Chapter 19

Day 1 of Kai's Phasing

The forest was crisp. The cold air, sharp and eager to take a chilling bite out of the exposed flesh of Luhan's face. He did not mind the frosty sting of the forest air, for Luhan had other things occupying his mind. Today Kris would bring him to Elana's grave, her resting place in the woods. He felt a need to see her at her place of burial. He hoped that it would ease the deep seeded guilt that churned inside of him. That maybe he could appease the sickness he felt in his soul.

At the sound of the frozen, dew covered grass being crushed under heavy footfall, Luhan turned towards his friend.

"You are late. You said that we would leave at dawn." Luhan gestured over his shoulder at the sun, already shining it's early morning rays into the forest. Kris glanced at the sun, then to Luhan taking notice of how pale his friend still was. Luhan's dark, eye bags even more visible than two days before. Kris had hoped that by lying to Luhan, and telling him that Elana had been killed, his friend would make a recovery from his remorseful state. It only half did. Luhan had stopped his search for Elana and late nights in the study scouring over books, and replaced it with a never ending shift. Luhan was constantly working, taking the late night watches in the tower, he had skipped his meal time and replaced it with sword training. It was like his lie had turned his friend into an emotionless monster.

"I believe I told you that I would wake at dawn. Either way it is not important, let us head out," Kris passed Luhan heading off towards the little stream just Northwest from their current position. He heard Luhan scoff, then sheath his sword following closed behind. If there was one good thing, about his lie, it was that Luhan was now one hundred percent against the Beast-man. Though Luhan had never said, Kris believed that Luhan had doubts about the nature of the Beast-man. Now Kris knew that Luhan considered them an enemy, a pest that had to be exterminated. He may have turned him into an emotionless monster, but at least he was on the right side now.

After traversing across rocks and working their way up the stream's banks, Kris turned into a small opening in the trees. The sun sending rays through the branches filling the otherwise darkened woods with filtered afternoon light. Across the clearing up against a tree rested a small stack of rocks at the head of a fresh mound of dirt. It was the grave Kris has made for Elana.

Upon entering the clearing Luhan walked forward, tears welling up in his tired eyes. He fell to his knees in front of her grave, his shoulders hunched over. "Oh God, I did this." His hands curled around the long, wet blades of grass, a lone tear escaped from his eyes. "This was my fault. Oh Gosh, Elana I am so sorry." All the pent up guilt and anger at his failure seeped from his skin. His body shook in silent sobs as the tears he had been holding in spilt onto the fresh dirt of her grave. Kris stood just beyond the edge of the clearing watching in shame as his friend cried. As he watched his conscious began to ache, putting a blackened pressure onto his heart.

"I... I promise you Elana." Luhan choked between his sobs. His uneven breathing trembled together with his voice in nothing but a whisper. "I promise that I will avenge your death. If it is all that I accomplish in my short life, I will slaughter every Beast-man as they have slayed you. Then maybe, you will be willing to forgive my mistakes."

Day 3 of Kai's Phasing

It had been three nights since Kai had been locked in the Stone room, and it had been three nights since anyone had gotten a decent amount of sleep. As was normal with the first phasing, the pain the wolf went through was un