Chapter 10: The Moon Goddess' Secret
692 Words
The Dragon Fire Palace stood silent beneath the crimson moon.
Geneva Dragona sat upon her throne, but for the first time in years, she felt fear.
Not fear of war.
Not fear of rebellion.
Fear of prophecy.
The awakening of the Dragon Storm Power had shaken everything she believed she controlled.
For ten years she had hunted Thea.
For ten years she had erased every trace of the royal bloodline.
Yet fate had returned her greatest enemy.
And fate had armed her with unimaginable power.
Hours later, Geneva traveled alone to a forgotten temple hidden deep within the Black Mountains.
Very few knew of its existence.
Fewer still dared to enter.
Ancient runes glowed along the stone walls.
The air felt heavy with magic.
At the center of the temple sat an old woman cloaked in silver robes.
Her eyes were completely white.
The Ancient Seer.
One of the last remaining oracles blessed by the Moon Goddess.
The old woman smiled before Geneva even spoke.
"I knew you would come."
Geneva approached cautiously.
"You know why I'm here."
"The True Luna has awakened."
The Seer's expression became serious.
"The prophecy has begun."
Geneva's fists tightened.
"Tell me everything."
The old woman raised her hand.
Suddenly the temple filled with silver light.
Visions appeared around them.
A young woman surrounded by fire and lightning.
A silver wolf standing beside her.
A throne bathed in moonlight.
And a kingdom united beneath one ruler.
"The rightful heir will rise."
The Seer's voice echoed through the chamber.
"The Dragon Storm shall return."
"The Moon's Chosen and the Storm Alpha shall stand together."
Geneva's face darkened.
"Daven Morgan."
The Seer nodded.
"Their bond was written long before either was born."
Geneva immediately stepped forward.
"There must be another future."
The old woman remained silent.
Then another vision appeared.
This one was darker.
Much darker.
The flames surrounding Verra turned black.
The sky filled with shadows.
The ground became stained with blood.
Geneva's eyes widened.
"What is this?"
"The future is never fixed."
The Seer's voice lowered.
"Power can be corrupted."
"Light can become darkness."
For the first time, hope appeared in Geneva's eyes.
Then she asked the question she had carried all her life.
"If Thea can wield the Dragon Storm..."
She paused.
"Can I wield it too?"
The temple suddenly became silent.
Even the flames stopped moving.
The Seer's expression changed.
For the first time, genuine concern appeared on her ancient face.
"Yes."
Geneva's heart skipped a beat.
"Yes?"
The old woman slowly nodded.
"It is possible."
A smile spread across Geneva's lips.
But it vanished immediately when the Seer continued.
"The Dragon Storm is not merely power."
"It is a living force."
"It chooses."
"It tests."
"And it judges."
The room grew colder.
"If you attempt to claim it through greed, hatred, or ambition..."
The visions around them shifted.
Geneva suddenly saw herself standing on a mountain of corpses.
Black lightning erupted from her body.
Dark fire consumed entire cities.
Her eyes glowed crimson.
Her skin cracked with shadow.
She no longer looked human.
She looked like a monster.
Geneva staggered backward.
"What am I seeing?"
The Seer's voice trembled.
"The price."
The dark vision expanded.
Thousands of wolves knelt in terror.
The sky burned black.
The moon itself disappeared behind darkness.
"You may gain the power."
The Seer looked directly at her.
"But if your heart cannot control it..."
A black flame appeared in the oracle's palm.
"It will control you."
The flame suddenly exploded.
Geneva gasped.
The vision vanished.
The temple returned to normal.
For several moments, neither woman spoke.
Finally, Geneva smiled.
A dangerous smile.
Not one born from fear.
One born from obsession.
"If darkness is the price..."
Her crimson eyes gleamed.
"Then I will become darkness itself."
The Ancient Seer lowered her head.
Because at that moment...
She realized the prophecy had become even more dangerous.
There was no longer one chosen wielder of the Dragon Storm.
There could soon be two.
One blessed by destiny.
And one corrupted by ambition.
A war between light and darkness was coming.
And the entire wolf kingdom would be caught in the middle.
- Writer
