CHAPTER 36
Jessica slowly opened her eyes.
Her head felt a little dizzy. The moment she blinked awake, she saw Ethan sitting nearby, watching her closely. As soon as he saw her eyes open, he stood up immediately.
"Hey… are you okay? Can you hear me?" His voice was filled with concern.
Jessica gave a faint smile. "I'm fine… I think. But… what happened back there? I still don't fully understand what I saw. But when I saw you like that… I just knew I had to do something. Now… we're free, right? We're not prisoners anymore… are we? I mean… I'm not dead, and this isn't just some dream, right?"
Ethan let out a soft chuckle and shook his head. "No… it's all real. Everyone here is free now. They've decided to stay here, to build some kind of order in this place. There's plenty of supplies… even weapons to defend themselves. There are other healers among them too. They'll build something here. That's why you…"
He stopped mid-sentence.
"Shhh…" Jessica interrupted him with a small smile. "I'm coming with you."
Jessica moved closer slowly. Ethan said nothing, just lowered his head slightly. Jessica leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. For a moment, both of them smiled. Then they embraced each other quietly.
After a while, Ethan slowly pulled back and told Jessica everything what had happened to him, why he was here, the choices he had made. Jessica was shocked at first… but then she accepted it. After all, they had both saved each other's lives. From that moment, they were bound together.
And in the end… they decided to leave together.
Now, Vlad's House
Vlad stood in the middle of the room, his voice heavy with darkness and worry.
"I know why Ethan left…" he said. "He went to become a Primordis Lycian. To perform the ritual in ancient Mesopotamia… the place where the very first werewolf legend was born. I had researched it once, back when I didn't want to remain weak. That's probably how he found out. But… to do it, you have to abandon your humanity and sacrifice innocent lives as offerings. That's why I gave up on it. But Ethan… it looks like he's already completed the first stage. And… it doesn't seem like he plans to stop. I don't know what to do…"
The room fell silent.
Mike took a deep breath and spoke calmly.
"Relax. We'll figure this out. Look… we're not enemies anymore. We're the same team now, remember? We can't just leave Ethan. Maybe we haven't seen each other since the Gideon incident… but we all know the cost of these things. So, everyone, get your heads straight."
Vlad lifted his head, his eyes now filled with determination.
"You're right. We can't give up this easily."
Zack stepped forward.
"Listen… if he's really there, or if he passed through there, then… we need to go to Northern Mesopotamia. The place where the old legends still linger. We have to go there."
Vlad nodded firmly. "Then get ready. We know where we're heading."
Mike turned to Zack and Emily.
"Are you sure? I mean… won't this cause trouble for you? Or for your families? Going there… it's going to be heavy."
Emily's voice was steady and clear.
"No. And remember what you just said… we're in this together. So we move together."
Everyone had made their decision.
"Then let's head to the helicopter on the roof," Vlad said.
The rotors above them began to spin as they reached the rooftop. Vlad stepped forward and opened the door.
Mike raised an eyebrow with a faint smile.
"Well… you didn't mention you had a helicopter, huh?"
Vlad shrugged.
"It was needed once. We used it back when the company still made public appearances. But… it's been a long time since we've touched it."
The rotor blades roared louder as everyone boarded. The sky was a dull gray. And just like that… they took off.
A Few Days Later
The helicopter approached the place Vlad had seen in his vision. Northern Mesopotamia ancient, desolate lands, but with an eerie, haunting beauty.
When they landed, the wind was harsh. The silence that seeped between the jagged stones felt like an echo of something sinister.
And then, Vlad's head began to throb violently.
"Ahhh!" he groaned, clutching his head.
Svetlana immediately crouched beside him.
"Vlad! What's wrong? Are you okay?"
Vlad gasped, his voice strained.
"I'm fine… this is… the right place… this is definitely it…" he whispered.
Mike stepped forward quickly.
"Then we'll do it again… the same way. I'll use my claws. It'll hurt, but be ready."
Vlad gritted his teeth, nodding through the pain.
"Yes… we have to do it again…"
And there, on those cursed lands…
Another door was about to open.