Chapter 10 Shadows in the night

The castle was very quiet that evening, a silence that stretched across every hallway and chamber. The storm that had been brewing for weeks seemed to reflect the turmoil in Amira's heart. She had hoped that their return from the ruins would provide clarity, but instead, it had only deepened the questions she had been avoiding. What were they truly up against? What was Varek's true purpose?

Amira stood by the window in her chamber, her gaze drifting to the dark sky. The full moon hung low, casting pale silver light over the land. The same moon that had witnessed her coronation, now watching as she struggled to keep the kingdom together. She had inherited the throne, but at what cost? Her bloodline had been cursed, and the land itself seemed to turn against her.

"Mother?" Kael's voice broke through the stillness.

Amira turned to face her eldest son, who had entered quietly. His eyes were heavy, burdened with the same weight of uncertainty that pressed down on her chest. He had grown into a strong young man, but the curse was eating away at him. Every full moon, his wolf side emerged with a fierceness he could barely control.

"Kael," she said softly, beckoning him closer. "We have to do something. I can't just sit here and let Varek destroy everything."

Kael crossed the room and stopped just before her. He looked at her with those piercing eyes, full of determination and worry. "We can't defeat Varek without understanding his plans. We need more allies, but even that might not be enough."

Amira sighed, her hand tightening around the fabric of her gown. "The Shadow Court... Varek's followers... They've been manipulating the people for years. They want to see me fall. And the artifact... It's not just a weapon; it's the key to something far more dangerous."

Kael nodded. "And we don't know what that is yet. But we will. We have to."

Before Amira could respond, the door to the chamber opened , and Nyra stepped inside, her face pale. Her long, dark hair rest on her shoulders like a shadow, and her eyes gleamed with the strange light that had become more frequent as her powers grew.

"There's something in the forest," Nyra said, her voice trembling. "Something is coming."

Kael immediately stood up straighter, his senses alert. "What do you mean?"

Nyra's gaze drifted toward the window, her expression distant. "I can feel it. It's... it's not just the wind. There's a presence in the trees, moving closer. It's familiar, but it's not right."

Amira exchanged a glance with Kael, her heart sinking. "Varek?" she asked, though she feared the answer.

Nyra shook her head. "No. This is something else. Something older. It's tied to the gods... to the land itself."

Without wasting another moment, Kael and Amira followed Nyra to the castle gates. The guards were already on high alert, their swords drawn, their eyes scanning the dark trees beyond the walls. The air was thick with tension, the kind that made every breath feel like a struggle.

As they stepped into the courtyard, the wind shifted, carrying with it the scent of wet earth and something foul. The trees beyond the gates seemed to twist and sway unnaturally, as if reaching out toward them. The hairs on the back of Amira's neck stood on end.

Nyra stepped forward, her eyes glowing faintly in the darkness. "It's here," she whispered.

Suddenly, a figure appeared from the shadows of the forest, stepping into the moonlight. It was a man, tall and cloaked, his face hidden beneath a hood. But even in the dim light, Amira could feel the power radiating from him. This was no ordinary person. This was something... something ancient.

"Who are you?" Kael demanded, stepping forward protectively.

The man raised his head slowly, revealing his face, a face that was both familiar and foreign. Amira's breath caught in her throat. The man before them had the same eyes as her father.

It was Eldric.

Her brother. The one who had disappeared years ago, believed dead.

"Amira," Eldric said, his voice like a cold wind. "I've been waiting for you."

Amira staggered back, her heart racing. "No... it can't be you. You....you're dead. I watched you fall."

Eldric smiled bitterly, the kind of smile that made Amira's blood run cold. "Not dead. Never dead. The gods have a way of keeping those they need alive. And I have been... alive, waiting for the right moment."

"Why?" Amira whispered, her mind reeling. "Why would you stay away? Why not come back to us?"

Eldric's expression softened for a brief moment, but it quickly darkened again. "Because, sister, there are things about this land, about our bloodline, that you will never understand. I had to learn the truth. And now, you must too."

Amira's chest tightened as she struggled to process the whirlwind of emotions flooding through her. Eldric, her brother, had been alive this whole time, hidden, keeping his secrets. But why? Why had he stayed away?

"What truth?" she managed to ask, her voice trembling.

Eldric stepped closer, his presence overwhelming. "The truth about the bloodline. The curse is not just a punishment, Amira. It is a weapon. A weapon that was meant to end the gods, to destroy them once and for all."

Kael stepped forward, his sword raised. "We're not interested in your games, Eldric. You've been hiding from us for too long."

Eldric raised a hand, and suddenly, the air around them grew cold, as if a barrier had been formed between them and the rest of the world. "This is not a game, Kael. This is your fate."

Amira could feel her knees weaken as Eldric's words sank in. The curse. It was never meant to be a punishment. It was meant to be something far darker. But if it was a weapon, who had created it? And why had the gods allowed it to exist?

"We don't have time for riddles," Kael said, his voice cold. "Tell us what you know, Eldric."

Eldric's eyes flashed with a strange light. "Varek is not the only one who seeks control of the artifact. There are others, ancient forces, long buried, waiting to rise. If you want to stop the curse, you must understand that the artifact is not a key to power. It is the key to freedom."

"Freedom from what?" Amira asked, her heart pounding in her chest.

"Freedom from the gods themselves," Eldric replied, his voice dark. "The gods are not the protectors you believe them to be. They are the true source of the curse. The land, the bloodline... it is all a result of their greed and corruption."

Suddenly, a gust of wind swept through the courtyard, and the shadows seemed to move closer, enveloping them. Eldric turned his head toward the forest, his eyes narrowing. "They are coming. And when they arrive, you will have to make a choice. A choice between the gods... and the land."

As he spoke those words, a deep rumble echoed through the earth beneath them. The ground trembled as if the very land itself was awakening.

After that, Eldric disappeared and never came back.