Chapter 29

Chapter 29
"Draven has accelerated..."

Alena didn't finish her sentence. The tremor that had just shaken the ground now resonated in her bones, not just from the overflowing power in the cave, but also from the thundering footsteps behind them. It was the sound of hundreds of wolves rushing, accompanied by something heavier, more ancient—something that clawed at the soul with a deadly, cold aura. The deep red light emanating into the sky from Draven's cave now painted the clouds blood-red, as if the Moon itself had bled.

"Quickly!" Alena commanded, her voice tense but resolute. She pointed north again, to a path barely visible amidst dense thickets and jagged rocks. "That path! It's the one that will lead us to Draven's back entrance. Silas, your pack will lead, obscuring our tracks. Orion, we need speed. Now!"

Silas nodded without hesitation. The Alpha called his Beta with a low growl, and his grey wolf pack immediately moved. They were like shadows darting between trees, disappearing behind foliage, creating a protective veil that would confuse their pursuers. Their speed and coordination were testament to years of training.

Orion no longer wasted time arguing. The unconscious Ariel was still in his arms, a burden he held dearer than anything. He glanced at Alena, a strange mix of concern and respect reflected in his eyes. "Alena, are you sure about this path? I don't remember it."

"I feel it," Alena replied, pushing through the dense forest. The lunar energy within her, which she had just used to divert Draven, now pulsed as a compass. "There's a forgotten passage. More dangerous, more unpredictable, but quicker to the heart of darkness."

Liam and Lena, with their sharp wolf eyes, moved quickly, accompanying Alena and Orion. Zara, though panting, tried to keep pace, her healer's trained legs now tested by the brutal terrain. The scent of pine and damp earth filled the air, mingling with the fresh scent of blood from the previous battle, and now, the faint smell of sulfur from the ongoing ritual.

They sped through the forest, dodging low branches and slippery rocks. The thundering footsteps of Draven's pursuers sounded closer behind, but thanks to Silas's cunning pack, their direction seemed distorted. The grey Alpha was truly a tactician.

"Draven's pack doesn't move carelessly," Silas said, leaping beside Alena, his voice low. "He uses encirclement strategies. They might be trying to funnel us to a specific point."

Alena nodded. "That's why we have to be unpredictable. This path will take us to an underground cave, to old, rarely used passages. Its defenses will be weaker."

Minutes later, after an adrenaline-fueled sprint, they reached a steep cliff. At its base, hidden behind a tangle of giant tree roots that looked like the gaping maw of a monster, was a dark crevice. It was too narrow for a wolf in human form to pass through easily, but perhaps wide enough for one person to crawl. The air emanating from the crevice smelled of moss, damp earth, and—more alarmingly—an increasingly strong scent of sulfur.

"Here it is," Alena said, her eyes gleaming with determination. "The back entrance I spoke of."

"And Draven would know about this if he's controlled this area for so long," Orion interjected, his gaze sharp. "He just wouldn't expect us to choose this suicidal path."

Silas observed the crevice. "He's right, Alpha Orion. This path is dangerous. But that's also why it won't be heavily guarded. We'll create a diversion at the front entrance, drawing their attention. Alena, you, Alpha Orion, and your Betas will enter from here."

"I'm coming," Zara said, her breath catching. "If Ariel is hurt, I need to be there."

Alena looked at Zara. Her eyes radiated resolve. "Alright, Zara. But you must stay behind us, don't get hurt."

Silas turned to Orion. "Alpha, your pack is paramount. I'll ensure your exit path is safe. Once you rescue Ariel, lead your pack and mine out of here."

Orion nodded, his gaze now radiating deep vigilance. "Thank you, Alpha Silas. I won't forget this."

With that, Silas gave final instructions to his Betas, and most of his pack raced back into the forest, heading towards Draven's main fortress entrance to create chaos. Alena, Orion, Liam, Lena, and Zara now stood alone before the dark crevice.

"Who goes first?" Liam asked, his dagger already in hand.

"I will," Alena said, without hesitation. "I'll lead. My power... I can sense traps or guards ahead."

Orion, despite the doubt in his heart, didn't object. He saw the confidence in Alena's eyes. "I'll be right behind you," he said, his voice softer than expected, Ariel still safe in his arms.

Alena nodded. She reduced her form, crawling into the crevice, merging with the darkness. The air inside the cave was cold and damp, the smell of earth mixed with wet stone and something fouler—the stench of excrement and sweat, the smell of imprisoned wolf life.

The path was narrow, sometimes forcing them to crawl on their bellies. Yet Alena moved with an eerie grace. She focused her power. Not an explosion of light, not a shockwave, but subtle manipulation. She allowed the lunar energy to seep into the shadows around them, making them feel denser, deeper, as if the shadows themselves became a moving shield.

"Here," Alena whispered, her voice barely audible. "There's a guard ahead, around that bend. He's alone, fast asleep."

Orion frowned. "How do you know?"

"I can feel his heartbeat, and... I can sense his scattered thoughts. He's dreaming. A very peaceful dream," Alena replied, her voice a whisper. She had manipulated the guard's dream, lulling him into a deep sleep, as if there were no threat nearby. It was a use of her power Orion had never witnessed before—power not to destroy, but to control, to deceive.

They passed the deeply sleeping guard. A strange aura of warmth and calm emanated from Alena, as if she was spreading a blanket of illusion that dulled their senses to danger.

"This is... incredible," Lena whispered, her gaze filled with awe as they passed the guard unnoticed.

They continued deeper into the fortress. The passages grew wider, now made of roughly hewn stone, indicating they were part of a larger structure. Dim torchlight from a distance created dancing shadows on the walls, but Alena continued to shroud them in an aura of shadow, making them almost invisible.

"Wait," Alena stopped again. "There are two guards at the intersection ahead. They're patrolling, back and forth. They... are arguing."

Orion gave a low growl. "Arguing?"

"About unfair food rations," Alena explained, her eyes closing for a moment. She could feel every ripple of emotion from the soldiers. "Draven is squeezing his soldiers too hard. They are starving and frustrated."

"So what's your plan?" Orion asked.

"We'll let them keep arguing," Alena replied, a thin smirk appearing on her face. "And when they turn on each other, we'll move. Or... we could exacerbate the argument."

"You can do that?" Orion stared at her, surprised.

"Lunar power is the energy of emotions," Alena explained. "I can amplify it, or calm it. In this case, a little anger will be the best diversion."

They waited. Alena closed her eyes, letting the lunar energy flow. In the distance, the sound of the guards' argument suddenly intensified. Harsher curses, more aggressive shoves. The two guards faced each other, forgetting their duties, plunged into a suddenly burning rage.