A chilly draft brushed against my feet as I lay on the floor near the bloomery. The night had fallen, casting its cold grip upon Bortoli, which now sheltered a population of just five people.

I gazed at the flickering fire burning inside the bloomery after a day of rest. A deep sense of regret filled my thoughts as I reflected on Lysander and how everything had taken a turn for the worse. I should've listened to my gut feeling, back when Lysander was still a small child.

There is only one solution to halt the madness that had engulfed us, and though it pains me to admit it, I must confront the grim reality of killing my brother. There are no other viable alternatives; the demon wolf's influence must not spread to other towns. I have to accept, that my brother, had ceased to exist.

Suddenly, Audrey stands abruptly from her chair. Her movement startled us all, as she quickly grabbed a metal rod and held it in front of Phillip's face.

Observing her abrupt response, I rose to my feet, immediately voicing my concern. "What are you doing?"

"He's showing signs of illness. He could be at risk of turning into one of those wolves."

"He wasn't bitten, Audrey. There's no need for this."

Her eyes were filled with fear, as she stubbornly kept the long rod positioned in front of Phillip's face. "I've witnessed this before, with my own brother. His breathing...it spoke the demon's language."

Phillip's eyes opened slowly, and he was met with the sight of the rod hovering in front of his face.

"Audrey please," Phillip said.

I knew I would have to do something about this before the situation escalated. I moved quickly towards her, gently taking the rod from her hands. I tossed the rod onto the floor and returned to my spot, gazing at the red glow emanating from the bloomery.

"You're making a mistake," Audrey said. "When his fever subsides, he will become one of them and kill us all."

I turned towards Audrey, growing increasingly frustrated by her persistent ominous warnings.

"I witnessed an injured man transform right before my eyes. His wounds were far worse than Phillip's—it was a bite, not a mere scratch. The curse of the demon wolf is transmitted through bites, not through simple scratches. Your fears don't align with the facts."

The door to the adjacent room creaked open, and Marcus entered, carrying a bucket in his hands.

"Arrowheads are ready, and so are the swords. The spear still needs a few final touches, but it will be ready shortly."

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Audrey grabbed the bucket with the silver arrowheads and began to sort them on the floor.

Phillip stood, grimacing in pain from his wound, and directed his question at Audrey. "Are you a Fletcher? Or have you ever used a bow and arrow before?"

"I just want to help."

"Fletching is not as simple as removing an arrowhead with your hands; it's a delicate art. Those silver arrowheads are lighter than their iron counterparts. I would kindly request that you cease what you're doing. These arrowheads need to be carefully weighted and balanced from the tip to the fletching. Only a skilled fletcher can properly assemble these arrows."

Audrey pushed the bucket closer to Phillip, a sign of her willingness to help, fully aware of the limited aid she could provide against Lysander's pack. With the weapons now forged, the time had come to confront the horde of wolves and bring an end to the terror these creatures had wrought upon Bortoli.

"Audrey, I have an idea. We can utilize your abilities to send your brother out for some reconnaissance. We need to pinpoint Lysander and his pack's location."

"I want to fight the wolves too. I want to avenge my brother." Marcus said.

"You understand that if you get caught, you are going to die or become one of them. I suggest you reflect on your decision. Once this door is opened, there is no way back."

"I understand," Marcus said.

Caleb stands, beginning his transformation. His bones break and realign, and his eyes and teeth, slowly fall on the floor as new ones take their place. A black coat of fur covered his body until he assumed the form of a black wolf.

"That looks painful," Phillip said.

"I suppose it's our turn to track down these wolves," Audrey said, sitting on a chair, and falling into deep meditation. Her pupils gradually vanished, lending her the enigmatic appearance we had witnessed earlier.

The black wolf drew near the door, fixing its gaze on me, clearly indicating its desire to go outside. I rose from my seat and partially opened the door, allowing Caleb to exit the smithy.

"Now we wait until Caleb comes back?" I asked.

Marcus walks in front of Audrey, curious about her eyes. "Can she see us?"

"Of course, I can," Audrey said. "Caleb has reached the gate and is heading towards the northern forest. The town is deserted, and there are no signs of wolves yet."

Phillip continued to assemble his arrows as we waited patiently for another insight from Audrey. Suddenly her fingers began to move fast. "Caleb no! Please come back!"

I walked towards her, concerned about what was happening. "Audrey, what's going on? What is happening with your brother?"

"Caleb is being attacked. Not far away from the gate."

"Phillip, are you ready to go help Caleb?"

"I'll be done in a minute."

Suddenly, a tear rolled down Audrey's cheek, and her pupils gradually reappeared, indicating the end of her connection with her brother.

"Audrey, what's happening?" I asked.

"The demon wolf... has killed him. Its power is beyond anything I had ever imagined. I never thought his pack would have such numbers. There's very little hope for us to triumph against him."

Seeing Audrey in the depths of despair, I tightly gripped her hand in an effort to regain her attention. "Audrey, focus. I need to know where Lysander is."

Tears streamed down from her eyes as she whispered, "He's here, accompanied by a swarm of wolves."

I started to come to terms with the grim reality that our chances of victory were slim to none. It wasn't easy to accept that this was the only solution we had at hand. Regret gnawed at my conscience, and I couldn't help but acknowledge the mistake of agreeing with Arland to bring Lysander into our lives many years ago. I should have trusted my instincts, but instead, I chose to disregard them and yield to Arland's desires, a decision that now weighed heavily on my soul.