Luna Aurora (Alpha Fenrir)

Chapter 331

The air in the sanctuary felt heavier than usual, thick with unspoken truths. Elyra sat on a stone bench, the shard cradled delicately in her hands, still faintly pulsing from the overwhelming vision she'd seen earlier. Althea stood before her, a solitary figure bathed in moonlight. The ancient guardian's silver hair shimmered as if it had captured the light of the stars themselves, but her eyes carried a weight that no amount of beauty could conceal.

"You saw him, didn't you?" Althea's voice broke the silence, soft but firm.

Elyra nodded slowly, her hands tightening around the shard. "I saw Dain... lost in shadow. He was... different. Cold. Empty."

Althea stepped closer, her long robes flowing like ripples in a still lake. "What you saw was not set in stone. The shard reflects potential futures, not certainties. But the further he strays from balance, the harder it will be to bring him back." Elyra looked up, her jaw tight. "Then why does it feel like every path leads to the same ending? Him lost. Me alone."

Althea's lips pressed into a thin line, her expression unreadable. "Because you do not yet understand the cost of balance."

Elyra stood abruptly, the bench scraping against the stone floor. "Then tell me!" she snapped, her frustration boiling over. "Tell me what this prophecy really means. What aren't you saying?"

For a long moment, Althea said nothing. The silence stretched, broken only by the distant hum of the shard's energy. Finally, the ancient guardian spoke, her voice tinged with a sadness that made Elyra's chest tighten.

been this," Althea said, gesturing to herself. "A guardian of balance. A keeper of the Moon's prophecy.

confused. "You mean... you had a

anchor. Together, we believed we could defy the prophecy, find another way. But the shadows are insidious, Elyra. They do not break you

she saw the faintest glimmer of tears in Althea's usually stoic

enough to protect me. At first, he resisted its pull, but the power... it changes you.

back, her hands flying to her mouth. "You...

raw pain etched into her features. "I had no choice. The shadows consumed him completely. He was no longer the man I loved but a vessel for destruction. By ending him, I saved the packs. But the price..." She touched the pendant around her neck, a simple crescent moon. "The Moon Goddess cursed

tried to speak, but the lump in her throat made it impossible. Finally, she managed to choke out, "Why are you telling me

choice in your eyes," Althea said, stepping closer. "You will face the same trial, Elyra. The shard has already shown you the danger that lies ahead. Dain is walking a path that will lead him to

"And

Elyra's voice rose, echoing through the sanctuary. "He's my brother,

her eyes remained sad. "I thought the