**Chapter 15: Shadows of the Past**
The moon hung heavy in the sky, its pale light casting long shadows over the streets of the city. Riven stood at the edge of a narrow alley, his eyes narrowing as he watched the silhouette of a figure moving in the distance. The soft sound of his boots against the cobblestone echoed in the silence, but the quiet wasn't calming. No, it only deepened the unease that had been gnawing at him for days.
The noble who had caused so much trouble for Riven and his allies was close—too close. Lord Alcaris, a man with too many secrets and too much influence, had been a thorn in Riven's side ever since the attack on the village. But now, their paths were about to cross once again. Only this time, Riven wasn't going in blind. He had learned more than he ever thought he would about the dark dealings between the nobles and the creatures they used for sport.
Nyx stood beside him, her violet eyes glowing faintly in the dim light. Her posture was tense, her ears flicking back as she scanned the alleyway. Riven could feel her unease, though he wasn't entirely sure why. The bond between them had been growing stronger, but something felt off tonight. The energy between them was different, distant somehow, as though the invisible thread connecting them was unraveling.
"You ready?" Riven asked, his voice low and steady. He didn't wait for an answer. Instead, he moved forward, his sword loose in his hand but his mind focused. They had to confront Alcaris, to get the information they needed to expose the corruption that ran rampant through the city. But Riven couldn't shake the feeling that this encounter would be more than just a simple confrontation.
Nyx let out a soft growl, her tail flicking behind her. She followed closely, her presence a constant reminder of everything that was at stake. Riven glanced at her, his eyes briefly meeting hers. There was something there—something that made his chest tighten with concern. But before he could dwell on it, a voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Ah, Riven," Lord Alcaris's voice slithered from the darkness, smooth and calculating. "I had a feeling you would come for me eventually."
Riven's hand tightened around the hilt of his sword. Alcaris stepped into the moonlight, his elegant form silhouetted against the buildings. His eyes gleamed with a knowing look, his smile wide and predatory.
"I see you brought your beast with you," Alcaris mused, his gaze flickering over Nyx. "It's amusing, really, how far you've come. I didn't think you'd get so attached to one of them. But I suppose you have a knack for taming things, don't you?"
Riven's eyes narrowed. "Cut the games, Alcaris. I know what you've been doing. The experiments with the beasts, the cruelty, the lies. It ends tonight."
Alcaris chuckled, stepping forward with an almost lazy grace. "You think you can stop me? You, with your little pet and your misguided sense of justice? I've been untouchable for years, Riven. You're just a boy playing at a game you don't understand."
Riven's breath quickened, but he kept his voice even. "I'm not the one who doesn't understand, Alcaris. You're the one who's been using creatures like Nyx, twisting them for your own gain. You're the one who's been playing with lives like they're toys."
At the mention of her name, Nyx's hackles raised. Her tail flicked behind her, her body tensing. Riven could feel the pulse of unease from her, a flicker of something in their bond that made him pause. There was a shift in her energy—something that wasn't there before.
Alcaris raised an eyebrow, his lips curling into a smile that was anything but kind. "Ah, yes. Nyx. The little wolf who's so much more than what she seems. You're starting to realize that, aren't you? How much more she is, how much more she could be."
Riven's heart skipped a beat. "What do you mean by that?" he demanded, his grip tightening on his sword. "Tell me what you've done to her."
Alcaris's smile widened, and he stepped closer. "I didn't do anything to her, Riven. It's what was done to her before you ever met her that matters. You see, Nyx isn't just any beast. She's... special. She's a product of an old experiment, something that the nobles have been toying with for years. Do you really think they would let something like her slip through their fingers? She's more than just a tool to be used—she's a key to something much bigger."
Riven's breath caught in his throat. "A key?" He took a step forward, anger surging through him. "What the hell are you talking about?"
Alcaris's eyes gleamed with amusement, as though he enjoyed watching Riven's growing confusion. "You think you've been training her, taming her. But the truth is, Riven, she's been bound by something much stronger than you. Her origins go back further than you can imagine. She's part of a lineage, a bloodline of beasts that were never meant to be free. Her power is tied to something... older."
Riven felt a chill crawl up his spine. He turned to Nyx, his eyes searching her for any sign of recognition, any clue that she knew what Alcaris was talking about. But her expression was unreadable, her stance tense, the fur along her back bristling. The bond between them pulsed, but it was distant, as though she were pulling away.
"Don't listen to him," Riven said, his voice firm. "You're not a weapon, Nyx. You're not some tool for his twisted plans."
Alcaris's smile faded slightly, his eyes narrowing. "You still don't get it, do you? The bond between you two is unique, Riven. You think you're the one in control, that you're the one guiding her. But the truth is, the more you deepen that bond, the more you'll unlock her true power. And when you do, when that power finally awakens fully, you'll see that there's nothing you can do to stop it."
Nyx's growl cut through the tension, a deep, rumbling sound that echoed off the walls. She took a step back, her fur standing on end as her eyes glowed with an intensity that made Riven's heart race.
"Stay back, Nyx," Riven said, his voice low and calm. "He's trying to get inside your head. Don't let him."
But it was too late. Nyx's eyes flickered with a hint of doubt, a brief flash of uncertainty that Riven hadn't seen before. It wasn't like her to hesitate, to question him, but Alcaris's words had struck a chord. The bond between them, once so strong, now felt strained, as though a crack had appeared between them.
Riven stepped closer to Nyx, his hand reaching out toward her. "I'm not like them," he whispered. "I'm not using you. You're my partner, Nyx. You always have been."
But Nyx didn't move. She stood still, her gaze fixed on Alcaris as if waiting for something. Riven's heart pounded in his chest, the weight of the moment pressing down on him. He had no idea what Alcaris had done to Nyx in the past, but whatever it was, it was starting to surface now. She was questioning him, and it felt like the very foundation of their bond was beginning to crumble.
Alcaris's laughter echoed in the alley, his voice dripping with satisfaction. "You'll see, Riven. You'll see that the truth is far worse than anything you've imagined."
The tension in the air was palpable, thick with unspoken words and unasked questions. Riven stood between Alcaris and Nyx, his heart heavy with uncertainty. The noble had dropped a bombshell, one that had shaken the very core of everything Riven believed about Nyx and their connection. If what Alcaris said was true, Riven had no idea what kind of power Nyx was truly capable of—or how much control he really had over their bond.
And as he stood there, facing the shadows of the past, Riven knew one thing for certain: this was just the beginning. The real test was yet to come.