42 hours later they were in Arcadia Greece, the land of myths and legends where mountains whispered ancient secrets and the sky stretched wide with untamed grace.
After their confrontation a couple of choppers had arrived, reinforcements Lira had called for.
Alric had stopped burning by then, his body was now burnt black like charcoal. Though alive he showed no sign of regenerating, perhaps due to the nature of the fire Tariq had used.
Lira had spoken briefly to the commander who had arrived with the reinforcements keeping details short. They would be time for debriefing later.
Alric was then lifted into one of the choppers for medical care and like before Sera had offered to cast a healing spell but was once again rejected. A witch had inflicted those wounds, they would seek no help from one.
After rounding up the survivors others stayed behind to clean up the incident. Mortals were not to know of their presence and by whatever reason, perhaps due to the spell that had been cast by the witch earlier, no mortals had thus far taken notice of their presence.
From there they were flown to base, which was supposed to be their next checkpoint had they not lost their cargo. Alric was then whisked away to some unknown room while Tariq, Sera and Eirik were placed in holding.
They were the only outsiders here though Eirik was one of them he had never belonged for reasons he never liked remembering. Food and drink was brought to them but nothing else.
A couple of hours later Darius came to escort them to a private plane on the base's runway. They saw Lira speaking to a now fully healed Alric seeming to have a heated discussion about something but the wind made it hard to discern anything.
"We'll be heading to Lykoryon" Lira said once they had gotten closer. "We've been called to give a full detailed report of what happened"
"Why keep us in holding for hours?" Eirik asked "And why not be debriefed here?"
"I don't give the orders Mr Vollen. We are to follow instructions as given"
"Well I don't see why miss Levesquè and I need to be here then. You can drop us off at the nearest airport and we'll be on our way" Tariq said.
"You are to go to Lykoryon as well Mr Aman and Miss Levesqué. These orders apply to you as well"
"I don't take orders from anyone. This was a job you hired us for and now it's over. Eirik can stand in for debriefing and besides everyone knows no outsiders are allowed in Lykoryon"
"Surely even you know that all parties involved in an incident are required to give a detailed account of their experience. This allows us to validate any information given and probably find clues that others missed while others noticed. And yes no outsiders are allowed in Lykoryon except in special cases such as this an exception is allowed"
Tariq didn't seem happy to continue being in the presence of these people. They had broken the Accords and had taken great lengths to keep it secret and he intended to find out why.
As they passed Alric to board the plane Alric's eyes flashed blue, hatred burning in his eyes.
Tariq smiled.
The air in Arcadia was cooler, the scent of pine and earth filled their lungs as they stepped onto the tarmac of a private airstrip hidden deep in the Peloponnesias wilderness. A row of matte black Suvs were already waiting for them.
Arcadia unfolded around them, jagged peaks cloaked in green forests so thick the sun barely touched the underbrush. Villages appeared in the distance, dotting the mountainsides.
They drove on for about three hours winding through mountain passes, then they saw it.
Lykoryon, the hidden city of the Lykans.
Nestled between a ring of mountains it was invisible to all mortal eyes and devices. No known map recorded its existence, even of the ring of mountains that surrounded it had long disappeared from human history.
Below them, nestled in perfect harmony with the land was a city of ancient design and elegance. White stone buildings with terracotta rooftops clustered together its architecture reminiscent of old Arcadian styles.
Modern architecture blended perfectly and seamlessly with the ancient style.
The streets themselves were wide and clean, paved with smooth stone, bordered by flowerbeds while water channels ran alongside filled with clear mountain spring waters and fishes of a multitude of beautiful colors.
Lykans moved about freely and happily through the streets. Tall, broad shouldered men and graceful beautiful women. Some wore emblems etched into their clothing, no doubt to distinguish the different clans.
Children though few could be seen running along cobbled paths laughing and chasing each other playfully.
In the distance, Mavrodasos a vast forest of towering evergreens stretched toward the northern side of the valley, its emerald canopy ancient and untouched.
To the east a lake, Limni Selene sparkled under the sunlight. It was said to reflect the moon like a polished mirror.
The lake was said to have mystical properties, some theorized it powered the city somehow and it was the reason why the city was cloaked from outsiders. Its waters were fed by a cascadimg waterfall that spilled down from the mountains above it but it was the castle that was the greatest of them all.
Sat high against the northern side of the valley Kastro Selene, it rose like a monument to the gods. Its towers rose high into the sky like silvered fangs. Its walls were built from stone sourced from the Limni lake, and like the lake itself the castle would reflect the moonlight like a mirror.
The spectral radiance was what earned it the name Kastro Selene.
The Moon Castle.
Sera let out a soft gasp as she saw the legendary castle.
"It's beautiful" she whispered.
Despite his hatred for the Lykans besides his friend Eirik, Tariq had to agree. The city was a beauty to beheld.
A few minutes later they arrived at their designated stop. Darius, Sera and Lira dropped off but Tariq and Eirik were told this was not their stop.
"Why?" Tariq asked but Alric didn't reply.
The vehicle pulled away driving further through the heart of the city. Eventually it halted before an awe aspiring building.
Inside the floors were laid in obsidian marble, threaded with golden flecks. Statues lined the vast entrance hall of warriors mid battle. Paintings older than the modern world hang in golden-rimmed frames.
The vaulted ceiling above was a master of painted murals depicting ancient battles between Vampires, Witches even humans in times past. And at the heart of the hall stood a statue that dominated all others.
King Lycaon.
He stood proud, carved from white marble laced with silver. His cloak bellowed behind him as though caught in eternal wind. His features were noble and fierce, sharp jaw, regal brow and eyes that held wisdom.
Alric motioned for them follow.
It had been atleast 200 years since Eirik had last set foot in his ancestral home. He had left it for his own reasons and coming back had resurfaced memories he wished remained burried.
As they moved deeper into the building, the walls became narrower. The artwork here changed as well, it was older yet more profound. There where no golden frames here.
These murals were painted directly into the stone, chiseled and preserved by hand.
Finally they arrived at a pair of towering double doors made from ancient Arcadian cedar wood. On either side stood sentries - one male, one female, both were tall and dressed in black leather.
They were unarmed but they didn't need to be. A swipe from a Lykan's claws could cleave a head clean of someone's shoulders.
They acknowledged Alric as he approached and swung the doors open to let them inside.
Inside was a grand chamber with a circular dome, its walls made of dark stone inlaid with veins of lunar crystal.
A fire danced in the massive brazier in the center casting shifting shadows across polished floors. The dome above was a stained glass mural of the full moon and when the sunlight filtered through the entire chamber it glowed as if with celestial light.
There where no windows, yet Tariq could feel the different currents in the air no doubt they were hidden channels that allowed for airflow.
As they walked further in they noticed at the far end of the chamber rose a grand dais and upon it were four thrones.