Chapter 82 The Bargain
Alberto moved through the dense forest with careful steps, the blood moon casting a crimson glow over the canopy above. The trees parted for him as the keeper, branches bending aside, roots smoothing the path under his feet. He had left the pack house at dusk, slipping away quietly to avoid Fernando's worry. The rites of the blood moon demanded he find the soul shepherd to guide the lingering spirits to the afterlife, those souls who had overstayed their time on earth. The spirits whispered in the wind, their presence a gentle pressure on his mind, urging him onward.
He carried a small pack with essentials: dried herbs for offerings, a vial of his own blood for binding rituals, and the verdant eye Samael had given him, tucked safely in his pocket. The crystalberry pods for the last keeper's remembrance were still to be gathered; he hoped to find them near the shepherd's domain. The pods grew only in places where the veil thinned, guarded by the forest's deeper magic.
The night air was cool, filled with the scent of moss and earth. Alberto walked for hours, following the pull of the moon and the bond with the forest. The trees grew older, trunks thicker, branches twisting in ancient patterns. Spirits flickered at the edges of his vision, translucent forms watching him pass. He paused at one, an old wolf spirit hovering near a fallen log.
"Rest soon," Alberto murmured, offering a drop of blood from his finger. The spirit faded with a sigh.
He continued, the path leading him deeper. The moon climbed higher, its red light intensifying. Fatigue tugged at him, the drain from his powers a constant companion, but he pushed on. The soul shepherd was elusive, appearing only to those who proved worthy.
The forest began to change. Trees thinned, the ground shifting from soft earth to loose soil. Then the trees ended abruptly.
Before him stretched a vast expanse of sand, golden and endless under the red moon. No trees or plants in sight, only rolling dunes as far as the eye could see. The air shimmered with heat, though the night was cool.
Alberto paused at the edge. "This is not right."
The forest behind him rustled in warning, but the pull of the rites drew him forward. The soul shepherd often hid in unexpected places, where the veil thinned most.
He took a step onto the sand.
It shifted softly, warm under his boot. He took another. The sand pulled gently, like a current.
Then stronger.
His foot sank to the ankle. He pulled back, but the sand gripped tighter, sucking him down.
Quicksand.
He struggled, arms flailing for balance. "No!"
He tried to summon vines from the forest edge, green light flaring from his hands, but the sand extended too far, no plants within reach. His powers fizzled uselessly against the lifeless grains.
He sank to his knees, then waist, the sand warm and relentless. He coughed as dust filled his lungs, vision blurring.
The last thing he saw was the blood moon above, then darkness swallowed him.
When he woke, the world had changed.
He lay on hard ground, not sand, but packed earth in a vast clearing surrounded by twisted trees that formed a natural enclosure. Wolves sat around a small fire in the center, their forms humanoid but with furred ears and tails, eyes glowing in the flames. They were not rogues—their clothes were clean, their postures relaxed, like a pack in their den.
Alberto sat up slowly, head throbbing. He tried to stand quietly, heart pounding, creeping toward the edge.
One of the wolves, a female with silver fur, spoke without turning. "We know you are awake. And even if you attempt to run away, you cannot find your way out. We are also stuck here."
Alberto froze, then stood fully. He moved closer to the fire, introducing himself. "I am Alberto. The keeper of the Thornwood."
The wolves looked at him, surprise in their eyes. A male with brown fur bowed his head slightly. "I am Ronan. This is Elara, Finn, and Lira."
Alberto sat near the fire. "Where are we?"
Ronan sighed. "The Sands of the Lost. A cursed place beyond the Thornwood. It traps those who enter."
Alberto's eyes widened. "How long have you been here?"
Elara shrugged. "Months. Years. Time blurs."
Finn leaned forward. "Why is your wolf in hiding? We can sense it, but it does not show."
Alberto looked down. "I do not know why. It has something to do with my locked memories. I cannot connect fully."
Lira nodded. "The curse here might help unlock them. Or kill you."
While chatting with the wolves, sharing stories of the outside world, a low growl echoed from the trees.
A big white wolf staggered into the clearing, fur matted with blood, coughing red onto the ground. The pack rushed to her side.
"Selene!" Ronan cried. "We warned you not to tamper with the place. It is where cursed wolves are locked in."
Selene collapsed, her form shifting to humanoid, a black dot on her fur marking her as unique.
Alberto moved closer to the group of wolves huddled around the fire in the cursed clearing, his steps cautious but determined. The blood moon hung high above, casting an eerie red glow over the sands that surrounded the twisted trees forming their prison. The air was thick with the scent of smoke from the small fire and the metallic tang of blood. Ronan, the brown-furred male who seemed to lead the small pack, knelt beside the big white wolf, his hands hovering helplessly over her matted fur. Elara, Finn, and Lira stood nearby, their faces etched with worry and fear.
The white wolf, Selene, lay on her side, her massive body shuddering with each labored breath. Blood flecked her muzzle, and her once-pristine fur was stained dark red around a deep gash on her flank. Her eyes, golden and pained, flickered open briefly as Alberto approached.
Ronan looked up, his eyes wide. "Keeper, she is wounded badly. We do not know what to do."
Alberto knelt beside her, his hand extending slowly toward her side. "Let me touch her. I can help."
Ronan nodded, stepping back slightly. "If there is something I can do, tell me."
Alberto placed his palm gently on Selene's fur, feeling the heat radiating from the wound. The contact sent a jolt through him, the toxin in her body reacting to his touch. He pulled back briefly, frowning as he examined the gash more closely. The edges were blackened, veins around it pulsing with a dark, unnatural color. The same discoloration spread from the wound in web-like patterns.
"This is not a normal injury," Alberto said, his voice steady despite the growing concern in his chest. "She got poisoned by the serpent breath flower. It is rare, grows in the deepest parts of cursed grounds. The toxin spreads fast, shutting down the body's functions."
Ronan cursed under his breath. "We told her not to go near that place. It is where the cursed wolves are locked in, forbidden."
Alberto looked at the group. "Who touched her? Anyone who has come in contact with her blood or the wound?"
Elara raised her hand hesitantly. "I helped carry her back. Finn too. Lira bandaged her leg."
Alberto's face hardened. "All of you who touched her, stay over there." He pointed to a spot near the trees, away from the fire. "Do not touch your skin or each other. The poison spreads through contact. It will start with itching, then burning, then shutdown."
The wolves moved quickly, Ronan joining them since he had been closest. They sat in a tight cluster, faces pale.
Alberto turned back to Selene. "To save her, I have to poison her further in a controlled way. The serpent breath toxin's antidote is a counter-poison from my power, but it will hurt."
Ronan called out. "Can we help?"
Alberto shook his head. "Stay back. This is dangerous."
He placed both hands on Selene's side, closing his eyes. Green light flared from his palms, seeping into her body. The light traveled through her veins, glowing under her fur as it targeted the toxin. Selene whined in pain, her body convulsing.
Alberto coughed suddenly, blood spattering his lips. The effort was draining him faster than expected, the poison's resistance strong.
Ronan yelled. "Stop! You are hurting yourself!"
Alberto ignored him, pushing more power into Selene. The green light intensified, the blackened veins turning green, then fading to normal. Selene's breathing steadied, the wound closing slowly.
Alberto coughed again, blood dripping to the ground. "I was given this power to help. I will not stop."
Ronan stood. "Keeper, please. Do not exhaust yourself."
Alberto finished the healing on Selene, the gash sealing into a scar. She shifted back to humanoid form, sitting up weakly. "Thank you."
Alberto nodded and crawled toward Ronan and the others, his body trembling.
Ronan screamed. "Stop! Do not come closer! I do not want to carry the guilt of killing you! If you strain yourself too much, this place sees it as an advantage to suck up your strength and tighten the curse!"
Alberto refused to listen, reaching the edge of their circle. "I have to help you too."
He placed his hands on the ground, green light flaring again, weaker this time. The light extended to the infected wolves, drawing the toxin from their bodies into his own. Pain exploded in his chest, the poison burning through his veins.
He coughed blood again, vision blurring.
Ronan reached for him but pulled back. "Stop!"
Alberto used his last breath to extract the toxin fully, his body absorbing it all. The light faded.
He collapsed, face-down in the dirt, motionless.
The wolves rushed to his side.
The cursed clearing fell silent.