The world around Elara blurred into chaos—clashing steel, snarling wolves, the cries of the wounded—and still, her focus narrowed on the wiry man approaching with deadly intent. His cruel smirk cut through the darkness like a knife, and his sword, black as night, gleamed hungrily in the storm's light.
Their steps closed the distance in seconds.
With a roar, the man lunged.
Elara met him head-on, her Moonblade clashing against his dark sword with a thunderous crack. Sparks flew, illuminated by flashes of lightning overhead. Their duel moved quickly, strikes and counters so fast they were almost invisible to the eye.
He was skilled, more than she expected—each blow calculated to cripple, to kill without hesitation. Elara's muscles burned as she parried and dodged, feeling the power behind his strikes.
"You think you can change the fate Vael has carved?" he snarled between attacks. "You are nothing but a foolish girl playing Alpha."
Elara's temper flared, fueling her next strike with raw fury. "Better a foolish girl fighting for freedom than a coward licking a tyrant's boots!"
Their swords locked, the tension humming between them. He twisted, trying to overpower her with brute strength. Rain slicked the ground, making footing treacherous, but Elara bent her knees, grounding herself with sheer will.
A sudden crack of thunder shook the air, and in that split second of distraction, Elara broke the lock. She spun low, slicing across the man's thigh. He howled in pain, stumbling backward.
She pressed the advantage, her movements relentless now—an unstoppable force of light against his darkness. Every swing of the Moonblade pulsed with the bond she shared with Kael, with the strength of the Bloodborn who stood behind her.
The man raised his sword desperately to defend, but it was too late.
With a final cry, Elara drove the Moonblade through his chest. His eyes widened in shock, the fight draining from him like blood into the rain-soaked earth.
As he collapsed, Elara stood over him, chest heaving, heart pounding.
Around her, the battle slowly quieted. Shadow Ridge warriors pushed back the remaining invaders, their cries victorious. Kael, still in his wolf form, stood atop a fallen enemy, his silver eyes finding Elara's through the darkness.
The raid had been repelled.
But Elara knew this was only the first wave.
Vael was watching.
And the true storm was yet to come.