Terek looked around to make sure he was on his feet, even pinching himself at one point. "We'll I'm not in a tree…." Timber trots up and brushes against him when he realized where he was.
Jayce pats himself, brushing his pants since he had landed on his rear while Celestyn walks over to Terek.
"Jayce? Terek? How the hell…" A familiar voice was came from the right. Terek looks over and sees his father. A couple of the Guardians including Connor and Luc, were standing around them transformed into their Lycan forms with each one of their specialized weapons in hand drawn at them.
"We're sorry about this guys. There was a bright light where you're standing for a moment." Connor shifted back from being a red furred Lycan to the bearded red haired man. He held his hand up to lower the weapons to greet them and steps forward to them.
"Did she tell you?" Terek questioned the Guardian out of curiosity.
"If you mean you your mother, then yes." Connor was about to say more but Vincenz rushes down from his wood log house.
"Your Grandfather found out while the three of us were talking. I guess she told him herself." Vincenz kept his eyes on Terek. "Luna… Vivianne… The Goddess…" He stopped and gripped his chest. "She is still your mother."
Terek looked down until he felt Jayce's hand on his right shoulder. "We can talk more about this later Father. The three of us need to get to the mountain."
"I want to stop you… But I know that if you don't, one way or another the world will end." Vincenz looks up into Terek's eyes and steps aside. "I'll send Connor and Luc with you to the mountain.."
Terek, walks away from Timber and the others then hugs his father, throwing him off for a moment until he accepts the embrace. "I know it's been rough for the both of us since I was born… But I promise, if the world changes I will come back."
Vincenz sighs and holds him tightly in his arms. "You always did know what to say to your old man…"
Jayce looked down, wishing he could remember what his parents looked like. Connor sees the young man and could tell as he walked over, almost towering him, and rubs the top of his head.
After a couple minutes of hugging, Terek and Vincenz separate. "You'd better get going."
Celestyn steps forward beside Terek. "I know I have no right but I promise I'll bring him back. These two made me a promise anyway." She smiled trying to lighten the mood. Connor and Luc walk over to them, Luc holding a thick winter coat for Celestyn.
After they were done getting prepared to head to the mountains, Terek and Jayce shift into their wolf forms watching as everyone stared in awe, even Vincenz. Celestyn slides onto Timbers back and scratches the back of her ear.
Luc transforms into his Lycan form while Connor walks over to the group. "Is everyone ready for the Journey?"
Terek and Jayce nod since they know what can be found out past the woods. Celestyn looked at Connor and tightens the coat.
"If you're ready, these two have survived three days alone in the woods. If we can make it to the mountain you should be fine without us." Connor turns to the gates and transforms as well. His red fur almost hard to miss with the blinding snow. Within the moments the gates slowly opened, both Connor and Luc burst through the snow. Their moments were in sync like they had been doing this for decades.
Jayce and Terek take off behind them with Timber and Celestyn. Once they left the gates, they let Timber ahead so that the two were in the back but as they drew further from the village gates, a screech like howl is suddenly heard.
"Do not stop. Keep running toward the mountain." Connor called out to them from the front. The Lycan Guardians continued to run, going from all fours to bipedal every so often. Terek and Jayce kept watching the sides as they sprint in their wolf forms. The white fur almost blending in with the snow around them.
Within an hour of running through the snowing woods and open fields below the mountains, the group finally reached the base of the colossal mountain range.
"This is the Cave of the Dead… It is a grave site for those who fought valiantly through the years…. And where He is worshipped prior." Jayce and Terek transform and step to the entrance when the howling is heard again from the woods. "You guys need to go now."
Celestyn slid off of Timbers back and turns to Connor. "Will you two be alright?"
"It's nothing Luc and I can handle." The red furred Lycan turns his back to them and faces the forest. Celestyn could see clearly a more murderous aura spewing from them both. At this point she knew if she spoke again she would be injured. Or worse. Celestyn turns around and begins to head in first. Terek shivered, the murderous aura was a first coming from these two men he had grown up knowing and caring for.
The cave went deep inside the mountain, however, the further in they went the wall torches began to light up on their own, burning bright to light up the rocky pathways which lead to a stairway leading down.
"I guess we go down now." Jayce said as he grabbed his scythe and held it out in case anything came out at them. Terek stepped aside for Celestyn.
"I'll take the back in case those things get past them…" Terek unsheathed his sword and grabbed a torch in his other hand. The stairway spiraled down almost disorienting until the reaches a ground floor.
"My children… Your journey finally reached its destination…" A familiar feminine voice echoed through the cave. "But this is not the end unfortunately…"
The stairs ended to reveal a hollow underground chamber. At the back was a rocky formation that split horizontally. Below the line was a woman in white. Her hair burning white and black.
"Mother?" The trio stared at her seeing her true form.