the evening wind.

Pulling the comfort of her shawl about her, she pulled it tightly over her shoulders. Something deeper inside her seemed to pulse in sync with the dull agony that was the scar on her arm. She kept thinking about what Elias had said: Don't go near the woods. The stirring of dangerous things...

As she arrived at her cabin's front steps, she trembled and shook off the uneasiness. Nestled amid dense woods and out of sight, the little cottage had always served as a haven—a place to hide away and find comfort from the outside world. The customary walls seemed thicker tonight, however. With memories, it's heavier.

Leaning against the door for a second, Selene walked inside and shut it behind her. The meeting with Elias and the stress that had accompanied her all day still made her pulse race. Under his endearing exterior, there was something darker about him that didn't fit right. She was aware that emotion was difficult for her to get rid of.

She lighted a couple of candles on the weathered wooden table. The area was filled with flickering shadows from the faint illumination. She had always felt secure in the little cottage, but now she couldn't get rid of the unsettling feeling that someone was watching her. She gave a head shake. Perhaps her anxieties were just getting the better of her.

She could feel the pressure of fatigue as she made her way to the bedroom. Her thoughts had been rushing from one idea to another for the long days. Sleep, however, seemed too near—but restless—too near comfort just as she was about to lay down.

She crawled between the covers, but the moment she closed her eyes, everything changed.

Darker than ever, the woodland came alive once again. Between the trees, shadows swirled, and there was a sense of something old, something...off. Somewhere in the distance came the faint, purposeful sound of footsteps.

She was there all of a sudden—the night her family had perished.

She felt as if she was reliving the scenario as it played out in front of her.

With its silvery rays penetrating the dense canopy above, the moon hung high in the sky. In the woods, her mother, father, and younger brother were huddled together beside a clearing, laughing lightly and carelessly. They had traveled to camp in order to spend a quiet evening together, away from the bustle of the city.

However, something had changed.

There was a deep, guttural growl that echoed across the silent air. Her family's fun noises abruptly stopped and were replaced by uncomfortable quiet. Out of the darkness, the large, black, and majestic wolves appeared, encircling them in a protective circle.

She had first assumed they would be terrified. The wolves weren't attacking, however. No, they were on guard, keeping watch. They moved in a quiet, deliberate manner that almost felt familiar. As if they were shielding her family from something more sinister, something that had not yet come to light.

Then she caught sight of it, the figure in the distance, black and gloomy. Eyes blazing like coals, shining dimly. It approached them slowly and purposefully, as if it were inevitable. Selene's throat tightened each breath. It was more than simply a figure; it was something else. Something out of place in the woods, an old, weird beast.

Despite their best efforts, her parents were unable to stop it. The unrelenting darkness drowned out their shouts and their pleads. It was too overpowering, too strong.

The wolves then sprang forward, defending her family with a fierceness that Selene could still feel in the dream, before the figure could get to them. Their bodies were powerful and unflinching as they stood against the darkness, their fangs bared. However, it was insufficient.

The figure had pursued her, her family, and them.

Selene awoke with a start, her arm scar burning intensely, her chest heaving. The faint traces of the dream made her body shake.

That wasn't only a dream. It seemed too genuine. The agony, the figure, and the wolves were all related.

The room spun a little when she sat up hastily. As she tried to put together what she had seen and what it all meant, her mind raced. Why did they defend her, those wolves? What did they stand watch over since she was bound to it?

Her mind raced until it settled on one thing: Kael. The guy who had rescued her from the wild wolf assault was someone she hardly knew. He had said something about the wolves watching over her, as if they were there to protect her from something far more powerful.

However, everything seemed related to that night, including the visions, odd feelings, and the scar that was shining beneath the moon. till her family members passed away.

She need clarification.

Selene grabbed a cloak, swung her legs over the bed, and slid out into the darkness. She felt a little grounded as the chilly air touched her skin, but the uneasiness persisted. With her senses intensified by what she had just gone through, she gingerly made her way into the woods.

The noises of the night, including the rustling of leaves and the distant howl of a wolf, enveloped her as she ventured more into the forest. She could hear whispering, however, behind those noises. Soft, quiet murmurs that seemed to beckon to her as they floated through the atmosphere.

Her heart thumped more forcefully. These weren't your typical woodland noises; she had never heard anything like this before. These murmurs seemed as if they were communicating to her personally, as though they had something important for her to hear.

"Selene..."

Her breath caught as she stopped in place. She wasn't hearing the voice. Outside, the music was borne by the wind, low and familiar, but with a hint of antiquity.

"Who is present?" Despite herself, her voice trembled as she shouted out.

Quiet. However, the rumors continued. They went on, weaving between the woods and around her.

The voice called out, "Come closer." "You've been one of us forever."

Selene's heartbeat accelerated. Among them? What was meant by that?

The eyes came into view as she stepped forward again; they were dim and far away at first, but they became brighter as they approached her. She sensed that they were waiting, calculating, and ravenous as they watched her.

She gasped. It has returned. That item.

Abruptly, she heard a shadow moving just outside the periphery of her vision behind her. previously she could respond, a person appeared—a boy, the same age as previously but different. His eyes and brown hair cascaded across his face.His eyes were sharp, perceptive, and old, much like those wolves.

Though he moved carefully and slowly, there was something alluring about him—something both familiar and unfamiliar.

The youngster whispered, "Selene," in a quiet voice that had an odd, alluring draw. "Much older than you think, something has touched you."

Uneasy, she took a step back. "Who are you?"

The youngster gave a little grin, but his eyes remained fixed. "You've been selected. to shield the concealed from the approaching.

Selene's breathing became labored. "Selected? What is hidden?

The boy's face became a little more serious. The darkness awakens, and it now recognizes you. Your arm's scar is a link to something old, something that has been dormant for too long. The wolves weren't always there to keep you safe. They were protecting you.

The boy's statements just made the enigma more complex, despite her best efforts to understand it all.

With a sudden understanding, she muttered, "And Elias…." "He is aware."

With his eyes sparkling in the low light, the child nodded. "What you carry is what Elias wants." He will do whatever it takes to benefit himself.

Selene's heart began to race. "How should I proceed? How do I put an end to this?

The child took a step forward, his voice becoming more frantic and quieter. "You may find allies in unlikely places. However, time is running short. The dark is aware that you are now awake. It will also arrive for you.

The child abruptly turned, his eyes darting to something further into the jungle before Selene could ask him another question. “For now, stay hidden. And watch who you put your confidence in.

The earth under her feet seemed to change abruptly, and before she could respond, the boy—the figure—disappeared into the woods, leaving only the faint murmurs.

Selene remained still as the trees closed in on her. The cryptic words—the scar, the wolves, etc.—made her head spin. Elias, darkness is approaching.

For what reason had she been selected?

And why did she feel as if she was losing the answers she was looking for?

The aroma of something ancient, something

ng far older than she could ever conceive, filled the gently blowing breeze.

The darkness became darker.