The Last Moon Goddess

Chapter 3

Talia's deep brown eyes lit up as she leaned in, her gaze locked on Chandria. "So, how long will you grace us with your presence this time?" Her full lips parted in a playful grin, revealing perfectly straight, white teeth. Her hair, a mass of jet-black curls, cascaded down her shoulders in loose waves.

As Chandria's best friend for years, Talia understood that she was a free spirit. She was always on the move, never staying in one place for too long. It was always a challenge to catch up with her, as she could be anywhere in the world. But finally, on a lazy Sunday afternoon, they found a common date to reconnect. They agreed to meet at the coffee shop where Chandria usually stayed.

Chandria smiled back, her blue eyes glistening with the thrill of adventure. "I've got a week or two, but who knows," she said with a shrug. "I might stumble upon something so epic that I'll have to cut the trip short."

Talia's expression turned serious. She gave her best friend a concerned look. "But where are you off to next? Please tell me it's somewhere safe. Remember when you got mugged in that small town in Spain? You have to be more careful, Chan."

Chandria shrugged off, her mischievous grin widening. "I know, I know. But I can't help it, T. I love exploring the unknown, the unexpected, and the extraordinary. I'm addicted to the rush of discovering new places."

Talia let out a heavy sigh, her eyes scanning Chandria's face. "Just promise me you'll be careful, okay?"

Chandria's porcelain skin glowed as she replied, "I will. But you know me, T. I'm always up for a little adventure."

Talia couldn’t help but roll her eyes in disbelief. "Your curiosity will be the death of you," she joked, half-serious.

Ever since Chandria graduated from business school, she knew that the corporate world wasn't her calling. She craved the freedom to go wherever her heart desired and experience life in a way most people could only dream of. So, she started her own travel vlog, which had now become a booming success with thousands of followers. This allowed her to live the life she had always wanted.

"Don't you ever want to settle down and start a family?" Talia asked.

Chandria shook her head, looking determined. "Not yet. There are still so many undiscovered places to explore and incredible people to meet. Life is too short to stay in one place for too long."

Talia's expression softened, and she couldn't help but feel envious of her friend's adventurous spirit. Despite the risks and uncertainties that came with her nomadic lifestyle, Chandria's passion for travel and exploration was infectious. Talia knew that her friend was destined for greatness - uncovering hidden gems, experiencing new cultures, and living life to the fullest.

Talia teased, "So, any update on that cute guy you were phone sexting with?"

Chandria rolled her eyes, recalling how insensitive Vince was the previous night. "Oh, don't even get me started on that jerk," she replied. Despite Vince's persistent texts, Chandria no longer had any interest in him. She had always been this way – once a fake connection was revealed, she was out.

Talia chuckled, unable to resist inquiring about Chandria's love life. They had spent the entire night talking about him. Chandria shared every detail with her until they both fell asleep.

"Oh, before I forget," Talia said, handing Chandria a book, "here's the one you were asking for. Still dreaming of werewolves?" The book looked old, with yellowed and crinkled pages. The cover has intricate designs of wolves and human figures, as if it was hand-drawn.

Chandria took the book and smiled. "Thanks! I just want to learn more about them," she explained. After what she had experienced the night before, she knew that she could no longer turn a blind eye about werewolves. She just wanted to do a little research on them, thinking that it wouldn't hurt to be educated. Luckily, Talia worked in a small, cozy bookstore that was one of those hidden gems only locals knew about.

"Enough about me. How about you? You seem happier than the last time we spoke. How's the little one?" Chandria asked, changing the subject. And they spent the entire day sharing their stories, reminiscing about the good times, and dreaming about what lay ahead.

***

Chandria thought she would finally be able to sleep tonight. However, as she lay in bed with her eyes shut, her mind was still racing with thoughts of the night before. They kept replaying in her head like a movie on repeat. The deafening howls, the piercing golden eyes, and the overwhelming fear that had consumed her refused to fade away.

After tossing and turning for what felt like hours, she gave up on trying to sleep and decided to channel her energy into something productive. She pulled out her laptop to work on some unfinished vlog drafts she had been meaning to edit. It had been weeks since she returned to Rome, and the city's charm had begun to wear off on her. The only thing that had made her feel alive lately was a failed date. She knew it was time to start working on her next adventure.

As she worked, her phone buzzed with a new email notification. Curious, she opened it and felt a jolt of excitement run through her body as she read the email subject. It was an email of collaboration; an invitation for an all-expense-paid trip to Georgia! It seemed too good to be true. She had been dreaming of this opportunity for weeks.

Chandria's heart raced with excitement as she opened the email. However, as she read it carefully, she became skeptical. The email was from the same spammer who had bombarded her videos with comments before. Despite her reservations, she continued reading and was pleasantly surprised by what she found.

The spammer, who introduced herself as Lasha, apologized for her previous behavior and extended a legitimate invitation to collaborate. Lasha explained that she used to live in Ushguli, a small village in Georgia, but had moved to another place for a great opportunity. She had been following Chandria's channel for a long time and believed that promoting Ushguli would help her village. It was her way of giving back to the place that raised her.

Chandria clicked on the link that Lasha had previously sent her, half-expecting it to be another spam message. However, to her surprise, the link just led her to Lasha's personal blog.

She quickly typed "Ushguli" into the search bar and hit enter. Her eyes widened in awe as she scrolled through the stunning images of the highest village in Europe. The towering medieval defense towers, rugged mountains, and quaint stone houses looked like something straight out of a fairy tale. She couldn't believe that such a place existed and felt grateful for the opportunity to promote it to her followers.

Chandria had a simple yet bold philosophy when it came to traveling: she only visited a new place once and never looked back. For her, the world was full of endless possibilities and countless new discoveries to be made, so why waste time going back to where she had already been?

And she had never been to Georgia, let alone Ushguli. Thus, her passion for traveling immediately kicked into high gear. The mere thought of visiting a place she had never been before, and one that would be her farthest destination yet, made her heart skip a beat. Despite the long journey ahead, she knew the potential experience would be worth it.

Without hesitation, she quickly responded to the email, accepting the collaboration. She felt like it was time to finally leave her hometown once again.

Over the next few days, she and Lasha exchanged emails and video calls, discussing the details of the trip and planning out their content. Chandria started researching Ushguli, reading about its history, culture, and people. She even watched travel vlogs and read blogs from people who had already visited the village. By the time she boarded the plane, she felt like she was ready for anything that Ushguli had in store for her.

***

After a grueling eight-hour flight, Chandria finally arrived at Kutaisi International Airport. The airport was a mix of modern architecture and traditional Georgian design. It was early in the morning, and the air was filled with the sound of people speaking in various languages. She could hear the distant hum of planes taking off and landing.

As Chandria sat at the airport terminal waiting for the ride that Lasha had arranged for her, she couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation building up inside her. The excitement of exploring a new country was starting to sink in, but so was the apprehension of not knowing what to expect. The bustling activity around her was both overwhelming and invigorating. People rushed past her with their luggage, and announcements blared over the loudspeakers.

Suddenly, a frail old woman sat down beside her. Chandria gave her some space and tried to mind her own business. But the woman spoke up to her in broken English.

“Where...you go?” the old woman asked with a hoarse voice.

Chandria looked at her and smiled. “Ushguli.”

The old woman's facial expression turned serious. She immediately reached out and handed Chandria the bracelet she was wearing. It was made of woven leather, with small, intricate symbols etched into the surface.

“Ara! Not safe. Protect...from night creatures,” the old woman said cryptically.

Chandria was surprised by the sudden offer, but she didn't want to be rude. She thanked the old woman and held onto the bracelet. “Thanks,” she managed to say.

Just as Chandria was about to ask the old woman what she meant, a younger woman came by and assisted the old woman.

“We’ve been searching for you, Mom!” the younger woman exclaimed. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what she said with you. But she has Alzheimer.”

Chandria was relieved to learn that the old woman meant no harm. Intrigued by the bracelet’s unique design, she slipped it onto her wrist and decided to grab some breakfast.

She found an empty table to eat. But a rugged-looking man with a worn-out leather jacket approached her table. The man flashed her a friendly smile and gestured to the empty chair opposite her. They decided to share a table.

"You're headed to Ushguli, huh?" he suddenly asked, his eyes fixed on Chandria's bracelet.

Chandria nodded, curious about how he knew. "Yes, I am. How did you know?"

The man's grin grew wider. "I'm a hunter. You can tell by the bracelet you're wearing."

Chandria examined the bracelet, taken aback by the man's revelation. "What do you mean? What is this bracelet?"

Leaning in closer, the man whispered, "It's usually worn by old Georgians. Some say it’s a talisman to ward off werewolves and other supernatural entities."

Chandria's eyes widened in disbelief. "Werewolves? Are you serious?"

The man chuckled. "I know it sounds crazy. But you never know what lurks in the shadows out here."

As Chandria felt a chill run down her spine, she couldn't help but feel ill and uncomfortable. She took off the bracelet and handed it to the hunter.

"Here, you seem like you need it more than I do. I’m not out here to hunt," Chandria said, her voice shaky.

The hunter looked at her in surprise. "Are you sure?"

Chandria nodded, feeling a sense of relief. "Yes, take it. I'll be fine."

Just as she gave the bracelet to the hunter, she received a message from Lasha that the driver had arrived. Stepping out of the airport, Chandria couldn't shake off the feeling of intrigue and wonder. What other secrets and surprises awaited her in Ushguli? She was determined to find out.