The queen they feared
861 Words
The battlefield went silent.
Even the corrupted wolves stopped moving.
Liora stood frozen at the center of the ruined village while silver light surrounded her body like moonfire. The creatures that moments ago had been tearing warriors apart now lowered themselves before her.
Bowing.
Fear gripped every person present.
Including Kael.
His massive black wolf form slowly shifted back into human form, blood streaking across his arms and chest as he stared at Liora with guarded intensity.
The corrupted creatures began growling softly.
Not aggressively.
Almost reverently.
“The queen…” one whispered again.
Liora’s chest tightened painfully. “Make them stop.”
But nobody moved.
No one seemed to know how.
A corrupted wolf crawled closer to her, its white eyes glowing unnaturally beneath the silver light. Black smoke leaked from cracks in its skin as it bowed its head at her feet.
Liora looked horrified.
“I said stop!”
The silver energy around her burst outward violently.
The creature screamed.
Moonlight-like flames spread across its body instantly, burning away the black corruption consuming it. Within seconds, the wolf collapsed motionless onto the ground.
Dead.
The remaining creatures recoiled immediately.
Several snarled fearfully.
Kael noticed it first.
“They’re afraid of her power.”
Nyra tightened her grip on her daggers. “Or they recognize it.”
Liora stared down at her glowing hands in shock.
She hadn’t meant to kill it.
The corrupted wolves suddenly began retreating toward the forest, moving backward cautiously while keeping their eyes fixed on her.
Then the largest among them stepped forward.
Unlike the others, its body appeared more human than wolf. Black markings spread across its pale skin while white glowing eyes locked onto Liora.
When it spoke, its voice sounded clearer.
“He is searching for you.”
A chill ran through her.
“The Shadow King?” she whispered.
The creature smiled faintly.
“Our king.”
Kael moved protectively in front of Liora. “You’ll speak to me instead.”
The creature ignored him completely.
“The throne remembers its queen,” it continued softly. “Soon… so will you.”
Liora’s breathing became uneven.
“What does that mean?”
The creature tilted its head strangely.
“You have forgotten who you were before this life.”
Nyra looked disturbed. “That’s impossible.”
“Nothing is impossible anymore,” Elias murmured quietly.
The creature’s white eyes remained fixed on Liora.
“When the final moon rises, the Silver Luna must choose.”
Liora swallowed hard. “Choose what?”
The creature’s smile widened.
“Love…”
Its gaze shifted briefly toward Kael.
“Or ruin.”
Then suddenly, the creature’s body twisted violently.
Black smoke exploded outward.
Kael instantly pulled Liora backward as the creature collapsed into ash before their eyes.
Silence followed.
Only the crackling remains of burning buildings could be heard now.
Liora’s silver light slowly faded until the village returned to darkness.
The warriors surrounding her looked shaken.
Some fearful.
Some confused.
One thing had become painfully obvious.
The corrupted wolves had obeyed her.
Nyra stepped forward carefully. “This changes everything.”
Liora looked at her sharply. “I didn’t control them.”
“But they recognized you.”
Kael’s jaw tightened. “Enough.”
Nyra crossed her arms. “You saw what happened, Kael. If the other packs hear about this—”
“They won’t,” he interrupted coldly.
A tense silence followed.
Then Elias suddenly looked toward the forest.
“We need to leave.”
Kael noticed it too.
More howls echoed through the mountains.
Dozens of them.
Coming closer.
“Move,” Kael ordered immediately.
The Nightfang warriors began retreating from the destroyed village quickly. Liora followed beside Kael, but her thoughts remained trapped on the creature’s final words.
You have forgotten who you were before this life.
What did that even mean?
As they entered the forest, Kael slowed slightly beside her.
“You’re shaking.”
Liora wrapped her arms around herself tightly. “Those things bowed to me.”
Kael stayed silent.
“That should terrify you,” she whispered.
His gray eyes met hers briefly beneath the moonlight.
“It does.”
The honesty in his voice surprised her.
But before she could respond, Nyra suddenly stopped ahead of them.
“Kael.”
Everyone froze.
Standing in the middle of the forest path was Lucien.
Alone.
Moonlight filtered through the trees around him while his glowing red eyes settled calmly on Liora.
He looked almost amused.
“Well,” he murmured softly, “it seems the rumors were true after all.”
Kael stepped forward immediately. “What do you want?”
Lucien ignored him.
His attention remained entirely on Liora.
“The Shadow King has finally begun moving openly,” he said quietly. “Which means you’re running out of time.”
Liora frowned. “Time for what?”
Lucien’s smile faded slowly.
“For the memories to return.”
A cold wind swept through the forest.
Then Lucien spoke the words that made Liora’s blood run cold.
“You were never meant to be born human, Silver Luna.”
“You were reincarnated.”
- Writer
