The horn sounded again.
Once.
Twice.
Then a third time.
Across the valley, thousands of wolves lifted their heads toward the mountains.
The Shadow Army was coming.
Aria stood at the front of the ruined kingdom with her silver crown floating above her head.
Beside her stood Kael.
Damon stood on her other side.
Malakai watched from behind them.
And between them all was Lyra.
Her daughter.
The child who had survived three thousand years.
The child who carried the blood of two realms.
Aria looked at the little girl.
“Stay close to me.”
Lyra nodded.
Kael placed a hand on her shoulder.
“Nothing will happen to you.”
Lyra looked up at him.
“Promise?”
Kael smiled.
“I promise.”
Aria watched them.
Something about the scene felt strangely familiar.
A family.
A family she had lost once.
A family she had been given another chance to protect.
Then the ground shook.
A black wave rolled across the horizon.
The Shadow Army had reached the valley.
Damon shifted into his wolf form.
Hundreds of wolves followed him.
Kael raised his sword.
“Hold the line!”
The warriors charged.
The two armies collided.
The sound was deafening.
Claws.
Swords.
Roars.
Magic.
The battlefield erupted.
Aria raised her hand.
Silver light spread across the ground.
The wolves around her became stronger.
Their eyes glowed silver.
The Shadow creatures hesitated.
Aria could feel every creature connected to her.
Their fear.
Their anger.
Their pain.
It was overwhelming.
She almost fell.
Kael caught her.
“Aria!”
“I’m fine.”
“You don’t look fine.”
“I can feel them.”
“The army?”
“All of them.”
Kael’s expression softened.
“You don’t have to carry everything.”
“I’m their Queen.”
“You’re also human.”
Aria looked at him.
“Am I?”
Kael didn’t answer.
A shadow creature attacked.
Kael turned and killed it.
Aria watched him.
Then she heard a voice.
Mother.
She turned.
Lyra was standing several meters away.
A black creature was behind her.
“LYRA!”
Aria ran.
The creature lunged.
Aria raised her hand.
Silver energy exploded.
The creature was thrown backward.
Lyra fell.
Aria reached her.
“Are you hurt?”
Lyra shook her head.
“I’m okay.”
Aria pulled her into her arms.
“Don’t ever run away from me.”
“I wasn’t running.”
“Then what were you doing?”
Lyra pointed toward the mountains.
“I heard someone calling me.”
Aria frowned.
“Who?”
Lyra looked frightened.
“A boy.”
Aria froze.
“What boy?”
“I don’t know.”
“What did he say?”
Lyra whispered:
“Brother.”
Aria’s blood ran cold.
Kael approached.
“What happened?”
Aria looked at him.
“She heard someone.”
“Who?”
“A boy.”
Kael’s expression changed.
“What did he say?”
“Brother.”
Damon walked over.
“Could it be one of the Shadow creatures?”
Lyra shook her head.
“No.”
“Then who?”
Lyra pointed toward the mountains.
“He’s there.”
Malakai suddenly appeared.
“Then we have to leave.”
Aria looked at him.
“Why?”
“Now.”
“What aren’t you telling me?”
Malakai looked at Lyra.
“The First Temple.”
“What about it?”
“That’s where the second child is.”
Silence.
Kael’s face hardened.
“The second child?”
Malakai nodded.
Aria’s heart began pounding.
“Who is he?”
Malakai looked at her.
“The Shadow King’s son.”
Aria stared.
“What?”
“He was born from the Queen’s blood.”
“But I only had one child.”
“No.”
Malakai’s voice was quiet.
“You had two.”
Aria shook her head.
“I would remember.”
“You weren’t supposed to.”
“Where is he?”
Malakai looked toward the mountains.
“The First Temple.”
Aria immediately started walking.
Kael followed.
“Aria.”
“I need to see him.”
“We don’t know what he is.” Follow the newest chapters on g.com.
“He’s my child.”
Kael grabbed her hand.
“You said you had one.”
“I was wrong.”
“Aria…”
She looked at him.
“If my son is alive, I’m going to find him.”
Kael nodded.
“Then I’m coming.”
Damon stepped forward.
“So am I.”
Malakai sighed.
“Then we leave now.”
They entered the mountains before sunset.
The path became narrower.
The trees grew darker.
No birds sang.
No insects moved.
Even the wind seemed afraid.
Lyra walked between Aria and Kael.
Every few minutes she looked toward the trees.
Aria noticed.
“Do you hear him again?”
Lyra nodded.
“What is he saying?”
“He wants me to come.”
Aria stopped.
“Don’t listen.”
Lyra looked up.
“But he’s my brother.”
“He’s also connected to the Shadow King.”
Kael frowned.
“That’s exactly why we don’t know if he’s safe.”
Lyra’s eyes filled with sadness.
“But he’s alone.”
Aria knelt.
“I know.”
“Then we should help him.”
Aria touched her daughter’s cheek.
“We will.”
A strange sound came from above.
Everyone looked up.
A flock of black birds flew across the sky.
Malakai’s expression changed.
“Keep moving.”
They continued.
After another hour, the First Temple appeared.
It was enormous.
Built into the mountain itself.
Its doors were covered with ancient symbols.
Aria recognized one.
Her own symbol.
The crescent crown.
She touched it.
The doors opened.
A cold wind rushed past them.
Lyra whispered:
“He’s inside.”
Aria stepped through.
The temple was dark.
Torches suddenly ignited along the walls.
One after another.
At the end of the hall stood a throne.
And sitting on it was a boy.
He looked about twelve years old.
Dark hair.
Pale skin.
Silver eyes.
A black crescent marked his forehead.
Aria stopped breathing.
The boy looked at her.
“Mother.”
Her heart shattered.
She stepped forward.
“What’s your name?”
The boy smiled.
“You named me.”
Aria’s eyes filled with tears.
“I don’t remember.”
“I know.”
He stood.
“My name is Orion.”
Aria stared.
“Orion.”
He nodded.
Kael stepped forward.
“Stay away from her.”
Orion looked at him.
His expression became cold.
“You still don’t trust me.”
Kael froze.
“What did you say?”
Orion smiled.
“You never did.”
Aria looked at Kael.
“Do you know him?”
“No.”
Orion laughed.
“Of course you don’t.”
Kael drew his sword.
Orion raised one hand.
The sword flew out of Kael’s grip.
Everyone froze.
Damon shifted.
Orion looked at him.
“You were always jealous.”
Damon’s eyes widened.
“What?”
“You wanted her.”
Damon stared.
Orion looked back at Aria.
“But she chose him.”
Aria’s heart pounded.
“What are you talking about?”
Orion walked closer.
“You don’t remember.”
“Remember what?”
“The night you gave birth to us.”
Aria froze.
“Us?”
Orion nodded.
“Lyra and me.”
Kael stared.
“Twins.”
Aria turned toward Lyra.
Lyra looked at Orion.
For the first time, her face lit up.
“Brother.”
Orion smiled.
“Sister.”
The two children ran toward each other.
Aria couldn’t move.
Lyra hugged Orion.
“I’ve been looking for you.”
“I know.”
“I thought you were dead.”
“So did I.”
Aria stepped toward them.
“How did you survive?”
Orion looked at her.
“The Shadow King kept me.”
“Why?”
“Because I was stronger than Lyra.”
Kael’s expression darkened.
“What did he do to you?”
Orion’s eyes became black for a moment.
“He trained me.”
Aria’s heart tightened.
“For what?”
“To kill you.”
Silence.
Lyra stepped backward.
“No.”
“I never wanted to.”
“Then why?”
“Because he promised that if I killed Mother, he’d release me.”
Aria stared at him.
“How long have you been waiting?”
“Since I was five.”
Her heart broke.
“You were just a child.”
“I know.”
“Did he hurt you?”
Orion looked away.
“Sometimes.”
Aria knelt in front of him.
“I’m sorry.”
Orion stared at her.
“You don’t have to be.”
“I do.”
“You didn’t know.”
“I should have.”
“You were dead.”
Aria’s eyes filled with tears.
“I came back.”
Orion nodded.
“I knew you would.”
Suddenly the temple shook.
Orion looked toward the entrance.
“He’s here.”
Kael immediately picked up his sword.
“Who?”
The doors slammed shut.
Darkness filled the temple.
A voice echoed through the hall.
“Excellent.”
The Shadow King appeared above the throne.
His silver eyes glowed.
“All my children together.”
Aria stepped forward.
“You will not touch them.”
The Shadow King smiled.
“Touch them?”
He laughed.
“I don’t need to.”
He looked at Orion.
“Do it.”
Orion froze.
Aria turned toward him.
“Orion?”
The boy’s eyes turned black.
Lyra screamed.
“Brother!”
Orion raised his hand.
A black blade appeared.
Aria stepped backward.
“Orion.”
He shook his head.
“Run.”
Kael moved in front of Aria.
“He’s under control.”
“Don’t hurt him.”
“I won’t.”
Orion screamed.
“RUN!”
The temple shook violently.
Black energy exploded from his body.
Kael was thrown backward.
Damon attacked.
Orion struck him across the room.
Aria ran toward her son.
“Orion!”
He raised the blade.
His hand trembled.
“Mother…”
Aria stopped.
“Yes?”
His eyes filled with tears.
“Kill me.”
“No.”
“Please.”
“I won’t.”
“If you don’t…”
Dark veins spread across his face.
“…he’ll use me to kill you.”
Aria’s heart broke.
She stepped closer.
“I won’t kill you.”
“Then what will you do?”
Aria looked toward the Shadow King.
“I’ll kill him.”
The Shadow King laughed.
“You still think you can defeat me?”
Aria’s crown appeared.
Silver energy filled the temple.
The ancient walls began glowing.
Malakai looked around.
“The temple is responding.”
Kael stared.
“What does that mean?”
Malakai’s eyes widened.
“The Crown of Eternity.”
Aria looked toward the altar.
A silver crown appeared above it.
But it was different from hers.
Older.
More powerful.
The Shadow King stopped smiling.
“No.”
Aria walked toward it.
He raised his hand.
Darkness struck her.
She didn’t move.
The silver crown above the altar began descending.
The Shadow King screamed.
“STOP!”
Aria reached for it.
The moment her fingers touched the Crown of Eternity— the entire temple exploded with light.
A voice echoed from the walls.
The Queen has returned.
Aria lifted the crown.
Her eyes turned completely silver.
The Shadow King stared at her.
For the first time…
he looked terrified.
But then Orion whispered:
“Mother.”
Aria turned.
His body was covered in black veins.
The Shadow King’s mark was spreading across him.
Aria’s face changed.
“No.”
Orion fell to his knees.
“He’s inside me.”
The Shadow King smiled.
“Yes.”
Aria raised the Crown of Eternity.
The voice of the ancient Queen echoed in her mind.
To destroy the Shadow King, you must destroy his vessel.
Aria froze.
Her eyes moved to Orion.
Her son.
The child she had lost.
The child she had just found.
And the weapon she had been searching for…
was telling her to kill him.
The Shadow King laughed.
“Choose, my Queen.”
Aria gripped the crown.
“I already told you.”
Her eyes burned silver.
“I don’t choose.”
She raised the Crown of Eternity.
“I change the rules.”
The temple shook.
And somewhere deep inside Orion’s body…
something opened its eyes.