The Oath Awakens
1335 Words
"No!"
The word tore from Aria's throat before she even realized she had spoken.
The silver wolf stood firmly in front of her, every strand of his shimmering fur bristling. His icy blue eyes never left the scarred man holding the silver sword.
The forest seemed to stop breathing.
Even the wind fell silent.
The scarred man smirked.
"So, the mighty Alpha still protects her."
He slowly drew another silver dagger from his belt.
"I wonder how many silver blades your cursed body can survive this time."
The wolf answered with a thunderous roar.
The sound echoed through the entire forest.
Birds burst from the trees.
The lake rippled violently.
Aria covered her ears.
She had never heard anything so powerful... or so full of pain.
"Attack!" the scarred man shouted.
The cloaked warriors charged.
Everything happened at once.
The first hunter swung his silver axe.
The wolf dodged with impossible speed before slamming the attacker into a tree. The c***k of breaking wood echoed through the forest.
A second hunter lunged from behind.
The wolf spun, his massive paw sending the man flying across the clearing.
Three more rushed in.
Steel clashed.
Silver flashed beneath the moonlight.
Aria stumbled backward, unable to believe what she was seeing.
"He... he's fighting all of them alone."
The wolf moved like a shadow.
Fast.
Precise.
Deadly.
Yet...
He never strayed more than a few feet away from her.
He wasn't simply fighting.
He was guarding her.
Always keeping himself between her and danger.
The scarred man laughed.
"Just like before."
His words made the wolf hesitate.
Only for a heartbeat.
But it was enough.
A silver spear flew through the air.
It struck the wolf's shoulder.
He growled in pain.
Bright crimson blood splattered onto the silver flowers below.
"Stop!" Aria screamed.
The hunters ignored her.
Another spear flew.
Then another.
The wolf avoided one.
The second sliced across his side.
His breathing became heavier.
"No..."
Without thinking, Aria ran toward him.
The scarred man smiled.
"Perfect."
He lifted his silver dagger.
"This is what we came for."
He rushed straight at her.
Everything slowed.
She saw the dagger coming.
She tried to move.
Her feet refused to obey.
The blade was only inches away.
Suddenly—
A pair of powerful arms wrapped around her.
The world spun.
She landed safely several feet away.
The silver wolf stood where she had been.
The dagger sank deep into his chest.
A painful howl shattered the night.
"NO!" Aria cried.
The hunters burst into cruel laughter.
"The Alpha bleeds!"
The wolf staggered.
His breathing became ragged.
Silver smoke rose from the wound.
It wasn't ordinary blood.
The silver metal was burning him from the inside.
The scarred man twisted the dagger before pulling it free.
"You should have let the girl die."
The wolf dropped to one knee.
His body trembled violently.
Aria's heart pounded.
She didn't understand why...
But seeing him suffer hurt more than anything she had ever experienced.
Tears blurred her vision.
"Please..."
She crawled toward him.
"Don't die."
The wolf slowly turned his head.
Even now...
Even in unbearable pain...
His eyes softened when they met hers.
As though her tears hurt him more than the dagger.
Then—
The silver mark on Aria's wrist began to glow.
At first it was faint.
Then brighter.
Brighter still.
The hunters stopped laughing.
"What is that?" one whispered.
The mark spread like liquid silver across her arm.
It reached her fingertips.
The pendant around her neck floated into the air.
A blinding light exploded from it.
Everyone shielded their eyes.
The lake began to glow.
Its calm surface churned into a whirlpool of silver light.
The forest trembled.
"What have you done?" the scarred man shouted.
"I didn't do anything!"
Aria couldn't move.
The light surrounded her.
Warm.
Gentle.
Ancient.
Then a woman's voice echoed through the clearing.
Clear as moonlight.
"The oath remembers."
Everyone froze.
The voice continued.
"Though hearts forget... the oath never does."
The silver light rushed toward the wounded wolf.
It entered his body.
His wounds began closing.
The silver dagger marks disappeared before Aria's eyes.
The hunters stared in disbelief.
"No..." the scarred man whispered.
"Impossible."
The wolf slowly stood.
His strength had returned.
But something else had changed.
Silver markings now glowed across his fur.
His blue eyes burned brighter than the moon itself.
The air around him felt...
Royal.
Ancient.
Powerful.
Every hunter instinctively stepped backward.
Even their leader.
"The curse..."
One of them whispered.
"It's weakening."
The scarred man clenched his fists.
"Kill her!"
Five hunters rushed toward Aria.
The wolf moved.
No.
He disappeared.
One second he stood beside the lake.
The next...
He was in front of Aria.
The first hunter never saw him move.
A single strike sent the man crashing into the ground unconscious.
The second barely lifted his sword before the wolf knocked it aside.
The third turned to run.
Too late.
Within seconds...
The clearing fell silent.
Every hunter lay defeated.
Only the scarred man remained.
His confident smile had vanished.
"So..."
He breathed heavily.
"The legends were true."
The wolf slowly approached.
Step.
Step.
Step.
The scarred man backed away.
"You can't kill me."
The wolf continued walking.
"If I die..."
He smiled nervously.
"...he'll come for her."
The wolf stopped.
For the first time...
Fear crossed his eyes.
Aria noticed it immediately.
"He?"
The scarred man laughed.
"You haven't told her about him either?"
The wolf growled.
A warning.
The man ignored it.
"He has awakened."
Aria frowned.
"Who?"
The scarred man looked directly into her eyes.
"The one who murdered you."
Silence.
The words echoed through her mind.
Murdered you.
Her breathing stopped.
"What..."
She whispered.
"What did you say?"
"You died once already."
"No."
"You just don't remember."
"No!"
He laughed again.
"When he discovers you've returned..."
His smile widened.
"...this world will burn."
Before anyone could stop him, he crushed a small black crystal hidden inside his glove.
Dark smoke exploded around him.
The wolf lunged.
Too late.
The smoke vanished.
The scarred man disappeared.
Gone.
Only silence remained.
Aria's knees gave out.
The wolf immediately caught her before she fell.
She looked into his eyes.
"Tell me."
Her voice shook.
"Was he lying?"
The wolf remained silent.
"Please."
Tears streamed down her face.
"I deserve the truth."
He slowly lowered his head.
He couldn't answer.
Or perhaps...
He wouldn't.
Aria stepped away.
"I almost died tonight."
Her voice cracked.
"I saw you bleed for me."
She looked at the glowing mark on her wrist.
"I hear voices."
"I see memories that aren't mine."
"And now someone says I already died once."
She looked directly at him.
"Who am I?"
The wolf closed his eyes.
Before he could react—
The pendant around Aria's neck suddenly flew into the air again.
A beam of silver light shot toward the center of the lake.
The water parted.
Stone rose from beneath the surface.
An ancient circular platform emerged, covered in glowing runes.
At its center stood a crystal pedestal.
Resting on it...
...was a beautifully carved silver scroll bound by a glowing ribbon.
The moment Aria stepped onto the platform, the ribbon untied itself.
The scroll slowly opened.
Ancient words began writing themselves across the page in shimmering silver ink.
Aria stared as the first sentence appeared.
To the two souls bound by the Silver Oath...
More words formed.
If this message has awakened...
The wolf suddenly growled.
Not at the scroll.
At the forest behind them.
Heavy footsteps echoed through the trees.
Not one pair.
Hundreds.
The ground trembled beneath their feet.
Aria slowly turned toward the sound.
Between the trees...
Dozens of glowing red eyes appeared.
Then dozens more.
An entire army surrounded the lake.
At their center stood a towering man dressed in black armor, his crimson eyes fixed on Aria.
He smiled.
Cold.
Patient.
Victorious.
Then he spoke the words that made the silver wolf tremble.
"After five hundred years..."
"...I've finally found my bride."
- Writer
