Chapter 67 Bound as One
Phoenix
“Shit, what the hell is happening?!”
Silia’s grip around me tightened. It felt like getting strangled by thorned vines—even though her tentacles were soft, which somehow made it way creepier. She lifted me higher off the ground. My body was shaking, and breathing was getting harder.
Down below, the Courier was panicking, trying to pull the tentacles off me, but it was useless. All he could do was mutter curses under his breath while still bowing to the forest spirit.
“How do I get free from her?!” I shouted, my voice already hoarse from the pain.
“I don’t know! I’ve never gotten caught like this before!”
“Great,” I groaned, biting my lip just to stay conscious. “Why the hell did I look her in the eyes…”
Silia hissed—a hundred overlapping voices all at once, cold enough to freeze me to the bone. Her many eyes stared into me, blinking out of sync. It was disgusting, terrifying.
“A MORTAL HAS NO RIGHT TO CHALLENGE ME WITH A STARE.”
Then—from somewhere far off—I heard a howl.
This time, it was clear. He came closer.
“Nyxam…?”
The fog between the trees shifted, and from it emerged a massive figure covered in dark brown fur, glowing silver eyes locked onto us. Nyxam. My wolf.
Finally.
Silia paused, and that one second was all it took for her grip to loosen. I crashed to the ground, landing hard on my back. The damp forest floor knocked the air out of my lungs. Nyxam stood in front of me like a living wall, his body towering and strong.
This place—this twisted version of reality—made him huge. Way bigger than he ever was in the real world. But here, he was the perfect match for Silia, even if he still wasn’t as big as that pissed-off jellyfish from hell. My ribs still ached from earlier, but the pain began to fade the moment I saw him.
He turned to me. \[You’re late, Phoenix.\]
I managed a weak grin—relieved, but also annoyed. Of course, that was his first reaction.
And then my body began to change.
Heat. Pain. Like my insides were being twisted, my bones reshaped, my skin cracking and stretching. I bit my tongue to stay conscious. The sound of bones shifting filled my ears.
Just like my first shift—pure agony.
One breath—and I was no longer human. We merged. The wolf sensed danger. I was in pain. We responded as one. Thank Moon Goddess she still saw me in this place and sent help.
I stood on four legs. Lighter. Stronger. We locked eyes on Silia, who was already moving again.
I pushed off hard with my hind legs and lunged.
I struck from the side, my fangs tearing into one of her plant-like limbs, ripping it apart. But Silia fought back with fury, whipping her tentacles and slamming me sideways. I flew, nearly crashing into a tree.
I circled her, searching for an opening as all her eyes focused on me. One of them didn’t move. Just like in a boss fight—no matter how strong, there’s always a weak spot.
I scanned the area, planning my moves—how to climb up her body and gouge out that eye. I figured I’d start with the big green rock beside the tentacle floating midair.
I let out a deep growl, trying to distract her.
It worked.
I dashed up the rock, launched myself onto her biggest tentacle, and used it to leap toward her unmoving eye.
My claws dug in. I gouged it right out of its socket.
She let out a deafening screech, spinning wildly until her massive body tilted. I jumped down into the nearby pool—it was shallower than I thought—and swam to the edge.
I panted hard, drained from the attack. This was insane. I’m a werewolf—why the hell was I fighting a jellyfish monster? On land?!
Silia tried to get up, but her tentacles flailed uncontrollably. One reached for me. I backed away, using the last of my strength.
“Did we beat her?” I mumbled to Nyxam.
\[We better. If not, our only hope is that old guy, Phoenix.\]
Then, through my haze, the Courier shouted, “I found the mark! Phoenix—I found the door!”
I turned toward him and saw a strange purple glow radiating from his hand. The shape was weird—like an ancient symbol from another world. A crescent moon, a jagged line, and a glowing dot in the center. The air stilled. The forest fell silent. Even Silia seemed unsure.
And then, behind him, a door appeared.
Red. Made of light—but also flesh. Unreal. Standing between two dead trees. Above us, a gray bridge stretched into the air, the fog from before now gone.
“RUN!” he yelled. “Through that door! NOW!”
I ran without a second thought. Silia screamed—a storm and a sob all at once. Her form twisted into a mass of thrashing tentacles and roots as she lunged at us.
The Courier held the door open, his body glowing from the mark.
I jumped through the violet light coming from him. At the end, the red door waited.
The moment I touched the threshold—
Then darkness consumed me.
\[Wake up, Phoenix!\].
Slowly. My eyelids are heavy. A bright white light stung my eyes. I smelled medicine. Antiseptic. Machines. My own heartbeat—slow, cold, steady.
A hospital.
I was awake.
“Phoenix?” a soft voice called. Then louder. Panicked. “PHOENIX?!”
My mom. She burst into tears the moment I looked her way. She stood beside my bed, hand covering her mouth, tears pouring down. My dad was behind her—stiff, but his eyes were red.
He slammed the button.
“NURSE! DOCTOR! HURRY! HE’S AWAKE!”
People rushed in. Doctors. Nurses. Flashlights checked my eyes. My body was examined. I was too weak to fight it, but I was conscious. I was back.
I whispered, barely audible, “Phoebe…”
My mom let out a sob-laugh through her tears. “Phoebe? Oh Moon Goddess, she’s going to be so happy you’re asking for her…”
Her fingers trembled as she grabbed her phone.
“I’m calling her now. Just wait, okay…”
I closed my eyes.
Still weak. But not alone. I wanted to see Phoebe.