Chapter 18: The Beast in the Dark
550 Words
The roar echoed through the forest, shaking the ground beneath their feet. It was close—too close.
Aurora’s breath hitched as she gripped the book tighter. Whatever was coming… it wasn’t human.
Darius moved first. “We need to keep moving.”
Lysander scoffed. “Toward the thing that just screamed like it eats people for fun?”
Celeste pulled out her daggers, her eyes scanning the treetops. “It doesn’t matter. If we run, it’ll just hunt us down.”
Another low growl rumbled through the trees, and the shadows shifted.
Then, it stepped into the light.
A creature—twisted, monstrous—emerged from the darkness. Its body was massive, its fur black as night, but its eyes… they glowed red, burning like embers beneath the Blood Moon.
Aurora froze.
She recognized this.
She’d seen this creature before.
Not in reality.
In her dreams.
The beast’s lips curled back in a snarl, revealing rows of jagged teeth.
Then—it charged.
Darius was already moving. He leapt forward, blades flashing in the moonlight as he met the creature head-on. The clash was brutal—steel against claw, speed against raw, unrelenting power.
Lysander swung his sword at its side, but the beast barely flinched.
Celeste darted behind it, her daggers aiming for its weak spots, but the creature moved too fast.
Aurora’s heart pounded.
This wasn’t a normal monster.
This was a guardian.
And it was here to stop her.
The book in her hands flared with golden light. The mark on her palm burned.
Aurora barely had time to think—she reacted.
She raised her hand, and the light exploded outward.
The beast roared as the magic slammed into it, sending it skidding backward. For the first time, it hesitated.
Darius glanced at her. “Whatever you just did—do it again.”
Aurora’s hands shook. “I—I don’t know how.”
The beast recovered quickly, its red eyes locking onto her.
And suddenly—she understood.
It wasn’t just attacking them.
It was testing her.
It lunged again, but this time, Aurora didn’t hesitate.
She let go.
The book’s power surged through her veins, filling her with warmth and energy so strong it nearly overwhelmed her. The golden light lashed out, wrapping around the beast like chains.
The creature snarled, struggling, but the magic held.
Then, for the first time, its glowing red eyes met hers directly.
And it spoke.
“Prove yourself, Dreamweaver.”
Aurora’s breath caught.
Then—the chains shattered.
The beast vanished into the darkness, leaving only silence in its wake.
Celeste exhaled sharply. “What the hell was that?”
Lysander ran a hand through his hair. “Nope. Nope. I don’t like this. Things that big should not be able to talk.”
Darius turned to Aurora. His silver eyes were unreadable. “You knew, didn’t you?”
Aurora swallowed hard. “I—I’ve seen it before. In my dreams.”
Celeste frowned. “And it called you Dreamweaver.”
Lysander groaned. “Great. Another creepy thing that knows who you are.”
Aurora’s mind raced.
That wasn’t just a beast.
It had been a guardian.
A warning.
A challenge.
And now, whatever was waiting for her in Ravaryn…
It knew she was coming.
- Writer
