Melissa’s POVThe pack council room was packed with tension. The air felt heavy, and the typical camaraderie among the pack members had grown frigid. Everyone sat around the long oak table, their faces furrowed with worry. Damon stood at the head, his demeanour gloomy yet controlled.I sat close to Liora, who was flipping through her notes with strained brows. She didn’t speak, but I could tell she was trying to piece together something worrisome.“We can’t keep fighting in the dark like this,” Damon said, his powerful voice breaking through the silence. “The shadows know our every move. It’s as if they’re one step ahead of us.”“Because they are,” Kael mumbled, his fists stiffening. “Someone’s feeding them information. Someone from inside the pack.”Gasps and murmurs raced through the room.“Kael,” Liora began carefully, “those are serious accusations. Are you sure?"Kael's mouth clenched. "Enough to be sure. They always counter us when we plot an ambush. Every location we believe to
Melissa’s POVMarcus and I were seated opposite each other in the chilly, poorly lighted jail. His face looked pale, with traces of terror and remorse, and his hands were chained. Behind me, Damon stood with his arms folded and a stern expression on his face.I spoke calmly but firmly, "Marcus, you owe us the truth." "You'll tell us everything you know about the Void's plan if you want any chance of redemption."Marcus paused, his gaze flitting from Damon to me. "It's not that easy," he whispered, his voice trembling."It is," Damon stated in a cold tone. "You turned on your pack. You must now assist us in stopping this or else you will be held accountable.Marcus nodded after taking a deep breath. "All right," he muttered. "I'll share what I know with you."With my light blazing dimly around me, I leaned forward and said, "Start talking."Marcus inhaled deeply. "Melissa, the Void does not wish to destroy you. It desires to become one with you. It believes that your light is the ideal
Melissa’s POVTension was in the air as I stood in the middle of the pack's meeting room. I saw a mixture of fear and resolve on the faces in front of me. They looked to me for support because these were my people, my family.I inhaled deeply before moving forward. "Everyone," I said, maintaining my composure in the face of my emotional storm, "we are up against a war unlike any we have ever faced. Despite being driven to the brink by the Void, we remain upright. And we are invincible as long as we remain united.The crowd echoed with a murmur. A few nodded, determination stiffening their faces. Others held on to one another, leaning on their loved ones for support."We have experienced loss," I added, raising my voice. "We have experienced suffering. However, we have also triumphed. We have risen stronger each time the Void has attempted to shatter us. Nothing will be different this time.Damon moved to stand next to me, his presence like a constant flame amidst the confusion. With a
Melissa’s POVThe atmosphere surrounding the Void was chilly and heavy as if all hope and warmth had been sucked out. I held the relic in my shaking hands as I stood at its brink. There was a slight pulse across its surface as if it could sense the danger.The pack gathered in uncomfortable quiet behind me. None of them dared to speak, but their anxious gazes pierced my back. They were all aware of what I was going to do.Elena begged, "Melissa, you don't have to do this," her voice cracking.My heart felt like it was breaking, but I forced a tiny grin as I turned to face her and the others. "Yes, Elena, I do. There's Damon. And none of us will live if I don't put an end to the Void right away.Marcus, Damon's beta, came forward. Raw terror had taken the place of his normally composed manner. "There must be another way, Melissa. Let's engage in combat!"Holding the artefact closer, I shook my head. "This is not your battle. I'm wanted by the Void. I've always been the one.Elena's eye
Melissa’s POVThe eerie brightness emanated from the misty, shifting form of the Void, which towered over me. Its words reverberated in my thoughts like a chilly whisper.It snarled mockingly, "Melissa, did you think you were meant to stop me?"As the fear clawed at my chest, I clenched my hands. "You won’t win," I whispered, my voice faltering, yet my legs shook, but I firmly planted my feet on the dark, unending surface beneath me. "I’ll find a way to defeat you."The sound of the Void laughing chilled me to my core. "Defeat me? Oh, child of light, you misunderstand. You were never meant to defeat me. You are my key, my vessel."I went cold. As the words set in, my heart pounded in my chest. I said, "What are you talking about?"Dark tendrils reached out and coiled around me like suffocating chains as they moved closer. "Your light is the purest in existence. With it, I will shatter the celestial barrier and bring the mortal realm to its knees."I struggled against the dark force th
Melissa’s POVAs we entered the chamber, the air was dense and heavy with an energy that hummed on my skin. An old blade, set into a column of light that extended to the vaulted ceiling, gleamed brilliantly in the centre. The pulse of its luminosity matched the beat of my heart.Damon said in a scarcely audible whisper, "There it is." "The weapon of heaven."I took a step forward, staring at the blade. It was beautiful, engraved with luminous runes that shimmered and seemed to change. It emanated power, but it also emitted something else, something sinister.A person emerged from the light before I could touch it. With glistening silver eyes and a flowing robe that appeared to be composed of starlight, it was ethereal, nearly human but not quite.The spirit said, "Stop," its voice echoed in my head instead of my ears. This blade is a curse as well as a weapon. To wield it is to completely lose oneself.My fingertips were just inches from the light when I froze. "What are you saying? W
Melissa’s POVIt was quiet and cold in the room, lit only by the dim glow of the relic in my hands. Heart thumping, I walked carefully across the chipped stone floor. A slight hum seemed to emanate from the walls, as though they were alive with some ancient force.Behind me, Damon murmured in a steady, low voice, "Melissa, this place gives me the creeps." What exactly are we searching for?"I looked across the room and mumbled, "I don't know." Then I noticed it: a huge mural that was carved into the distant wall, its surface shimmering dimly as though it were calling to me. I gasped.The elaborate artwork included swirling shadows and characters engaged in combat. A woman in the middle was brandishing a blade that remarkably resembled the one I was carrying. Shadows encircled figures surrounding her, who appeared to be screaming in pain."What is this? Damon inquired as he moved to stand next to me.I traced a shaking finger across the light forms and whispered, "It's my family." "My
Melissa’s POVWe felt as though an unseen weight was pushing down on us from the terrible darkness of the Void. I was having trouble keeping my breathing regular, and my heart was racing. Damon was there, offering consolation, but even he was powerless to protect me from the smothering might of the Void."Melissa," murmured Damon quietly, his voice piercing the quiet like a lifeline. "You're not feeling well."Despite my shaky hands betraying me, I immediately replied, "I'll be fine. We have to keep going."Damon took hold of my arm and turned me to face him. "No, we need to talk." Normally so calm, his blue eyes were filled with dread and something more. Feeling guilty?"Damon, what is it? I asked, sounding sharper than I meant to.He paused, then let out a long sigh. "I've been hiding something, Melissa. I've been losing strength ever since we went into the Void."What? I tightened my chest as I gazed at him. "What weaker do you mean? How come you didn't tell me?"He ran a hand thro
Melissa’s POVThe earth underneath me trembled. Once full of stars, the sky had become a whirling mass of red and black. I had never seen anything like the full form of the Void, which loomed over us. It was a shapeless shadow that seemed to extend across the sky, a hideous, writhing monster with sharp teeth and flashing crimson eyes.Damon gripped my hand more tightly. "This thing is destruction, Melissa."I took a deep breath. Then we put an end to it. Together.Waves of darkness broke against the shield of our combined force as the Void shouted. With the help of our light, Damon and I managed to push back.Behind us, in formation, the pack channeled the force of the rite by raising their hands. The air was filled with golden symbols that glowed brighter as they infused us with their vitality.Even though he was tired, Eldric's voice was loud and clear. "Hey, Melissa! Make use of the power! Attack its very center!I concentrated as the energy rushed through me. In my palms, a golden
Melissa’s POVFrom within Damon and me, a golden, bright light burst forth. It pushed the darkness aside as it rushed outward. The Void flinched for the first time.I gasped as I sensed our strength entwined, our spirits united. My brightness became Damon's, and his power became mine. We were invincible together.The Void screamed, its dark shape contorting. "Not possible! You can't disobey me!Damon grinned. "It appears that we just did."As the darkness faded, the pack behind us cheered, their spirits rising. Hope flashed for a minute.The Void, however, altered its strategy.Rather than attacking us, it turned to our fighters. The gang stumbled abruptly as a dark pulse sped across the air. Their eyes grew wide with agony.I let out a gasp. "What's going on?"Eldric clutched his skull and yelled. "Our link is being attacked by the Void! It is cutting off our relationship with one another!Damon's face grew serious. "No. It is attempting to separate us from the group.I felt the conn
Melissa’s POVThere was anarchy on the battlefield. Everything in their path was devoured by the shadows that slithered across the earth. The sky was now a whirling pit of blackness.Grasping the shimmering relic tightly, I could feel its warmth pulsing in time with my beating. I understood what needed to be done; the truth had become ingrained in my chest.The Void inside my light needed to be sealed.I glanced at Damon, my fingers shaking. I uttered, hardly raising my voice above a whisper, "I know how to stop it."Damon scowled. "What are you talking about, Melissa?"I inhaled deeply. "I must cage the Void inside of me to put an end to this. I can control it if I unite with my light. However, I will not be able to return.His gaze grew gloomy. "No. Not at all.I took a step toward him and touched his chest. "I can do this, Damon. I must complete this task.With a solid yet desperate grip, he took hold of my shoulders. "You're not giving up anything. I will not allow you to.My eyes
Melissa’s POVThe ground underneath us trembled with a thunderous roar. As the sky grew completely dark, I staggered, barely maintaining my equilibrium. Our planet was completely infiltrated by the Void.As they slithered across the terrain, shadowy tendrils ate everything in their path. Before the onslaught started, the trees withered, the air became dense with a suffocating gloom, and an unsettling hush descended upon the pack's area.First came the creatures. Monstrous, twisted forms sprang from the darkness, staring at us with luminous red eyes."Keep the pack safe!" Damon's voice echoed, firm and powerful.The beasts persisted despite the efforts of our troops. Growls, cries of agony, and claws slamming into teeth reverberated throughout the night. I made a feeble attempt to call forth my light.Panic rising, I muttered, "No... not now."I lifted my fists and pushed energy out. One of the things recoiled when a little flash of light touched it, but the exertion left me exhausted.
Melissa’s POVEldric stood in the middle of the circle, his voice rising in an old chant, and the air crackled with energy. With their hands clasped together and their eyes closed in intense concentration, the pack encircled him. A glistening gap that glowed dimly like a tear, in reality, itself started to form in front of them.My breathing was labored, and I gripped my chest. Weaker than ever, my Celestial Flame dimmed. I was exhausted from the battle.Damon stood next to me, his teeth clenched. "We need to move now, Melissa."A dreadful scream reverberated throughout the domain of the Void. The twisted forms of the shadows writhed in rage as they slithered closer.The voice of the Void bellowed. "You believe you can get away from me?"A wave of darkness smashed upon us, and I flinched. With his claws cutting through the closest shadow creatures, Damon jumped in front of me. "I'm sick of these things!" he snarled.Eldric's gaze flickered. "Avoid them! The rift is still unstable.My
Melissa’s POVThe heavy, oppressive darkness whirled about me. The golden glow of the Celestial Flame flickered like a candle in the wind as I held it tightly in my hands.The Void was different. It had developed shape and was no longer only a collection of shadows. A massive, purely dark figure with empty eyes blazing with insatiable desire loomed before me."Madela, you are nothing." The voice of the Void thundered like a tempest. "Every light bearer before you has been eaten by me. You'll tumble just like everyone else.I forced my fear down with a firm gulp. "How many you've taken doesn't matter to me. I am the one who ends it.The Void chuckled. "What a dumb girl. What has existed for all eternity cannot be stopped.The shadows surrounding us contorted into shrieking faces as it lifted its enormous arms—souls imprisoned in its never-ending hunger. My heart tightened. If I failed, would I end up like this?No.I lifted the Celestial Flame while clenching my teeth. The murky cloud
Melissa’s POVI had the impression that the ground was neither solid nor airy. Above, the sky shifted between angry crimson and deep darkness, twisting in strange ways. Here, time seemed to be fractured, with seconds seeming to drag into hours.All around me, a chilly voice said."Hey Melissa, welcome home."I balled my fists up. "My home is not here."I experienced glimpses of a future in which I stood alone on a throne of darkness while the shadows grew darker and created shifting images. Everything around me was destroyed by fire.Additionally, II was the Void now.Staring back at me was a picture of my face, twisted in the gloom."Fate is beyond your control," the Void said.I gave a headshake. "This isn't real."The vision shifted. Damon was kneeling in front of me, broken. His previously vibrant eyes were now lifeless.The Void went on, "You will ruin everyone you care about." "It is unavoidable.""No!" With my light flashing, I yelled. "I decide my destiny!"I felt the darknes
Melissa’s POVIn my palms, the relic pulsed, its illumination alternating between eerie darkness and golden light. From within came a whisper, a voice old and powerful."Child of light, you're looking for solutions. I am the truth.I took a deep breath. "Tell me."The world around me abruptly changed when the air changed. I found myself in a wide area of whirling shadows and dim light instead of the battlefield. The relic glowed like a fallen star, floating before me.Once more, the voice spoke. "I am more than just a tool of authority. I am a piece of the Void's very center that was left over from the first fight, which took place ages ago.I gasped. "A… a piece of the Void?""Yes. I was made as a test, a means of determining whether mankind was deserving of existence outside the realm of the Void.I gave a headshake. "That isn't rational. Why would something that may be utilized against the Void be left behind?"Because the cycle needs to finish. You must put me back in the core of
Melissa’s POVI could still hear Damon's cry. I glanced at the place where the shadows had pulled him into the abyss, my hands shaking. Something inside of me stirred, even though my heart hurt and the pain was intolerable.A fire, no, a warmth, flared in my chest. My light wasn't the only one. Something deeper, something more powerful.Then from the item beside me came a hushed voice."The Celestial Flame is being reawakened by you."I let out a gasp. “The Celestial Flame?"The voice hummed quietly. “A power your ancestors never reached. A light that may burn away even the deepest darkness.”Like flickering flames, a golden radiance rose from my fingertips. It was fire, not just light. My veins throbbed with heat, more intense than I had ever experienced.I balled my fists up. "I will use this if it can help me defeat the Void."The voice faltered. "The Flame is not so easy to wield. You have to go through a soul trial to manage it.I scowled. "A trial?""You have to face your demons