The Next Howl of Desire

ONE BRIGHT AFTERNOON, the joyous townsfolk of Citadel were having fun as they commemorated the annual day of harvest. People celebrate their special day by various town’s exciting activities, food stalls and the most anticipated event, the ritual that they conduct as showing gratitude towards the natural world for their abundance in harvest as well as their harmonious lives.

Such smiles and laughs filled the atmosphere with colorful banners dangled on each house. It was truly a fiesta. As a great respect for their culture, the townsfolk were supposed to remain within the premises of Citadel during the celebration, therefore everyone joined together and none of the household dared to defy.

The elder of the town stood before the citizens of Citadel and gave his message about the event occurring at the moment.

People were content with their tranquil way of life, despite the fact that they did not live in a modernized environment. They are satisfied with the abundance of nature, so they perform rites in order to maintain their prosperity and peace.

“Let us join our hands again as a friend and family to show our gratitude by the rites together! No one should be left out!” People applauded as the elder speech ended.

However, the peace that they were yearning for was about to end…

As night dominates the surroundings. Howls of the wolves echoed, then suddenly a series of explosions was heard followed by a fire which soon engulfed the town. The lively people became terrified, the laughing children turned into wails and the supposed celebration ended in complete mayhem.

The townsfolk tried to run away yet the entire town was surrounded by the wolves, so they were trapped inside. The result is either roasted to death or a feast for ferocious wolves.

"Help! Please help us!"

"Come on! We need to get out of here!"

Various cries and mourning can be heard from the people of Citadel. Asking for freedom and justice for the dead.

"Have mercy on us!" the old man pleaded while praying silently as if there would be a miracle.

Children are crying, craving for help and mercy. The others are looking for the members of their family. The others are lost and have nowhere to go.

"Mother! Father!" children cried. Hoping for someone who can save them.

The two Lycans who were leading the entire pack on this mission stood atop the roof of the town's elder house, which was evidently placed in the middle area.

“Milady Everild, the fire has covered the entire south and northwest." said the wolf to a woman with long jet black hair, whitish skin and daffodil hued irises. Everild bobbed her head as she gazed down at the misery of the townsfolk.

“How about the east?” Atwell inquired.

“It is only a matter of time until the fire spreads there, Milord." The wolf continued. “The entire town was guarded by the wolves so none of them may escape”

His garnet eyes filled with amusement by the view. “Very well… if some may survive the flames, kill them!" Atwell said following a sinister laugh.

The wolf bowed before leaving to help his fellows.

Everild scrunches her nose at the awful smell of the burning surroundings then turns to the male lycan beside her. “I’m getting bored here, haven't you found the target yet?”

“Easy, Evey. They must be somewhere among the crowd that found them."

The female lycan followed where Atwell’s garnet eyes stared.

“Remember the latter will be enslaved by the winner for a week!” she said pertaining to their deal as she quickly hops down the rooftop to run towards the northeast where the targets were located.

Atwell corner lip tugs upwards and immediately follows Everild’s track.

Amidst such chaos, Everild and Atwell the two Lycans run around the Citadel as they race with their loud laughs blended among the cries. The two Lycans seem like a child playing around the streets despite the destruction of their environment, soon enough they reach the northeast.

“Is that all you’ve got?” she teased the latter as Everild kept on advancing.

“Shut up and see." Atwell jumps over the roofs and leaps through it making the tables turn for Everild.

The male Lycan makes a huge jump downwards then captures the targets by his bare hands with their necks, strangling them up in the air using his force. He glances at the fuming Everild with a smug grin.

Meanwhile, before the tragedy occurs, Adhara sneaks out of the Citadel to visit the graveyard of her twin- Ascella in order to honor their 25th birthday despite the special occasion in her town. When the sky speaks of tint pale orange, she decided to return as the darkness was about to spread.

She stood up from the ground and said “I must go now, Ascella.”

Adhara then trails the usual route out of the forest and goes down towards town but what greeted her isn’t the town she used to live anymore. Few smoke coming from the burnt houses greeted her along with the deafening silence. Her heart became heavy as tears started to run down her cheeks.

'Just what happened here?'

She strides her way inside the town. Everything was wrecked, marked by intense fire. Confusion, shock and grief overwhelms her.

'Is she now left alone?' That very thought pains her evenmore.

'No, no, this is impossible. This is just a nightmare… just a nightmare…'

Upon reaching their family’s house, like others it was in complete mess. Burnt pieces of the house materials were scattered on the ground. Her knees became weak as if she felt her soul leave her body. She was so lost that all she wanted to do was to run away from this nightmare yet she couldn’t move a muscle. Instead, she sat down on cold ground regardless of the dirt and cries.

Minutes passed, she remained unmoving until she heard a faint voice from somewhere. Adhara decided to follow where it was coming. As she began closer,voices were becoming clearer and it didn’t seem like one of the citizens in this town. The voices were somewhat arguing ang laughing.

'Laugh? Is there something funny about this?'

“Oh, c’mon! You cheated. I demand a rematch!”

“It is not cheating, It is called strategy” A baritone voice of a man chuckles.

“Strategy, my ass! Rematch, I said!”

The owners of the voices were a woman and a man. Based on their demeanor despite the current state of Citadel, they must know something about what happened here.

'Should I ask? But what if they were the people behind this?'

Who are they? Are they doing this for fun?

She felt furious at the thought. Her anguish heart and sorrowful tears became enraged. The people she loved and the place she once called home lost in an instant. Adhara got so absorbed in her thoughts as she was still hiding from a barrel and the moment she decided to confront the two , they had already left. She tried to follow where they must have gone through yet instead the path led her into something more devastating.

Adhara found her knees on the ground, stunned and unable to speak. There was a puddle of blood coming from her precious parents, both lying, unmoving and lifeless…

Mother… Father… I’m sorry, I’m really sorry…

“I-I’m sor-ry…” she muffled under her breath as she cried her eyes out. Adhara couldn’t figure out if she was sorry for being useless, once when she lost her twin and twice now with her family and home, or sorry for being the only one who stayed alive.

Why does this keep happening to me? Why do I keep losing the people I cherished?

Little by little with blurry eyes due to her unending tears, she moved her hand and knees near her parents. She embraces their cold bodies as she cries out loud, like a child lost in the middle of nowhere, alone and scared.

Then Adhara heard a rustle coming from the bushes nearby, she anticipated the same persons she encountered earlier but to her surprise it wasn’t them.

It revealed a man, his features were not clear but she noticed his emerald hue irises piercing through her. His clothes were drenched with blood and what captive Adhara the most is the thing that he holds in his hand, the heirloom in which her mother owns.

Why was he holding her mother’s beloved hair ornament? Is he the man behind all this?

Adhara wanted to scream, to lash out at the man on her front. She tried to stand on her feet however she suddenly felt weak as her surroundings seemed to be spinning, before she could say a word everything turned black as Adhara had fallen into oblivion.