Life in the pack settled into an uneasy rhythm, but as always, peace was fragile. Harold continued to struggle with his fractured memory, and though his presence was no longer met with outright hostility, an undercurrent of mistrust lingered. Dominic remained wary, his every move calculated to protect the pack and me. I understood his position, but the burden of it wore heavily on us both.What none of us realized was that the past wasn’t as buried as we thought. The arrival of a stranger would change everything.It was late afternoon when the scout wolves brought her in. She was slight and cloaked in a hooded cape, her steps deliberate despite her apparent exhaustion. Her scent was unfamiliar—a mixture of pine and something sharp, almost metallic. The wolves flanked her like guards, but she didn’t seem intimidated.Dominic and I stood on the steps of the meeting hall as she approached. Harold, who had been helping repair a nearby structure, paused mid-hammer, his gaze narrowing as he
The tranquility of the night was short-lived. By dawn, scouts returned with grim news: Kieran’s forces had moved closer, their numbers larger than anticipated. The pack was on edge, and the atmosphere buzzed with tension. Dominic immediately called a council meeting, and the once-calm halls of the meeting house became a hub of hurried whispers and clashing opinions.I stood beside Dominic at the head of the room, my gaze sweeping over the gathered pack leaders. Maelis stood to my right, her arms crossed as she observed silently, and Harold lingered at the back, his presence drawing more than a few uneasy glances. Dominic raised his hand, silencing the murmurs.“Kieran is no longer a distant threat,” he began, his voice commanding the room. “He’s at our doorstep, and he’s not alone. We’ve confirmed at least two dozen wolves—armed and loyal to him. This isn’t just about Harold anymore. Kieran’s building an army, and we need to be ready.”A murmur rippled through the room. One of the eld
The glow of the Life Orb pulsed faintly in the dim light of the war room, its eerie hum filling the air like an unwelcome reminder of the weight pressing down on us. It lay on the table, its surface smooth and unyielding, as if daring us to break it, yet refusing to yield. Dominic was pacing again, his frustration apparent in the way he clenched and unclenched his fists. He was desperate to find a way, but nothing we had tried had worked.“It doesn’t matter how hard we try,” Dominic muttered, frustration lacing his voice. “It won’t break, burn, or even chip.”Harold stood with his arms crossed, looking as though he could stand there in silence for hours, his thoughts heavy but unspoken. “We need another plan. Something definitive.”I watched them, my heart sinking as the burden of this quest weighed on all of us. The orb was a constant reminder that we were running out of time. I hadn’t spoken yet, not wanting to add to the tension in the room, but I couldn’t ignore it anymore.Maelis
The room fell silent, the weight of the Lycan’s words pressing down on us like a suffocating fog. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest, and the tension in the air was thick enough to cut. Dominic’s jaw tightened, and I noticed Harold’s hand inching toward his sword, his fingers brushing the hilt in an almost unconscious gesture of readiness.“There has to be another way,” I said, my voice betraying the desperation I felt.The Lycan shook his head, his fiery red eyes glowing with an eerie intensity. “Magic like this always comes with a cost. The question is: who among you is willing to pay it?”Before I could even register the words fully, Dominic stepped forward, his posture rigid, his resolve clear. “If it comes to that, I’ll be the one to pay.”“No,” I protested immediately, my heart lurching in my chest. “You can’t.”Dominic turned to face me, and his gaze softened, though it held a deep, unyielding determination. “Elise, this is my responsibility. If anyone should bear the c
The room fell into stunned silence. Kaela’s words echoed in the stone chamber, heavy with implications. Dominic’s hand tightened on the hilt of his sword, his eyes narrowing as he moved closer to her, keeping his body positioned protectively in front of me.“You cursed it?” Harold asked, his voice a mix of disbelief and anger. “Do you have any idea how many lives have been destroyed because of that thing?”Kaela turned to him, her expression filled with regret. “More than you could possibly imagine,” she said quietly. “And I have lived with the weight of that knowledge every day. That’s why I’m here. To fix what I’ve done.”“If you want to fix it,” Dominic said coldly, “then tell us how to destroy it.”Kaela’s silver eyes darkened, the faint glow dimming. “Destroying the orb is not as simple as the Lycan claims. The magic is ancient and deeply entwined with the essence of life itself. A life may stop its power temporarily, but true destruction requires something far greater.”“What do
“I’ll do it,” I said, my voice steady despite the turmoil inside me.Dominic’s reaction was immediate and fierce. “No, Elise. Absolutely not.”“Dominic, please,” I said, looking up at him. “You’ve protected me so much already. You’ve been my shield, my strength. But this...this is something I have to do. For all of us.”He shook his head, his jaw tightening. “I won’t let you.”“You can’t stop me,” I said gently, though the words broke my heart. “This is my choice. Please, don’t make it harder than it already is.”Kaela stepped closer, her silver eyes meeting mine. “If this is truly your decision, you must prepare yourself. The orb will test you—your will, your body, your very soul. You must not falter, no matter what it shows you.”“What do you mean?” I asked, my throat dry.“The orb feeds on fear, doubt, and pain,” Kaela explained. “It will draw out your worst memories, your deepest regrets, and amplify them. If you give in...it will consume you.”Dominic’s hand shot out, gripping Ka
The atmosphere around felt lie it was heavy with an eerie silence as I sat on the cold stone floor, catching my breath. My body trembled from the ordeal with the orb, its torment still fresh in my mind. My companions surrounded me, their faces painted with relief and pride. Dominic knelt beside me, his arm steadying my shoulders, his concern etched into his expression.“You did it, Elise,” Kaela said, her voice trembling with awe. “You destroyed its power.”I nodded weakly, the adrenaline waning as exhaustion set in. “It wasn’t just me,” I murmured, glancing at each of them. “I wouldn’t have made it this far without all of you.”Harold stood a few paces away, his gaze fixed on the shattered remnants of the orb. For weeks, his presence had been enigmatic, his loyalty wavering between us and the shadows that sought to consume him. I didn’t trust him entirely, but something in his demeanor suggested he was fighting against whatever had bound him to Kieran.But before I could say anything
The weight of Kieran's parting words lingered like a curse, wrapping tightly around my thoughts. Harold was gone, and the chilling reality of Kieran’s threat—turning Harold against us—felt like a death sentence waiting to unfold.Kaela paced the chamber, her boots scraping against the stone floor, her frustration bubbling to the surface. Dominic leaned heavily against the wall, his sword still drawn, his knuckles white as he gripped the hilt. For once, none of us had a plan, and the absence of action felt suffocating.“We can’t sit here,” Kaela snapped suddenly, her voice cutting through the silence. “He has a head start. Every second we waste is another second Harold gets dragged deeper into Kieran’s madness.”“I know,” Dominic said, his tone strained. “But we don’t even know where Kieran went. Forbidden sorcery doesn’t leave a trail.”Kaela turned on him, her eyes blazing. “So what? We just wait around while he completes whatever twisted plan he’s concocting? That’s not good enough.
The creature surged forward, its skeletal frame ablaze with ghostly fire. Dominic raised his sword, its edge gleaming faintly in the dim light of the chamber. "Stay behind me," he said again, his voice a low growl, protective and unyielding. But I couldn't. I couldn't let him face this monstrosity alone. The shard in my hand pulsed weakly, as if echoing my fear. "No," I said, stepping up beside him. "We do this together." Dominic gave me a sharp glance, his lips twitching into a brief, wry smile. "Stubborn as ever." Before I could reply, the creature lunged again, its teeth swiping through the air. And it surely terrified me seeing that creature almost looking at me as though we were some kind of perfect preys in its eyes. Dominic met its blow with a fierce strike, his sword colliding with the claws in a spray of sparks. The force sent him sliding back, but he stood firm, his stance unwavering. I focused on the shard in my hand, trying to will it to life. It flickered we
The oppressive void of the Abyss seemed to pulse with life as I pressed forward. My footsteps echoed in the silence, and the faint glow of the shard in my hand was the only thing keeping the encroaching darkness at bay. The further I ventured, the heavier the air became, as though the Abyss itself were aware of my presence.But then, a sound—a quiet footfall—pierced the silence. I whirled around, my heart pounding. From the shadows emerged a figure I recognized instantly.“Dominic?” I gasped.He stood tall, his sword strapped across his back and his face set with determination. “You didn’t really think I’d let you go through this alone, did you?”I stared at him, disbelief and concern warring within me. “You can’t be here. This place—this realm—breaks the laws of nature for someone like you.”“I know,” he said simply. “But I also know I couldn’t live with myself if I stayed behind while you faced this alone. Whatever consequences there are for me being here, I’ll deal with them. Right
The inside of the hut was far larger than it appeared from the outside. Shadows danced along the walls, their movements synchronized with the flickering blue light emanating from a crystal orb on a pedestal at the center of the room. The figure who had welcomed us threw back her hood, revealing a strikingly pale woman with hair like silver threads and eyes that glowed faintly violet.“I am Seraphine,” she said, her voice like the hum of a distant storm. “You seek to breach the Abyss and recover what was taken. But beware—the Abyss does not give freely.”Her eyes scanned us, lingering on me. “You carry the weight of destruction and creation in your soul, Elise,” she said. “The orb you shattered was not just a prison; it was a tether. Its destruction set forces in motion that even Kieran does not fully comprehend.”Kaela crossed her arms, her expression skeptical. “That’s great and all, but we don’t need riddles. We need a way to stop Kieran and save Harold.”Seraphine’s lips curved int
The weight of Kieran's parting words lingered like a curse, wrapping tightly around my thoughts. Harold was gone, and the chilling reality of Kieran’s threat—turning Harold against us—felt like a death sentence waiting to unfold.Kaela paced the chamber, her boots scraping against the stone floor, her frustration bubbling to the surface. Dominic leaned heavily against the wall, his sword still drawn, his knuckles white as he gripped the hilt. For once, none of us had a plan, and the absence of action felt suffocating.“We can’t sit here,” Kaela snapped suddenly, her voice cutting through the silence. “He has a head start. Every second we waste is another second Harold gets dragged deeper into Kieran’s madness.”“I know,” Dominic said, his tone strained. “But we don’t even know where Kieran went. Forbidden sorcery doesn’t leave a trail.”Kaela turned on him, her eyes blazing. “So what? We just wait around while he completes whatever twisted plan he’s concocting? That’s not good enough.
The atmosphere around felt lie it was heavy with an eerie silence as I sat on the cold stone floor, catching my breath. My body trembled from the ordeal with the orb, its torment still fresh in my mind. My companions surrounded me, their faces painted with relief and pride. Dominic knelt beside me, his arm steadying my shoulders, his concern etched into his expression.“You did it, Elise,” Kaela said, her voice trembling with awe. “You destroyed its power.”I nodded weakly, the adrenaline waning as exhaustion set in. “It wasn’t just me,” I murmured, glancing at each of them. “I wouldn’t have made it this far without all of you.”Harold stood a few paces away, his gaze fixed on the shattered remnants of the orb. For weeks, his presence had been enigmatic, his loyalty wavering between us and the shadows that sought to consume him. I didn’t trust him entirely, but something in his demeanor suggested he was fighting against whatever had bound him to Kieran.But before I could say anything
“I’ll do it,” I said, my voice steady despite the turmoil inside me.Dominic’s reaction was immediate and fierce. “No, Elise. Absolutely not.”“Dominic, please,” I said, looking up at him. “You’ve protected me so much already. You’ve been my shield, my strength. But this...this is something I have to do. For all of us.”He shook his head, his jaw tightening. “I won’t let you.”“You can’t stop me,” I said gently, though the words broke my heart. “This is my choice. Please, don’t make it harder than it already is.”Kaela stepped closer, her silver eyes meeting mine. “If this is truly your decision, you must prepare yourself. The orb will test you—your will, your body, your very soul. You must not falter, no matter what it shows you.”“What do you mean?” I asked, my throat dry.“The orb feeds on fear, doubt, and pain,” Kaela explained. “It will draw out your worst memories, your deepest regrets, and amplify them. If you give in...it will consume you.”Dominic’s hand shot out, gripping Ka
The room fell into stunned silence. Kaela’s words echoed in the stone chamber, heavy with implications. Dominic’s hand tightened on the hilt of his sword, his eyes narrowing as he moved closer to her, keeping his body positioned protectively in front of me.“You cursed it?” Harold asked, his voice a mix of disbelief and anger. “Do you have any idea how many lives have been destroyed because of that thing?”Kaela turned to him, her expression filled with regret. “More than you could possibly imagine,” she said quietly. “And I have lived with the weight of that knowledge every day. That’s why I’m here. To fix what I’ve done.”“If you want to fix it,” Dominic said coldly, “then tell us how to destroy it.”Kaela’s silver eyes darkened, the faint glow dimming. “Destroying the orb is not as simple as the Lycan claims. The magic is ancient and deeply entwined with the essence of life itself. A life may stop its power temporarily, but true destruction requires something far greater.”“What do
The room fell silent, the weight of the Lycan’s words pressing down on us like a suffocating fog. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest, and the tension in the air was thick enough to cut. Dominic’s jaw tightened, and I noticed Harold’s hand inching toward his sword, his fingers brushing the hilt in an almost unconscious gesture of readiness.“There has to be another way,” I said, my voice betraying the desperation I felt.The Lycan shook his head, his fiery red eyes glowing with an eerie intensity. “Magic like this always comes with a cost. The question is: who among you is willing to pay it?”Before I could even register the words fully, Dominic stepped forward, his posture rigid, his resolve clear. “If it comes to that, I’ll be the one to pay.”“No,” I protested immediately, my heart lurching in my chest. “You can’t.”Dominic turned to face me, and his gaze softened, though it held a deep, unyielding determination. “Elise, this is my responsibility. If anyone should bear the c
The glow of the Life Orb pulsed faintly in the dim light of the war room, its eerie hum filling the air like an unwelcome reminder of the weight pressing down on us. It lay on the table, its surface smooth and unyielding, as if daring us to break it, yet refusing to yield. Dominic was pacing again, his frustration apparent in the way he clenched and unclenched his fists. He was desperate to find a way, but nothing we had tried had worked.“It doesn’t matter how hard we try,” Dominic muttered, frustration lacing his voice. “It won’t break, burn, or even chip.”Harold stood with his arms crossed, looking as though he could stand there in silence for hours, his thoughts heavy but unspoken. “We need another plan. Something definitive.”I watched them, my heart sinking as the burden of this quest weighed on all of us. The orb was a constant reminder that we were running out of time. I hadn’t spoken yet, not wanting to add to the tension in the room, but I couldn’t ignore it anymore.Maelis