Controlled Burn (BxB) (Werewolf)

Chapter 9: The Abomination

On a quiet day, Lady Stella, her silver hair braided with thin, twinkling charms, led Callum, Rose, and a small group of other saplings through a forest path that felt different—older, as if time had grown roots here. Callum realized they were heading far away from Little Yggdrasil and the center of the Sacred Grove.

Up ahead was a cabin standing in juxtaposition to its lush, vibrant surroundings. The ancient oaks seemed to bow slightly toward it, as if acknowledging its solemn purpose. The structure itself was unassuming, constructed from rough-hewn logs weathered to a silver-gray by the passage of time. The roof was thatched with straw, now speckled with the emerald moss that marked the passage of years.

Despite its appearance of neglect, the cabin was reinforced with druidic symbols and runic inscriptions carved into the wood. Callum had seen similar runes throughout the Sacred Grove and knew the meaning of most of them. However, the ones inscribed in the cabin were unfamiliar to him.

A narrow, creaky porch wrapped around the front, with a couple of empty rocking chairs, their stillness accentuating the unsettling quietude. The wooden door was surprisingly simple, devoid of ornamentation except for a single symbol—an Ouroboros, a snake eating its tail—branded into the wood just above the handle.

As Lady Stella pushed the door open, a nauseating stench immediately engulfed them—a smell of decay, dampness, and something more grotesque. Callum clamped a hand over his mouth, suppressing a gag.

Inside, the room was dim, lit only by the ethereal glow of enchanted lanterns. And there, on a wooden bed in the middle of the room, was a man—or what used to be one. His body was covered in massive, pulsating tumors, each the size of a small melon, laced with discolored veins. His eyes were two barely visible glimmers amidst the disfigured landscape of his face.

The frame of the bed was a roughly carved, wooden platform adorned with the same druidic runes found on the outer walls of the cabin. Here, any semblance of coziness vanished, replaced by the grim purpose that permeated the cabin. It was as if the room was designed to focus one's attention solely on its tragic occupant, casting a shadow that swallowed any comfort the rest of the cabin might offer.

"Saplings," Lady Stella said with an unenthusiastic wave of her hand. "Feast your eyes upon Ashton the Abomination." After she introduced the unfortunate man, the enchanted lanterns began glowing brighter to grant everyone a better view.

To avoid taking in the rotten scent, Callum began breathing exclusively through his mouth. He noticed Lady Stella was unphased by the scent and the sight while the rest of the sapling were in a sorry state not dissimilar to his own. Between the ghastly scents and gruesome sights, none were able to keep their composure other than the Archdruid.

Rose looked away and Callum saw tears running down her cheeks. She held her hand over his mouth and nose. To comfort her, Callum put a hand on her shoulder.

"Ashton here had a grand idea," Lady Stella began lecturing. "Over 200 years ago, he decided to use his magic to cheat death and become immortal. Ashton thought himself a god. Ashton thought himself a being above the natural order. Now look at him!" She gestured toward the man. "I said look at him!" she commanded.

Callum, Rose, and the other saplings summoned their courage and forced themselves to look for as long as they could. One of the saplings, a girl named Blossom, could not bring herself to look, and Lady Stella noticed.

The Archdruid raised her index finger and a bright blue orb of light formed at the tip. She walked over to Blossom and held the blue orb close to her face. "If you choose not to look, I will blind you," she threatened before the light suddenly faded.

Now crying, Blossom rubbed her eyes and began looking with the rest of the saplings.

"Ashton took our healing magic and pushed it, corrupted it," Lady Stella explained, "in his greedy efforts to live forever. And as you can see, he was successful!"