The Falling Blood Moon
1736 Words
Episode 16: The Falling Blood Moon
The sky was breaking.
The Blood Moon had begun to descend.
Its crimson light covered the entire kingdom, turning the mountains, forests, and ruined palace into shadows.
Elena stood in the center of the Moon Temple, staring upward.
Her chest burned.
The black mark Lucian had placed on her was spreading slowly across her skin.
Lyra held her hand.
“Elena…”
“I’m fine.”
“No, you're not.”
Elena looked at her.
“I can feel him.”
“Lucian?”
She nodded.
“He's inside the moon.”
Her brother stepped forward.
“He isn't inside it.”
Elena looked at him.
“Then where?”
“He is using it as a doorway.”
A deep heartbeat shook the temple.
BOOM.
The walls cracked.
Adrian suddenly fell to one knee.
“Elena…”
She rushed toward him.
“What happened?”
He pressed a hand against his chest.
“He's calling me.”
“Who?”
“Lucian.”
Elena's face hardened.
“He wants to use you to return.”
Adrian nodded.
“And he's getting stronger.”
Her brother looked at him carefully.
“There is only one way to stop him.”
Elena looked at him.
“What?”
“We have to destroy the Blood Moon.”
Kael's eyes widened.
“That's impossible.”
“Nothing is impossible.”
“You don't understand,” Kael said. “The Blood Moon isn't just a moon anymore. It has become connected to Elena.”
Everyone looked at Elena.
Her brother nodded.
“Exactly.”
Elena's heart sank.
“If we destroy it…”
“You could die.”
Silence.
Adrian immediately shook his head.
“No.”
Elena looked at him.
“We don't have another choice.”
“There is always another choice.”
Adrian stood.
“We'll find it.”
Elena smiled sadly.
“You always say that.”
“Because I always mean it.”
For a moment, everything else disappeared.
Then Lyra interrupted.
“We're running out of time.”
Everyone looked toward the sky.
The Blood Moon was almost touching the mountains.
Her brother raised his hand.
“There's a temple beneath the Moon Temple.”
Kael stared at him.
“Beneath it?”
“Yes.”
“What is there?”
“The first Moonborn altar.”
Elena frowned.
“What does it do?”
“It can separate powers.”
Adrian's eyes widened.
“Then it can remove Lucian's power from me.”
Her brother nodded.
“And remove the Blood Moon mark from Elena.”
Elena looked hopeful.
“Then let's go.”
Her brother didn't move.
“There is a problem.”
“What?”
“The altar requires three bloodlines.”
He looked at Elena.
“Moonborn light.”
Then Lyra.
“Moonborn shadow.”
Finally, Adrian.
“Blood Moon power.”
Elena looked at Adrian.
“So all three of us are needed.”
“Yes.”
Kael shook his head.
“But if the altar separates the powers, Adrian could die.”
Adrian looked at Elena.
“I'll take the risk.”
“No.”
“Elena—”
“No.”
She stepped closer.
“I've already lost too much.”
Adrian gently held her hand.
“You haven't lost me yet.”
---
They descended beneath the temple.
A narrow staircase led into darkness.
The deeper they went, the colder the air became.
Strange symbols covered the walls.
Elena touched one.
A vision appeared.
Three children stood beneath a silver moon.
Elena.
Lyra.
And their brother.
But there was someone else.
A young man stood behind them.
Adrian.
Elena's eyes widened.
“You were there.”
Adrian stared at the vision.
“I don't remember this.”
Her brother stepped closer.
“You should.”
Adrian looked at him.
“Why?”
“Because you made the oath that night.”
Adrian's expression changed.
“What oath?”
The third child touched the wall.
The vision changed.
A younger Adrian stood before Elena's mother.
She held the newborn Elena in her arms.
Then she placed her hand on Adrian's forehead.
“Protect her.”
Adrian nodded.
“I swear.”
Then she brought Lyra forward.
“Protect her too.”
He nodded again.
Then she pointed toward the third child.
“And protect him.”
The vision suddenly turned black.
Adrian whispered,
“I failed.”
Elena grabbed his hand.
“No.”
He looked at her.
“You were a child.”
“I still failed.”
“You saved us.”
“I couldn't save him.”
Her brother looked at Adrian.
“You weren't supposed to.”
Everyone became silent.
“What do you mean?” Elena asked.
Her brother looked toward the darkness ahead.
“The night the kingdom fell, someone had to carry my power.”
He looked at Adrian.
“And I chose him.”
Adrian stared.
“You chose me?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because you loved my sister.”
Elena's heart skipped.
Her brother smiled.
“You would have done anything for her.”
Adrian looked at Elena.
“I still would.”
Suddenly the staircase shook.
A deep roar echoed below.
Kael drew his weapon.
“We're being followed.”
Elena turned.
Black shadows were crawling down the walls.
Malric's voice echoed through the tunnel.
“You can't run from your destiny.”
Elena's eyes flashed silver.
“I'm not running.”
She raised her hand.
“I'm coming for you.”
The shadows attacked.
Lyra released a wave of darkness.
Elena followed with silver light.
The two powers merged and destroyed the creatures.
But more appeared.
And more.
Adrian stepped forward.
“Keep moving.”
His eyes turned crimson.
A wave of Blood Moon energy exploded from him.
The shadows disappeared.
Elena stared at him.
“You're getting stronger.”
Adrian looked at his hands.
“No.”
He whispered,
“He is.”
Elena understood.
“Lucian.”
Adrian nodded.
“We have to hurry.”
---
At the bottom of the staircase stood an enormous circular chamber.
Three pillars surrounded a stone altar.
One was silver.
One was black.
One was crimson.
At the center floated a glowing crystal.
The First Moon.
Elena stepped forward.
Her silver pillar lit up.
Lyra approached.
The black pillar awakened.
Adrian walked toward the final pillar.
It remained dark.
He frowned.
“Why isn't it responding?”
Her brother suddenly looked worried.
“Because the Blood Moon power doesn't belong to you.”
Adrian stared at him.
“What?”
“It belongs to him.”
“Lucian.”
He nodded.
“If you activate the altar while carrying his power, the altar will call him here.”
Elena's face went pale.
“Then we can't use it.”
Her brother looked toward the ceiling.
The temple shook violently.
“No.”
He pointed upward.
“We have no choice.”
The Blood Moon was descending faster.
Elena stepped toward the altar.
“What do we do?”
Her brother looked at Adrian.
“He must willingly give up the power.”
Adrian nodded.
“Then let's do it.”
He placed his hand on the crimson pillar.
Nothing happened.
He closed his eyes.
“I release it.”
Nothing.
He tried again.
“I release the Blood Moon power.”
Still nothing.
Then a voice came from behind him.
“You cannot release what was never yours.”
Everyone turned.
Malric stood at the entrance.
His clothes were covered in blood.
But he was smiling.
Elena stepped forward.
“You followed us.”
“I told you.”
He raised his hand.
“Destiny cannot be escaped.”
Lyra attacked.
Malric blocked her.
He threw her against the wall.
“Lyra!”
Elena charged.
Malric caught her by the throat.
“You have no idea what your mother did.”
Elena struggled.
“Tell me.”
“She didn't save you.”
Malric smiled.
“She created you.”
Elena froze.
“What?”
“Your mother used the First Moon.”
He whispered,
“You and your sisters were created from its power.”
Elena's eyes widened.
“That's a lie.”
“Ask her.”
Malric looked toward the entrance.
Elena turned.
Her mother was standing there.
Wounded.
Breathing heavily.
And crying.
“Mom?”
Her mother slowly shook her head.
“I wanted to tell you.”
Elena's voice broke.
“Is it true?”
Her mother closed her eyes.
“Yes.”
Elena stepped backward.
“No…”
“You were born from the Moonborn bloodline,” her mother said, “but your powers were awakened through the First Moon.”
“Why?”
“Because the prophecy said only three children could stop the darkness.”
Elena stared at her.
“Then why hide the truth?”
“Because the prophecy also said…”
Her mother stopped.
“What?”
Her mother looked at the three of them.
“…one of you would become the next Blood Moon King.”
Silence.
Everyone looked at Adrian.
Then Lyra.
Then Elena.
But Elena's mother suddenly shook her head.
“Not Adrian.”
Elena's heart stopped.
“Then who?”
Her mother looked toward Lyra.
Lyra's eyes widened.
“No.”
Her mother whispered,
“The prophecy chose the sister who carries the shadow.”
Lyra stepped backward.
“I don't understand.”
Malric smiled.
“Now you do.”
The black mark on Lyra's chest suddenly ignited.
She screamed.
Elena ran toward her.
“Lyra!”
Her brother grabbed Elena's arm.
“Don't touch her!”
“Why?”
“Because the prophecy has begun.”
Lyra's eyes turned completely black.
She looked at Elena.
But her voice was no longer hers.
“Sister…”
Elena froze.
The voice became deeper.
“Run.”
The chamber shook.
The Blood Moon above them split open.
A gigantic crimson eye appeared in the sky.
And from inside Lyra's body came a voice everyone feared.
“I have found my Queen.”
Elena looked at her sister in horror.
Malric smiled.
Adrian raised his sword.
Kael whispered,
“The Blood Moon has chosen Lyra.”
Lyra slowly lifted her head.
Her eyes glowed crimson.
Then she smiled.
“Let the kingdom kneel.”
TO BE CONTINUED…
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