Chapter 85 — SHADOWS OF BETRAYAL.

The sanctuary, cloaked in the cover of night, stood as a beacon of hope amidst the shadows. Amara, Lady Gwen, Sarah, Frank, and Mrs. Morgan sought refuge within its protective walls. They had fled from Silverwood, leaving behind the city that had once been their home, in pursuit of safety.

Unbeknownst to them, their sanctuary had not gone unnoticed. A group of immortals, driven by the allure of Amara's power, had discovered their hideaway. With stealth and cunning, they surrounded the sanctuary, closing in like a tightening noose.

Inside, anxiety hung heavy in the air. The inhabitants of the sanctuary sensed the impending danger, their instincts on high alert. Lady Gwen, with her timeless wisdom, had prepared them as best she could, but the threat that loomed outside was formidable.

Amara forces herself not to be afraid. She was Arcata, the reincarnation of a powerful being, and her existence had ignited a dangerous curiosity among the supernatural beings of Silverwood. So she should act like what she was right?

As tension mounted, the first strike came swiftly. The immortals, with eyes aglow, launched a coordinated assault on the sanctuary. Spells and mystical energies clashed with the protective wards, causing the very walls to tremble.

Amara, her heart pounding, stepped forward with determination. "We can't let them breach our sanctuary! We must defend it."

Lady Gwen, her eyes filled with resolve, nodded in agreement. "We stand together, as one."

Outside the sanctuary’s protective wards, the air grew heavy with tension as a group of immortals encircled the sacred place. Their eyes glinted with malice, and their powers crackled in the night air.

“We need to hold them off until Ethan arrives,” Amara declared, her voice steady despite the fear that gnawed at her heart.

Lady Gwen, a seasoned warrior in her own right, nodded in agreement. “We won’t let them breach these walls, Amara. We’ll fight with everything we have.”

Frank, Sarah and Mrs. Morgan held hands together as they stood behind Amara and Lady Gwen.

Just as despair threatened to engulf them, a ray of hope emerged from the darkness. Ethan, who had been tracking Amara's movements from afar, arrived in the nick of time. His presence was a beacon of strength and love, igniting a spark of hope within the beleaguered group.

Ethan, his eyes blazing with determination, stood between the immortals and his loved ones. "You will not harm them," he declared, his voice resolute.

The battle that ensued was a tumultuous clash of power and will. Ethan fought valiantly, his every movement a testament to his unwavering love for Amara and his commitment to protect her. However, his spirit, weakened by the loss of more than half of his life source, rendered him vulnerable.

The immortals, sensing Ethan's weakness, exploited it to their advantage. They unleashed a barrage of attacks, overwhelming him with sheer force. Despite his best efforts, Ethan found himself outmatched and overpowered. For the first time in two hundred years, the alpha of Zathkanan Palace was defeated, it was a sight to behold indeed.

Amara, witnessing Ethan's struggle, felt a mixture of fear and anguish. She knew that it was his love's sacrifice had left him vulnerable, and she couldn't bear to see him in pain.

With a final, devastating blow, Ethan was struck down, his body falling to the ground, battered and broken. His opponents, victorious, taunted him with the knowledge of his weakness.

Amara, her heart shattering, rushed to Ethan's side. She cradled him in her arms, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Ethan, no, please..."

But before despair could fully consume them, salvation arrived in the form of Alrond. The second feared wolf of the Zathkanan Palace, Alrond descended upon the battlefield with swift and merciless fury.

With a single blast of energy, he killed all the Immortals who stood there wanting to conceal his brother’s weakness as much as he could. Their defeat was swift and very brief, leaving the sanctuary in silence.

“Amara, I am so sorry, I could not protect you like I said I would. I am no longer as strong as I was,” Ethan said.

Amara shook her head, tears pouring down her face, “No, you were amazing, you always are and will always be.”

Alrond, his expression unreadable as he approached Ethan and Amara. He recognized the direness of the situation, and his priorities were clear. Ethan needed immediate medical attention, and Amara's safety was no longer his concern. She had caused enough damage to his brother and he wanted nothing more from her.

With a heavy heart, Amara looked up at Alrond. "Please, help him. He's badly injured."

Alrond ignored her, his gaze was on Ethan, his voice filled with authority. "I will take him to Zathkanan Palace for treatment. You must remain here, you mortals, we don’t have to deal with you anymore."

“Listen, I am really sorry for all that has happened, I promise to make it up to you,” Amara pleaded, but Alrond ignored her.

Ethan, despite his injuries, mustered the strength to speak. "No, I won't leave her. I have to protect her."

But Alrond objected, “you come with me to Zathkanan Palace, you are badly wounded.”

Amara, torn between her love for Ethan and the necessity of his recovery, knew that Alrond's decision was sound. Reluctantly, she agreed to stay behind.

As Alrond transported Ethan to the palace, their conversation grew increasingly heated. Ethan's determination to return to Amara was unwavering, even in his weakened state.

Seeing that persuasion would not suffice, Alrond resorted to drastic measures. He discreetly laced Ethan's drink with a potent poison during a heartfelt conversation. The poison would weaken Ethan further, removing his moon spirit entirely and making him dependent on the palace's resources for survival. He did this to keep Ethan away.

Ethan, unaware of Alrond's treacherous act, took a sip of the poisoned drink. Within moments, his strength began to wane, and he fell into unconsciousness, the last thing Ethan heard before he passed out was Alrond telling him that everything was for the better.

When Ethan awoke, he found himself in a dark and desolate dungeon within Zathkanan Palace. He felt strange, the power that he once felt was no longer in him, he felt completely empty. His moon spirit had been taken from him, leaving him bereft of the power that had once defined him. The weight of his weakness bore down on him, and despair threatened to consume his spirit.

Meanwhile, Alrond assumed the mantle of alpha, his authority unchallenged. He was determined to handle the impending war and secure their position in the supernatural world of Silverwood, even if it meant keeping Ethan imprisoned. He and Pearl had planned this earlier. They then gave way for Amara to be adopted by any immortal. Pearl had imprisoned Amara in the sanctuary, and Amara and her family waited in the dark place for the power hungry monsters to come for her.

But not everything worked out for Alrond as Lady Gwen and Alon risked their life to release Ethan, but when they were spotted. Lady Gwen and Alon were killed on site after they had successfully freed Ethan out of Zathkanan Palace’s hold. Before they died they thanked Ethan for bringing them back together. Ethan was heartbroken by this, but he couldn’t hang around, he ran far away and didn’t look back.