Right then the realm shook, Niah's eyes widen subconsciously she tugged the king beside her and encircled them in a shield.
Emitting a terrifying roar, before her eyes lions fell becoming dust the trees and stones followed trailing the scent of the wolves the King teleported them both directly before the fleeing wolves.
King Bahn felt as if something had been torn from him, but what Niah said next made him stumble but react.
"Leave and send as many as you can here, we.. We must abandon this realm."
Licking her cheek and rubbing against her, the king disappeared in a blink.
With the king gone, Niah stood among the blue foliage spying on the wolves as they spoke among themselves.
The snow fell softly, its black cold form blanking the red earth similar to the ashes of the dead.
Unlike the wolves who had their winter forms, Niah had to summon a small shield to protect herself from the biting cold and rapidly falling temperature.
Spying around thirty wolves, Niah licked her maw, narrowing her eyes, ready to attack but pause when she heard what they said.
"Why couldn't they leave the daughter, it was for safety, to keep the blood of the priestess alive and around,"
A she-Wolf sobbed; fur a pretty silver, her bright blue eyes were glistening with tears as she huddled close to another slightly larger she-wolf who spoke.
"A wolf unable to shift would never survive in the harsh times, it is better to spare her but getting rid of her than have her continue to be tortured,"
Another said.
"The mother died from a broken heart, harsh Labour the pups were all males and died as well,"
"She ripped out the alpha's throat and died unexpectedly.."
They spoke as we walk; the wind blew, rustling the trees and their longish fur pelt.
They howled as if to call the long-dead daughter who some felt under their winter pelt and silver bones were alive.
Niah stalked forward, crouching low to the ground, creeping closer, curious as to why they suddenly stopped but saw a massive stone about fifteen meters in height, the pitch-black colour blending among the trees.
The wolves paused before it releasing low howls two males stepped closer to it making some strange movement.
Curious, Niah walked directly towards them to get a better look. When the stone that responded only to the priestess glowed faintly.
"She lives… she really lives! We are saved! Far from us among humans, but she lives!" one of the males said in an excited tone.
"let us retrieve her," another shouted.
"She is on the other side among the humans!"
"Such weak pathetic creatures will they have her perform like the one-"
Stepping forward, Niah looked at the wolves who ceased their speech. She growled low, glaring down at them.
They had really thrown her in that realm.
The space tore beside her, and several lions appeared.
Immediately they attacked the wolves, Niah who was excited at seeing her cubs still lived ignored their cries rubbing against her eldest son, a bit disappointed at the few lions who appeared she counted only twelve including the king who appeared grief filling his face.
"King of lions, please have mercy!"
The king turned his golden gaze sharply to look at the bloody wolf who appeared in front of him.
She was a bit young, tiny, about the size of his paw.
Perhaps only twelve realm cycles.
Niah blocked his path, bending down to look at the tiny pup who shivered in front of her. She remembered this scent it was that she-wolf.
She roared, immediately the lions who were attacking the wolves retreated, snarling maws covered in blood.
The wolves huddled together, from thirty only ten remained with a few of them regrowing limbs slowly, parts of their fur patched and bleeding.
"Your mother had the power "undead"?"
"y-y-yes…"
"mmm... You will stay by my side... The rest of you wolves may go. If the young priestess accepts you, you may have freedom. But if she rejects you, I will use you as hunting practice."
"'first Queen have mercy"'
They echoed together.
"The wolves have fallen it is only fitting for such a pathetic species."
She said walking towards the veil but was stopped by a wolf that seemed to be so old his form seemed to be about to become dust. This is the guardian of the veil?
"You must know of the rules for the seventh realm where the humans and elementals reside."
"What rules? We are the -"
"In this realm ranked third among the others in this entire galaxy, lions may be powerful, but our realm is crumbling. Without the source of our power, the core who is known as the priestess we will be weakened. Therefore, we must take on our imprisoned human halves to survive in that realm."
"Why must we embrace the human side?"
"It is the rules of that realm, those of us exiled in that realm have adjusted or were struck down from the realm itself for failing to follow the rules set forth,"
"We have no knowledge of those weak humans and how to-"
"Wisdom will be imparted as you cross the veil, once the test is passed you will be allowed to stay able to shift once every full twin moons or at will when the priestess had accepted you. You may step forward."
The King was first, then the Queen princes and then the wolves.
The guardian of the veil watched on until he felt them reach their destination, each fully aware of the rules and passing the basic test.
"The wolves have fallen, the tigers have passed, the lions... Ah.."
Closing his eyes, he accepted his fate.
The will of the galaxy absorbing all that has become unstable losing its core.
"May lady darkness have mercy on those who remain."
Like that darkness engulfed the great realm, three turning everything into Ash to be absorbed back into the galaxy.