Origin of Werewolves Ch. 02

2. Laurence

An eerie darkness filled the tower, cold essence seemed to seep from its walls like it was alive with something. Moonlight filtered in from the long windows as the old rusty hinges from the shutters squeaked, much like the steps of the tower as Laurence and Cora made their way, step by step up to its Library. "You know what we're looking for, right?" Laurence asked as a prickling sensation came over his skin, with the feeling of unseen eyes watching their every movements. He turned to Cora with a mixture of uncertainty as they came to a landing outside the tower's library.

Cora paused for a moment, her hazel eyes glimmered off the dancing candle light that dimly illuminated them. A hint of apprehension filled her gaze as she searched the door with here eyes. Despite her keen intellect and agility, there were times when her naivety overshadowed her abilities as a hunter. She turned to face him, her slender body amplified by the ghostly glow of the candlelight as her hands traced the door. Small vines sprouted from the knots in the old timber as she searched the room for the essence within. "In here, I think."

Laurence pushed the door open, clicking his fingers together, a flame sparked from his essence, just above his thumb. The flame travelled around the room like an insect, lighting all the candles within his sight before extinguishing into nothing. He watched Cora muse over the large shelf of spell books and alchemy guides.

"Nothing obviously about thebook. You would think it would be just written, wouldn't you?" Her voice tingling with sarcasm but it was clear she was more frustrated. She continued to scan the works that lined the shelves, disturbing the thin layer of dust with her fingers.

Laurence moved to the small stone window and peered out over the city. "Maybe he doesn't actually know."

The elf shook her head, "No, he would know about the forbidden book of the gods. I'm almost certain he's aware even if it's just of its existence."

As her words reverberated through the room, Laurence's attention was diverted back out the window. A small wood moth fluttered around the outside of the tower, then entered the chamber. He paid it little mind, swatting at it with his hand, more of an annoyance. He acknowledged the common occurrence of insects seeking refuge indoors during the night, drawn by the warmth and the light. However, his focus re-shifted to Cora as the expression on her face shifted from frustration to alarm, as her head tracked the insect's path.

She jumped back from the shelf of books, and in a swift, violent motion, her hand shot out and intercepted the moth. Her eyes agaze with urgency and a sharp smack against the wall, she crushed the insect, her palm smeared with its remains. "Laurence, we're sprung!"

That was the thing about wood elves, their essence was in touch with their surroundings, unlike himself. Cora possessed the ability to sense and communicate with creatures and plants via her essence. Immediately understanding the gravity of her words, Laurence grabbed a small bowl resting on the nearby table and reached in his bag for a waterskin and with his other hand, the dagger secured to his hip. He emptied the condense of the water skin into the bowl, then tossed it back in his bag. "Cora, here, your hand."

Cora didn't need to be told twice, almost anticipating Laurence's actions and holding her hand out. He ran the dagger along her palm, slicing her pale yellow skin and allowing her elven blood to mingle with the water. "Find us a way out of here," he instructed, whilst ripping a slither of fabric from his shirt and wrapping her hand.

Laurence grabbed the bowl and began scrying. First the water grew cloudy as the essence from the bowl flooded out into the night sky. A birds eye view city of Allencore filled the mirror like surface of the water. He fed his essence into the bowl, searching the streets for the moth's possessor. With each passing moment the picture grew closer, clearer. Steel chains, and swords shimmered off the moon light, but the vision was still not clear, he knocked the table sending ripples across the water. As it settled and the darkness recaptured the bowl, a young woman emerged. Her green eyes sparkling, shining through the dark like the burning of a candle leaden with copper wax. It was amplified by the strands of red hair swaying in the moonlight, and her serious, angered expression etched upon her face. This was the possessor but there was something more, he reached for a small vial of sage in his bag and dropped a small amount in the water. The haze that surround the image cleared and Laurence found himself staring face to face with the high wizard of Allencore. "Shit!" he exclaimed, knocking the table and the contents of the bowl across its wooden top.

Cora turned and looked back at Laurence, "Who is it?"

"Yaidel, four soldiers, and his apprentice." He quickly emptied what was left of the contents of the scrying bowl out the window, then packed what ever he could find on the table into his bag. "We have about five minutes."

Cora nodded and turned back to the shelf, "What colour is the cover?" she asked as her hands passed back over the books a second time.

"Green, I think." He could tell she knew what they needed to find, now searching for a portal book. The book of the gods would have to wait.

Her nimble fingers moved from row to row scanning the spines and worked quickly with precision as her essence leached in feeling each page. Finally, she stopped pulling one of the green spined books from the shelf, and quickly flicked through the pages. Her fingers traced over the words, then she slammed the book shut and dropped it on the floor. "Too cold," she stated shaking her head.

Laurence moved to the window and fixed his gaze on the streets below. Yadiel's apprentice's essence flooded the tower, growing stronger by the minute. A portal would be their only means of escape without the entire city coming down on top of them. He turned back to Cora, "Anything yet?"

"No, nothing," Cora's frustration was evident as book after book was dropped on the floor searching for a way to escape the looming threat.

Something caught Laurence's ear, a faint calling that was unlike anything he had heard before. He approached the bookshelf, his gaze lifting towards a selection of books still untouched by Cora. Skimming over the spines, he stopped looking at a large book, its purple cover standing out in the sea of reds, blues and yellows. Usually, such books didn't hold the essence of places, at least not in the way that this book did. A faint calling whispered his name, drawing his focus like a beacon in the darkness. It could have been Yaidel or his apprentice, taunting him or maybe it was something more, something special.

He brushed his hand over the cover, wiping the dust from its golden letters, that sparkled in the candlelight. Then the calling came again, stronger this time. It resonated within him like a distant echo. With a sense of certainty, he turned to Cora, "This one," his voice steady and confident.

She stopped and screwed her face up, "I think Yaidel has gotten in your head. Are you sure?"

"Want me to draw the essence of the walls in this place and turn you into a stone garden ornament again? I really don't what to be put in a position to do that and have to find some way to get back in here to get you back like last time!"

Cora's brow furrowed as she snatched the book from his hands. "Two weeks and I was naked! Do you have any idea how embarrassed I was? I got knocked over and thought I was going to break in two, not to mention all the grubby fingers that touched me. No Laurence, we're not doing that again!"

Laurence pushed the pile of green books on the floor to the side with his foot making way for Cora to work her essence with what ever the purple book offered. "What, you expected me to conjure up something in essence that would have worked on your clothes too? I didn't have the time... Also, you looked good like that."

Cora swatted at him, before rolling her eyes and finishing with a disapproving glare. Shouts from the outside of the tower reverberated up the wall causing Cora to immediately focus on the pages.

A rush of air burst into the tower accompanied by the slamming of the wooden door at its base against the stone walls. A powerful essence entered followed by Yaidel's voice. "Laurence!" the old wizard called as his voice echoed around the stone walls of the tower and into the library.

Cora's gaze shot up from the pages toward the door, "How in the forest did he know it was you?"

"How would I know? Don't worry about him, work on the book, we have to get out of here!"

"You're right. Here, take this and start reading!" She said, then turned toward the wooden door and called upon her essence. Small shoots of green twisted their way out of the knots in the planks, and bonded themselves into the cracks of the stone walls. It wouldn't hold long, a sword would make short work of it. "That should buy us some time."

Laurence flicked through the pages, feeling the books power grow stronger the deeper he turned into the heart of the book. The calling grew louder in his mind until finally he heard someone say "Stop!" He looked over his shoulder at Cora, as she barricaded the door with more and more vines, there was no one else in the room with them. He quickly refocused on the page and brushed the fine layer of dust away revealing a portal spell. "We can use this." He quickly skimmed the spell but stopped short unable to read all of it. "Cora," he pointed to the spot on the page.

"It's the gods language," she said quickly inspecting the text. "Wow, I haven't seen this in about fifty years. This is only uttered by the dark elves in the north."

"Explain it to me later, they're coming!" The sounds of footsteps thumping up the towers stairs echoed along with the shouts of the guards.

"Oh right. It's Satelum." Her eyes continued to scan the unfamiliar text. "It's, it means...."

He snatched the book back from her hands, "We don't have time. Stand back!" He wiped his hand across the spines of the books still on the shelf, gathering dust upon his hand, then wiped it on the page. With a deep breath he blew the particles onto the floor, and began to chant the script written within the books passages. As the particles fell, their essence seeped from the words on the page, and began to glow like a cascade of burning embers from a fire.

The soldiers bashed and hacked at Cora's bindings on the door, slowly breaking and splintering them with each strike. "I can't hold them back much longer Laurence!"

A strong and powerful presence filled the room, followed by the projection of Yadiel's voice. "Laurence, your time has come!"

No it hasn't, you old fool. Laurence mused silently as the embers turned to a burning circle of essence. As the portal formed the rooms atmosphere changed around him. He held his hand out and in a deliberate motion drew a circle on the bookshelf. The embers steadied and sprung out to the outer edges of the circle, and a window into another place appeared. The smell of mildew lingered through the portal and a wet, shimmering glassy appearance emerged before him.

The embers began to burn into the shelf, as the colours shifted from yellow to purple. A fierce wind began to blow through the portal, causing pages from the old books to scatter about, as if wrapped up in a tornado. There was something peculiar about the portal, something otherworldly. Laurence hesitated and glanced at Cora. He noted the same concerned look on her face.

"That doesn't look normal," Her hazel eyes wide with curiosity. Cora moved to the newly formed window, and cautiously extended her hand towards it, pushing it in then quickly retracting it. "Well, I still have my fingers, so we know its not going to rip us to pieces at least," she said, her voice tingling in relief.

Laurence nodded as his gaze fixed on the unusual sight as dead leaves from unfamiliar plants were blown through, landing on the floor at his feet. Within moments, the wind the circulated the room as the portal formed, ceased. But with is came a soft whisper, "Laurence." Just then, the loud bangs from the hacking at the door abruptly halted, and with Cora's focus now on the portal and not her essence, time was up. He moved to the side of the doorway, back towards the table. He couldn't leave yet, not without his bag.

The smell of smoke and the scent of burning oak filled the room as he looked towards the door. It burst into flame, fuelled by an unseen power from the other side. He could feel the essence from the flame's creator fuelling it, yet it wasn't Yaidel, it belonged to his apprentice. The door failed and fell inward, revealing the young woman. She walked through the raining embers, her green eyes, catching Laurence's gaze, amplified by her red hair in the dying light from the tattered door's flames.

She was shoved aside by one of the guards, and he raised his swords menacingly toward Laurence. Without hesitation, he raised his hand and clenched his fist, calling upon his essence. The guard looked up, and in the blink of an eye, his swords flew upward towards the chandelier. It clanked against the objected and locking in place as if they were part of the feature.

Cora raised her arm, pulling the sleeve of her robes back revealing a wrist mounted crossbow. With the guard distracted she fired a bolt. It slammed into one of the guard's kneecaps, causing him to fall like a sack of potatoes.

As he fell Laurence released his grip, and the swords fell with a clatter. They pierced his bag, still on the table, scattering the contents and impaling it in place. This didn't go according to plan, he jumped up to the table and grabbed the swords handle and pulled, attempting to free it without causing more damage to his bag, or its contents. The second and third guard entered the room, stepping over their fallen accomplice.

Laurence could feel a draft coming from the window now the Library's door had been removed, and using it to his advantage he held his hand up, and called upon his essence. A sudden gust of wind, blasted through the window. He closed his fist and thrust the air towards the guards. They stumbled and fell backwards, tumbling over each other towards the door. One of them inadvertently collided with the fourth guard as he entered the room. The pair toppled over the guard rail falling from sight.

The apprentice entered the room, gracefully, stepping over the injured guards as he wailed on the floor. Her movements were unhurried and deliberate as she stopped short between Cora and Laurence. "You are to surrender yourself for your crimes against the kingdom of Allencore."

Her voice soft and sweet, but the thing that made Laurence chuckle was the hint of hesitation and uncertainty in her voice.

"You're cute. Who are you, and does the master always send the apprentice to do his dirty work?" Cora asked smugly as she reloaded her crossbow with another bolt.

The woman held her arm up towards Cora, vines quickly sprouted from the wooden mount on her arm and tangled the drawstring, then snapped it. "My name is Avni, and Yadiel has faith in my abilities."

As Avni was distracted with Cora, Laurence reached inside his bag, grabbing a jar filled with a white flower. Taking in a breath, he twisted the jar's lid plucking one single petal from the flower, then ground it up in his hand. "Impressive, however Yaidel has not taught you one thing."

Avni's confident gaze shifted to Laurence, "and what's that?"

"You should always work with a partner, or things like this could happen," Laurence held his hand up to his mouth and blew the petals which turned to dust. The particles soared across the room, they dissolving as they reached Avni, surrounding her like a fine mist. She breathed in, and suddenly began to tinge blue as an intense cold enveloped her, freezing her from the inside out.

"What did you do to m..." Avni muttered as the ice took hold of her throat. Within a matter of seconds, the rest of her entire body underwent a chilling transformation. Her skin turned pale and blue. Her breath crystallised as a final frigid breath escaped her. Her movements slowed then stopped, snapping her body in place. The ice rapidly spread to every extremity of her body, encasing her in a frozen shell that shimmered off the library's dim candle's and amplified by the purple glow of the portal's edges. She was frozen, unable to move or respond.

"Cora, grab her!" Laurence instructed.

"What? Take her with us?"

"Yes, the book isn't here, obviously. I have some questions." Laurence looked back at the door, seeing the remaining guard. He stood with fear plastered across his face, desperately attempting to drag the other remaining injured guard from the room. Laurence could hear the creeks from Yaidel's steps on the old staircase. "Cora, now. Go!" He wasn't arguing the point with her, they were out of time.

He closed his eyes and searched with his essence within the room for anything he could use to create a barrier. But the flames from Avni and the damaged caused by the portal had extinguished and last traces of natural life from within the walls of the room. There was nothing to hold the master wizard back. With a sense of desperation Laurence darted for his bag, as Cora dragged Avni through the portal. He pushed the contents of his bag back inside, along with the jar holding the white flower. Throwing the bags strap over his shoulder he paid little notice to the sword still piercing it and binding it to the table.

He stood up but was immediately jerked backwards, falling against the table, just as Yadiel entered the room. Yaidel's essence was stronger than any he had felt, his pupilless eyes stared into Laurence's, as strands of grey hair stood almost on end, as if energised. The air felt cold and stale, as Yaidel stopped before Laurence, on the icy flooring where Avni had been frozen.

"Yaidel, it's been a while. It's a nice place you got here!"

"Where have you taken her?" the wizard demanded, his voice echoing off the tower's walls with authority. The room's candles began to burn with a fierce flame as the wizard pulled in a burst of unimaginable power. The smoke formed into ghostlike tendrils, that snaked their way around Laurence's ankles and hands, binding him in place. He struggled against the tight hold, feeling trapped in Yaidel's grasp. More smoke filtered in through the window and pressed down on him like an invisible weight. The air grew thick and dense, the smoke suffocating as an unseen force was slowly crushing him. Panic began to surge through Laurence as he realised, he was completely immobilised and unable to move.

"You should know where she's been taken; a good wizard knows every portal in every book!" Laurence continued to struggle; his voice strained with every word. "Consider this a consequence of your carelessness." Fortunately, Laurence could see the frustration in Yadiel's eyes, the wizards one weakness. He knew it all too well, his temper. If there was any chance of survival in this encounter, Laurence knew he had to piss the wizard off!

The smoky tendrils around Laurence's ankles and hands suddenly dissipated, as the wizard swung his hand. Laurence was immediately lifted off his feet and slammed forcefully against the back wall of the room. The force upturning the table and caused the sword pinning his bag to fall with a clatter. Winded, Laurence found his way to his feet and stumbled toward the portal. Pain shot through his body with every step, it hurt to breathe, and he could taste the coppery taste of blood in his mouth. He looked up at the portal noticing the edges of it start to fray and collapse.

"Where do you think you're going? Where did you take my apprentice?" Yaidel stomped sending a shockwave through the tower. Dust fell from the ceiling, what books remained on the shelves fell off and the floorboards splintered and flexed.