The King’s Sacrifice
1172 Words
The black fire raced across the battlefield like the wrath of a forgotten god.
Everything in its path turned to ash.
The ground melted.
Ancient trees vanished.
Even the air itself seemed to burn.
“Kael!” Selene screamed.
Without thinking, she threw herself toward him.
But she was too late.
The blast swallowed the Lycan King whole.
A deafening explosion shook the valley.
The force sent everyone flying backward.
Dust, smoke, and fragments of rock filled the air.
For several terrifying seconds…
No one could see anything.
The battlefield fell silent.
Selene’s heart pounded wildly as she stumbled through the thick smoke.
“Kael!”
There was no answer.
Tears blurred her vision.
“Kael!”
She dropped to her knees, ignoring the blood and shattered stones beneath her palms.
“Please…”
Her voice cracked.
“Please answer me.”
The silence that followed was unbearable.
Her chest tightened so painfully that she could barely breathe.
“No…”
“This can’t be happening.”
Around her, the surviving Lycan warriors slowly lowered their weapons.
Some bowed their heads.
Others stared at the smoking crater in disbelief.
One soldier whispered,
“The King…”
Another shook his head.
“No one could survive that.”
Even Darius stood frozen.
His crimson eyes remained fixed on the crater.
“The Devourer’s Breath…”
He spoke almost to himself.
“I’ve never seen anyone survive it.”
High above them, the Devourer laughed.
Its voice echoed across the mountains.
“The Lycan King is dead.”
The words struck Selene like a blade.
Dead?
No…
Only moments ago he had smiled at her.
Only moments ago he had promised she wouldn’t face this alone.
He couldn’t be gone.
He couldn’t.
Selene slowly stood.
The tears on her face disappeared.
Not because she had stopped crying…
But because something inside her had changed.
A strange warmth spread through her chest.
The silver mark on her wrist blazed brighter than ever.
The pendant around her neck floated into the air.
Wind swirled around her.
The Blood Moon seemed to shine directly above her.
The Devourer’s laughter faded.
Its crimson eyes narrowed.
“No…”
“It can’t be.”
The Moon Priestess gasped.
“The Queen’s Grief…”
Lucien turned sharply.
“What does that mean?”
The elderly priestess trembled.
“There is an ancient legend.”
“When the Moon Queen loses the one her heart has accepted…”
“…her true power awakens.”
Selene closed her eyes.
Memories flooded her mind.
Not just her own.
Those of every Moon Queen before her.
She saw queens leading armies.
Healing kingdoms.
Standing beside Lycan Kings who had sworn to protect them.
She heard hundreds of voices whispering together.
“You are never alone.”
When Selene opened her eyes again…
They glowed silver.
Pure silver.
The entire battlefield was bathed in moonlight.
The Devourer growled.
“So…”
“The Moon Goddess has chosen another vessel.”
It raised one massive claw.
“I’ll destroy you before your power matures.”
The monster charged.
Each step shook the earth.
Its roar split the heavens.
Selene didn’t move.
She simply raised one hand.
The silver sword lying several meters away lifted into the air on its own.
It flew straight into her waiting hand.
The moment her fingers closed around the hilt
Moonlight erupted across the valley.
The blade transformed.
Its silver edge became brighter than the stars.
Ancient runes spread from the sword onto Selene’s arm, glowing with gentle light instead of fire.
The wolves on both sides instinctively bowed again.
Even Kael’s generals fell to one knee.
No one had seen such magic in centuries.
The Devourer swung its enormous claw.
Selene stepped forward.
She didn’t dodge.
She swung the Moon Blade once.
Just once.
A crescent of silver light shot across the battlefield.
It collided with the Devourer’s claw.
For one impossible second…
Everything stopped.
Then
CRACK!
The monster roared in agony.
Its enormous claw crashed to the ground, severed cleanly at the wrist.
Black blood poured onto the earth.
The Devourer staggered backward.
Its roar shook the mountains.
“Impossible!”
“My flesh cannot be cut!”
The Moon Priestess smiled through tears.
“The Queen’s Blade…”
“It remembers.”
Selene stood silently.
She wasn’t smiling.
She wasn’t celebrating.
She looked… heartbroken.
“I never wanted this.”
Her quiet voice carried across the battlefield.
“I never wanted war.”
“I never wanted power.”
“I only wanted a place where I belonged.”
The Devourer snarled.
“Then die!”
Dark energy exploded from its body.
Hundreds of shadow beasts emerged from the smoke.
They rushed toward Selene from every direction.
Lucien raised his sword.
“There are too many!”
Darius cursed.
“Protect her!”
Even his own soldiers looked at him in confusion.
“My King?”
“You heard me!”
For the first time, Lycan warriors and Crimson warriors fought side by side against the shadow beasts.
Steel clashed.
Magic exploded.
The battlefield became chaos once more.
But Selene barely noticed.
Her eyes remained fixed on the smoking crater.
Where Kael had disappeared.
Suddenly…
A faint heartbeat echoed through the valley.
Thump.
Selene froze.
Thump.
The sound grew louder.
Thump.
The crater began to glow.
Silver cracks spread across the blackened earth.
The Devourer’s smile disappeared.
“No…”
A powerful gust of wind exploded outward.
The smoke vanished instantly.
Standing at the center of the crater…
Was Kael.
He was alive.
His armor had been destroyed.
Silver markings covered his chest and arms, glowing with ancient energy.
Behind him stood the enormous spirit of a silver wolf, majestic and radiant.
Its eyes shone like twin moons.
The Moon Priestess gasped.
“The First Lycan…”
The spirit slowly merged with Kael’s body.
His silver eyes became brighter than ever before.
He looked at the Devourer.
His voice was calm.
“You’ve had your turn.”
He reached out.
His sword, buried beneath shattered stone, flew into his hand.
The blade ignited with silver flames.
Kael turned toward Selene.
For a brief moment…
Their eyes met.
Neither of them spoke.
They didn’t need to.
She knew.
He knew.
Something between them had changed forever.
Then Kael faced the Devourer once more.
“This time…”
He said quietly.
“You face both your King…”
He stepped beside Selene.
“…and your Queen.”
The battlefield erupted into cheers.
The Lycan warriors roared.
The Crimson warriors stared in stunned silence.
Even Darius smiled faintly.
“The prophecy…”
“It has truly begun.”
But high above them, hidden within the swirling clouds, a mysterious hooded figure watched everything unfold.
A cold laugh echoed through the night.
“So…”
“The King and Queen have finally awakened.”
The stranger slowly removed a silver mask.
Their glowing violet eyes narrowed.
“Excellent.”
“It will make stealing the Moon Crown… so much more entertaining.”
- Writer
