Chapter Twenty-One: The Red Moon Path
809 Words
The first rays of dawn broke through the trees, weak and pale. The ancient being had vanished, leaving only silence and the bodies of the twisted creatures scattered across the clearing. I stood in the middle of it all, breathing hard, my body still glowing faintly with orange-red light.
Zara rushed forward and wrapped her arms around me. Her touch was warm against my blood-covered skin. “You did it,” she whispered. “You fought them all.”
Max limped over, pressing a hand to the deep gash on his side. “That thing… it wasn’t lying. Your power is growing fast, Arian. Too fast.”
I looked down at my hands. The claws had retracted, but the glowing patterns remained visible under my skin like faint tattoos. The wolf inside me felt different now — not a curse fighting to get out, but a living force that moved with me.
“We need to keep moving,” I said. “It said follow the red moon path north.”
Zara pulled back slightly, her golden eyes searching for mine. “Are you okay? That power… it took a lot out of you.”
“I’m alright,” I lied. My shoulder still burned, and every muscle ached, but the new strength made the pain feel distant. “We can’t stay here. More of those things will come.”
Max nodded and started walking. We followed the faint red glow that had appeared on the ground — a subtle path of light that only we could see, winding deeper into the forest. The trees seemed to part slightly as we walked, as if the forest itself was guiding us.
For the first mile, no one spoke. The only sounds were our footsteps and the occasional drip of water from the leaves.
Zara finally broke the silence. “What did you see when you were in the stone circle? You said there were memories.”
I kept my eyes on the red path. “I saw us. Not just three wolves. Whole packs living free under the moon. Cities made for our kind. Then the Silver Order came with their silver weapons and experiments. They stole something from us. Our true connection to the moon.”
Max grunted. “And now that power is waking up inside you. The Order will stop at nothing to capture you.”
We walked for hours. The red path led us through parts of the Dead Zone that felt older than time itself. Massive trees with silver veins running through their bark. Streams that glowed faintly under the surface. Strange flowers that bloomed only when we passed.
By midday, we reached the edge of a wide river. The water was dark and fast-moving. The red path continued across it.
“There’s no bridge,” Zara said, looking at the rushing water.
Max crouched by the riverbank. “We’ll have to swim. But the current is strong.”
I stepped forward. The glowing patterns on my arms brightened. Without thinking, I placed my hand in the water. The river calmed almost instantly around us, the current slowing to a gentle flow.
Zara’s eyes widened. “You’re doing that?”
“I think so,” I said quietly.
We crossed the river easily. On the other side, the forest began to thin out. The red path grew brighter.
As evening approached, we found an old ruined temple half buried in vines. The red path led straight inside.
Max hesitated at the entrance. “This feels like another test.”
We entered anyway. Inside, moonlight streamed through cracks in the ceiling, lighting up walls covered in ancient carvings of wolves and humans living together.
In the center of the temple stood a single stone altar with a small silver orb resting on it.
The ancient voice returned, softer this time.
“Take the orb, Anomaly. It holds a fragment of our lost power. But know this — every gift from the old blood demands a sacrifice.”
I reached out and picked up the orb. The moment my fingers touched it, warmth spread through my body. The glowing patterns flared brightly, then settled.
Visions flashed again — clearer this time. A future where moon-touched no longer had to hide. But also darkness. Pain. Loss.
When the visions stopped, I felt stronger. Clearer.
Zara touched my arm. “What did you see?”
“Hope,” I said. “And danger.”
Max looked at the empty altar. “We should keep moving before night falls completely.”
As we left the temple, the red path continued north, leading toward distant mountains.
We were no longer just running from the Silver Order.
We were walking toward something much bigger.
And I could feel the ancient power watching us every step of the way.
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To be continued…
- Writer
