The air in the stronghold was still, heavy with the weight of history and the faint hum of residual magic. Aria sat cross-legged near the faintly glowing orb left by the guardian wolf, her hands resting on her knees. The warmth in her chest had dimmed to a gentle flicker, but her limbs still ached from the effort of defeating the creature.
Kael leaned against the wall across from her, his dagger resting on his thigh. His shirt was torn at the shoulder, revealing a jagged scar that cut across his skin. He wasn't looking at her but instead stared into the distance, his brows furrowed in thought.
"You're quiet," Aria said softly, breaking the silence.
Kael blinked, as if pulled from a memory, and shifted his gaze to her. "Just thinking."
"About what?"
He hesitated, his fingers tracing the hilt of his dagger. "This place," he said finally. "And what we're walking into. I've been in a lot of dangerous situations, but this… this feels different."
Aria nodded, her own unease settling into her chest like a stone. "It's hard to explain. It's like everything here is alive but watching, waiting for something."
Kael's lips quirked in a faint smirk. "Sounds about right. The Moonbound didn't build this place just for protection. They built it to test people like you."
"And what about you?" Aria asked, tilting her head. "Why are you here?"
Kael's expression darkened, and he leaned back against the wall. "I told you. I made a promise—to help you survive."
"That's not what I meant," Aria said, her tone gentle. "Why did you come with me? Really? You could've gone anywhere, hidden from Theron and his pack. But you chose this."
Kael didn't answer immediately. He stared at the faint glow of the orb, his green eyes shadowed with something she couldn't quite place.
"Maybe it's guilt," he said finally, his voice low. "Or maybe I'm just tired of running. I spent so long trying to stay out of the Bloodfangs' way, trying to keep my head down and survive. But when I saw you…" He shook his head, a bitter laugh escaping his lips. "You made me realize that surviving isn't enough. Not anymore."
Aria watched him, her chest tightening. She could see the weight he carried, the scars—both physical and emotional—that he tried so hard to hide.
"You don't have to carry it alone," she said softly.
Kael met her gaze, something flickering in his eyes. "Maybe not. But that doesn't mean it gets any easier."
---
A sudden noise broke the quiet—a faint scraping sound that echoed through the corridor beyond the chamber. Both Aria and Kael were on their feet in an instant, their weapons at the ready.
"What was that?" Aria whispered, her heart pounding.
Kael tilted his head, listening intently. The sound came again, louder this time, like claws dragging against stone.
"Something's coming," he said, his voice tense.
Aria's chest tightened as the heat in her chest flared. The orb's light pulsed faintly, as if in warning, casting shifting shadows on the walls.
Kael moved toward the corridor, his movements silent and precise. He gestured for Aria to stay behind him as they approached the source of the noise.
The corridor stretched ahead, its walls lined with glowing runes that flickered like dying embers. The sound grew louder, and Aria could feel her pulse quickening with every step.
Then, from the shadows, a figure emerged.
It wasn't a shadowbeast or a wolf, but a man—his hair matted, his clothes torn and bloodstained. His eyes glowed faintly red, and his movements were slow and jerky, as if he were fighting against some unseen force.
"Help…" the man rasped, his voice barely audible.
Kael tensed, his dagger raised. "Who are you?"
The man stumbled forward, collapsing to his knees. "Please… I don't… I don't want to hurt you."
Aria stepped forward despite Kael's warning glance, her chest tight with sympathy. "What happened to you?"
The man looked up at her, his red eyes filled with pain and fear. "The Bloodfangs. They… they did this. They…" He groaned, clutching his head as his body convulsed.
Kael moved between them, his stance protective. "Stay back, Aria. He's corrupted."
The man let out a guttural scream, his body writhing as dark veins spread across his skin. His fingers twisted into claws, and his face contorted into something monstrous.
Aria gasped, the heat in her chest surging as the man lunged at them.
---
Kael reacted instantly, slamming his dagger into the man's shoulder and driving him back. The corrupted man snarled, his movements animalistic as he lashed out with clawed hands.
"Aria, the light!" Kael shouted, holding his ground.
Aria raised her hands, summoning the silvery glow that flared from her fingertips. The light struck the man, forcing him to stumble, but he didn't stop.
"I don't want to hurt you!" Aria cried, her voice shaking.
The man let out a strangled growl, his red eyes flickering as he clawed at his own chest. "It's… it's not me. Please… stop me."
Kael gritted his teeth, his dagger flashing as he delivered a precise strike to the man's leg, forcing him to the ground.
"Aria, now!"
Tears blurred Aria's vision as she unleashed another burst of light. The man screamed, his body convulsing as the corruption seemed to burn away. For a moment, his red eyes dimmed, replaced by a flicker of humanity.
"Thank you," he whispered, his voice breaking.
Then he collapsed, his body going still.
---
Aria stood frozen, her hands trembling as the light faded from her fingertips. The room was silent except for the sound of her ragged breathing.
Kael knelt beside the man, checking for any signs of life. After a moment, he looked up at her, his expression grim. "He's gone."
Aria's chest tightened, guilt and anger warring within her. "He didn't deserve this. He wasn't a monster—he was just… broken."
Kael stood, his green eyes softening as he placed a hand on her shoulder. "Sometimes, mercy is all we can offer."
Aria nodded, though the weight of the moment pressed heavily on her. She looked down at the man's still form, her heart aching for the life that had been stolen from him.
"We have to stop them," she said, her voice steady despite the tears in her eyes. "The Bloodfangs, the Blood Moon… all of it. We can't let this happen to anyone else."
Kael nodded, his grip firm on her shoulder. "We will. But first, we need to survive this place."
Aria wiped her eyes, determination hardening in her chest. "Let's keep moving."
As they left the chamber, the orb pulsed faintly, its light flickering like a dying star.