"Soldiers! Guard the Queen!"
Denzel's stern, commanding voice reverberated through the vast courtroom, slicing through the rising tension like a blade.
The air thickened with urgency as soldiers snapped into action, their movements sharp and disciplined. The Lycan brothers' gazes met briefly, their shared determination unspoken but palpable. They knew an inevitable threat was upon them, one they couldn't yet see but could feel pressing against the edges of their senses.
Devonte moved swiftly, catching Zara just as her knees buckled. Her body was trembling, her face pale and slick with sweat. Without hesitation, he lifted her into his arms, his jaw clenched as he placed her gently onto the recliner near the throne. His normally sharp eyes softened momentarily, clouded with worry as he observed her fragile state.
She was slipping, her strength waning with every passing second.
"Do not leave her side. No matter what happens!"
Devonte barked at the soldiers who formed a protective ring around Zara. Their blades gleamed in the candlelight as they took their positions, standing tall and unmoving like a wall of steel.
Devonte lingered for a moment longer, brushing a strand of hair from Zara's damp forehead before stepping away. He joined Denzel, who was already at the courtroom's entrance, his stance tense, ready for whatever might come.
A haunting silence fell over the room. The only sounds were Zara's labored breathing and the faint crackling of torches on the walls.
Then came the howling.
It began as a low, mournful cry, like the wind keening through a desolate canyon. The sound grew louder and sharper until it clawed at their ears. It wasn't the howl of wolves but something far darker, more sinister—a sound that chilled the soul.
The courtroom doors creaked open, and an icy draft swept through the room, snuffing out half the torches. The shadows cast by the remaining flames twisted and stretched unnaturally, pooling together like black ink. From this darkness, a figure emerged.
The intruder wore a tattered black cloak that billowed despite the still air, their face obscured by a hood. They gripped a jagged, ancient sword that gleamed with an ominous, dark light. As the figure stepped forward, its very presence seemed to leech the warmth from the room.
Behind them, dozens—no, hundreds—of shadowy figures spilled into the courtroom like an unholy tide. Their forms were indistinct, shifting between humanoid and amorphous masses. Eyes like glowing embers pierced through the darkness, their only constant feature. They moved unnaturally, gliding rather than walking, their forms flickering like the remnants of a dying flame.
"Shadow Hunters,"
Denzel whispered, his voice filled with shock and disbelief. His hands clenched into fists, claws threatening to break through his skin.
"They were supposed to be extinct."
Devonte snarled low, his golden eyes blazing.
"Extinct or not, they won't touch her."
One of the Shadow Hunters stepped forward, its voice a deep, guttural rasp that seemed to echo from the depths of the void.
"Step aside, Kings. You are not our targets tonight."
The creature's hollow gaze shifted toward Zara, its ethereal sword lifting slightly, as though it could sense her presence.
Denzel and Devonte exchanged a look,a silent agreement. and then their bodies began to shift. Muscles rippled and bones cracked as they transformed, their human forms replaced by towering Lycans. Midnight-black fur coated Denzel's frame, while Devonte's silvery-gray form glowed faintly in the dim light. They stood side by side, massive and imposing, their sharp fangs bared and eyes blazing with defiance.
"If you want her,"
Denzel growled, his voice a guttural snarl.
"you'll have to go through us."
Devonte's voice joined his brother's, a menacing promise laced with unyielding determination.
"And I promise, you won't survive."
The Shadow Hunters hesitated for a brief moment, their forms flickering as though considering their options. Then, without warning, the leader lunged, and chaos erupted.
The courtroom transformed into a battlefield. The Lycan brothers fought with ferocious precision, their claws raking through shadows that seemed to dissipate like smoke only to reform seconds later. The Hunters' weapons sliced through the air with unnatural speed, their movements unpredictable and inhuman.
Zara, barely conscious, watched the battle through half-closed eyes. The brothers were magnificent in their Lycan forms—beasts of unparalleled strength and grace. But the Shadow Hunters were relentless, their numbers overwhelming.
The room became a whirlwind of sound—growls, snarls, the clash of steel against stone, and the eerie, bone-chilling wails of the Hunters. Despite their best efforts, the brothers seemed unable to gain the upper hand.
Zara's body grew colder, her limbs heavy as lead. She tried to focus, to stay awake, but her strength was draining away, as though something unseen was pulling it from her. Her vision blurred, the edges of the room dissolving into darkness.
The last thing she saw was a Shadow Hunter slipping past the brothers, its ember-like eyes locked on her. It raised its sword, its intent clear, everything happening just like in her dream. A single thought pierced through Zara's fading consciousness.
This is how it ends.
Then, everything went black.
---
Zara's eyes fluttered open, but the world around her was unlike anything she had ever known. A soft, pearly mist swirled around her feet, cool and weightless, as though she were floating in a dream.
The ground beneath her shimmered faintly, an iridescent sheen that reflected the pale blue light of an unseen sun. She blinked, trying to adjust to the ethereal glow that seemed to emanate from everywhere and nowhere at once.
It was beautiful. Too beautiful.
Her eyes roamed across the pristine expanse before her—a kingdom bathed in purity. The air was crisp, untainted, and carried a faint scent of blooming flowers.
Marble pillars adorned with vines of golden leaves stood tall in the distance, leading to structures that gleamed like diamonds under the soft light. Streams of crystal-clear water cascaded gently into pools surrounded by radiant flora, their petals glistening with dew.
Zara stood there, frozen, her heart pounding in confusion.
"Where am I?"