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Chapter 36: Echoes of the Fallen
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2024-11-01 07:01:13Related chapters
POWERS OF THE MOON BEARER Chapter 37: Whispers in the Dark
“Seek me, Luna… the darkness is false… not as shallow but as ever deep.” When the whisper thinned, Luna's heart raced and her breath hitched midway. She looked round, but the shadows encircling her remained still."What is it?" Alec's voice quickly stirred her as he saw the expression of concern in her eyes.Luna hesitated; her voice came out in the slightest whisper. "I think… I think Kael is calling me. But not just him. Something else… something buried that we have missed."Alec frowned, his brow knitting together with confusion. "What are you saying, Luna?"Before she could answer him, there was a tremor in the ground, and far away in the forest came a long, low rumble—an ancient and deep warning that struck fear in the hearts of those present. Luna's heart skipped as her eyes met Alec's."The dawn's not coming," she said, her voice quivering. "Let's go."Like a pack, the four of them melted into the darkened forest, following the retreating echo of Kael's call, every step taken
POWERS OF THE MOON BEARER The Call of the Woods
Luna Rivers narrowed her glare at the heavens, observing as dark clouds obscured the last semblance of the dying sun. The light faded quickly, throwing long veins of exploring shadows through the dense forest that flanked her new home. In her current surroundings, she had yet to see another living soul, which felt remarkably jarring, though also oddly… right. The old cabin sat at the end of a forgotten road and was entombed somewhere deep in the mountains; it was some… five miles from the nearest town. The cabin was bequeathed to her by her parents; even as they were alive they had not once brought the property to her attention. Luna only discovered the deed after their untimely passing and it was buried in the drawers of her mother’s desk as though it was a family secret taken to the grave.And here I am, in front of the cabin with my suitcase at my feet, both apprehensive and hopeful. Luna's life had gone through a rough patch of unfortunate events. She had lost her parents in a fr
POWERS OF THE MOON BEARER Chapter 2 The Pack
Luna’s heart raced as she stood frozen in the middle of the cabin. The name "Ronan" echoed in her mind like a bell, a chill of fear washed over her. She didn’t know who or what Ronan was, but the fear in the man’s voice was undeniable. “Who is Ronan?” Luna asked, timidly. Silence. The only sound came from the noise crackling in the fire. That warmth felt very far away from the danger she suspected was outside.Another knock, softer this time, then the voice returned. “Open the door, Luna. We need to talk. We don’t have a lot of time.” Her fingers tightened around the blankets around her shoulders, tightening all the fear swelling inside. All her instincts screamed for her to run, but she didn’t know where to go. She didn’t know the forest. The nearest town was miles away. These men or whatever they were seemed to know her, and if they knew her name, what else had they figured out? Luna swallowed hard. Her mind raced through the options she had. Maybe she could get out the back and
POWERS OF THE MOON BEARER Chapter 3 Into the Night
The night air hit Luna like a cold slap as she stepped out of the cabin, her backpack slung over her shoulder. The trees appeared tall and dark with their branches twisting like skeletal arms against the bright full moon. She could feel the men walking behind her, the footfalls quiet but powerful.Alec walked ahead leading them into the thick of the forest. Jax was still close to her, scanning their surroundings with his eyes, and Kade walked last, maintaining silence that only added to the tension. Luna felt like she was walking into a trap, but wether it was the truth or not, staying at the cabin was just as dangerous. Maybe even more dangerous.She glanced at Jax, catching him looking back at her with a smirk. "Do you expect me to develop fur and howl at the moon?" He grinned teasingly, his tone earnest but light-hearted.Despite her erratic heartbeat, Luna was able to chuckle shakily. "I am trying not to think about it.""You really will get used to it," Jax replied with a smile,
POWERS OF THE MOON BEARER Chapter 4 The Global's Land
The woods closed in as they moved deeper into them, the moon continuously spreading silvery rays across their pathway. She did her best to stay tight to Alec, trying to block out the trembling that ran through her body with each step. Whether the trembling caused by the cold or the remnants of the adrenaline that ran through her body from the fight, she could not tell. It smelled rich of pine and earth, but buried beneath it was something dark—something deadly. After what she thought was hours, Alec finally slowed. In front of them, the trees began parting. On the other side of the trees was an opening, with a large stone structure in the middle, with other smaller structures that blended in with the woods. The cabin was grand, rustic, and reminded her of some sort of imagination, and it felt as if it was ancient,sunk within the earth. "This is it," Alec said quietly, breaking the silence. "Welcome to our land." Luna's eyes widened as she took her surroundings in. The structure was
POWERS OF THE MOON BEARER Chapter 5 Awakening the Power
The sun was coming up, and the air carried a bite with it—the sky only beginning to glow light as it woke from the sleep of night. Luna found her way to a clearing behind the big stone house with the chimney as a dark silhouette up against the brightening sky. She stood in the cold; her breath fogging up in the air long before she thought she'd be finished. She was tired, still sore from the happenings of the previous night but Alec had insisted they start training early. There was no time to waste. “Okay,” Alec commanded, standing a few feet in front of her, arms crossed. “We are going to start by tapping into your connection to the moon. That is where your power originates and you need to be able to pull on it at will.” Luna nodded, but her nerves felt like a tornado. She had no idea how she would reach for a power she didn’t even feel. “And… how do I do that?” Alec smiled a small smile. “Close your eyes.” Luna blinked at him, then managed to comply, her lashes fluttering dow
POWERS OF THE MOON BEARER Chapter 6. Fight or Flight
Luna's heart beat feverishly, pulse roiling in her ears as the hulking wolf charged, human hands tucked close to enormous jaws. She stood rooted, mind screaming at body, but body did not answer against the looming harbinger, paralyzed by degree of fear. "Luna, run!" Alec's voice was harsh with urgency but barely started to sink in.In an instant, Alec’s body changed. Painfully, his bones popped and reforms as his clothes tore, his form expanding into the buff form of a midnight-black wolf. He lunged with a snarl that sighed through the clearing, right in Ronan's face.A collision as unimaginable as it was brutal: two bears of violence smashing together with incredible weight and strength and energy. Ronan withdrew his teeth, slashing into Alec's side and twisting, swinging a massive foreleg and slamming Alec down to the ground.Kade and Jax were in motion too. Kade shifted in a flash to his rippling gray wolf before charging in, while Jax stayed human, circling, alert, eyes fixed wi
POWERS OF THE MOON BEARER Chapter 7. Secrets that Unravels
The fire crackled softly in the hearth, and all should have been well, but its glow's warmth barely reached Luna as she took her seat perched uncomfortably on the edge of the well-worn leather couch, an uncomfortable distance away from the heat of the flames and instead, on the very edge of the unknown. She stared blankly into the light consuming logs, captivated as her mind produced scenes, and minutes, and minutes of everything that had happened just a few minutes earlier in the forest: The power; the warning that Ronan had just unleashed; being terrified and realizing that what she witnessed in the woods meant there were others like him!Alec, Kade and Jax remained in the same room and were quietly talking amongst themselves about their strategy of what to do next. Their voices were soft, but Luna could feel the tension stretched thin and rising in the air, as they worried about her, about what Ronan warned.She couldn't blame them. She was worried too. "You okay?" Jax asked after
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POWERS OF THE MOON BEARER Chapter 37: Whispers in the Dark
“Seek me, Luna… the darkness is false… not as shallow but as ever deep.” When the whisper thinned, Luna's heart raced and her breath hitched midway. She looked round, but the shadows encircling her remained still."What is it?" Alec's voice quickly stirred her as he saw the expression of concern in her eyes.Luna hesitated; her voice came out in the slightest whisper. "I think… I think Kael is calling me. But not just him. Something else… something buried that we have missed."Alec frowned, his brow knitting together with confusion. "What are you saying, Luna?"Before she could answer him, there was a tremor in the ground, and far away in the forest came a long, low rumble—an ancient and deep warning that struck fear in the hearts of those present. Luna's heart skipped as her eyes met Alec's."The dawn's not coming," she said, her voice quivering. "Let's go."Like a pack, the four of them melted into the darkened forest, following the retreating echo of Kael's call, every step taken
POWERS OF THE MOON BEARER Chapter 36: Echoes of the Fallen
With that, the four of them joined the rest of the pack in an area of the village. They gathered in a solemn circle around them. Luna took a step forward, the weight of her words behind them."We fought the Void and tested us in ways we would never have imagined. Yet he…" Her voice broke as if she needed to collect herself. "Kael sacrificed his life to ensure our return. He was braver than any of us knew."Jax's voice broke as he ended, his vulnerability on his sleeve, saying, "Kael wasn't just brave; he was selfless. He taught us that our strength is in each other. And I… I lost sight of that. But I'm not losing it again."A tear slipped from Luna's eyes, and Alec wrapped his arm around her. "We carry him with us. And we will keep fighting for the bond he protected.""Let's carry out his wish, for ourselves. He won't get us to die for nothing," said Kade, a sorrowful resolve in his voice.A hush fell in the air as the pack members bowed their heads in silent remembrance of Kael.As d
POWERS OF THE MOON BEARER Chapter 35: A Flicker of Hope
Emerging from the dark corridor, Luna, Jax, Alec, and Kade later stood on a clearing touched by moonlight, gasping as fresh air filled their lungs. The hollow grasp of the Void had given way; however, the chill still lingered and served as a reminder of what they had done - and of what they had lost.Alec decided to break the silence first while looking around the woods. "So, is that it?"Jax's expression morphed into the face of sorrows, though relief washed over him. "The Void is gone - for now anyways. I don't know if it's really over." Kade placed an arm on Jax, steadying him. “It’s over as far as we say it is. You fought hard, Jax, against something none of us saw coming, Kael…”The silence that followed was heavy. Then Jax lowered his voice and filled it with regret. “I still can’t believe it. I was so close to losing myself… and to hurting you. I… I don’t know how to face this.” Luna stepped close to him, picked up his hand into hers, and started to stroke it soothingly with
POWERS OF THE MOON BEARER Chapter 34: Shadows in the Light
The hubbub of sound that was left in the wake of Kael's passing crushed typical speech. Luna felt her heart flutter. She stretched her hand out, hoping against hope that there was still a hidden trace of Kael. But her fingers touched only empty space, driving an icy torrent deep into her bones. The once-thought formal presence of Kael was now just a void, a hollowness that looked pleased as it fed off their dejected emotion.Alec broke the silence first, his voice a choked sound. "He is gone. Kael sacrificed himself... for us."Luna swallowed, fighting back tears. "He did it to save us from what the Void was doing. To weaken its hold. But... I can't believe that he is really gone."Kade's grinding teeth directed us (its, casual or formal usage) toward the pulsing shadows in the walls. "If this sacrifice was for the sake of this, then we can't let it go in vain. We must bring Jax back and end this."Sensing their revived hopes, the stone walls widened toward a dark narrow tunnel that t
POWERS OF THE MOON BEARER Chapter 33: Echoes of Betrayal
The giant swallowed them without any conscious knowledge of their descent to depth. Luna felt unsound; the ground under began to fall in, drawing herself down into the depth of the void with her companions. Shadows wrapped her like tendrils, clutching in tight lightning flashes, all that now occupied her attention; she was on the verge of losing consciousness. But almost as it had come, the strange - now had shifted from something into which she could faintly step - an unyielding ground under her feet.The sceneries doomed: she found herself alone in a strange, dimly-lit space that seemed to warp in more directions than one. All of the walls stretched high and were carved upon with symbols that moved and breathed. The only light in the room came from a flickering flame that stood suspended high in midair, casting long shadows upon the stone floor; they danced with pure dread."Hello," Luna called out, her voice echoing into the walls. But there was no answer.Just as panic was creepi
POWERS OF THE MOON BEARER Chapter 32: Into the Abyss
She blinked open her eyes, and the blackness around her began to fade slowly, unveiling a large underground room. The walls were covered in markings of an unknown tongue, faintly glowing in the dim light. All over the air within the chamber, she could sense the ground pulsing as though alive with an invisible ancient force.She remained, breathless, seeking to establish where she was. Jorg had gone to thin air while Alec's voice in her mind called her name. But Seraphine's words kept echoing tauntingly in her head."Where... where am I?" she whispered, her voice hoarse.Then slow, bound footsteps drew near. She managed to lift herself up, aching all over her body, and finally saw emerging from the inky darkness a figure. A familiar countenance that sent an icy chill down her spine.Jax.But something was wrong with him, though. His eyes, strong and alive with feelings before, now dull, drained of vitality. Squaring his shoulders like a sentry, he stood in front of her; a frozen mockin
POWERS OF THE MOON BEARER Chapter 31 Shadows of the Past
As darkness faded away, Luna stood in a great empty plain. It was unreal: nothing, no color, no sound - Nothing but that nameless sense of energy which filled the air. Luna blinked, trying to adjust her eyes to see in the surrounding gloom."Luna!" A voice floated back distantly. Gently familiar. "Is that you?"Luna turned around abruptly, heart pumping. "Alec?" she called, trembling, "Where are you?"In front of her, the landscape rippled like a mirage, the shadows danced like candle flames. In her panic rising, she started to see someone: a figure, just emerging from the shadows."Alec!" She rushed towards him as he stepped into the light, revealing the concern on his face. "I thought I lost you!""I'm right here," he whispered, pulling her into a warm embrace against the immutable background of the unnerving surroundings. "I was so afraid-""What happened?" Luna interrupted, her gaze searching into his eyes. "The Void was…so overwhelming…and then everything just went dark."Concern
POWERS OF THE MOON BEARER Chapter 30: The Choice
As the pack's eyes bore into her moving forward, Luna approached the Void with each step pulling various fear and resolve in her body. Behind her head, she could hear Alec's voice in growing desolation.“Luna, wait!” Alec hollered with a voice cracking with panic. “You don’t have to do this!”“Luna!” Jax practically shrieked, over-urgent. “Think about what you’re sacrificing! There has to be another way!”But the energy of the Void pulsated around her, a magnetic tether pulling her inwards. With each footfall, she felt the relic thrum against her skin; it became more aglow with each step into destiny.I'm not going to let you destroy everything! Luna retorted defiantly. It starts here and now!The Void flexed; light-turned darkness, another terrifying roar escaped it. The air cracked for as far as she could see, and the ground shook underfoot. There was power, then pressure, a stream of energy locking onto her, sensing her determination.“Luna!” Kael's voice, flooded with grief, broke
POWERS OF THE MOON BEARER Chapter 29: The Awakening of the Void
This monstrous figure, surging above them, seemed to grow bigger with each passing moment. Its form transformed from light to dark, a combination of all things Luna despised. With eyes glowing with unearthly light, like the Balance incarnate, there stood something strange-that darkness was deep and damning.The splitting roar sent a tidal wave of nausea through Luna as the earth shook beneath them. The air grew thick and dense, making it difficult to breathe- and it was becoming unbearable to be pinned between two opposing forces.Alec yelled above the racket, his voice gaunt with panic. "Luna! We have to move, now!"But Luna's gaze did not waver from the creature. It was as though the creature locked its piercing gaze into her, pulling her closer. A semblance of familiarity wafted over her psyche with its energy, which tugged at the core of her being. Her heart raced, and the relic about her neck reacted by thrumming violently almost in rhythm with her panic."Luna!" Jax yelled as he
