The Beast Beneath The Mountain
646 Words
The enormous hand pushed through the shattered earth.
Stone exploded outward.
Warriors screamed and scattered.
Elara couldn't move.
She stared at the creature emerging from beneath the Moon Tree.
It was enormous.
Black scales covered its body, each one glowing faintly with crimson veins. Two curved horns rose from its skull, and its eyes burned like molten blood.
It wasn't a wolf.
It wasn't a Lycan.
It was something older.
Something that should never have existed.
The Lycan King raised his sword.
"Nobody attack."
Lucien stared at him.
"Why?"
"Because weapons will only make it stronger."
The creature lifted its head.
Its gaze swept across the battlefield.
Then stopped on Elara.
The entire world seemed to hold its breath.
The creature sniffed the air.
Once.
Twice.
Then it whispered a single word.
"Mother..."
Elara's blood ran cold.
"What?"
Lucien immediately stepped in front of her.
The creature's crimson eyes narrowed.
"Not you."
Its voice shook the ground.
"I smell her blood."
The Lycan King's grip tightened around his sword.
"You've been asleep for centuries."
The creature smiled.
"And you have grown old."
The King stepped forward.
"You will return to your prison."
The creature laughed.
"Your prison?"
It slowly pulled itself from the earth.
"You mean the prison your ancestors built from the bones of my children?"
Elara looked at the King.
"What is it talking about?"
He didn't answer.
"Tell me!"
The King finally looked at her.
"The creature is called Azrath."
Elara swallowed.
"What is Azrath?"
"The firstborn of the Shadow Moon."
Ryder stared at the creature.
"That's impossible."
"The Shadow Moon was destroyed."
The King's expression darkened.
"So we believed."
Azrath roared.
The force of it sent warriors flying.
Lucien grabbed Elara and pulled her against his chest, shielding her from the blast.
His arms wrapped tightly around her.
"Are you hurt?"
Elara shook her head.
"No."
His golden eyes searched her face.
"Stay behind me."
She looked past his shoulder.
Ryder was on the ground, struggling to stand.
His wound had reopened.
Elara rushed toward him.
Lucien caught her wrist.
"Elara."
"He needs help."
"He's bleeding."
She looked into Lucien's eyes.
"Please."
Something in her expression made him release her.
She ran to Ryder.
As she knelt beside him, her hands began glowing.
Silver light poured from her palms.
The wound in Ryder's side slowly closed.
Ryder stared at her.
"Elara..."
"I don't know how I'm doing this."
He reached for her hand.
"You're the Moon Heir."
"I don't even know what that means."
"You will."
A sudden pulse of darkness tore across the battlefield.
Elara's silver light vanished.
Ryder's eyes widened.
"Move!"
He pushed her aside.
A black blade struck the ground where she had been kneeling.
A hooded warrior stood behind them.
Ryder attacked immediately.
The warrior blocked him.
Their weapons clashed.
Elara stumbled backward.
Then she heard a voice.
Not from the battlefield.
From inside her mind.
**Come to me.**
She froze.
The voice came again.
**You have my blood.**
Her heart began pounding.
"Who are you?"
**I have been waiting for you.**
Elara looked toward Azrath.
The creature was staring directly at her.
Its eyes glowed brighter.
Lucien noticed.
"Elara!"
She turned toward him.
But before she could answer...
The moon above them suddenly turned completely black.
Every wolf on the battlefield dropped to the ground.
The Lycan King looked upward in horror.
"No..."
Lucien stared at the sky.
"What is happening?"
The King lowered his sword.
"The Shadow Moon."
Darius's voice trembled.
"I thought that was only a legend."
"So did I."
The King looked at Elara.
"The prophecy wasn't about the Moon Heir stopping the darkness."
Elara's heart sank.
"Then what was it about?"
The King slowly spoke the words that changed everything.
"The Moon Heir..."
"...is the one who can command it."
Azrath smiled.
And beneath the blackened moon...
Elara's eyes began to glow silver.
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