Chapter 14: What The Moon Chose
996 Words
The palace was on edge.
---
Not loud.
Not chaotic.
---
Worse.
---
Quiet.
---
Too quiet.
---
Like the entire kingdom was holding its breath.
---
Waiting.
---
For something none of them could stop.
---
Alina sat near the window of Kael’s chamber, her fingers pressed tightly against the mark on her neck.
It hadn’t stopped burning.
Not since the vision.
Not since it woke up.
---
“It knows…”
She whispered the words again.
Trying to understand them.
Failing.
---
A sharp knock broke the silence.
---
“Enter.”
---
Kael’s voice was cold.
Controlled.
---
The door opened.
---
Elder Varis stepped inside, his expression darker than before.
More serious.
---
“You felt it too,” Kael said.
---
It wasn’t a question.
---
Varis nodded slowly.
---
“The seal is weakening.”
---
Alina’s breath caught.
---
“Seal?” she asked.
---
Both men looked at her.
---
Kael didn’t answer.
---
Varis did.
---
“There are things in this world,” he said carefully,
“…that were never meant to walk freely again.”
---
A chill ran down her spine.
---
“The mountain,” she whispered.
---
Varis nodded.
---
“Yes.”
---
Silence filled the room.
---
Heavy.
Unavoidable.
---
Then—
Kael turned toward him.
---
“How long?”
---
Varis didn’t hesitate.
---
“If it continues like this…”
---
A pause.
---
“…days.”
---
Alina stood abruptly.
---
“Days?!”
---
Her voice echoed.
Sharp.
Panicked.
---
“You mean whatever is in that mountain is going to break free in days?!”
---
“Yes.”
---
No hesitation.
No comfort.
No lie.
---
Just truth.
---
“That’s not possible,” she said, shaking her head.
---
But even as she spoke—
She remembered the eyes.
---
The voice.
---
The way it felt.
---
Watching her.
---
It was possible.
---
It was already happening.
---
Kael stepped closer.
---
“Then we stop it before it happens.”
---
His tone was calm.
But there was steel beneath it.
---
Varis frowned slightly.
---
“It’s not that simple.”
---
Kael’s gaze hardened.
---
“Then explain.”
---
Varis exhaled slowly.
---
“That prison was not built by ordinary Lycans.”
---
Alina’s heart skipped.
---
“It was built by the ancient kings… with the help of the Moon-Bound.”
---
Silence.
---
Kael’s eyes shifted to her.
---
Alina felt it instantly.
---
That weight.
---
That realization.
---
“No,” she said quickly.
---
“No, don’t look at me like that.”
---
Varis didn’t soften.
---
“If the seal is failing…”
---
His voice lowered.
---
“…then the only one who can restore it…”
---
A pause.
---
“…is her.”
---
The words hit like a blow.
---
Alina stepped back.
---
“I don’t even know what I am!”
---
Kael didn’t argue.
---
Didn’t deny it.
---
Which somehow made it worse.
---
“You will learn,” he said.
---
“That’s not good enough!” she snapped.
---
The room fell silent.
---
Tension stretched thin.
---
“I’m not some weapon you can just point at a problem!” she continued.
---
Kael stepped forward.
---
“And I’m not asking you to be one.”
---
“Then what are you doing?!”
---
His voice dropped.
Lower.
Sharper.
---
“I’m trying to keep you alive.”
---
That stopped her.
---
Completely.
---
Silence followed.
---
Heavy.
Real.
---
Because this time—
He wasn’t speaking as a king.
---
He was speaking as something else.
---
Something she didn’t fully understand yet.
---
Varis cleared his throat.
---
“There’s more.”
---
Both of them turned to him.
---
“The creature inside that mountain…”
---
His voice darkened.
---
“…it is not just powerful.”
---
A pause.
---
“It is aware.”
---
Alina’s stomach tightened.
---
“I already figured that part.”
---
Varis shook his head.
---
“No.”
---
His eyes locked onto hers.
---
“I mean it is aware of you.”
---
Silence.
---
Cold.
Sharp.
---
Alina’s breath caught.
---
“How…?”
---
Varis didn’t answer immediately.
---
Then—
“The Moon-Bound power is not new,” he said.
---
“It has existed before.”
---
Her heart pounded.
---
“And whatever is sealed in that mountain…”
---
His voice lowered.
---
“…has faced it before.”
---
The room seemed to grow colder.
---
Suddenly—
The mark on Alina’s neck flared.
---
Violently.
---
She gasped.
---
Pain shot through her body.
---
Stronger than before.
---
Her knees buckled—
---
But Kael caught her instantly.
---
“Alina.”
---
His voice was sharp now.
Concern breaking through control.
---
Her eyes widened.
---
“I can feel it…”
---
Her voice trembled.
---
“It’s… pushing…”
---
Kael’s grip tightened.
---
“What is?”
---
She looked toward the mountains again.
---
Fear filling her chest.
---
“Something is trying to reach me.”
---
The room went still.
---
Varis’ expression darkened further.
---
“It’s starting.”
---
Kael’s eyes hardened.
---
“No.”
---
His voice was low.
Deadly.
---
“Not yet.”
---
Outside—
A sudden gust of wind slammed against the palace walls.
---
The torches flickered violently.
---
And far away—
From deep within the mountains—
---
A roar echoed.
---
Not loud.
---
Not distant.
---
But deep.
---
Ancient.
---
Alive.
---
Alina flinched.
---
Because this time—
---
It didn’t feel like a warning.
---
It felt like a call.
---
And something inside her…
---
Answered.
- Writer
- chap_listContents
- likeADD