Chapter 6
1385 Words
The morning after the Blood Moon Festival .
The sun was shining, but the Silver Moon Pack was unusually quiet.
No one laughed.
No one smiled.
Groups of wolves stood together, whispering nervously about the terrifying earthquake and the crimson moon.
Some believed it was a warning from the Moon Goddess.
Others feared an ancient enemy had awakened.
Lyra listened to the rumors as she walked through the village.
She couldn’t stop thinking about what had happened the night before.
Especially that strange feeling…
The one that had settled deep inside her chest when she looked at the blood-red moon.
It still hadn’t disappeared.
She pressed a hand against her heart.
“Why do I still feel like something is calling me?”
Shaking the thought away, she decided to clear her mind.
There was only one place she could think peacefully.
The forest.
⸻
The deeper Lyra walked into the woods, the quieter everything became.
The birds had stopped singing.
Even the wind had gone still.
She frowned.
“This place feels… strange.”
She had wandered into this forest many times before, yet today it felt completely different.
As if it were waiting for someone.
Waiting…
For her.
Suddenly…
A faint red light flashed between the roots of an enormous ancient tree.
Lyra stopped.
“What was that?”
Curiosity got the better of her.
She slowly walked closer and knelt beside the roots.
Using her hands, she brushed away layers of dirt and fallen leaves.
Something smooth touched her fingertips.
She pulled harder.
Slowly…
An ancient crystal emerged from the ground.
It was no bigger than her palm.
Black like obsidian.
Crimson lines pulsed beneath its surface like flowing blood.
It looked…
Alive.
Lyra stared at it in confusion.
“I’ve never seen anything like this…”
The moment her fingers wrapped around it—
BOOM!
A burst of crimson light exploded from the crystal.
A powerful shockwave rushed through the forest.
Trees swayed violently.
Birds scattered into the sky.
Lyra cried out as the crystal suddenly grew hot.
“What—”
Before she could throw it away…
The crystal dissolved into countless tiny red lights.
“No!”
The glowing particles rushed into her wrist.
A sharp pain shot through her arm.
She gasped and fell to her knees.
Then…
Silence.
The light disappeared.
The crystal was gone.
Only a small crimson symbol remained on the inside of her wrist.
It glowed for a brief second…
Then faded as though it had never existed.
Lyra stared at it in horror.
“Where… did it go?”
⸻
Far away…
Deep within the Kingdom of Hell…
Ancient flames surrounding the Obsidian Palace suddenly turned crimson.
The massive bells that had remained silent for thousands of years began ringing on their own.
Dong…
Dong…
Dong…
Every demon in the palace froze.
Inside a dark chamber, an old woman dressed in black slowly opened her eyes.
The Oracle.
Her expression changed the moment she felt the surge of power.
“It has awakened…”
⸻
At the edge of the werewolf realm…
Lucien stopped walking.
His silver eyes narrowed.
He felt it.
A powerful force brushed against his soul.
It lasted only a second.
But it was enough.
His heartbeat quickened.
His lips slowly curved into a smile.
“So…”
“You’ve finally appeared.”
One of his generals stepped forward.
“Your Highness?”
Lucien didn’t look away from the distant forest.
“The relic has awakened.”
The two generals exchanged shocked glances.
“Does that mean we’ve found it?”
Lucien nodded once.
“It’s here.”
“In the Silver Moon Pack.”
The generals immediately prepared to leave.
But before they could move—
WHOOSH!
Black flames erupted a few feet away.
A portal ripped open.
A wounded demon soldier stumbled out and crashed to one knee.
His armor was covered in blood.
He lowered his head.
“Your Highness…”
Lucien’s expression hardened.
“What happened?”
The soldier swallowed.
“Prince Kael has declared himself the new ruler of Hell.”
Silence.
“He has gathered the support of six Demon Lords.”
“They are marching toward the Obsidian Palace.”
One of the generals cursed under his breath.
“That traitor…”
Another gripped the hilt of his sword.
“We must return immediately!”
Lucien remained silent.
His gaze drifted toward the forest where the relic had awakened.
If he returned now…
The relic might disappear again.
If he stayed…
His stepbrother could seize the throne.
For a long moment, he said nothing.
Then a cold smile spread across his face.
“Let him have the throne.”
The generals stared at him in disbelief.
Lucien’s silver eyes flashed with dangerous amusement.
“A throne can be reclaimed.”
“But the Infernal Heart…”
“I’ve waited two thousand years for it.”
He turned toward the forest.
“Prepare to move.”
“This time…”
“I won’t let it slip away.”
Lucien wasted no time.
The moment he sensed the relic awaken, he turned toward the heart of the forest, his long black cloak billowing behind him as he walked with steady purpose. Every instinct told him he was closer than he had ever been in two thousand years.
“The Infernal Heart…” he murmured under his breath.
A faint pull tugged at his soul, guiding him deeper into the ancient woods. It was weak, but unmistakable.
“It’s nearby.”
Behind him, his two generals exchanged relieved glances before quickly following.
“Your Highness,” one of them said cautiously, “if the relic has truly awakened, there’s a chance someone has already found it.”
Lucien’s expression remained unreadable.
“Then we find that person first.”
His voice was calm, but it carried an authority that left no room for argument.
The forest grew darker with every step. Towering trees blocked out most of the sunlight, and an eerie silence settled over the surroundings. Even the animals had disappeared, as though they sensed the arrival of the Prince of Hell.
Lucien’s silver eyes swept over every corner of the forest.
“I can still feel it,” he said quietly. “The relic’s power hasn’t faded completely.”
Without another word, he continued deeper into the woods.
⸻
At the same time…
Lyra ran as fast as her legs could carry her.
Her heart pounded wildly against her chest as she clutched her wrist, where the strange crimson mark had appeared.
She didn’t understand what had happened.
One moment, she had been holding an odd crystal.
The next, it had disappeared into her body.
She glanced at her wrist again.
The mark had faded until it was almost invisible, but she knew it had been there.
“I didn’t imagine it,” she whispered.
Fear tightened its grip on her heart.
What if someone found out?
What if the elders believed she had broken some ancient law?
The thought alone made her stomach twist.
Without slowing down, she hurried through the village until a small wooden cottage came into view.
Relief washed over her.
Grandma Mira’s home.
If there was anyone who might know what had happened…
It was her grandmother.
Lyra pushed open the wooden gate and rushed inside.
“Grandma!”
Her voice echoed through the quiet house.
“Grandma Mira!”
A moment later, the old woman stepped out from the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron. The warmth on her face disappeared the instant she saw Lyra’s pale expression.
“Lyra?” she asked, concern filling her voice. “Child… what happened?”
Lyra tried to answer, but the words caught in her throat.
Her hands were trembling.
Taking a deep breath, she slowly held out her wrist.
“Grandma…”
“I think… something found me.”
Grandma Mira’s eyes fell on the faint crimson mark.
For a split second…
The color drained from her face.
Her breathing stopped.
“No…”
she whispered, her voice barely audible.
“It can’t be…”
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