Chapter 19 Ash Fang’s Mark
Winona's Healer Room was filled with the scent of dried herbs hanging from the ceiling. Seara had to struggle to get past the old wooden shelves lined up tightly. Her hand almost knocked over one of the glass bottles containing a strange-colored liquid.
Winona glanced at her. Her brow furrowed for a moment, but relaxed after she managed to catch the bottle.
"I'm sorry," said Seara shyly.
"It's okay. I haven't had time to tidy up this place. Alpha told me to focus on you, Seara," replied Winona flatly.
Winona closed the door slowly but firmly. The iron latch slid with a loud click. She didn't speak immediately. The woman walked to the top shelf and grabbed a small glass bottle containing a thick yellow liquid. The liquid looked thicker than the usual potion.
Winona poured the liquid into a white porcelain cup. Her hands trembled slightly, even though her face remained calm.
Seara stood in the middle of the room with her hands clasped together. Her gaze followed Winona's every movement. Since entering this room, her uneasiness had grown stronger.
When her left hand began to throb softly, Seara approached the cup.
"Show me your hand, Seara," Winona ordered without further ado.
Seara hesitated for a moment. She looked at her own hand. The purple bruise now looked darker than before. Thin black lines formed a spiral pattern that extended to her wrist. She held out her left hand to Winona.
Winona took a sharp breath. Her eyes widened for a moment before refocusing. She took a thin cloth, dipped it in the yellow liquid, and then rubbed it on the bruise on Seara's hand.
Thin black smoke immediately rose from Seara's skin. The smell of burning mixed with herbal aromas filled the room. Seara grimaced and took a short breath because of the stinging heat.
"This is no ordinary bruise," Winona said softly but firmly. "This is Ash Fang's Mark."
Seara held her hand still even though she could still feel the heat. "What kind of mark is that?"
"The residue of black energy from the Rogue who touched you at Rain Hill," Winona replied. "Your pure healing energy actually sucked up that darkness as payment. The more often you use healing on wounds contaminated with dark energy, the greater the chance this mark will spread."
Seara swallowed hard. "So... it's because I healed too many people?"
"Not because you healed too many," Winona corrected. "Because you healed without protection. Your power doesn't reject the darkness. It absorbs it."
Winona wiped the remaining liquid from Seara's hand and bandaged it with a clean cloth. "For now, I'll make a pain-relieving potion. It won't remove the mark, but it can suppress the heat and prevent it from spreading too quickly."
Seara nodded slowly. Her face looked pale. "Can this mark be removed?"
"It can be suppressed," Winona answered honestly. "But removing it completely requires a high-level purification ritual. And that's not a routine procedure."
Winona walked toward the door and opened it slightly. "Lionra, come in."
Seer Lionra entered with calm steps. His hair was neatly braided behind his back. His gaze immediately fell on Seara's hand, which was wrapped in cloth.
"So it's true," Lionra muttered.
Winona nodded. "Ash Fang's Mark. Black energy residue from Rain Hill."
Lionra sighed deeply. "In that case, we have a big problem with the Soul Alignment Ritual."
Seara looked at Lionra. "What kind of problem?"
"The Ancestral Stone at the top of the hill isn't just a test stone," Lionra explained. "It's an energy purifier. If you touch it with this mark still active, the stone will consider you a dark threat. Its reaction will immediately destroy the part of your body that touches it."
Seara fell silent. Nolan's words in the Great Hall echoed in her head.
Winona stepped closer. "There's a temporary solution. I can cut off your energy flow for a few days. The stone won't be able to detect your power."
"What are the consequences?" asked Seara.
"You won't be able to use healing for about a week," replied Winona. "Your body will remain healthy, but your healing powers will be shut down."
Seara looked down. "If I lose my healing abilities... am I still useful to the pack?"
"You're still a member of the pack, dear," Lionra replied. "Your value isn't determined by your power alone. Austin won't let you be pushed around just because you're a naive former Omega."
Seara nodded slowly, though her expression showed doubt.
Meanwhile, in the north wing, Austin sat behind his desk with a stack of documents in front of him. His eyes stared at the same sheet for several minutes without really reading it. His mind was focused on one thing: the pack tradition that forced Seara to take a big risk.
Alex entered with quick steps. "Alpha, Nolan is seen approaching the pack border. It looks like he's waiting for something."
Austin stood up immediately. His jaw tightened. "Waiting for what?"
"It's not clear. But he's not alone. There's suspicious movement outside the guard line." Alex handed him a video recording that was too blurry to see clearly.
"Don't we have a good camera for recording? It's like looking into a muddy river."
"Hunter's camera, which is usually used for investigations, is broken. This one uses a human cell phone camera." Alex replied quickly, afraid Austin would lash out at him in anger.
"Just leave him alone. He's not really evil, he just interferes too often because he's jealous of me."
Austin immediately stepped out of the office. In the hallway, he ran into Nolan, who was walking casually as if nothing had happened.
"You look busy," Nolan said curiously.
"What are you doing at the border?" Austin asked coldly.
Nolan stopped walking. "Investigating those Rogues. One of the Elders knows there's a dark force targeting Seara. Rumor has it that it's the fastest force in Lycanisius, Austin."
Austin stared at him sharply. "Since when did you start caring?"
"Since that threat could destroy this pack from within," Nolan replied flatly. "Believe it or not, I don't want to see Lycanisius fall because of the stupidity of tradition and, of course, Seara. I don't want him to be the laughing stock of those old fools."
Austin didn't reply. He walked away with a tense expression on his face.
In the Healer’s pavilion, Winona prepared a potion for Seara. A pale green liquid was poured into a small bottle.
“Take it twice a day,” she said. “It will suppress the burning sensation in your hands.”
Seara nodded. After that, she sat cross-legged on the floor of the small room in the pavilion as Winona instructed. She closed her eyes and began to breathe slowly to suppress the flow of black energy in her body.
In her mind, Arach's voice appeared.
\[Seara, you must combine my energy with your sincerity. If you are afraid, this darkness will win.\]
Seara swallowed hard. She took a deeper breath. "I'm not afraid," she whispered softly, though her voice sounded shaky.
She tried to channel her healing energy into herself. Winona began teaching her to use her healing powers to stabilize the chaotic flow of energy. The heat in her hands pulsed more strongly for a moment, then slowly subsided.
Winona watched from a distance without interfering. Lionra stood beside her, his expression serious.
"She's strong," Winona murmured.
"She's too good," Lionra replied. "That's what makes her vulnerable."
Seara slowly opened her eyes. Sweat dampened her temples. Although the heat hadn't completely disappeared, her breathing was now more regular.
"For tonight, focus on meditation," said Winona. "Tomorrow we'll decide if your energy path needs to be cut temporarily."
Seara nodded. She knew her options were limited. If she wanted to get through the Soul Alignment Ritual without losing her hand, she had to be willing to give up her healing abilities for a while.
Outside the pavilion, Austin stood staring at the building where Seara was. His expression was tense. He knew that this pack tradition could hurt the person he wanted to protect.
He kicked a rock carelessly, startling a stray cat that was stalking a mouse. The cat meowed at him.
"What are you looking at, furball?" said Austin. "Want to fight me? Go away."
The stray cat left and Austin smiled mischievously.
"You're bullying a cat?"
Austin was surprised to hear someone ask him that.
Seara was standing next to Austin with her arms folded.
"No, Seara. The animal ran away after the rock hit its head. Oh yeah, how are things with Winona?"
"Complicated."