They traveled east for days, through storm-wracked valleys and forests that seemed to watch them pass. The world felt different now—tenser, on edge—as if nature itself knew something ancient had been disturbed.
Kael moved ahead, scouting the terrain, his senses on high alert. Elara followed, the Moonblade slung across her back and the whispers of her ancestors echoing in her mind.
They were headed to the territory of the Bloodborn—an elusive pack that had broken away from the old alliances long ago. According to legend, the Bloodborn were the last descendants of wolves who once served directly under the Moon Goddess herself.
As dusk fell, they reached the outskirts of a stone-marked forest. Tall, red-barked trees stood like sentinels, and the air shimmered faintly with magic.
"They're watching," Kael murmured.
"I can feel it too," Elara said.
Suddenly, figures emerged from the trees—silent and swift. Wolves cloaked in black and red armor stepped forward, their eyes glowing with suspicion. From the shadows came a woman with deep auburn hair and a scar that cut across her left brow.
She didn't bow. She didn't smile.
"You come with stolen power," the woman said, staring at Elara. "Why should we not take it from your corpse?"
Kael growled low in his throat, stepping forward protectively.
Elara raised her hand. "Because I carry the blood of the Moonborn. And because Vael has returned."
The woman's eyes narrowed. "That name is forbidden here."
"Then break your silence," Elara said firmly. "Because the bloodlines won't survive this war divided."
The woman studied her, gaze flicking briefly to the blade on Elara's back. "You seek the Bloodborn Pact."
"I do."
"Then prove yourself," the woman said, stepping aside. "You'll face the Trial of Ash. Survive it… and we will talk."
Kael's expression darkened. "You're throwing her into a death trap."
"No," Elara said, stepping forward. "They're giving me a chance."
The Bloodborn warriors parted to reveal a path of firelit stones leading deeper into the forest.
Elara looked back at Kael. "Wait for me."
"I'll be right behind you," he said. "No matter what."
And as she disappeared into the trees, the forest swallowed her whole—ready to test whether a Moonborn's blood could still command the loyalty of ancient wolves.