The confrontation between Priscilla and Kael, as well as the discovery that her aunt was a terrifying werewolf, seemed unreal and added an impossible element to an already unfeasible circumstance.
With the intensity of a wolf trapped in a corner, Kael battled, his once-smooth fur beaten and bloodied. But Priscilla was a natural force. With savage anger, her huge figure tore across the clearing, dwarfing even Kael.
Daphne, however, saw a sparkle of silver among the mayhem: the moonlight locket, which was lying forgotten on the grass stained red with blood. A frantic determination replaced the fear. She had only the opportunity to change the course of events.
Daphne ran towards the locket, ignoring the shakes in her legs. In the tense quiet, every crunch of dead leaves and every crack of a twig under her feet resounded like thunder. Then a terrible snarl tore through the air as she grasped for it.
With furious, red eyes, Priscilla struck Kael hard, sending him flying across the meadow. With a painful thud, he fell, whimpering out of his throat.
Daphne paused, torn between her newfound feeling of duty and her terror. She was not going to desert Kael now that he had protected her. But with the locket tucked away out of reach, how could she stand up to this hideous creature?
Daphne recollected a tradition she had forgotten as a kid, a whisper that the Moonflower bloodline was capable of using moonlight magic to soothe the terrible instincts of angry monsters.
Daphne inhaled deeply and concentrated on the warmth inside the locket, directing it towards her quivering hands. She turned to face Priscilla as a wave of chilly energy shot through her.
"Stop!" Daphne yelled, amazingly maintaining her tone. "It doesn't have to be like this!"
Priscilla disregarded her, her gaze still fixed on the hurt Kael. However, Daphne's hands released a wave of shimmering moonlight just as she was about to kill him.
The result was immediate. Priscilla's fierce growl wavered, giving way to a moment of uncertainty. Her bloodshot eyes became less bright when the moonlight hit them, fading the red hue.
Something let out of Daphne's mouth. Her aunt Priscilla was hiding behind the hideous frontage, glaring out at her with a combination of defiance and terror. The lady who had reared and cared for her was now a changed creature, caught in a conflict with her humanity.
"Daphne?" With a mixture of surprise and despair, Priscilla's voice rasped. "What have you done?"
Daphne spoke from the heart, her voice shaking a little. Aunt Priscilla, do you not recall? Who are we? You too are a Moonflower. You are not defined by this madness."
A profound earthquake rattled Priscilla's body. A red light danced in her eyes, a violent conflict resounding within her. But before Daphne could make any more pleas, there was an unbearable shriek that split the air.
The thing growled, "Foolish mortal," its voice a cacophony of whispers. "You dare disrupt the harvest?"
With her fiery red eyes glowing again, Priscilla turned to face the monster, as roused from a dream. But it wasn't intended for Daphne or Kael this time. It was aimed at the bony figure.
Priscilla growled, her voice full of threat, "You promised power." "But all I see is more bloodshed."
Daphne felt a chill go down her spine as the thing cackled. "Bloodshed is part of the cycle, little one," it growled. "And tonight, this land shall be bathed in the crimson glow of the Blood Moon."
Daphne realized something awful. It was this thing, this herald of doom, who had tricked Priscilla. All of the events leading up to the Blood Moon, including the fight with Kael and the mayhem in the forest, were planned to strengthen an unidentified force.
Panic was about to overwhelm her. This Blood Moon: what was it? And what kind of power was that? She cast a quick look at Kael, who was beginning to come. Priscilla and this thing needed to be stopped, and he needed her assistance.
However, how?
The beast aimed its evil look at Daphne as she struggled with this problem. Its voice dripping with hatred, "And you," it growled. "The last moonflower to bloom. You'll provide a very magnificent gift.
Daphne was filled with raw terror. Proposing? To what end? This monstrous skeleton? But the clearing filled with dazzling light before she could respond. The moon had changed from being a serene sphere in the night sky to a throbbing red ball. It was the Blood Moon rising.
A curious metamorphosis started as the clearing was flooded with red light. Priscilla cried out in agony, still trapped in a wordless war with the beast inside of her. Her red fur glowed strangely, reflecting the Blood Moon above.
As Priscilla's body started to change, becoming taller and more muscular, Daphne gazed in terror. Fangs protruded from her mouth and claws sprang from her fingertips. Her eyes lost their human quality and took on a chilly, predatory glint instead.
Gleefully, the beast cackled. "The Blood Moon has finally awakened the true beast within her," it rasped. I shall now own this property to use as I like."
A horrific blend of strength and anguish reverberated across the jungle as the freshly changed Priscilla let forth a howl. Instead of approaching the skeleton as a devoted subordinate, she made a strong move as a contender for supremacy.
The clearing became a battleground again. Startled by the abrupt change in circumstances, the skeleton thing threw a torrent of black energy at Priscilla. Driven by the Blood Moon, the enormous wolf retaliated with a fury Daphne had never seen.
Daphne and Kael had to hide behind a fallen tree since they were caught in the crossfire. The earth under their feet trembled as the conflict raged all around them. However, in the middle of the mayhem, Daphne saw a glimmer of optimism.
Perhaps Priscilla was beyond reason, at least not in this condition. However, it's possible to counteract the Blood Moon's impact by using the locket's power and the Moonflower lineage's strength.
Daphne channeled the moonlight power via the locket, focusing all her force into it. It sent a glimmering ray of light in the direction of the red moon. The result was immediate.
The Blood Moon quivered as if struck by an unseen arrow. Its red light wavered, becoming dimmer by the second. The monster let out a howl of anguish, the force of the Blood Moon ebbing from its skeleton form.
The diversion turned out to be important. Priscilla rushed with fresh fervor, detecting the creature's weakness. She let out one more, bone-chilling growl before unleashing a surge of black energy that tore the skeleton thing apart.
Priscilla sank next to the broken remnants of the beast. Her scarlet eyes locked with Daphne's, a brief moment of recognition before they fluttered closed.
Daphne, shaking and weak, felt a wave of relief as she hurried to Priscilla's side. But when she got to her aunt, a shadowy, mist-covered apparition loomed out of the darkness.
"Very good job," the person growled, sounding like it was coming from behind the curtain. "You've disrupted the Blood Moon's power, but only temporarily."
Daphne spun around, trying to locate the voice's origin. She yelled, "Who are you?"
The shadowy figure emerged into the moonlight, showing herself to be a black-cloaked lady with a shadowy face. Daphne gasped. The woman's eyes shared the crimson werewolf's disturbing tint of yellow.
The lady laughed and said, "I am the true master of this game, little Moonflower," with a shiver of laughter running down her spine. And the force of the Blood Moon will rise once again, more powerful than ever. However, I'll be ready for your little tricks the next time."
The lady in black then disappeared into thin air, leaving Daphne and Kael in the clearing alone. The weight of the almost disastrous event and the woman's terrifying warning hung heavily in the air.
A sense of chilly dread settled in Daphne's gut as she peered after the disappearing figure. The conflict was far from over, even if the Blood Moon had been disturbed. With her association with the red werewolf, the enigmatic lady posed a danger not just to Daphne but also to the whole Pack and even the entire globe.