The Afterlife Academy Saga

Chapter 19

19

"By all accounts or measures, you're dead." Rada's voice echoed through the void, the only anchor in the nothingness. "Listen to the sound of my voice. Search for it. If you close yourself off from me, the twine around your wrist will snap and you'll be on your own."

On my own. Gulp. No thanks.

I directed all my attention towards the teacher's voice, making sure to draw in every word.

"Within the Veil, your mind makes things happen. Right now, you're lost and you need to find me. Focus on me. Remembering what I look like is the easiest way to make your way to me."

Great. For the life of me, I couldn't recall her appearance. Or Aellyn's. Or anyone's. Everything was a blur. Shapes, blobs, shadows.

"Don't dwell. Listen. Picture my short hair, dark as a raven. My strong nose, which looks like it could serve as a coat hanger. The stern look in my eyes and my thin lips that I got from my father."

With her descriptions, a vague image bubbled to the surface. One that resembled Rada as close as I could make it.

"The sharper you can imagine something, the closer the Veil will bring you to it. Or it to you. Nobody knows," she continued, her voice a little clearer than before. "You'll be drawn to me. Follow it."

Something tugged on me, urging me to step forward. As instructed, I let it guide me through the grey. There was nothing here but the sound of Rada's voice and the faint memories of my life.

"Don't forget who you are. The Veil will take everything you are if you let it. Protect it with your mind. Remember who you are."

I took a deep breath, surprised by how shivery I was. Remember who I am.

"I'm Ylva, daughter of Helga. I'm going to become a Valkyrie," I said out loud, hoping to combat the void. "I'm Ylva, daughter of Helga. I'm going to become a Valkyrie."

My teacher's voice sounded again, even clearer than before. "You're all doing well. I can feel you. Come closer to me. Let your instincts guide you."

Reassured, I kept walking in the direction that my inner compass guided me to. Drawn by invisible strings, I followed the silent call of my professor. Deeper and deeper into the grey mist of life and death.

With every step, the pressure on my mind strengthened. Almost like an assault on my memories. Something was trying to break in, trying to steal my essence. I could feel it.

I was dead and the universe knew it. It wanted what it was owed. My memories.

"No!" I didn't know where the courage was coming from, but I wouldn't let this be the end. I would come back from the Veil and prove to everyone that I was cut out to be a Valkyrie. That I was meant for this.

I just needed to follow the call of Rada, heading towards—

A soft howl tore through me, chilling me to the bone.

What was that? Did I just imagine something?

"Hello?" I called out, pausing to investigate the foreign sensation. It almost felt like... No, that couldn't be right. It couldn't be... "Hyde?"

Met with silence, my confusion grew. I could've sworn I heard him. Felt him. But no, why would he be here? If he was here, then...

The same sensation tugged on me, almost like a paw scratching my leg. A whimper slashed through my heart, calling upon the bond I forged with my dusk.

It was him. There was no doubt. He was here?

"Hyde!?" I called out again, panic bubbling up in my gut. Was my wolf dead? Did the thief kill them?

No. No, that couldn't be right. If that was the case, I'd have known. I'd have felt it. But they were here, somewhere. I knew it. I needed to find him. Now.

I turned around, the string in my wrist tightening.

Rada's voice sounded again, softer than before. "Stop. Listen to me. Find me."

Conflict waged war in my heart. I knew the consequences of disobeying. It could cost me my life. But then... Hyde. My wolf. He needed me. I just knew it.

I took another step away from Rada's pull, fighting against the desire to listen.

"Don't. You'll be lost. I can't reach you if the thread breaks."

I should listen. I should listen. I should listen.

Hyde cried out again and my mind was made up. He needed me. I had to go.

Stubbornly, I ignored my teacher's voice and forced myself away from the pull. The stallion twine sizzled, glowing white as I stretched it to its limits.

Doubt clouded my mind as I put more and more distance between Rada and me. I could still turn back, I could still turn back.... Hyde... But I could still turn ba—

Snap.

The silver thread broke, the ends disappearing faster than I could blink. I couldn't turn back anymore.

Fuck...

The sudden isolation dawned on me, tightening my throat. What had I done? Why did I break the string? Professor Rada told me this meant I wouldn't find them again. That I might not be able to get back...

All that for a wolf cub I didn't know that well. All of that for—

Hyde whined again, and the regret melted away. He might be a random pup, but he was mine. I was responsible for him, I was his companion. I needed to find him.

But how? The grey smoke was everywhere, with no beginning and no end. Up was down and down was up. No sun to orientate me, no wind to guide me. I was lost, apart from the hum in my heart. A lull that drew me towards Hyde, or at least... I hoped that was where it was taking me.

I gave a wistful look in the direction I thought I came from, although that could've been anywhere. Nothing was clear here. For a split moment, I wished I hadn't broken the thread. That I'd ignored Hyde's call.

Then I gritted my teeth and tore my mind away from Rada's warnings. It was too late now. It was done. Regret would be of no help. I chose this and there was no coming back from it.

With a heavy heart, I concentrated on the soft whimpers in the back of my mind. I had to strengthen our connection if I was going to find him, but how?

Could I use Rada's technique? Focus on what he looked like, draw his essence to the foreground.

It was worth a try... There was nothing else here.

I closed my eyes and drew an image in my mind. Dark, grey fur. Cute eyes, crinkled ears, paws too big for his body. The little flecks of black and white in his coat, ones that would grow into stripes when he was older. The softness of his fur, the sharp teeth breaking my skin, the smell of the hay and wolf.

The tug of the whimpers grew stronger, drawing me closer to Hyde. I could feel it.

I focussed harder, imagining the dusk. His snout would grow, his teeth would become even sharper. His bluish eyes would become red, like suns in an eclipse. His fur would darken until he blended in with the shadows of the world. One day, he'd be the toughest wolf out there. I just knew it.

My whole essence was pulled forward and I let it happen. The grey smoke flashed and twirled past me, curling into shapes and shadows.

An image formed in my mind, vague and blurry. The edges unravelled, the figures barely recognisable. Limbs, eyes, hair? No, fur. Wolves?

With all my might, I brought the scene to the front of my thoughts. I focussed my inner eye, sharpening the picture as best as I could.

Slowly, the mental image materialised in the waves of smoke. Colour filled the greyness, drawing lines and shapes into the nothingness. I couldn't tell exactly where it all came from or how, even if it was happening right in front of my eyes.

The sound of Hyde's howl grew stronger and I grabbed hold of it. The call drew me closer to the scene, even if I didn't feel like I was moving. Maybe it was the Veil that moved around me?

I'd ask Professor Rada about that. If I ever had the chance...

A puff of smoke whizzed past me, recalling a faint memory of claws and teeth. Almost like the flick of a tail, it lured me along.

"Hyde?" I called, reaching out. The image disappeared as I waved my hand through it, almost as if had never even been there. No Hyde.

"Where are you?" I whispered, my courage sinking. If I couldn't find him, this was all for nothing. I'd be stuck in the Veil forever or I'd cross over and return to the universe. Neither seemed particularly appealing.

No, I didn't have a choice here. I needed to find my wolf and then I could worry about my way back. I just needed to listen to his call and—

"Hyde!"

I rushed forward, chasing towards the sudden appearance in front of me. Wolves. Dusk wolves.

There were so many. Way more than the ones stolen from the Academy, even way more than the twenty-one the teachers knew about. What were they doing here? How did they get here?

Filled with questions, I sprinted towards them but they never seemed to get closer. Instead, they grew hazier, fuzzier, blurrier.

No!

I couldn't let them slip from me, not now. I was almost there.

"Hyde!" I screamed, hoping to draw his attention. One of the wolves perked up, his ears wrinkling. My wolf. He was there. So close, yet so far.

I stretched out my arm, but they were just out of reach. No matter how hard I ran, how I focused on the companion bond, how I fought against the emptiness of the Veil, I couldn't get closer.

I called again, desperation colouring my voice. "Hyde!"

In the middle of the wolves, a figure rose. Was my wolf coming? Did he hear me? Was he—

That wasn't a wolf. It had arms, legs, a face. A man? Who was that? What was he doing here? Why was he with the wolves?

Oh f**k, this had to be the thief. This was the man that stole all the dusks!

Anger boiled up within me and as it did, the man grew smaller.

"No!" I screamed, but to no avail. The smoke engulfed the wolves, stealing them from me. As if they were never there, the void returned and silenced the tug on my heart. No more whimpers or howling. Just silence.

The wolves were gone and I was alone, stuck between life and death.