Dark obsession: chapter 13
886 Words
The Shadow Prince
A heavy mist swallowed the Whispering Marsh.
The hooded figure stepped forward with calm, deliberate movements. His long black cloak drifted behind him, untouched by the wind. Only his crimson eyes could be seen beneath the hood, glowing like burning embers in the darkness.
Kael gently placed Mira behind Lyra.
"Stay with Lucien," he ordered.
Mira clung tightly to Lyra's hand, trembling.
"That's him," she whispered. "He visited me every night."
The mysterious man stopped a few yards away.
"So..." His deep voice echoed across the marsh. "The Alpha King and the Shadow Princess finally stand together."
Kael unsheathed his sword.
"Who are you?"
The stranger slowly removed his hood.
He looked no older than twenty-eight, with jet-black hair, pale skin, and sharp crimson eyes. A faint scar ran across his cheek, giving him a cold, intimidating appearance.
He smiled.
"My name is Prince Malrik."
"The son of the Shadow King."
Silence fell over the marsh.
Lucien's face turned pale.
"So the legends were true..."
Malrik bowed mockingly.
"My father sends his regards."
Lyra stepped forward, gripping her silver staff.
"Why are you hunting me?"
Malrik looked at her with curiosity.
"Because you're the only one capable of destroying everything my father has built."
He tilted his head.
"Or... becoming his greatest weapon."
"I will never join him."
Malrik laughed.
"That's exactly what your mother said."
Lyra froze.
"You knew my mother?"
"Oh, yes."
His smile faded.
"She was a remarkable woman."
"Brave."
"Loyal."
"And incredibly stubborn."
Rage surged through Lyra.
"What did you do to her?"
"I didn't kill her."
His eyes darkened.
"My father gave that order."
The words struck Lyra like lightning.
For years she had searched for the truth.
Now she finally knew who had destroyed her family.
The Shadow Mark burned fiercely.
Dark silver energy surrounded her body.
Lucien quickly stepped beside her.
"Control your emotions!"
But Lyra could barely hear him.
All she could think about was her parents.
Their smiles.
Their sacrifice.
Their deaths.
Malrik noticed the growing energy around her.
"Excellent."
He slowly drew his black sword.
"Show me the true power of the Shadow Bloodline."
Without warning, he attacked.
Clang!
Kael intercepted the strike just in time.
Their swords collided with tremendous force, sending shockwaves through the marsh.
Malrik grinned.
"So you're stronger than the stories claimed."
Kael answered with another powerful strike.
"I'm ending this."
The two warriors fought with astonishing speed.
Neither could gain the upper hand.
Meanwhile, Lyra forced herself to steady her breathing.
She remembered Elder Seraphina's words.
"Your greatest enemy is fear."
Closing her eyes for just a moment, she calmed the storm inside her heart.
When she opened them again, the dark silver energy surrounding her had become stable.
Lucien smiled proudly.
"She's learning."
Malrik noticed the change immediately.
"So you've begun mastering your gift."
He jumped backward, creating distance.
Then he raised his free hand.
Black smoke spread across the battlefield.
From the darkness emerged enormous shadow wolves—twice the size of ordinary werewolves, with glowing red eyes and bodies made of living darkness.
The Blackthorn warriors gasped.
"There are too many!"
The shadow wolves charged.
Kael shifted into his massive black wolf and leaped into battle.
Damon rallied the warriors.
"Protect Lyra and the child!"
Lucien fought beside them, cutting through the shadow creatures, but every wolf he defeated dissolved into smoke and reformed moments later.
"They can't be killed!" Damon shouted.
Lyra watched carefully.
"They're not real..."
Everyone turned toward her.
"They're connected to him."
She pointed her staff at Malrik.
"If we break his concentration, the wolves will disappear."
Kael understood immediately.
"I'll keep him busy!"
The Alpha charged straight toward Malrik.
Their battle shook the marsh.
At the same time, Lyra closed her eyes and focused on the light flowing through her mother's staff.
The crescent moon at its tip began to glow.
The Shadow Mark answered.
Silver light and dark energy merged together instead of fighting each other.
Lucien smiled.
"That's it..."
"Balance."
Lyra lifted the staff high.
A brilliant beam of silver light burst into the sky before crashing down around Malrik.
The shadow wolves howled.
One by one, they dissolved into mist.
Malrik stumbled backward in surprise.
"Impossible..."
He looked at Lyra with new respect.
"So the legends were true."
"You've inherited both Shadow... and Moon."
He smiled again.
"This changes everything."
Suddenly, he crushed a black crystal hidden in his hand.
Dark smoke engulfed him.
Before disappearing, he looked directly at Lyra.
"We'll meet again, Shadow Princess."
"The next time..."
"...my father will come himself."
The smoke vanished.
Malrik was gone.
The marsh fell silent.
The battle was over.
Kael slowly walked toward Lyra.
"You saved us."
Lyra looked down at her glowing staff.
"I didn't do it alone."
For the first time since they met, Kael smiled sincerely.
"And next time..."
"We'll fight together."
Before anyone could celebrate, Mira pointed toward the horizon.
"The mountain..."
Everyone turned.
Far away, Black Hollow Mountain shook violently.
A blinding column of crimson light erupted into the sky.
Seraphina's words echoed in Lucien's mind.
"If the seal weakens three times... the Shadow King will be free."
Lucien's face drained of color.
"That was the second fracture."
He looked at Kael and Lyra.
"We're running out of time."
End of Chapter Thirteen
- Writer
