The village square was abuzz with the usual morning chatter, but Gwen's mind was far from the mundane. She stood at the edge of the crowd, her eyes scanning the people who had gathered to listen to Grigori's sermon. The new priest, with his silver tongue and silver robes, held the villagers in the palm of his hand. They hung onto his every word, their faces alight with fervor.
Gwen, however, was not so easily swayed. She had seen the way Grigori's influence had begun to change the village, the way he had turned the people's hearts towards the worship of Daktari, the old god of the moon. She had seen the way he had manipulated their fears and desires, using them to further his own agenda.
She took a deep breath, her eyes narrowing as she watched Grigori preach. It was time to confront him, to challenge his hold over the village. She pushed her way through the crowd, her heart pounding in her chest like a drum. The villagers parted for her, their eyes wide with surprise and a hint of fear.
"Grigori," she called out, her voice cutting through the silence. The priest turned to her, his eyes flashing with a mixture of surprise and irritation. "I need to speak with you," Gwen said, her voice steady despite the turmoil within her.
Grigori's lips curled into a smile, but it did not reach his eyes. "Of course, Gwen," he said, his voice smooth as silk. "I am always here to listen to the concerns of my flock."
Gwen's eyes narrowed, her grip tightening on the small pouch of herbs she carried. "Your flock?" she echoed, her voice laced with disbelief. "These are my people, Grigori. And I will not stand by and watch you manipulate them."
The priest's smile faded, replaced by a look of cold calculation. "Manipulate?" he scoffed. "I am simply guiding them towards the truth, Gwen. Towards the power of Daktari."
Gwen's heart pounded in her chest, her breath coming in short gasps. She could feel the tension in the air, the way the villagers were watching her, waiting for her to speak. She took a deep breath, her eyes locked onto Grigori's.
"You are using them," she said, her voice steady despite the storm within her. "You are using their fears, their desires, to further your own agenda. And I will not let you do it."
Grigori's eyes flashed, his voice dropping to a low growl. "You know nothing, child," he said, his voice laced with venom. "You know nothing of the power of the old gods, of the ancient magic that flows through our veins."
Gwen's heart pounded in her chest, her breath coming in short gasps. She could feel the power of the ancient magic within her, the way it surged through her veins like a river. She took a deep breath, her eyes locked onto Grigori's.
"I know enough," she said, her voice steady despite the storm within her. "And I will not let you use my people, my village, to further your own ends."
Grigori's eyes flashed, his voice dropping to a low growl. "You cannot stop me, child," he said, his voice laced with venom. "You cannot stop the power of Daktari."
Gwen's heart pounded in her chest, her breath coming in short gasps. She could feel the power of the ancient magic within her, the way it surged through her veins like a river. She took a deep breath, her eyes locked onto Grigori's.
"I will try," she said, her voice steady despite the storm within her. "I will try to stop you, Grigori. I will try to protect those that I love." Gwen knew what she had to do, she had to find the wolf in the woods. He would be the only one to help her.