The blood moon heir

The crimson moon call

The Sacred Horn echoed across Ashwood for the third time.

Its mournful cry rolled over the mountains until the entire village fell silent. Lyria had never heard it sound like this before. It wasn't the joyful call for a festival or a successful hunt. It was a warning.

She glanced at Elder Rowan. The old healer's weathered face had gone pale, and his trembling hands struggled to gather the herbs he had dropped.

"Rowan," she asked softly, "what's happening?"

He remained silent for a moment before looking at her with unusual seriousness.

"Lyria... whatever happens tonight, stay beside me." She frowned. "You've never said that before."

"I know," he replied quietly. "And I pray I'll never have to say it again." Without another word, he hurried toward the Sacred Valley, and Lyria followed.

By the time they arrived, nearly every werewolf in Ashwood had gathered around the ancient stone altar. Under the moonlight, the Sacred Valley should have looked peaceful, but tonight an unnatural chill lingered in the air.

White flowers drooped against the ground, and the silver leaves trembled despite the stillness. At the center of the altar rested the Moon Stone. For generations it had glowed with a steady silver light.

Tonight, its light flickered weakly. Uneasy whispers spread through the crowd.

"I've never seen that before."

"My grandfather said it only happens when fate changes."

"That's just an old legend."

Lyria quietly stood near the back, hoping no one would notice her. Unfortunately, Cassia did. "The cursed girl actually came," she sneered. Several wolves laughed.

"Maybe the Moon Goddess finally wants her." "Or maybe she's here to steal everyone else's wolf."

Lyria lowered her gaze. After nineteen years of ridicule, she had learned to remain silent. A commanding voice silenced the crowd.

"My people."

Alpha Darius stepped onto the altar, his amber eyes scanning every face. "The Sacred Horn sounded because the Moon Stone awakened on its own." A wave of shock swept through the valley.

"This has never happened during my lifetime," Darius continued. "Nor during the lifetime of any elder."

The murmurs returned.

"What does it mean?"

"Are we under attack?"

"Has the Moon Goddess abandoned us?"

"We do not know," the Alpha admitted.

The honesty unsettled everyone. Four elders approached the altar and placed their hands upon the Moon Stone one after another. Nothing happened.

Finally, only Elder Rowan remained. He whispered an ancient prayer before resting his hand on the stone. A brilliant silver light exploded into the sky. The valley was swallowed by dazzling light.

Children screamed as warriors instinctively formed a protective circle around the Alpha. The Moon Stone pulsed three times before falling silent. Rowan stumbled backward.

"No..." he whispered. "It cannot be."

Alpha Darius caught him. "What did you see?"

Instead of answering, Rowan slowly turned toward Lyria. Fear filled his eyes. Before anyone could react, a powerful wind swept through the valley, extinguishing several torches. Dark clouds covered the moon.

When they finally parted, terrified cries echoed across the clearing. The moon had turned crimson.

"The Blood Moon..." an elderly woman whispered before collapsing to her knees.

"It has returned."

Even Alpha Darius looked unsettled. Only Rowan closed his eyes. "As the prophecy foretold..." Lyria barely heard him.

A strange warmth spread through her chest. Then she heard it.

"Lyria..." She looked around. No one had spoken. Again the voice came, soft and ancient.

"Lyria... come."Without realizing it, she stepped forward.

The crowd parted as she walked toward the altar. With every step, the Moon Stone glowed brighter. Silver light spread across its surface

. "Lyria," the voice whispered. "At last."

"No!" Rowan's desperate shout echoed across the valley.

"Lyria!" She couldn't stop.

It felt as though something deep inside her had awakened. She reached the altar and stood before the glowing relic. The warmth surrounding it felt strangely familiar.

"I've waited for you," the voice whispered.

Slowly, she lifted her trembling hand.

"Do not fear me." The moment her fingertips touched the Moon Stone—

BOOM!

A blinding explosion erupted from the altar. The shockwave threw everyone backward. The ground shook violently as silver light spiraled around Lyria, lifting her into the air. Her eyes slowly closed.

Within the light, she found herself standing beneath an enormous silver moon. A beautiful woman dressed in flowing white robes smiled at her sadly.

"You've grown."

Lyria stared at her. "Who are you?"

"The answer your heart has searched for."

"I don't understand."

"You will." The woman reached toward Lyria's forehead. "But not tonight."

CRACK!

The vision shattered like glass. Lyria gasped as she crashed onto the cold stone altar. The silver light disappeared. Silence filled the valley. She slowly looked up.

The Moon Stone was gone. Only glowing crystal fragments remained scattered across the altar. Everyone stared at her in horror. Cassia was the first to speak.

"You... destroyed it." Lyria shook her head desperately.

"No... I didn't mean to..."

Fear spread through the crowd.

"The Moon Stone has never broken."

"She's cursed."

"The Moon Goddess rejected her."

"Throw her out!"

"She doesn't belong here!" The villagers surged forward.

"Enough!" Alpha Darius stepped between them and Lyria. "No one will touch her." His authority forced the crowd into silence.

Beside the shattered relic, Elder Rowan knelt and picked up one glowing fragment. The moment his fingers touched it, terrifying visions flooded his mind. A crimson sky. Burning forests.

Endless battlefields covered with the bodies of wolves and vampires. At the center stood Lyria, clothed in silver light. Beside her was a man with crimson eyes. Their hands were joined as two armies waited behind them.

Then came blood... Fire... Darkness. Rowan pulled his hand away with a gasp.

"Rowan!" Alpha Darius rushed to him.

"What did you see?"

The old healer's face had become deathly pale. "The prophecy..." he whispered. "It has begun."

Silence settled over the valley."It was only a legend," Darius muttered. Rowan slowly shook his head. "It was never a legend."

***

Far beyond Ashwood, inside a fortress draped in black banners, a young man suddenly stopped walking. His crimson eyes lifted toward the distant horizon. An ancient power had awakened. A slow smile crossed his face.

"So..." "You've finally appeared."

A guard hurried into the throne room and knelt. "Your Highness?"

"Prepare my horse."

The guard looked up in surprise. "At this hour?"

"I am leaving for Ashwood."

"The werewolf territory?"

The prince fastened his sword to his waist and looked toward the crimson moon. "Someone there has awakened destiny." As thunder rolled across the night sky, he walked toward the palace gates.

After five hundred years of silence, the ancient war between wolves and vampires had finally begun.