Chapter 24: A New Power Awaken
532 Words
The battlefield slowly began to calm after the rebel army retreated.
Royal soldiers moved across the field, helping the wounded and gathering their weapons. The tension of war still hung in the air, but for the first time that day, the kingdom had a moment to breathe.
At the center of the battlefield stood Aria.
Beside her, the massive Shadow Beast remained kneeling quietly, its enormous body towering over the surrounding wolves.
The soldiers kept their distance.
No one dared come too close.
Aria gently lowered her glowing hand, and the silver aura around her slowly faded.
The Moon-Bound power was finally calming.
Kael shifted back into his human form and stepped toward her.
His golden eyes studied both Aria and the beast carefully.
“I never thought I would see this in my lifetime,” he said quietly.
Aria looked up at him.
“See what?”
Kael glanced at the creature beside her.
“An ancient guardian bowing to someone.”
He crossed his arms.
“These beasts disappeared centuries ago. Most Lycans believed they were only legends.”
Aria looked at the creature again.
“But it came when my power awakened.”
Kael nodded slowly.
“Which means your power is far greater than we thought.”
The Shadow Beast suddenly lifted its massive head and let out a low rumble.
Aria turned toward it.
“What is it?”
The creature slowly stood to its full height.
Then it looked toward the distant mountains.
Its red eyes narrowed.
Almost like it sensed something dangerous.
Kael noticed immediately.
“That beast is reacting to something.”
Aria felt the Moon-Bound power stir faintly in her chest again.
A strange feeling crept through her.
Unease.
Far away in the dark forest beyond the battlefield, Magnus walked deeper into the shadows with his remaining soldiers.
They traveled for hours until they reached a narrow mountain path.
At the end of the path stood a massive stone entrance carved directly into the side of the mountain.
The air around it felt cold.
Ancient.
One of Magnus’ soldiers looked nervous.
“My Alpha… this place is forbidden.”
Magnus smiled.
“Yes.”
He stepped closer to the stone entrance.
“And that’s exactly why it holds the power we need.”
The soldiers hesitated.
“Power… for what?”
Magnus placed his hand against the ancient stone door.
“To defeat the Moon-Bound.”
With a loud grinding sound, the massive door slowly began to open.
Cold air rushed out from the darkness inside.
The torches carried by the rebel wolves flickered violently.
Deep inside the mountain, something shifted.
Something that had been sleeping for centuries.
Magnus’ smile grew wider.
“Wake up,” he whispered into the darkness.
“I have a war for you to fight.”
Back at the Lycan kingdom, Aria suddenly clutched her chest.
The Moon-Bound power flared painfully.
Kael stepped forward immediately.
“What’s wrong?”
Aria looked toward the mountains.
Her voice trembled.
“Something… just woke up.”
Beside her, the Shadow Beast released a deep, uneasy growl.
And for the first time since the war began
Even the ancient guardian looked afraid.
- Writer
