Chapter 4: ISOLATED

"You need to stay here!" Danny reminded me as he was leaving.

"What?! No way! I can help you look for the missing....-" I tried to argue but the man wouldn't have it.

I just finished healing the men they brought and although they were still unconcious, their life were no longer in danger.

"No! It's too dangerous! You're here as our healer and I will not have you in harms way!" He insisted.

"But.....-"

"No buts! You're staying here where it's safe!" He told me before turning to one of his men. "Eryol, make sure that he doesn't leave this room! You, come with me!" He ordered firmly.

"Yes, beta!" Both men answered in unison.

"Wait! Danny.....-" I didn't even finish my sentence when he slammed the door to my face.

Stupid wolf! What does he think I am? I'm not some weakling that needed protection! I am a champion for crying out loud! And healing isn't even my line of expertise!

Sure enough I can cast basic healing spells with the aid of herbs and potions, but that's just it! I'm more of a paramedic than a freaking doctor!

Fuck this!

I made up my mind! I decided to follow him but the man called Eryol blocked my path. He gave me a stern look as he towered over me. I fiercely met his gaze, feeling unfraid, but the man just crossed his arms, which infuriated me.

"Move!" I told him.

"I cannot do that." He replied calmly.

"Either you get out of my way or I will move you myself! Your choice buddy!" I threatened but he remained unfazed.

He looked at me haughtily, as if daring me to actually try! Arrogant bastard! I'll show him!

"Okay! Fine! You won!" I pretended to yield after a while.

I walked back to the shelves and started rummaging through the bottles of herbs.

"What are you doing?" Eryol asked while eyeing me suspiciously.

"My job! Isn't is obvious?!" I answered sarcastically.

The man frowned.

"I'm preparing the herbs in advance just in case more of your wounded buddies shows up!" I retorted.

He looked unconvinced but didn't argue. He kept his distance and remained on the door. That worked well in my favour as I went through the labels of the bottles.

I picked up a dried flowering plant called valeriana officinalis, as well as a bottle of dried red berries labelled crataegus oxyacantha before moving onto the next shelf.

I tried to act as calmly as possible while looking for the final ingredients of my little plan. It didn't take long for me to find what I was looking for, a bottle containing purple flower heads with a label, lavandula angustifolia.

Perfect!

I grabbed the nearby mortar to mix all the dried flowers and fruits. I crushed them into fine powders using the pestle, as I softly whispered the incantation for sleep.

With these herbs,

You shall sleep.

"Stop right there!" Eryol interrupted as soon as he realized my intention.

I forgot about the wolves super hearing abilities!

With these words,

Slumber deep.

He grabbed my left hand in an attempt to stop me but he was too late! I already finished the incantation and the mixture was fine enough for me threw at his face.

"I said sto.....-"

The man fell to the ground instantly as soon as he inhaled the concoction. It didn't harm him but he will  definitely be unconcious for at least a couple hours! Serves him right for underestimating me!

♤♠️♤

Where do I start?

I couldn't help but asked myself as soon as I stepped out of the infirmary. The quiet provincial life I've seen over the last couple of weeks has been turned upside down tonight.

There were werewolves everywhere. Some were fully transformed while the others were still in human form. I could feel the blood lust in the air mixed with the heavy weight of shifter magic.

I walked passed a few of them patrolling the area. They didn't pay much attention to me but I could feel the tension and the anger emanating from them. Men and women alike.

I had to stopped my search after reaching an empty park. Running around in the middle of the night, without a sense of direction, was just a waist of time. The more time passed, the lesser the chance of finding Trisha and the children alive.

I needed to find another way.

I closed my eyes to focus my attention on the mana around me. Shifter magic has dominated my sorroundings and it made it so much harder to detect any anomaly within the mana flow. I needed to fine tune my focus and detection ability if I want to save the kids and the assistant healer.

It was like finding a needle in a haystack, separating werewolf magic from everything in order to find that single trace of anomaly. It took me a while but I eventually did it, the sinister magic hiding amongst shifter magic.

The hairs at the back of my neck stood as I touched the dark energy. It was powerful! I couldn't helped but flinched as the vicious magic tried to latched onto me. Opposite do indeed attract. The darkness in it was drawn to my light as it fought for dominance and tried to devour me.

I knew what I had to do. I needed to inform the pack and called for back up because this was way out of my league. The enemy was more powerful than I anticipated and I am no match against it!

However, my sense of duty over powered my better judgement. The safety of the children and young girl must come first. If I go back to the pack now, we might not make it in time.

"Fuck it!"  I bolted.

♤♠️♤

The trace of dark magic has led me to the edge of the forest. The closer I get to it, the stronger the magic felt. I slowly lifted my hand to touch the invisible wall in front of me and I couldn't help but swallowed hard.

This was no ordinary barrier. It was a combination of two different spells. High level magic. A barrier and a glamour spell combine into one! And it was strong enough to deceive even the alpha's senses.

The barrier didn't just prevent anyone from physically entering the enemy's domain but it also hid both the enemy's and victim's presence. It's a spell that was cleverly put together and can only be detected by a magic user like me.

I began to gather the magic at the palm of my hand as words formed inside my head.

Barriers unseen,

Shall now be seen.

A rift in space,

A tear I place.

The invisble wall scintillated with a dark blue light as a rift in space appeared before me. I was greeted with a gust of frosty air that sent shiver down my spine.

I could smell the miasma of evil seeping through the rift. It's like a stale alcohol coming out of a malodorous drain. It was putrid! I had to hold my breath as I entered the lion's den.

The rift disappeared as soon as I set foot on the other side. The strong feeling of malice, hatred, and contempt almost made me retched. Whoever put up the barrier and separated this space, was pure evil!

I closed my eyes once again to feel the mana around me. This time, I had to do the exact opposite of what I did earlier. I must isolate the evil sorcery from the shifter magic and witch's magic in order the find the children and the healer.

It tooked me a while, but I eventually succeeded! I managed to find faint traces of the young wolves, however, I couldn't sense any of Trisha's. My heart pounded as I began to fear for the worse.

Sphere of light,

That shine so bright.

Guide my sight,

In this darkest night!

I casted a light spell to help illuminate my sorroundings. A small ball of light formed before me. It glowed a bright golden colour and lit my path.

I steeled my nerves as I began to venture the enemy's domain.....