I look at her as I bring my hand to reach hers. She didn't hold it and crossed her arms.

"Emric, I am not a baby you need to protect. We promised to each other to not be the burden, right?"

A promise to not be a burden to each other? Did we had a promise like that? I... don't remember.

"In our third meeting, you said it to me. To not be a burden for you. Remember?"

Ah... that day.

'Emric, the elders asked me something about you and Cressida. Do you know your responsibility?'

My father asked me that question. It was as if I am some old warrior, or a king who needs to take care of his people... this blessing of the moon... this prophecy ...

'You are born different. Take hold of that responsibility you had'

It was the day I lose my belief in the goddess of the moon. So many burdens to carry... So many tasks to accomplish... Don't they know? I am but a simple child who just wants to live like any other normal kid. I want nothing but a simple life that every normal kid has.

'Yes... Father'

I kept silent. Maybe, I really said it. Thinking that it would be the best for the both of us. I can not exactly remember the words I speak of that moment. The only thing I am sure of is that... That day was truly...

Unpleasant

'Emric Damen!'

My father shouted out of his anger. He heard that I speak ill towards Lhana. That girl...

As much as I want to defend myself, I knew that it is I who was wrong. I knew that I have no right to defend myself. I did say those words out of anger. Speaking ill to your fates one is... Not tolerated in this pack.

My eyes turn dull. Hah... Is it really good to be me?

Some children feel jealous about the life I am living. Even my friends, no, even the other children I talk to feel that towards me. They hated the fact that I am part of the oracle. That I look like a hero or a prince in the prophecy. That is something truly wonder if it is indeed a blessing or a curse that will make my life fall into miseries.

I was welcomed with a great punch that makes me fly to the other corner of the wall. Father is truly wonderful. No wonder why many people admire him. His strength is domineering. A real alpha indeed.

'Emir! Calm down!'

My mother shouted as her voice is trembling in fear. She is a calm and collected woman but when it comes to my father... mother can do nothing but feel worried. Father loves his family as much as my mother wants our family to be happy. But then... She feels helpless especially when it comes to my father. His authority is making us hard to breathe.

"Emric, you seem lost in your thoughts. Are you even listening to me?"

I heard Lhana call my name. With a bored look in my eyes, I tried to hide the bitter feeling I find in myself.

"Yeah"

"You really are weird"

I look at the surrounding. It was... Ordinary. Still, I can't erase the way I am feeling right now. Something feels off.

"Lhana..."

"Yes, I sense it too. Thank goodness you are finally back"

"..."

Ahh, so that is what she is talking about.

"Let's keep moving"

"Alright"

We walk carefully. Analyzing the surrounding that is somehow new for us. I can not help but feel like things are going smoothly. It looks so easy that it feels suspicious.

"Ouch"

I heard Lhana growl in pain. She receives a small scratch from a sharp thing that almost pierces her skin. Thankfully she has good reflexes that she avoids it but not completely.

"Are you alright?"

I asked

"Yes"

A glowing light that is a hue of royal blue escapes her palm.

It is my first time seeing her use that power she obtained from her first awakening.

That is the power to heal.

Part of the blessing given by the goddess of the moon.

"Be careful next time"

"Yes, I know. Even so, I can just heal myself if I get hurt right?"

Fool. Even if she can heal it is not that she doesn't feel pain. Even so... It is not that I am in the place to tell her what are the things she needed to do.

"Look over there"

I mumbled as I look at the place where a large cliff is waiting for us. There is a bridge that is worn out. If you look closely at it, the wood and planks used to build that bridge are nowhere from being sturdy. I assume it would collapse the moment some force was placed upon it. Even a small piece of stone that drops on that bridge would surely make that thing collapse.

How old is it? I do wonder.

As I look at the surrounding of the place, the vicinity looks as if it was all-natural. As if there is nothing wrong with the whole are. Still, it looks so natural that it feels so weird.

"Don't let your guard down"

I mumbled as I continued to leave marks in the area we pass through. I make sure that there is a thing or two that will guide us back to where we came from.

"You are drawing?"

She asked me. I nodded in response and let myself continue drawing a map to remind me of the places and sides we went through.

"Do you know what place will we go?"

I can't answer her question. Even I do not know what lies beyond this place.

"Whatever happens... I promise to not be a burden"

Shut it. I hate...

"Do remember that the promise also includes you. So do not be a burden to me too. Okay?"

"Yeah, sure"

I can’t help but feel bothered about what she said. It is true that I speak ill to her before. Still, it is not that I feel bad saying those words. It is just like what my mother always told me… I shall hold responsibility for everything I say and everything I do…

I saw Lhana pick up a piece of rock. She clench it tightly as she smiled. I wonder what will she do about that rock. To my surprise, the rock fly in the air till it hit the old and shaky bridge.

Tak, Tak, Tak

That sound can be heard all over the woods. I look at her with questioning eyes. Why did she do that? I do wonder.

And before I even have a chance to ask her those questions, the sound of the bridge falling apart while making creek sound can be heard echoing all over the woods. That is something that I expected to happen the moment I hear the sound of the stone hitting the platform of the fragile wood bridge. And soon after. it collapses leaving nothing but an empty grip between two rock forms.

Clapping her hand she toss away all the dirt that is left in her hand.

"Now where should we go next?"

She asked me with a simple yet lively tone in her voice.

This is also one of the reasons why I hated her. She asks as if all the things she does will benefit others. Maybe she herself doesn't know or isn't aware of that fact but... her actions... it makes me be reminded of my father I hated so much.

Looking at the other side on where the bridge is connected a while ago, it makes me wonder what lies beyond that path.

"Hey what are you looking at do you want to go to that place? Although I won't advise you to since it is very far and there's no way we can get in there"

Yeah of course there's no other way to get there especially when you make the bridge collapse who's the only way that we can have our way there.

"Don't tell me you really have that kind of courage in your mind. Do you even know that what we are doing right now is against the rules? Going out secretly like this is unacceptable and yet you want to go that far? What would you do if they look for you but your presence is nowhere to be seen?"

I hate it when she speaks at me like that. Indeed, we haven't talked so much like this before but still, it makes me be amazed by the fact that what she is doing right now truly is what the elders say to her.

She is cold to others but she has a caring nature.

"It's not new for them to have a hard time looking for me so just think of it as an ordinary day"

Lhana looks at me with a disgusted face as if I said something that is not nice.

"No wonder your name is always in the mouth of the council"

What she said is indeed true. I won't have the chance to deny the fact that I have a few... records in the council. Yes, I am the son of the best Alpha in this wolvendom but maybe that is the reason why I find it boring to attend that classes.

Every time my father tells me that there are new things to learn in the classes he offers to me, it always makes my hope in vain.

Interesting? new? Things that I don't have a knowledge about? I doubt it is.

"Wait, Emric did you see that tall mountain over there?"

What she said caught my attention. Indeed it is a dead end over there. The path that lies beyond the area is something that I can't measure with my own eyes. Even if I now have the power to use the skill on where I can see things that are for on me, I still can't reckon how tall and how wide that mountain is.

Lhana heads in that direction. I rush to catch up to her. Now, who is it who is speaking to not get 'that' far?

I make sure that I remember clearly the path that you're taking so that we won't get lost in this unknown forest part.

She stopped and said why it is the dead end. Looking up our site was welcomed with a measurable height of the mountain. I wonder if I can touch the sky.

Our place was full of trees of the erhelena. It covers almost all of the wolvendom area. The only place where there are few were around our village. Since there are houses on it, it is no surprise that the trees don't fully cover that area.

Now I know why we never notice that there is a massively large mountain in this part. I look at the map that is in my hands.

Mountain... ah I now saw it.

'The Fabled Heights'

Looking at the big mountain, I can't help but be at lost. It was Lhana who wake me up from my unconscious state.

'Did I zone out?'

"There is water flowing in that area. Maybe there is a lake or pond nearby"

She mumbles pointing in the direction of the small hole on the rock wall. I nodded.

"Let's check where it came from"

I mumbled. Lake...

I again look at the paper. It is true, there is a lake behind these rocks. It is just nearby.

'Invisible Lake'

That is the name it says. I wonder why it is called like that. Invisible... I wonder if it really is invisible. A small laugh escape in my mouth.

What if the lake is truly invisible? How will we know it exists? Does it wet our clothes even though we can't see the water? I laugh in my thoughts. As of something like that would even exist.

I stopped and halt as I feel something weird.

"Lhana"

I called her to make her stop.

"Yes... I think something is not right-- Ahh!!"

Lhana shouted. I place my hand on my forehead. I told her to be careful! Yet... this... girl...

"Oopsie"

She giggled as she sat on the ground. There was a soil that is not sturdy enough to handle her weights which is why she got out of balance and fall. Should I help her? But I think she would just hate me for doing so. Thinking that I am accepting the fact that she is a burden to me. That I need to move to my own accord just to help her.

I didn't move and just watch her stand up. Luckily it wasn't the pond that is named to be invisible. I thought she would fall and find it. Still, there is no use for that since it is probably a millennium or centuries ago. The said lake or pond maybe now gone.

"Hah, Luckily I landed very nicely"

She mumbled. I sometimes wonder if it is really her. When we just first met, she look at me as if I make her hair go bald or something. That I took something important to her. The second time we met she seems to be neutral. As if I am a stranger that she doesn't care about. The third time... She becomes a little friendly. She even give me pastries that her mother created. Then... she become friendlier and... things changed when the both of us quarreled about what I've said. She becomes a little distant. I know I am mean to her at that time.

Still, even if I haven't had a chance to apologize for what I did... who would have thought that she will come back to the way she used to be when we met for the third time.

"So-"

"Emric! Look there is a strange stone!"

She shouted in excitement. I just look at her and follow my gaze to where she is pointing her finger. Indeed there is a strange stone placed on the spot she is looking at. What is it? A ritual stone? I wonder if it really is like that.

Walking cautiously I watch every step that I take. I don't want to be filled with dirt just like what happened to Lhana. I look at her and to my surprise, there is no dirt left on her.

"This is weird. I thought it is a ritual stone... But why is it like this?"

She thought it is a ritual stone too. I look at the stone. It was round. As if it was polished and shaped. Ornaments surround its top which is weird since the ritual stone in our pack village has ornaments on the bottom of it. Not on the top. How... Weird.

Shing

There were fireflies showing themselves. The place suddenly becomes dim. As if the sun finally set. But... I remember we left in the morning time. Why is it dark? This isn't supposed to be like this.

"Is it night already?"

Lhana thought.

"Something is not right..."

I said to her. The surrounding was now filled with...

"Yeguang"

We both mumbled in surprise which make both of us look at each other. Yeguang is a plant that is only written in the history. Who would have thought that the very same bush we saw today is the legendary bush that shines in the dark place. The most laughable part is that it was just near or pack. Everyone in the village thought that it is just a myth. A fable that is nothing but a mere flowery word to beauty the history of every origin.

But none would have ever believed that...

Yenguang, is something that exists in this world.

"Lhana, don't touch it"

"Who said I would?"

She declare even if I surely know that if I didn't warn her she will indeed touch that Yenguang.

Except for its beauty, it is dangerous for us wolves. That bush is not a flower yet if the description of this plant as a most lethal poison than the wolfsbane... then...

This...

This whole place is dangerous!

How can such a place exist right beside our pack?? The village is near yet...

Why didn't I realize this much soon?? It will just bring us to danger! I look at Lhana. She was bending her knees to seat and get some water.

"Lhana stay still!"

"Huh? What do you mean? And why are your tone like that? I am not a pet just so you know"

I rush toward the direction of the stone that looks like a ritual stone not minding what she said. Now I know, It is not a real Yenguang. If it is more lethal than the wolfsbane then the elders will surely not let it pass. Even if it was outside the boundaries, a smell of a poison will surely dissipate in the whole area. Squandering its scent to the point that no trees will be left unharmed.

Changing myself to my wolf form, I can see how surprised Lhana is. Taking a step backward I bend myself to create a heavy blow in the thing that looks similar to a ritual stone.

'The higher the ornaments, the stronger the power it takes to prepare the ritual'

Now I remember clearly how my grandmother replied to my question about the ritual stone. It was when I was so small and curious about simple matters. How idiot of me to forget that simple thing. Maybe that is also because...

Even the elders have a hard time making the ritual be a success. That is why it became common for us to see a ritual stone with ornaments that are almost touching the ground. If this ornament are placed on top of the stone...

Just... how strong is the one behind this spell.

"Emric! What do you think you are doing?!"

I didn't respond to Lhana's question and hurriedly hit the stone with my full strength.

"Emric!"

She shouted again and change in her wolf form. Majestic white with silver lines. Unlike me whose brown and black in color.

The small pieces of rocks scattered all over the area. There was a small light that almost makes us blind.

"Who are those fool who dare trespass on my grounds? Thou shall speak!"