Luna Aurora (Alpha Fenrir)

Chapter 324

The air in the Vision Chamber had thickened, the oppressive silence settling around them like a weight. Elyra stood frozen, her mind racing, trying to process the last whisper that echoed through the chamber: "Only one can ascend." Her heart pounded in her chest, a sense of dread creeping in as she glanced at Dain. He stood motionless, staring at the crystal, his eyes still distant, as if the vision had already taken its toll on him.

"Dain..." Elyra whispered, but he didn't seem to hear her. The tension between them had never been so palpable. It was as though the very room was pushing them apart, the shadows thickening around them.

Suddenly, a low rumble vibrated through the ground, pulling them both from their thoughts. A door, hidden in the far corner of the chamber, creaked open slowly, revealing a darkened hallway. The path was narrow, lined with ancient stone pillars that seemed to whisper as they passed, the air growing colder with each step. The shard pulsed once in Elyra's hand, as if urging her forward.

"This is it," Elyra said, her voice steady despite the nervousness bubbling inside her. "The first trial."

Dain's eyes flickered toward her, his gaze hardening. "We don't need to do this," he muttered, his tone cold. "This is just another trap."

Elyra shook her head, her jaw set. "We don't have a choice. We can't turn back now."

They stepped into the hallway together, their footsteps echoing off the stone walls. As they moved deeper, the temperature dropped even further, the shadows growing longer and more distorted. It was as though the very darkness was alive, wrapping itself around them. The hallway stretched on, endless and winding, until they reached the end. Another door loomed ahead, this one more imposing than the last. It was made of dark wood, etched with ancient symbols that glowed faintly in the dim light. As they approached, the door creaked open on its own, revealing a vast chamber beyond.

Inside, a single pedestal stood in the center, bathed in a strange, flickering light. Upon it was a large, crystalline orb, pulsating with an eerie glow. A sense of dread washed over Elyra as she stepped closer, her instincts screaming at her to turn back. But before she could, the room seemed to shift, the walls stretching and warping, twisting into something darker, more menacing.

And then, they appeared.

a fiery red light, her hands clenched into fists that crackled with dark energy.

what you want, Elyra?" the corrupted version of herself sneered. "Power beyond your wildest dreams. You could

heart pounded in her chest as she took a step back, shaking her head. "No... that's

the sound echoing through the chamber. "But you will. The darkness is already inside you. You've always known

breath hitched as she took another step back. "I will never be like you," she said, her voice

raising her hand. Dark tendrils of energy shot out from her fingers, wrapping around Elyra's limbs, pulling her toward her. Elyra struggled, trying to break

distance, she could hear Dain's voice, faint but

its energy. The shard pulsed brightly,

the shadows. The corrupted version of herself let out a roar

save you from yourself, Elyra," the figure's

but the room was

the chamber, and Elyra spun around to find Dain struggling against

his eyes glowing with an unsettling intensity. But this wasn't