Elias stepped into the sanctuary's entrance with a guttural, choking snarl—
a sound that wasn't fully wolf
or fully anything alive.
His once-warm hazel eyes were now pale white, glowing faintly like empty moons. Blackened veins twisted along his neck and jaw. His fur—once amber—was streaked with shadows that pulsed with sickening rhythm.
Aria staggered backward, trembling. "Elias… no…"
Ronan blocked her immediately, claws extending, his body shifting instinctively to shield her. He felt her fingers curl weakly into his coat, her wrist flaring brighter every time Elias moved.
The stranger's voice lowered. "He's too far gone. The Devourer hollowed him."
Aria shook her head violently. "No! He saved me—he helped me—he wouldn't—"
Elias snarled again, saliva dripping, black mist curling from his mouth as if decay lived in his lungs.
Ronan growled, stepping forward. "He's not the wolf you knew."
"But he's still inside him somewhere," Aria insisted, tears spilling. "I feel it!"
Ronan shot her a pained look. "Aria—this thing will kill you. I won't let you get close."
The stranger lifted an arm. "Ronan is right. If Elias attacks, he won't stop. His mind isn't his anymore."
The corrupted wolf lunged.
Ronan reacted instantly.
He shoved Aria back toward the crystal wall. "Stay behind me!"
His wolf form surged forward, intercepting Elias mid-air with a vicious collision that shook the sanctuary. Claws tore into fur. Bodies slammed into the stone floor with bone-rattling force.
Aria screamed, "RONAN!"
But he didn't hear her—
or couldn't.
Ronan bit into Elias's shoulder, dragging him away from the sanctuary entrance. Elias writhed violently, snapping at Ronan with razor-like teeth.
The stranger grabbed Aria's arm just as she tried to run forward. "No! He'll kill you."
"I can help him!" she cried.
"You'll destabilize your transformation—"
Aria jerked her arm free. "Ronan is dying for me—I'm not letting him fight alone!"
But another pulse from her wrist nearly knocked her to her knees. She choked on a breath as silver veins climbed her throat.
"No, no, not now—" She pressed a hand to her chest as heat burned under her ribs. "Ronan—please—stop fighting—"
But Ronan was locked in a brutal grapple with the corrupted wolf, their snarls echoing against crystal walls.
Elias slashed Ronan's shoulder—
blood splattering the floor.
Ronan roared, ramming the corrupted wolf into a crystal pillar.
The pillar cracked.
Elias broke free.
He pounced again—this time aiming for Aria.
"NO!" Ronan shifted in front of her so fast his body blurred.
Elias's claws tore across Ronan's ribs.
Aria screamed. "STOP! Elias, STOP!"
For a heartbeat—
a single, fragile heartbeat—
Elias's movements faltered.
His pale eyes twitched.
Aria saw something—
A flicker.
A memory.
A spark of awareness.
She lifted a trembling hand. "Elias… it's me. Aria."
The wolf froze.
His mangled breathing slowed for a moment.
Ronan looked back at her sharply. "Aria—what are you doing?!"
She ignored him, stepping forward despite her collapsing legs. "I know you're in there. You protected me once. You didn't let Lyra hurt me. You stood up for me. You chose me."
Elias's jaw quivered.
A whine—weak but real—escaped him.
Ronan's eyes widened. "He… recognizes her."
Aria took another step. "Elias, please… fight it."
The stranger whispered, "Aria—don't—"
But she kept going.
"You're stronger than this corruption," she pleaded. "I know you are."
Elias lowered his head slightly, black mist rising from his nose.
Aria reached out—fingers trembling—
closer
closer
until her glowing hand hovered just inches from his snout.
"Come back," she whispered. "Please."
Elias inhaled sharply.
And the Devourer surged through his body like black fire.
He roared and lunged.
⸻
The Breaking Point
Time slowed.
Aria gasped—
not from fear—
but from the sudden, violent surge of silver power that burst from her core.
Her wrist blazed like a star.
Her eyes flashed pure silver.
The sanctuary pulsed.
A shockwave erupted from her body in all directions.
Ronan barely had time to turn.
"ARIA—NO—"
The blast hit him first, throwing him across the sanctuary and slamming him into the far wall. He slid to the ground with a groan, momentarily stunned.
Elias was hurled backward, flipping through the air before crashing across the stone floor, skidding until he hit a stalagmite.
Aria collapsed to her knees.
"Ronan!" she screamed, tears blurring her vision.
He coughed, struggling to rise. "Aria—don't—touch anything—your power—"
She couldn't hear him over the ringing in her ears.
Her heart pounded like a drum.
Her skin glowed so brightly she could barely see herself.
The stranger stared with pure shock. "Her transformation… it's accelerating."
Aria tried to stand, but her legs shook violently.
Her bones shifted again—
pain ripping through her body
her ribs tightening
her breath catching.
She groaned, clutching her chest. "Make it stop… PLEASE—make it stop—"
Ronan dragged himself up despite the blood dripping from his side. "Aria—look at me. Keep your eyes open."
She tried.
For him, she tried.
But the sanctuary spun.
Symbols floated in the air.
Light bent around her fingers.
Her heartbeat echoed like thunder.
Elias staggered to his feet, wobbling, glassy-eyed.
But something was different now.
His body shook uncontrollably.
He looked… torn.
As if the blast Aria unleashed had cracked the corruption inside him.
He staggered toward her—not attacking—
but crawling
dragging himself forward
eyes flickering between white and amber.
The stranger raised his arm. "He's unstable—Aria, stay back!"
But Elias forced himself to speak.
One word.
Barely a whisper.
"Run…"
Aria froze.
Her tears fell harder. "Elias…"
His voice was warped, mixed with pain and shadow. "…please… run…"
Ronan stumbled toward them, eyes wide. "Aria, get away from him!"
But Elias's head jerked violently as corruption surged again.
He snapped toward Aria—
But instead of lunging, he slammed his head into the stone floor, forcing himself down.
Aria sobbed. "You're fighting it—"
He growled weakly.
"Go…" he whispered, voice cracking. "…before I… hurt you…"
The stranger whispered to Ronan, "He's resisting the Devourer. But not for long."
Ronan's throat worked as he swallowed back emotion. "He saved her… even now."
Aria crawled forward, ignoring the pain splitting her ribs. "Elias—I'm so sorry—"
He forced his glowing eyes toward her.
"…Moon…breaker…"
The stranger stiffened. "He's sensing the final phase."
Aria backed up in fear. "What does that mean?"
But Elias's voice cracked again.
"…don't… let it… take you…"
And just like that—
The last shred of his control snapped.
His body spasmed.
His eyes went fully white.
The corruption swallowed him whole.
He roared so violently the sanctuary shook.
Ronan lunged between him and Aria again. "Back! Get back!"
The stranger raised a glowing hand. "I can bind him temporarily—"
"No!" Aria shouted. "Don't hurt him—he tried—he tried to warn me—"
Ronan shouted over her, "Aria, he's gone!"
Elias lunged.
Ronan tackled him head-on, both wolves crashing across the sanctuary floor like colliding storms.
Aria screamed, reaching out instinctively—
And the sanctuary exploded in silver light again.
⸻
The Sanctuary's Warning
Crystal walls cracked.
Runes flared violently.
The very ground trembled.
The stranger shielded Aria with his arm. "STOP! You'll bring the mountain down!"
But the light pulsed from her uncontrollably.
Silver veins surged higher—across her neck, across her ribs, up her arms.
Her breathing hitched in panic. "I—I can't stop it—Ronan—help me—"
Ronan, still grappling Elias, turned toward her with wild terror.
"ARIA—DON'T LET GO!"
"I'm trying—!"
Her vision blurred into silver.
Her pulse roared like a storm.
Her bones trembled under her skin.
Then—
A deep rumbling echoed outside the sanctuary.
Not from Elias.
Not from Aria.
Something ancient.
Something monstrous.
The stranger froze.
"Oh no," he whispered. "It's here."
Aria felt it—
A cold wind creeping into the sanctuary.
A shadow slithering into her thoughts.
A whisper vibrating through her bones.
Moonbreaker…
Your time is ending.
And mine begins.
Aria collapsed forward, screaming as the final phase surged.
Ronan roared her name.
The Devourer had found her.