A swirling gust of wind swept through the chamber, and then she appeared, wearing a dark robe.
Her beauty was striking, but her presence unsettled the room, a quiet sense that she did not fully belong to this world. She was otherworldly. Ageless.
Her violet eyes glowed faintly, seeing far more than what stood before her. Even the soul itself.
Alpha Thane muttered a prayer under his breath.
Queen Maravelle's face tightened, clearly displeased by the unannounced entrance. "You were summoned, not crowned."
Ninzu met her gaze calmly. "And yet I arrived before your fear did."
A flicker of annoyance crossed the queen's face, but she said nothing.
"Ninzu," Thornak greeted, remaining standing. "Thank you for coming."
"Speak your truth, King of Lycans. I will see if it rings hollow or whole." She said smoothly.
Thornak stepped forward, lifting the scorched ritual cloth in both hands before laying it back on the table.
Ninzu's eyes fixed on it, and her voice dropped to a reverent murmur. "Blood of the goddess."
She extended a hand, fingers hovering just above the fabric, careful not to touch it. Then a low hum filled the room, faint but unmistakable. The cloth glowed beneath her hand, reacting to her presence as if recognizing her power. The glow of the burned symbols deepened blood-red.
"This cloth was used in a blood-seeking ritual, to find someone hidden by ancient magic." She said quietly.
Suddenly, her eyes turned white, as if her spirit had stepped into another realm.
"Impossible," she whispered, the word barely audible, yet it struck the room like a bell.
For the first time, Ninzu looked shaken. Her head tilted slightly, as if listening to a voice no one else could hear. Her hand lifted slightly, as if drawn by something unseen.
"This blood… it should not exist," she said.
The chamber grew still. Not even Maravelle dared speak.
"It carries the mark of the Moonguard."
"The Moonguard?" someone echoed, incredulous.
"They're extinct..."
"Ancient fairy tales," another scoffed.
"A myth," came another voice, louder this time.
The room erupted in murmurs and disbelief, voices overlapping in a growing wave of doubt and confusion.
Kael's voice cut through the noise. "Who were the Moonguard?"
Ninzu turned to him.
"They were the chosen of the Moon Goddess, keepers of balance, sworn to protect the sacred lineages. Until they were betrayed... and burned from history."
"What exactly does this sorcerer want?" Thornak asked.
Ninzu's violet eyes glowed once more. "He seeks the Moonguard royal," she said quietly. "The heir. She lives."
A wave of murmurs swept through the room.
"Fairy tales," the queen scoffed.
"I do not lie," Ninzu replied, her voice calm but firm.
"What does this sorcerer want with this heir?" The queen asked.
"In a sealed vault lies the divine essence of the Moon Goddess," she began, her voice calm but commanding. "The Moonfire Core. A celestial crystal that holds the purest form of lunar magic."
She paused, letting the weight of the words settle.
"Once, in every generation, a guardian rises to guide a chosen royal, one born to wield the Moonfire and shape the moonlit defenses of the Moonguard kingdom. Together, they kept the balance of power across the supernatural realms… they were gods walking among mortals."
She turned slowly, eyes sweeping over the gathered faces before resting on Thornak.
"But the line was broken since the last heir fell," she said. "The vault sealed. And the guardian's voice fell silent…"
She took a single step forward, her voice lowering.
"Until now. The heir has returned," she said, her tone softer now, but no less certain. "Reborn in mortal flesh, bearing the soul of the lost bloodline. The Moonguard rises again."
Her voice shifted, eerie and distant, as though something ancient had begun to speak through her.
"If the sorcerer gains access," she warned, "he will twist that power into chaos—into eternal night. He would command the lesser wolves, bend night-born creatures to his will."
She turned her head sharply, fixing her gaze like a blade.
"Only a true Moonguard royal can find it… and wield it. Any other would burn trying."
"I see a world that bends too easily to fear... and to whispers." Maravelle said firmly. "Speak your truths, Ninzu, but tread carefully. For if you mean to stir panic with tales of lost empires, then you, too, may become part of the story… left in the ash."
Ninzu did not flinch. She simply tilted her head, violet eyes gleaming with something colder than contempt, pity.
"I do not stir panic, Your Highness," she said softly, yet every word struck like a blade. "I merely say what I have been showed."
A tense silence followed.
"Then we stop them," said Thornak.
"You can't," Ninzu said quietly and with finality. "Not yet."
Thornak's eyes narrowed. "Why not?"
"Because the sorcerer is too powerful. His strength isn't his own. He draws power from a demon."
She stepped closer to the flame in the center of the chamber, its light dancing over her.
"Only the Moonguard heir can resist that power. Only her bond with the Moonfire Core, can counter it. Without them, he cannot be stopped."
A hush fell over the council, the weight of her words settling in.
Lord Edrion rubbed a hand over his jaw. "We've all heard the old stories. Maybe we didn't believe them before. But..." His voice trailed off.
Alpha Ren stood slowly. "If this is blood magic tied to the Moonguard… then it means someone has crossed a line we thought sealed forever."
A few council members exchanged wary glances. Others looked to Queen Maravelle, waiting for her reaction. She remained still, chin high, though her fingers curled slightly around the edge of her armrest.
"If even half of what she says is true… we can't afford to ignore it." He continued.
"No we cannot," Thornak agreed with a nod. "Tell me seer, what can we do."
Ninzu's gaze swept the room, solemn and unwavering. "The ancient texts speak of a ritual, one meant to purify the land. But it demands great power… and sacrifice. It may be the only way to restore balance."
She paused, then added, "I've studied the shifting magic across the kingdom. If we can trace the source of the darkness, I believe I can forge a spell strong enough to counter its influence… and drive it back. But we must act swiftly. The land does not have time."
Thornak's jaw tightened, the burden settling heavier on his shoulders.
"Do what you must, you will have all you need. I will not let this kingdom fall into shadow, not while I draw breath."
After the meeting, Lord Edrion approached Thornak while he was speaking with Kael.
"Let me be clear," he started. "Do you truly believe a child of that ruined line still lives? After all these years?"
Thornak didn't flinch. "I believe what Ninzu says. She's never been wrong."
Edrion's lips curled. "And if this so-called heir is nothing more than a frightened girl in a village somewhere? Or worse, a danger?"
Kael, leaning against a pillar, crossed his arms. "What do you mean?"
Edrion turned sharply. "I mean a danger to the realm. We don't rule by myth. We rule with strategy. If this heir is unstable, or manipulated..."
Thornak cut in, voice low. "If she exists, she carries the blood of kings. And that matters."
Edrion shook his head. "Blood does not make a ruler, Thornak. Strength does. Clarity. A queen must have command, not just lineage."
Kael smirked. "You sound nervous, uncle."
Edrion's eyes narrowed. "I sound realistic. You'd do well to remember our enemies won't pause for prophecy."
Thornak stepped closer to the table. "And if we ignore this, we may be handing them the key to destroy us. I won't take that risk."
Edrion studied him. "So you'll chase ghosts?"
Kael replied before Thornak could. "No. We'll find the one the ghosts have been hiding."
Queen Maravelle, who had lingered near the door, turned sharply at his words. "Ghosts don't raise heirs. Lies and legends do. Be careful how much faith you place in stories, Kael."
"Sometimes stories are all that's left of the truth, mother."
Maravelle's eyes narrowed. "And sometimes they lead kingdoms to ruin."
Thornak stepped forward then, his tone final. "We follow the truth, no matter where it leads. And if there is an heir, we will find her."
Maravelle's lips curved into something between a sneer and a smile. "Just make sure this ghost doesn't bring the ruin of us all."