After the three had finished eating breakfast just as promised Lyra took Zarath and Tharon to the temple of the Vrak’Thura of course making several stops along the way, Lyra couldn’t help herself when it came to showing off all that Vaerthuin had to offer she made the group stop at several shops where she knew the shop keeps or where some of the traveling tribes were trading with those that lived in the city. It was about noon when they finial reached the temple just like the city gates two giant Wolfkin stood at the gates of the temple, and a giant cloth wall adorned with blue fabric sown into it in intricate symbols each visible pulsing with magic, beyond the walls was an untouched section of the ancient forest that made up the city of Vaerthuin the trees so thick that you couldn’t see more then a few inches past the branches.

          “Here we are the Temple of Vrak’Thura.” Lyra bounced in place as her tail wagged quickly behind her, she put her hands behind her back leaning forward just about with a big smile as if to say praise me. Zarath rolled his eyes at her antics but was happy to see she was having fun.

          “Well come one slow pokes the bathes here are said to be the best in the whole world.” Lyra bound towards the gate guards with Zarath and Tharon followed behind her, Hura following behind Zarath. As the three of them approached the gate the two massive Wolfkin stepped forward the cloth covering their eyes just like the ones that stood at the gates to the city. The one on the left lifted his hands towards the two boys but allowed Lyra to continue unimpeded. Lyra didn’t even pay attention as she kept walking.

          “You three are not known to us or the temple state your business here.” The guard on the right spoke to Zarath, Tharon and Hura.

          “Me and my fellow Krellar of the Iron Claw tribe seek an audience with Grak Tharakar Vos and ask for the rite of purification.” Zarath stepped forward to answer the question.

          “Oh, and the third on is a Brakkron by the way.” Tharon added just to avoid the same repeat of what happened at the city gates yesterday. He stepped back scratching at his belly under his leather chest guard. Hura letting out a yawn as she sat there waiting for her master to give any command.

          The two guards stepped back towards the massive wooden gate, each grabbing one of the handles and slowly opening the gates to the temple.

          “Sister Lyra may enter and attend to her normal activities you two shall wait for the Grak Tharakar inside the antechamber.” Both guards spoke in perfect unison just like the ones that guarded the city gates, Lyra just simply walked past them through the gates of the temple with the boys following close behind her.

          “Sister Lyra, would you care to explain that because you don’t strike me as a member of the Thar'Vrak (Guardians of the Sacred Waters.)” Tharon asked a little surprised to see Lyra who was a half breed was allowed to simple walk right past the gates with no questions asked even if she did live in the city next to the temple.

          “Oh, yeah I guess I forgot to mention but the Grak Tharakar is my aunt, see my mother before she married my father was actual the head of the temple guards in fact one of those big guys guarding the gate was actual my uncle to.” Lyra’s response was so oh matter of fact as she continued down the path to the temple as if it wasn’t important that she was related to a key member of the Wolfkin people’s spiritual faith.

          “Wait one of those giant’s back there is your uncle which one and how is it your mother and you aren’t like giant’s and such?” Tharon asked even more enthusiastically about the answer now than before.

          “Well duh isn’t it obvious him and my mother have the same fur color.” Lyra once again made it seem like it wasn’t some big deal that her uncle was three times the size of your average Wolfkin. “And I can’t tell you how all I know is that gate guards undergo some secret ritual when that involves them cutting out their eyes and poof in exchange, they turn into well giants’ kind of.” Lyra kept skipping down the path as she knew exactly where to go.

          “So basically, you have no idea what any of the rituals are you just come here to bath in the water.” Zarath quickly caught on that despite being a family member to a temple gate guard and the daughter of the former head guard Lyra actual had no idea what any of her spiritual practices or rituals where.

          “Heeey that is so not true my mother and aunt forced me to study at least the basics of our peoples magics so I can do somethings other than bust tables and besides both my parents trained me how to fight so I can take care of myself.” Lyra turned around to respond to Zarath’s jab at her knowledge.

          “But you still admitted that you have no idea what it is do you.” Zarath smiled as he took another jab at her. Lyra pouted as she stared daggers at him. The two of them were clearly at odds over this point for some strange reason.

          “Come on Hura let leave these two to well whatever this is.” Tharon walked down the path patting Hura on the head as she followed beside him, not sure what to make of his friend and Lyra’s strange argument.

          After another thirty-minute walk the group reached the temple, a massive structure made from ancient logs and cloth walls, many of the areas were open in concept with many Wolfkin wearing long white clothed hooded robes that covered their faces. They tended to the many vines and curtains of thick moss that hung from the logs that made up the ceiling of the temple along the outer area, others were mending the cloth walls that one could only assume prevented access to the lake of sacred water or the Vrak’Thura. Lyra waved for the boy to follow her into the temple as she walked past the Tharakar bowed in a respectful manner as she passed by them and many quickly took note of Zarath’s white fur quickly recognizing him as a Grak'Shrak which made him feel even more uncomfortable, the people of his tribe never treated him like this despite being a Grak’Shrak they knew he never had much to do with the spiritual world. As the three stepped up onto the wooden floor of the temple, a gong was sounded three times. a feminine figure slowly emerged from behind a curtain of cloth and moss draped in pure white almost see through robes as she approached the three Lyra bound over to her giving the strange women a massive hug.

          “Aunt VOS! I am so happy to see you again have the flowers we planted been growing well?” Lyra’s tail wagged franticly behind her as she completely forgot about Zarath and Tharon.

          “I am happy to see you again my beloved little one the flowers are quite well, and you must mind your manners after all we have guest.” Vos waved her hand in a gentle motion towards Zarath, Tharon and Hura. Her eyes landed on Zarath as she gave the boy a soft smile.

          “Oh, my I see we have one blessed by the ancestors with us today.”  Vos pulled the almost see through hood from her head, her wolflike ears perked up as she did. As the veil lifted from her face Zarath and Tharon were amazed to see that Grak Tharakar Vos had snow white fur and heterochromia eyes just like Zarath.

          “Before you ask yes child, I am Grak’Shark just like you the only difference is I embrace my role as a spiritual guide to our people hence why I am here.” Vos gestured for Zarath and Tharon to follow her back behind the curtain of moss, gently pushing her niece Lyra in front of her as she did.

          “Now come sit and join me by the fire and we shall discus what needs to be done now that you are here.” Vos sat down on the wooden floor opposite the fire, its low glow show casing her ethereal features as she did. Zarath and Tharon followed suit sitting across from her and the fire. The whole temple seemed to fall silent as the group was now in the very center, the heart of the temple. Vos spoke softly the words that left her lips where unlike anything Zarath or Tharon had heard before a low note, as if spoken from a great distance, suddenly all the light faded from the room except the glow of the fire, nothing, but murky blackness surrounded them until eventually they couldn’t see more than a few inches in front of them and then nothing at all.

          “What is going on I don’t understand, Zarath, Hura where are you two what the hell is going on.” Tharon sprung up to his feet and he instinctively reached for his spear that he didn’t have with him looking around the black void.

          “Do not be alarmed Tharon Iron Claw I have simple cast a spell to allow me to speak with both of you in private.” The voice that cut through the void was that of Grak Tharakar Vos but as she appeared into view, she seemed different from the white furred beauty she was in the waking world.

          “I have simply used the veil (the magical barrier between the mortal world and the spirit world the source of all magic.) to create a space for you and your friend but both of your bodies are still in the temple.” As Vos’s form appeared before Tharon, she was much heavier set now and her fur had turned a soft gray taking on the form of Tharon’s mother.

          “Why do you look like my mother.” Tharon asked his ears twitching in confusion, but his tail was wagging slightly.

          “Ah, so that is who this person is since you do not have an aptitude for magic, I believed appearing in a form you recognized would be of help.” Vos lifted her hand, changing into her true form the white furred wolfkin that she was.

          “Though I see you are much smarter than I had taken into account my apologizes, now let us discuss this corruption you and your friend have brought into my temple, tell me what you know of the blight.”  Vos kept a cool tone as she spoke with Tharon in this voided space she had created. She listened carefully as Tharon explained everything that had led him and Zarath here from the wyvern to the creatures that attacked them on the road.

          “I see that explains the small amount of corruption I since in you an easy fix, though your friend may be in more danger than he has led you to believe. Tell me Tharon would you follow Zarath even if it meant certain death.” Vos voice took a serious turn as the question came out sharp and to the point. Tharon’s ears flattened against the top of his head as he took a second to think.

          “I would follow my friend no my brother into the hells if I had to in order to save him.” Tharon’s fur stood on end as he declared this to Vos.

          “Very good you are a true Krellar and a good friend, you will learn much on this journey you have chosen but I can tell that you will be a great hero someday, now when you wake up follow the other Tharakar and bath in the waters to purify yourself.” With those words Tharon snapped back to reality, he quickly looked around to see his friend Zarath in a deep meditative sleep along with Grak Tharakar Vos and even Lyra, Hura brushed against Tharon snapping him fully awake.

          “Good luck my friend.” Tharon slowly got up and followed the other Tharakar out of the room with Hura following close behind, the dire wolf knowing her master Zarath was in no danger decided to accompany Tharon instead.