The Northern Peaks
The Northern Peaks
The wind howled across the mountains like a living thing, sharp and restless. Snow swept over the cliffs in silver waves, coating the rocks in ice. The higher they climbed, the thinner the air became, but Elara and her pack pressed on, guided by Draven’s steady pace. The world here felt ancient, untouched by time. Every step echoed with the whispers of wolves long gone.
They had been traveling for two days, their bodies aching from the cold and the steep terrain. Aiden walked ahead, clearing a path through the snow, while Kai and Lila followed close behind. Draven led them through narrow passes that wound between towering cliffs. The moon had not been visible since they entered the range, hidden behind thick clouds that never seemed to move.
Elara glanced at Draven. His expression was unreadable, his eyes distant as if he were hearing something no one else could. “How much farther?” she asked.
Draven stopped and touched a frozen stone wall. The surface glowed faintly beneath his fingers, revealing carved symbols beneath the frost. “Not far. The fortress lies beyond this ridge. But once we cross, the Remnants will sense us.”
Kai gave a humorless laugh. “So we’re walking straight into a trap.”
Draven turned to him. “There is no other way. The Eclipse Heart was hidden beneath the Queen’s throne. The Remnants guard it because their souls were bound to her when she died.”
Lila’s breath came out in soft white clouds. “If they’re her protectors, will they know you?”
Draven’s gaze darkened. “They will know what I carry. Whether that makes me ally or enemy depends on how the moon judges me.”
The cold grew worse as they continued. The snow turned to fine shards of ice that stung their skin. Elara felt the shard against her chest pulsing faster, its warmth the only comfort in the frozen air. Every beat of it whispered to her, faint and distant, like a heartbeat that wasn’t her own.
When they reached the top of the ridge, the fortress came into view. It rose from the mountain like the bones of a giant, its walls carved from black stone. Towers had collapsed long ago, leaving jagged silhouettes against the gray sky. The air around it shimmered faintly with energy.
Elara felt the weight of history pressing down on her. This was where it began. The Lunar Queen’s seat of power. The birthplace of the curse.
Draven stepped forward, his voice quiet but filled with reverence. “She ruled here when the moon still shone red. Every wolf that carries her blood carries this place in their memory.”
Aiden’s eyes narrowed. “And Sylvia will come here too.”
“She already has,” Draven said. “Can you not smell it?”
Elara inhaled deeply. Beneath the scent of snow and stone, she caught it, faint but undeniable. Sylvia’s scent. Cold, sharp, and laced with magic.
“She’s ahead of us,” Elara said. “We have to move now.”
As they crossed into the ruins, the temperature dropped even lower. The air grew thick with something unseen. Shadows flickered at the edge of Elara’s vision, moving between the pillars. She could feel the presence before she saw it.
Then came the whisper. It was not sound but something deeper, echoing inside her chest. Children of the moon. Why do you disturb the Queen’s rest?
The voice belonged to none of them. It came from the stones themselves. The shadows solidified, forming figures of mist and light. Wolves made of smoke, their eyes burning pale silver.
The Remnants.
They surrounded the group in silence, moving like a single mind. Their forms wavered with every heartbeat. The closest one stopped in front of Elara, lowering its head slightly. You carry the shard. You bear the Queen’s light.
Elara swallowed hard. “We’re here to protect what remains of her. The Eclipse Heart is in danger.”
The spirit’s voice was calm but heavy. The Heart does not need protection from mortals. You walk the same path as those who cursed the bloodline.
Draven stepped forward, his presence commanding. “I am her heir. You know my blood. Let us pass.”
The spirits turned their eyes to him. For a moment, silence filled the ruins. Then one of the Remnants growled. You carry her voice, but also her sin. The blood of betrayal runs through you.
Draven’s jaw tightened. “If I am cursed, then so are you. We are bound to the same moon.”
The ground began to tremble. The Remnants lifted their heads, and the air grew thick with power. Then prove your claim.
Without warning, they attacked.
A surge of cold energy swept through the ruins. The spirits moved like wind, striking with claws of light. Elara shifted, her body transforming in an instant. Aiden and Kai followed, their growls echoing through the mountain air.
Elara lunged at one of the Remnants, her claws passing through its form. Pain shot through her arm as the spirit’s energy burned her skin. They couldn’t fight these things like ordinary enemies.
Draven roared, his eyes blazing red. He slammed his hand into the ground, sending a wave of dark light outward. The spirits recoiled, their forms flickering.
“Use the shard!” he shouted.
Elara pressed her palm to her chest. The shard flared bright silver, its light slicing through the mist. The Remnants screamed, their shapes unraveling into smoke. One by one, they began to fade.
When the last one vanished, silence returned. The fortress stood still again, cold and empty.
Elara sank to her knees, gasping for breath. The shard’s light dimmed.
Draven looked around, his expression grim. “They tested us. Now the way is open.”
Aiden helped Elara stand. “You knew this would happen.”
“I hoped it would,” Draven said. “It means the Heart still recognizes us.”
Elara’s gaze turned toward the great doors of the fortress. Faint light glowed beneath them, pulsing like a heartbeat.
“The Heart of the Eclipse,” she whispered. “We’re close.”
Draven nodded. “But so is she.”
As the clouds parted above them, the moon appeared once more, its edge stained deep crimson. The eclipse had begun.