The Eclipse Begins
676 Words
Chapter Forty-Six: The Eclipse Begins
Elara's POV
The blood-red eclipse spread across the moon.
The battlefield fell unnaturally quiet.
Thousands of warriors stood frozen.
No one dared move.
No one dared breathe.
The silver-masked leader slowly raised both arms toward the sky.
"The heavens remember."
His voice echoed across the valley.
"The Eclipse Heir has awakened."
Dark clouds rolled over the mountains.
Lightning flashed.
Not white.
Silver.
Then crimson.
The two colors twisted together above the battlefield.
The wind howled around me.
I could feel something inside me...
Changing.
Not painfully.
Calling.
Lunara stepped beside me within my soul.
Her white fur shimmered beneath the silver light.
"Do you feel it?"
I nodded.
"Yes."
Vespera appeared beside us.
Her crimson eyes reflected the eclipse overhead.
"Mother's blessing..."
She looked toward the sky.
"Father's blood..."
Then she smiled.
"They're trying to become one."
My heart raced.
"What does that mean?"
Neither of them answered.
Because they didn't know.
Not completely.
---
The silver-masked leader laughed.
"You can feel it, can't you?"
He pointed his black blade toward me.
"The Eclipse wants to awaken."
Draven immediately stepped between us.
"You'll come through me first."
The masked man smiled.
"I expected nothing less."
He raised his hand.
Hundreds of Hollow Court warriors charged.
"Protect the Princess!"
Ryder roared.
Nightshade wolves crashed into the enemy line.
Shadowmoon warriors followed.
The Royal Vampire Guard blurred across the battlefield.
The valley exploded into war once more.
---
I refused to stand still.
A Hollow Court assassin slipped through the battle.
His poisoned dagger flashed toward Luna Seraphina.
"No!"
Without thinking...
I ran.
Everything slowed.
The wind disappeared.
The sounds of battle faded.
All I could hear were three heartbeats.
Mine.
Lunara's.
Vespera's.
"Together."
Silver light burst from my left hand.
Crimson light burst from my right.
The assassin's dagger struck...
A glowing shield.
The blade shattered instantly.
The assassin stumbled backward.
His eyes widened.
"Impossible..."
Before he could recover...
I struck him with an open palm.
A wave of silver and crimson energy exploded outward.
He flew nearly thirty feet before crashing into the ground.
Every nearby warrior froze.
Not because I defeated him.
Because I had done it without training.
Without understanding how.
I stared at my own hands.
"I..."
Lunara smiled proudly.
"Our instincts."
Vespera nodded.
"Imagine what we'll become after Father..."
She paused.
"...after our family trains us."
The words settled in my heart.
This wasn't my full strength.
Not even close.
---
Across the battlefield...
Draven watched everything.
Orion's deep voice rumbled proudly.
"Look at our mate."
A smile spread across Draven's face despite the battle.
"I am."
"She's incredible."
He wasn't afraid of my power.
He admired it.
He believed in it.
And somehow...
That gave me even more strength.
---
King Cassian cut through the battlefield with terrifying speed.
A Hollow Court captain rushed toward me.
Before I could react...
Cassian appeared between us.
His sword sent the enemy flying.
He turned to me.
His crimson eyes softened.
"Stay behind me."
I frowned.
"I can fight."
"I know."
His answer surprised me.
"I've seen enough to know your potential."
He smiled proudly.
"But your greatest strength hasn't awakened yet."
My greatest strength?
Before I could ask—
The silver-masked leader raised both hands.
Dark magic surged across the battlefield.
Black chains erupted from the earth.
They wrapped around wolves.
Vampires.
Shadowmoon warriors.
Even Alpha Alaric struggled against them.
The masked leader laughed.
"You've forgotten."
His crimson eyes locked onto mine.
"The Eclipse was never meant to protect."
"It was created..."
"...to destroy."
The words echoed across the valley.
Lunara growled.
"He's lying."
Vespera's crimson eyes burned with fury.
"Mother would never create a weapon."
I lifted my chin.
Then, for the first time since meeting him...
I looked directly into the masked leader's eyes without fear.
"You don't know my mother."
The battlefield fell silent.
The masked leader's smile slowly disappeared.
"Neither..."
I said, my voice growing stronger.
"...do you."
His crimson eyes narrowed.
For the first time...
The leader of the Hollow Court looked uncertain.
- Writer
