My insides were on fire. That's the nearest I could come to explain what was happening to me.
It was as if every fibre in my body was on the verge of shattering. My muscles kept pulsing in such a painful way that one might expect to black out from such agony. Yet, my body seemed to be on overdrive, keeping me painfully aware of every sharp stab.
The ache in my head was excruciating and the tears kept flowing down my cheeks. Despite my clouded vision, I could still make out Egon's face. His expression was twisted into one of pure terror as his hands roamed over my body and face. His fingers clutched at my arms as if he were trying to pull the pain away from me. Even amidst the chaos and the pain, his touch was warm and comforting. I wanted to let him know that his presence had this kind of effect on me, but all that escaped my lips were tortured gasps.
Egon's hands gently cupped my face, his eyes darting away as he spoke to someone else. Fragments of the conversation reached me as I struggled to focus on every word.
"...pack doctor in here."
"...happened?"
"Stop... now!"
"Esmara," Egon called out to me, returning his attention back to me as he wiped the ongoing tears from my face. I locked my eyes with him and tried to listen to what he wanted to say, but once again, I only caught some snippets. "... be alright."
The pain I experienced seemed to be playing tricks with my mind as I witnessed how Egon's piercing blue eyes morphed into an ominous shade of black. His dark eyes were brimming with unshed tears, a sight I would never witness from a man like him, especially not for someone as ordinary as me.
"... fixing this." Egon kept on soothing me with his reassuring words.
Another relentless wave of pain surged through me, causing my hands to clench into tight fists. The intensity of it drove my nails into my palms. I wanted the pain to stop, but it showed no mercy. My body kept screaming in protest and I couldn't stop the cries of pain that slipped from my mouth. I needed that doctor to hurry.
Suddenly, Egon's body stiffens. A deep growl escaped from his lips as he shifted his body. He positioned himself in a way that he was hovering over me while maintaining his hold on me as if he were shielding me from something. I noticed how his fingers started to elongate, his nails becoming big and sharp, turning into deadly weapons. Yet, despite their danger, his grip on me remained surprisingly gentle.
Another familiar voice filled the room, though I couldn't immediately put a face to it.
"What is... ?"
I managed to turn my head and saw Leif standing before us, his stance defensive. He was facing Alpha Galdric, who seemed to just entered the room.
"For your sake... come near... rip you apart."
Alpha Galdric's eyes widened as he looked at my direction, his face betrayed his intense confusion.
"Not possible... she's your...?"
I felt my heart beating furiously, thundering in my chest. The pain became unbearable and more tears streamed down my face. Didn't they understand that I'll be torn apart if they don't hurry up?
I turned my eyes back to Egon, finding his unwavering gaze fixed on Alpha Galdric while a low, rumbling growl continued to emanate from his chest. I had to make him understand that I needed a doctor now. I couldn't bear the pain any longer. With great effort, I manage to croak my thoughts out, "It... hurts... so much."
Egon's eyes immediately snapped back to mine, his gaze turning as soft as his voice. "I know... on its way." He spoke with so much agony in his voice, that it felt like a dagger through my heart. I yearned to reach out, to hold him close, but my body refused to respond.
"Where the fuck..." Egon's voice suddenly thundered with anger as he turned his attention back to the people in the room with a menacing gaze.
Before they could respond, Rolf burst into the room, followed by an unfamiliar face. The stranger's eyes widened in fearful disbelief as he settled his gaze on us. With cautious steps he approached, his hands held up high with his palms raised forward as if he were a prey approaching its predator. Egon's growl resonated through the room, a clear warning for the man to stay back.
"Gamma's keep your..."
With unexpected speed, Leif and Rolf moved forward, seizing Egon's shoulders with a firm grip. Their lips were moving, addressing him, yet my ears refused to process the words. However, whatever they were saying seemed to soothe Egon as his breathing gradually slowed down and his hands returned to their natural state.
With a nod, Egon allowed the man to approach forward, though his unwavering eyes never left him.
The man immediately opened up the bag he was carrying and extracted several tools before he started tending to me.
Time seemed to stretch out as the stranger examined my eyes, arms and face. Each second felt like an eternity, the pain a constant companion. I desperately yearned for relief.
Something was applied to my skin, but it didn't soothe the burning sensation. The man gently pried my mouth open for further inspection before giving me a liquid that left an awful taste. However, as soon as it touched my tongue, I couldn't help but cough it out instantly.
My reaction clearly shocked the man and he turned his wide, frightened eyes from me to Egon. He shook his head in distress and muttered something that only seemed to infuriate Egon further.
In one swift motion, Egon rose, holding me securely in his arms. As he barked something to the people in the room I noticed that Alpha Galdric was standing in the farthest corner of the room. Astonishment was still etched across his face as he was being cornered by the Lycan with the half-tied hair I witnessed earlier. The latter wore a furious expression.
"... of Gesunthian."
"Not... high in the mountains... least five days."
The room pulsed with tension as Egon let out another deafening roar. The men in the room immediately tilted their heads to expose their necks. I clenched my teeth as another wave of pain surged through me once more. Despite my best efforts, I couldn't suppress the anguished cries.
Without warning, Egon bolted into action and with me still in his arms, he launched into a fast sprint. We raced through the deserted corridors while Egon moved with a speed that defied all laws of nature. In the blink of an eye, the hallways were replaced by the towering tree of the forest. The trees flashed by us in a blur as he kept on running without a hint of fatigue. Not a bead of sweat appeared on his face and his breathing remained unwavering. Every now and then, his concerned black eyes darted towards me, and with a growl, his speed seemed to intensify further.
"... here with you."
Despite the never-ending pain, I managed to catch fragments of the words he kept saying to me. Though most slipped past me, the ones that did manage to find their way to my ears offered a fleeting comfort in this sea of suffering.
"... going to... alright."
What seems to be after hours of running he suddenly stops with a frustrated roar. He gently placed me on the ground, but as soon as he released his hold on me, the pain intensified even more. My scream of agony tore through the forest, reverberating off the trees.
"Shit," Egon cursed as his hands found my face again, the pain was immediately reduced by his touch, and I let out a sigh of relief. Egon's pained voice reached me. "Look... me."
I shifted my eyes to his. His expression reveals a mixture of sheer terror and smouldering rage, yet beneath it I could see anguish and remorse. The fact that I could read his emotions so clearly in my current state was astonishing to me.
"... change, ... still with you... can't hear me..."
I didn't understand his words but as he released me once more, the excruciating pain came back with brutal force. My face was drenched with tears as they streamed down uncontrollably on my cheeks. My chest ached with each scream, my lungs protesting in pain. I don't want to feel this anymore. I want to sleep and never wake up.
Admits the pain, I caught a faint sound of something breaking, yet I couldn't focus on it. All I could think about was the agony that surged through me.
All of a sudden, I was lifted again. The pain immediately dulled to a more bearable level which was easier to endure. However, this time it wasn't Egon's familiar hands that held me but massive, beastly ones with intimidating claws. I turned my eyes to see the face of an enormous creature. Its black fur gleamed eerily in the moonlight, its canines larger than my arms. The deep growls that emanated from its mouth would send shivers down anyone's spine. Yet, as its pitch-black eyes locked onto mine, all I felt was a rush of relief, safety and trust. I realized this must be Egon's beast form. His Lycan.
With a growl, Egon held my pained body close to him, his fur tickling against my face, and he started running again. The speed at which he raced through the forest was incredible. The air whooshed around us, the forest thundered and creaked under Egon's powerful strides. I didn't think he could go any faster but I was clearly wrong when I felt the strong gusts of wind hitting me at my skin.
I could feel that I was starting to lose more and more strength in my body. The pain was still there, but I was like a prisoner in my own body, unable to move an inch.
In the back of my mind, I noticed how the atmosphere around us was changing. The night gave away to the colours of the rising sun. The towering trees were replaced by snow-covered mountains, the icy wind striking hard against my face. The day turned back into night as we kept on running towards an unknown destination. Egon's speed hadn't faltered for a moment. If any, it only seemed to intensify over time.
The world around us was cloaked in an eerie silence, disturbed only by my ragged breaths of pain and the crunching of snow beneath Egon's feet.
Suddenly, Egon came to a halt. I expected we had reached our destination, but the deep rumble that emanated from him told me otherwise.
In the corner of my eyes, I noticed how three Werewolves emerged from behind the trees. Their brown fur was matted and filthy, their sharp canines bared as they growled menacingly. They moved cautiously, approaching us from different angles, their bodies low to the ground.
Egon's stance shifted, his arm tightening around me protectively as he held me closer to his warm body. His warning growl echoed across the open, snowy field, sending shivers down my spine. However, I was too exhausted, my body broken from the pain and tiredness, to feel the sheer terror I should have. Perhaps these wolves could release me from my suffering.
The warning growl of Egon seemed to have little effect as the wolves continued their slow advance. The hairs on their backs stood straight up and their threatening, almost manic eyes, shifted between Egon and me.
Suddenly, with a speed almost too rapid to process, a wolf from our left lunged forward. In a swift motion, Egon grabbed the creature by its neck with one hand, roaring fiercely into its face. He tossed the wolf away with such force that it collided with a tree hundreds of meters away. The tree immediately fell down due to the power of the blow while the beast remained still on the ground.
Egon swiftly turned his body as we were attacked from behind by another Werewolf. With a powerful kick, he brought the shifter to the ground and stomped on its head with a powerful force, killing the wolf in the process.
The last shifter standing attempted to flee, darting back towards the dark forest he had emerged from. But Egon didn't allow him to go far. With a deafening roar of rage, he sprinted after it, his claws slashing hard against the beast, rending the wolf open.
It took only mere moments, and even while Egon had fought off the beasts with just one hand, never once releasing his hold on me, it looked like we were standing in the middle of a war zone. The vivid red of the blood stood stark against the white of the snow. However, Egon paid no mind to it as his sharp gaze quickly scanned over me, searching for any injuries. Finding none, he turned around and started running again with the same unfaltering speed, sparing not a second glance to the dead Werewolves behind him.
The first light of the morning returned as Egon began to gradually slow down. We were high up in the clouds, with only the peaks of the mountains in sight.
Before us, stood a giant tower, its stone structure rising high atop a mountain peak. Nothing but a deep valley lay around it, the only approach was by a bridge and a seemingly endless of steps leading upwards.
Egon ascended the stairs with giant strides, covering multiple steps as his powerful legs carried us effortlessly towards the entrance of the tower. He stopped until we faced an imposing brown door. The complex framework was adorned with elegant, detailed arches. Statues of various animals stood guard along the balustrade surrounding the tower. Owls, deer, rabbits, jaguars. My blurred gaze lingered on a magnificent sculpture of an eagle, its craftsmanship so detailed that it almost appeared alive.
Maybe I had actually lost my sanity. The place before me was far too serene and beautiful to be real. Especially in my current condition, where pain was the only constant. My throat felt hoarse and torn from the constant cries and screams of agony. Yet, I was quiet now. I couldn't produce a sound anymore, even if I tried.
Egon pounded on the door forcefully. I expected the door to wrench free from its hinges due to the intensity, but it remained firmly in its place.
Eventually, the door slightly creaked open and Egon reverted back to his human form. "Please, my... help," Egon spoke, the urgency in his voice filled with desperation as he addressed the young woman standing before us.
She was dressed in a long, orange dress that looked vibrant against her tanned skin. Her dark brown hair cascaded on her back in a thick braid. Her eyes widened in surprise as they darted between Egon and me but she swung the door wide open as she noticed Egon's urgency.
"... in... follow..."
Egon trailed behind her as she entered the tower. We ascended even more endless stairs through a spiral staircase that seemed to go on forever. The light from outside streamed in through the numerous large, stained glass windows, creating an enchanting glow.
Maybe I stood before the gates of heaven, being led into its embrace.
"... down here," the woman instructed as she abruptly entered a room.
Egon entered behind her and settled me onto a soft bed. His fingers brushed the damp hair away from my face. I tried to meet his gaze, but I was too exhausted to move. My body refused to comply.
"... everything... alright," Egon whispered in my ear. I clung to the comfort his words offered, praying that his promise was true.
In the distance, I could hear more people entering the room, uttering words that were too unclear to hear.
But before I could even attempt to listen, I felt a prick in my arm and my consciousness began to fade. The pain, at last, started to reduce and I was left with nothing but welcomed darkness.