Exactly an hour later, Hayden watched as the massive doors of the throne room slowly parted open. Over a dozen men, fully armored and armed, had already lined both sides of the large hall, with each man holding a lance upright. The stranger, Pyra, walked into the room, flanked by four deadpan guards. As they drew closer, Hayden adjusted on his throne and stole a glance at his council seated on either side of him. They all gazed intently at her, even Lord Jesper who was calling for her death an hour ago. Hayden chose to interpret their behavior as curiosity because he assumed they were eager to hear her speak, just as he was. The small group stopped just before the granite steps leading up to the throne. As the guards backed away, giving Pyra just enough room to move, she ran her red eyes over each member of the Council until they rested on Hayden.
She raised her hands, displaying the shackles that held them in place. "Are these really necessary?"
"Quite so," Jesper replied condescendingly. "You're still a stranger and your true intentions are still unknown. Hence the safety precautions in place."
"I see." Pyra gave a glance over her shoulder, sizing up the guards. "And this is how you treat every stranger that comes to Wysteria?"
"Only the ones who wish to exploit our vulnerability."
"Thank you, Lord Jesper, for the warm welcome," Cassian cut in with a sarcastic smile. He turned to Pyra with clasped hands. "Please pardon the High Priest. He can be a little too passionate sometimes."
"I can see that."
"I'm glad you can. In that case, Pyra, without further ado, the king tells us that you may have a solution to our current problem. And we're gathered here to hear it from you."
Again, Pyra's eyes fell on Hayden, who matched her gaze without fail. "What do you know about werewolves?"
For a moment, the room fell silent following Pyra's sudden question. Then, Cassian cleared his throat and smiled again. "Pardon me, but I'm rather confused as to who that question is directed at."
Pyra opened her palms. "To the highly esteemed gathering before me. To defeat the enemy, one must understand it. Its strengths, its weaknesses, its habits. And all that depends on how much you know about it."
Cassian seemed poised to speak, but Ulric beat him to it. "Besides the occasional lore from children's stories, there's nothing else to know. These creatures were believed to be mere products of myths and active imagination."
Pyra shook her head. "I assure you, my lord, even the most absurd myths and fairytales carry valuable grains of truth. Only by experiencing can one learn to distinguish between the two."
Hayden's brows knitted together as he recalled his aunt making a similar remark only a few days ago. He leaned forward, apparently more intrigued than before. "Then tell us the truth, Pyra. We've heard stories of its existence, and we've experienced its aggression firsthand. What we lack now is knowledge, and that's where you can help us."
"I see," Pyra said again. She looked at the iron restraints binding her hands, taking a deep breath like she was trying to gain composure.
"Werewolves are creatures of dark, malicious magic," she began, embodying the ambiance of a serene narrator. "They're ravenous beasts with an endless appetite for flesh and blood, which fuels their uncontrollable thirst for destruction and death. But, underneath their monstrosity, lies a shrinking part of their humanity that is suppressed by a curse."
"A curse?" Ulric repeated with an inquisitive frown. "What do you mean by that?"
"Unfortunate men, or women for that matter, are placed under the condemnation of a spell," Pyra explained. "The spell transforms them into monsters during nights when the moon is at its peak. Other than that, they remain ordinary people, some of whom have no memory of their transformation at all."
"You're saying that in its human form, a werewolf is barely recognizable?" Cassian inquired.
Pyra nodded. "Most likely. You could sit across from one on your dinner table and never realize it until it's too late. Which leads me to ask: how was King Baustas killed?"
Flynn stiffened. "Why do you wish to know?"
"Because your answer could help us determine the source of the problem. Whether it's from outside, or within."
Flynn cast a cautious look at Hayden, who nodded in approval. He turned back to Pyra with a glare that could make forest fires freeze over. "The beast took us by surprise that night. In a split moment, the midnight silence was suddenly ripped to shreds by a piercing scream. I rallied some men and we charged towards the origin of the sound. When we arrived at the stables, we found the bodies of a few men I recognized lying twisted and mangled on the ground, including that of the late king. Standing over them was the most grotesque sight I'd ever beheld; a creature twice as tall as me, with large teeth covered in blood and eyes as yellow as flames.
"As my men tried to keep the monster occupied, I carried King Baustas back to the palace, believing the grand healer could save him from the severity of his wounds. Alas, his death came several hours later, just as the sun began to set on the horizon."
Pyra remained quiet, and for a fleeting moment, Hayden thought he spotted something between sorrow and anger flash across her eyes.
"Did you find out why the late king was at the stables at that hour?" she asked.
"We did not," Flynn answered firmly, killing the opportunity for more questions.
Pyra's head bobbed with understanding. "Then it means one thing is clear: it came from within the palace."
"What an outrageous speculation!" Jesper cried. "All this woman has done so far is cook up fancy stories from meaningless lore. And now she concludes that the creature lives amongst us? How much longer are we going to sit here and watch this outsider freely spew lies from her foul mouth?"
Hayden twisted on his throne so that he faced the irate man seated to his left, who was still glaring at Pyra like she had spat in his face.
"One more outburst, Lord Jesper," he warned quietly as he raised a single finger, "and I'll make sure you regret, for the rest of your short life, speaking without control."
The high priest's eyes widened briefly, then he sank into his chair like a scolded child. Hayden turned back to Pyra, who had a small smile on her face for the first time.
"As I was saying," she continued. "As there's no proof of the creature breaking into the palace, then it means it was already within the palace walls before it attacked. That's why you were all taken by surprise, because the werewolf lives among you."
"Unfortunately, and quite surprisingly, I might have to agree with Lord Jesper, my king," admitted Ulric. "Every person within these walls has lived here for several years without incident. So I find it absurd that one of us should suddenly bear the residuals of a curse and develop the urge to rend the others to pieces."
"The possibility simply cannot be ruled out, my lord," Pyra pressed. "I believe that the most dangerous attribute of a werewolf isn't its ferocity, but its ability to blend in with other humans. At this point, anyone and everyone should be seen as a potential threat."
"Take a deep breath, Pyra," Cassian said, aiming to diffuse the tense atmosphere. "We shouldn't plant seeds of doubt and mistrust in our heads, especially now that we need to be more united than ever. And even if you were right, which I'm still doubtful of, how would you suggest we single this person out?"
"Wolfsbane," she answered quickly. "While harmless to ordinary people, the plant has fatal effects on humans with the werewolf curse. Burning it as incense around the palace would've poisoned the creature instantly. But it's a rather rare plant and very hard to find in the winter. So we'll move on to the next best thing."
Hayden raised an eyebrow. "Which is?"
"Silver," Pyra replied with a glint in her eye. "Only weapons made or coated by it can pierce the thick hide of a werewolf. Nothing else can."
"That's why I couldn't kill it," Hayden whispered. He turned to Flynn with renewed hope in his eyes. "This is the answer we need. With silver, it's as vulnerable as any boar or deer. It can be killed."
"Yes," Pyra agreed. "But it's one thing to know the weapon that can kill it, and it's another thing to know how to kill it."
Flynn scowled. "I assure you, woman, the King is more skilled in combat than you assume. No weapon can be a problem to handle."
Pyra smiled. "Oh, I'm sure of that. But a werewolf isn't some forest animal. It's a mindless monster that requires unnatural skills, precision, and even luck sometimes. The latter was the major reason you even survived the encounter in the first place."
Fuming, Flynn stabbed a finger at Pyra. "I'd be careful of the words that tumble out of my mouth if I were you. With this information, you're no use to us anymore. So talk with respect or risk punishment."
"Oh? Is that right?" Pyra asked with a raised eyebrow. "Very well, then. I'll see myself out."
Before Hayden could intervene, the iron shackles around Pyra's wrists began to glow. The guards around her stepped back with urgency as the metal radiated so much heat that it started to melt. In a quick moment, a puddle of molten iron formed before Pyra as she flexed her free hands.
Everyone had gotten to their feet, including Hayden, whose bewildered gaze switched repeatedly from the liquid metal on the ground to the woman in front of him.
"A witch!" Jesper proclaimed as he raised his meaty arms. "I knew she couldn't be trusted, I said it countless times! But no one would listen! Now we've invited a witch to desecrate the sanctity of our home!"
Flynn drew his sword, creating a ripple effect that made every guard in the room aim their lances at Pyra. Hayden took a step forward, still trying to process what he'd just witnessed.
"It would seem that you haven't told us everything we need to know," he said with a disapproving frown. "What are you? A witch? Are you here to curse us all?"
Pyra sighed. "Men. Such dramatic creatures." A trail of fire suddenly burst forth from both her hands, taking the solid shape of curved blades. Her eyes, which emitted a fiery red glow, radiated power that baffled its onlookers.
"I didn't say I came here with a solution," she said, addressing Hayden. "I came here because I am the solution. Only I possess the ability to kill the beast. So if anyone has a problem with that, then speak up now."