The Other Moonborn
1595 Words
Episode 12: The Other Moonborn
The black mark beneath Adrian’s skin began to glow.
Everyone stared at him.
Elena couldn’t breathe.
Kael’s voice trembled.
“The Shadow King’s oath…”
Adrian looked down at his hand.
Black veins slowly crawled across his wrist.
Lyra stepped closer.
“He’s controlling you.”
Adrian shook his head.
“No.”
The mark burned brighter.
He dropped to one knee.
“Elena… stay away from me.”
She refused to move.
“No.”
“Please.”
His voice cracked.
“I don't know how long I can fight it.”
Lucian stood beneath the Blood Moon, smiling.
“Finally.”
Elena turned toward him.
“You did this.”
Lucian laughed.
“I only awakened what was already there.”
Adrian suddenly screamed.
Dark energy exploded from his body.
Elena was thrown backward.
“ADRIAN!”
Lyra caught her.
“Don't go near him!”
Elena looked at Adrian.
He was fighting against himself.
His eyes kept changing.
Silver.
Then black.
Silver.
Then black again.
“Adrian!”
He looked at her.
For a second, his eyes became silver.
“Elena…”
She stepped forward.
“I’m here.”
“Run.”
“No.”
“You don't understand.”
“I understand that you're fighting.”
Adrian's body shook.
“I made an oath.”
“To the Shadow King.”
“Yes.”
“Then break it.”
“I can't.”
“You can.”
The black mark spread across his chest.
Adrian screamed.
Lucian raised his hand.
“Enough.”
A red beam struck Adrian.
He collapsed.
Elena ran toward him.
But Lucian appeared between them.
“You are wasting your time.”
Elena's eyes turned silver.
“Move.”
Lucian smiled.
“Or what?”
The ground beneath Elena cracked.
Silver energy erupted around her.
“Or I make you.”
Lucian's smile disappeared.
He attacked.
Elena raised her hand.
Their powers collided.
The valley shook.
Lyra joined Elena.
Shadow energy wrapped around Lucian.
For the first time, Lucian was forced backward.
“You two…”
His eyes burned crimson.
“…are becoming dangerous.”
Lyra shouted,
“We were always dangerous!”
She attacked again.
Lucian blocked her.
Elena moved behind him.
A silver blade formed in her hand.
She struck.
Lucian disappeared.
The blade hit the ground.
Suddenly, Lucian appeared behind Elena.
“You have your mother's courage.”
He whispered near her ear.
“But not her wisdom.”
Before he could attack, the Guardian lunged.
Lucian was thrown backward.
Elena looked at the creature.
“Thank you.”
The Guardian growled.
Then it suddenly turned toward the palace.
Something was wrong.
A deep sound came from inside.
Boom.
The palace doors opened.
Black mist poured into the valley.
Kael's face became pale.
“The Shadow King is coming.”
Lucian smiled.
“No.”
Everyone looked at him.
“He isn't coming.”
Lucian's smile widened.
“He is already here.”
---
The mist spread across the battlefield.
Every wolf fell silent.
Even Lucian stepped back.
A figure appeared inside the palace doorway.
Tall.
Wrapped in a black cloak.
His face was hidden.
Only two silver eyes were visible.
Elena felt a terrible pressure in her chest.
The stranger lifted his hand.
Adrian's black mark immediately burned.
Adrian screamed.
“Stop!”
The figure laughed.
“You still resist.”
Adrian struggled to stand.
“You won't have her.”
The stranger slowly removed his hood.
Elena froze.
It wasn't the face she expected.
The Shadow King was younger than she imagined.
And there was something strangely familiar about him.
His eyes moved toward Elena.
“So…”
He smiled.
“The Moonborn Queen.”
Elena stepped forward.
“Release Adrian.”
“Why?”
“Because he belongs to himself.”
The Shadow King laughed.
“He belongs to me.”
“No.”
Elena raised her hand.
“He made a choice.”
“He made an oath.”
“And an oath can be broken.”
The Shadow King looked at Lyra.
“Your sister understands.”
Lyra's expression hardened.
“What?”
“You both carry half of the same ancient power.”
He pointed toward Elena.
“But there is something you don't know.”
Elena's heart tightened.
“What?”
The Shadow King smiled.
“You were never born as two ordinary sisters.”
Silence.
“You were created.”
Elena stared at him.
“What?”
“Your mother couldn't produce a child strong enough to defeat the Blood Moon.”
He looked at Lyra.
“So she divided the ancient Moonborn power.”
His finger moved toward Elena.
“Half went into you.”
Then toward Lyra.
“And half into her.”
Lyra looked shocked.
“No…”
“Yes.”
The Shadow King continued.
“You are not simply twins.”
“You are two halves of one ancient power.”
Elena felt dizzy.
“Then why were we separated?”
Lucian answered.
“Because together, you were too powerful.”
Elena turned toward him.
“You feared us.”
Lucian smiled.
“I respected what you could become.”
Lyra's hands began shaking.
“You turned me into a weapon.”
Lucian looked at her.
“I gave you purpose.”
“You stole my childhood!”
“And made you strong.”
Lyra's eyes filled with tears.
“I hate you.”
Lucian smiled.
“I know.”
Suddenly, Adrian stood.
His black eyes were completely empty.
The Shadow King raised his hand.
“Bring me Elena.”
Adrian moved.
“Elena, run!”
He charged.
Elena didn't run.
She stood still.
“Adrian.”
He stopped.
His body trembled.
“Fight it.”
The Shadow King tightened his fist.
Adrian attacked.
Elena blocked him.
Their powers collided.
“Adrian!”
He struck again.
She blocked.
“I know you're still there.”
Another attack.
She refused to hurt him.
“I remember you.”
Another.
“The boy who held my hand.”
Another.
“The boy who promised to protect me.”
Adrian's hand stopped inches from her face.
His eyes flickered silver.
“Elena…”
She reached toward him.
“Come back.”
The Shadow King shouted,
“No!”
Dark energy exploded.
Adrian screamed.
But Elena grabbed his hand.
Their marks touched.
A burst of silver light filled the valley.
The black mark on Adrian's chest cracked.
The Shadow King staggered.
“What have you done?”
Elena looked at him.
“Broken his oath.”
The mark shattered.
Adrian collapsed into Elena's arms.
The Shadow King stared in disbelief.
“That should be impossible.”
Lyra smiled.
“Not when the Moonborn are together.”
The Shadow King looked at the sisters.
Then he smiled.
“Exactly.”
Elena frowned.
“What?”
“You think breaking his oath saved you.”
He lifted his hand.
A dark symbol appeared in the sky.
“But his oath was never the real plan.”
Kael suddenly understood.
“No…”
The Shadow King looked at him.
“Tell her.”
Kael's face went pale.
Elena turned.
“Tell me what?”
Kael couldn't speak.
“Kael!”
He finally whispered,
“The oath was a seal.”
Elena stared at him.
“What seal?”
“The Shadow King's power was trapped inside Adrian.”
Silence.
“When Elena broke the oath…”
Kael looked toward the sky.
“…she released it.”
Elena's blood ran cold.
The Shadow King began laughing.
Black energy erupted from Adrian's body.
Adrian opened his eyes.
They were completely black.
“Adrian?”
He looked at Elena.
But there was no recognition in his face.
The Shadow King smiled.
“Now…”
He raised his hand.
“…the true vessel has awakened.”
Adrian slowly stood.
The ground trembled beneath his feet.
Elena stepped backward.
“Adrian…”
He looked at her.
Then smiled.
But it wasn't his smile.
It belonged to the Shadow King.
Lyra grabbed Elena's hand.
“We have to go.”
“No.”
“Elena!”
“I won't leave him.”
Adrian took one step toward them.
The Guardian growled.
Kael raised his weapon.
The Shadow King whispered,
“Run, little Queen.”
“You won't be able to save him this time.”
Elena's eyes filled with tears.
“I saved him once.”
She raised her hand.
“I'll save him again.”
Suddenly the Blood Moon above them cracked.
A blinding silver light poured through the sky.
A woman's voice echoed across the kingdom.
“Daughter…”
Elena looked upward.
Her mother's voice.
But this time, it sounded frightened.
“Do not trust the one who wears your father's face.”
Elena froze.
She slowly turned toward Lucian.
His expression had changed.
The smile was gone.
For the first time, the Blood Moon King looked terrified.
Lyra whispered,
“What does that mean?”
Lucian stepped backward.
“No…”
Elena stared at him.
“Who are you?”
Lucian said nothing.
The silver light grew brighter.
Then a second voice echoed from the sky.
A voice Elena had never heard before.
“The Blood Moon King is not Lucian.”
Everyone froze.
The voice continued.
“Lucian died seventeen years ago.”
Elena's heart stopped.
She looked at the man standing before her.
If he wasn't her father…
Then who was he?
The stranger slowly smiled.
And his face began to change.
TO BE CONTINUED…
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