The atmosphere in the open space was oppressive. The bandits stood right at the edge of the wolf pack, their eyes shining in the faint glow. Their commanding officer, a tall man with scars, advanced towards me, his eyes locked on mine. "His calm voice held a hint of menace as he spoke to Daisy." "Your entire life has been filled with deception." I pulled my arms forcefully, attempting to break free from the enforcers' hold. "What are you referring to?" The rebellious chief chuckled menacingly. "Do you sense it?" That you stand out. That the group has been hiding information from you. Corwin let out a deep growl in his throat, positioning himself between us. Ignore what he says. Rogues inherently tend to deceive others. However, Corwin wasn't even acknowledged by the leader. His gaze remained fixed on mine, his expression never faltering. "Do you lack trust in them?" he inquired in a quiet manner. Incomplete. And with good cause. Daisy, the person they claim you to be is not accu
Tension filled the air as we made our way through the dense forest. The eerie echo of the chilling howls was now pushing us forward while also making us nervous. The pendant hung from my neck, its unusual heat always bringing back memories of the rogue's words. I looked back at Dahlia, with her determined expression and eyes searching the shadows. Corwin was ahead, his body taut, every action whispering carefulness. Behind us, the rest of the group spread out, showing their noticeable discomfort. "What is the reason for us to be tracking the howling sounds?" I inquired quietly. Corwin didn't turn around. "We need to understand the reason if they are coming after you." Kai whispered next to me with his bow prepared, "That plan doesn't seem like a good idea." "What if this is a snare?" "It most likely is," Dahlia snapped. However, it cannot be overlooked. At this moment, no. She spoke briefly, but I could sense the tension beneath her words. We arrived at an open space, and Corwi
The Guardian’s statements echoed in my mind like an alarm signal. The lineage cannot be ignored. "Are you prepared to pay the cost?" I pushed against its heaviness with all the energy I had remaining. My heart raced in my chest as the pendant on my neck radiated warmth. In some way, it provided me with just enough strength to escape. Reversing quickly, I yelled, "What cost?" "What are you trying to say?" The Guardian did not respond. It dissolved into the darkness, its bright eyes the final thing to disappear. I was by myself in the room, gasping and shaking. The pedestal holding the stone tablet now shone more intensely, as if it were anticipating my arrival. I paused. Every instinct urged me to go, but I moved forward regardless. The moment I made contact with it, the room surrounding me changed. The walls dissolved, giving way to a swirling depiction of history. It was the group but altered. Wolves unknown to me wandered unrestrained, their eyes shimmering with pride and str
The atmosphere was heavy with anxiety. The terrifying creature in front of us growled, its molten golden eyes examining each of us like a hunter choosing which victim to strike first. Corwin moved ahead, his gun shining in the moonlight. “Remain back here,” he commanded, his tone strained with authority. I stayed still. My heart raced, yet there was something in the creature's eyes that entranced me. It felt as though they were gazing directly into my soul. “We can't waste time on this,” Dahlia hissed, her claws extending. The beast emitted a deep growl, its tone harsh and eerie. "You've released the seals." “Are you aware of what you've set free?” I gulped nervously, holding tightly to the pendant hanging from my neck. "Who are you?" I insisted. It scoffed. “I am what your forebears attempted to eliminate.” The Shadowed Wolves. "And now, you will confront the repercussions of their deceit." "What do you mean?" I inquired, my voice trembling. The being inclined its head, enter
The shadows engulfed me entirely, yet I could still hear Dahlia’s voice above, calling out my name. Her screams reverberated, faint and far away, as though they belonged to a different realm. I remained motionless for a moment, the agony from the fall spreading throughout my body. I was not by myself. The set of shining golden eyes observed me, unflinching, as a deep growl echoed in the atmosphere. My heart pounded within my chest, yet I compelled myself to rise. The necklace hanging from my neck glowed subtly, lighting up the stone walls nearby. "Who is it that you are?" I murmured, my voice shaking. The figure advanced, its massive form appearing more like a shadow than a solid being. “The inquiry is, who are you?” My lips parted, but no sound emerged. Dahlia’s voice pierced the quiet above me. “Daisy, wait a moment! "I'm on my way!" “No,” the creature whispered, its golden eyes slitting. "She is unable to intervene." "Not at this moment." Prior to my reply, the earth below
The light in Dahlia’s eyes immobilized me. Golden, shining like dual suns. It wasn't normal. It wasn’t she. “Dahlia,” I murmured, advancing carefully. "What is happening?" "What were your actions?" A smirk formed on her lips. "Do you sense it, Daisy?" The energy in this location? It exists. "It’s awaiting." Kai edged forward, his tone cutting. “Dahlia, wake up.” “Anything this may be, it’s playing tricks on your mind.” Dahlia chuckled, a harsh, cutting noise that sent a shiver down my back. "Tampering with me?" No, Kai. “For the initial time, all is evident.” I tightened my hands into fists. "You’re not being coherent." Let’s leave this place. "Together, we can solve this." Her grin faded, and she regarded me with an expression resembling sympathy. “You still fail to comprehend, right?” The necklace I wore started to scorch, its warmth spreading through my torso. Dahlia glanced at it, and her demeanor stiffened. “You shouldn’t possess that,” she remarked, her tone soft and men
The murmurs of the pack were more intense than before. At every turn, I could hear someone whispering. Most voices hushed as I walked by, but the intensity of their gazes remained. The pressure was overwhelming, and it only intensified when Dahlia disappeared during the collapse. Though no one voiced it directly, I sensed the silent inquiries: Where is Dahlia? Why have you come here without her?* I repositioned the pendant on my neck, its known weight anchoring me. Kai strolled next to me, his expression as strained as mine seemed. “We require answers,” I whispered. He gestured with his head. “Responses and potentially some support.” The group is searching for a scapegoat. “They've already found someone,” I said, my tone resentful. Before Kai had a chance to respond, a voice cut in. "Daisy!" "Here you are!" I looked to spot Lila, a younger Omega, running over to me. Her dark curls sprang with every step, yet her expression was tense with anxiety. “What is that?” I inquired. "
The woods buzzed with anxiety, each rustling leaf and cracking branch quickening my heartbeat. Kai sprinted without pausing, his wolf shape gliding like a phantom among the woods. I held onto his fur tightly, my thoughts whirling with Elias's enigmatic caution. "They'll eliminate you simply to reach me." Who were those people? What reality did Elias believe I should be aware of? And the most urgent question was whether Dahlia was truly still alive? I had little time to reflect. Kai abruptly came to a halt, his ears rotating. "What is that?" I softly spoke, easing off his back. He moved swiftly, his hand pressing against my mouth. “Quiet.” "Hear." I listened intently. Initially, there existed only the gentle murmur of the wind among the trees. Then I sensed it, a gentle whisper of voices, subdued and secretive. Kai gestured for me to come along, his actions quiet and intentional. We stealthily approached the noise, maneuvering through the thick foliage until the voices became mo
The atmosphere was laden with ash and unease as the shadows contorted oddly, ascending like vapor from the broken altar. It originated from me. My breath caught as I gazed at my hands. A golden light continued to pulse softly in my hands, yet it flickered, akin to a candle battling an unyielding breeze. "What is occurring to me?" I murmured. Seraphine clutched my arm, her eyes filled with terror. "Daisy, halt." “You need to cease!” "I won’t be doing this!" I retorted, my voice breaking. The shadows surged forward, creating sharp towers around us, blocking the way back to the battlefield. Rowan's voice sliced through the turmoil. Concentrate! “No matter what this is, you are able to control it!” Manage it? I wasn't even aware of what it was. The shadows throbbed, their motions reflecting my rapid heartbeat. For a brief moment, it seemed as if they were alive, attentive, anticipating my order. Lucian's voice echoed from the foot of the mountain. "Daisy!" “We require your presence
The noise coming from below increased in volume, as though the ground itself was sighing. Dust trickled down from the ceiling, while fissures started to break through the stone walls. “Get going!” Rowan shouted. Lucian pulled me back right as a piece of rock fell where I had been moments before. My heart raced within my chest. The whole room shook, an eerie, deep noise streaming up from the fissures in the ground. It felt as if an ancient force had stirred. “What is going on?” I yelled. Lucian's expression was serious as he assisted Seraphine in standing up. "It has started." The solar eclipse.” Rowan muttered a curse quietly. "And if Dahlia receives what she desires" "She will not!" I interrupted abruptly. I didn't allow myself to waver. "We must leave this place and prevent her." At this moment. The four of us rushed out of the room and into the hallway. The torches flickered, their flames dancing erratically as the rumbling intensified. "We can't escape the whole mountain a
The silence was all-pervasive as I opened my eyes. As I attempted to get myself up, my head ached and my vision was blurry.. The space was vacant. Rock barriers. Chilly air. Unfamiliar shadows. “Lucian?” My voice broke. "Rowan?" “Seraphine?” No response. I stumbled to my feet, my heart racing in my ears. Dahlia’s voice resonated in my mind. Your package is damaged. And before long, you will be as well. “Not at all.” I murmured it as if it were a vow. "Not at this moment." The shadows stayed, twisting against the walls as if they were observing me. Awaiting. Testing. I balled my hands into fists and made my way unsteadily to the door. It was partially ajar, the identical one Rowan had guided us through before. Every instinct within me warned it was a trap, but remaining still wasn’t an alternative. “Get going, Daisy,” I whispered to myself. "Progressing one step at a time." The hallway extended endlessly in both directions, with the torches on the walls dimly flickering. My foo
The noise of chains pulled me from my stupor. Chilly stone pressed into my hands as I pushed myself up, squinting at the faint, flickering illumination. My head throbbed, my body sore from the darkness that had dragged me into this confinement or whatever it might be. A soft moan resonated from the vicinity. I pivoted quickly. "Lucian?" There he sat, leaning against the distant wall. His wrists were bound with chains, silver digging into his skin. His wolf form must have been weakened since he wasn't recovering. His breath was uneven, his head bent down. “Lucian!” I hurried toward him. Shadows twisted around my legs, attempting to pull me back, yet I clenched my teeth and forged ahead. I touched down next to him, jostling his shoulder. "Get up." "Kindly!" He shifted slightly, hardly raising his head. "Is that Daisy?" “Yep, it's me.” My voice broke. "Are you alright?" His lips curled into what could have been interpreted as a smile. “I've felt better.” The links clinked as he at
The campsite was quiet. Excessively quiet. Even with the Eclipse Guard around, the impact of Seraphine’s words loomed over me like a looming storm. To offer herself and conclude this conflict. Lucian had not released my arm since the conclusion of the council meeting. As we sat beside the fading flames of the main fire, he finally began to speak. "They're mistaken," he whispered softly. I didn’t raise my gaze. My fingers drew shapes in the soil, my thoughts whirling. “Lucian…” "Negative." His voice was steady, and I sensed his stare without even turning to face him. "We'll discover an alternative method." You’re not going to do it. "Refrain." At last, I caught his eye. His gaze was intense, yet beneath the fury, I perceived fear. "I'm not claiming that I will do it, alright?" "I only..." My voice faded away. *What if this is the only option?* Lucian let out a low growl and stood up suddenly, walking back and forth in front of me. "You aren't dying, Daisy." I’m not concerned abo
The dazzling brightness from the Eclipse Guard remained in my vision, yet the battlefield was hauntingly quiet. The miscreants had withdrawn, shadows winding back into the gloomy woods. Dahlia had departed, yet her words resonated in my thoughts like venom. "Select me". "What's just occurred?" Kai's voice shattered the quiet next to me. He removed blood from his forehead and gazed at the incoming warriors. The Eclipse Protector. They operated like a finely-tuned engine, orderly and wielding bright weapons prepared for action. In the middle, the towering figure guiding them emitted an unusual energy. I couldn't take my gaze off. "Who are those people?" I inquired, my tone lowered. Lucian emerged from the east, his expression serious yet vibrant. "The Eclipse Guard," he repeated. "I believed they were a legend." The towering silhouette moved ahead, helmet shimmering in the fading flames. When they took it away, a sudden gasp left my mouth. A tall, powerful woman with intense gree
The earth was dark. I was drifting in emptiness, a burden resting on my chest. My arms couldn't shift. My legs felt numb. I wasn’t even certain I was inhaling. “It’s finished, sister.” Dahlia’s voice resonated in my thoughts like an eerie tune. She was all around, her voice, her influence, her strength. And I? I was caught. Once more. “Daisy!” Lucian's voice hit me like a punch, slicing through the fog. All at once, brightness pierced the obscurity. My lungs surged to life, and I gasped for a quick, stinging breath. I gasped as I opened my eyes. "At last!" Kai's face loomed above me, reddened and agitated. “You are living.” "I believed we had lost you." I sat up, moaning as the ache in my body overwhelmed me. My arms felt as heavy as metal. My head ached. All around, the camp was a frenzy, flames roaring, fighters yelling, the atmosphere heavy with the iron odor of blood. "What occurred?" My voice was raspy. Lucian showed up, his face marked with grime and lines of red. “Dahl
Like a storm, the shadows closed in. My vision was blurry. I was having trouble breathing. "Daisy!" The roar of Lucian's voice came from a distance. In an attempt to navigate the dense, whirling blackness, I turned to face him. However, it was useless. The shadows of Dahlia had a life of their own and wound themselves about my feet like snakes. Suffocatingly cold, they pulled at me. Her voice then broke through the commotion. Easy. managed. "Sister, why resist it? This is our power. To you. There was something old and shaky in me that her words tugged at. I gave a headshake. "You're not correct!" A glimmer of light broke through the darkness. When Lucian approached me, his voice was fierce and his claws tore at the darkness. "Daisy, stay with me!" The shadows hissed and backed away as I took hold of his hand, his warmth securing me. Dahlia, however, continued. "Oh, how lovely." The blackness swirled about her like a living entity as she took a step closer. "Lucian is a
I was unable to move. Dahlia’s voice resonated in my mind like a rhythmic thump, sending chills down my spine. “I’m coming for you, sister.” Lucian seized my shoulders, his tone pointed. "Hi Daisy!" What did you listen to?” I looked at him, struggling to push the words out. "She is near, Lucian." Dahlia has arrived. Kai, who had been anxiously walking behind us, came to a stop mid-step. “Hold on, this place?” "Is she like observing us from the trees, honing her wicked villain knife?" A deep growl emanated from Lucian's throat. "We have run out of time." "We have to alert the others." I tripped ahead as Lucian urged me to move, my legs acting on their own while my thoughts whirled. My sister, my twin, was arriving. And with her arrived something much more dreadful than any warning howl or council threat. Kai ran next to me, panting heavily. "Daisy, do you sense her, like an eerie twin telepathy thing?" "Yes," I murmured, my heart constricting. “It feels as though she’s tugging a