Luna Aurora (Alpha Fenrir)

Chapter 316

The forest was quieter than usual, as if holding its breath in the wake of the events that had unfolded. Dain could feel the weight of his choices pressing down on him, the darkness that had whispered so enticingly in his ear. The Warden of Shadows had promised him

power, promised him control, but now-now it felt more like a curse.

He paced back and forth in the dim light of the temple, his mind a swirling storm of thoughts. He had been so close, so ready to embrace the power the Warden had offered. But Elyra's words, her plea to him, had stopped him. They echoed in his ears now, the sound of her desperate voice-Don't do it. It was the only thing that had kept him from fully surrendering to the shadows, and for that, he was grateful.

But something was wrong. Althea's cryptic warnings, the way she always seemed to know just a little too much. How had she known what the shard would do? How had she known what the prophecy meant? It didn't sit right with him. And now, with the dark power calling to him, he couldn't shake the suspicion that there were things Althea wasn't telling him. Things she was hiding, things he wasn't ready to hear, perhaps but he wasn't sure if he could trust her anymore.

He had to confront her.

Dain found her in the heart of the temple, standing alone by the ancient stone altar. The firelight flickered, casting long shadows across her face, but her expression was as unreadable as ever. She was calm, collected, the picture of a master who held all the pieces of the puzzle, even if she refused to share them.

"Althea," Dain said, his voice steady, though a surge of anger roiled inside him. "We need to talk."

Althea turned to face him, her gaze piercing, but she didn't speak right away. Instead, she studied him, as if weighing something deep within him. It made Dain feel exposed, vulnerable, like she could see every thought, every fear, hidden behind his words.

thinking," Dain continued, his fists clenching at his sides. "About the prophecy. About everything

lips quirked into a faint, knowing smile. "And what have you

but intense. "I think you've been keeping the truth from me, from all of us.

an invisible wall. For a moment, Althea didn't respond, her eyes narrowing slightly,

me," she said, her voice cool, almost

us who has to make the ultimate sacrifice? Why can't we both have what we need? Why do we have to choose? You want me to

You have not yet seen the full

"Then tell me what it really means. What

the ground, as if searching for the right words. Then, slowly, she met his gaze again,

soon, would break you. The prophecy is not a choice, Dain. It is a path. And once you walk it, there is no turning back." Dain's heart skipped a beat. The words hit him like a physical blow. "What do you

eyes distant, as though she were seeing something beyond him, something far older and darker than

a fate that must be fulfilled. There are forces at work here, far beyond us, that have been set in motion long before

the ground shift beneath him. "What do you mean? One

both a gift and a curse. It is the key to unlocking the power of the shard. But it will also be the means of your undoing. If you cannot control it, if you cannot balance the light and the dark within you, then

what is it you're not