Eclipsed Destiny
Chasing Shadows

The battlefield was silent, for the clash was done. The rogues had run off, their forces broken up like leaves on a wind. The Shadowbeast, once the greatest symbol of fear, was nothing now but a crumpled, lifeless mass at the edge of the valley. Yet, there was still a sense that something was left unended, an aura of foreboding settling heavily over the pack.

Celia stood in the middle of the clearing, her blade glowing softly with the last dregs of the blessing's power. Her mark was warm to the touch, a constant reminder of the pact she'd made and the cost that she was yet to understand. She could feel the bond with ancient energy thrumming in her, its presence both reassuring and terrifying.

Aziel came near slowly, his blue eyes running over her as if scanning for something. "Celia," he whispered, his voice laced with concern. "What happened out there?"

She turned to him, her chest squeezing at the look in his eyes. "I did what I had to do," she said steadily, despite the churning inside of her. "The blessing... it gave me a choice. A way to stop the Shadowbeast."

"At what cost?" Aziel's voice was sharper now, his worry bleeding into frustration. "You've been different ever since. The pack can see it, Celia. I can see it."

Celia turned away, her eyes going out to the horizon. The thing was, she didn't know the cost of the pact. This being she'd bonded with had given her power, but taken something in return-something she couldn't name, but could feel in the quiet moments, when it wasn't a matter of power but simply being. She was changed, different in a way that made her feel stronger and more vulnerable at once.

"I don't know,” she admitted finally, her voice barely above a whisper. "But it was the only way to save us. To save the pack."

Aziel's expression softened, but the tension between them remained. "We'll figure it out," he said, his tone firm. "Whatever it takes, we'll face it together."

She nodded, but the doubt in her chest refused to be shaken off. The connection between them pulsed faintly, a steady rhythm that anchored her amidst all the uncertainty.

7---

The camp was subdued when the pack returned since their victory had been left in the balance of threat by the rogue group still at large. The Shadowbeast was gone, yet the rogue lieutenant still lingered, casting his shadow over everything that they had fought for. Celia felt it in the air, that unspoken fear that ruffled over the wolves like a wave.

Marcus appeared at Celia and Aziel's side as they made it to the middle of camp, his face grave. "The thieves are rallying," he said, with no warning. "Our scouts have followed them to the north ridge. They aren't fleeing, they're plotting." Aziel clenched his jaw. "How many?"

"Too bloody many," Marcus confessed, "for us to charge in headlong.

"We don't have to take them head-on," Celia said, her mind racing. "If we strike from the shadows, we can weaken their forces before they have a chance to regroup."

Marcus hesitated, his gaze flicking to Aziel. "That's a risk."

"Everything about this is a risk," Aziel said, his voice sharp. "But Celia's right. We can't let them recover. If they regroup, they'll come for us again, and we won't survive another battle like this."

Celia's chest tightened at watching the exchange. The pack was holding together but only by a thread. The cracks in their unity were expanding, and she felt the strain of the bond pushing on her, nudging her into action.

"We need to be swift," she said with control in her voice. "Before they get any opportunity to consolidate their hold."

Aziel nodded; his gaze met hers. "Then we prepare.

The night was quiet as Celia and a small group of warriors moved through the forest, their movements silent and precise. The blessing's energy pulsed faintly beneath her skin, guiding her steps as they approached the northern ridge. The rogues' camp came into view, their fires burning low and casting flickering shadows across the clearing.

Crouched behind a cluster of bushes, her heart pounding as she took in the scene, Celia looked around at the rogues. They were scattered; their movements disorganized but purposeful. She could see the rogue lieutenant standing near the largest fire, his red eyes glowing in the dim light.

This is it," Aziel whispered, his voice low. "We hit them hard and fast. Take out as many as we can and retreat before they have a chance to react."

Celia nodded, her grip tightening on her blade. The blessing flared faintly, its power steady and controlled as she prepared to strike.

But then, as she moved, the shadow ran across the line of trees, fast and soundless. Her mark iced over suddenly, its heat sharp and insistent, the blessing responding to this presence. "Wait," she said, her voice just barely there. "There's another one here."

Aziel frowning, his eyes scanning over into the shadows. "Who?

Before Celia could respond, the shadow revealed itself, a form known and unmistakable. Kael stepped forward into the clearing, the deliberate movements his approach to the rogue lieutenant. Celia took a sharp breath inside her throat as her chest tightened with the mix of anger and disbelief. "Kael," she whispered on a quivering voice.

Aziel's face contorted into darker lines; his claws crept further out as he prepared for movement. "He's a traitor.

Wait," Celia said, laying a hand on his arm. "We have to know what he's doing. If we act now, we'll lose the element of surprise."

Aziel's jaw clenched, but he nodded. Together, they watched as Kael approached the lieutenant, his voice low but urgent.

"They're planning a strike," Kael said, his tone sharp. "A small group, heading here tonight. You need to move your forces now.

The rogue lieutenant smirked, his red eyes gleaming. "Good. Let them come. We'll be ready."

Celia's stomach churned as she realized the truth-Kael wasn't just a traitor. He was actively working against them, feeding the rogues information that could destroy the pack.

Her mark burned hotter, the blessing's energy surging as her anger flared. She stepped forward, her movements silent as she approached the clearing.

"Celia, wait—" Aziel's voice ended there as she stepped into the light, her blade glowing with the blessing's power.

Kael's eyes went wide as he saw her. "Celia-"

"Traitor," she spat, a venom in her voice.

The rogue lieutenant laughed-a cold and mocking sound. "Well, well. The Luna herself. This should be interesting."

Kael's features set, his hand replaceing his blade. "You don't understand-"

"I understand enough," Celia said, her voice steady despite the rage coursing through her. "You betrayed us. You betrayed the pack."

Kael hesitated, his gaze flicking to the rogue lieutenant. "I had no choice."

"There's always a choice," Aziel growled as he stepped into the clearing, his claws gleaming in the firelight. "And you made the wrong one." 7---

As the tension grew, the rogue lieutenant raised his hand to signal his forces to move. "Kill them," he said, his voice dripping with malice.

The rogues surged forward, their movements coordinated and deadly. Celia's mark flared brighter, the blessing's power blazing as she prepared to face the traitor and the forces he had unleashed.