Fire burning, I pushed forward, then Ronan grabbed my arm to restrain me." Let me go!" I cried out, fighting against him."You'll die!" said His voice was angry and urgent. "We all will if you breach formation."Dax battled valiantly, slicing through adversaries with blood stinging claws.Sebastian's sword hit true, holding the left flank; breath was labored but relentless.Fire burning hotter, I blasted through cursed bonds, yet the cursed mark tightened, saps my power."We are surrounded!" Ronan yelled with grey eyes ablaze. Fall back now!Dark tendrils burst before we could gather, splintering the battlefield and driving us even farther apart."You can't win... when the shadows have already claimed you," Cassandra said, her voice twisted and icy and victorious.And I understood—the conflict in the shadows was just starting—as flames and shadows met."We cannot revert... not after what has happened."Dax had a quiet but forceful voice, and his amber eyes gleamed with unspoken will.
My voice was keen yet strained, flames raging pushing the dark monsters back.Dark runes burst before we could gather, splintering the ground and ensnaring us in a web of burning power.From the shadows, a twisted, familiar voice filled with frigid pleasure.You never were supposed to follow this road.And as darkness swept in, I understood—the only road forward was the one unknown.They look to you—lead them.Tension flowing from every line of Dax's battle-worn physique, his voice was harsh and forceful, amber eyes flashing with raw anger, his claws flexing as he moved forward.Though doubt gnawed at the margins of my thoughts, I tightened my fists and flames fluttered gently. "I asked for nothing like this."Neither of them did. His voice changed, but determination never faltered. Either they will follow you or fall without you.Eyes hollowed by loss and conflict, the surviving Crescent Moon fighters looked damaged and tired.Ronan moved forward, his damaged face contorted in a mixt
Scarred and battle-weary, restless with whispered misgivings, the soldiers surged Ronan walked, his scarred face contorted with weary defiance, while Dax moved like fire, amber eyes flashing, protecting from the shadows."They get scared." Sebastian spoke steadily, his palm resting on the hilt of his sword. And dread makes them perilous. "You believe they will turn on me?” My voice was low, strained, but steady.Sebastian's eyes never waver. "Fear becomes blame more quickly than you could possibly know."From behind Ronan's voice snapped: "We're still fighting because of her." His voice dropped sharply and carried bitterness. "Don't act as though the prophecy isn't killing us."Dax moved forward, claws extending, his face sharp. "Enough," said His voice demanded and was dangerous, like thunder. You want to challenge her? fight me first.Tension tore over the camp, fire blazing at my hands across my chest." STAND down." Like made-of- steel, my voice sounded solid and definitive, slic
"We fall either together or fight together."Whispers swirled, mistrust flying from shadowy features flickering in the firelight."How long until the prophecy claims her?” The voice of a renegade emerged, darkly suspicious. "How long till our next sacrifice is due?"Sebastian's icy-blue eye sharpened, palm tightened on his sword. "You are ready for battle? Against the actual adversary.Dark tentacles sprang out, splintering the cursed earth and driving us back before anybody could reply." They have located us." Dax swore; his voice was taut, prepared for fight.Fire blazing, I shot forward, cutting over the whirl of shadows. Though the cursed brand burned fiercely, I resisted falling.As shadow-forged creatures emerged, ruthless and cruel, warriors collided, fire and steel clashed.Sebastian's sword chopped down foes with merciless efficiency, striking true, lethal and exact.Dax's claws tore through amber eyes blazing, fiercely battling with wild ferocity, defending me without thoug
Twisted laughter rang from Cassandra, emerald-green eyes shining with merciless success."You think sacrifice alters fate?" she screamed, black magic charging. You were always going to tumble.Fire blazed, evil magic broke, and the cursed earth shook, separating widely as Ronan disappeared into the flames."Protect them... no matter the cost," he said last, echoing over the flaming air.And I understood—some sacrifices never intended to be forgotten—as darkness consumed the battlefield.One cannot escape fate.Like a curse carved into my soul, Cassandra's words rang icy and victorious. Fire burning through my veins, the cursed brand burned hotter, its unrelenting draw intensifying with every breath.Dax held my arm, amber eyes burning with need and will. Stay with me, Zaia; resist it!As Sebastian approached, his icy-blue eyes steady yet troubled, his sword shone, carved marks faintly shimmering. "The prophecy hasn't claimed you yet but it's close."I closed my hands and felt fire sha
"She is on her way." Dax snarled, amber eye fixed on the oncoming black powers. " Prepare.""We run this time not here." Even as power shot wildly through my veins, my voice sounded calm, sharp. The Blood Moon is not just a sign, however. Sebastian's voice fell, marked with caution. "Her full power will be unlocked with this."Then we apply it first. Dax's claws blazed, fire and rage coursed through him. "Before her does."Fire burning hotter, I pushed shadows away, reversing the attraction of the cursed mark. "I'm not letting her decide how this ends."Emerging twisted and victorious, emerald-green eyes flashing with terrible power was Cassandra. "You ought to have ran while still able."Dax surged forward, claws ablaze, hitting powerfully, driving her back. Sebastian cut between adversaries created from shadows, like a storm, sword flashing.The Blood Moon is not stoppable. Cassandra snorted, power flickering across her body. "It was always meant to rise".Flames erupted, fire and
Even as the pack battled side by side, tension flared and old animosity returned, separating them.Sebastian cursed; his sword blazing, cutting through the cursed guards; dark shadows twisted, becoming horrible forms.Ronan lurched back, injured but unrelenting, yet his eye flicked, doubt increasing."Something is wrong." Sebastian's voice sounded strained; his eyes closed. "They are driving us into a trap."Dark power burst before we could respond, splintering the earth and turning the battlefield into a lethal labyrinth of shadows.Cassandra showed up, emerald-green eyes ablaze with evil triumph.The prophecy never spoke about victory. Her voice tinged with poisonous delight. "Surviving is the main focus here."The cursed brand blazed more brilliantly, fire and darkness entwining, battling for mastery as I swayed, not falling."I'm not only surviving here." My voice keen and strong, fire blazing over the terrible runes linking us.Cassandra was forced back by exploding silver-crimso
Cassandra grinned dimly, emerald-green eyes shining: "Let the real war begin."And I realized—the deepest forces—were just waking as shadows closed in, fire flared, and destiny spun further.Fall either alone or in line.As warriors paused, doubt flashing on their weathered features, my voice sliced through the tumult, unwavering and relentless.Dax stood sharp next to me, his amber eyes burning, claws extending. "You heard her!!" His direction was sharp, steel-edged, unrelenting. We fight together—or we perish divided!Sebastian moved like a storm, calm yet deadly, his sword shining, carved letters flashing. The only path ahead is through.I raised my chin and blazed ferociously at my fingers. "Hold the line; we cut off today."The cursed earth shook, evil symbols burning, shadow-forged creatures surged, claws shining, teeth pouring poison.Blades clashed, flames raged, and shadows twisted, yet we did not shatter."Flank right," said I yelled, flames exploding through the terrible en
After Cassandra left, the woodland was quiet, but the suspense hung thick like a storm just about to strike. Lirien had disappeared. not with Cassandra. Not besides us.She was on her own. That made her erratic as well. Back at camp, the battle-worn fighters huddled around the fire, their faces marked with anxiety. We had gained something today; yet, it would be interesting to know if this was a mistake or a triumph. The first to speak was Dux. "So what now? Lirien cannot be left alone out there. Rorin groaned, his damaged visage inscrutable as she made her decision. She turned her back on Cassandra, but she chose none of us either. Elyse said, "She's lost." She has spent her whole life believing one truth; now she is unsure of what to believe. She is vulnerable because of this. Tasha waved her arms. "You believe Cassandra won't show up searching for her? She shall. Lirien lately started to be a burden. I let out a quiet breath as my fingers tightened on the relic at my chest.
Cassandra took cautious, purposeful steps towards us, her violet eyes shining with delight and her smile razor-sharp. Her black energy swirled in the air around her, sending shills down my spine."Oh, Zaia," she said, slanted her head to study me. You truly felt you could violate the Shadow Pact with sentiment? With minimal talks on unity? Lirien still shook from the traces of the heavenly force that had passed through her. Her red eyes, which had always blazed with relentless hate, suddenly flicked with something else—uncertainty. Her voice strained as she replied, "You used me," her hands clenched. Cassandra laughed, a musical sound that made me think of alarm bells. "I walked you, sweet Lirien. I gave you the tools you so sorely needed to recover your birthright. And what then did you do? She tsked and shook her head. You halted. You allow the honeyed words of the Luna soak into your heart. Lirien's whole body stiffened. You lied to me. Cassandra groaned, annoyed. Has I? Alter
Like a phantom's breath, the whisper enveloped us with a terrible sensation of dread over the treetops."You think you might alter fate?"Lirien's vocal quality.The shadows in Sacred Hollow deepened and curved like ravenous tentacles. Though even that warmth couldn't chase away the darkness approaching us, the blessing of the Moon Goddess still thrummed in my veins.Dax pulled his sword, his muscles stiffened for fight. She was looking forward us.Elyse whispered an incantation, her silver eyes flickering weakly. Not one. She were observing.Tasha opened her mouth to show teeth. "then let's give her something to see."I raised my chin, determined not to let terror seize. "No," We battle somewhere. Here is not our scene.Dax turned to look at me. "Zaia—""This is holy ground," I stated with great conviction. "I won't denigrate it with bloodshed."The shadows seemed to be thinking about what I had said. From beyond the treeline, then, a man moved forward.Lirien.She wore a black coat
Though their images faded, their echoes thrumming in my bones like a broken chord remained. My thoughts whirled with the facts the Keeper had pushed upon me; my breathing was labouring. Actually, the reality exceeded my expectations. More than I could have tolerated.The Shadow Pact was a tie linking the pack's destiny to forces much older than any of us had known, not just an instrument of power or a curse afflicting the Crescent Moon Pack. Breaking it would call for a sacrifice more than I could have ever imagined.Their red eyes inscrutable, the Keeper regarded me. Now you understand, they said softly. "The agreement cannot be revoked without results." One has to pay blood price. And it comes from you as well.My wolf seething within me, my fingers twisted into fists. "If the cost is my to pay, then so be it," I replied. But I refuse to let the pack suffer for previous errors.The Keeper slanted their head, as if weighing my comments. Then they turned back into the darkness, a fain
The devastation of the hilltop was a clear warning, a sobering reminder of Lirien's growing might. As we gathered in the tent, her harsh and caustic comments still reverberated in my ears. Both physically and metaphorically, the shadows had increased and pressed on the delicate togetherness we had so laboratively created.But there was another, a faint whisper at the brink of my consciousness borne by the constant pulse of the relic. Lirien and Cassandra were not involved. Something ancient, something beckoning me from far within the Forbidden Lands.Fear and mystery have always come from the Forbidden Lands. The air there heavy with an odd force turned even the toughest away, hence even the fiercest wolves feared to approach her boundaries. Stories of those who entered and never came back were handed down like warnings, moulding next generations of Crescent Moon wolves.But the relic I had throbbed with intent, its glow weak but constant. Whatever lay in those territories, I knew it
The howl stayed in the air like an unspoken challenge, the brilliant eyes in the shadows a sharp reminder of the threats invading our life. Every wolf poised for the battle we knew was about to strike the camp in tense quiet. But the danger did not materialise as the seconds extended into minutes. One by one the eyes vanished, leaving only the disturbing silence of the forest.Dax said, "It's a warning," his golden eyes glancing over the treeline. "We are being tested by them.""Or waiting for us to fall," Elyse replied, her silver eyes piercing. "They want us apart. They are expecting we will break apart on our own.Her comments really connected with me as they reflected the uncertainties growing inside of me. Lirien's claim, the brittle alliance with the rogues, the weight of the Crescent Moon's legacy—all seemed like shackles, binding us to customs that no longer served us.We had to become free from those bonds if we were going to live. We had to generate something fresh.Once mor
As we rebuilt the southern outpost, the camp was a swarm of activity. The meeting with Lirien had changed everyone who had seen her strength, not just me. Whispers about her claim as the legitimate successor to the Crescent Moon Pack swiftly create uncertainty and mistrust among the wolves.Particularly the rogues appeared more restless than normal. Their mistrust, always boiling just under the surface, suddenly threatened to explode. We realised we couldn't afford to allow the brittle coalition we had created fall apart.Tension high, the council gathered that evening. Seated around the table, Dax, Kade, Elyse, and Rorin had mixed looks of tiredness and discontent. Sebastian stood to the side listening closely while crossing his arms.Dax said, his amber eyes ablaze with frustration: "We cannot overlook what occurred today. "Lirien's challenge to Zaia's authority goes beyond mere threat. Should she continue to disseminate her falsehoods, the pack might turn against her."Some of the
Not just a strategic site for the pack, but the southern outpost had been a symbol of our resilience, a reminder of what we had worked to rebuild. It was destroyed now. The story of the incident spread around the camp like wildfire, greatly unsettling the wolves and generating uncertainty. For me, however, it was personal—not just another loss.The weight of the relic pressed on my chest like a subdued reminder of the responsibility I carried as the council gathered in the command tent. Around the table Dax, Kade, Elyse, and Rorin stood with emotions ranging from deadly determination to sheer rage." How nasty is it?" I asked to break the quiet.Sebastian went forward, his voice low and sad. "The outpost is no more nowadays. Those who survived assert it was something else, not Cassandra's will. Shadows, as we came across in the woodland. Still, they were moving towards something."leading them!" Elyse repeated, her silver eyes narrowing. "What type of creature could regulate such thi
The wolves gathered in the area, their moves purposeful and keen, the early air was tense. The scout’s urgent report had placed the whole camp on edge. Though it wasn't Cassandra's army, whatever was crossing the western woodland wasn't less of a menace.With the relic warm against my breast, its faint pulse consistent but quiet, I stood in the middle of the clearing. Elyse and Rorin waited close by, their faces austere; Dax and Kade flanking me had stiff postures.Any updates from the scouts? I asked, my voice calm in spite of the churn in my stomach.Sebastian advanced, his keen silver eyes guiding him. "They are watching from the summit. Whatever it is, it is moving swiftly; even if there is no clear indication of what we are dealing with, then we cannot afford to wait. "We shall look in a small group. Others of the camp stay here and enhance the defences.Dax furrowed, worry darkening his golden eyes. You are once more endangering yourself. Let us take care of it."I'm the L