☠ Crown of Shadows ☠ (#Wattys2018)

Chapter 5: Tomb of the Dead

☠

Nox thought he was dead. That was how he felt at least. When he slowly rose from the ground, opening his eyes with great effort, every single muscle in his body protested. He could feel the pain even in his bones.

"You're awake," Rhys stated, though it sounded more like a question.

"What happened?" Nox asked in a hoarse voice. A burning pain still glowed in his chest. He tried to remember the events of the last few hours himself, but no images came into his mind. Not even his wolf filled in the blanks like he usually did. Reaching far and deep inside him, Nox couldn't feel the presence of that other, feral part of him at all. It was like it had faded alongside his memories. The screams and cries coming from the Dark Forest behind him, though, told him enough of what had happened to know it hadn't been anything good.

"You were shot by an arrow drenched in Wolfsbane."

Nox cursed, looking at the red, ragged wound that now adorned his skin. That particular poison hadn't been used since the Great War. Few lycans still alive had felt the effects. It had nearly destroyed their House and it explained why he felt so weak––why he couldn't feel his wolf inside him.

"An army of goblins attacked us just before the border with the Wastelands," Rhys continued. "If they have access to Wolfsbane, then the Dark King might be awake longer than we thought."

The Lycan Heir nodded, agreeing with his sentry. "The goblins haven't dared to pass the border for decades. It can't be a coincidence that they've crossed it now."

"There's another thing. When we arrived here, there was no sign of the sentries your grandfather sent to guard the tomb. I fear they are all dead, Nox."

"What about the others? Where is your brother?"

"Marrok held the pack together when we realized you were unconscious. He told me to bring you to safety while they kept the goblins back."

"And the other Houses?" Nox asked, grimacing as he pushed himself from the hard ground. The cold wind caressed his bare chest and he shuddered as the black tendrils of Darkness reached out to him. If he didn't know any better, he'd say it smiled at him.

Rhys was quickly by his side, supporting him while he took the first few difficult steps. "They are on the other side of the temple. The unicorn sentries are aiding Marrok against the goblins, but the others wanted to keep close to their Heirs when they entered the tomb."

"Thank you, Rhys, for getting me out of there."

"We might not share blood, Nox, but you are my brother as much as Marrok is," Rhys said almost proudly, his loyalty going beyond the chain of command. "Wait, where are you going?" He raised a brow when Nox waved away his help and started to make his way toward the entrance of the old temple. "You're not strong enough to walk, let alone fight. It's a miracle you're even standing, but the connection to your wolf will be blocked for at least a day."

"I still have these, don't I?" Nox objected, pulling the curved twin blades from his belt. The familiar weight felt almost as a comfort as he walked further onto the dead fields surrounding him. As far and wide as he as he could see, the lands around him were flat and black––barren and abandoned for years. The only living creatures in these lands lived underground in the elaborate tunnels that spread underneath the earth and led all the way into the mountains on the horizon.

Creatures Nox still wanted dead for what they did to his father.

"Then I'm coming with you."

"No." Nox turned around to his friend who had already unsheathed his sword. "I need you to stay here and tell Marrok he has to hold the line. Something feels wrong about this tomb, Rhys. Something smells wrong, It might be a trap."