THE LUNA REDEEMED WERELORDS

Chapter two:Bones that remembers

The sound didn't come from outside, they both knew, it came from where they stood, it came from a stone that lay right behind them. A low, rolling howl that vibrated into Kaelen’s body and fell back to where his wolf once lived. For six years the place had been silent and empty, but now it burned. Asha felt nauseous, her hands were on her chest as if been directed. She felt a force that she couldn't control, her gold eyes went wide.

“Do you—” she stated. Silence fell again, another howl from the mountain, closer, angrier. Outside the other five alphas shouted, steel clashed, but the sound was distant. Kaelen grabbed Asha's hand and pushed her deeper into the cave. “Move!!” His voice let out a scary tone.

“Where?” Her voice pulled out from her throat. She felt like crying. She has never been scared like she was in the cave. “I don't know,” Kaelen cast his face down, letting his disappointment clone him. “We have to get out of here,” he said boldly. As they moved a bit into the cave, the ground trembled, dust fell from the ceiling, the cave narrowed, then opened into a wider chamber. They turned and saw in the center of the cave, laid a half buried bone close to a stone. It didn't look like an animal bone, neither a human bone. It looked big and curved, a rib or maybe a skull. They wasn't so sure of what it looked like. It gleamed white from the torchlight they had from behind them. The bones was etched with old runes, pack runes that looked like it hasn't been used before the war.

Asha stopped walking. “Kaelen,” her voice became faint. He turned. “What?” His voice sounded ruined. Where she stood, she kept fixing her eyes on the bone, and her hands were glowing, the light was gold like moonlight under the sun. Her body glowed also. Kaelen took a step back. “What are you doing?”

“I don't know,” Asha whispered. “It hurts.” The glow paused, the bone paused also. The howl came again. This time it wasn't from the stone, it sounded right inside Kaelen's head. His blood where he got strucked with an arrow felt warm. He winced in pain, his one knee fell to the ground as he groans.

“Lord!” Garrick's voice echoed from the cave's mouth. “We're coming in, just hang in there!”

Shadows moved at the entrance of the cave. It were the other alphas. Corin stepped in first, his eyes were covered with fear, then Merek, then Selim, then Orin, then Rhen. Right behind them was Dervik, holding his throat and glaring at the cave. The six of them came to where Kaelen stood, and between them was Asha, she stood still glowing.

“What's happening here!” Corin asked, his voice and hands shaking. “What have you done to her, Varga!”

“I didn't do anything,” Kaelen growled. He stood, putting himself between them and Asha. “She's doing it.” His eyes were fixed on her and didn't dare move his gaze from her. He could read fear all over her face. He could also tell the fear she had wasn't for the Werelords, but for herself. “I can feel them,” Asha said, her voice came again. “All of you are empty, and I can hear voices calling me to fill the emptiness.” The bone paused again. Rhen of Bloodmoon took a step forward, closer to Asha. He winked his eyes. “The redemption rite, it's starting, but how could it without the counsel of the submit?” The echoe of his voice shook confusion all around.

“Nonsense!” Merek spat. “She's just a girl.”

“She's the last Luna, Merek,” came Selim's voice, so soft and tired from the whole war experience. Dervik laughed, scorning them. He turned round, showing his clumsiness, his voice were that of a wounded cub. “Then let's see who she chooses first.” He moved towards Asha, Kaelen moved along, but towards him. He grabbed his wrist mid-air and twisted it, his bone cracked. Dervik screamed. Kaelen drove him into the stone wall. The other alphas stood watching, they all knew it wasn't about fighting anymore, but about Asha. What exactly is going on with her? They all stood confused and lost. Asha groaned loud, the glow around her hands were flared, the bone in the rock shifted, the rock came rumbling, the whole cave shooked. A noise came from the inside the cave, it was breathing, it sounded old and slow.

“What is that?” Orin asked.

“The first den,” Garrick replied from behind them. They all turned to him, he'd made it into the cave with three riders, with blood all over his face. He continued, “The stories of which I heard, the first alpha buried his wolf here when the gods left. It was said that when a true Luna comes, the bone would awaken.”

“You believe in tales,” Corin sneered. He kept looking at Asha.

“I believe in what I see,” Garrick flabbed back.

Asha took some steps towards the bone. Kaelen reached for her and tried to stop her, but was too slow. She touched the bone, everywhere in the cave shown white. For a seconds Kaelen couldn't hear, speak or feel his body. He felt a striking pain that felt like a thunder blow, he landed hard on the ground gasping. When his vision cleared, he saw Asha kneeling down in front of the bone, her both hands were on top of the bone, blood gushed out of her nose. Her palms were already covered in blood, around her in the air circled, shadows, ghost and wolves. Six wolves were circling her, one red, grey, black, white, blue, and gold, all six wolves. The alphas all fell on their knees. They could feel the pull, the power, the bond trying to form. Kaelen clutched his chest as if it wants to fall out, he told himself, “Get up, protect her.” He couldn't move from where he was, his body stiffened, it was no longer his. The black wolf, his wolf, stepped out of the ghost pack and walked to him, it was translucent, wounded, it eyes were silver. It stopped in front of him and laid it's head on his lap.

Kaelen held his head screaming, he heard noises that didn't sound like human. Everyone watched him, silence creeped in into their midst, they all wondered what was going on with him.

Asha whispered to him, “Kaelen, you have to choose.” She touched his head, patting him faithfully.

“Choose what, Asha?” His voice was already shattered.

“Choose who gets me, the bond can only take one alpha at a time, the rest will have to wait or they'll never get their wolf essence back.” She said, looking broken, her heart raced with every energy it had. The other alphas stood starring at them, their eyes were filled with burning desperation and hunger.

Corin spoke first. “Choose me first, girl. Frostfang is the only strongest pack that can protect you.”

“No,” Merek cuts in, “we're Ironwood packs, we have food and land, you'll lack nothing, we'll take care of you.”

“She's not a prey,” Kaelen snarled. He was still on the ground, the ghost of his wolf was still on his laps. He paused and voiced again, “She's a human.”

“She's our only hope, if we don't take a step we'll ruin ourselves,” Orin shouted. Asha looked at the other alphas first, then she gazer back to Kaelen. Kaelen saw the tenderness in her, she's just nineteen and all the other alphas could think about was theirselves. She was bleeding all over, he didn't think of himself, he kept on thinking about her.

“Stop,” she said quietly. They refused. “Stop!” She said again. Her voice ringed into their eyes, they were all terrified, the glow exploded, the six ghost wolves howled, the cave began shaking, rocks fell. The light faded away, Asha was seen standing alone, bone gone, dust on the floor, and the alphas… they were all still hollow. They all had a faint like Cresent moon mark on their chest, including Kaelen.

“What did you do?” Rhen whispered, his heart showing every piece of fear.

“I didn't choose anyone,” Asha said, her voice was steady this time. “The bond started anyways, I couldn't choose because you all are broken and I couldn't stand watching him bleed.” She turned to Kaelen. “Can you stand?” Those were her words. Kaelen nooded, struggling to stand. Garrick helped him up. Asha looked at the six alphas. She suggested, “Here's what going to happen.” They all stood at attention to her. She continued, “You all are not going to fight over me again, you all would work together to get all of your wolf essence back.”

“If we don't?” Dervik sneered, holding his broken wrist.

“Then I will leave and you all will stay hollow.” Her eyes popped out with anger against Dervik's stubbornness.

Corin stood up and faced her. “What do you propose, Luna?”

“We will go to the Bloodmoon submit together, we will also perform the rite together with no fights, then all the wolf essence would come back.”

“That's has never been done,” Selim fired back.

“Then we die trying.” Asha held her breath, she fixed her attention on Kaelen. She placed her hand on his shoulder, she asked, “Will you come with me?”

“Yes, I'll come.” Kaelen answered. He kept on looking at the mark on his chest and his ghost wolf that was fading. The rest alphas nooded, agreeing to go with Asha. It wasn't peace, it was truce ignited by a nineteen year old girl. They left the cave at dawn. They approached outside the cave, it was quiet, dead men, broken weapon. They had to make it to the Bloodmoon submit at first light, the journey took them three days. As they walk, Asha leaned on Kaelen, he didn't mind. Garrick rode ahead with the others, the journey was silent with anxiety. Asha was tired, her breath kept on skipping, she put herself together. She felt dizzy and almost stumble. Kaelen caught her.

“Asha, look at me.” She looked at him, her eyes were closing, she looked pale. She struggled to get up. “It's okay. I’m fine, just… tired.”

“You used too much,” he told her. He could feel it, the bond mark on his chest was warm. “I had to…” she whispered, “if I had not chosen one of you the rest would kill us all.” Kaelen held her in his arms, he brushed her hair from her face. He pictured her in his mind. He said to himself, “She's too small and young but brave at a point.” He smiled at her and moved his lips. “You shouldn't have to carry this on you.” Asha smiled, she felt sad but the light on her face made her look victorious. She placed her hand on his… “Someone had to.” The journey was silent again. They all got tired and decided to rest. They pitched a tent with no fire, they couldn't stand a chance to loose or be endangered. Kaelen stayed awake watching Asha sleep, she has curled up to him and used his coat as blanket. The night was cold, terrifying and burdened. Asha woke up screaming. Kaelen wrapped his arms around her tightly, patting her on her back. “Asha, it's me, I'm here.”

She was shaking, tears on her face. She held Kaelen tight. “They were in my head, the wolves, all of them, they're in pain, they're scared.” Kaelen didn't know what to tell her. All he could mutter to her was, “It's okay, you're safe.” She raised her face to Kaelen, her voice was shaking. “What if I can't bring them to life? What if it doesn't work?” “Then we try again.” Kaelen wasn't sure of that, he needed to give her calms. She nooded against him and fell asleep again. Kaelen kept watch on her, he starred on the trees around, the moon, and he felt a connection that had a line with Asha. He felt a faintest leash on his chest, silver lines crawled from the crescent, the mark kept spreading, silver lines were drawing out form the Cresent. He didn't know if it was good or bad. At first dawn they set to move again. By midday, they got to the edge of the Bloodmoon territory, they saw banners waiting for them, they were no longer six packs, dozens of packs also waited.

Kaelen lifted his head and saw the people who were waiting, humans, rogue wolves, hollow men with spears. They all came after hearing that the Luna has arrived. Corin rode towards Kaelen side. “We're surrounded,” his voice trembled. Marek cursed. “We'll never make it to the submit.” Asha came down and stepped forward. She looked tiny in front of all of them, her heart pounced, the wind revealed her every fear and courage. Her lips tore apart and her voice sounded all over. She summoned boldness. “I am Asha, a girl who hasn't been bound to any pack, I'm the last Luna.” She paused, then continued. “If you all want your wolves back, you'll let us pass, but if you don't, then you'll die hollow in this Godforsaken ruined place.” She sounded it with every last strength in her.

The whole place was quiet. They all cast their eyes on her as if she spoke blasphemy. From the crowd an old man came forward holding a spare. “You speak bigger than what a child can speak,” he said. Asha bowed her face and smiled. She lifted her face without a flinch, looking at the old man. She fired back, “I'm not a child, I'm the last Luna.” The old man studied her, he lowered his spear and commanded that they should be allowed to pass through. Slowly the crowd parted.

Kaelen heaved a sign of relief, he ran out of patience. They rode through the middle of the crowd, all eyes were on them. At the top center of the place, on a hill stood the Bloodmoon submit, it was an altar made with black stones, six pillars. In the middle of the altar lay a bowl carved out from a wolf skull. Asha dismounted from her ride, her legs were shaking. All she wanted to do was to walk. She took a deep breath and started walking. Kaelen followed with the other alphas, they all went to where the bowl was and formed a circle around the bowl. Asha looked at each of them, she raised her eyeballs up, she was so scared. She pulled them back downwards back to the alphas. “This is it, if we can do this, without going back, the bond will tie me to all of you, not just one, and it might kill me.” Her voice scaled through their midst.

“Don't.” Kaelen interrupted. He didn't know when the word came out. She looked at him and smiled. “I have to,” she replied. She moved forward towards the bowl with a knife in her hand. She cut her palm and let her blood drip into the bowl, it was gold blood, not red. The bowl began to glow. She handed the knife over to Kaelen, he did same. The rest alphas also did same. Their blood was red and as their blood met with her gold blood and sizzled, the ground shook, the ghost wolves appeared again, bigger and real this time. They circled the bowl howling. Asha held her head screaming. Light shot up from the bowl to the sky. Kaelen was lost in imaginations, he imagined seeing his wolf. The light from the bowl shattered. Kaelen fell to the ground in pain, he couldn't breathe. He closed his eyes from his imagination. He heard someone shouting his name. He opened his eyes and saw Asha in front of him, unconscious, bleeding from her mouth. He looked at the bowl, it was cracked. He looked up to the sky, he saw a full moon, but there was no wolf, there was silence.

Kaelen crawled to Asha where she laid. He bent towards her and lifted her head. He shook her, muttering in tears, “No, no, Asha, stay with me.” Her eyes fluttered open, they were gold and dim. She threw her face away from his gaze. “It didn't work,” she whispered in tears.

“It doesn't matter.” Kaelen pretended to be okay with what happened. He drew her closer to himself. “Your okay, that's all that matters.” She lifted her eyes which met with Kaelen's. “No, it did work, I know I did something.” She placed her hand which was shaking on his chest where his mark is. “I gave you a piece of me, not just you, all of you, so you all won't be empty anymore,” she said weakily. Kaelen remembered his imagination when the bowl glowed. For half a second he felt his mark on his chest, it was hot, he felt fur, teeth, claws. He felt the presence of his wolf. At a blink it was gone. Asha's hand fell from his chest, she whispered to him, “Run… they're coming for me, they want to have me and they won't stop till I'm dead.” From a distance he heard the sound of horns, it wasn't from the six packs, it was from something else which sounded bigger, full of strength. He quickly carried Asha, she was light and cold. He looked at the other alphas, he screamed, “We need to move now and quick!” No one argued, they started running. Kaelen stopped, looked back at the submit a last time. On the altar he saw Asha's blood and a footprint that has claws not looking like a human own, he saw smoke. He turned back and started running with Asha on his back.