Elena's POV
A steady thumping sound echoed through the air.
Thump! Thump!! Thump!!!
It sounded like giant drums being struck somewhere nearby.
My eyelids fluttered weakly before I finally managed to open them. For a moment, everything looked blurry, but as my vision slowly cleared, I found Greybeard kneeling beside me with one rough hand pressed against my forehead.
I sat upright immediately. The sudden movement made my head spin.
Greybeard clicked his tongue and shook his head.
"You nearly got yourself killed."
His voice carried a rare irritation as he rose to his feet and looked down at me.
"If I hadn't sensed the danger and come looking for you, that creature would have torn you apart."
I stared at him while trying to steady my breathing as I remembered the Brown wolf hitting me with its paws. My chest tightened.
Greybeard's expression softened slightly.
"Still," he said, gripping his wooden staff, "congratulations."
I blinked.
"What?"
A faint smile appeared beneath his beard.
"You reached the seventh stop."
My heart skipped a beat.
Before I could ask another question, Greybeard suddenly turned away from me. The smile on his face vanished completely and his body positioning shifted.
He placed his feet firmly into the snow, lowered his shoulders and tightened his hands around the staff. Every part of him changed in an instant.
A chill ran through me as I realized it was the stance of someone preparing to fight.
Slowly, I followed his gaze.
The same brown wolf stood several yards away.
Snow drifted around its massive body while its yellow eyes glowed brightly against the white landscape. Its lips peeled back to reveal rows of sharp teeth and a low growl rumbled from deep inside its chest.
The sound alone made my stomach twist.
I quickly pushed myself backward through the snow until there was some distance between me and the coming fight.
The wolf struck first. Its powerful legs exploded forward and snow scattered everywhere as it charged.
At the exact same moment, Greybeard moved. The old man sprinted directly toward it.
Just before the wolf reached him, Greybeard leaped.
My eyes widened in shock
The two bodies collided violently in midair.
Greybeard wrapped both arms around the wolf's neck and used its own momentum against it. Together they crashed into the snow and rolled several times before finally stopping.
The wolf snapped its jaws wildly.
Greybeard drove his elbow into its throat.
The beast growled and twisted violently beneath him, but Greybeard refused to let go.
Instead, he shifted his weight and pinned the creature down.
Then the punches began.
Greybeard landed the first punch against the wolf's face. A sickening crack followed. The second punch came harder. Then a third.nThen a fourth.
Each strike drove the wolf's head deeper into the snow.
The beast clawed at Greybeard's shoulders and chest, trying desperately to break free, but the old man only tightened his grip and continued hitting it.
Blood stained the snow.
The wolf's movements became weaker.
Then suddenly, Its body began shaking. The growling stopped. Its limbs shook violently.
Greybeard immediately released it and stepped back.
I watched in stunned silence as the wolf's fur began disappearing. Its claws shrank and the muzzle shortened.
The massive body twisted and collapsed inward and within seconds, the wolf was gone.
The old gatekeeper lay in its place. His yellow eyes stared lifelessly toward the sky.
His body slowly crumbled into dust and the wind carried the remains away.
Snowflakes drifted through the empty space where he had been. It was empty as though he never existed.
Greybeard stared at the spot for a few moments before turning toward me.
The playful side of him was gone.
Only seriousness remained.
"You are running out of time."
The words immediately made my chest tighten.
I slowly stood up.
"What do I do now?"
His eyes seemed older than ever.
"You must break Ophelia's heart."
The wind swept through the snow between us.
"It is the only way to leave this place."
I swallowed hard.
"Who is Ophelia?"
But before the question could fully leave my lips, Greybeard began fading.
My eyes widened.
His body became transparent and I could see the falling snow through him.
"Wait!"
He smiled faintly then he disappeared.
I stood there alone.
Silence settled over the snowy land once more.
After several seconds, I turned around. Hazel stood exactly where I had left her. Her head remained lowered while pale hair spilled across her face. She hadn't even moved once.
A painful ache settled inside my chest.
I walked toward her and gently took her hand.
"It's okay," I whispered.
Although I wasn't sure whether I was comforting Hazel or myself.
Keeping one arm around her shoulders, I slowly guided her forward through the snow-covered castle grounds.
The air felt strangely different now. It was as though the entire castle was watching us.
We passed frozen fountains and silent towers while snow continued falling around us.
Then something caught my eye causing me to stop in my tracks.
A large door stood along one side of the castle. Embedded into its center were two glowing gems. One which was amber and the other green.
My pulse quickened.
It was the color of the same lights we had followed through the snow.
I tightened my grip on Hazel's hand.
"This has to be it."
Together we approached the door.
The closer we got, the faster my heart beat.
By the time we reached it, my palms had become damp despite the freezing weather.
I drew in a deep breath then I knocked on the door twice.
No answer came from the other side. Only silence.
I waited a little longer before finally reaching for the handle. My fingers wrapped around the cold metal knob.
For a moment, I hesitated.
Then slowly… I turned it.