Chapter 37: Chapter 37: Secrets Beneath the Moon
The days following Jareth's visit were tense. Elara kept herself busy, overseeing the pack's activities, strengthening their defenses, and ensuring the unity of Silverfang's warriors. The Silverfangs had always been a pack that thrived on strength, and Elara had no intention of letting that foundation crumble under the weight of uncertainty. The visit from the strangers, and their cryptic warnings, hung heavily over her thoughts.
Every time she closed her eyes, the words they spoke echoed in her mind: The moon's power is shifting. What's coming will consume everything.
What did that mean? Elara could feel the presence of the moon deep within her, the magic coursing through her veins, but it was no longer just about power—it was about understanding. She needed to know more about this dark force they were speaking of. The Silverfangs' connection to the moon had always been a source of pride, but she had never considered that it might have a darker side, or that the moon itself could hold the key to the destruction of everything they knew.
One evening, as the full moon began its rise, Elara made a decision. She couldn't wait for answers to come from others. It was time to find out the truth for herself.
Elara, Rowen, Marek, and Erynn made their way deep into the Silverfang territory. The pack had given them their blessing to search for answers, but they knew the journey would be perilous. The moon was high above, its silvery glow casting long shadows across the forest floor. Elara could feel the pull of the moon, a call deep in her spirit, as though it were guiding her steps.
"We need to find the place where the first Silverfang Alpha connected with the moon," Elara said as they moved through the dense trees, her eyes scanning the surroundings. "The Moonstone might hold the answers we seek."
Marek, always the scholar, adjusted his glasses and nodded. "The legends speak of it. A place of power, where the first Alpha performed a ritual under the full moon that forged the bond between the Silverfangs and the moon's energy. It's said to be hidden deep within the heart of the territory, but its exact location has been lost to time."
"We're going to find it," Elara said with determination. "The pack's survival depends on it. We need to understand what's coming before it's too late."
They pressed on, their senses heightened. The forest was thick with the scent of pine and damp earth, but there was something else, too—a faint, ethereal energy that lingered in the air, almost as if the land itself was alive. Elara could feel the pulse of the moon, guiding her, as if it were leading them toward something greater.
After hours of searching, they arrived at a small clearing. In the center of the clearing stood a large stone circle, its weathered stones covered in ancient runes. The air was thick with magic, and Elara could feel the moon's power coursing through her. This was it. The place.
"This is where it happened," Marek whispered, his voice filled with awe. "The first Alpha's ritual."
Elara stepped forward, her senses on high alert. The air felt charged, electric with energy, and as she placed her hand on the nearest stone, she felt it—an overwhelming surge of power that nearly knocked her off her feet. She gasped, her vision blurring for a moment, and when it cleared, she saw something else—something ancient, something tied to the moon.
In a vision, the first Alpha appeared before her, his form ethereal, like a ghost. He was kneeling in front of the stone circle, his hands raised to the sky, invoking the moon's power. A brilliant light surrounded him, and Elara could feel his connection to the moon, a bond that was both powerful and sacred.
But there was something else. The light was not just light—it was a force, a power that Elara felt deep in her bones. She could see it now, the ancient magic that flowed through the land, the power that the Silverfangs had inherited.
And then, the vision shifted.
The light darkened, and a shadowy figure appeared, its eyes glowing red. Azathar. Elara felt her heart race as the vision unfolded, showing her Azathar's influence on the moon's magic—how he had sought to corrupt it, to control it for his own dark purposes. The power that the Silverfangs had relied on for centuries was tainted, twisted by Azathar's malevolent energy.
"No," Elara whispered, her hand trembling on the stone. "This… this can't be."
But it was true. The moon's power was not purely sacred—it was vulnerable, susceptible to corruption, and Azathar had found a way to exploit it.
The vision faded as quickly as it had appeared, and Elara was left standing in the clearing, her mind reeling with what she had seen.
"Elara?" Rowen's voice broke through her shock. "What happened? Are you alright?"
She shook her head, trying to gather her thoughts. "I saw it," she said, her voice shaky. "I saw the first Alpha. He invoked the moon's power here, and it was pure, but Azathar—he corrupted it. The moon's power isn't as clean as we thought. Azathar used it for his own dark purposes, and now… now I feel like the power is still tainted, still vulnerable."
Marek stepped forward, his brow furrowed. "This is something we didn't understand. The moon's magic is intertwined with all of us—the Silverfangs, the land itself. If Azathar has tainted it, we could be facing something far worse than we imagined."
Erynn's eyes narrowed. "What are we supposed to do about it? The moon's power is everything to the Silverfangs. If it's corrupted, what does that mean for us?"
Elara took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. The weight of the realization was heavy, but she knew there was no time for hesitation. They couldn't afford to let fear control them.
"We need to find a way to purify it," Elara said, her voice firm. "There has to be a way to cleanse the moon's power, to return it to its pure form. If we don't, we risk everything."
The wind picked up, rustling the trees around them. Elara felt the pull of the moon again, stronger this time. She knew the journey was far from over, but now, she understood the true battle they faced. It wasn't just about defeating enemies—it was about restoring the balance between the moon and the world, purging the corruption that had seeped into everything.
"We'll find a way," Elara said, her resolve hardening. "We won't let Azathar's darkness consume everything we've fought for."
The journey to restore the moon's power would not be easy. Elara knew the path ahead was filled with dangers, with trials that would test everything she had learned, and everything she was. But one thing was clear: she wasn't alone. The Silverfangs stood with her, and together, they would fight to save the land, the moon, and their very way of life.
As the night wore on, Elara gazed at the moon above, its pale light a constant reminder of what she was fighting for. And with the Silverfangs by her side, she knew they could overcome the darkness.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone