Chapter 42: Vendetta

DANICA

“What’s next?” I questioned Hugo. The members of Creed’s clan were gearing up for a battle, yet the sky remained an unchanging, inky black.

Hugo glanced at the clock hanging haphazardly on Creed’s wall. Everything in this place was in a state of disarray, a testament to Creed’s lack of attention to his home.

I had always seen him wandering around town, never even realizing he had a place to call his own.

“Astra will be here in an hour,” Hugo informed me. “You should head home soon. The forest won’t be safe. At least at home, you’ll be protected. I’ll send a guardian with you.”

His words stung a little. I wished he could accompany me, but I understood his reasons for staying.

He hesitated before speaking again. “Danica, what did you see in the sky? What made you call Astra?”

His question hung in the air. I had seen celestial rulers, young and holding up the sky. But I couldn’t tell him that. I couldn’t tell him that my mind kept whispering that these celestial rulers were destined to die young, to protect the sky.

I couldn’t tell him because I wasn’t sure if it was true. And why did so many choose to end their own lives? I didn’t have the answers. All I knew was that I had to save them.

“I’d rather not say,” I finally responded. I could see the unease in his eyes, but it was better this way.

“But it could be important,” he argued. “Help me help you.”

I didn’t want to burden him with visions that often meant nothing. I hoped this one meant nothing too.

I shook my head, signaling my refusal to share. He was visibly frustrated, but he didn’t push further.

Around us, people were huddled in groups—some laughing, some discussing plans, some lost in serious silence. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Creed slipping away into the depths of the house.

After what felt like half an hour, whispers of Creed’s absence began to circulate. Seizing the opportunity, I discreetly followed the path he had taken.

I found him in a room that seemed untouched for years, a stark contrast to the rest of the house. It was as if this room was a memorial, preserved in time.

Creed was sitting on the bed, his gaze meeting mine as I leaned against the door frame. “Everyone’s out there, not much time to get ready,” he said, his voice heavy with exhaustion and sadness.

“I’m not actually going… I have a doctor’s appointment that I can’t cancel,” I confessed.

He simply nodded. “A member mentioned you left once, said you were sick. Something about a chronic illness,” he recalled.

I remembered Hugo’s excuse for me when the final transition began. “That explains why I’m not getting ready. But why are you here alone?” I asked.

He offered me a forced smile. “Just taking my time. I need some mental preparation too,” he replied, his words unconvincing.

I noticed him clutching a picture frame. I moved closer, sitting next to him on the untouched bed. He didn’t protest.

The picture showed a woman standing next to a younger Creed. “Who is she?” I asked softly, fearful of being overheard.

“The wife of an old friend, who also happened to be the love of my life,” he replied, a bitter smirk on his face. “You’re young, you still have a lot to learn about love.”

Creed always seemed sad, but now he was drowning in a sea of melancholic regret. “Did she know you loved her?” I asked.

He just laughed. “She was my best friend’s wife. She knew I loved her, even said she loved me. But it didn’t matter.”

How could it not? Love mattered, even if it was unrequited. “I may not be the wisest, but I know that when two people love each other, nothing can stand in their way.”

“Loyalty can,” he declared, his gaze making me feel like a naive child. “I pledged to stand by Philip until death separated us. We shared a bond of friendship that was unparalleled, at least in my eyes. Philip wasn’t the sharpest or the strongest, but I was always there to ensure his happiness. Even if it meant sacrificing my own love.”

He paused, a bitter chuckle escaping his lips. “I watched her marry him, mere hours after she confessed her love for me. But I couldn’t do that to Philip. I couldn’t rob him of the joy she brought him, not in a million years.”

His voice softened, a hint of sorrow creeping in. “I was there for him when she was killed… by those monstrous creatures. He was shattered, I had never seen him so broken. And he never really recovered,” he added, his words laced with venom.

“Who killed her?” I asked, my curiosity piqued.

He slowly lifted his gaze to meet mine, sending a chill down my spine. “Her body was torn apart, bite marks all over. They said it was a wolf, but no one could explain such a gruesome attack. It defied all laws of nature.”

Suddenly, everything fell into place. His house near the forest. His hatred. His cruelty was born out of love. “You… you’re hunting because she was killed by… wolves?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper.

“They weren’t ordinary wolves. And I vowed to annihilate their kind,” he replied, his jaw set in a grim line.

“But why do you think you can destroy something you know nothing about?” I challenged him. “Your hunting party isn’t large enough to cover the entire forest, let alone the countless others. What then?” I pressed.

He smirked, leaning in closer. “That’s why we’re planting bombs tonight,” he whispered, a sinister grin spreading across his face. “I’ve mapped out safe routes for people to avoid the explosives. Not everyone knows, some might think it’s reckless. But I’ve been planning this for a long time. I’ve ensured it won’t harm humans.”

“Why?” was all I could muster.

“Philip spent his final years researching this,” he explained, a hint of sadness in his voice.

It dawned on me then that Philip was no longer alive. He was the old friend I had seen when I first arrived here. “He gathered evidence, discovered an entirely different world. A world that’s always been here, a world that’s cruel and evil.”

I felt a surge of anger. He was so full of hatred, yet he knew nothing. “But you don’t even know that world!” I protested. “You’ve never been there, you don’t know what happened to her… what if she was at fault? These two worlds should never intersect… why do you suddenly feel the need to destroy it when it’s never posed a threat to humans?”

I regretted my words as soon as they left my mouth. He studied me for a moment before leaning in closer. “You seem to know a lot about it,” he observed.

“What happened to helping me take them down?” he asked, his tone defensive.

“Danica, you promised to help,” he reminded me, his breathing growing heavier.

“You don’t understand that world like I do,” I retorted, unable to hold my tongue any longer. “You can’t just obliterate them!”

But before I could say more, his hands shot up to my throat, squeezing with a strength I hadn’t anticipated.

“You won’t sabotage my plan!” he hissed, his grip tightening as I struggled for breath.