The Last Moon Goddess

Chapter 10

The arrival of winter in Ushguli caught Chandria off guard, as it came earlier than she had anticipated. She gazed out of her window, feeling uneasy as she saw the snow falling gently to the ground. The sight reminded her of the traumatic experience she had on the glacier, where she lost some of her memories.

Despite hoping to wait for Nate's return, Chandria's solitude in her room made her restless. She yearned for some form of human interaction, prompting her to step outside the guest house and explore the snow-covered village. The calm and tranquil streets were a welcome change from the chaotic day before, but the isolation of the village was hard to ignore.

Chandria passed by Anastasha's home and saw her knitting and chatting with some villagers. As she was about to stop by, the villagers saw her and looked at her suspiciously, just like they had looked at Emma when she arrived in the village after searching for her husband in the mountains.

They were speaking in a language that Chandria couldn't understand, and she felt uncomfortable and worried, especially when the villagers began to leave. Even Anastasha, who was initially friendly with her, started packing her belongings. Chandria sensed that something was wrong, so she rushed to Anastasha's side to know what was going on.

"Did you cross the boundary?" Anastasha asked, her eyes avoiding Chandria's, as if she had become a stranger overnight.

Chandria felt her throat tighten as she realized that she couldn't remember what had happened after the horse had taken her deep into the glacier. But she had a feeling that she had gone beyond the boundary. "I think so," she admitted. "But Nate saved me, and we returned safely," she reassured Anastasha.

Anastasha's expression grew more serious, and her tone became as cold as the snow outside. "You and Nate are the first people to return after crossing the boundary," she said enigmatically. "We were worried about Emma, but we found out she couldn't even hike. Yet, you two went too far."

Chandria felt a chill run down her spine. "What do you mean?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly. She reached out to touch Anastasha, but the other woman pulled away, her eyes ablaze with anger. "Don't touch me!" she exclaimed. Chandria backed off in surprise, her heart hammering in her chest. She had never seen Anastasha so upset before.

"I suggest you leave this village before you cause any more trouble," Anastasha warned, her voice low and dangerous. "Tell Nate the same thing. He knew better than to cross the boundary for you."

Chandria's brow furrowed in confusion. "What will happen if we cross the boundary?" she asked again.

Anastasha's expression darkened further. "This village may be endangered by creatures we have never seen before," she warned in a hushed tone. "You shouldn't have come back here. Now, they will come after you, seeking retribution for your trespass."

Chandria's heart pounded in her chest as she struggled to comprehend the gravity of the situation. "What can we do?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Anastasha's eyes narrowed as she looked intently at Chandria. "You need to leave, now," she said firmly. "Go far away from here, and never look back. The further you go, the safer you will be."

Chandria shivered, unable to shake off the feeling of dread that had settled in the pit of her stomach. Suddenly, she heard voices in her head, as clear as if they were standing right next to her. At first, she thought she was imagining things, but then she saw some villagers in the distance, their mouths moving in sync with the words she was hearing. They were simply talking about their day, but she could clearly hear them despite the distance, as though she had developed some sort of superhuman listening ability.

This wasn't normal; it wasn't possible. Something was happening to her, something she couldn't explain.

As she turned back to Anastasha, hoping to find some answers, she realized that she was now alone. Anastasha had left without saying goodbye, leaving Chandria feeling more alone and scared than ever.

Trembling, Chandria stumbled back towards the guest house, her mind racing with questions and confusion.

***

As Talia spoke to Chandria over the phone, she could hear the worry in her voice. Chandria had told her about her adventures in Ushguli, and despite the excitement, Talia couldn't help but feel concerned for her friend's safety. "You should just come home now," Talia urged. "I can help you book your ride and even your flight. I know you have a hot man around there, but it's not enough reason to put your life at risk. You don't know that place well enough. If someone told you to leave because it's dangerous, what will you do?"

Chandria replied, trying to make light of the situation, "Find out why it is dangerous?"

Talia sighed in frustration. She knew Chandria's personality and her tendency to take risks. But as her friend, she felt responsible for looking out for her. "Chandria Eve Lothaire!" Talia scolded. "I love your adventurous spirit, but please be safe. You have no idea what could happen in a foreign land."

Chandria chuckled. But underneath her laughter, she still had fears in her heart. "Fine," she relented. "I already have a lot of photos and videos with me. I'm leaving tomorrow. I just want to spend one last night with Nate."

"Very good," Talia replied, relieved that Chandria was finally listening to her. "I'll send you the flight details and contact of the driver who will fetch you."

But before she hung up, Talia couldn't help but ask, “You said it's snowing there. So why aren't you wearing more clothes? Didn't you bring a thicker jacket?"

"Yes, but a regular jacket works for me," Chandria explained. "Oddly enough, I don't feel cold.”

Talia shook her head in disbelief. "I really hope you could just find a regular job and stay in one place so I wouldn't have to worry about you all the time," Talia added.

“Well, that's not going to happen in this lifetime, my friend,” Chandria replied with a hint of sarcasm in her voice. “But thank you so much, Talia. For always being there for me. I know I don’t deserve a friend like you. It's like I did something right in my past life to have you by my side now.”

Talia felt a lump in her throat as she listened to her friend's words. "Stop it! You're making me cry!" she cried, her emotions getting the best of her.

When the phone call ended, Chandria stood up and went to the window. The sun had already set, and there was only darkness outside. Nate said he would return with food, but he hadn't yet. The last time she had seen him was when she woke up after a deep sleep in the afternoon.

After her encounter with Anastasha, Chandria couldn't help but worry about Nate's safety. What if something had happened to him because of her? The thought made her anxious, and she couldn't just sit and wait for him. She had to find him, no matter what.

Chandria zipped up her jacket and grabbed her flashlight, determined to find Nate. She searched the guest house, but Nana couldn't help her with Nate's whereabouts. Undeterred, she ventured out into the frosty night, the biting cold nipping at her skin. The darkness enveloped her, and she felt a growing sense of unease.

As she walked through the village, she scanned the area, hoping to spot Nate's familiar figure. But the village was eerily quiet, the only sounds coming from her footsteps and the crunching of snow beneath her boots. The silence was deafening, and it only served to heighten her anxiety.

Chandria tried asking the few locals she encountered if they had seen Nate, but they avoided her. Soon, she felt like she was wandering aimlessly, going around in circles, getting more lost by the minute. But Chandria refused to give up. She pressed on, holding tightly to her flashlight and hoping to find Nate before something terrible happened.

***

Chandria's heart raced as she found herself on the outskirts of the village, near the same path they had ventured to the night before. She strained her eyes to remember exactly where they had walked through until she arrived at the church and found horses parked nearby. Despite the chill in the air, a bead of sweat trickled down her forehead as she remembered what had happened the night before. She knew she should have rented the horse properly, but there was no one around to cater to her need.

A feeling of dread settled over her as she continued her journey to the Shkhara Glacier restaurant. She realized that this was probably not the safest place to be alone at night. The wind howled through the trees, and the darkness seemed to consume her.

As she approached the restaurant, she could see that it was already closed for the night. The shutters were tightly locked, and the signboard was flipped over, indicating that the restaurant was closed.

She knew it was already a dead end and thought of returning to the village to look for Nate again. However, she suddenly heard voices in the distance, muffled but audible.

“We have rules!” a man's voice growled.

“It wasn’t her choice!”

Chandria's heart leaped in her chest as she recognized the voice. It was Nate's!

Chandria's heart raced with a mix of anticipation and fear as she urged one of the horses to take her closer to the source of the voices. The animal galloped along the path, carrying her past the viewing point of the glacier and into the deeper, more secluded parts of the area. But just as she was about to get closer to the source of the voices, the horse suddenly came to a halt, sensing the danger ahead. It bucked wildly, causing Chandria to lose her balance and fall to the ground with a painful thud.

The impact sent a sharp pain shooting through her body as she struggled to get back up. As she tried to regain her bearings, she could hear the voices more clearly now. She stood up and cautiously approached the source of the commotion, hiding behind a tree when she saw three men holding Nate in each arm. They were shirtless, their broad shoulders and muscular arms glistening in the pale moonlight. Though they looked like ordinary men, Chandria could sense a primal, dangerous energy emanating from them, making her heart pound with fear.

The men showed no signs of discomfort as they held Nate in a vice-like grip, their eyes fixated on him as he struggled against their grasp.

She scanned the area, desperately searching for a way to help Nate. Her mind raced as she weighed her options. What could she even do against these men? Should she try to fight them? Run away and get help? The thought of leaving Nate behind made her stomach churn with guilt and fear.

However, just as she was about to make an impulsive move, her body froze with fear as the man in front of Nate began to transform into a massive creature. Its snarls echoed through the air, sending shivers down her spine. She watched in horror as the creature's skin stretched and distorted, forming fur and claws as it became a werewolf.

Chandria's mind raced as she realized that the other men with the creature could be werewolves as well. The stories of these supernatural creatures that she had dreamed of and heard as a child suddenly seemed all too real.

Her knees gave way as she watched in horror as Nate tried to escape, but the werewolf sank its teeth into his arm, causing him to cry out in pain. The creature lifted Nate's body like a ragdoll and carried him away, leaving a trail of blood on the snow.

Just when Chandria was about to follow them, something struck the back of her head, and she crumpled to the ground, unconscious.