Chapter 52
As the intense light from the sudden burst of energy started to dim, I found myself in the middle of a scene that could only be called destruction. The previously green and lively battlefield was now a damaged and barren area, with trees torn out and the ground burned. I blinked, trying to see more clearly, and was surprised to notice that my body was not steady, changing between my human and wolf forms.
Through the settling dust, I saw Ryder. He had been thrown back by the force of our collision, his dark energy dissipating around him like wisps of smoke. As I observed, he managed to stand up, obviously weakened but not yet beaten. His eyes locked with mine, filled with a fierce anger that made me shiver.
Nearby, I could hear the moans and soft cries of my group as they gradually woke up. Xander and Aiden were there too, their eyes wide with amazement and bewilderment as they looked at the changed surroundings. All I wanted was to rush to them, to check if they were alright, but I couldn’t look away from Ryder.
All at once, a sharp, intense pain shot through me, almost making me collapse. I gasped, understanding that this must be the punishment the Moon Goddess had mentioned. Using such immense power came at a price, and I was paying it now.
Before I could recover, Ryder seized the opportunity. With a furious growl, he sent a flurry of dark energy blasts towards me. They sizzled through the air, directly targeting my chest.
Even though my body was racked with pain, I moved with a swiftness and elegance I had never experienced. I raised my hand, palm facing outward, and the dark blasts vanished as if blocked by an unseen barrier. I could sense the Moon Goddess’s power flowing through me, improving my every action.
“Is that all you’ve got, Ryder?” I taunted, surprised by the strength in my voice.
His face twisted in anger, and he tried even harder, throwing one wave of dark magic after another at me. But every attack was missed because it couldn’t get through the glow of moonlight that was protecting me.
Realizing that defense alone wouldn’t end this, summing up my energy, I rushed towards Ryder, moving faster than I ever imagined. Everything around me became a blur as I quickly approached him.
Ryder’s eyes grew wide with surprise. Just in time, he managed to create a barrier of dark magic. However, it was as weak as paper and didn’t protect him at all. With one strike, I broke through it, the sound of shattering glass filling the air on the battlefield.
My sharp claws scratched his chest, causing him to bleed. Ryder howled in pain and fury, his dark aura pulsing erratically around him. He stumbled backward, clutching at the wound, his eyes now filled with something fear.
Taking advantage of his momentary weakness, I unleashed a wave of pure moonlight energy. It rushed forth like a tidal wave, pushing Ryder back even further. He skidded across the ground, leaving deep furrows in the earth.
But Ryder still had more to do. As he tried to stand up again, I noticed a fresh resolve in his gaze. He faced the old ring of stones and extended his hands, sending out streams of shadowy power.
“No!” I cried out, realizing what he was trying to do.
Ryder was attempting to corrupt the sacred site’s power, to draw on its ancient energy for his own nefarious purposes. I couldn’t let that happen.
I lifted my head and let out a loud cry, asking the Moon Goddess to guard the place. The sound echoed in the air, full of strength and intention.
To my relief, the stone circle responded. It began to glow brightly, pulsing with a pure, white light that seemed to push back against Ryder’s corruption. The dark tendrils of his magic withered and died as they approached the sacred stones.
Ryder growled with irritation, his plan failing. But I could see he was really trying to think of a different way to change the result of the fight.
Out of nowhere, he began talking in a language I didn’t understand. The words felt weird and made me feel uneasy, almost like they were leaving a sticky feeling on my skin. I noticed the hairs on my neck standing up, realizing he was doing some kind of magic and from the bad energy around him, it wasn’t going to be good.
The air became thick and difficult to breathe as Ryder’s magic worked. Heavy clouds gathered overhead, blocking the moon and stars. It became much chillier, and I could see my breath in the air.
I stood my ground, my fur bristling with power as I prepared to counter whatever Ryder was conjuring. The Moon Goddess’s strength passed through me, giving a comforting heat that fought the increasing cold.
Ryder’s chanting became louder and more passionate, his voice oddly bouncing around the battlefield. With one last deep shout, he finished the spell. A huge surge of harmful energy exploded from him, hurtling toward me like a wave of black darkness.
I didn’t wait or think twice. I met the attack head-on, channeling every ounce of the Moon Goddess’s power I could muster. A sudden flash of bright, white energy erupted from me, clashing with Ryder’s dark force in a dazzling mix of light and shadow.
The impact pushed me back, and for a moment, I was confused, not knowing which way was up. I was tossed into the air, confused. Finally, I landed on my back, staring up at the stormy sky above me.
I moaned and stood up, feeling achy all over from the fall. Once the dust settled, I saw Ryder across the field. To my shock, he was still on his feet, looking like the blast didn’t even touch him.
What really made me shiver was the smug grin on his face.
“Oh, Aurora,” he taunted, his voice full of fake sympathy. “Did you really believe it would be so simple?”
I braced myself for another hit, but Ryder just stood there, not making a move. Instead, he began to laugh a cold, mirthless sound that set my teeth on edge.
“What have you done, Ryder?” I asked, attempting to sound unafraid.
He grinned wider, showing teeth that looked too sharp. “I’ve already won. You just haven’t realized it yet.”
Before I could say anything, a burning pain shot through me. I bent over, struggling to breathe as wave after wave of pain hit me. It felt like my bones were trying to change shape, my skin stretching and ripping.
Through the pain, I heard Xander calling my name. I tried to respond, to tell him to keep his distance, but all that came out was a choked sound.
“Aurora!” Xander’s voice was nearer now, full of worry and fear.
I managed to lift my head, seeing him running towards me. But something was wrong. My sight was getting hazy, and the colors were mixing and moving strangely.
“Don’t come closer!” I finally managed to say. “Something is not right!”
Xander stopped suddenly, his eyes filled with fear. I could only guess how I appeared to him.
Ryder’s laughter rang out once more. “Do you feel it, Aurora? The dark power spreading through your veins?”
With dawning horror, I realized what he had done. His magic wasn’t meant to hurt me it was a curse. He turned the Moon Goddess’s gift, which was my strength, into something evil and wrong.
I could sense it, a slow dark feeling growing inside me. It spoke softly to me, saying it would give me incredible power if I just gave up my human side and accepted the darkness.
“No,” I said firmly, squeezing my hands into fists until my nails hurt my skin. “I won’t let you win, Ryder.” All I had to do was surrender.
Xander’s voice cut through the fog in my mind. “Aurora, listen to me! You’re stronger than this. You can fight it!”
I held on to his voice like it was a lifeline, using it to keep myself stable against the intense darkness that was trying to drag me down. With a big effort, I resisted the darkness, pushing it away.
For a brief moment, I believed I had succeeded. The pain lessened, and I could think straight once more. But then Ryder raised his hand, and a fresh wave of agony crashed over me.
“You can’t resist it, Aurora,” he said, his tone almost soft. “Eventually, you’ll surrender. And when that happens, you’ll be under my control.”
I wanted to refuse, to tell him he was mistaken. But truthfully, I wasn’t sure how much longer I could hold on. The dark power was growing quicker now, dark lines moving over my body like they were alive.
“Xander,” I was able to say with difficulty. “If I can’t fix this… if I change… you need to promise me you’ll do anything to keep the group safe.”
Xander’s eyes got bigger as he understood what I was asking him to do. “No, Aurora. There has to be another way!”
But we both knew there might not be. If Ryder’s spell succeeded, I would turn into a weapon more deadly than anything our foes had ever used against us.
As another surge of agony hit me, I collapsed to my knees, my body shaking as it resisted the change. Through eyes blurred with tears, I saw Ryder coming closer, his smug grin still on his face.
“It’s time to surrender, Aurora,” he said, extending his hand to me. “Accept your real self.”
I felt like yelling at him and clearly expressing my opinion about his idea. However, I couldn’t find my words. The dark energy was growing faster now, muddling my thoughts, distorting my view.
Just as I thought all hope was gone, I sensed a familiar presence. Warm, reassuring energy flowed over me, pushing back the advancing darkness. The Moon Goddess’s voice resonated in my mind, gentle yet strong.
“My child,” she said, “you are stronger than you realize. This darkness cannot claim you unless you allow it to. Remember who you are. Remember what you fight for.”
Her words ignited a spark in me, a flame that consumed the darkness. I remembered moments from my past my mom and dad, Xander, and my pack. Of all the people I loved and had sworn to protect.
With a roar that shook the very earth, I pushed back against Ryder’s curse with everything I had. Bright light burst out from me, clear and so bright it hurt the eyes, pushing away the bad stuff that almost took over me.
Ryder stepped back, covering his eyes from the strong light. When he took his arm down, the proud and happy look on his face was gone, and he looked completely shocked.
“That can’t be,” he whispered. “No one has ever resisted it before.”
I rose to my feet, my body once again my own. The Moon Goddess’s power flowed through me, stronger than ever before. “I am Aurora,” I declared, my voice ringing with power. “Luna of my Pack, daughter of the Moon Goddess. And you, Ryder, have no power over me.”
Ryder’s face twisted in anger. With a loud shout of rage, he jumped at me, his claws surrounded by a dark power. But I was prepared for his move.
When he got close, I dodged his attack with an unnatural smoothness. I quickly reached out, grabbed him by the neck, and lifted him into the air. He tried to break free from my hold, his eyes filled with fear.
“It’s over, Ryder,” I said, my voice calm despite the power surging through me. “Your reign of terror ends here.”
But even as I prepared to end this once and for all, I hesitated. Killing Ryder in cold blood, even after everything he had done… Was that really the right thing to do? Wouldn’t that just make me as bad as him?
While I was wrestling with this ethical problem, Ryder’s eyes suddenly sparkled with a wild light. Before I had a chance to respond, he clapped his hands together, and a sudden surge of dark power sparked between them.
“If I’m falling,” he growled, “you’re coming down with me!”
Everything around us seemed to move in slow motion as Ryder launched his last, frantic assault. I could see the stream of pure darkness speeding towards me, realizing that even with my newly acquired strength, I might not be able to block it fast enough.
In that instant, with death right in front of me, time appeared to halt. I glimpsed possible futures of peace returning to our world, of my pack prospering under my guidance, of a life with Xander beside me. But I also saw darkness and destruction if Ryder’s legacy were allowed to continue.
As the surge of dark energy sped towards me, I decided. No matter what came next, I was resolved to finish this battle right here and now, for good.
With a quick prayer to the Moon Goddess, I focused all the strength I had left and readied myself to confront Ryder’s assault directly. The future of everything and everyone dear to me was at stake, and I was committed to not disappointing them.
The dark force was just inches away when I launched my attack. The clash of light and darkness led to a huge blast that shook the ground under our feet. For a moment, the whole battle area was filled with a bright light, and then…