Chapter 67 Everything
~ Lyra's POV ~
The sound of the crash and the violent scattering of objects in every direction finally jolted me fully awake. I turned my head toward the noise, my heart slamming painfully against my ribs, only to realize that Taren was sprawled on the floor and two of the shelves nearby had been badly damaged, their contents strewn across the archive.
My eyes moved frantically around the room in shock. The reality of what I had done settled heavily on my chest. I knew without question that I was responsible for the destruction before me.
In my defense, I had truly believed that an enemy was approaching me, speaking to me, threatening me. I had been furious and deeply shaken by the vision, my emotions raw and unrestrained, and I had acted on instinct without thought or control.
Now fully aware of my surroundings, I pushed myself to my feet and rushed toward Taren, who was already struggling to sit up and steady himself.
“I’m so sorry, Taren. Are you all right?” I asked urgently.
He nodded in response, though his eyes remained fixed on the ruined shelves, taking in the extent of the damage.
“Did I hurt you?” I asked again, scanning him anxiously, uncertain of what I might have done before my awareness returned fully.
“No. I managed to get out of the way in time,” he said, his voice tight. “The shelves were not quite as fortunate.” He finally lifted his gaze to meet mine. “What happened?”
I let out a shaky breath, my body still trembling as the remnants of the vision clung stubbornly to my mind.
“There was a war,” I began, my voice unsteady. “I was being attacked, so I tried to defend myself. I didn't realize that I was already back here.” I swallowed hard. “I’m sorry. I did not mean to hurt you or cause any of this.”
At that moment, Elder Rowan walked into the archive.
“Oh, she is back. Welcome back, Lyra,” he said warmly at first. Then his eyes shifted to the destruction around us. “What in heaven’s name happened here?” he asked, his tone sharp with alarm.
“It's a long story,” Taren answered.
“Shorten it,” Elder Rowan insisted. “Whatever happened here shook the entire building.”
My eyes widened at that revelation.
Taren went on to recount everything that had occurred while I retreated to one of the chairs and lowered myself into it, my body suddenly feeling unbearably heavy. I sat there in silence, replaying everything I had seen in the vision, every image and every emotion crashing over me in relentless waves.
When their discussion ended, both of them came to sit across from me, their expressions filled with concern.
“Are you sure you are all right?” Taren asked gently.
I released another shaky breath and finally lifted my eyes to meet his.
“I saw everything,” I said quietly, choosing not to answer the question directly because I knew with painful certainty that I was not all right.
“Everything?” he repeated.
“Yes. Everything that happened from the beginning,” I continued. “I saw how the Void Wolf came to be, I saw the first war, and…” My voice faltered, and I trailed off.
“And what else?” Elder Rowan asked, leaning forward.
“And I saw fragments of what will happen if the Void Wolf returns,” I confessed. “It was not pretty. I honestly don't know how I am supposed to stop it.”
“Dont worry about that,” Taren said gently, trying to ease the heaviness that sat on my chest. “I believe we will find the answers somewhere among these scrolls.” His words were meant to comfort me, but the weight of the responsibility I now carried refused to lift, no matter how much reassurance he offered.
What I had seen was not pretty. It was bloody.
“If it is not too much to ask, I would truly love to know how the void wolf came to be,” Elder Rowan spoke up after a moment of silence. “We have heard stories, many different versions passed down through generations, but for once it would be good to know the truth.”
I let out a deep sigh at that, my shoulders slumping slightly under the invisible burden pressing down on me.
“It's alright if you don't feel up to it right now,” he added quickly, clearly misunderstanding the reason for my sigh. “We still have time.”
“No, it's okay,” I said, lifting my head. If anything, saying it out loud might ease the pressure, even if only a little. Keeping it all locked inside me felt far worse. I owed them that much, and perhaps I owed it to myself as well.
I paused for a moment, gathering my thoughts, steadying my breathing, before I began to speak and unravel what I now knew to be the truth.
“The void wolf was created by members of Shadow Pack,” I said slowly. “They were angry at the moon goddess and chose to rebel against her. They had created a law that decreed death for any werewolf who accepted a mate that was not a werewolf. Witches, humans, and hybrids were rejected and hunted, even though the bond had been ordained by the moon goddess herself.” I paused briefly, watching Elder Rowan as he nodded in quiet agreement.
“Yes, I remember,” he said gravely. “That law existed, and many werewolves and their mates were killed during that time.”
His confirmation sent a strange mix of relief and dread through me. It meant what I had seen was real and not just a cruel trick of my mind.
“That is correct,” I continued. “The moon goddess punished them by withdrawing her protection from their territory. Without it, they became vulnerable to invasions and relentless attacks from rival packs and other creatures. Even the full moon, which was meant to strengthen them, began to weaken them instead, leaving them exposed and defenseless.” I paused again as Elder Rowan nodded once more, his expression darkening with memory.
“That too is true,” he said quietly. “They were always attacked during the full moon, and it almost always ended in devastating losses.”
“They were eventually given two choices,” I went on. “They could appease the moon goddess and beg for her forgiveness, or they could find another way to protect themselves. They chose the second option.” My voice wavered slightly as images from the vision resurfaced. “They sought out a dark witch and struck a deal with her. She promised them a deity more powerful than the moon goddess, one who would protect them, in exchange for sacrifices. They agreed without hesitation, and that was how the void wolf was born.” I stopped again, not because I was interrupted, but because the memory of what I had seen threatened to overwhelm me. I needed a moment to steady myself, to push past the terror that still clung to those images.
“The void wolf has no physical body,” I continued at last. “It is made of shadow and black smoke, a living absence that consumes everything around it. It gave the Shadow Pack the protection they desired, but the price was far greater than they had imagined. In return, it demanded worship from all creatures, and it devoured the souls of anyone who refused to bow before it.”
“That was when the moon goddess finally intervened,” I said, my voice growing softer. “She gifted the packs with someone who could defeat the void wolf, and that person did defeat it. However, a single mistake was made in the process. That mistake cost her life and left cracks in the seal that was used to imprison the void wolf.”
I swallowed hard before delivering the final truth. “The Shadow Pack discovered those cracks, and they have spent generations trying to break the seal again. As we speak, they are dangerously close to succeeding. The void wolf will return.”