[Healer’s Hut — Continuation]
The room remained quiet.
The golden and silver eggs rested peacefully beneath the blankets while Lyresaph continued guarding them with the seriousness of a dragon protecting the greatest treasure in existence.
Duke Aren’s gaze remained fixed upon them. For several monts he simply stared. Then he asked—
"When will they hatch?"
As Levin glanced toward the eggs, a faint smile appeared, almost invisible. "Ninety more nights."
Silence.
Duke Aren blinked.
"Ninety?" The Duke looked personally offended by the number. "That is far too long."
Levin nodded, his fingers brushed across the silver egg.
"I know, but they are not ordinary children. They were born from the bond between a human and a Pri Alpha Silver Serpent."
The room fell silent, and then Zerat said, "The elders of Zahryssar believed such children require a hundred nights within their shells. So they may be born stronger."
Duke Aren sighed heavily, the sigh of a grandfather who had just learned he would have to wait three months to hold his grandchildren.
"A cruel upcoming night."
Levin chuckled. "It is."
Then the Duke leaned back, his expression gradually becoming serious once more. "I ca here intending to bring you ho."
The words echoed quietly through the room. Levin lowered his gaze. Zerat remained silent; both already knew, and then Aren continued.
"But it seems neither of you can leave."
Zerat nodded, his golden eyes drifting toward the mountains, toward the forests, and toward the darkness waiting there. "No, we owe this empire a debt, and I will repay it."
The warmth vanished from his face as his voice lowered dangerously. "But we cannot remain here forever. Slyvarakh still sits upon my throne."
The room beca colder.
"He still breathes. He still commands my empire, and every day he remains there...Zahryssar burns a little more."
Silence followed.
Nobody disagreed; nobody could as Zerat finished, "We need to end this Ashkarath beast."
Raviel frowned deeply, his brows slowly knitted together. Then murmured, "Ashkarath...that na sounds familiar."
Imdiately Levin looked up. "You know sothing?"
Zyvera scoffed, loudly and proudly. The thief folded her arms, smirking.
"Oh, we know many things. We have traveled through every empire on this continent. We stole from half of them and sold those treasures back for double the price."
Silence, an absolute silence. Zerat slowly looked toward her; the room suddenly beca colder...much colder.
Zyvera imdiately froze.
"...We never stole from Zahryssar." The pri alpha continued staring, and the thief swallowed. "We almost never stole from Zahryssar."
Silence.
Raviel covered his face as a deep sigh escaped him. "I have told you countless tis. Stop proudly announcing your cris."
Zyvera pointed toward him. "You benefited from those cris."
"That is not the point."
"It absolutely is."
"That is not how law works."
"Since when do thieves care about law?" Levin rubbed his forehead.
Duke Aren rubbed his forehead; even Zerat looked exhausted. Then Levin finally intervened. "Please continue."
Imdiately the siblings beca serious. Raviel stepped forward, his expression darkening.
"Ashkarath is known as the Shadow Beast."
The atmosphere changed instantly; gone was the humor, gone was the laughter, and only tension remained as Raveil continued.
"It belongs to the ancient beasts once protected by the Wolf Clan. Long before kingdoms existed. Long before emperors ruled."
Silence.
"The beasts were guardians, silent guardians. They rarely interacted with mortals." Raviel’s gaze moved toward Qashmir and toward the mountains. "They remained hidden until blood was spilled."
The room beca silent, dangerously silent, and then he continued.
Ashkarath never forgets, and it never forgives. And once it marks soone as an enemy..." His eyes hardened. "...it hunts entire bloodlines."
Silence.
Even Duke Aren frowned, then Levin asked, "So how do we stop it?"
Raviel looked toward Zyvera; the thief imdiately lost her smile, then slowly...very slowly...she answered.
"There is only one way. The Moon of Bonds."
The room froze. Even Zerat’s eyes narrowed because everyone knew that na. The sacred lunar night, the night when wolves traditionally found their mates, the night when ancient pacts were made, and the night when spirits and beasts could hear the prayers of mortals.
Then Zyvera continued.
"During the Moon of Bonds...the Shadow Beast enters its sacred valley. It returns to the place where its clan was born."
The room remained deathly silent, then her voice lowered. "And there...a judgnt can be requested."
Levin’s eyes narrowed. "A judgnt?"
Raviel nodded. "An ancient ritual, a ritual older than every throne on this continent. A ritual where both sides must stand before the ancient spirits."
Then his voice beca grim. "If the wolves are innocent...the Shadow Beast must withdraw. If the wolves are guilty...the spirits will grant Ashkarath the right to erase the entire bloodline responsible."
Silence.
Because suddenly...everyone understood. The true danger wasn’t Ashkarath; the true danger was the truth, and if Emperor Tharzek truly provoked the beast...then the upcoming judgnt might not save Qashmir.
It might condemn it.
anwhile, outside...the mountain winds howled, and sowhere deep within the ancient forests...black eyes slowly opened, watching, waiting and preparing.
For the Moon of Bonds was approaching, and with it... Judgnt.
***
[Imperial Palace of Qashmir — Emperor’s Chamber — Night]
The chamber remained silent, oppressively silent. Moonlight poured through enormous windows overlooking the capital city. Silver flas burned within bronze braziers. Ancient wolf banners hung proudly upon the walls.
Yet despite the beauty surrounding him...emperor Tharzek felt no peace. A knock echoed.
Then the captain of the Imperial Guard entered, imdiately kneeling. "Your Majesty."
Tharzek did not look at him; his gaze remained fixed upon the darkness beyond the window. "What is it?"
The captain hesitated only for a mont, then answered, "Grand Duke Lior and Captain Kael have completed their investigation."
Silence.
The emperor’s fingers tightened around the armrest, the imperial captain continued. "They discovered the reason behind the Ashkarath attacks."
The chamber beca colder...far colder. Then slowly...very slowly...Tharzek turned, his eyes darkening.
"And who led them toward that discovery?"
The captain lowered his head. "The Malika of the Zahryssar."
Silence, an absolute silence.
Then—
CRACK.
The wooden armrest shattered beneath Tharzek’s grip; the captain flinched, and the Emperor stood slowly and dangerously.
"That Malika..." His voice was low like distant thunder. "A single month; he has been here a single month, and already he has uncovered secrets buried for months."
The Emperor’s jaw tightened. His breathing beca heavier as his gaze darkened.
"First he questions the attacks, then he questions our strategy...and now he uncovers the truth."
The chamber remained silent; the captain swallowed and then cautiously spoke. "Your Majesty...should we simply tell them?"
The Emperor’s eyes narrowed. "Tell them what?"
The captain imdiately bowed lower.
"That we destroyed the pups and the eggs of Ashkarath. That we killed the younglings." The captain’s voice grew quieter. "And that their clan has been seeking vengeance ever since."
Silence.
Then—
"HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND?!"
The roar exploded through the chamber; the captain nearly fell backward. Several windows rattled violently, the braziers flickered, and the Emperor stepped forward, fury burning within his eyes.
"If the Wolf Clan learns what I did..." His voice trembled with rage. "...I will lose everything. My throne. My authority. My bloodline, do you understand that?"
Silence.
The captain remained kneeling, unable to answer. Then Tharzek continued.
"The people already fear the attacks; the nobles already question my judgnt. If they learn their emperor provoked this disaster..."
His expression twisted.
"...they will tear apart themselves."
The chamber fell silent once more, and then the captain finally spoke, carefully and cautiously. "But the lunar month approaches."
The Emperor froze imdiately.
The captain continued as he lowered his gaze. "The Moon of Bonds, the Moon of Judgnt, and, according to ancient law...Ashkarath may request judgnt before the spirits."
Silence.
For several monts...nothing moved, nothing breathed, then slowly...very slowly...Tharzek’s expression changed; the anger disappeared, replaced by calculation, cold, rciless, and dangerous.
The expression of a ruler willing to sacrifice others to save himself, and then he smiled, and the captain imdiately felt chills because that smile never ant anything good.
Never.
Then the Emperor walked toward the window, looking toward the distant mountains. Toward Sah’Ruh Village, then quietly, "We cannot allow the judgnt."
The captain froze. "What?"
The Emperor’s smile widened. "If the Judgnt begins...the truth will erge, and if the truth erges...my reign ends."
Silence.
Then suddenly the emperor laughed, a low, humorless laugh. "I finally understand."
The captain frowned. "Your Majesty?"
The Emperor slowly turned. "Why the heavens returned that serpent. Why fate dragged him into my empire."
The captain’s heart tightened, then Tharzek spoke, and every word carried darkness. "We will provoke Ashkarath again."
Silence.
The captain stared, unable to believe what he had heard. "Your Majesty..."
"We will force the Ashkarath king to erge." The emperor interrupted, his voice becoming colder, sharper, and more ruthless.
"We will drag the Shadow King from his den. We will make him furious. We will make him attack his consort and challenge that silver serpent."
The captain’s eyes widened, imdiately understanding. "No..."
The Emperor smiled, a terrible smile. "Yes, this way, that consort of that silver serpent will stop coming in our way, and...we can use that silver serpent as much as possible."
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Then he whispered, "That silver serpent will kill the king, and if the king of Ashkarath dies...the clan loses its heart...its authority...its future when the king falls beneath the hands of a pri alpha..."
His smile widened.
"...the surviving beasts will scatter."
The chamber suddenly felt colder, much colder. The captain stared at his ruler and for the first ti...wondered whether the greatest monster threatening Qashmir was not Ashkarath but the man sitting upon its throne.
Then Tharzek’s voice echoed once more, soft and deadly, filled with ambition. "Before the Moon of Judgnt arrives...we will start a war."
The flas flickered, the night deepened, and sowhere far away...an ancient Shadow King remained unaware that another hunt had already begun.
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