Chapter 51: The Beasts from the North
706 Words
The council chamber exploded into noise.
“What do you mean a creature?”
“How big is it?”
“Is it an army?”
The guard looked overwhelmed by the sudden flood of questions.
Kael raised his hand sharply.
Silence fell immediately.
“Speak clearly,” the king commanded.
The guard swallowed before answering.
“The scouts said the creature is… enormous, Your Majesty.”
“How enormous?” one of the generals asked.
The guard hesitated.
“Larger than three war horses standing side by side.”
Shock rippled across the council chamber.
Even the experienced generals looked uneasy.
“That’s impossible,” one advisor muttered.
But Aria felt a chill crawl up her spine.
She remembered the dream.
The shadow.
The roar.
Slowly she whispered, “It’s one of his servants.”
Kael turned toward her.
“You’re certain?”
She nodded nervously.
“The Moon Goddess showed me something like this.”
Darius leaned back in his chair, watching the conversation carefully.
“Well,” he said calmly, “it seems our enemy isn’t wasting time.”
Kael stood from the table.
Then his voice rang across the chamber like steel.
“Prepare the warriors.”
The generals immediately rose from their seats.
“The northern gate will hold our strongest defenses,” Kael continued. “Archers on the walls. Cavalry behind the gate.”
One of the commanders frowned.
“And the Moon’s Chosen?”
Kael’s golden eyes moved toward Aria.
“She stays with me.”
Darius smiled faintly at that answer.
---
The northern wall of the kingdom buzzed with activity.
Warriors rushed into position while archers lined the top of the massive stone walls.
Torches flickered in the evening wind.
Far beyond the gates…
The forest trembled.
Heavy footsteps echoed through the darkness.
THUD.
THUD.
THUD.
Aria stood beside Kael on the wall, staring into the distant trees.
“Can you see it?” she asked quietly.
Kael’s sharp eyes narrowed.
“Yes.”
A massive shadow moved between the trees.
Then it stepped into the open.
Gasps erupted across the wall.
The creature was terrifying.
Its body looked like a twisted mixture of wolf and dragon, covered in dark scales and jagged spikes. Its glowing red eyes burned with pure hatred.
Saliva dripped from its enormous jaws.
Commander Roran cursed under his breath.
“That thing could tear down the gate.”
Aria felt her heart pounding.
The creature suddenly lifted its head and sniffed the air.
Then its red eyes locked directly onto her.
A deep growl rumbled across the battlefield.
“It senses you,” Kael said quietly.
Aria swallowed.
“That’s not comforting.”
The beast opened its mouth—
And let out a roar so powerful the ground trembled.
ROOOOOOAR!
The warriors tightened their grip on their weapons.
Kael raised his sword.
“Archers!”
Hundreds of bows lifted at once.
“Fire!”
A storm of arrows shot into the sky.
They rained down onto the creature’s body—
But most of them bounced harmlessly off its scales.
The beast barely slowed down.
It charged toward the gate with terrifying speed.
BOOM.
Its massive body slammed into the gate.
The entire wall shook.
“Again!” Kael shouted.
Another wave of arrows flew.
Still the creature kept attacking.
BOOM!
The gate cracked.
Aria’s eyes widened.
“If that gate falls—”
“It won’t,” Kael said firmly.
Then he turned to her.
“It’s time.”
Aria stared at him.
“For what?”
“For you to fight.”
Her stomach flipped.
But she took a deep breath and stepped forward.
The crescent mark on her wrist began glowing again.
Silver light slowly surrounded her hands.
The warriors watched in awe.
“Open the gate,” Kael ordered.
Commander Roran blinked in shock.
“Your Majesty?!”
“Open it.”
Reluctantly, the guards obeyed.
The massive gates slowly began to rise.
The monstrous beast roared in triumph.
But it didn’t realize something important.
It wasn’t entering the kingdom.
It was walking into a trap.
Kael drew his sword.
Aria’s silver power blazed like moonlight.
Side by side, they stepped forward.
Ready to face the Devourer’s first servant.
- Writer
