Curse of the Goddess - Blood of the Moon

"The moon is a loyal companion. It never leaves. It's always there, watching, steadfast, knowing us in our light and dark moments, changing forever just as we do." - Tahereh Mafi, Shatter Me. The wolves moved through the forest with a grace that seemed almost supernatural. Their sleek, muscular bodies glided effortlessly over the undergrowth, their paws making scarcely a sound on the forest floor. The trees around them whispered and rustled as they passed, but the wolves were undisturbed, focused on their purpose. As they moved deeper into the woods, the moon began to rise higher in the sky. Its pale light filtered through the trees, casting a ghostly glow over the forest. The wolves quickened their pace, driven by some primal instinct that pulsed through their veins. As they emerged from the trees into a clearing, the full moon was revealed in all its splendor. It hung low in the sky, a luminous orb of silver light that seemed almost within reach. The wolves paused for a moment, their eyes locked on the moon, and then they began to howl. Their voices rose into the night sky, a haunting melody echoing through the forest. The sound was both beautiful and eerie, a reminder of the ancient bond between wolves and the moon. As they howled, the moon seemed to glow brighter, its light intensifying until the entire clearing was bathed in a silver radiance. For a moment, it seemed as though the wolves and the moon were one, united in their wild, untamed power. These wolves were different from other wolves. They were larger, their fur thicker and lustrous, and their eyes brighter, with a distinct glow under the night sky. They were not mere animals but were blessed with otherworldly abilities due to their special connection to the Moon Goddess. The Moon Goddess always listened to their calls with love and tenderness, feeling their wildness and freedom in the air she breathed. Appearing in a form that mirrored the moon's current phase, she would often join the wolves in singing and dancing. Under a Full Moon, her skin was the palest shade of white, almost translucent, and her hair was as white as the snow that fell in the depths of winter. Her eyes, a bright lavender, shone in the darkness like two stars in the sky. The Moon Goddess loved her wolves with a fierce and unyielding devotion. She watched over them with a mother's care, nurturing them and ensuring their well-being. In turn, the wolves adored and respected their Goddess, following her every command and serving her with a loyalty that knew no bounds. It was a relationship built on mutual trust and respect that had endured since the dawn of time. The spirits of the land flowed through the wolves; their senses were finely tuned to detect even the slightest disturbance in the air. With each step, they scanned their surroundings, ever watchful for any malevolent spirits that dared to cross into the mortal realm. As the protectors of the land, they were the guardians of all who called it home. The evil spirits were creatures of darkness, delighting in terrorizing those who wandered lost in the forest. They played torturous mind games with their prey, leading them down a path of madness before finally feasting on their souls. However, the wolves stood vigilant, tracking and protecting the spirits' intended victims. The humans of the land revered the wolves, seeing them as protectors and saviors of their people. Stories were passed down from generation to generation of lost travelers rescued by the wolves and guided back to safety with an almost supernatural intuition. The bond between humans and wolves grew stronger with each tale told, a testament to the harmony and respect between them. The Moon Goddess had taught her children how to care for the land and its inhabitants, to always give and take in balance. For centuries, wolves and humans co-inhabited the forest under the watchful eye of the Moon Goddess, living in a world of peace and harmony. In the fading light of day, the sacred bond between humans and wolves began to crumble like leaves falling from a dying tree. As humans turned their gaze to other gods and beliefs, the tales of the Moon Goddess and her wolves slowly faded from memory, like a dream forgotten upon waking. Yet, despite the waning devotion, the wolves remained steadfast in their role as guardians and protectors, their senses still keenly attuned to the malevolent spirits lurking in the shadows. As the eons passed, humans began to see wolves as mere beasts, no longer trusting their ability to lead them to safety. The evil spirits of the forest grew stronger and bolder, taking more and more souls and leaving only shells of their former selves behind. These survivors, their minds shattered by the torturous mind games inflicted by the spirits, could utter only one word: "The wolves." With every passing day, humans' fear of wolves grew, a seed that blossomed into hatred and the desire for revenge. Once revered as guardians and protectors, the wolves were now treated as enemies. Whenever a wolf came to a human's aid, it was met with hostility and aggression. The Moon Goddess and her wolves watched in despair as humans fell victim to the spirits, feeling as though they had failed in their duty to protect the land. Under the first new moon of spring, an ominous feeling filled the air. Little did the wolves know the human's thirst for vengeance knew no bounds. The humans had turned their backs on the forest guardian and protectors, forgetting their bond and the trust built over centuries, coexisting in harmony. The sacred pact was lost, as the wolves were mercilessly hunted down and slaughtered. The wolves' cries echoed through the forest as they fell one by one. The Moon Goddess watched with a heavy heart as her beloved guardians were cut down, her rage growing with each wolf slain before her eyes. She wept for the loss of her wolves, for the betrayal of the humans she had once trusted. The Moon Goddess descended from her celestial throne; she appeared in a form that mirrored the current phase of the moon, her ebony skin glistening under the New Moon, her hair as dark as the sky above, and her eyes burned with righteous anger. As she surveyed the destruction wrought by the humans, her heart ached with sorrow and rage. The remaining wolves, now fewer in number but more determined than ever, went to protect her, their loyalty unwavering and their fangs bared in fierce defense. The Moon Goddess glared at the humans; her lavender eyes flickered with otherworldly power. She could feel the weight of their fear and their awe, but she was not here for their admiration. She was here to defend her children, her wolves, against their merciless attacks. The Goddess's presence initially took aback the humans, but their shock quickly turned to anger. They accused the wolves of being mindless beasts and blamed them for the death of their people. The Moon Goddess was outraged by their accusations and tried to reason with them, telling them that the wolves had been protecting them for centuries. But the humans mocked and laughed in her face, refusing to listen to reason. With a flick of her wrist, she summoned a powerful wind that sent the humans tumbling, their weapons falling from their hands. In a fit of rage, the Moon Goddess condemned the humans before her, cursing them for becoming the same kind of mindless killing machines they had accused the wolves of being. The humans watched in horror and disbelief as the Moon Goddess's wrath unfurled like a storm, each of her movements commanding the power of the celestial bodies above. With a swift slice of her hand, scarlet drops of blood pooled in the Moon Goddess's palm before dripping down her arm. Time seemed to slow as a single drop of blood fell from her arm, hitting the ground. An eerie gust of wind swept through the land, confirming that the irreversible blood curse was complete. The humans writhed and screamed as their bodies contorted and twisted, their bones cracking and reforming into new shapes. They howled in pain and terror as their skin sprouted thick fur, their faces elongating into snouts filled with razor-sharp teeth. When the transformation was complete, the humans were no longer human at all. They were Lycans, half-human, half-wolf monsters with an insatiable thirst for blood. The Moon Goddess watched in sadness and regret as the Lycans roamed, killing and devouring any human they came across. Surviving a Lycan attack required great skill or sometimes sheer luck, as a single bite was all it took to spread the curse. Those bitten shared the same fate, transforming into the same monstrous half-wolf, half-human creature on every full moon until they could not return to their human forms. The Moon Goddess knew her curse had been too harsh and cruel, but she could not take it back. The curse had forever changed the land, unleashing a wave of terror and bloodshed that would be felt for generations to come. The humans may have forgotten the sacred bond they once shared with the wolves, but now they would never forget the Curse of the Moon Goddess.