Lunar Shadows

Whispers of War

Elena stepped away from the grand hall of the Conclave and into a suffocating night. She mentally sketched her future in the end of their session: a future full of decisions bitter in taste. Last, powerful powers sat behind closed doors as her heartbeat quickened outside the electronic glow of the city's, which now looked more a world apart than the underground world she was in.

Beside her was Rafe, maintaining a close silence, but troubled. That stoicism he always portrayed was now replaced by something more thoughtful; his eyes were a little distant. No way could Elena think that anymore they were just allies grouped together by fate; things had shifted, and it was not the shadow plays of the Conclave either.

There was silence. Then, "You're quiet," she remarked. "What are you thinking about?"

His gaze flicked onto her, shadowed eyes piercing through the air. "Not like this, I guess. The Conclave-there's more than I thought at stake. They are playing a long game, Elena. And you are a piece on their board."

Tight fists and the burn of emotion; old acquaintance rage. "I don't want to be anybody's pawn. They asked me to choose, but how am I supposed to know what's right when everyone's pulling at me in all directions? "

Softened his face yet again. And for the first time in what seemed an eternity, he reached out, touching her arm tenderly. "I know. It's not fair. You have to trust yourself. You are stronger than you know, Elena. But you cannot allow them to define who you are. Make your own path, and you have to own it."

And while it was true, yet these words did not bring any relief in the storm of emotional uncertainties raging inside her. She had been thrown into a world that she did not really understand, and it now seemed as if her bloodline was a key to a war capable of tearing everything apart. For whom was she supposed to fightthe Conclavists who were determined to take it all? Or for the Order, complicit in fears of all this secrecy and bloodletting? What of her own wants? Was she just an instrument in a war that she did not take part in herself?

As they walked through the dim-lit streets of the city, Elena sensed how with the next step they would be crossing some fatal limit into the inevitable. The barrier between the human and supernatural worlds would soon collapse, and she was standing in its eye. But what eye was it? The beginning of a new world or the dusk of something more sinister?

Rafe's voice entangled her from spiraling thoughts. "There's something else corrupting things I'd like to discuss with you. One thing I've withheld from you."

Elena froze at that moment as if she had gotten a jolt from the inside out; she faced him, delving into his eyes with intent. "What is it?"

After what seemed like a lifetime of almost-silence, Rafe finally said, his grim voice dropping significantly: "The Order of the Moon has had you on their radar for longer than you'd like to think. They know who you are. They know what you are."

Elena's breath caught in her throat. "What do you mean?"

"The Order believes that your bloodline, your abilities, could change the balance of power in the world," he said, his tone heavy. "They've been preparing for this moment for years. They knew that one day, you would come into your powers. And they've been waiting."

This was truly a revelation to Elena. The Order of the Moon-the very group that has been keeping an eye on her and whom she had once crossed paths with for their agents-had been aware of her since forever but had now set their eyes on her once again.

“They think you’re their savior, Elena,” Rafe exclaimed, his voice tinged with a little anger, “They think you’re going to lead their cause and bring forth the domination of the supernatural world. They want you to lead their pack. They want you to destroy the Conclave.”

And Elena shook her head no, not even understanding it. “No. I don’t want that. I do not want any part in this war."

"I know," said Rafe, quiet and softened in his gaze. "But the Order won't take no for an answer. They'll do anything to get you on their side."

The weight of those words crushed down on her. Worried not only about the Conclave but also the Order, each of them wanted her for their own ends powerful and dangerous. She was caught in the middle and there was no way out of it-no easy way in any direction.

"Then, what?" her voice was strained under the weight of everything that she was learning, "Do we do it?"

Rafe was silent for a while. He turned towards the horizon some distance away, apparently weighing his words before he spoke. He said, "We need allies. People without a stake in this fight. People wanting peace. There is a whole network of rogue supernatural beings-beings that have rejected both the Conclave and the Order. They are out there, hiding in the shadows and trying to survive in a world that is tearing itself apart. If we could find them, they might help us put a stop to this war before it starts."

Elena agreed; however, the thought of finding such rogue groups made her feel uncertain. The thing is, trust is a luxury not afforded on this soil, and what other option do they have? When it comes down to it, she would have to risk it all for a chance at putting an end to the madness.

"We start with the one who knows the truth," Rafe continued. "A rogue pack leader in the East End is not an option. He kept running from the Conclave and the Order for years. He's our best chance."

There was a flicker of hope in Elena, albeit very weak. If for some strange reason there were others like her—hungry to fight for something other than power—perhaps there was still somehow a way to avoid the war, but the road ahead was uncertain and stakes higher than she could ever expect.

As she walked, she was silent, but her mind was racing. Heavy was her heart under the weight of this choice. Who knows what may lie in store for the future? Not that it mattered; it would no longer be the world that dictated how she lived. Destiny would be carved by her hand even if it were to be at the expense of the darkness.

And she wasn't alone because Rafe was with her.

Elena agreed, though the very thought of trying to track down these rogue cells made her feel uneasy. In this type of world, trust was a commodity she definitely could not afford, but what choice did they have, really? If she wanted any chance of halting the apocalypse, she'd have to take risks.

“We start with the ones who know the truth,” Rafe continued. “There’s a rogue pack leader in the East End. He’s been avoiding both the Conclave and the Order for years. This is our best chance.”

Elena felt a flicker of hope, though it was fragile. Maybe if there were others like her-or other people who fought for more than power there was still a chance of preventing the war. It was, however, a difficult road ahead and high stakes that were higher than she could possibly understand.

As they walked in silence, Elena's mind was spinning, the weight of indecision pressing down on her heart. She knew not what the future held, yet she was not going to allow the world to determine her path. Her destiny would be cut into being, even if that requiring charging headlong into darkness.

And with Rafe beside her, she wasn't lonely.