Ceti trudged through the ruined streets of the Bloodburn Kingdom, her dark blue eyes scanning the desolation that stretched endlessly before her while still trying to process Silvan's betrayal.
The cries of battle echoed in her ears, mingling with the anguished screams of citizens who had been caught in the chaos. Smoke billowed up into the crimson sky, the air thick with ash and the stench of blood. Her heart clenched at the state of her kingdom, each step feeling heavier than the last.
As she moved closer to the central parts of the kingdom, her dismay deepened. Draconian soldiers were pressing hard against the kingdom's defenses, their blood-red eyes gleaming with sadistic glee as they overpowered the Bloodburn soldiers.
The once-proud defenders of the kingdom were being cut down one by one, their cries of defiance turning into guttural screams as they fell under the relentless assault.
Most of the powerful Houses like House Alleister, its nobles along with the commoners serving them were cut down, and their n and won slaughtered or worse. Even their grand mansions were reduced to ashes, and the lands scorched.
Ceti's fists clenched tightly at her sides, her nails digging into her palms. She wanted to charge forward, to do sothing, anything, to turn the tide. But she knew that this wasn't just a battle; it was a slaughter. The draconians weren't just fighting to win-they were fighting to annihilate.
They weren't even showing any rcy to the unard and powerless citizens, butchering the elderly and the n who were begging for rcy while raping the won and taking away the children to be used as slaves.
She wanted to stop them all, but with a heavy heart, she knew she still had her duty to fulfill. If she didn't, even worse things would happen, even if everything seed hopeless.
As she continued to hurry back to reach her post, she reached a hill overlooking the city's heart, her steps faltering. Her breath caught in her throat as she saw sothing that made her blood run cold.
In the distance, Flaralis, the mighty dragon who had long stood as a symbol of the kingdom's strength, let out a deep, spine-chilling groan.
Its massive body trembled as its legs buckled beneath it, crashing into the blood-soaked ground with a resounding thud. The ground shook under the weight of its fall, sending a shockwave of despair through the defenders who still stood.
Flaralis's once-magnificent dark golden scales were marred with deep gashes, its blood pooling beneath its colossal form.
"No..." Ceti whispered, her voice trembling as her eyes darted toward Rowena and Isola, who stood near the fallen dragon.
Rowena, her whip in hand, was bleeding heavily, her movents slower and more labored than Ceti had ever seen.
Her crimson flas flickered weakly, as if struggling to stay alight while her face looked devastated upon seeing the fall of her dragon.
Rowena felt as if a part of her heart was ripped away as she looked at Flaralis' crimson eyes softly looking at her despite the life within them ebbing away.
"Flaralis..." Rowena called out in a voice that barely escaped her throat, knowing she wouldn't have fallen like this if not for enduring so many attacks from Drakar and his n to protect her.
So think of this dragon as just a beast companion, but to her, this noble and wise dragon was more like a silent mother who guarded and protected her ever since she was born.
Beside her, Isola fought valiantly with her staff, her illusions of blood-red roses swirling in a futile attempt to keep the draconians at bay and to let Rowena have a mont to grieve the loss of her dragon.
But even her powers seed to falter, her movents less graceful and more desperate.
Rowena wiped the blood trickling off her lips as she heard Isola's breaths beco sluggish, realizing she couldn't afford to drown in pain...not yet. And with strength stemming from her grief and pain, she raised her whip once more to fight alongisde Isola.
However, Ceti, who was observing all this, could see that the Umbralfiends that had co with Isola were all cut down except for just a few dozen.
What shook Ceti further was the sight of the four Bloodborn Guards, warriors sworn to protect their queen, fighting alongside Rowena and Isola.
They wielded their dark weapons with deadly precision, their faces grim as they ford a protective line around the two won.
For them to abandon their post inside the castle, despite Rowena's orders to stay and guard the key, could only an one thing: they knew their queen would die without their intervention.
Ceti's heart sank as she realized how dire the situation had beco. Rowena's strength was faltering, likely due to the growing child in her womb-a secret few knew but one that Ceti couldn't ignore. It was a vulnerability, and one that was now threatening to bring down the kingdom. If Drakar learns about it, he might even plan sinister things.
The draconian soldiers encircled them like vultures, their numbers overwhelming. The Bloodborn Guards were powerful, but she could see that even they were beginning to falter under the relentless assault. She could see it in the way their stances wavered, in the way their attacks grew slower. They wouldn't last much longer.
Her mind raced as a sense of helplessness clawed at her. She was strong but not strong enough. but even she knew that charging into that fray would only add another body to the
pile.
If only the truly powerful werewolf sleeping inside her would wake up then she could probably help Rowena and Isola.
'Luna...why aren't you waking up in a mont like this? How many tis should I beg you to help us?' Ceti once again pleaded to the hidden powerhouse in her body, desperately hoping Luna would heed her desperate requests. But even after trying to reach her hundreds of tis, Luna wasn't coming out, and maybe she couldn't. Ceti still had no idea why Luna was forced to hide in her body.
Her fists trembled as she struggled to make a choice. Isola was her sister, and Rowena was not only her queen but another sister as well, a woman she had sworn to protect with her life. But how could she protect them against such impossible odds?
A mory of Asher flickered in her mind-his presence, his strength, the way he could inspire hope even in the darkest of tis. He was the only one who might have the power to turn the tide of this battle...only if he was here. The thought was maddening; he had left the kingdom without a word, and she couldn't find out why from Rowena. Why was he still not here??
But right now, she couldn't afford to waste ti thinking about the unknown. She needed an alternative solution.
Taking a deep breath, Ceti clenched her fists tightly, the resolve in her eyes hardening. She had made her choice. Pulling a small, curved whistle from her belt, she brought it to her lips and blew. The sound was shrill and piercing, cutting through the chaos of battle. Monts later, the sky above her darkened as her flying beast descended, its massive wings stirring the air with powerful gusts. The creature's dark silver scales shimred faintly, and its piercing dark yellow eyes looked down at her with intelligence and loyalty.
Ceti wasted no ti, climbing onto its back and gripping the reins tightly, "Take us out of here," she commanded, her voice firm despite the storm of emotions raging within her, "Fly as fast as you can."
The beast let out a low growl of acknowledgnt before launching into the air, its powerful
wings carrying them above the battlefield. The winds rushed past her face, and she looked down at the kingdom below, her heart aching at the sight. Fires raged unchecked, the streets were littered with corpses, and the once-proud walls of the castle were crumbling under the
relentless assault.
Her eyes darted back to the hill where Rowena, Isola, and the Bloodborn Guards stood. Her whip lashed out weakly, her body swaying slightly as she fought to stay upright. Isola's staff glowed faintly, her illusions faltering as the draconian soldiers pressed closer. The guards were barely holding the line, their breaths labored and their stances desperate. "Hold on, Rowena," Ceti whispered under her breath, her eyes shimring with a mix of guilt and determination, "I will make sure to co back with help."
Her beast let out a guttural roar as it surged forward, carrying her away from the chaos and
toward the one person who she never expected she would seek. She clenched her jaw, her thoughts swirling with urgency and hope.
Ti was running out, but she refused to let despair consu her. She would head to that place and et that man if she hated him.
The wind howled as Ceti's flying beast continued to soar through the sky, its powerful wings
cutting through the crisp air.
Her eyes scanned the land below, her instincts heightened. Suddenly, she felt it-a collective, overwhelming aura rising from the ground like an oppressive wave. Her heart skipped a beat, her instincts screaming that she had finally co
upon them.
Without hesitation, she urged her beast downward. The massive creature let out a guttural growl, folding its wings and diving gracefully toward the ground. As the land ca into view, Ceti's brows raised in astonishnt.
Below her stretched an endless sea of werewolves, tens of thousands strong, their fur gleaming in hues of silver, gray, and black under the dim light of the crimson moon.
All the werewolf clans in the world had co together...a sight she never thought she would see in her life, and of course, it wouldn't be possible without that old man.
At the forefront marched the Moonbinder Clan, their white fur and blood-red eyes standing out like ghostly phantoms amidst the tide of fur and fangs.
The synchronized movent of the werewolves, their disciplined silence, sent a chill down her spine. They were marching in the direction of the Bloodburn Kingdom-and they were an army unlike any she had seen before.
Her gaze shifted to the figure leading the legion. He was not in his werewolf form but appeared in his base form, though everything about him was anything but ordinary.
His skin was a deep, unsettling red, veins bulging like the roots of an ancient, forbidden tree.
His thick, white hair and mustache frad a face that carried the weight of centuries. His eyes, gleaming blood-red, were sharp and focused.
The old man's physique was imposing, his white chiton doing little to hide the bulging
muscles beneath. His body seed to pulse with a volatile energy, his presence exuding a terrifying mix of authority and raw power.
He walked with a grace that belied his massive fra, each step commanding silent
obedience from the legions behind him.
Suddenly, the old man stopped in his tracks. The entire army halted instantly, their
movent synchronized as if they shared one mind.
His head tilted upward, his piercing gaze locking onto Ceti as she descended, "So you finally
ca..." He mumbled in a low voice, his lips curving ever so slightly.
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