Alexei suddenly felt dizzy, his vision blurring and the sounds around him deepening, echoing in his mind in a slurred whisper. His legs gave out from beneath him and he fell into the snow. It burned as his skin touched it and he tried to cry out, but his own voice burned in his throat like alcohol. As he listened to the low cacophony of voices he heard one singular voice, smooth like silk. It was Fier's voice.
"Alex..."
He gasped as he heard it, as if a distant memory were replaying in his mind. She sounded pained, as if she were suffering.
"Alex! what have you done to yourself?! You look like a madman.. A wild wolf."
Alexei couldn't speak as his voice had caught in his chest. He looked around for her desperately. The blurring around his vision gave way to a blackened archway in the middle of the withering forest. The archway smelled like decay and smoke and Alexei felt himself being forced to shift into his alpha form. It hurt, like his first shift. His fur burned at the roots and his fangs dripped blood as they tore through his mouth. The air continued to burn as he panted.
He heard her voice again, from the arch.
"Alex. Come to me."
His paws moved without him, pulling him to the archway. He whimpered as he inhaled thick black smoke, stinging his lungs. His eyes burned as he looked into the arch, seeing a black hallway with a single candle at the end. He was forced through the archway, landing on ice cold stone. Alexei glanced back at the arch and saw nothing but emptiness behind him. The arch had simply dissipated. He swallowed hard and approached the candle, the room getting colder and colder as he approached its flame. He stood a breath away from the candle and he examined it. The wax was a glossy black, embossed with silver runes. The flame, once a bright yellow, now burned a deep purple. He sniffed the candle and smelled ash and fire, nothing more. He growled softly, feeling sick. His stomach lurched and he vomited blood. Alexei shook violently as the candle's flame brightened. He took a step back and tried to take a breath, finding no air, only more blood. His stomach lurched again and more blood erupted from his throat. The candle's flame burned a deep red and Alexei was pulled forward, off his feet. He rolled in the blood, clumping his fur together in sticky black and red clumps. The flame rushed towards him, holding him in place as it slithered to his chest. The flame felt cold, and it felt like something was being pulled from his body and when he was finally released, the flame had become a blinding white light.
Alexei could move freely now and he took a cautious step back, away from the pool of blood. The dizziness came back and he felt himself pass out.
Alexei woke up to Leiks frantically shaking him.
Alpha!!!
His eyes focused and he stood shakily, feeling his stomach churning. He felt empty inside, like something was missing.
Alexei felt a familiar dizziness as he collapsed, his eyes fluttering shut as they turned a solid black color. He gasped as he felt himself falling and when he opened his eyes, the ground was racing to meet him. He braced and the impact with the solid ground left him breathless, gasping for air. Once he got air in his lungs, he stood. There was no snow, the grass coming up to his calf. As he looked around, the trees seemed to tower over him, touching the sky. There was no light in the forest around him, a thick mist and dark shadows flitting back and forth within the treeline. It was menacing, the trees emanated sorrow and death, despite being plentiful and healthy. He suddenly became aware of a deep thudding in the forest, like a heartbeat that echoed in the trees. Alexei listened and pinpointed its location, aiming towards it and seeing a long, narrow bridge over a vast lake he had missed somehow. He approached it, judging by the creaking wood that the bridge must have been many centuries old. He hesitated, taking in the rest of his surroundings. The water was murky, almost black, and as he looked closer he felt like he could see things moving just beneath the surface. He swallowed hard and looked across the bridge, trying to see the end. To his dismay, the mist obscured what lie beyond.
"Leap of faith..."
He took a step forward on the bridge and felt it moan beneath his feet. He took another cautious step. Then another. He looked back and saw the forest had disappeared, and he was surrounded by the mist. He turned and continued down the bridge for what seemed like days. He heard whispers and distant screams in the mist. He dared not blink, though his eyes grew weary.
He heard footsteps behind him and he held his breath, stopping. He closed his eyes and reached for his sword, grasping its ice cold hilt. He opened his eyes and gasped, finding himself now on an island, floating above the clouds. He felt his heart aching and he stepped forward, observing. There was a stone stairway leading down below the clouds, which became thunderheads with lightning sparking below him. There was a cobblestone path leading to a stone altar on the island and he approached it. He saw ancient markings covering the altar. It was inscribed into the heavy stone slab, written in a language he couldn't remember. He placed his hands on the stone and it glowed a bright blue, causing the island to shake. He looked curiously at the runes, hearing the heartbeat again.
A moment later he heard the footsteps again on the stairs and he turned to face whatever was approaching. At the top step was Fier, but more gaunt, almost deathlike. In her hand was a shining dagger. Alexei staggered back against the altar as it approached him. The stone wrapped itself around his arms and legs, holding him in place above the slab of archaic runes. Fier was approaching slowly and Alexei watched as she raised the dagger above her head. He struggled against the stone to no avail. Alexei felt his breath catch in his throat as Fier gored him, stabbing through his heart. He heard the heartbeat louder now as his blood coated the runes of the altar. Fier pulled the knife from his chest and he gasped as more blood gushed from the wound and his strength failed. She smiled wide and she stabbed him again and again until a cavity formed in his chest. Tears streamed down Alexei's cheek as she reached into his chest, breaking the ribs one by one as she dug into him. She held the knife in her teeth as she snapped the bones, exposing his heart. Alexei screamed until his voice was gone, shaking violently. She hummed softly as she took the knife to his arteries and veins, pulling Alexei's still beating heart from his chest. They were both drenched in blood and Fier smiled as she placed his heart on the altar. Alexei's vision blurred from the pain and he saw a glass case form around his heart. He felt his body go ice cold as the stone that held him still finally let go. Fier giggled, licking the blood from the dagger before holding it to his throat, "See you soon baby."
Alexei ****** awake in a strange bed, drenched in sweat. He clutched at his throat and chest, feeling his skin crawling where the knife had cut into him. His bones ached where they had been broken.
There was a glass of water on the table next to him and he took it, gulping it down in seconds. Alexei set the empty glass down and sat on the edge of the bed. His body felt alien to him. The feeling that something was missing came back to him as he tried to stand. The lights turned on and he recoiled in pain, the light hurting his eyes.
