Chapter 5
The beauty of the landscape seemed to have a positive effect on Lux and Diana, as they had stopped glaring at each other all the time. Lux even tried to smile. Diana's facial features were more relaxed and she behaved more dynamically. They were still walking through the forest whose end they could not see. According to Lux's map, they should reach the coast in a bit less than three weeks. She still felt empty without her power, but it did not disturb her as much as it had when she had left the Institute.
As they were walking in the night, their path lightened by the moon and the blue light coming from the trees, Lux stared at Diana's blade, wondering how many lives it had taken. A loud howling startled her and she looked around. Were there wolves here? Unintentionally, she sped up to catch up to the Lunari who was walking in front of her. She too was observing the surroundings. Another howling echoed, breaking the sudden silence. All the night birds and bugs had turned quiet. Diana and Lux kept walking and, as no other scream reached their ears, they relaxed. Lux didn't know much about Valoran's fauna, as she had never spent time studying the creatures living on the continent.
They stopped by a gigantic tree which had been struck by lightening. Its dead trunk was still producing a blue light, though, even brighter than any other tree in the forest. Suddenly, a howling echoed through the night. It was close. Way too close. The light on the trees went off, leaving the women in darkness. Lux heard heavy footsteps hammering the ground. What kind of wolf would make such a loud noise only by running? Diana was holding her weapon, carefully scrutinizing the area. An animal appeared in front of her, running at top speed. Its shape was that of a wolf, nearly as tall as Lux. Its black fur made it almost invisible in the dark, and only the shiny reflection of the moonlight on its fur and in its eyes betrayed its presence. The beast was growling and rushing towards them. Diana dashed forward, hoping to strike the animal first. She avoided the deadly jaws of the wolf and swung her blade to severe its stomach. The wolf's agility surprised Lux, as the animal twisted its entire body to dodge. It jumped and landed a bit further, facing the Lunari. Once again, it dashed at her, but instead of darting, it suddenly turned to the left, as if to run away. Thrown by this sudden change of direction, Diana was too slow to notice the second wolf which was hiding behind the first one. It jumped on her, pinning her to the ground. Her sword slipped off her hand, out of reach. Diana used both her hands to stop the wolf from tearing off her throat. Lux rushed to grasp the Moonsilver Blade, but before she could reach it, the black wolf leaped, biting her shoulder and tackling her to the ground. The beast was as heavy as a horse, and despite Lux's struggle, its teeth went deeper within her shoulder. She screamed in pain, and tried to hit the beast's eye with her staff. The wolf's defensive reaction was immediate and it leaped back. Lux rose up, shaking like one of those tiny dogs they had in the Noxian capital. She saw that Diana was still trying to repel the other wolf. Her weapon was right next to Lux. She grabbed it and, dodging the black wolf's attack, sprinted to the other wolf which fell back to face this new opponent. Her move allowed Diana to stand up. Lux threw the crescent sword at the Lunari who caught it in mid-air. Without a hesitation, she jumped on the closest wolf. Lux focused on the black one which was preparing to jump. It suddenly froze, and so did the other wolf. Diana was ready to strike it when a shadow slid in the center of the battle. The blue light glimmered again from the trees.
The shadow's head was clearly that of a wolf but its body was made of smoke. It wore a white mask and its eyes and mouth opened on a bright light, coming straight from death. "Enough!" the creature roared with a guttural voice. The wolves stepped back. Lux glanced to Diana, but the Lunari was thoroughly focused on Wolf. A white figure walked towards them, clashing with the darkness of the night. "You should not be here," Lamb said with her pure voice "this forest does not belong to the human race." She was holding her bow, but displayed no sign of aggressiveness.
"We were just passing by, Lamb. Is it forbidden?" Diana asked, her eyes moving between the two souls of the entity called Kindred.
"This forest is one of the purest places remaining in this world. If you wish to venture within it, consider it natural for the hunters living here to prey on you."
Diana kept quiet, and Lux wondered if she had to say something. "How far is the edge of the forest?" she finally asked.
"Three days away northwards,..." Lamb replied
"And two days away westwards." Wolf snarled.
Kindred stared at Lux for a moment, and the girl felt like Lamb could see through her soul while Wolf only wished to devour it. "A part of you is missing, Luxanna." the white creature sadly said.
"This is why we've had to walk though this forest. We have to reach the coast, and this way was the shortest." Lux stepped back as Kindred walked closer to her. She glimpsed Diana tighten her grip on her sword.
"I feel darkness," Wolf said "deep within her heart." Their masks and glimmering eyes made Lux uncomfortable. She had never seen Kindred outside the Fields, and definitely never this close.
"Your light has faded away, and I feel sorrow and confusion." Lamb added staring both at Lux and Diana. "You must leave this forest for I do not wish to see its power die as yours did." Looking at Lux's shoulder, she said "Wolf and I will escort you to the edge of the forest."
Wolf growled and let out a guttural yelping. The two other wolfs walked away and disappeared inside the woods.
Diana was leading the way while Lux was lingering behind. She was tired, and her wounded shoulder hurt, but she did not dare tell the Lunari, afraid of her reaction. Kindred was walking through the forest, sometimes popping from behind a tree. The entity had something spiritual, standing for both life and death. Dawn was coming, and Diana stopped, waiting for Lux to catch up. The latter was sweating despite the fresh air.
"Are you fine?" Diana asked. It was probably the last question Lux expected to hear from her.
"Yes, I'm just a bit tired." Her shoulder was still bleeding, and her face was pale. Diana seemed to notice her injury for the first time.
"Why didn't you tell me anything?" she asked.
"Because you didn't ask, and I didn't want to bother you."
She swore she heard Diana silently sigh.
"You're bothering me now. Let's have a break, and I'll take a look." Although she had her usual ice-cold voice, it wasn't full of contempt as before.
"Why are you halting?" Wolf shouted, popping in front of them.
"We need to rest. We'll leave in four hours." Diana replied.
Wolf let out a scream of rage before going away. Lamb was nowhere to be seen. Diana treated Lux's wound which was deep but had not damaged the bones nor the muscles.
"Thanks." Lux said when she was done.
"Soraka would have done a far better work than me. Try to get some sleep."
"How about you?"
"I'll be fine. I don't want the both of us to sleep at the same time."
"Kindred said were were safe with them." Lux replied as she felt her eyes close by themselves.
"Do you think we are safe from them?"
Lux did not reply. Why had the Lunari so much difficulties trusting people?
Diana awoke Lux a bit later. The sun was high in the sky, and the mage understood that more than four hours had elapsed. She gave the Lunari a worried look, as the latter had not slept for at least two days. She had to be tired. Wolf was furious that they had stayed there more than expected. He was barking and growling at them. Lamb was there as well, laughing at the dark spirit's behavior.
The night fell, and they stopped when their legs could not carry them any longer. Their flasks were empty, and they couldn't see any river around.
"You will find water a bit further." Lamb told Diana "Wolf will lead you there."
"I'm not leaving you with Lux." the Lunari replied.
"And I refuse to accompany this human" Wolf spat.
"We agreed to protect you." Lamb said "Why not trust us?"
"Why not lie?"
"Kindred does never lie." Wolf barked.
"I'll be okay, Diana," Lux said "you can go."
Diana stared at her before nodding positively.
"I will not" Wolf persisted. "Souls are made to be devoured, not helped."
"You will go," Lamb retorted "or I will, and you will stay here. This is your choice."
Wolf seemed confused, looking at Lamb and Lux. "Now, Wolf." Lamb rose her voice. Wolf growled in frustration and snapped at the Lunari "Come!"
They left, and Lux remained with Lamb, unfolding her sleeping bag. Lamb looked at her, curious. Lux ignored her at first, but the white creature's look was so intense that she eventually turned to her. "Do you want to ask me something?" Lux gently asked.
"I am not used to the customs of human beings, and I am therefore trying to understand you."
"Why don't you spend more time at the Institute? I mean, you could hang out there a bit more, and you would learn everything about our lifestyle. You always disappear after a match."
"Wolf does not let me remain amongst humans. I belong to the wild."
"Is he always like this? Acting as if he wanted to kill everyone?"
"Wolf is a dark spirit, but even within the deepest darkness, light can be found. So can darkness be found in the purest soul. You and your companion are no different. Wolf said he sensed darkness in you, and I feel light within the Scorn of the Moon."
Lux kept quiet. "Something is disturbing you" Lamb said.
"Actually, As you told me, Wolf said he felt darkness in me, in my heart to be precise. Your told me my light had faded away, and I am afraid it is related to something that happened to me. Do you think you could identify the kind of dark magic within me?" Lux's request felt so off that she didn't know where to look.
"I shall try, but darkness is Wolf's domain."
Lamb came closer to Lux and crouched in front of her. The cracks in her mask glimmered and her eyes shone like the moon. She put her hand on Lux's heart and waited. An unnatural cold took over the young mage. "Your light is struggling inside you, like a fire, but a dark spell is fighting it. This kind of magic acts like shadows, slowly invading the wold as the sun sets. If you let it grow stronger, not only will it consume your body, but your soul as well." Lamb moved away, and Lux asked "Do you have any idea on how I could fight those shadows?"
"They cannot be stopped, but remember this: although only light can fight against darkness, they must remain in balance and cannot exist without each other."
Diana and Wolf chose this moment to come back. "Will you stop dancing around me?" Diana angrily said as Wolf was floating around her, constantly forcing her to stop no to bump into him.
"Dancing is part of death..." Wolf laughed
"And life" Lamb added.
"You are quite a character, aren't you." Diana told Wolf. Her good mood shocked Lux. Even Wolf seemed to play with the Lunari, despite the reluctance they had shown before leaving. Diana seemed to trust Kindred a bit more, as she agreed to sleep under their watch.
Later, while they were walking in the night, Kindred said "The edge of the forest is near, and Wolf and I shall leave you here. Fear nothing from the forest, and may your light..."
"And your darkness guide you" Wolf finished. He suddenly came closer to Lux and flew through her heart. "As long as you have light inside you, you have nothing to fear from darkness." he growled. Kindred stared both at Diana and Lux, and Lamb added "Remember there is always life in death, and death is part of life." Lamb turned around and disappeared into the woods.
"A spark in the dark" Wolf snarled before following Lamb.