Luna Aurora (Alpha Fenrir)

Chapter 321

Elyra felt the weight of the shard in her hand, its faint glow pulsing with an unsettling rhythm. It had led them here to the Crimson Ruins, the cursed lands whispered about in every legend. The Moon Goddess herself had cast her curse over these lands, and none had dared to venture here for centuries. Yet, Elyra and Dain had no choice. The prophecy was clear: they had to reach the heart of the ruins if they were to stop the darkness from consuming everything.

With every step, the air grew heavier, charged with an energy that made her skin crawl. The trees surrounding the ruins were twisted and gnarled, their leaves blackened by some ancient force. The wind carried whispers-low, unintelligible voices that seemed to mock their every move.

Beside her, Dain walked with determination, his eyes glowing faintly with the shadowy power that had taken hold of him. His transformation had been swift and frightening, the darkness pulling him in with each passing day. Elyra hated how distant he had become, how his once warm presence had turned cold and calculating. But she refused to give up on him. She couldn't.

The further they traveled, the more the landscape seemed to shift, as if the very land resented their intrusion. The crimson hue of the ruins grew more intense, casting a strange glow across their surroundings.

"We shouldn't be here," Cassian's voice broke through Elyra's thoughts. He stood a few steps behind her, his brow furrowed in concern. Aurora stood beside him, her arms crossed, her face equally troubled.

"We know the risks, Cassian," Elyra said, turning to face him. "But we have no choice. The shard's map led us here. We're running out of time."

Cassian shook his head, his expression full of doubt. "Elyra, this place these ruins are cursed. The Moon Goddess's magic is still active here, and it's not something you can control. The darkness that's consuming Dain-it's only going to get worse if you keep following the shard's call."

stepped forward, her voice soft but firm. "Please, Elyra. You've seen what the shard can do to Dain. Do you really think going deeper into

she couldn't. The packs were in danger, and the prophecy was

isn't just about us," Elyra said, her voice steady, her resolve hardening. "It's about saving the packs. The prophecy is tied to the shard. We have to

slightly, his eyes darkened with shadows. "You're wasting

heart. She knew the pull of the darkness was strong, but she refused to let it claim him completely. She wouldn't lose him—not

to the ruins. The entrance loomed before them, a gaping maw of stone and darkness. The red light of the ruins grew brighter as they approached, casting eerie shadows

closer, the ground beneath them trembled. Elyra stumbled slightly, her heart racing. The air felt thick, like something was watching them, waiting. She couldn't explain it, but the ruins seemed alive-alive with an ancient, malignant energy. "Something's wrong," Aurora

grip tightened around his weapon. "We

was as if it was calling to her, urging her to step into the heart of the

too close," Elyra said, her voice shaking but resolute. "We have to see

cracked, sending dust and debris into the air. Elyra flinched,

an unnatural heat. The very stones beneath their feet

low, guttural rumble echoed through the ruins, and the stones began to move-slowly at first, then with greater force.

her throat. The ruins were coming to life. The earth beneath her feet trembled as if responding to their intrusion. The red light glowed brighter, pulsating like the beat of a heart, and a strange, echoing voice whispered through the air, "You